Authors note

I don't really do this that much on fanfic, but I did want to take a moment to address a few things for this chapter, as well as an apology for taking so long to get this chapter out. Sorry for the long wait, I have had life hit me pretty hard, and also this chapter was such a monster that I have had to split it into two separate chapters. So welcome to part one of the dance.

When writing this I had to try and find what the legal age of adulthood was for RWBY. I assumed it was 18 but to my surprise, it's actually more likely 17 according to a lot of little things including a scene between Cinder and Rhodes. I had to look this up because now that Cinder and Ryker are openly dating I knew that it would not be without controversy to both the reader as well as the world around them. Cinder is estimated to be in her early to mid-20s at the start of volume one, so I place her at about 23-24 during her parts in this story. She obviously lied on her fake transcripts as to what her real age is and is only considered to be a little older than most students. So to Beacon and everyone else, this woman is 21. Which would raise some red flags to others considering Ryker isn't even 17 yet as of this chapter (their birthday is soon). So that gets addressed in this chapter but It will not satisfy everyone and that's kind of the point.

Anyway, enjoy.

Chapter Twenty-Four: A Name to Remember

(Ryker pov)

I shivered, staring into the mirror and seeing her look back at me. The girl that would soon swap places with me. In a lot of ways, this whole experience felt like its own little goodbye to the world.

Goodbye to me.

Goodbye to everyone who had burrowed themselves into my heart.

Ryker would disappear tonight.

What came next… Who came next… She was ready… She just hoped that those she loved would accept her, welcome her with open arms, and reassure her that their friendship wasn't conditionally based on her gender.

"Hey," Coco's voice drawled from the other side of the privacy curtain breaking me out of my thoughts. "You good? You having trouble zipping up?" The third-year student asked making me blush.

"N-No, it's just a lot. I got lost in my head." I answered shakily as I stared at the dress I had forced myself into. It was a little tight in the stomach, and surprisingly the hips and ass, though I couldn't ignore the slight looseness in the chest. Coco had assured me though that it wouldn't be an issue, that it wasn't nothing that double-sided tape couldn't solve.

"Well hurry up, we still need to get you back to Beacon and get you dressed and get your face painted on. Not to mention I still need to make sure Vel, Fox, and Yatsu are presentable." Coco snorted before pulling the curtain open and taking a peek at me in my dress. Her lips slightly tilted up as she examined me with her critical eye, something she had been doing for the past four hours as we tried on practically every piece of clothing in the five stores she had dragged me to. "That's the one, put you in some platform heels and you are gonna drop so many panties."

The choked sound I made went completely ignored as she ducked out of the changing room and closed the curtain. "Get out of that and bring it to the front. We've got to go." She said as her boots clicked loudly against the hardwood floor of the store as she headed towards the front to wait for me.

I took a deep breath, chancing one more glance at me before stepping out of the dress carefully and getting dressed back in my clothes, a pair of jeans and Ruby's off-the-shoulder shirt she had given me. It had been my go-to outfit, though after all the clothes Coco had bought me that would soon be changing. The woman had more than paid back her favor, yet no matter how many times I tried to pay for something she would just smack my hand and pay for me.

Now fully dressed and with the dress carefully folded I exited the changing room and headed for the front of the store, Coco waiting with a smile. I set the dress on the counter, the cashier giving me a small smile as she scanned the dress and told us the total. I winced but Coco just handed over her card without flinching. The woman was steadfast in the face of spending money on clothes.

With the dress purchased I was handed it in a bag, I took it graciously as I picked up my share of the clothing bags we had accrued in our little trip. Both me and Coco double-fisted bags of clothes as we hauled what felt like a hundred pounds of clothes across Vale, running to make it in time for the next airbus up to Beacon.

Luck was on our side as we managed to dive through the closing doors of the airbus in time, both of us panting as we leaned and collapsed into the available seating. "Ok… When we get back you are coming with me to my dorm, we will get you dressed and get your makeup and hair done. Then I will drop you off at your team's dorm where you will finally come out to Blake and Schnee." Coco spoke, her tone indicating she was simply telling me what was happening instead of asking me how I wanted the whole situation to go down. Part of me was relieved, cause I still felt like I was ready to run away from the whole thing and never look back.

