First time at a Second Chance: Risks Worth Taking

by The Great Weiss Shark

Ruby and Weiss weathered through the worst life could toss at them and found love along the way. But the road to their happily ever after isn't all sunshine and rainbows. It's more like a poorly paved road on a steep incline bogged down by heavy rain and goofball-sized hail. Luckily, they're both prepared because what else could possibly go wrong?

5. If Love is Blind

Chapter: If Love is Blind

---

Weiss and Chrys didn't share many similarities, but in the early morning, after a rough night, what they did share shined through brilliantly.

At 7 a.m. on the dot, Ruby calmly walked through Chrys' door with an electric guitar and a portable amp she snagged from the other apartment. She'd been working on something special for her favourite not-so-little girl for the past month and a half, and today was the perfect day to bust it out.

"One, two—"

With the amp cranked to the max, Ruby strummed the guitar and started the opening riff to the Gloouey theme song. Two powerful voices echoed through the apartment in perfect, furious harmony.

"Ruby!" the voices boomed, heralding the end of Ruby's days.

"Music to my ears!" Ruby bellowed in response.

"What the fuck, Ruby?!" the harbinger of doom shouted as she bolted out of bed to confront her tormentor. The glare Chrys focused on Ruby burned with an icy fury only someone spawned from Weiss Adel could conjure. "Are you out of your fucking mind!?"

Feeling proud of herself, Ruby bravely continued the theme song while waiting for the angel of death to come. The first pillow hit her face like a fastball, knocking her backwards. The second pillow, however, flew straight and true and hit Ruby so hard it dropped her to the knees.

"Great aim, babe," Ruby groaned with a shaky thumbs up in Weiss' direction.

"What. The. Fuck, Ruby?!" Weiss roared as she stormed into Chrys' room, armed with another deadly pillow poised and ready to fly. "Are… you… out of your fucking mind!? It is 7 a.m.!"

"Eyy, that's what she said!" Ruby beamed.

"It is way too early for this shit." Weiss turned to Chrys. "Good morning, mon coeur, how are you feeling?"

"Sore," Chrys muttered, still shooting daggers at Ruby. "Also swear jar."

"Fuck the swear jar," Weiss said as she lobbed the third pillow at Ruby.

"Owie!"

"Do you need any help in the bathroom?" Weiss asked.

"Non, Mama."

"Alright. Call if you need anything." Weiss grabbed Ruby by the collar and dragged her out to give Chrys some privacy. "You just woke me up," she muttered darkly, "prepare to die."

"Haha, hi, baby."

"Don't 'haha, hi, baby' me, you dolt!" Weiss growled. The swift shifts in her intonation between angry and cheery then back to angry caused Ruby to laugh, but it only made Weiss scowl even deeper. She dropped Ruby off at the foot of their bedroom and slammed the door in her face, barring her entry.

At the sound of the shower starting, Ruby dusted herself off and brought the guitar back to the other apartment. It wasn't the most gentle of mornings, but seeing Chrys jump like that had been well worth composing her own version of the Gloouey theme.

"You did good, Ruby Rose," Ruby told herself proudly as she made her way back home. "You did good."

In the kitchen, Ruby got to work on the world's greatest breakfast. First, she put on some music, then she tied her hair up. This was serious business. Next, she pulled out all the ingredients she'd need for the world's most adequate pancakes and laid them out on the counter.

Ruby laid the bacon on a foil-covered tray and popped it into the oven. Yang swore up and down that this was the single best way to make bacon, so who was Ruby to question her wisdom? Next was the pancake mix… from a box. Yang didn't need to know that Ruby took a shortcut. Plus, if Weiss couldn't tell the difference between her drip coffees and the one Ruby pushed a button for, then she probably wouldn't notice her pancakes were from a box. Probably.

Chrys was at the table first.

"Good morning, beautiful!" Ruby sang as she cracked an egg over a bowl. "What a wonderful morning it is today!"

"Screw you," Chrys grumbled with her face flat on the table. "Gimme a whisky."

