When Yang returned several hours later alone, they all set out to look for Oscar - Jaune's team included. Blake volunteered to look with Weiss, which earned a genuine smile from Ruby and a blank stare from Yang.
Considering Yang wasn't accusing either of them of conspiring against the team, Weiss took that as a good sign.
The temperature outside was miserable. The air itself felt like pins and needles prickling her skin. They pressed onward until the sky had gone completely dark. By then, Weiss couldn't feel her face and toes.
Her Scroll buzzed with an incoming call. For a second, she thought it was Adam, but it was only Ruby.
"Did you find him?" Weiss asked.
"Yeah, he's back at the house," Ruby answered, sounding breathless. "He's making hot chocolate for us, so get your butts back here and warm up!"
Hot chocolate sounded heavenly right about now. After relaying the message to Blake, they hurried back to the house at a much faster pace.
Light snowfall sprinkled down on them on the way back. Golden light washed the city through store windows and street lamps and shimmered off hundreds of snowflakes as they danced in the air. Despite the cold weather and dark clouds rolling overhead, the crowd breathed life into the city.
Her attention gravitated towards a small chocolatier at the corner of the street. Delicate rose-shaped chocolates blossomed behind the display window. Their petals were so thinly formed it didn't seem real that someone crafted each one by hand. Had there not been a promise of hot chocolate, Weiss would've gone in to buy the roses.
"Sooo," Blake said with a cheeky grin. "You and Adam are pretty close, huh?"
The friendly kiss he'd given her before they parted barreled to the forefront of her mind. Weiss loosened her scarf and nodded.
"You two must've spent a lot of alone time together."
"Well, we met some good friends along the way," Weiss clarified. Blake made it sound like they were always alone together - even though that was sometimes the case.
"This is the most I've ever heard you talk about a guy. Usually, it's you complaining about how shallow everyone is. Adam must mean a great deal to you."
Weiss did not like where this was going. It sounded like something Sapphire would say. She explained that Adam was only a good friend of hers. It should be a given that she spoke kindly about him.
"I don't know, Weiss. You seem quite fond of him."
"You're overthinking my friendship with Adam."
"Are you sure about that? It's okay to admit you like him. He's pretty easy on the eyes."
Weiss refused to answer that. She knew exactly where she stood with Adam and had no desire to change it. Blake continued to look at her like she was expecting Weiss to crack and confess her nonexistent affection for him.
"You know, he was always protective of everyone in the White Fang." Blake suddenly felt the need to tell her. "That, mixed with his tendency to stay distant, caught some girls' interests. The lucky few who spent the night with him always said they had a good time."
"Good for him," Weiss said flippantly.
It wasn't her business who fancied Adam; she couldn't care less who he took to bed. He could be with whoever he wanted. She wasn't the slightest bit interested in his love life.
"I was happy to keep our relationship professional, but that doesn't mean I'm blind. I know exactly why some of my friends were so interested in him," Blake went on as if she never heard Weiss. "Have you ever seen him train? Because I have. He used to train shirtless."
Her face burned at the image Blake's comment conjured up. She was not going to think of her friend like that. Weiss quickened her walking pace, but Blake's arm wrapped around her shoulders and held her back.
"I was the few girls he frequently spoke with. Sienna had us go on long missions together. It was usually the two of us, in the middle of nowhere. We've had to share a hotel room during bad weather, and there weren't always two beds–"
"If you like him so much, then why don't you ask him out already?!"
Weiss' burst of anger vanished when a smug grin stretched on Blake's face. She blushed and searched the streets for any signs of Adam - not that she could spot him even if he was around.
Oh gods, what if he overheard everything they said?
"You're really convincing me about not liking him." Blake laughed.
"I-I'm just saying you seem interested in him. Why don't you ask him out while he's available?"
Would he agree to go out with Blake if she asked? Weiss couldn't explain the tightness in her chest when she tried to imagine Blake and Adam dating. The image revolted her so much that she grimaced.
Blake pulled her off to the side of the busy street. They stood beneath a street lamp together. With a literal spotlight shining down on her, Weiss felt like the entirety of Argus had its eyes on her. She wrapped her arms around herself and glared at the ground.
Why couldn't Blake drop this issue already? There was nothing more to say about it – there never was.
"Hey, you don't have to worry about what the others will think," Blake said in a much more serious tone. "They'll get over it. If they don't, you'll always have my support."
"It's not that," she breathed. Her fingers curled into her palms.
"So you do admit to liking him."
"No!" Weiss answered at once. "What I'm saying is…we're not like that. He's just a friend to me."
"You're not convincing me very well."
"I don't know what to tell you if you're not listening to me."
"Is it because he's a Faunus?"
"No! Even if I saw him as something more, that wouldn't matter."
"Hypothetically speaking, let's say you do see him as more than a friend. What's stopping you from telling him?"
"We are not having this conversation."
"Why? Because it hits too close to home?"
"Because it's a waste of time–"
"It's harmless fun. I won't bother you about this again if you indulge me." The innocent grin on Blake's face wasn't reassuring. Still, if it'll make Blake drop the subject, she'd have to comply.