"I already texted Ruby the plan, she will make sure that Blake and Weiss don't head to the party before I have a chance to come out to them," I say nodding as Coco gives me a small grin.

"Girl, you are going to be so fucking hot." Coco huffed making me blush.

The airbus came to a stop as we broke into another run, hurrying across campus as we were working against the clock. We only had two hours before the dance and I still needed to shower, get dressed, have my hair done, and get makeup on, as well as have enough time to properly come out to my remaining two teammates. It was a lot, but we could do it.

We burst into Team CVFY's dorm, Velvet, Fox, and Yatsuhashi giving me small smiles as I ran for their bathroom. "Hi! Bye!" I call out to the rest of Coco's team as I shut the door and strip out of my clothes launching myself into the shower and letting out a yelp as I was blasted with cold water, not bothering to wait for it to heat up as I got to cleaning myself.

The door opened a few minutes later, as Coco sneaked into the bathroom as she placed all the items of my dress on the counter of the bathroom. "Call for me when you get done, I want to do your hair while it's wet," Coco spoke getting a grunt of acknowledgment out of me before the door opened and shut once more.

I shower as quickly as possible but take extra time to make sure my face is clean. I didn't want any bit of dirt to ruin the application of the makeup. With a final spray of water, I turn the shower off and step out grabbing the towel from the railing. I had dried in record time as I turned to the bundle of clothes on the counter. I couldn't help but flush at just how sexy all of it would look on me.

I grabbed the pink lace panties and stepped into them. I grimace at my bulge but we didn't have time to get what Coco called a "tucking kit". Thankfully it wasn't too noticeable in the dress, people would have to actively stare at my crotch to try and see it, so the only one who would be bothered by it would be me. Still sucked though.

I slid my stockings on, they pulled all the way up to my thighs, they were flesh-toned, blending in well with my own skin as the material stretched to accommodate my pale thighs. The illusion of a lack of bottom clothing is what Coco said. To let me feel sexy and slutty, without actually being slutty… Well, not as slutty.

I turned to my dress and started to slip myself into it. The thing was beautiful, a powder pink turtleneck-halter-gown. One long piece of silk wrapped around my neck covered my chest, sinched my waist, flared over my hips, and flowed down to my ankles. A thigh-high slit on the left side of it. It was gorgeous, it made me look gorgeous.

With the dress on, I stepped into the platform heels, the heels being a slightly deeper shade of pink. I sigh, looking at my still-damp hair before clearing my throat. "Coco!" I called out, only a few moments later the door to the bathroom opened as Coco slid inside, a bag under each arm, a hair dryer in her left hand, perfume in her right hand, and what looked like a curling iron gripped between her teeth as she kicked the door shut and dumped the contents in her arms onto the counter.

With expert grace she grabbed me with one hand and guided me to sitting down on the counter, all while she plugged the hairdryer in. "Ok, bitch. Don't move, I don't have time to fuck around with your hair, we got one shot at this and then we got to do your makeup." Coco mumbled.

I stiffened as she plugged in the curling iron alongside the hairdryer and proceeded to both dry some sections and curl others. The woman's hands pulling and yanking my head as she worked. I refused to flinch but did hiss in annoyance at being pulled at. I hated my face being touched, having to sit still and endure this woman basically maneuvering me like a doll was literal torture.

Soon enough she set down the iron and dryer before gesturing for me to look at the mirror. I craned my neck enough to see the mirror that was at my back and just gasped. My hair was full, my ashy locks no longer flat but flowing. I looked hot.

"Yeah, yeah, you look real hot. Now turn to me and don't move. I'm doing your makeup." Coco growled as she pulled out all sorts of little things that I still didn't know the names of.

I faced her and just let her work. Her face scrunched up in concentration as she applied everything. Another fifteen minutes pass before she sets down the eyeliner she is using and clicks her tongue. "Alright, that should do it. You look hot as fuck, and if you weren't already spoken for by Ruby I would absolutely ruin you." Coco sighed, the noise that escaped me was both one of mortification and confusion.

