Disclaimer – I claim no ownership to the characters used in this fan work. The characters rightfully belong to their creators such as Monty Oum and their other respective owners at Roosterteeth.

Apathetic Sisters

Chapter 5: Dependence

It was the morning after. Despite it being closer to the afternoon, it was their moment of awakening nonetheless.

While originally sleeping with her back to the oldest, Miltiades, the younger of the twins had rolled over toward the blond in her sleep. Her right arm, draping over the other's core. Her ebony head of hair resting pleasantly against Yang's right shoulder. The gentle rockings of breathings and heartbeats keeping her contained into a steady slumber.

When quiet stirrings eventually disrupted the patterns the younger twin's body had grown accustomed too, Miltiades eyes fluttered open partially. Her emerald iris' static to where her head was positioned. The semi-aware glossed over gaze focused on the position of her hand below.

As the girl watched, further rustling in the sheets behind her became apparent. Softly, she could feel Yang's arm stretch over her own waist. Resting over her side, the older's hand cupping hers.

Silent and motionless apart from the lulling breaths of the three girls, Miltiades honed in on the noticeable differences of the blond's hand compared to hers. Her hands were so much larger. The palm alone almost able to make up her length. The knuckles swollen, partially red at the top. Even the touch felt foreign. While her sister's and her hands were delicate and seemed almost fragile, Yang's was rougher, the skin more coarse from constant use and abuse.

Even with the more brash feel, the younger of the Malachite sisters was more than inviting when Yang went to lace her fingers alongside hers. The feeling didn't matter, all Miltiades felt at the touch was warmth. Once settling in, the older almost seemed hesitant at first. As though a more smothering touch would damage Miltiades' hand. Eventually, she started slowly stroking the black haired girl's hand on the side with her thumb.

After a while, the student released her grip over the other. Pulling away her fingers as she ripped up her hand, the youngest knew that if she had more energy, her body would have instinctively went after it. When she didn't, a bit of sadness tugged inside her.

The short haired girl could feel when Yang started scootching herself upright. She was tenderly careful to try and not agitated the younger girl whom she no doubt thought was still asleep beside her. When Miltiades felt the other lifting her arm off of her waist, she sighed to herself. As the hand was soon brought back down, it caressingly began petting her atop her head with steady strokes.

When that too eventually was brought to a halt, the younger clenched her hand into the comforter. When Yang's hands all of a sudden slid under her arms, the youngest froze and clammed up. Allowing her body to be limply hoisted up, she was placed back down in the middle of the other two. Her sibling's back right in front of her and the huntress-to-be right behind. Once tucked in tightly, the bed creaked from the shifting weight. The covers being tossed around until came the sounds of two barren feet hitting the floor. When light footsteps started leading away from their bed, Miltiades took a somewhat deeper breath and rested her eyes shut again.

Eyes cracking open once again, the youngest of the three turned her head just enough to catch a glimpse of the area just beyond the foot of her bed. While assuming her eyes had just been shut for a few moments, this was immediately proven incorrect. Dressed fully clothed in her since dried attire from the night before, stood the blond. One foot pulled in the air so that the boot laces could be tied.

As Yang seemed to finish her preparations, she gave one last look over to the twins. Catching a glance at a tired pair of eyes staring over at her, she walked closer and leaned on the end of the bed.

From the angle Miltiades had positioned herself, she could only clearly make out the lower half of Yang's face. This only making the warm smile that grew to fit her face all the more noticeable.

"Hey." She whispered, certainly more soft spoken than either of the sisters had ever heard. "I gotta go. I'll stop by next week. I promise." Standing back up, she gave one quick wave before turning around and tiptoeing out of the flat.

Her eyelids heavying once again, the younger of the remaining pair shut her eyes. Just before dozing off, to replace the lost warmth and heat, she huddled over to her sister and wrapped an arm around her waist.

… … …

While never admitting it, at least conscientiously, the weeks had grown longer since Yang's visiting rituals first began. They always appreciated their time off, but rarely would they look forward to it apart from the last day of their work week.

Ever since they had both fallen into the habit however, here and there, they noticed little comments becoming more frequent than before. Things like, This day is dragging on more than usual. Or, When is this shift over? Were uttered almost daily.

The twins job at Junior's club was far from fulfilling. Yet even recently, the two would be hard pressed to say it was completely unsatisfying. Something had changed recently to diminish their already admittedly short supply of patience. They knew it wasn't Junior's hours or his clientele, they were slowly realizing, it was them.

Somehow making it though another work week, Monday morning had once again become one night's rest away.

