"Well, I'm going to the top of that tree." Weiss announced while pointing out the tree to her teammate. "If you can distract them for six and a half seconds once they round the corner, I'll be able to provide support."
"How do you know what corner they'll come from?" Yang asked in confusion.
"Ruby and I came around that corner, so they'll come from the other side in case we're setting an ambush. If anything, one might come over the house if they're showboats like CRDL."
"Ouch! That hurts." The boy sitting next to Ruby said with a mixture of amusement and laughter. "But she has a point."
"Okay, get going." Yang nodded with a grin. She pumped her fist and turned her weapon into it's combat form. "They'll never know what hit 'em!"
"That's what I'm hoping for." Weiss said as she approached Ruby.
Wordlessly, she took the paint-ball gun and turned to the tree. As she approached it, she turned back and looked at her girlfriend.
"This is what happens when you mess with us." Weiss said to the boy sitting next to Ruby, she didn't know if she was being jealous of Ruby, or protective. The emotions she was feeling were very different from usual and that made it somewhat scary that they were affecting her so much.
She summoned her glyph and vaulted through the branches and landed on another one she summoned just above the highest branch. Looking around, she saw the massive forest that stretched to the ocean. The trees were barely covered in snow due to the winds that ruffled the tops and set them swaying, but it was undoubtedly a winter scene with the glacial breeze blowing and the too bright sun shining and reflecting on the areas of frost that clung to the trees. It was a beautiful scene.
Below her, she heard the start of the commotion. She quickly pulled two paint-balls out of one of her reload canisters. She found the pin hole where they were loaded and used an extremely small glyph to stretch it and drain the paint. Then she poured ice dust into one and burn dust into the next. It was the perfectly concealed weapon.
She dropped her glyphs and fell to the ground in front of the tree to find Yang in an all out fist fight with the boy who obviously had the super strength semblance.
She threw fist after fist at him, but like a professional boxer, he shrugged off Yang's assault as if it were nothing. Weiss fired the remainder of the paint-ball gun's ammo at him, but he dodged that attack just as well.
Weiss loaded the single ice paint-ball just as a large block of green came flying at her from the ground beside her. She dodged and rolled as what she realized were pieces of grass were pelting her as they tried and failed to grow from the frozen earth.
Weiss watched as the ground around Yang melted and thawed as her semblance slowly grew stronger. She glanced over at the boy who was just now pulling himself out of a pile of splinters and picking up his paint-ball gun. As she saw the whole picture, she knew she had only seconds to pull off her attack.
Yang threw a massive punch that her opponent caught in his hand, releasing a shock-wave from the massive force of the impact. Weiss used her air-step to get directly above both Yang and her quarry where she fired the ice round directly at the ground beneath their feet.
The ice encased both of the fighters' legs temporarily which was enough for Weiss to toss a handful of paint-balls into her open hopper and fire them off at their opponent. Just as the balls of paint made impact, the ice shattered as massive tufts of green picked Yang up and held her like a target. Yang flared her semblance, dropping out of the trap just as a flurry of paint-balls hit the grass harmlessly. Weiss loaded the burn dust round as she landed, turning to the boy who'd managed to circle to the opposite side of the thawed ground where grass continued to pour out and coil as if the obscenely long blades had the mind of a snake.
The grass snake lunged at Yang who barely took the hit with her aura flaring and breaking before she was thrown backwards. Weiss threw a single paint-ball into her hopper on top of the burn round, knowing that more would be useless.
She analyzed the grass snake and found that the thinnest part was near it's base before the long strands had completely coiled around each other.
The boy across the clearing grinned evilly as he swung his arm out at the shifting mass of lawn cover. The snake lunged at Weiss as if to tackle her with what she'd decided was it's head.
Weiss jumped forwards, rolling out of the way just in time as the grass smashed into the ground. She summoned one of her more unique glyphs around the base of the artificial snake and fired her dust round.