"Me and Ruby aren't together?" I shriek.

Coco laughed at that and just waved me off. "Sure you aren't."

"I don't know what you are-" I start before Coco lifts up a hand to cut me off.

"Save it, Cutie. We have to get you to your dorm." Coco said grabbing me by the hand and dragging me out of the bathroom. The moment I crossed the threshold of the door the rest of her team looked up from their various spots in the dorm, all of them dressed and ready to leave.

Velvet let out a flustered noise at the sight of me, the faunus blushing as she looked me over. "R-Ryker, you're so pretty." She whispered making me blush in response.

"Thanks, Velvet." The words come out shy and unsure. My confidence was so low, any wrong word and I felt like I would bolt for the bathroom and never come out. "I don't look weird? I-I'm not looking like…"

"You are a beautiful woman," Yatsu spoke assuredly, Fox nodding with a small smile.

"You look amazing to me." Fox grinned as we all rolled our eyes at his blind joke.

Coco snorted as she grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me to the door of the dorm. "Maybe you can offer her a dance later tonight Fox, but we have to go." She shouted behind us as we raced back to my own dorm where my teammates were waiting.

(Weiss pov)

I growled as I fiddled with Ruby's stupid bowtie. My date to the dance having decided to go in a maroon tuxedo instead of a dress. She was lucky that she pulled it off. At this point, I was convinced my teammates could wear potato sacks and I would find them attractive. Stupid Ruby, Stupid Blake, Stupid Ryker.

With a final tug on the stupid deep red bowtie, I took a step back and admired my handy work. "You look acceptable, If I see you touch that bowtie I will chop off the offending hand, so don't touch it!" I snarl as Ruby giggles at me.

"I promise I won't touch it, Weiss," Ruby spoke, her voice light and energetic. She had been so excited for this dance. She had been over the moon when Ryker said he would go and get Blake to go as well. To be truthful so was I. I was initially going to ask Ryker to the dance, but after our whole big fight, I decided to ask Ruby instead. I was surprised when she said yes, but not disappointed. In fact, I was ecstatic that Ruby agreed to go with me. Between my entire team, I felt closest to her. She was my partner… My bestie as she would call me.

It was because of this that I was so angry at her for leaving at the end of the last semester. I felt so abandoned when she left for Patch. It took a lot of therapy as well as time for me to get over those feelings and realize that it was all because of my feelings for her. She really did bring out the emotion in me. She melted my heart.

I clicked my tongue, raking my eyes over her one more time to make sure that everything was perfect. Her makeup and hair were on point, and there was nothing wrong with her tux. "See that you don't." I snip before turning to Blake who was in her own dress. Hers black versus my white. With her having taken so long to get on board with going to the dance we had to rush her dress. It was because of that we decided to just have her dress be a black variant of my own cocktail dress, something I was able to tell the tailor I had used for my own dress to get made as quickly as possible. All I needed was her measurements and it was done within a few days, I made sure to tup the seamstress a hefty commission on the job.

She looked stunning, it had me swallowing the saliva that kept building up in my mouth. If Ruby was hot in a tuxedo, then Blake was deadly in a dress. They both had my heart beating a mile a minute when I saw them. Blake smirked as she saw me approaching in the mirror as she finished up her makeup. "Am I up to your standards, Heiress?" She teased.

"If you have to ask then you obviously are blind." I scoff as I tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm glad you decided to do this for us."

Blake nodded as she shut her compact and stashed it into her clutch. "Ryker raised a lot of good points. I was being stubborn, and I needed to do better."

"You know we will have your back for the White Fang, right?" I ask as she gives me a small smile.

"I know."

I hug her, careful to not press my face into her dress for fear of ruining my makeup. I might have some of the best and most expensive setting powder in the world, but I didn't want to chance it on a black dress. As I pulled away I could see the faint blush on my teammate's face, her eyes filled with an emotion I read as adoration. It sent butterflies right to my stomach.

"Ruby, where is Ryker? You said he would be here." I ask finally, turning from Blake and putting my attention on my date.

Ruby flinched at the question, her hands gripping at themselves like she was nervous. "S-she-He is supposed to be here soon." She stuttered, her words all over the place as her eyes began to dart around the room, refusing to look at us.