… … …

Dressed in a white skirt and a casual powder blue blouse, Melanie was occupying herself with one of her sister's favorite pastimes, flipping through television channels with little interest. Occasionally, she would tug at her long socks, more so out of boredom than brought about from the result of any unfitting material.

Deciding to tackle chores like shifts long ago, the younger sister was the one currently cleaning up the dishes from the day before. Even with nothing planned, they had always liked getting what they needed done early in the mornings. She was donned in a pair of jeans and a red tube top which allowed her to work without fear of dirtying her clothes.

Lounging about in the morning, Melanie glanced over at the cable box which blinked 10:30. As soon as her eyes wandered over the time, a buzzing vibrated from the table in front of the couch.

Sitting forward, the long haired girl hunched down and swiped up her scroll. The inner screen projecting a hand taken photo of Yang. She was sprawled out on their couch, a fair amount of droll hanging out of her mouth in her passed over state. A moment both twins found necessary to capture with their handhelds.

Before answering the call, the older sister leaned over the back end of the furniture with her head. "It's her." She informed, the same but more forced unimpressed look on her face as earlier.

Instead of responding with confusion, Miltiades went right on with her task. "Put her on speaker." The younger girl called out, more effort than usual given to making her voice sound annoyed.

With the flick of a button, the scroll connected with a short beep. "Hey girls!" Came the voice of the perky blond from the other end.

"Whatever." The long haired sibling responded for the two of them.

After a brief laugh on the other side, Yang went on."Yeah yeah." There was a pause before she continued. "Listen, I'm sorry to do this to you guys on such short notice, but something came up."

At the end of the comment, Miltiades shut off the kitchen faucet. Turning around, she and her sister shared a passing glance, neither saying a word.

"Yeah, so uh, anyway, I'll swing by next week. Sorry! Ciao!" With a chipper laugh, the call was ended in a short buzz. An almost unnoticeable hint of nervousness in her voice upon the end.

Shutting her scroll, Melanie tossed the portable device back on the table in front of her. With a much more natural look of irritation settling upon her face, so to did a scowl. Picking up a throw pillow, she slid her hand underneath it and used it to cushion her head as she kicked her feet up on the rest of the furniture.

When the television's volume was raised up much further, the younger sister went right back to washing dishes. A completely monotone look on her face as she occupied herself.

… … …

A few hours had passed. Both twins now seated on the couch in the center of the room. The older, more or less in the same position. The short haired sister, sitting on the opposite side. Her left elbow on the arm rest, holding her head up.

With a mix of tedium and frustration on their faces, the pair continued to channel surf. When a long sigh was emitted by the both of them, they turned to share a quick look.

Afterword, Melanie's scroll began to vibrate again. Looking over, the siblings saw a familiar blond's face in the middle of the device's screen.

Sitting up, the long ebony haired girl reached forward and seized her handheld. Tapping the speaker button again, it was placed back on the table between them, neither saying a word.

"H-Hello?" An awkward, timid female voice beckoned from the other side of the line. A tone definitely differing from the scroll's much more confident owner.

Exchanging a peculiar look, the twins stared over at each other before returning to inspect the device. "Who is this?" The older asked, dry and cutthroat.

"O-Oh!" The person on the other side yelped. A audible amount of fumbling coming out in a mess of inconsistent static. The other's scroll most likely dropped in surprise. Their eyes rolling right before the caller went on. "Is this uh... Melon-lily?"

Perhaps losing interest, the shorter haired sister looked away. "That's a new one." She remarked under her breath.

With a sigh, the older sister leaned forward and scooped up her scroll. "Who are you?" Melaine asked, the sisters once again inquiring the other's identity while ignoring the previous comments.

"Right!" The still unknown woman exclaimed, fumbling a little bit more. "M-My name's Ruby. I'm Yang's sister." This recent declaration garnering the younger's attention once more. "Anyway..." There was another pause, unlike the others, this one was caused due to the person the other side having to stop and take in a massive breath. "...Yang wasn't feeling good this morning, and we were all worried, so she's been staying in bed all day. When I came in to check on her between our classes, I saw her just laying in bed. She was staring at her scroll, looked like her contacts list. When she finally fell asleep, I kinda planned on putting her scroll away for her. That way it didn't slip out of her hand and break or anything. But then I kinda opened it up- by accident! I mean! And, well, uh, when I opened it up, your name was highlighted. And I figured you might wanna know what was going on. So, I kinda gave you a call."

Partway throughout Ruby's rapid in-depth explanation, the twins had stopped staring at the small device in Melaine's hand to simply stare at each other in astonishment that it was lasting so long. Once set and done, they let the younger girl catch her breath. Meanwhile, the pair could only blink slowly at one another at the oddity.