"One whisky comin' right up, chief!" Ruby brought the bowl over to Chrys and handed her the whisk. "Be careful not to spill any, okay? Neptune's coming over, so we're making a little extra."

Chrys perked up the moment she got the whisk in her hand. "Cool! What else are we making?"

"Just the pancakes—don't stir too much, okay?"

"Got it."

By the time Weiss stepped into the kitchen, the bacon was crispy and the apartment smelled like a bakery. She found her coffee waiting for her on the counter and kissed Ruby on the cheek before making her way to the table.

"Bacon pancakes. Makin' bacon pancakes," Ruby sang enthusiastically as she poured some pancake batter into her pan and layered two strips of bacon on top of it. "Take some bacon and I put it in a pancake. Bacon pancake!"

"What is she doing?" Weiss muttered.

"I don't know," Chrys muttered back. "Uncle Neptune?"

"Soon."

"That's what it's gunna make. Bacon pancaaaaake!"

Ruby happily continued to sing her song on repeat as the stack of pancakes grew taller. She tossed the ugly first pancake Chrys' way and watched her devour it in two whole bites. Weiss was busy reading something on her scroll, so Chrys tested her mother's attention by silently eating with her mouth open.

"Mouth closed," Weiss snapped without looking up from her scroll.

"Wha—how?!"

Weiss raised her scarred eyebrow and held her scroll in front of her face. "See-through."

"Oh. Right."

"Whoever thought making scrolls see-through needs to be fired." Weiss closed her scroll and set it aside in favour of her steaming cup of coffee. She breathed it in and sighed. "It's so god damn retarded."

Ruby gasped in horror and at Weiss aghast. "That's a gamer word!" she exclaimed.

"What?"

"You're not supposed to say that anymore!" Ruby insisted.

"But—"

"No!" Ruby pointed her spatula at Weiss like an angry teacher with her trusty ruler. "Bad!" she shouted, swinging the spatula around. "Remove that word from your overinflated vocabulary this instant, young lady! We do not allow ableism in this house."

"This is my apartment," Weiss reiterated.

"Look," Ruby said, staring Weiss down, "what if someone said that to"—Ruby sent a subtle nod over to Chrys—"how would you feel then?"

That struck a chord. Weiss took a moment to think, her beautiful blue eyes focused on Chrys with a quiet intensity.

"You're right," she gently acquiesced. "You're right, mon amour. I… I didn't think about that."

"Huh?" Chrys blinked. "Why are you both staring at me? Stop. It's creepy."

"No reason, mon coeur," Weiss smiled. "Ruby just taught me a valuable lesson."

"Uh… okay?"

Weiss got up and hugged Ruby, silently thanking her for making her see reason.

"We'll talk more about it later," Ruby whispered, kissing the top of Weiss' head. Weiss nodded and went back to her seat.

Chrys gagged at the open display of affection and teased Ruby for it incessantly. Weiss tossed a few jabs in to defend Ruby, even going as far as bringing Heizell in, which only served to confuse Chrys further. She huffed and puffed, but Weiss persisted and eventually came out victorious.

"It's been ages, when's Uncle Neptune getting here?" Chrys asked once she'd run out of steam. "He didn't forget, did he?"

Weiss looked at the hanging clock behind her and said, "Should be soon. Give him another minute."

And right on the dot, just as Weiss predicted, a rhythmic knock on the door drew their attention. Chrys hopped out of her chair and ran to the door, throwing it open despite Weiss' warning.

Neptune stood on the other side, dishevelled and tired, though he was still better dressed than Ruby in her wrinkled budgie t-shirt and sweatpants.

"Uncle Neptune!" Chrys exclaimed, her good arm held out for a hug.

"Hello, my darling beautiful girl!" Neptune said in a singsong voice, embracing Chrys. "You had me so worried!"

"I could tell," Weiss grumbled.

Neptune stopped in his tracks like a deer caught in the headlights. "I take it you checked your credit card?" he said as he carefully manoeuvred himself behind Chrys.

"What did you do, Neppy?" Chrys asked.

"Ruby wouldn't have spent that much on her own," Weiss said. Ruby nodded along, happy to pass the blame. Neptune thought otherwise and shot her a disapproving look that Weiss unfortunately caught. "It was Neptune, right?"

