"Weiss? How do you feel?" The doctor asked as Weiss rubbed her throat gently. She'd just had the long tube pulled out of her throat and she felt a little strange. But that was probably just her body that had gotten used to the invading item. In addition, she had been taken off her medication since the tests had told the doctor that her aura would be sufficient to fix whatever damage remained.
"A little strange from the tube, but otherwise absolutely fine." Weiss tried to sit up from her mattress, but was stopped by the doctor's hand on her shoulder.
"Your wounds aren't fully healed. It'll take about a day or two for your aura to finish its work. Until then, do not use your abdominal muscles and avoid any unnecessary twisting." She instructed, reaching behind Weiss to pull her up with a hand on her upper and another on her lower back.
"Don't worry, Weiss! I'll help you when you need it." Ruby piped up from her chair. For whatever reason, she hadn't been asked to leave. Or at least not while Weiss was awake.
"I'll be fine." Weiss said, eyeing her teammate suspiciously. She didn't trust Ruby to be very gentle, especially if her sister was any example.
"Very well, I'll go draw up your release papers and arrange for a taxi to take you both back to Beacon." The doctor left the room with her clipboard and a smile on her face.
"Ruby?" Weiss asked, a fact suddenly dawning on her.
"Yeah?" Ruby asked, hearing Weiss's unimpressed tone.
"When exactly were you planning on telling me we weren't in Beacon's Infirmary?" Weiss asked, trying to keep her voice straight.
"Well, um…" Ruby hesitated. She didn't want to make Weiss mad, but she didn't even know why she was being so serious about the insignificant fact. "I thought you knew?"
Weiss sighed and started to get up. Typical Ruby, overlooking the simplest of facts.
"I dislike hospitals." Weiss confided as she gathered her scroll and picked up her clothing. "Now I'd like to get dressed. Could you step out?"
"You're not allowed to use your muscles or twist, remember?" Ruby reminded her partner. "I'll have to help you dress so you don't pop your stitches open."
Weiss watched Ruby's smile. Even she saw the dark humour behind it that was paining Ruby. Weiss let out another sigh. Things were going to be interesting for the next few days.
"Really Ruby, I'm not a quadriplegic. I can change myself." She held up her hand as Ruby started to protest. "Or at least let me change my own underwear."
Ruby blushed and looked at the ground, kicking it like a scolded child.
"But that's the same bending that putting your skirt on would be…" Ruby noted. Weiss had to admit Ruby was pretty quick on the uptake at the worst times. "I promise I'll close my eyes and won't look if that makes you more comfortable."
"God, Ruby!" Weiss didn't even have anything to say to the girl. There wasn't a single thing she could say that would make the young girl leave and she knew it. Ruby's stubbornness was legendary. Especially considering she'd outdone Weiss on many occasions.
Weiss defeatedly thought over her proposal. It wasn't as if they hadn't seen each other in the change room, but this was just different enough to feel awkward. Except as she thought about it, the word awkward wasnt entirely accurate. Odd, or wrong, or possibly even intimate could have fit better.
Despite the fact that it went against every logical thought in her head, Weiss took a deep breath and looked Ruby in the eyes.
"You promise to keep your eyes shut and do exactly as I instruct you?" Weiss recieved a nod from Ruby. "If you're lying, I will kill you and then instruct the doctors to bring you back just so I can kill you again. Understand?"
"Whatever, I promise I won't look okay?" Ruby reached out and snatched Weiss's underwear from her. "Now lets just get this over with."
Ruby kneeled down on the floor in front of Weiss who was watching her face intently. She closed her eyes completely and held the pair of underwear so Weiss could simply slide her feet through.
It was the most embarassing thing she'd ever done in her memorable life, but Weiss knew there was no real choice in the matter. Ruby finally pulled them up, keeping her eyes closed the entire time.
Weiss shivered slightly at the tips of Ruby's knuckles dragging up her leg and snatched the clothing away as soon as it was withing arms reach.
"You're done. Now get up but keep your eyes shut." Weiss said, turning her back to Ruby as she took off the hospital gown and replaced it with her bra. She didn't know if Ruby was still keeping her eyes shut, but supposed it didn't matter at this point. All she'd see was her back. "Open your eyes and do up my bra."
Ruby's small warm hands grazed Weiss's back sending a mild shiver up her spine as Ruby cliped the two ends of the fabric together. Weiss slid her shirt onto her arms and Ruby helped pull it over her head and pull her hair out from underneath. Weiss quickly handed Ruby her sweats and waited as Ruby bunched them up so she could slide her feet through.
Weiss adjusted her sweats and managed to get her jacket on without help. Weiss sat down on the bed facing Ruby who seemed to be off in her own world and was blushing a bit.
"I suppose your help wasn't unnecessary." Weiss said, bringing Ruby's head snapping around.
The door opened and a nurse walked in. He handed Weiss the release papers and left without a word. Ruby seemed deflated as they walked out of the hospital together.
The ride back to Beacon was just as quiet with Weiss silently struggling to say something to her partner. She had meant what she'd said, but the way she'd said it made it sound more insulting than grateful.
The two girls got out of the cab and walked across the front lawn in the direction of the dorms. Nobody seemed to be outside, which was completely fine with Weiss. It just made conversation easier since it was just her and Ruby.
"I didn't mean what I said back there…" Weiss started, feeling a sudden flow of words race to her mouth. "It's just that I was embarrassed and I didn't want you to think I liked it, but it was helpful. And I am thankful that you care enough to do anything for me at all, and I'll make up for being such a bother. I promise."
Out of words, she watched Ruby look at her. Her silver eyes smiled even though Ruby's face stayed in it's neutral position, halfway between frown and smile.
"I think that's the most I've ever heard you say at one time." She commented, her smile finally breaking onto her lips. "And I think I've known you long enough to understand what you meant. I'm not saying it didn't hurt a little when you said it, just that I understood."
"I'm sorry. I really am thankful to you." Weiss appologized again.
"It's okay, I'm honestly still amazed you're even alive right now and I'd take an insult from alive Weiss over nothing from a dead one any day." Ruby joked darkly as she opened the door to the dorms and let Weiss go in first.
"Oh…" Weiss didn't really know what to respond with after a death joke, so she changed the subject. "Anyway, what day is it? Friday?"
"Sunday, why?" Ruby asked, opening the door to their empty dorm room.
"It's only two…" Weiss thought to herself quickly as she turned and walked out the door Ruby was still holding open.
"Where are you going?" Ruby asked in alarm, racing out to follow Weiss again.
"We need dresses for the party. And that means we'll need to find one we each like." Weiss said as she retraced her steps back to the front of beacon as she called a taxi service.
"The doctor said you should rest." Ruby reminded Weiss. "Forget the dresses."
"I'll rest afterwards. They need at least two days to get them shipped in, and we're already cutting it close as it is." Weiss explained.
"Is it really that important?" Ruby asked and Weiss's glare answered her question perfectly. "Fine, but I'm not undressing and redressing you for every other dress."
"I didn't ask you to. I already picked my dress anyway. I just need to order it. We're mainly going for your sake." Weiss informed Ruby as the taxi driver pulled up and she carefully sat in the back seat.
"Thanks as always for the vote of confidence." Ruby responded sarcastically as they started their trip back to the city they'd just left.