Weiss had never been so excited for the next day to arrive. She didn't sleep a wink the previous night. She replayed each of their kisses, yet she was brimming with energy at the crack of dawn. Not even the lingering pain in her torso could sour her mood.
It felt like she'd been waiting for hours before Adam came in, carrying two steaming cups of coffee in his hands.
"You're technically not supposed to have this until you're all better, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to spoil you a bit longer," he said, handing her a cup. Weiss' day was getting better by the second.
"Oh, are you going to spoil me rotten today?"
"I don't know, you seem pretty energetic. You might not need it as much." He pretended not to notice her pout and took a long sip from his coffee.
"I wouldn't say I'm ready to jump out of bed yet. It still hurts if I move too much."
"That does sound like a problem." A mischievous glint sparked in his eye. "I might know a solution."
"Oh? And what's your solution?" She tilted her head
He answered her with a tender kiss. Her heart hammered as loudly as last night. He tasted and smelled like coffee. She ran her tongue over his lips, savouring the rich caffeine clinging to–
"Guys! We have children here!"
Yang's exclamation pulled them both apart. Weiss' face burned like her cup of coffee when she saw Blake, Yang, and Whitely had walked in on them. Yang dramatically shielded her brother's eyes with her free hand.
"It's about time! It only took weeks of self-sabotage for you to sort this out!" Blake laughed when Weiss' blush grew warmer.
"I-I didn't hear you guys come in," Weiss said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Yeah, because your boyfriend was busy waking you up."
That earned an amused snort from Yang.
"We'll be sure to knock before entering next time."
"In our defence, we have curtains around us. You and your girlfriend aren't exactly discreet in the hall," Adam retorted coolly. That at least made Blake and Yang flustered enough to stop poking fun at them.
They settled on the other side of Weiss' bedside to hear about what happened last night. Blake eagerly soaked in their story and teased Adam relentlessly when she learned about the more romantic points in the night. Yang laughed at Blake's enthusiasm while Whitley sat quietly beside her. He stared down at his lap, not saying a word. Jaune learned about the news not soon after. He was as excited as Blake, congratulating and teasing them for taking so long to get here.
"I guess this means I have another couple to third wheel," Jaune joked. "And here I was hoping Ren and Nora would be the only ones I have to worry about."
"Here's to Jaune for being the team's official third wheel!" Yang held her coffee mug high in the air.
"You don't have to phrase it like that!"
"There's nothing wrong with it. This just means you get the honour of helping us plan all our dates. Isn't that fun?" Blake teased.
"We'll even pay you to help us out," Yang added with a wink.
"Well…if I get paid, then I guess it's not so bad…"
Weiss laughed when they all clinked mugs to celebrate Jaune's new status as their date organiser. No one talked about the current events in Mantle for the rest of the day. After so many days of bad news, it was nice to simply exist as regular people.
Weiss was up and ready to fight again after another full day of rest. After a quick shower and changing back into her day clothes, she felt ready to face the challenges ahead.
Adam arrived as she was checking over her Dust compartments. Someone had taken the time to refill everything she'd used up before.
"You look eager to go this morning," he said after greeting her with a morning kiss.
"I've been waiting to get back into the swing of things for ages now," she replied. "Anything significant on the news today?"
"Same old news as yesterday. We can talk more downstairs."
That was another reason she was eager to start the day. Yang had suggested they all have breakfast at the burger bar downstairs to celebrate Weiss' recovery. The prospect of eating something other than hospital food compelled her to wake up early.
They were about to leave when Whitley arrived at the room. He stared at Adam for a moment before looking down at the floor.
"S-sorry. I thought Weiss forgot about the plan, so I came here," her brother murmured to the ground. "I'll leave-"
"It's fine, we can all go downstairs together," Adam cut in gently.
Whitely tensed before nodding and hurrying to Weiss' side.
Her brother was still tense around Adam and Blake, but his awkwardness around Adam grew worse. Even though they saw each other more now, Whitley only ever exchanged polite greetings with Adam. He's never tried to start or join any conversations with him around.
"It's weird knowing he's dating you," Whitley had said when she asked about his increased shyness around Adam.