As if it were made to do so, the entire column of grass ignited with a flame that melted snow as far away as the edge of the trees. Weiss grinned as she pulled up the same glyph but this time aimed through the center of the pillar of fire. She fired her paint-ball and a dull thwack sounded from the opposite side.
All was quiet as the fire extinguished itself and the ash and remaining grass fell to the ground slowly as the wind blew it into the forest. Looking across the small open space, Weiss felt a small, smug smile stretch across her face as she saw the single yellow splotch of paint on her opposition's chest.
"Nice job." The boy beside Ruby called out as he clapped joyfully. "That was awesome!"
Weiss turned as he playfully patted Ruby on the shoulder before returning to laughing and clapping. For whatever reason, the feeling she'd been holding back since they'd arrived at this final battle ground finally managed to slip past her common sense and she marched quickly toward the two spectators.
"Weiss-?" Ruby started, sounding concerned, only to be cut short as Weiss forced her into a passionate kiss.
Weiss deepened the kiss as the feeling burning within her didn't lessen. Ruby's lips parted willingly and Weiss attacked Ruby's tongue with hers. It didn't take long for Ruby's moan to bring Weiss back to earth and she realized what she'd been doing.
Weiss broke the kiss and took a moment to breathe a deep breath before she looked up at Ruby.
"Um…" Weiss didn't have anything to say for her sudden assault, so she fell silent, looking down at Ruby. "Wanna go home?"
"Yup!" Ruby chirped and lifted herself unsteadily back onto her feet. "Let's go."
Weiss let Ruby use her as a crutch for a few steps before she decided they weren't going fast enough.
"Weiss? What? Oof!" Ruby said as Weiss scooped her up bridal style before continuing on at a faster pace. Looking over her shoulder, Ruby waved at the boys with her free hand then clasped it with the one that she had resting around Weiss's neck.
"We'll send your sister home once she wakes up." The plant boy called after them.
After several minutes of Weiss walking quickly, Ruby found them turning onto her street. She cuddled into Weiss's neck again and closed her eyes, simply enjoying the heat of their closeness even though Weiss must have been getting tired of carrying her.
"Sorry about earlier." Weiss spoke as she continued to walk, holding Ruby slightly tighter for a few seconds before returning her hold to normal.
Ruby hummed a simple acknowledgment to her partner and fell silent for the moment.
"Wanna tell me what got into you back there?" She asked Weiss quietly, allowing her to pretend she hadn't heard the question if she didn't want to answer.
"I don't know." Weiss answered just as quietly. "I just didn't like it when he carried you to the porch. Or when you two were cheering for my win and he… I don't know."
"Sounds like somebody was jealous." Ruby taunted, a grin growing on her face at Weiss's cuteness.
"I was not jealous!" Weiss replied quickly and sternly, as if the force she said it with proved her point.
"Sure you weren't." Ruby responded sarcastically, her grin growing wider.
"I have not now, nor have I ever been jealous!" Weiss argued firmly, a blush working its way onto her face as Ruby's insistence made her even more self conscious as she walked down the block.
"Nope!" Ruby giggled. "You were definitely wanting to keep me all to yourself!"
Ruby's giggles continued on, unceasing, as Weiss thought back to that burning feeling that pushed her into making a very public and very obvious claim to the girl she was now carrying home. In retrospect, it was a bit obvious, but her pride fought against reality, and so she argued. "Of course I do, but I have absolutely no reason to be jealous."
Ruby's giggles stopped and she shifted to look at Weiss properly. "So if I told you we were going to get together with them later, you wouldn't have a problem with it?"
"Of course not!" Weiss stated firmly, not looking Ruby in the face as she approached Ruby's house.
"Even if I get their help up the stairs?" Ruby asked doubtfully. Weiss flinched at the argument. By now even she could tell Ruby knew, and continuing to hide it wouldn't be anything other than running from the truth.
"You win. I was only a little jealous, okay?" Weiss relented quietly as she set Ruby down to enter the house, but Ruby's hand reached out and caught her sleeve as she made to pass her.