She was hiding something from us.

"Ruby," I snap with a growl. "Where is Ryker?"

The noise that escaped her mouth was one of pure stress as she turned away and just started to shake her head. "I told you, Ryker is coming, sh-he just needs a little more time," Ruby said speaking to the wall instead of us.

Oh, she really didn't want to tell us. I gave Blake a small look, us having a silent conversation before nodding as we moved at the same time. Blake went right and I went left. Ruby let out a small squeal as she realized we were making it hard to avoid one of our faces, trapping our dear team leader between us.

"Ruby," Blake literally purred. "You aren't hiding something from us are you?"

Ruby's entire body stiffened as Blake took the role of "nice" Huntress. "You know we agreed to no more secrets, Ruby. Do you trust us so little?" I asked stepping into my role as the "bad" Huntress.

Ruby whimpered as she just shut her eyes and looked down at the floor. "I'm telling the truth, Ryker will be here soon." She argued but we could both hear the hitch in her voice that she always made when she was hiding something. It was the same hitch we heard when she would lie to Yang about how many cookies she had eaten.

"Oh, but I think you know more than you're letting on. You know what Ryker is doing, and you don't want us to know about it." I accuse getting a sharp gasp out of Ruby.

"You know we won't be mad if you just tell us, right?" Blake asked, her voice sugary sweet.

Ruby shook her head in denial but we both grinned as we saw her wanting to give in. Whatever she knew was some juicy gossip that she desperately wanted to share. "No, Ryker would be so mad at me if I told you!" She argued defiantly.

"So there is something you are hiding for Ryker," I say with a smirk as the blood floods from Ruby's face as she realizes that she has confirmed our suspicions.

"No!" She shouts pushing away from us but we just follow her every step. "That's not what I meant, Ryker will be here soon, I promise!" Ruby said completely red in the face.

Blake snickered before elbowing me lightly. "Let's not break her right this moment, she can only take so much and we still need to go to the dance."

"You two are such jerks!" Ruby whined.

"Yeah, but we are your jerks." I grin.

Ruby grunted, crossing her arms and turning her head, refusing to look at us as she pouted. I was just about to open my mouth to try and smooth things over from our teasing when the door opened to our dorm. All of us turned to see the empty doorway, my brow furrowing as I heard loud whispering coming from just around the door.

"Stay here for a moment," Ruby said before heading for the door and turning the corner, I heard Ruby gasp and join in the whispering. I started to take a step towards the door before Blake grabbed my arm, shaking her head as she forcibly held me back from checking out what was going on just on the other side of the wall separating us from the hallway outside our dorm.

It took a few moments before Ruby peered her head through the doorway. "You two have to close your eyes."

I could feel my eye twitch but acquiesced. I closed my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest as I began to tap my foot from the pure annoyance I was feeling. What was going on that required all this secrecy and hoops for us to jump through?

It took a few moments before I heard two pairs of footsteps enter into the room, the door shutting as the two bodies moved deeper into the room and closer to us. I couldn't quite tell who was who, but now knew that someone who I assumed was Ruby moved to my side leaving who I guessed was Ryker standing in front of us.

"Y-You can open your eyes." Ryker's voice came out so small. He sounded like he was on the verge of tears. Why was he nearly crying?

I opened my eyes and my mouth dropped. Standing in front of me was not the Ryker I knew. No… This was. I don't know what this was. It felt like my brain was glitching, random thoughts firing off, none of them connecting except for the single ever-present thought.

"I… I'm trans. I'm a girl." Ryker choked out.

"This makes so much sense," Blake spoke before I could share the sentiment. I turned to see both Ruby and Blake looking at Ryker with scarlet faces. Blake's breathing even looked slightly heavier. I turned my head slowly to take in Ryker once more. The dress was beautiful, the heels, the hair, the makeup, all of it was pristine. Ryker looked like… Like… Like a woman.

She was a woman.

Ryker's eyes were misty, the tears in her eyes looking close to spilling over. "Weiss?"