As the older sister was about to speak up, a bit more of rustling could be heard in the background. "Ruby, have you seen my scroll? I thought I left it right over here on the side of the bunk." A much more confident and familiar voice came from a woman further away.

With more heavy fumblings getting picked up, the caller responded. "H-Huh? Your scroll?" Ruby spat, flustered and caught off guard. "Oh! I think I saw it right over-" The call, ending abruptly.

For a while, the two sisters just stared at Melanie's scroll. Both processing the wealth of new information given to them. Without so much as a word or passing glance, both stood up off their couch.

… … …

Allowed her teammate's bed as it was closer to the floor as well as the nightstand next to it, team RWBY's fiery boxer was seated in bottom bunk on her side of the room. A pillow pushed against her lower back as she sat to the headboard. Her hair partially out of place, her cheeks a more noticeable tint of red. She was wrapped in what was normally her night ware.

Looking down at the device in her hand, the blond could only raise an eyebrow. "I still can't get over how my scroll wound up all the way from the bed into the closet." Yang brought up with a puzzling look as she tried mentally connecting the dots.

Seated on the bed's edge next to her, Ruby was nervously playing with her hands. "Oh, you're still thinking about that, huh?" Her words more speedy than usual due to her guilt.

Still trying to solve the problem occupying her for the greater portion of a half hour, Yang held the scroll off the side of the bed. Pretending to drop it, she looked over across the room to the closet, disbelief written across her face. "How could it-"

"Let's talk about something else for a while, okay?" Ruby interjected, direly wanting to change the subject. Leaning over and placing a hand on her older sister's shoulder. A nervous expression overtaking her face.

Smiling at her concern, the elder of the two reached over and brushed some loose hairs back into place behind Ruby's ear. "Alright, let's talk about why you're not in class right now." The blond began, a wry look growing.

"It's just one of professor Port's lectures. It's no big deal." The short haired girl excused, looking away.

Pouting at the response, Yang leaned over and tossed up the others hair that she had just moments ago cleaned up. This earning a quiet yelp out of the younger girl. "H-Hey! Yang!"

Removing her hand, she allowed her sister to fix herself up before speaking again. "Just go." The older urged.

Staring at her sick sibling, Ruby grew a weak smile at the encouragement. "You sure?" She asked in one last pass of validation.

Smiling in concern at the other's worry, Yang nodded. "Yeah. It's not like I'm not going anywhere today... or tonight." A slim amount of sadness lining her voice at the end of her promise, but this went unnoticed by the other.

Finally swayed, the uniform clothed student stood up off the bed. "Oh, okay." After a few steps, she stopped and turned right back around. "You can just call if you need anything." Once being shooed away with a series of slow nods, she started leaving again.

Opening up the room's door, Ruby walked outside into the hall. Beginning to close it behind her, turned around again and practically stuck her head through the small crack that remained. "Right! And if you-" Stopping partway through, the teen looked down the hall over toward something out of her older sibling's view. After staring in contemplation for a moment, her face suddenly lit up. "Oh! It's you!" She perked up, full of reclaimed excitement. "Yang, you have visitors!"

Pulling up one knee, the blond rested her arms on top and placed her chin above them. With a loose smile, she replied. "C'mon Rubbles, I don't want anyone to see me like this. Send 'em away, would ya?" This followed up with a lighthearted fanning motion with her left hand.

When her door was opened back up again, two pairs of familiar looking heels strolled inside. Side by side, the Malachite twins stood just inside the entrance of the dorm room. Donned in stockings and skirts of their usual color pallets, Melanie wore an elegant white with a hint of light blue winter coat while her sister wore an identical light gray one. Both standing idle with their hands occupied their coat pockets.

Dropping the scroll in her hand back onto the bed, Yang became agape. Her eyes widening fully as her purple iris' stared over at her new arrivals. "What?" Was all she could utter at first in her completely astonished state. "What are you two doing here?" She asked properly after gathering her scattered thoughts.

As soon as the topic was brought up, Ruby tensed and readied herself to leave. Yet even with her speed, she wasn't able to depart quickly enough.

"Your sister called us on your scroll." Miltiades explained simplistically, her eyes tracing around the small rooms abnormal features.

RWBY's team leader seemed to freeze up when her older sister gave her a piercing glare from her temporary bed. Zipping back inside and across the room, she was at her older sibling's side within the fraction of a second. A small gust of wind blowing the twins hair in the same direction before resetting in their proper places. Both staring unimpressed all the same.

With a clenched hand, the blond closed her eyes in what seemed to be growing irritation. "Not only did you take my scroll, but you also called up my friends without asking? All because..."