"Is it because he's a Faunus?"
"No." Whitley couldn't look her in the eyes when he had answered. "I'm just trying to get used to it. If you're happy...I don't have any complaints."
Weiss didn't push the topic any further. It was unfair to expect him to unlearn everything Father taught him at a drop of a hat. At least he was trying to be understanding.
It's why she didn't reprimand him for hiding behind her while Adam was with them.
"Do you feel ready to fight again?" Adam asked her.
"Absolutely. It helps when I don't have to worry about refilling my Dust Compartments."
"You'll have to thank your brother for that."
"Seriously?" Weiss looked over at Whitley. He had his hands stuffed into his pockets and his shoulders tense. He'd never gone near her sword, let alone know how to refill her stock of Dust.
"I was in charge of it, but he seemed interested in helping," Adam explained.
"I didn't do anything. He did most of the work…I just handed things to him…"
"That's still helping. Handling Dust powder like that is dangerous work. You did a good job making sure nothing went off."
Whitely managed a small smile from Adam's compliment.
"I've been meaning to ask, but does he fight at all?"
Weiss explained how Whitley had only recently unlocked his Semblance. When she mentioned his self-defence lessons, Whitley shrugged and murmured that it wasn't anything like what Weiss learned.
"I'm curious since he seemed interested in how your sword worked," Adam said at the end of her explanation. "I always assumed you all know how to fight. It surprised me when he didn't know much about your sword's mechanics."
By this point, Whitley had committed to staring at the ground. Weiss felt a tinge of guilt at her old jabs about him never being able to fight.
"He could start training now," Weiss suggested. "He'll need to learn how to control his Semblance anyway."
"It's too late. I'm too old to learn that kind of stuff," Whitely muttered. His response prompted a short laugh from Adam.
"Who says you're too old? You're still a kid," Adam replied incredulously.
"W-Weiss and Winter started training when they were younger than me…"
"Kid, I've trained teenagers much older than you. If you put in the work, I don't see why you can't catch up to your sisters."
"You train people to fight?" Whitley blurted. He tensed as if he expected Adam to get mad at the question.
"I've taught a lot of people in the past, including Blake. Age isn't usually what determines someone's success as a swordsman. It's hard work and dedication."
"Whitley seems like he'd have a good work ethic," Weiss added helpfully. She couldn't help but grin at how red her brother's face grew.
"If you're interested, I don't see why you can't sit in on my training sessions with Jaune. You can even ask Blake or Weiss to show you a few tricks. We all fight in different styles, but it might help you decide what technique you want to adopt."
For the first time that morning, Whitley stopped staring at the floor and looked at Adam. Weiss could still see the apprehension on his face, but he was more curious about what Adam had to say.
"And if you're serious about this, I can teach you for free. I can't help you with your Semblance, though. That kind of thing I'll leave to Weiss."
"I'll be happy to help if that's what you want." Weiss patted Whitely on the back.
Whitely had a more difficult time suppressing the big grin on his face. He hid it by pretending to stifle a yawn.
"I'll watch you and Jaune train for now," Whitley said quietly. "J-just to see if this kind of thing is right for me."
"We'll be happy to have you, kid."
Weiss couldn't stop beaming when they arrived at the restaurant. There were only a few patrons already eating. Their group made the most noise despite sitting in the farthest corner of the building. Her good spirits rose as she joined them at the table.
Breakfast went by in a blissful blur of bad puns and debates about coffee and tea. By the time they cleared their plates, the restaurant was filling up with patrons. They lowered their voices, crowding closer together as they delved into what their next steps were.
"We should try and take apart one of those robots," Jaune said after Yang shot down his third attempt to plan an airship heist. "There could be something damning inside."
"I don't think someone would leave an obvious clue inside those things," Adam replied. "Unless you know how to hack, it's a waste of time."
"Well, we can't walk into Atlas Academy and accuse the Military, Watts, or whoever without proof."
Jaune hadn't mentioned the mysterious Military personnel that visited Father. Weiss wondered if he forgot or didn't think it was relevant. She couldn't help but relax at Jaune's disinterest in investigating Mother's warning.