Unable to lie, Ruby sheepishly sunk her head into her shoulders and said, "Weeeell, fifty-fifty?"

"Explain," Weiss barked with her arms crossed.

"You know how Chrys is with her sheets…" Ruby said. Weiss quirked an eyebrow. "She's only used to a certain thread count so we, as in both me and Neptune, decided it would be best to splurge a little…" Ruby bit her lip. "Please don't be angry."

"It was mostly me," Neptune chimed in. "Ruby wanted the Gloouey set and I wanted the earthy fall set."

"You had a choice between that and the Gloouey set, and you didn't get me the Gloouey set?!" Chrys gasped. "I thought you loved me!"

"No, we did," Ruby said with a triumphant grin. "Got you matching jammies too."

"Mama, you can't be angry at them—at least not Ruby!" Chrys said in Ruby's defence.

"What?! Hey!" Neptune shrieked. "The fall set matches your bedroom!"

"But Gloouey!"

Despite all the noise, Weiss let out an easy chuckle. "Fine," she said, taking a sip of coffee to hide her smile. "But that better be the last of the Gloouey paraphernalia until Christmas."

"It'll be a Gloouey Christmas!" Chrys cheered.

"Does no one care that it's my birthday?" Weiss asked.

"I care!" Ruby said.

"Oh, I bet you do, honey," Neptune snickered, his words carrying a deeper meaning.

"Shut it," Weiss snapped.

Chrys pulled the chair beside hers out for Neptune before heading over to check on breakfast.

"Almost finished," Ruby said as she scooped the last bit of batter into the pan.

"Anything I can help with?" Chrys asked. She noticed the fresh raspberries and blueberries Ruby had in a bowl and nabbed a blueberry off the top. "I'm going to eat you," she told the blueberry before gobbling it up. "On nom nom."

"Mouth closed!" Weiss shouted, interrupting her conversation with Neptune.

"How did you even…?"

"I saw this episode of Gloouey," Weiss bluntly answered.

Ruby watched the silly interaction with a smile and gave Chrys the Berry bowl to take back to the table with her. By the time Chrys got back, the bowl was half empty. It was a good thing Ruby thought ahead and bought more than just a single package of each.

"Need any help?" Neptune asked Ruby.

"No, I got it," Ruby said.

With the last pancake done, Ruby began setting the table. She set Weiss' first, placing her utensils beside her plate just the way she liked and repeated the same procedure for Chrys but opposite. It was a quirky habit of theirs that they hadn't noticed yet. Cute. Neptune's place setting was a little more slapdash, but he was happy. He was even happier when Ruby served him a cup of Earl Grey tea to go with his breakfast.

"You are a gem, Ruby Rose," he gleefully sang as he held his special Neptune-only mug in both hands and breathed it in. "Can I marry you instead?"

"Hey, you have a boyfriend!" Weiss said.

"Had a boyfriend," he corrected. "C'mon, share Ruby with me, please? We can be sister wives."

Weiss glared at him as she drank her coffee, but Ruby could see the smile she hid behind her mug.

"So what's on the menu today, chef?" Neptune asked.

"I'm glad you asked!" Ruby zipped back to the kitchen and showed off her beautiful stack of pancakes. Neptune clapped in amazement. "Thank you, thank you, you are much too kind."

"Enough posturing, mon amour," Weiss chuckled.

Ruby brought the stack to the table and served Weiss first. Her pancake was the last one Ruby made, but it was the most special.

"For the love of my life," Ruby said as she slid a heart-shaped pancake onto Weiss' plate.

"You are such a goof," Weiss said, tickled by the loving thought. The pancake was a little off-centre and kind of wonky around the edges, but it was perfect in Weiss' eyes and that's all that mattered.

"Gag," Chrys said, sticking her tongue out.

"You should take notes, mon coeur," Weiss said with a proud smile as she scratched Ruby's chin. "This is how you properly treat your partner."

"It really is sweet," Neptune gushed. "What I wouldn't give to have a guy treat me like that."

