okay guys, its graduation day! and let me tell you, this one is going to be momentous!
Chapter VI - Graduation
Two months have passed, with our couples doting and dating. Graduation looms however, and as it gets closer, an uneasiness began to form in the minds of Ruby and Weiss. What would happen after graduating? Where would they go? Would they ever see Ruby's sister or Blake again?
"Graduation is tomorrow..." Ruby whispered to Weiss as they lay in bed, facing each other, not quite ready to go to bed. Ruby's own apprehension had been growing steadily for the last week. It seemed that Weiss had been the only thing that was keeping Ruby sane. Weiss was struggling with it too, but having had a life full of stressing events like this, she was admittedly more adept at concealing the nervous feeling she had. No, that wasn't right. It was more like a feeling of impending doom.
"I know, but graduating won't change anything between us. You know that, right?" Weiss did her best to comfort her lover, and as she said the words, she knew that was the only thing that was certain about the coming weeks, months, even years. She traced lazy circles in Ruby's back, the thing that she knew relaxed her almost as much as her singing.
"Yeah..." Ruby dipped in and out of consciousness as the white haired huntress let her finger graze across Ruby's back. "That is true. Weiss, will you marry me?" Ruby's sleep deprived brain did nothing to filter the question that Ruby had been dying to ask Weiss, and as it slipped out, she jumped. Did I really just ask her that out of the blue?! I must be an idiot, the timing isn't right, and the setting is horrible. What the hell? I should tell her to igno- the response from Weiss was so surprising that her brain stopped working for a full four seconds.
"Where did that come from?" Weiss asked in response, genuinely confused that she could be so thick. "Ruby, I told you when we started all this that I would never leave you. I meant that." Weiss knew what she meant though. Lately thoughts of children danced through her dreams much like that the first night they spent together. In response to her answer, Ruby became emotional, and began to cry in earnest.
" I love you so much Weiss, and I dont want to ever lose you. I want to build a family with you, and live a nice big house with you, and make cookies with you..." Ruby continued her tear filled rambling for a moment until Weiss grabbed her chin and shut her up with a kiss, something she had taken to doing instead of insulting her as of late. She tried to pass along the message that she wanted all of those same things, and come hell or high water, Weiss would make sure that it would happen. Even if she had to tear the world apart to do so. Apparently, the message was conveyed, because by the time that they pulled away, Ruby's eyes had dried.
"thank you. Weiss, I have something I need to talk to you about." Ruby wanted to tell her that she had found a small home in the woods in Patch, much like the one she grew up in. she wanted to tell her that she wanted to adopt a baby with Weiss and retire. To live a peaceful life together, but this would not be happening tonight. As Ruby looked into the ice blue eyes of her lover, they filled with fear with the words that Ruby had said. It was too ominous and they needed to focus on graduation before they could even begin to do those things.
"Nevermind, it can wait. Wasn't that important to begin with. Let's get some sleep." Ruby pulled Weiss closer to her as the smaller of the two rolled over and gave her reply.
"If your sure, then okay. Goodnight my love." Weiss was worried about Ruby. She hadnt seen her this worried since the night her partner had confessed to her. She knew that right now, though, what Ruby needed was calm, not an inquisition.
"Goodnight, Weiss." Ruby nuzzled into her hair and promptly fell into her dreams. They were an incoherent mess of all the things she had been rambling about during her outburst. A few hours later, however the dreams became clear as she held a child with looks that were an apparent hybrid of herself and Weiss. For some reason this dream served to calm Ruby more than all the words that Weiss had given her.
Weiss, on the other hand, lay in her lovers arms and worried for a seemingly endless amount of time. Eventually the exhaustion from the mission they had returned from today dragged her into a dreamless sleep. A deep and restful sleep, that before she knew it, she felt the familiar sensation of Ruby getting up for the pair's morning ritual. Not long after that did the Weiss smell coffee, another ritual that they shared. Weiss opened her eyes and rubbed the blurriness out of them as Ruby opened the window.
"Good morning, my beautiful snow angel." Ruby set the second cup of coffee down next to herself as Weiss made her way to the window to sit with her lover. She seems more at ease this morning than she has in a long time. That makes me happy, even if I don't know why. Best not to pry. Weiss let her mind wander about her lover as she sat hand in hand with Ruby, watching the auburn sun rise over Vale.
"Ruby, you were going to ask me something last night. What was it?" Weiss asked as she lifted her partners hand to place a gentle kiss on the back of it. Now was the best time to ask the hard questions of Ruby, Weiss had learned. On top of that, with Ruby as calm as she was this morning in particular it felt right.
"The one about marriage or the other one?" Ruby had a plan about the former part and had honestly forgotten about the latter by the time she had woken up.
"The one you never really asked me."
"Ive forgotten what it was, but as soon as I remember I will ask it okay?" Ruby knew that her partner was used to her forgetfulness, and soon her mind drifted to children and homes in the woods. They sat like this until the sun had risen over the horizon when Ruby grabbed the empty cups between them and announced that she was headed for the shower. " Join me when your ready, huh?"
