Author's Note: Alright, here's the next chapter, sort of the start of a two-parter, but not really; more like a new arc, though it won't be a terribly lengthy arc, so I hesitate to use such a ter. Anyway, a little more Weiss and Mina interaction for those of you who are interested; I hope that you enjoy, and please, do leave your thoughts and suggestions in the reviews.
By Wednesday the last traces of her headache had abated, and Mina was feeling much better. It had been a painful few days, but perhaps suffering Torchwick's infernal device had been worth the trouble; after all, her state of infirmity had given her the privilege of sleeping beside her Dearest for four consecutive nights, to say nothing of the doting attention. Mina was not particularly accustomed or inclined to be doted on, but coming from Blake… it was nice, and Mina could not help but enjoy it. She had managed to forgo class on Monday, but had attended both days since, though in her free time she would immediately retire to Blake's bed, whereupon she would be treated to Blake's reading aloud, stroking her ears, and occasionally certain more intimate indulgences, when no one else was around, of course. All told, Mina certainly could not complain. Of course, Blake could not be by her side through all that time though; Blake had classes of her own in which Mina was not enrolled, and during such times, Mina would have been alone, with the dorm to herself.
Would have been, were it not for a certain heiress.
Next to Blake, Mina could say with some assurance that the Schnee heiress was her best friend. It was a curious thing to consider really; for the better part of the last ten years of her life, her Dearest had been the sole person that Mina had valued, Blake alone and only; now though, Mina could not so easily say as much. Oh, Blake was certainly the person of greatest importance to her, and she would certainly cast all else aside if needed, but Blake wasn't the only one whose welfare mattered to her. It was perhaps ironic though, that among those others whom Mina had come to value, the one to whom she'd grown closest was the one upon whom her previous deeds had done the most harm. Between Mina's days in the White Fang,, kidnapping, and feeding on her prior to the confrontation with Blake and Miss Xiao Long, Mina's history with the Schnee Heiress and her family would not seem conducive to friendship, yet at every opportunity she had, it was none other than Weiss Schnee to join Mina in RWBY's otherwise empty dorm.
Most often when she would enter the room, Weiss would proceed immediately to her desk and open a textbook – or at least Mina assumed that it was a textbook, based upon the weighty sound as the covers parted on the desk – ostensibly to study or do homework. Mina never heard pen on paper though, so she could readily conclude that no notes were being taken in all that time, nor essays being written, which had puzzled Mina at first. Weiss was nothing if not studious, made a point not to waste time, and generally preferred to study and do homework in the library if Mina was not mistaken, so this behavior was odd, to say the least, and for a while, Mina could only speculate the cause, After a while though, Mina had begun to notice that Weiss would begin writing upon the return of any of their other teammates, and then it dawned on her: Weiss was making herself available to keep her company. Mina had wondered at this for a while, but as she waited in Blake's bed – now simply because it was comfortable, rather than because she needed to lie down – Mina decided to ask.
"Weiss…"
Weiss started in her seat , "Wha-? Oh, Mina… You're awake… Don't startle me like that…"
"Yes… I do apologize…" Mina raised an eyebrow, "But I was curious… Do you not prefer the library for your studies?"
"I uh…" she sighed, "I suppose it would be pointless to deny it…"
"It would," Mina chuckled, "I do appreciate your company,"
Weiss chuckled, "That obvious, huh?"
"You needn't play coy Weiss; we are friends, are we not?"
"I suppose not," Weiss admitted, "Although I'd say that 'playing coy' is a much more suggestive turn of phrase than I would use…"
"Why do you think I used it?" Mina smirked.
Mina imagined that, in one of Blake's books, a character such as Weiss would 'roll her eyes' in conveyance of her exasperation at such a comment, but Weiss' sigh and words were all that Mina had to go by, "Of course… I take it your ears are feeling better now?"
"Very much so, thank you, and my headache is gone as well,"
"Well that is certainly a relief…" Weiss' tone seemed to relax, "We're just not used to seeing anything lay you out like that…"
"You were worried about me? Weiss, I'm flattered…"
"No you're not; you're just screwing with me," Weiss stated flatly.
Mina chuckled, "Weiss… I am surprised at you; I reserve that particular-,"
"Alright, alright, that's enough!" Mina heard the heiresses' sleeves ruffle, presumably because Weiss was waving her arms for silence in her embarrassment, "You… don't need to explain… I walked into that…" Mina laughed again, sitting up, "So you did… though leaving that aside, I cannot help but wonder why you put yourself out to join me here… It is not as though you meant to talk, after all…"
It was at this point that Mina finally opted for her semblance to get a better picture of how the Heiress was reacting. Weiss was facing her way, seated, and appeared to be pondering how to answer. At this point though, Mina couldn't resist making another crack, "That is, unless you were awaiting the best opportunity to take advantage-,"
"WHAT!? NO! Absolutely not! Mina, I-,"
Mina burst out laughing, "Yes, yes Weiss, I know; and even if I did appeal to you… you're much too…"
"Civilized?" Weiss suggested in dry exasperation.