"Is it really that great?" Chrys asked, gesturing to Weiss' plate. "It's just a pancake."

"It's the thought behind it," Neptune said, ruffling her hair. "Just like how Ruby got you the Gloouey set and I got you the fall set. We knew you'd love both, so we got 'em."

Weiss crossed her arms, lips pulled tight into a frown. "At my expense."

"Be quiet, money bags, I'm teaching a valuable lesson here," Neptune snapped.

"'I'm teaching a valuable lesson here,' " Weiss mocked before realization hit her. "Oh," she gasped, "that's where she gets it from."

Ruby served Neptune and Chrys their pancakes and kept what was left for herself. She sat next to Weiss and took a moment to watch everyone's reaction to the first bite. She'd been worried about making it perfect since she still wasn't over the embarrassment from the time she burnt them to a crisp.

Watching Chrys eat was always an entertaining experience. She had impeccable table manners, but at the same time, she also ate like time was running out. Today was no different. Chrys was practically inhaling her pancakes along with all the berries, but she was still taking the time to cut them into neat strips and dip them in syrup. She did it with such a dainty motion too, like a fairy waving her wand, adding just a touch of syrup to sweeten the pancake but not enough to drown the bite.

"Ciel was texting me all night," Neptune yawned as he finished his first bite. "Has she spammed you yet?"

"No, but prepare to get more from Octavia later today," Weiss said. "Ciel trained her, so I'm sure she'll do well, but it is going to be her first time flying solo."

"She's so cute when she's nervous."

Ruby peeked over at Weiss' plate and found her carefully maintaining the heart shape as she ate to avoid breaking it. And just like Chrys, she was dipping her food with the same dainty motion. They were almost in synch at times. Cut, dip, chew.

"Everything alright?" Weiss asked when she felt Ruby's gaze on her. "You aren't eating."

"Oh!" Ruby blushed. "Yeah, I'm good. I was just watching you and Chrys eat."

"Why?" Chrys asked, cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk.

"No reason," Ruby said with a smile. "I'm just happy you guys are enjoying it."

"It's really good," Neptune said.

"Thanks," Ruby said shyly. "It's Yang's recipe, but hers are way fluffier though because she whips the egg whites and I kind of just made do."

"You should take more pride in your work, Ruby," Weiss said before finishing the last bit of her meal. "You wouldn't happen to have any more, do you?"

"Uh, no, but here!" Ruby took one of her pancakes and put it on Weiss' plate.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!" Ruby beamed. "I'm super happy you like them."

"You did amazing, mon amour," Weiss said, kissing Ruby on the cheek.

Blushing, Ruby dug into her breakfast and enjoyed the lazy morning atmosphere. Today was looking to be a good day so far.

After breakfast, Ruby gave Chrys her medicine and spent some time with her while Weiss and Neptune got ready for work. The switch from lifelong best friends to employer and employee was seamless. Neptune had Weiss' whole day scheduled for her, along with a laundry list of notes she needed to focus on.

"Ruby," Weiss called when she finished her coffee, "I'm leaving everything to you."

"Got it, boss," Ruby said, giving Weiss a salute.

It was 8 a.m. and Chrys was usually ready for school, but today she was staring blankly up at the ceiling with her scroll in hand. It was lighting up with a new message every few seconds, vibrating each time.

"Ruby," she whined, "how do you relax?"

Ruby looked up from her scroll. "Dunno," she answered, "just sit there and drift off?"

"How do you do that?"

"Doesn't your brain do that on its own?" Ruby put her scroll in her pocket to give Chrys her full attention. "You've probably got a billion thoughts going on as we speak."

"I do, but I don't feel relaxed."

"What do you feel?"

Chrys shrugged. "I don't know…"

"Anxious?"

"Yeah, maybe…"

Ruby leaned back and stared at the ceiling. A minute barely passed and Ruby couldn't stop fidgeting while Chrys continued to sit as still as a statue, her eyes transfixed on a single spot.

"I wish Mama understood what this feels like," Chrys murmured, her tone weighed down by disappointment. "If she knew how bad it was, then maybe she'd let me go to school instead of keeping me here."