Weiss without a doubt had not lost any interest in pleasing Ruby, and did not pass up the opportunity for the "shower". Moans and sighs of pleasure could be heard from the shower for the next half hour. When they had finished getting themselves ready and headed back to the dorm, all four members of team RWBY received a message on their scrolls.
STUDENTS – THERE WILL BE A MANDATORY MEETING THAT WILL OUTLINE THE SCHEDULE FOR GRADUATION DAY IN ONE HOUR AT THE GREAT HALL.
The girls exchanged looks and were about to leave when Ruby looked at Weiss and said,
"Would you mind leaving 'Ruby Rose' here today?" Her plans first step involved asking her partner to leave behind something that had not left her side since it was given to her. A confused Weiss took it off and placed it back on its hanger on the nightstand.
" Do you mind telling me why? I dont like leaving it around a lot, you know that." Weiss asked, her concern apparent.
Ruby's response was a simple peck on the cheek, and a quick "I am going to have it cleaned this morning while we are at the meeting." The small comfort of leaving her own 'Winters Fall' in its resting place served to ease Weiss' mind. Ruby pulled out her scroll and sent a group message to team JNPR.
"I need your help guys. It's really important." The simple message was sure to pique the interest of them and it wasn't long before Ren replied for both him and Nora.
"Anything. Whats going on?" Ren and Nora looked at each other as they idly wondered what Ruby could possibly need on such short notice. Pyrrha was the one who replied for herself and Jaune.
"Jaune and I would be happy to help as well. But why arent we doing this in person?" Jaune gave Pyrrha a quick peck on the cheek as she sent their reply.
"I am going to officially propose to Weiss today." Ruby's reply was answered almost instantaneously by both groups.
"OMG! Were so happy for you – Nora."
"So are we! Im so excited. What do you need us to do? - Jaune."
"Arkos, I need you guys to grab the necklaces on the nightstand by our bed – I need to have them cleaned. Would you please go do that? And Rennora – could you grab flowers from the school greenhouse. White roses if you could. But anything white or red would be ok. I will get the rest done. Lets all meet in your dorm after the assembly. Do you think we can all be done by 4 PM?" Ruby sent the message and just as quickly as before the responses were back to her.
"Consider it done, and really is that what people are calling us? - Ren."
"4 should be perfect. C U then. - Pyrrha."
"You Guys are the best! 3" The entire exchange took place in less than a minute and when Weiss asked Ruby who she was talking to, the response was easy.
"Oh, my dad asked me what time he needed to be here tomorrow." Ruby's grin oozed secrecy and happiness. Weiss' concern grew, but seeing how happy Ruby was to speak to her father was enough for her. As if on cue, Weiss' own father called. The man hadnt spoken much to her since she had renounced his brutal business practices. Just as she was about to hit the ignore button Ruby's hand stopped her.
"Talk to him. I know you two don't get along very well but I really believe that he loves you and would never do anything to intentionally hurt you." Ruby's perceptiveness and wisdom was a welcome respite in the last two months, and Weiss heeded her now.
"Hello father." An edge crept into her voice as she answered the phone. She had never liked speaking with him in the first place.
"Weiss, we need to talk. Do you have a minute?" the rumbling voice on the other end of the line came slowly and was obviously carefully worded.
"Im heading to a meeting about graduation but I can talk until I get there." Weiss left out the fact that she was with other people as she waved on Blake and Yang, signaling them to continue without her and Ruby. She had also left out the fact that the meeting would not start for another 45 minutes, so that she could end the call if things got out of hand.
"Good. I want to apologise for the way I acted when I last saw you, and if it were at all possible I would have traveled down to do this in person but... you were right. The company needs to change, and so do I. Those changes are filling my schedule quickly so I had to call." Weiss' father sounded contrite, nigh on reverent in speaking with his daughter, a trait that he had never had in the past.
"What made you change your mind?" the white haired huntress' tone softened at the words of her father. But it put her on edge to hear him so kind.
"You did. Ive allowed early access to your trust, should you decide that I can be forgiven for my ways. I understand if you cannot."
"Thank you for that, but I am making a steady living from my work. As far as forgiveness goes father... you can have your answer about that tomorrow when I see you at graduation." Weiss made the assumption that he would be there, making it more of a command than anything.
"You bet, snowflake. I will see you tomorrow evening." Weiss was startled at the nickname that her father had given her in her youth, and didnt have the time to respond before the call was ended from the other end of the line.
The meeting went uneventfully, as Weiss had ensured that all the information that was passed on at the meeting the rest of team RWBY already had this information committed to heart, much at the protest of Ruby. After the meeting Ruby told Weiss that she had some things she needed to do.
"I'll come with you." Weiss' said.
"Actually, its a surprise. So could you go back to the dorm with the other two?" Ruby deployed her Weiss tailored Puppy dog eyes, which entailed a gently stroke of the arm, and amplified version of the puppy dog eyes, that Weiss could not say no to.
"I guess. But when you get back you better tell me whats going on." Weiss sulked back to the dorm.