Ryker's voice sounded so pitiful, begging for me to say something. Yet the only thing I could force out as my feet began to move, closing the distance between me and Ryker was a relieved sigh of "Thank Oum, You had me questioning my sexuality for half a year." I mutter before I grip Ryker's chin in one hand, my thumb pressed right under her lower lip. I couldn't stop myself as I pressed my lips to hers. I grinned internally at the gasps behind me as well as the confused squeak that escaped Ryker.

She tasted like pure energy, if lightning had a taste, she would be it. I pulled away slowly, feeling the flush on my face as I smirked lazily. "Does Cinder know?" I asked, hoping that I would have this one-up on the woman who had stolen the team's Ryker, stolen OUR Ryker.

"You kissed me," Ryker muttered, her fingers ghosting over her lips in disbelief.

"I did, now answer my question," I responded.

Ryker seemed to snap out of whatever daze she was in before shooting me with a glare. "You know I'm dating Cinder and you kissed me!" She accused which I just shrugged.

"Yep."

"Why would you do that?" She shouted in anger.

"Because I have been wanting to kiss you for months now. Couldn't stop myself." I say with a shrug. I knew that what I had done was wrong, yet I couldn't be asked to care at this moment. If Cinder was going to take Ryker from me, then I would not feel bad for getting to kiss her at least once.

"But you know I am dating Cinder, I can't believe you," Ryker shouted once more, her voice getting more and more angry. "I wanted to come out to you before everyone else. To tell you before I told the school, and you do this?"

"It's not like you gave us the opportunity to date you first." I snap back in anger.

"Us?" Ruby asked.

"Oh please, you two can't tell me that you haven't wanted to date Ryker for months now. You both can't tell me that you are happy that Ryker is dating Cinder instead of one of us." I say staring down my other two teammates who failed to refute what I had just said.

"No matter how we may feel, you shouldn't have kissed her. She's in a relationship, we have to respect that." Blake said slowly, almost like she hated the words she that were leaving her mouth.

"Wait, you too? You wanted to date me, Blake?" Ryker asked incredulously.

Blake hesitated to say yes but she didn't need to as Ruby sighed. "We both did. I-If we are being honest tonight then you should know that me and Blake have been in a relationship for a bit." She said slowly as her hand entwined with Blakes.

"You what!" I shrieked.

Blake sighed before nodding in confirmation. "We started dating a little bit after Ruby returned from Patch and we also have been wanting to date both of you the entire time. We just didn't know when to bring it up."

"Y-yeah, just talking about tomorrow, how we are going to go after Torchwick. Nothing at all suspicious." Ruby stammered.

I rolled my eyes "You know, if you want to lie, maybe don't end your answer by telling me that you weren't doing anything suspicious."

"Ok, Ruby and I were talking about how we want to date both you and Ryker and have an amazingly sexy four-way relationship as a team," Blake deadpan.

"You mean you weren't joking with me! I could have been dating you two idiots for months now and you never told me!" Now I was the one shouting as both Ruby and Blake flinched at the volume of my yelling.

Ryker sighed throwing up her hands. "You know what, never mind. I wanted to tell you who I was, and I have. I'm leaving, I have to go meet Cinder at the dance and I'm already late." She grunted before turning around and rushing towards the door. She stopped just as she opened the door and looked over her shoulder at us. "My new name is Reina by the way." She said before walking through the door, I flinched at the sound of it slamming shut.

"Damnit." I cursed.

I probably shouldn't have kissed her.

(Reina pov)

I can't believe her! She knows I like Cinder, she knows that I have been excited about dating her, and she goes and kisses me!

I was so angry I didn't even hear the gasps of several students as I pushed past them. I entered the ballroom, the entire setup pissing me off even more because it was all designed by Weiss… and Yang, but mostly Weiss!

I scanned the room, looking for my date, looking for Cinder but I just couldn't find her. Had she not arrived yet?

"Well, look at you," A familiar voice purred as I felt arms wrap around my waist. I turn in her grip and grin seeing my date. Cinder was gorgeous, her red and gold dress utterly stunning. "When you told me you were going to get dressed up I didn't think you would look so drop-dead gorgeous."

"Coco was a big help." I waved off but Cinder shook her head.

