"Oh my GOD!" Ruby screamed from inside the room. "Thank you Weiss!"
"I'm glad you like it Ruby." Weiss spoke calmly and confidently.
Yang and Blake came around the corner and into the room to witness the sweet scene before them.
Ruby was bouncing excitedly while she held onto a nervous looking Weiss. But whatever Yang or Blake saw in Weiss, Ruby was blinded. Mostly with the large dome of cookies set up on the portable table in the center of the room, sugar frosting that seemed to have been a last minute addition saying thank you to Ruby.
"Nice one, Weiss." Yang grinned with a wink. Weiss nodded slightly in response and Ruby finally released her.
"But what did I do?" Ruby asked in confusion, finally taking in the wording on the icing as she picked one up. Yang and Blake returned to their bunks to watch their teammates.
"You helped me with the contract." Weiss said nervously. This time, Ruby picked up on the emotion.
"But we haven't cracked it yet." Ruby said in confusion. "You said we were going to work on it after lunch."
"Actually… we're not." Weiss said while releasing a breath.
"What do you mean we're not?" Ruby asked in shock. "We have to get you out of your contract."
"That's not going to happen." Weiss sighed. "I talked to Winter before she left the other day and it's just not possible. That's why I had to go to Vale. I needed to find out a few things that required the national archives."
"But-" Ruby started to object but Weiss silenced her with a kiss.
"There's other ways to deal with it. Don't worry." Weiss said smiling. Ruby nodded and mirrored her slight smile. "Now since it's actually not a bad day, wanna go for a walk?"
"Sure, I've already got my cloak." Ruby snatched a cookie off the top of the dome and stuffed it into her mouth before snatching a second one. "And now I have travel snacks!"
Weiss laughed as she took her jacket and followed Ruby from the room. "Just so you know, you shouldn't eat them all in one day."
"But what's the fun in that?" Ruby replied with a giggle.
"Knowing you, avoiding the crash from the sugar rush." Weiss replied simply. Ruby thought for a moment and shrugged before tossing the second cookie into her mouth.
"Alright so where to, Snowflake?" Ruby asked as she threaded her fingers through Weiss's.
Weiss pulled Ruby close and surprised her with a quick peck to her lips. "I had a certain, special place in mind."
Ruby smiled and returned the peck before they fell into a comfortable silence. They walked slowly through the halls as neither had classes later that day. Weiss ignored the few stares that were still watching the two go hand in hand as she took comfort from the presence of the younger girl. Ruby seemed to be happy just spending time with Weiss as they seemingly wandered aimlessly through the halls of Beacon.
Eventually the two walked out of the building and started trekking through the snow that was only a few inches deep that coated the ground that hadn't been shoveled.
"So where are we going?" Ruby couldn't help but ask as they continued wandering around one of the many buildings.
"Do you have something else you wanted to do?" Weiss asked, getting more nervous with every step she took towards her goal.
"Nope!" Ruby popped the end of the word playfully. "Just wondering."
Weiss nodded as she took yet another deep breath to calm her ever-active nerves. She led Ruby around the corner of the building and back onto another path that led to the airship landing that had been used to bring all the students to beacon.
"Are we going somewhere?" Ruby asked curiously as they passed the large statue marking the entrance to Beacon. "I didn't think there were any airships today."
"There aren't." Weiss replied to a hum from Ruby. As they came within view of the cliff and the spot Weiss was aiming for, Ruby stopped for a moment. Looking up, Weiss noticed that the path ahead hadn't just been shoveled. It had been melted and dried as if there was a single spot that held the remnants of the summer with only the smallest ridge of ice marking the change from one season to the next. Weiss nudged Ruby forwards and they walked into the circle, only stopping when Weiss had positioned herself and Ruby at the exact position where they'd first met.
"I wonder if they'll ever fix the stone." Ruby wondered absently, looking down at the black scorch that permanently marked the stone beneath their feet.
"I wouldn't really want them to." Weiss replied, drawing Ruby's gaze up to her face. "We really did have a rough start, didn't we?"
"Maybe a bit." Ruby laughed awkwardly. "But I still wouldn't change anything about it. Except maybe the explosion part."
Weiss couldn't stop a smile from pulling at her lips as she took Ruby's other hand so she could occupy her free hand without fidgeting. "You know, I honestly think that if you didn't crash into my luggage and explode, I would never have even noticed you."
"Well we still would have met in the forest." Ruby pointed out.
"Yes, but I think our bad beginning is what made you try so hard to impress me." Weiss spoke while remembering the disaster that had almost befallen the girl before her. "Honestly, your work ethic was probably the first thing I admired about you."
"Really?" Ruby asked slyly. "I thought it would have been my way with words."
"I'm pretty sure I fell in love with that aspect much more recently." Weiss grinned, squeezing Ruby's hands slightly.
"So…" Ruby hesitated, knowing that Weiss had purposely taken them to this spot.