"Hmm… I was thinking of something more along the lines of 'polite' but civilized would do…" Mina replied, getting up from the bed and going over to her bar. It had been almost a week since she'd used it, "Nonetheless, it seems atypical of you Weiss. Not that I do not appreciate your company… Did Blake ask you to?"
"Nonsense," Weiss shook her head, "You're my friend and I am concerned for your well-being." The Heiress huffed, "Is it really so hard to believe that I have no ulterior motive?"
"You are the Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company," Mina joked.
"Ugh! There's just no winning with you, is there?" Weiss reached up to rub her temples, "Honestly…"
As Mina pulled herself up into her favorite hanging position, she spoke again, "You need not trouble yourself over me Weiss; I simply required some additional rest, and I would certainly not have you compromise your preferences over something like this,"
"It was no trouble…" Weiss mumbled, though Mina heard her quite clearly, "I just… I know that I'm no substitute for Blake's company but… well… I didn't want you to get lonely in here by yourself…"
Mina halted before she could attempt her first upside-down crunch, a look of mild confusion and intent curiosity on her face, "Lonely?"
"Well you normally spend all of your time with Blake, and what with you being under the weather – and that one time when you told us about when you were separated and you started to cry-," Weiss took a moment to compose herself again, "I guess I just didn't want you to go through that again… God knows I went through enough loneliness for the both of us as a kid so…"
Mina blinked a few times, "So to that end you came here, instead of the library, to sit – in silence – and not do your homework?"
Weiss gave a bitter laugh, "Father certainly wouldn't approve…" she shut her textbook on the desk, but you know what? Father isn't here – hell, he was almost never home either,"
Mina considered her words before speaking now, though she did so from her hanging position, "Hmm… I suppose that I am indeed no stranger to loneliness; my mother… perished… when I was seven, and for a while I was alone on the streets until I met Blake… Even after I met her though… I suppose that you could say that I felt… hollow… whenever we were separated… Though if nothing else, I imagine that my childhood was more… permissive… than your upbringing…"
"Oh, it wasn't all that bad…" but Weiss didn't seem to feel it, "I got anything I wanted, after all… as long as I wanted to behave…" She paused, "But enough about me; I've got friends now, and as your friend, I just wanted to make sure that you're okay."
"And I am fine," Mina assured, finally pulling up in her first rep, "I survived months in Blake's absence – monstrous as it is that anyone should have to say that a day in their life had been survived rather than lived – a few hours a week will do me no harm, secure as I am in the knowledge that my patience will be rewarded…" Mina did another rep before she spoke again, "and to be honest, as… irritating… as that damned noisemaker was, I have found that Blake can be very…. Accommodating of my… needs…. Whilst I have recovered…"
"Accommodating of your…" Weiss sounded slightly confused until she trailed off, "oh…"
Mina chuckled yet again, "Yes, Weiss, those needs…"
"W-well um… that's… good for you, I guess?" Weiss stammered, "I'm glad that you two are happy with each other-,"
"I especially enjoy-,"
"Too much information!" Weiss interrupted, "Please, I will ask as many times as I have to… spare me the…"
"Explicit details?" Mina offered with a smirk.
"Yes…"
"Oh come now Weiss, you cannot tell me that you've never been curious-,"
"Irrelevant!" Weiss interrupted yet again, mortified, "I prefer not to discuss that particular subject, thank you very much. It's bad enough that Ruby is constantly drawing those positively indecent pictures of me…"
"It only means that she finds you attractive," Mina shrugged, still upside-down, "I see no reason why it should not please you to know that she thinks that you are beautiful, much less that it should upset you…"
"I…" Weiss sighed, slumping back in her chair, "I can honestly say that I've never really thought of it that way, but, well…. It just puts you in an awkward position when you… aren't interested… you know?"
"In the abstract, I suppose that I understand…." Mina admitted, "though I have never actually been in that position; if anything, I thought myself to be in Miss Rose's position for much of my life,"
"So you think I should give her a shot?" Weiss demanded defensively.
Mina shook her head, "Absolutely not,"
"Huh?"
"One should never confuse gratitude for responsibility," Mina elaborated, letting herself hang in the resting position for a while, "If you do not have similar feelings for her, then any attempt at a relationship would simply be fraud, and cheat the both of you out of your happiness; you would not be happy with her if you attempted it, and if she truly loved you in such a situation, she would come to feel…" Mina grimaced, remembering her own struggles with this issue, however imagined they may have been, "…resented…"
"What do you mean, 'if she truly loves me?'" Weis asked, somewhat perplexed.