Her head lowered partially in shame, the petite scythe wielder held her hands up defensively. "I was just-"

"Because you were worried about me!" Yang suddenly burst out with. Her arms wrapping around her younger sisters shoulders as she pulled her in for a tight embrace. "Aw! I have the best little sister in the world!" The golden haired teen shouted in an over the top manner.

Trying to fight off the hug, Ruby pulled and flailed her arms with no anvil. "Yang! Let me go! It's embarrassing! Come on! You're all sick! Ew! Ew!" The younger pleaded continuing her attempt to break free. "I-I have to get to class! I'm late as it is!"

"Who cares about some boring old lecture? You can just stay here with your loving older sister!" Yang teased, contradicting her earlier statements as she only furthered her hold on the young girl.

The twins could only stare at the overly affectionate display before them. All the blond's doting habits along with her exceptionally strong big-sister instincts among other similar qualities all of a sudden clicking in their minds.

"Yang!" The younger student cried out one last time.

Satisfied with her punishment, the blond released the girl who flew back a few steps from struggling so much for her freedom. "Alright. Now get out of here!" The room's oldest declared, a smile back on her face as she repeated her fanning motion from earlier.

More than a little flustered, Ruby smiled as well and went to leave. Turning around she was face to face with the callus twins. With a bit of an awkward nod and wave she started rushing passed them. "It was um, nice meeting you." Hurrying out into the hall, the door was unintentionally left ajar.

Waltzing over from the entrance with slow, elegant strides, Melanie halted herself at the edge Yang's bunk. Looking over at the stack of books used to suspend one bed on top of the other, she traced a fingernail along the spine of a book in the center. "Anything good?" She asked, inquiring the tome's context.

"Please don't." Yang spoke up very worriedly. "It's kinda a miracle we haven't had any accidents with these yet." She addressed bluntly and with concern.

Looking beyond the older sister, the blond watched as Miltiades strolled around. Her eyes scanning the room's many personalized characteristics. Her hands clasped behind her back.

Smiling at the scene, Yang spoke up again. "I'd say the room isn't usually this much of a mess..." She stopped for an instant to shrug her shoulders. "...but it is." She chimed.

"It fits you." The younger girl remarked rather venomously.

"Hey!" The eldest called out with disheartened indignation.

Glancing over her shoulder for no longer than a second, the younger of the Malachite twins turned right back around. "It's cozy." She elaborated.

After a second, Yang smiled at the unexpected addition. Hugging her knee, she watched her two new guests wander around her room. "I uh- I was fine a week ago." The huntress in training brought up, doing her best to spawn conversation. "When I left from your place, I mean." She removed one hand from around her leg to rub the back of her neck. "After that I just sorta kept getting worse. Lightheaded. Queasy. Y'know, simple stuff."

With a bit of a nervous laugh, the older girl moved her hand up to rub the back of her head. "I probably caught something heading over to you girls' place. Not my brightest moment, stopping by in nothing but my pajamas and a jacket in the middle of a blizzard, huh?" Attempting to lighten the mood by following it up with another laugh, she stopped when she found she was the only one doing so.

Lowering her head, Yang wore a sad smile. "I don't regret it though." Her last comment too seeming lost in the growing unresponsiveness of the twins.

After a few stationary seconds, Melanie headed for the door. Shutting it closed in front of her, the sound of the lock fastening followed immediately after. A monotone expression on her face while carrying out such actions.

At the same time, Miltiades walked over to the desk in the corner and started pulling over a chair to the right side of the bed. A similar cross look on her face.

A bit unnerved, the blond stiffened up. "What are you two...?" She trailed off by the end as she settled instead on watching them.

Finished by the door, the older sister walked over to the bed as well. Passing her sibling, she walked around so that she was positioned on the opposite side. Once right beside the sick girl, she turned around. Her back now facing her, she sat on the edge of the mattress.

Likewise, on the other side, Miltiades sat down in her borrowed chair. The back of which was also facing the blond. Her gaze focused instead out the open window.

Completely lost at what was going on, Yang started shifting gazes between the two, Melanie on her left and Miltiades on the right. Without warning, both reached behind them and each grabbed one of her hands in their own. Neither saying a word as they did so.

It took a while, but the oldest of the group finally began to realize what was going on. When she did, a wide tender expression grew to fit her face. The door was locked because the idea of someone walking in on their display mortified them. The reason their backs were to her was simply brought about from embarrassment.

The two were so childish at times, but Yang could never accuse them of being the only ones. Her hands were clasped just as tightly as their's were. She too refused to give up even an inch; refused to lessen her hold by the smallest degree on her apathetic little sisters.

THE END

Author Notes:

I'm more than satisfied ending things here. I explored an idea and had fun with it. I hope you all enjoyed this while it lasted, I did.

Read, Review, and Enjoy.