"Ruby, there's something I need to talk to you about." Weiss started.
"Wait! If this is what I think it is, then no, I don't want to hear it!" Ruby said quickly, releasing Weiss's hands and taking a step back out of the thawed circle.
"Stop!" Weiss's tone of voice stopped Ruby in her tracks before she could go more than a couple steps. "Please, I promise it's not what you're thinking…. At least I hope it's not. Is it?"
"I don't know… are you trying to break up with me again?" Ruby asked suspiciously, still keeping her distance as if she could avoid the outcome if her fears proved true.
"No, god no." Weiss exhaled the breath she hadn't noticed she'd been holding. Ruby returned to her and Weiss took her hands once more as she took a shaky breath realizing she was at the moment of truth.
"Is everything okay?" Ruby asked quietly, rubbing her thumbs over the backs of Weiss's hands to calm her down. "You know, other than the usual?"
"Yes, well… I guess I can only answer that depending on how this goes."
Ruby nodded in response and waited, gently caressing Weiss's hands in a way she was neither used to nor uncomfortable with. If anything, she felt that she could be happy if only Ruby could hold her hand like this for years to come.
"Okay…." Weiss took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Ruby… before I say what I want to, I just want you to know that these past few weeks I've been happier than I've been the rest of my life. And it's completely because of you."
"W-Weiss…" Ruby squeezed her hands, acknowledging the high compliment.
"Ever since we met, you've been there for me in one way or another." Weiss stated. "In the beginning I didn't realize how much I needed someone like you in my life whether it was to take out that nevermore or to strategize against that boarbatusk, or even to carry me back to the hospital after I was grievously injured in that fight with the beowolf. But then there were the times that I was having a difficult day and you cheered me up without even thinking or the times where you supported me when I couldn't stand on my own. I didn't realize it, but looking back I've needed you ever since we met, and I hope that you feel the same way because there's something very important I have to ask you."
"O-okay." Ruby found it difficult to get the words past her lips as the emotion in Weiss's voice had struck her. She knew deep down that something big was happening and she could do little more than listen and pay close attention to Weiss's words.
"Ruby, we haven't been together for very long but I love you." Weiss said quietly as she opened her eyes and looked into the silver of her partner. "I don't think that will ever change, no matter what happens, and I want you to know that. I love you and if I'm going to get married, I'd much rather be with someone as kind, intelligent, and beautiful as you. What I'm asking is… Ruby, would you be willing to spend the rest of your life with someone like me and do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?"
Ruby gasped as the words Weiss spoke sunk in and Weiss removed one of her hands to reach into a pocket on her belt. Out of it she withdrew a small blue box which she flipped open effortlessly to display a thin, yet plain silver band that shone like a mirror in the sun.
Weiss felt a slight panic as she watched tears start to stream down Ruby's face before she was engulfed in a hug that could've competed with Yang's abilities. Ruby was shaking with silent sobs as she took in quick breaths and Weiss held her tightly as she waited apprehensively for a response.
"R-Ruby-" Weiss started when she couldn't wait anymore but was immediately cut off by Ruby.
"Yes!" She choked out quietly before finding her voice. "Yes, yes, yes, yes!"
Ruby punctuated each of her continued utterances with a kiss to Weiss's neck as she slowly worked her way back up to her lips once she got there she stopped, looking Weiss in the eyes with the largest smile Weiss had ever seen.
"Yes." Ruby said quietly one last time before taking Weiss's lips in a passionate kiss.
Weiss could tell that she'd made the right decision in asking Ruby from the tender yet excited pressure of Ruby's lips against her own. Weiss felt something bubbling up inside her that she'd last felt when she was cuddling with Ruby at her house over the break and realized that she was actually happy. Even knowing the circumstances that lead up to this moment, she was still happy as she stood on the spot where she'd first met Ruby and now where Ruby answered yes. And the coming days seemed suddenly much more achievable.
The couple broke apart for air but didn't move farther than the inch needed to breathe. There was no need to be apart especially when the future was so unclear.
"Yes." Ruby breathed one last time, stealing a quick kiss from her fiance.
"You have no idea how happy you've made me." Weiss's smile faltered slightly, a fact which Ruby noticed immediately.
"What's up?" She asked, her face dropping it's smile completely. "Something's wrong."
"We need to talk but not here." Weiss looked down at the scorch mark. She'd rather keep this place and it's most recent memory happy and relatively stress free.
"Want to go back to the room?" Ruby offered, already looping her arm around Weiss's and intertwining their fingers together.
"Yes, let's do that." Weiss nodded as she collected her thoughts. "I need to finish planning my wedding."
"No, Weiss." Ruby replied in a whisper, the breath of her voice brushing warmly against Weiss's ear. "We need to plan our wedding. And nobody else's."
Weiss smiled at Ruby's correction. It was very rare that she was able to correct one of her statements, and the way in which she did so sent a wave of calm through Weiss helping her organize her thoughts.
"You're right. We'll do this together."