"Good morning, folks! Glad to see everyone's up and ready to go," a dark-skinned woman greeted them abruptly. Like Fiona and May, she carried a dual-bladed staff on her back.
"Hey, Joanna," Blake greeted. "Are you feeling better?"
"I'm still sore as fuck, but at least I'm alive." Joanna turned her attention to Weiss. "How are you doing? Fiona told me the mess that guy caused for your team."
"I'm feeling a lot better thanks to everyone's help."
"It's good to see you bounced back so fast after what that poison did to you. I'm still feeling sick from it."
"Shouldn't you be resting?" Adam asked.
"Yeah, but I nagged Robyn into letting me do some easy work around here. I'm surprised it took her so long to cave to my complaints." Joanna laughed. "That's partly why I'm here. Robyn's invited you all to meet in her office."
Weiss wasn't too surprised Robyn expected to meet with them. She only wished Robyn gave them more time to discuss their plans.
"Your kid brother can tag along as well, Miss Schnee," Joanna added as they gathered their belongings. "This will likely involve him."
Robyn's office was at the very back of the second floor. Robyn was waiting for them behind her polished wood desk. The morning newspaper lay in front of her, detailing a "violent riot" that occurred the previous evening.
The office space was tiny and packed with bookshelves and filing cabinets. There were only two personal items decorating the room. A photo hanging behind the desk showed a group of Humans and Faunus around a massive campfire. A smaller photo of a fox-eared girl grinning behind a slice of birthday cake hung beneath it.
"Isn't that Saffron?" Weiss gasped.
"Yes, that's my cousin." Robyn smiled from behind her desk. "I heard from Adam you two got well acquainted back in Orchid."
Weiss examined the bigger group photo once again. This time, she spotted a younger Robyn Hill perched on top of the shoulders of a man with fox ears.
Robyn waited for Fiona and May to join them before delving into business.
"I'll jump straight to the point. We need to discuss the matter of Ironwood and Whitely Schnee." Robyn rose from her chair to meet them at eye level.
She waited for one of them to speak up in protest before continuing.
"I have no interest in learning about the Military's secrets. All I want to know is what Ironwood is doing with our supplies and why he's flooding our neighbourhoods with Altesian robots.
"As for the Schnee Heir, I want to send him home. I know this may not be the best option for Mr Schnee, but Jacques' recent press conferences have put our communities under more strain. More and more Faunus civilians are being targeted on the streets, and Jacques is inspiring more attacks with his fear-mongering."
Whitely retreated further behind Weiss. Yang and Blake quietly assured him that they wouldn't take him back home.
"I hope we can all come to an agreement," Robyn finished. "I understand this puts you all in a difficult spot, but this isn't only about you anymore. We have people we need to look after, and those shields aren't going to hold forever."
Weiss wasn't sure what to say. Whitley couldn't go home. Now that Mother was gone, there was no telling how far Father would go to hurt him. But if Whitley stayed with her, Father was going to punish the Faunus for a crime they didn't commit, and no one would blink an eye at the unfair treatment.
There was no winning. Someone was always going to get hurt, the only difference was how many people would fall victim.
"The thing about Ironwood is that we don't know what's going on either," Jaune was the first to speak. "What I can say is that the things happening in Mantle make no sense. It hurts his mission."
Jaune explained Ironwood's promise to make up for Mantle's weakened defences by using the Altesian robots. When Robyn inquired about where his Huntsmen were, Jaune went quiet.
"I still think we should tell her," Blake insisted.
"It's too risky," Jaune disagreed. "It's nothing personal against you, Robyn. I appreciate all the help you've given us, but Ironwood was also really helpful, and we trusted him because of that. I'm trying to be cautious this time. I hope you understand."
Robyn folded her arms. "I assume you'll continue to stand firm on your decision about Mr Schnee here?"
All eyes were now on Weiss. This was moving so much faster than Weiss had anticipated. Her mind raced to come up with an answer for Robyn.
She kept coming back to Mother's final warning. Maybe it was nothing, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Father's meeting. Whoever it was scared him. No one intimidated Father, not even Ironwood. What information did this person have on him? Why did Military personnel take the time to meet him in person?