"You should know… there is absolutely no reason for you to be jealous." Ruby said quietly while she fought a blush that started creeping up her face. "But if it makes you feel better, I promise that you are the most important thing in my life. And I'd never leave you for anyone else, ever."
"I know…" Weiss responded. And she did know, for a while already, that Ruby was just as serious about her as she was about Ruby.
"Then we're better?" Ruby asked to see how Weiss felt with her feelings resolved.
"I'd say so…" Weiss affirmed. "I love you."
"Love you too." Ruby replied before glancing into the house. "But let's keep it quiet until dinner. If my dad is still home, I'll have to tell him about us."
"Sure. But I hardly think he'd mind if I helped you get up to your room." Weiss suggested, missing the warmth of Ruby as she'd carried her home.
"I'll be fine on my own." Ruby replied before whimpering as she barely put any pressure on her leg. Weiss watched with a raised eyebrow as Ruby tried to take a shuffling step forwards and only succeeded in making a pained exhale as she moved an inch in the right direction. Ruby's silver eyes glimmered from the pain of her leg and she blinked back her unshed tears. "Um…"
"Yes, Ruby?" Weiss asked calmly, waiting for Ruby's request as if she didn't already know what it would be.
"Can you help me, please?" Ruby asked, her voice fading to almost a mumble as Weiss's face broke into a smile.
"And what would you give me in return?" Weiss asked, stepping closer and brushing her hand down Ruby's cold cheek, noting the younger girl's breath catch for a moment.
"Whatever you want." Ruby replied breathily, leaning forward slowly as Weiss closed the distance between them.
Ruby's lips were warm and soft as they met Weiss's and the feeling was starkly in contrast with the ravaging kiss they'd shared earlier, but no less passionate. Weiss felt she was the luckiest person in the world to have Ruby's affection, and wanted nothing more than to make the moment last forever.
But the sound of footsteps coming from around the corner of the doorway broke them apart. Ruby quickly wrapped her arm around Weiss's shoulders and turned herself so Weiss could wrap her arm around Ruby's back. Just as they finished the shift in position, Ruby's father walked out the open door.
"Oh, I thought someone was here." He stated as he stopped to take in Ruby and Weiss. "You must be Ms. Schnee. I apologize for the short greeting, but I have to get to the hospital."
"N-no problem." Weiss stuttered at the friendly and polite tone Ruby's father had, not exactly knowing how to respond.
"Hey, dad? Will you be home for supper?" Ruby asked as he continued to walk to his truck.
"I should be, but depending on the situation, I might be a bit late." He said as he unlocked the door. "I'll send you girls a message if I get held up."
"Alright." Ruby nodded as the door shut and the motor started.
The two girls watched Ruby's father as he drove away down the street and turned a corner. Simultaneously, the girls let out the breath they were holding and glanced at each other.
Almost immediately, they broke into nervous giggles as Weiss helped Ruby into the house.
"I can't believe we were that close to being found out!" Ruby squealed between giggles.
"That was close." Weiss agreed. She helped Ruby lean against the wall as she took care of their shoes and paint-ball gear, stowing it in the duffel bag that rested against the wall.
"What was close?" A voice made them both jump as Blake came around the corner with a glass of milk in one hand and her book in the other.
"Nothing, Dad just almost walked out when me and Weiss were kissing." Ruby summarized in a grimace while she once again tested her leg out.
"Weiss and I." Weiss corrected automatically.
"Sure, sure." Ruby nodded absently in response.
"Shouldn't you tell him that you two are dating?" Blake asked in curiosity.
"I was planning on tonight, but if he's stuck at work I'll have to wait." Ruby said with a sigh. "I just wanted to announce it when we're all together."
"Alright. Then if you need me, I'll be in Yang's room." Blake announced as she walked up the stairway.
"Um… she was kind of knocked out in the paint-ball fight." Ruby informed her.
