This is an old, old, *old* Tumblr prompt from 2019 or so. Did a little bit of a cleanup and eh, might as well post it, right? Freezerburn is technically my first RWBY ship so...I might as well have *something* here for it.
The library was a relatively quiet place at Beacon Academy, even after classes and training had ended and students started filing in to do their homework and study for upcoming exams. It was a tradition a majority of the students at Beacon held to, and whether that was due to a respect for tradition or a fear of Glynda was much debated. Even still, there were pockets here and there of "rebellious" students chatting quietly amongst themselves about any number of topics that could be listed.
Yang hadn't intended on stumbling across a pair of such students, let alone those students being Blake and Weiss. She was simply on her way back from getting coffee for her team (or tea…in Blake's case). Last she knew, everyone was studying quietly, albeit slightly uncomfortably, when she left. And it wasn't like she intended to stand nearby and eavesdrop on them, she couldn't even hear anything! The fact she leaned up against a bookshelf and watched silently as they finished up their conversation really meant nothing in the grand scheme of things.
She felt a bit of relief when Blake smiled and nodded after Weiss said something. As the Faunus got up to leave, Weiss placed a hand on her arm and said one more thing that left both of them smiling. Blake soon after left to return to Ruby and the table they were actually studying at, and Weiss leaned back in her chair with a sigh.
Well, that was certainly a good sign. It was a much better interaction than her two teammates had had over the past several days, at least. Between yelling at each other, running away, and struggling to come to terms with the revelation that Blake was a Faunus—and once a member of the White Fang at that—Yang would definitely take smiles and quiet conversations over anything else. She doubted any team had an immediate, wonderous start, but she had to wonder how highly their team ranked in the absolutely awful start spectrum.
Before Yang could pull herself from her thoughts and react accordingly, Weiss noticed her and stood up. Damn, she really hadn't intended on getting caught lurking around either…even if she really hadn't heard anything and technically wasn't doing anything wrong. All Yang could do was offer a sheepish grin and watch as her teammate walked over to her and placed her book back on the shelf she was leaning against.
Weiss didn't say anything though, she just moved away from the bookshelf with a raised brow. Yang rolled her eyes, acknowledging she was apparently expected to speak first.
"Everything good?" Yang asked, relenting to whatever move Weiss was trying to play.
"Yes," Weiss answered. After a moment, she nodded, as if reaffirming her answer to herself. "Yes, I think so. Or, it will be, anyways."
She looked down at the coffees on the tray Yang was holding and gratefully took the one Yang turned outwards to offer to her. Weiss took a long sip of her coffee—even more grateful it was already at a temperature that could be consumed—and nodded her thanks. She turned around, and Yang followed after her, assuming that was the end of their conversation and they were returning to the other half of her team.
She only stopped when Weiss instead sat back down at the smaller table she and Blake were just talking at. Out of curiosity, Yang just stood there, waiting to see if Weiss would say anything else regarding her prior conversation. Or if the Schnee would just shoo her away, which was just as likely.
Weiss sat for a while in silence, watching a few tables over where Ruby and Blake sat, the former animatedly informing the latter about something or other. Usually, Yang would be interested in trying to decipher what Ruby was saying. In this moment though, her attention hung on the icy blue gaze of her teammate, which in turn remained almost solely on Blake, who was smiling and rolling her eyes as she humored their young leader. It was the most at ease Blake had been since they started at Beacon, and it was…nice.
It was perhaps the most at ease Weiss had been, too.
"I do care about her, you know," Weiss stated finally. Her eyes shifted from Blake to Yang, and Yang almost shivered at the intensity she harbored with her next statement, "I care about all of you."
Yang blinked, and after a moment, slowly took the seat across from Weiss. Had that ever been in question? Sure, she didn't always have the best attitude, but Weiss did care. She settled into being their teammate and got over not being the leader of Team RWBY relatively quickly. She had gone along with their team outings and shenanigans, and far be it for Yang to assume too much, but Weiss even seemed like she often had fun with those outings and shenanigans. She even saved Ruby on the first full day after they met, despite being less than thrilled by the younger girl's enthusiasm. The attitude was always there, but Yang never doubted somewhere in there that Weiss legitimately cared underneath it all.
"Of course you do," Yang agreed, "I know that."
"You…" Weiss hesitated and looked down at her coffee, fingers gripping the paper cup tighter, "You…implied otherwise a few days ago. I just wanted you to know." She closed her eyes and released a breath before refocusing her icy gaze back on Yang. "I know I am not the best at expressing it, but I do care for you all."
Oh. Right. She had questioned that while they were looking for Blake, hadn't she? Maybe in this mess, she had said a few things she didn't mean. Maybe she had something to apologize for too.