"She does know," Ruby said. "I think she understands more than you realize." Chrys snorted in disbelief. "I'm being serious."

"You've been here for a year, Ruby," Chrys said wryly. "Give it a couple more years before you start psychoanalyzing my mama."

"Ooh, that's a big word," Ruby giggled.

"Yeh, I heard it on TV," Chrys snickered. "I don't actually know what it means, but it sounds cool."

"Me neither. I think you used it right, though." Ruby rubbed her eyes before giving up and moving. She didn't know how anyone could sit still for so long. "Anyway," she said as she stood up, "I'm pretty sure your mom's got ADHD."

"We know," Chrys said, watching Ruby wiggle from the corner of her eye. "Maman used to drive Mama up the wall with how forgetful she was."

"I know Coco did," Ruby chuckled, stretching her arms out wide before shooting her predecessor some finger guns—which in hindsight was tactless. Oops. Quickly shaking her head, Ruby brushed off the imaginary eyes on her and said, "I'm talking about Weiss."

"No way."

"Yes way."

"No way."

"Absolutely yes way," Ruby insisted playfully.

Chrys knew that Ruby wasn't a stubborn person. She liked to go with the flow, a real motion of the ocean kind of person who didn't like to dwell on things. So when Ruby stuck to her guns about something, it had to be something she believed in, and she knew Chrys would understand.

"No way?" Chrys said, though her tone was hesitant and uncertain.

Ruby offered her a smile to coax her along. That did the trick. Chrys jumped to her feet and stared at Ruby like she'd grown a second head.

"No way," she insisted resolutely, but Ruby stood her ground. "There is no way that's possible, Ruby."

"I'm telling you the truth, buddy," Ruby said as she levelled a hand on Chrys' crown and traced it back to her own forehead, an inch below her hairline. "Wow, you've gotten tall."

"Focus, Ruby," Chrys snapped, accidentally adding another item to the extensive Weiss-ism list that Ruby had been secretly compiling.

"Right, um, how do I explain this…" Ruby scratched the back of her neck. "Coco, from what I know about her, had the more stereotypical 'hyperactive-impulsive' ADHD; same as me. I'm not saying this is the case, I'll have to ask your mom to confirm, but I'm pretty sure you're combined type ADHD."

Chrys quirked an eyebrow, her head tilted curiously. "Combined? Is there another type?"

"Yup," Ruby grinned, happy to see Chrys keeping up. "It's called 'inattentive.' "

"What does that mean?"

Ruby quickly explained what it meant and how it differed from the classic flavour of ADHD that everyone knew and found annoying.

"So I have both of those mixed together?" Chrys asked, absorbing the new information like the brilliant little sponge she was. "You know, that makes a lot of sense. But what does this have to do with Mama?"

"I'm saying you got the best parts of your parents mixed together."

It didn't take Chrys long to smell what Ruby was cooking, and she didn't like it. Chrys furrowed her brows and rolled her eyes, annoyance oozing from every pore in her body.

"Now I know you're messing with me," she said with a deep scowl, hurt that Ruby would trick her like this. "You're funny, reeeaally funny. Just don't let Mama hear you say those things or else I'll be needing a new babysitter."

Ruby shook her head, dead serious. "You know for a fact that I don't consider hanging out with you 'babysitting.' And I've spent enough time with Weiss to catch the signs."

"What signs?" Chrys asked. "Mama's so… Mama!"

"And?"

"Well…" Chrys pouted for a second before raising one finger up. "She's crazy organized for one. And… and… she doesn't forget things!" Chrys raised another finger. "She never forgets where she puts her stuff. She's also super focused! Sometimes, when she's doing something, it feels like I… don't… exist… oh. Oh no."

"Yeah, I think you're getting it," Ruby said, her victory grin growing wider by the second. "Weiss needs her entire day planned. And if anything goes wrong, she loses it."

"Okay, you got me there," Chrys said crossing her arms, or at least she tried to. "But explain the organization! Maman was a walking disaster. If Mama didn't remind her every morning, Maman would forget to pick me up from school."