"Look, I can't see us being more than friends," Weiss explained hastily. "Even if I liked him, that wouldn't matter. He'd never feel the same about me."
Weiss didn't know why she added that last past. She snapped her mouth shut, not trusting herself to speak further about it.
"This is about the scar, isn't it?" Blake's conclusion made Weiss do a double take. She wasn't under the impression anyone knew the story behind it. "Everyone in the White Fang knows it was to punish him for something. No one knows the full story, but Sienna uses it as an example to motivate everyone to fight."
"That's awful," Weiss spat. She couldn't imagine what it was like to have that story spread without his control. "You bring up another point, Blake. My family hurt him in so many ways. He has our company logo burned onto his face, for gods' sake! The last person he'd want to be in a relationship with is me."
A couple passed by them, walking hand in hand. The girl complained about the cold, earning her a kiss and a promise of a warm massage later. Weiss glowered at them. Watching their exchange left a rotten taste in her mouth. She tore her eyes away from the couple. Her fingers dug into her palms so tightly it stung. Blake studied Weiss the entire time, not saying a word.
"We should head back–"
"Weiss, have you ever considered talking to him about this?"
"I thought this was a hypothetical." Weiss glowered.
"Humour me for a bit longer."
Weiss let out a frustrated huff. "Look, nothing good will come from talking about it. I'm lucky he even wants to be friends with me. Getting feelings involved could ruin everything. I can't lose him again, Blake."
"But is that what you really want?"
"Of course. I don't want anything more out of him."
Blake stared holes into her head. Weiss pretended not to notice and studied one of the shops nearby.
"I still think it's worth talking to him. I doubt he'd let something like this scare him off."
Weiss should've called Blake out for not talking in hypotheticals, but she didn't have the energy to argue anymore.
"No matter what you decide, I'll be here to support you," Blake promised, resting her hand on Weiss' arm. "Let's get back before all that hot chocolate gets cold."
Weiss smiled and nodded. Even though Blake completely misunderstood where she stood with Adam, she appreciated her support nonetheless.
The steaming cup of hot cocoa and loud chatter lifted Weiss' mood considerably. With Oscar back and more confident than ever, everyone's morale rose.
Yang was talking and laughing again, and Jaune looked like he had a weight lifted from his shoulders. Even Qrow remained downstairs to enjoy a cup of hot cocoa. Out of everyone, Ruby was the most energetic, and no one could blame her. After days of arguments and tension, they were all (mostly) getting along again.
Weiss didn't know what to say when Jaune offered to refill her cup.
"Oscar made way too much, so we might as well finish it all tonight," he explained when she stared at him dumbfounded. "It's a good thing my sister bought an extra bag of marshmallows."
The smile on Jaune's face was relaxed. He spoke to her without a hint of tension or hostility in his voice. It was like the argument that transpired between them had never happened.
"I always have room for dessert." Weiss grinned, handing her mug to him.
"I can get more for you too, Blake. There's still plenty to go around."
Blake, who remained glued to Weiss' side since returning, perked up when he addressed her. She murmured a quick thank you and handed him her empty mug. He stuffed their cups with a mountain of marshmallows moments later.
The good spirits faded once the topic of Atlas was brought up again. They still hadn't found a way to convince Cordovin to let them into Atlas, and Weiss doubted bribery would even make her budge.
Qrow attempted to call Ironwood to bypass Cordovin's restrictions, but his calls were unanswered. Weiss found a similar problem when she tried contacting Winter again. She even used Ruby's Scroll in case Winter had blocked her new number, but it made no difference.
Either something was faulty with all their Scrolls or something big was going down in Atlas.
At some point, Jaune voiced his idea to get them into Atlas. The further he explained the plan, the more horrified Weiss felt. The only people who seemed to share her concern were Qrow and Blake.
"Are you serious?!" Qrow snapped at once. "You want to steal an entire airship? Do you know how many laws you're breaking?"
"It's not like we have a choice," Jaune reasoned. "If Cordovin was open to negotiating, then we'd have a different story. We don't have time to wait for her to change her mind."
"So your brilliant idea is to make us all fugitives?"
"We won't be fugitives if we're stealthy."
"I don't think you understand how strict Atlas security is."
Qrow listed all the colourful ways Jaune's plan could backfire. From crashing into the ocean to being blown up midair, he thought of everything. Whenever Jaune offered a potential solution, Qrow found a counterargument to destroy his plan. Jaune grew increasingly more frustrated as the conversation went on. While Weiss admired his innovative thinking, she had to side with Qrow.
Atlas Military was on a completely different level in power and technology. She could only imagine how much stricter everything was with the latest business leaks. If they were lucky, they'd make it out as Atlas' most wanted criminals. The chance of crashing into the ocean was a more likely scenario.
Cordovin was their best shot at reaching Ironwood, but that would mean agreeing with her conditions. She considered ways to persuade Crodovin into sending her to Atlas Academy instead. If she complained about Atlas' recent crime sprees, she might convince Cordovin into believing she felt scared and wanted to rendezvous with Winter first.
But Father likely had the best security deployed, and Cordovin might be more insulted that Weiss didn't trust her team to protect her.