Ruby headed to Dr. Ooblecks room to ask him for a favor. A few minutes later she walked out with a small rectangular box just big enough for two necklaces. She checked her scroll for the time. 3:50 P.M. Perfect. She headed for the dorms and slinked her way into team JNPRs room. They waited for her eagerly. As Ruby entered the room Jaune handed her the necklaces, which she put gingerly into the box, lined with velvet. It was all coming together.
Weiss noticed that the necklaces were still gone. Probably at the cleaner still. Maybe thats what she was doing. The thought eased Weiss mind as she lay on her bed. Across the room Yang received a message on her scroll. Showing it to Blake, they nodded to each other.
"Hey Weiss, we are going to go for a walk. We'll be back later okay?" Blake was the one who delivered the message to Weiss, who absentmindedly waved them off. She had other things to worry about. Her father would be here tomorrow and she had to tell him that she was in a relationship with Ruby. Her fathers opinion aside, it was nerve wracking for any girl to tell her father about a lover.
Yang and Blake walked into the room across the hall. "Whats with all the secrecy Ruby? Weiss is worried sick about you right now." Yang quickly confronted her sister. Ruby didnt bother to reply, instead choosing to simply get on one knee, and opening the box to her sister.
"Your really going to propose?" Blake asked, wondering what her part was to be in this.
" Yes I am. And I need you all to give her one flower tonight as you cross paths with her. I want all along this route." Ruby traced the map she had drawn of the path she and Weiss had taken on that fateful walk all that time ago. " I will be waiting in the courtyard for her, after sending her a text to meet me there in 1 hour. So get into position." Ruby beamed as she directed her friends where they needed to be.
One hour later, Weiss received a message - "come to the place we first confessed our love, love Ruby." Eager to see her lover, she didnt bother to question as she bounded out the door -and straight into Ren. Without a word, he handed her a white rose, and pointed down the hall where Nora stood with another. Utterly confused, Weiss followed the path of roses to where Ruby stood.
"Ruby? Whats going on?" without saying anything Ruby closed the gap between them and knelt down. In her hands was a small box. Finally understanding, Weiss began to weep.
"I know I suck with words Weiss, but I think I said it best the first time." Ruby said, her own words choked up by tears of her own. She opened the box and played the message recorded into the rose necklace.
"Weiss Schnee, I am so madly in love with you that when I see your smile it catches my breath. When you sing my heart skips a beat. Your beauty is dazzling in the most fantastic way, and I want to share my life with you and give my life to you for the rest of eternity. So Weiss, I love you. And im never going to leave you. So please just for me, im asking that you love me too."
"Weiss... Marry me?" Ruby managed to get out as she knelt in front of Weiss.
" Of course Ruby. Yes!" Weiss put her freshly cleaned necklace on and grabbed the other from the box. "Now stand up, so I can put this on you and kiss you, silly." Ruby eagerly complied and they shared the first kiss of a married couple.
The next day, graduation passed in a blur. What happened afterward not so much. Ruby stood hand in hand with Weiss as they waited for both of their fathers to meet them.
"Girls! Over here!" Taiyang had long accepted the relationship between the two and already considered Weiss one of his own. After the happy couple greeted him they informed him that they needed to wait for Weiss' father, because they had something they had to tell them both. Taiyang not being so thick had the general idea of the message they would convey, and modified his own gift to suit them both. Not long after that, a proud man dressed in white, as was the Schnee way, made his way to the three.
"Father I have a few things I need to tell you."Weiss greeted her father, after an awkward handshake between him and Taiyang, and Ruby. The girls took a deep breath.
"We're getting married!" the two spoke in unison. Taiyang immediately swept both of the girls into a massive bear hug, and after he had calmed down a bit, stepped away.
" Well this is a surprise, but Ruby I want you and Weiss to share your graduation gift." with that he pulled an old house key out of his pocket, and handed it to Weiss. " Your mother and I purchased this home when you and Yang were small. It was going to be your gift when you got married. It seems like a fitting graduation/wedding gift, since it comes from us both." Tears filled Taiyangs eyes, as his daughter and his daughter in law swept him up into a hug themselves.
"Weiss. I want you to know that you both have my full support, and when things at the company calm down and I can escape, I would love to come to your new home. I want to get to know my daughter in law. Ruby. Take good care of my little girl." Though is voice did not change much, tears streamed down Weiss' father's face. Before Weiss could stop her Ruby threw her arms around him. Not one for physical contact, it took him a moment before he wrapped his arms around both of the girls.
"I'm looking forward to it...Dad." Ruby said, beaming. With this exchange, one of Ruby's concerns were now lifted. They merely needed to move a few things in.
"Weiss, I think you should know that Winter has taken over the genetics division at the medical research center. Given this information, I think you might want to give her a call." the rumbling voice of Weiss' father seemed brooding as he stroked his beard. "That can wait however. Let me treat you all to dinner in celebration of this news!" With that the fathers taking the lead and the girls close behind, a new life began for Ruby and Weiss.
THIS IS NOT THE END OF OUR LOVE STORY! CONTINUE READING IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF WHITE ROSE TO FIND OUT WHAT WEISS' SISTER HAS TO SAY!