"That, uh, sounded oddly specific."

"It is…" Chrys sighed with a far-off look in her eyes.

"Well, I haven't forgotten," Ruby smiled, trying to coax her back.

"Yeah, but—oh, hm…" Chrys scratched her head. "This is trifficult."

Chrys plopped back on the couch, groaning quietly when her arm bounced against her chest.

"Let's try and turn the tables on you, Chrystopher! You're just as organized as Weiss," Ruby pointed out. "When I was your age, I was like a walking tornado!"

"You still are," Chrys shot back mercilessly.

"Right." Ruby blushed. "Well, uh, my clothes would be all over the place, same with my toys and books—"

Chrys levelled an exasperated look at Ruby, and sent the fear of god into her without uttering a word. The message was clear, and Ruby did not like it.

"Y-You've got a little calendar with everything written out, and all your clothes are always in the exact same spot in the exact same order," Ruby tried to continue, her confidence faltering the longer Chrys' icy gaze lingered on her.

"That's because Mama doesn't want me to forget things," she said coldly.

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "You know she pays your uncle to do that for her, right?"

"Sort of?"

"It's literally his job," Ruby said, bouncing back now that Chrys was off kilter. "If we poked our heads into her office right now, I'll bet you a burger he's on his scroll reminding her she's got, I don't know, a meeting a 2 p.m. or something."

Chrys crinkled her nose—another Weiss-ism—and nodded, giving Ruby the point.

"Hey, shouldn't you get going?" Chrys asked when she noticed the time.

"I should… but I don't know if I can. What if you need something?" Ruby said.

"I'm not a baby," Chrys giggled.

"I know, but you're Weiss' baby."

"Ick," Chrys playfully said before cracking a warm smile that melted Ruby's heart. "Just go, Ruby! I promise I'll be fine."

Ruby hesitated for a moment, but chose to trust Chrys' judgment. If she says she'll be fine, then she'll be fine. Weiss and Neptune were also home so that gave Ruby some peace of mind.

It was decided then.

"Text me if you need anything, okay?" Ruby said as she knelt down with her pinky held out.

"I will." Chrys grinned back and hooked her pinky around Ruby's. "Have a good day at school."

Ruby got dressed and poked her head into Weiss' office to say goodbye. They were hard at work discussing things at breakneck speed in Eastern Atlesian. Seeing Weiss at work always sent tingles running up Ruby's spine, though it was kind of funny seeing her and Neptune take care of business in their pyjamas.

The drive to school was uneventful, but Ruby got to enjoy her favourite singer's latest album uninterrupted. It had dropped a month ago, just in time for her birthday, and it was still all Ruby would listen to, much to Weiss' chagrin. She tried to wrestle control over the music the last time they were on a cruise. Ruby fended her off, but it wasn't without consequences. In her fury, Weiss swore she'd drive herself the next time it happened. Ruby couldn't help it, though! It had been almost two years since Flynt Coal released a new album. And god damn was it worth waiting for! It was everything Ruby hoped it would be from the few singles he released in that time.

Best of all, three of the new songs had been written by his favourite muse, a long-standing collaborator of his known only as "Sera." Her artistic touch been missing from all the singles leading to the album drop, so hearing her voice on what was arguably Ruby's favourite track was a delightful treat. Her songs always hit the hardest, and Ruby was so obsessed with them that Yang joked she was a Sera stan more than a Flynt fan. Honestly, how could she not? At this point, if Sera released her own album, Ruby would be the first in line.

After parking and checking her scroll, Ruby raced to the doors where her new friend, Harriet, waited for her.

"Morning!" Ruby shouted as she bounded up the stairs.

Harried looked up from her scroll and nodded. "Took you long enough, kid," she said in a smug but playful tone. "Guess that's another point for me."

"Thanks for waiting," Ruby said.

Harriet was a fellow track and field member who transferred in from Atlas this year. She was a couple of years older than Ruby and an inch or two taller than her as well, a fact she used to tease her more often than not.

If Ruby had to describe Harriet in a word, it would be confident. Maybe even a little arrogant at times, which ground Ruby's gears whenever their friendly competitions on the track turned sour.