No matter how she looked at it, the only way for them to get into Atlas was for her to contact Winter from the inside first. It was the easiest solution.
But that would also mean facing Father alone. With no one there to witness what he'd do to her.
No. She couldn't do it.
It didn't matter how much more practical her plan was, she couldn't stomach facing Father alone. It scared her more than the Apathy Grimm. So she kept her mouth shut and watched the verbal battle between Qrow and Jaune.
"We get it!" Ruby cut them off impatiently. "There are a lot of things that can go wrong, but the same can be said about our entire journey so far. If this is the only way we can get to Atlas, then that's a risk we need to make."
"Ruby, I don't know about this." It was Blake who spoke up this time. She glanced shyly at Yang before continuing.
"Back in the White Fang, we only sent our best fighters because it's so difficult to sneak into Atlas. I don't think stealing an entire airship will make our lives any easier."
"Oh, I bet you know plenty about that. Don't you?" Yang scoffed. That destroyed whatever confidence Blake had gathered as she slumped in her seat.
"Yang, stop it," Ruby said in a warning tone. "Blake, I understand your concern, but if we all work together, like we always have, we'll get through this! We can't give up because there's a possibility of failure."
"I hate to burst your bubble, kiddo, but this plan will take more than the power of friendship to succeed. You're in no position to challenge Atlas Military. It's childish thinking," Qrow chastised. The hurt on Ruby's face was immediate. "And I'm not going to help you end up on a wanted poster."
That was the final straw for Ruby. They watched in horror as Ruby lost her temper with her uncle. It was the first time she saw her yell at him or anyone like that. Even Yang seemed taken aback by her sudden burst of anger.
No one uttered a word when Ruby implied that his help was never needed. Their collective morale took another nosedive as Ruby's comment lingered like a miasma. Ruby folded her arms over her chest and turned away from Qrow.
They were going to steal an airship. Even without anyone confirming it, the tension in the air spoke for them. Weiss searched the room for someone – anyone to jump in and try to offer a safer solution. She turned to Blake who now hid her face in her hands.
"Then it's settled," Jaune said, solidifying their insane plan. "Tomorrow morning we'll–"
"I-I have a different solution." Weiss willed herself to speak despite the terror crawling down her spine. She wasn't sure if anyone heard her, but she kept talking before her fear could silence her.
"Cordovin won't let us through unless we do what she asks, right? Then let's give her what she wants."
"No," Ruby said immediately. "I promised we weren't abandoning you."
"And I can't watch you guys die because I'm too scared to go back. I-I'll go to Atlas, get in contact with Winter, and send a ship over to you. It's the easiest solution."
Ruby stared at Weiss' scar. Weiss wished she had the strength to smile and assure her everything would be fine, but she didn't have the heart to lie.
All her training and lessons at Beacon didn't stop Father from hitting her when she pissed him off. What's stopping him from doing worse?
By now, the others seemed to be catching on to the terror they both shared. Some of them looked expectedly at Ruby and others at her, as if one of them would fill them in on Weiss' horrible secret.
"Weiss–"
"I want to do this," she said, unsure who she was convincing anymore. "Tomorrow morning. I'll go tomorrow morning."
"You should take someone with you," Ruby pleaded. "What if something happens and you can't come back? What if…?"
What if Father hurts her?
Weiss was grateful Ruby didn't say what they were both thinking, but she suspected the others will come to a similar conclusion soon enough.
"Cordovin wouldn't let me bring anyone. She already labelled you all as questionable."
"But you can't go alone!"
"She might not complain if a licenced Huntsman comes with you, kid," Qrow offered. "I might be a deadbeat, but I can still be of use."
"Uncle Qrow…" Ruby sounded like she was on the verge of tears.
"James might help us sooner if I'm there," he explained, continuing to avoid Ruby's eyes. "We'll tell Cordovin I'm tagging along as extra security. I think we can make a good argument with that."
"Y-yeah," Weiss answered mechanically. "Thank you, Qrow."
Qrow staggered upstairs without another word. Weiss couldn't remember much after that point, not when she was still processing what she'd offered to do.
She was vaguely aware of Ruby and Blake staying close to her side for the rest of the night. Jaune even made an extra effort to try and talk with her. The cocoa and marshmallows in her mug tasted like nothing.
Weiss went off to bed once she finished the last of her drink. Ruby tackled her with a hug before she could go. She didn't say anything, but Weiss appreciated the sentiment she was trying to convey.
This is a very exciting point in the story (for me) because all the old chapters from the OG fanfic have run out. For the first time in this rewrite, my old readers don't have the advantage of knowing what's next. Although I suspect a few of you have an idea of what might go down in the last half of the story. I've laid most of my cards out.
Also, how are we all feeling from this week's episode? I'm surprised that CRWBY would go this direction. Not a huge fan of the characters standing around in the end. I get what they were going for but it completely ruined the immersion for me.
Thanks to CMDR Quillon, RokenDarkly, GNTR96, LiteralWhiteTrash, Gleaming Onyx, Zairaaquino, and a Guest readers for the reviews!
Take care and see you next week :)