"No, you could have worn anything and you would have been beautiful." She said with a smirk as she slowly moved her hands, one to my waist, and the other to my right hand. She stepped forward, and I stepped back. A step to the left, a step forward, a step to the right. We were dancing, and I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. "So, you told me that you would have a new name tonight. What is it?"

I smile, Cinder always knew how to make me feel special. She always said the right thing when I needed to hear it. "Reina."

Cinder's eyes seemed to sparkle at my new name. "It fits you, Beautiful, Dawn, Elegance, all of these describe you in totality." She hummed.

"Dawn describes me?" I ask with a small chuckle.

"Yes it does, you are warm but there's a hint of coldness to you. The cold from the night before the dawn. That's you." Cinder replied.

We danced for a bit longer, I could see when people took notice of me. Cardin had given me a nasty look but I ignored the insecurity that was boiling in my stomach. I had Cinder and as far as I was concerned that was enough.

"Can I kiss you?" I ask suddenly.

Cinder smirked, her eyes teasing and light as she seemed to go over my question in her head. "I suppose you have been a good enough of a girl for me to give you a kiss tonight."

I shivered at the term, Cinder had quickly found out how much that had affected me. She would always end our conversations over text by calling me 'her good girl'. It always elicited a response from me… Sometimes at inopportune moments.

Cinder closed the gap, but before she could complete the kiss I jerked my head back. "Wait!" I stammer.

Her eyes narrowed, she looked annoyed at me pulling away. "What's wrong?"

"I have to tell you something first," I say as I work up the courage to talk about what had happened with Weiss. "Before coming here I came out to the rest of my teammates. Ruby had known, but I hadn't told Weiss or Blake about the whole being a girl thing." I say softly, feeling my stomach wrap itself in knots.

"Do I need to create a few corpses tonight?" Cinder asked, her voice sharp and jagged to the point I flinched.

"N-No!" I say hurriedly before grimacing. "Maybe one corpse."

"Talk. Now."

"I came out, and their reactions were fine, they didn't seem to have a problem with me being trans… But… Weiss did something wrong and Blake and Ruby revealed something I wish they hadn't."

"Details, Reina," Cinder spoke sternly.

"Weiss kissed me," I finally speak, the words tasting like acid on my tongue. I felt so awful like I had ruined Cinder's trust in me, yet as the words came out, I couldn't stop the rest from following. "Then Ruby and Blake told us that they had been in a relationship for the past few months and that they had been wanting to date both me and Weiss for months now. All of my teammates had been wishing to date me. I'm sorry, please don't hate me. I would have never let her kiss me if I had known that she was going to do that."

I fought to keep the tears from coming, I didn't want to cry, didn't want to seem like a victim. I had messed up, I had hurt Cinder, and whatever happens next I deserve it. I was waiting for what felt like ages, to be hit, to be dumped, to be embarrassed in front of everyone in the ballroom. Instead, I felt lips press against mine in a soft and tender kiss. I could hardly keep the surprised gasp from escaping me as Cinder finally pulled back, looking at me with a smug smile.

"I don't care if you date your teammates, Reina. As long as you save some of yourself for me." Cinder drawled. "Though, I will have to remind Schnee to keep her hands to herself unless she has consent."

"You're not mad?" I ask in disbelief.

"I'm not mad," Cinder confirmed.

"Why not, shouldn't you be upset? I cheated on you!" I ask but Cinder just chuckled low like she always did when I said something she found amusing.

"I would hardly call you being un-consensually kissed to be cheating. You know, sometimes you do or say things that remind me just how much younger you are compared to me. You have so much to learn about life and relationships." She sighed as she looked at me fondly.

It was true, I might be turning seventeen in just a few weeks, but Cinder has a little over three years on me. She had been in relationships before. She had done so much and here I was still stupid little Reina just figuring out her gender.

"What do you mean, you don't care if I date my teammates?" I ask shyly.

"Exactly what I just said. I don't care, Reina eventually I will have to go back to Mistral once the Vytal festival is over. I understand that unless something world-altering happens we will not be together forever. So I would rather enjoy the time I have with you, and not worry about silly little things like you having a couple of girlfriends more your age."