One thing Ruby had to acknowledge though was the fact that Harriet's confidence was warranted. She was pretty on all counts and frustratingly cool. She had dark skin and piercing pink eyes. And as far as Ruby knew, Harriet wasn't Faunus, but the tufts of blonde hair adorning her short mohawk made her look a bit like a rabbit. Perhaps that was the point? She was fleet footed and… enjoyed the company of others. Intimately. Ruby wished she could forget the stories Harriet shared of her escapades, but she was still working off the trauma of knowing what Winter and Yang got up to with the new mayor of Mantle.

Negatives aside, however, Harriet was a fun person to be around and one of the few who could actually keep up with Ruby. Weiss was one of them, strangely enough, a fact that delighted Ruby to no end. She wasn't capable of running as long as Ruby could, but in a short sprint, Weiss was a beast.

"So what do you have this morning?"

"I got psych and calc, plus a lab before lunch," Ruby answered as she followed Harriet into the building. "You?"

"I got a lab and some other boring bullshit." Harriet stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets and sulked. "I hate waking up this early. You gunna hit the gym later today?"

"Maybe," Ruby replied. "I'll let you know if I do."

"Cool," Harriet muttered. She looked a bit antsy but played it off by slugging Ruby's arm before tossing a thumb towards the upcoming corridor. "Gotta head this way. I'll catch ya later."

"Y-Yeah," Ruby winced, rubbing her arm. "Catch you later."

Harriet ran off, leaving a bewildered Ruby behind. That wasn't the way to her lab. It was actually further down the hall, past Ruby's class.

"Oh well," Ruby shrugged.

Harriet's oddities aside, Ruby did her best to focus on the day ahead of her. Ever since she decided to change career paths, Ruby had been in a state of limbo. The credits she had could apply to a number of things, but none of them seemed to suit her. Weiss and Chrys were supportive of the off chance Ruby decided to go back to police work, but their hearts weren't in it and neither was Ruby's if she was being honest.

Sighing, Ruby stepped into her first class of the day and found her seat. Maybe she should take a year off to find herself. That was a thing, right? Trade school was an option too if university didn't pan out. Either way, if Ruby didn't think of something soon, she'd be on her way to being an eternal student who had her life bankrolled by her sugar daddy… not a terrible option. Weiss was more than willing to support her until she found what she truly wanted to do in life. Though what Ruby wanted most was to spend all her time with Weiss and Chrys. Yang too, but only after she showered.

The professor walked in three minutes late and started the lecture, putting an end to Ruby's silly musings. As the professor droned on, an errant thought came to mind. If Amélia hadn't gotten her away, Weiss would be a professor here.

Professor Adel. Professor Weiss Adel. It rolled off the tongue a little too well and with Weiss' personality…

Oh, now that's a dangerous thought.

Ruby sat up straight and crossed her legs tight, praying the thought stayed in her head without leaving any physical evidence.

Weiss' usual office outfits would suit her perfectly as an educator. Especially her pencil skirts that were publicly decent, but short enough to give you unholy thoughts. And it only got worse when she wore the sexy matching pantyhose that feel really good rubbed up against—

"Damn it," Ruby silently cursed as she bit her bottom lip. Weiss didn't know it, but she'll have hell to pay when Ruby got home that night. Stupid sexy Weiss and her stupid sexy face, with her stupid sexy clothes that probably cost more than Ruby's yearly tuition. It should be illegal to look that good!

The rest of Ruby's classes were a slog to get through. She couldn't focus on a single thing and only thought of the naughty things she planned to do to Weiss that evening. Being apart for a weekend was all it took to drive Ruby insane with need. What had Weiss done to her? She used to be such an innocent girl whose dirtiest dreams involved holding someone's hand, and now the mere thought of her beloved was enough to send blood rushing down to her second head. It was blissful, euphoric torture.

They also needed to talk about that thing. Ruby still didn't know what to think about the bombshell that Tai dropped on her. Everything she thought and knew was wrong. It was all for the better, but it still upended her whole life.