Mina smirked, "Well, there is the possibility that she only wants you for your body…"
"Wha-"
Mina broke out in a fresh fit of giggles, "Priceless…"
The objection died on Weiss' lips, "I get it; you're messing with me again…" she sighed yet again, "But this is serious Mina…"
"Indeed…" Mina conceded, "though some might say that a high-functioning sociopath such as myself is not the appropriate advisor for such matters,"
"You shouldn't say things like that about yourself," Weiss implored, "You do care about some things- some people…"
"True," Mina admitted, "but not many, and I've never been one to deny the truth; obfuscate, perhaps, but never deny," Mina paused for thought, "As for you though…"
"What?"
"You'll have to pardon me for being so crass, but perhaps you… as Miss Xiao Long might say, 'just need to get laid?';"
"EXCUSE ME?"
"Or not,; the choice is yours," Mina backpedaled, "I was merely suggesting-,"
"I know what you were suggesting!" Weiss snapped, "And maybe that's fine for you! I mean, you and Blake have each other for that, unless I am very much mistaken-,"
"You're not,"
"But I can't just waltz up to some random guy-,"
"Strictly speaking-,"
"NOT HAPPENING!"
"But you are interested…"
"…I didn't say that…"
"Hmmm…"
"Look…" Weiss began again, "That kind of 'good time' is just a distraction that I don't need right now. Sure, I'd be lying if I said that I don't envy what you and Blake have, but I've got plenty to be thankful for, and I didn't come here looking for pity… I came to make sure that you are okay. Us Schnees… we're a miserly bunch; we don't much like it when the things we value come to harm… Relatively new as this friendship thing is to me, I can scarcely imagine life without any of you anymore, even when you irk me to no end. So just… No jokes, no loaded comments; please just do me a favor and tell me again that you're okay?"
"Weiss…" Mina dismounted her bar, landing lightly, "Yes, of course… Rest assured that I am fine; perfectly well now, thank you… and I do apologize if I've made you uncomfortable…"
Weiss shook her head, sounding somewhat relieved now, "Not at all; I just haven't found my prince charming yet, but that's my problem,"
Mina grinned, "I would suggest Mr. Arc, but I don't think that you want to fight Miss Nikos for him…"
Weiss laughed, "He's sweet, but you're right; I don't want to fight Pyrrha over him,"
"Then perhaps Miss Nikos herself-"
"Mina."
"Sorry; I couldn't resist…"
After a moment's delay and a slight groan, Weiss continued, "I still need to get used to this 'having friends' thing," she joked, "Mr. Right can wait, especially when friends I already have need me, and you needn't worry about me 'putting myself out' over you Mina, or anyone else, for that matter; I'd have stressed out to know end if I knew you were here alone and I didn't come to see you,"
"Very well then," Mina smiled, "Well Weiss, I certainly do appreciate the sentiment. If there is any way that I may return the favor-,"
Mina's offer was interrupted mid-sentence as the door of the dorm opened, admitting Blake, presently by herself, though given their similar schedules, Ruby and Yang could not be far behind. From the doorway she looked quizzically from Mina to Weiss, and raised a curious eyebrow at the Heiress, "Weiss? Don't you usually prefer to study in the library?"
Clearing her throat, Weiss stood, gathering up her books, pen, and notes, "So I do; I simply… forgot something… Anyway, I will be along presently," A little smile tugged at Mina's lips as the Heiress left in a slight huff; Weiss still had her pride, it seemed.
"What was that about?" Blake asked setting her things aside and unbuttoning her blazer to change, "she seemed…"
"You need not trouble yourself over it Dearest," Mina moved in for a quick hug and kiss before she continued, "She was keeping me company,"
"Really?" Blake was dubious.
"Is that jealousy I hear?" Mina teased.
"No," Blake answered calmly, "It's just… surprisingly thoughtful of her…"
"You might be surprised how much she cares…" Mina leaned in for another kiss, "It's all rather sad really…"
Blake furrowed her brow, "How do you figure that?"
"Simple," Mina pulled away slightly, "I find joy in your presence and seek it whenever possible; Weiss… she seems too preoccupied with avoiding the possibility of lapsing back into old sorrows to try and actually enjoy her life… It is a familiar insecurity…"
"And you want to help her?" Blake guessed; much as she was looking forward to some cuddle-time after a stressful day, she wasn't about to discourage Mina from taking a positive interest in other's welfare, "I'm proud of you; how can I help?"
"Hmmm… For now, I believe that Ms. Goodwitch will be expecting us, but if I can count on your help… I think that I know what we will be doing this weekend…"
"Oh?" Blake raised an eyebrow.
"Indeed… and perhaps we could get a few other friends to lend a hand…"