"So… you wouldn't care if I told them yes?" I asked.

"Did they ask you?" Cinder responded.

"No, but it sounded like Ruby and Blake wanted to."

"Do you want to date them?"

I paused, I really didn't know. I cared for my team more than I should. I have known for months that our team did things together that other teams just don't do. We slept in each other's beds, Ruby and Blake had been showering together now for months. We cuddled constantly, all of these things were not things that other teams did, but could I really date them if my plan was always to leave them behind?

"I don't know. I love them but I don't know if it's something I should pursue. I told you before, I feel like I'm running out of time. I don't want to break their hearts." I finally answer, not satisfied with my own answer.

Cinder shrugged. "Then you should do what you think is best. If that means dating them, then go ahead, I don't mind."

We kept in step with one another, going back to just dancing and not really talking. I could see out of the corner of my eye that Ruby, Weiss, and Blake had shown up at some point. They were talking with Team PNLY, weirdly enough I saw Ren slip Nora a few lien for some reason. He had an exasperated smile all while Nora was taunting him about something and jumping up and down in victory.

Ruby and Blake seemed tense but ok, and Weiss seemed absolutely miserable. I wonder if Blake and Ruby yelled at her after I left.

"Sorry to interrupt Ms. Fall, but I do believe I owe Ms. Thorne a dance," Glynda spoke breaking me out of my thoughts as me and Cinder slowed to a standstill. Cinder looked at me for a moment refusing to release me before I nodded letting her know it was ok.

"I guess I can share such a beautiful woman, it seems it will be something I have to get used to." Cinder teased pressing a kiss to my lips before turning and making a B-line straight to Weiss.

I turned to see Glynda standing in a more formal dress, she was beautiful as always, but now… Now I couldn't help but stare.

Glynda seeing this smirked before taking a hand and gently closing my open mouth, my teeth clicking as I clenched my jaw in embarrassment. "Since this is such a special night I will ignore your ogling me just this once. I am much too old for you." She admonished. "Though from the appearance of your relationship with Ms. Fall, you probably don't care that I'm old enough to be your mother." She teased making my face turn entirely red.

"Cinder is not that much older than me." I hissed as Glynda placed her hand in mine and we started to dance.

"She is old enough to legally drink, you are still several weeks away from being a legal adult. Forgive me for being protective of one of my favorite students." Glynda sassed.

"I hope you're not suggesting I break up with her?" I grumble.

Glynda sighed before shaking her head. "I know better than to tell a strong-headed teenager to not do something that they really want to do. You could do a lot worse than Ms. Fall, and the age gap is not so severe that I would feel obligated to step in. That doesn't change that I want you to stay safe and not let her push you into doing anything you are not ready for."

"You are not giving me the sex talk, Glynda." I hiss in embarrassment.

Glynda chuckled. "I'm not doing that, I simply want you to know that you have the right to say no to things. If she ever pressures you to do something you don't want to, promise me you will tell me."

"She is not pressuring me for anything, besides I don't even think I could do… that." I cringe at the idea of sex. What would I even do? The thought of using 'myself' on someone else had me feeling nauseous. I wasn't lying all those months ago when I told Weiss that I really didn't touch myself in that way. It had always made me feel gross, I never understood what it meant back then but I knew what it meant now. My dick makes me dysphoric.

Glynda seemed to sense the downturn in my mood before giving me a reassuring squeeze. "I understand all too well that feeling. The only thing I can tell you is that you have to figure out what is good for you, and not force yourself into what you think your body is meant to do when you are intimate."

"This is sounding suspiciously like a sex talk," I groan childishly.

"No, just simply trying to give you advice I wish I had when I was your age."

We danced, Glynda, making for a wonderful dance partner as she led me. Every step she took I followed suit. Where Cinder was domineering and overpowering, Glynda was graceful and confident. Where Cinder controlled, Glynda guided, It was nice.

"Thanks for being my favorite teacher." I sigh softly.

"It has been my pleasure, Ms. Thorne." Glynda smiled.

"Reina, my name is Reina."

Glynda smiled at this, her eyes full of adoration. "It has been my pleasure, Reina."