"I know. I'm acquainted with Charlie and he sent me a message shortly before you came back." Blake said. When she realized Ruby and Weiss were still watching her expectantly, she realized they didn't even know the boys' names. "Charlie is the one with the biological growth semblance."
"Oh, plant boy…" Ruby breathed in understanding. "Okay then!"
Blake waved her book as she rounded the corner at the top of the stairs. Weiss helped Ruby into the living room where she collapsed onto the couch, Weiss moving to gracefully sit at her side.
"So are you sure it's alright to leave your sister with them?" Weiss asked after a momentary silence.
"Oh, sure. I didn't really explain much about their relationship, did I?" Weiss shook her head in answer, so Ruby continued. "They all met in kindergarten and became friends because Yang was a bit of a tomboy."
"I somehow find that hard to believe." Weiss admitted, trying to picture a little Yang having fun splashing around in mud or doing something else like that.
"Yeah, seeing as how she is now it's a bit far fetched, but that's how it was. Anyhow, around grade one or two she joined a boxing training camp at the gym that was owned by Charlie's dad, who also owed a favour to Uncle Qrow. Turns out the rest of the group had also joined the same camp, and Yang ended up winning the mock tournament they had at the end. Since then, they've been competing to see who is the better fighter, and now hunter."
"Sounds like Yang." Weiss laughed as she relaxed and leaned her shoulder into Ruby's.
"Yup!" Ruby joined in. "And then when I found my semblance, Yang started using me as a scout because it was basically her versus all four of them. But at the time only the guy with super strength had found his semblance so it was essentially fair since I couldn't really do anything. Then they had an idea to turn it into a paint-ball fight so I could be eliminated without them actually having to hit me and that way Yang wouldn't get mad at them."
"Something tells me there's a larger story there." Weiss commented on Ruby's selected words.
"Not so much a story as a hospital visit that had left three of them with some nasty burns when Yang lost control of her semblance." Ruby stated. After a moment of thought as they warmed up in the heat of the house and each other, she continued. "Can I tell you something?"
"Anything." Weiss replied immediately.
"I was actually afraid Yang wouldn't be okay with us… you know… dating." Ruby said as she wrapped Weiss in a hug.
"I actually don't think that would have been a possibility." Weiss stated after a moment thinking about everything she knew about her blond teammate.
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked curiously.
"From what I've heard and seen, Yang seems to only care about keeping you happy. I think that somewhere down the line, she realized that eventually you'd find someone else to do that for you. I think the only reason Yang would actively oppose something like that was if she somehow knew that somewhere down the line you'd end up hurt." Weiss stopped as she remembered all the difficulty surrounding her relationship with the brawler that seemed strained at best. Even though they'd more recently come to terms with each other, it was far from a caring relationship. "Can I tell you something, too?"
"Yeah, of course!" Ruby replied, still thinking over Weiss's words with a smile on her face.
"I think I understand why Yang was so afraid of you getting closer to me." Weiss said. Ruby's smile vanished and she shifted to look directly into Weiss's face. Weiss couldn't stand the eye contact and looked down at her hands that were clasped gently in her lap. "She probably assumed I'd be married off to some rich guy and would disappear from your life. And I hate to admit that right now, that is a very likely possibility. She didn't want you to feel hurt when your friend seemingly abandons you, but I think in light of our current relationship, she's changed her tactics so she'll be ready to care for you when I eventually break your heart. I don't want to do that, I really don't, but she's smart enough to know what might happen."
"Weiss, I-" Ruby was silenced by Weiss's fingertip pressing against her lips.
"Can you just promise me one thing?" Weiss asked as she looked back up into those silver eyes she loved so much. Ruby nodded silently. "Promise me that in the case that we can't do anything about the contract. If I end up having to getting married…. Promise me that you'll be okay. That you'll keep living your life without me."
Ruby shook her head and ignored Weiss's finger as she replied. "I'll make that promise under one condition. You promise that you will do everything in your power, and I'll do everything in mine, to make sure I never have to keep that promise."
Weiss smiled at Ruby's words. "I promise."