"Look…Weiss, I know that," Yang started on a sigh. "I'm…sorry. In the heat of the moment I get…well, pretty heated. That's kinda my whole thing," she said with a sheepish shrug, "At minimum, I often say things I don't mean, and I'm sorry. I was frustrated and tired and I…well, I just shouldn't have said it. I know you care, I promise, and I'm sorry for saying it," she finished with an earnest smile towards Weiss.
It was faint, but Weiss smiled in relief in return. "I accept your apology, and I understand," she said with a nod. "There were many things I shouldn't have said either. I have since apologized for them as well. It was…the White Fang is a sensitive subject," she admitted. As if that hadn't become apparent since the fight in their room.
Weiss's attention strayed back to watching Blake and Ruby, particularly Blake. "They…made a difficult situation far worse for me," she added quietly, almost more a thought to herself than anything.
Yang remained silent, unsure of what else could be said to that. Ruby had already tried to apologize for everything that took place that night several times over, but that wasn't what Weiss was looking for. She still wasn't sure what Weiss was looking for, except for maybe a listening ear. That was the least Yang could provide.
"But it doesn't matter now. The White Fang doesn't matter now, they are in Blake's past just as much as they are in mine," Weiss decided and turned back to Yang with that same, faint smile. "You guys, Team RWBY, are almost like a family to me. That means a lot to me, given the circumstances of…well…"
She didn't need to say anything else, Yang understood. Many were envious of the SDC heiress, likely due to the assumption she had everything anyone could ever want. Money was never an issue for her, and her status probably granted her the opportunity to a great number of things. But money couldn't buy everything, especially not a stable home or a loving family.
Yang had never envied her, or anyone rich for that matter, for that reason. She was only proved right when she actually met Weiss. Sure, the heiress had everything physically she could ever need, but her arrogance bespoke of something deeper. It was a mask that hid some deep-seated hurt, and every so often she caught a glimpse of a glint of some unspoken loneliness—pure isolation—in her teammate's blue eyes.
It was something Yang could understand. Something perhaps she saw too many times in her own reflection.
Thus, Weiss's statement was something she could also appreciate, perhaps better than anyone else. And she was glad they were all able to start giving her that. "We are family," Yang corrected her with a grin, "That's what a team is. No one is gonna have your back out there fighting Grimm better than your own family, so you better get used to it, Snowflake."
Weiss initially smiled at the sentiment, clearly happy that Yang so readily corrected her and confirmed what she actually wanted. It quickly fell into befuddlement, however, by the end of the blonde's statement. "Snowflake? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Yang shrugged, her grin growing wider, "But everyone in a family gets nicknames," she explained, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I know, I know, Ice Queen has already been floated around—" Weiss barely held back a grimace at the name. "—But that seems a little harsh. Do you not like Snowflake? How about Weiss Cube?"
"That is really not necessary," Weiss said, trying for all of Remnant to sound serious and disapproving. The corners of her lips betrayed her though as they started to turn upwards.
"Oh, it most definitely is, Weiss Cream Cone," Yang reiterated. She put on a thoughtful air for a moment before shaking her head, "Nah, way too long."
"Honestly, just Weiss would b—"
"I got it! Weissicle!" Yang exclaimed.
Unable to contain herself any longer, Weiss fell into a burst of giggles. Yang watched her laugh, both proud she finally managed to coax it out of her and enthralled by the view. She had seen Weiss laugh and smile a few times now, but something about this time felt different. Weiss seemed more at ease, and while she had always been pretty, she was somehow prettier when she let those walls down and let her true self shine through. It was something Yang hoped Weiss would be able to do more often now, for her own sake.
"I think if you are so insistent and Weissicle is the best you can come up with," Weiss continued as she calmed down from her giggle fit, "I would much prefer Snowflake, yes."
"Duly noted," Yang agreed. She allowed herself one more look over of Weiss again before adding, "You should do that more often."
"What?" Weiss asked, raising a brow, "Laugh?"
"Yup." Yang stood up with a nod, signaling their conversation was nearing an end. "We're family now, remember? You can be yourself around us, I think we'd all like it better that way. Besides…" she grinned and threw a wink at Weiss, "Your actual personality is much prettier."
Before Weiss could respond—before Weiss could yell at her for it, really—Yang gathered up their coffees and started walking back towards the other half of their team, throwing over her shoulder, "We should probably get back to studying. You don't want to see what happens when you make Ruby wait for some much-needed coffee."
"R-right," Weiss agreed, too shocked at the sudden turn of events to really say anything else.
After another moment of staring after the blonde as she walked away, Weiss grabbed her cup of coffee and followed suit. And if she returned to study with the rest of her team with a slight blush alighting her cheeks and a small, satisfied smile gracing her lips, well…at least no one commented on it.