Did it have something to do with his crimes? If she helped further Robyn's mission, maybe she'll let Whitley go.
But that would require them to investigate the Schnee Manor.
Fear coiled her heart like a serpent.
She curled her fists and swallowed the lump at the back of her throat. Now wasn't the time to be selfish. Whitley and vulnerable citizens in Mantle depended on her.
"I have a new proposal." Weiss decided to take the plunge and told Robyn about Mother's final warning.
Robyn and her team latched onto her story with keen interest. Weiss could see the gears turning in Robyn's head when she mentioned the mysterious Military figure dropping by to meet with Father.
"You want to break into the Schnee Manor," Robyn summarised. Hearing those words spoken out loud made it feel all the more real.
Her blood went cold. The distant shattering of glass echoed from the darkest corner of her mind, bringing with it a river of Red.
"Yes." Weiss was surprised by how calm her voice was. "Even if we don't find anything related to the Military, we might find something incriminating inside. I know the accusations made against him by the Faunus are true. If there's any place that might contain damning evidence, it's in his study."
Robyn's team perked up. Robyn exchanged knowing looks with her team before looking back at Weiss, studying her like it was the first time she'd ever seen her.
"It's not that I disagree with your idea, Miss Schnee, but if it was that easy to infiltrate the Manor I would've done it by now. It's even harder with those robots all over the place. They can detect May's cloaking Semblance without fail."
"Just Weiss is fine, and have you guys ever tried breaking in through the secret entrances?"
"Secret entrances?"
"There's a bunch of hidden hallways and entrances around the Manor. I don't know how well-guarded the exterior is, but I can get you guys inside if we find the right spots. I've used one of them to run away before."
"We could destroy his public image if we get the right information." May beamed.
"They'll have to kick him out of the council if we can pull this off!" Fiona exclaimed, sounding more fierce than Weiss had ever heard before.
While Robyn's team celebrated the prospect of victory, Weiss felt like she'd volunteered to walk into the lion's den.
Adam reached out for her hand, holding onto it. It reminded her that she wasn't alone – she wouldn't have to face Father alone if it came down to it.
"Tell me how exactly you ran away from home," Robyn requested.
Weiss told her about the secret hallway hidden in their library, which led out to the back of the Manor. She also talked about the cargo port not too far down from the Manor where she hitched her ride to Anima.
Robyn ordered Fiona to track all airships affiliated with the port Weiss mentioned. May was responsible for pulling out blueprints and floorplans related to the Schnee Manor. Finally, Joanna was asked to see if Father was meeting with Ironwood tonight. They pushed past the crowded room and slammed the door shut on their out.
"Blake and I can help," Adam volunteered. "This isn't the first time we've dealt with Schnee security."
"I want in too," Yang piped in fiercely.
"Same. I can think fast under pressure, so I can lend a hand," Jaune added.
"You do understand the consequences if this fails, correct?" Robyn asked in the utmost serious voice. "This isn't some game. Even without those robots, the security around the Manor is airtight. They'll discover us one way or another. I also can't promise we'll get out alive."
"It's a risk I'm willing to take," Weiss answered. Her friends adamantly agreed with her.
"Very well. We've taken a heavy hit from our last run-in with the White Fang, so I'll be coming with you to make up for the lack of backup."
"Will everyone be okay without you here?" Blake asked.
"We should be okay for now. Joanna knows what to do even if I can't make it back. For now, I need Weiss and Whitley to give me a list of passwords Jacques is likely using.
"We'll make our move once Joanna's team figures out when Jacques will be away from home. If everything falls in our favour, we leave tonight."
I'm currently going back to do one final readthrough/quick edit of the entire story. I don't like to touch completed stories once they're public so there might be some small wording changes for those of you who reread this in the future! Ngl, it's definitely wild to read this from chapter 1 again. There's some parts that make me go "I can't believe I was the crazy mf who wrote this" lmao.
Thanks to Unsung Senpai, Gleaming Onyx, BrazeRancor, BL4CK 4NG3L, Iwr1918, KingLuxion, and a Guest reader for the reviews!