As the song playing came to an end so too did our dance. "Thank you for the dance." I smile.

"Enjoy the rest of your night, Reina," Glynda spoke before she walked away, heading to where all of the staff were seen dancing and mingling.

I turn to scan the room, looking for Cinder. I couldn't find her, she didn't seem to be anywhere in the crowd. She must have stepped out for a moment. I couldn't spot Cinder but it was easy to spot my teammates, Ruby and Weiss were dancing together, and Blake was dancing with Sun and his partner Neptune.

I made my way over to Weiss and Ruby, tapping on Weiss' shoulder as the two broke apart, Weiss looking at me with a guilty look while Ruby looked nervous.

"Care for a dance?" I asked, Weiss not seeming to believe her ears but wordlessly nodded and took my hand. It took a moment for us to figure out how to dance with one another. Where it had felt so natural to let Cinder and Glynda lead, I felt a little uneasy just letting Weiss lead, she must have felt the same way because she kept trying to steal back control of the dance. This led to us having switched off who was leading every few beats, our dance taking up more space as we accommodated each other's desires. It felt nice, like a give-and-take. It fits our relationship, our dynamic. We had always been combative with one another, neither wanting to yield to the other.

For some, this would have been frustrating, but for me, it felt like a maelstrom of lightning and ice. Two forces of nature fighting for control and creating something that was breathtaking as a result.

"Ryk-Reina… I feel like I should apologize." Weiss spoke.

"Weird, I was just thinking you should apologize as well." I tease, though my tone is anything but light. I was still angry at her, still feeling like she ruined me coming out to her. She had made the situation about her and it had hurt.

Weiss made a face that looked like she swallowed a lemon at my teasing. "Don't be a jerk about this. I'm trying to apologize," She hissed.

"And there has yet to be an apology." I snip getting a groan out of the Heiress.

"I don't apologize for kissing you. It's how I felt, and have felt for months," Weiss started.

"This is starting off as a shitty apology," I mocked.

The look that Weiss leveled me with was deadly. If looks could kill I would be dead ten times over. "But," She hissed through gritted teeth. "I understand that I should have asked for your consent and that I should have not overshadowed your coming out. It took a lot of courage for you to tell us and to dress this way tonight, and I ruined that for you. I took what should have been your moment away from you and made it about me. For that, I am sorry."

We danced for a moment, in the ambiance of the room. I smiled softly, feeling my body relax as we just took in the moment. This night would be forever etched in my memory.

"I forgive you," I say softly before placing a kiss on Wiess' cheek.

"I thought-"

"I talked with Cinder and she told me that she doesn't care if I date other people, as long as I save some of my time for her, she supports whoever I choose to care about." Weiss looked at me with awe, her cheeks turning red beneath her makeup. She really was breathtakingly perfect.

"Can I kiss you?" She breathed.

"I would like that," I say as our lips connect for the second time that night. The first time I was caught off guard, completely scared out of my mind, and incapable of having any other thoughts than what I thought was the impending implosion of my relationship with Cinder. This time though, I was ready. The kiss was slow, each movement sending sparks up my spine as I truly tried to savor the moment and the taste of her lips. She tasted like frost-covered fruit. Tangy and sweet with a hint of ice. She was the opposite of Cinder. Where Cinder was all-consuming fiery passion, Weiss was like kissing midnight in the middle of an Atlas winter. It was something you would succumb to, fall into, disappear into. It was addiction incarnate.

We broke away, my lips tingly with the lingering feel of hers and I couldn't help but smile. "Wow," I breathed.

Weiss nodded, seemingly out of breath. "Wow," She mimicked, her eyes turning glassy as we gently swayed side to side. "So does this mean-"

"I want to talk with Ruby and Blake about it first. We should talk about this as a team if we are going to do this." Weiss nodded letting out a small sniffle as she tried to contain her emotions.

"Then I guess you should go dance with them too," Weiss said with a small smile as we broke apart.

"I guess I should. Thank you for the dance, Weiss."

"Thank you for being you, Reina," Weiss replied with a smile. I turned to find where my next teammate was. My eyes landed on Ruby first, seeing her dancing with Ozpin.

"Great," I grumble.