Summer's letters had healed a piece of Ruby's broken heart that she'd given up on, and it made her think about all the time she'd lost with her father. The envy she felt towards Chrys became something they could finally share.

Chrys.

Chrys was special. She knew Ruby was hurting the same way she did, so she shared everything her mother left behind with her. The journal, her memories, and even Weiss' attention. This small but meaningful gesture made something clear to Ruby the night she reconnected with Summer. Mixed in with the letters Summer wrote for Ruby's important milestones, she left a note for the person Ruby intended to spend her life with and their first child together. Deep in Ruby's heart, she knew those letters had found their owners. Ruby was already willing and intended to share everything in that chest with her family, but those letters needed to wait just a little longer.

"Ey, Ruby!" Harriet called when Ruby walked into the gym locker room. She was shirtless with just a bra and sweatpants on, but she didn't seem to mind being on full display. In fact, she seemed eager to be seen.

Ruby had to admit that her fellow runner had an admirable body that showed her dedication to their craft. She was slender and well toned, her muscles showing clear definition with the slightest movement. Ruby had been the same way a year ago, but that wasn't due to any form of self-discipline. Weiss liked Ruby's new, softer build though, and Ruby had to admit she liked it as well. She had gained quite a bit of weight over the year they'd been together, but she'd never felt stronger. And Ruby was proud to admit she could now officially take two rounds in the ring with Yang before falling on her ass and tapping out.

"Hey, Harriet," Ruby greeted back as she went to her locker. Harriet followed after her with a skip in her step, shirt in hand. "How'd your day go?"

"Pretty good," Harriet said nonchalantly as she sat on the bench. "Missed you at lunch. Where'd you go?"

"Ah, yeah, Yang wanted to test a new recipe on me," Ruby answered as she loaded her locker with her things. "Who knew cod's head could taste so good!" She tugged on the back of her collar and pulled her shirt off. "She's not sure if it'll get on the menu, but I hope it does."

"Whoa…"

"'Whoa' is right," Ruby chuckled. "There was so much meat, I could barely finish it. If it makes it to the menu, I'll treat you."

"No, not to that. I don't give a fuck about what a cod's head is," Harriet said, unknowingly scoffing at the most delicious fish dish Ruby had ever had. "What's up with your back?"

"My back?" Ruby frowned. "What's wrong with my back?"

"Did you fuck a tiger or something?" Harriet snorted. "Your back is shredded, bro."

Ruby looked over her shoulder and innocently blinked. "Huh?"

"Here, let me show ya," Harriet said before impulsively slapping a hand between Ruby's shoulder blades. "Right there."

"Ow, fuck!" Ruby yelped as she spun around to shield her injuries from further harm. "What the hell, Harriet!?"

"Nice," Harriet grinned, eyeing Ruby's exposed front. "Cut back a bit and maybe you'll get more than an eleven line."

"Shut up," Ruby growled, annoyed by Harriet's pointed comment. "I don't need to grate cheese to beat your butt on the track."

Harriet rolled her eyes and waved her off. "You beat me by a couple milliseconds, so what? I'll get you next time."

"Sure thing, grandma."

"Y'know," Harriet said, her voice low as she continued to take Ruby in, "I always took you for a shy, blushing virgin; colour me surprised."

"Uh…" Ruby quickly put her gym shirt on, unsure of how to respond. As comfortable as she was taking her pants off in front of Weiss, Ruby was nowhere near confident enough to do that in a locker room, so she grabbed her shorts and stuffed her shirt away. "I'm gunna be right back."

"Alright."

Ruby quickly changed and came back to find Harriet taking a picture of herself and admiring it.

"You ready to go?" Ruby awkwardly asked as she went to put her jeans away.

"Damn, I look good," Harriet said unabashedly.

After Ruby finished her prep, she filled her water bottle and followed a now fully clothed Harriet into the weight room. They started with a couple stretches and filled the silence with idle chatter, the topic of the searing red claw marks on Ruby's back long forgotten.

"I want to hit the weights after this," Harriet announced.

"Sounds good, need a spotter?" Ruby offered.

"When I get to the bench press, if that's cool with you?"

"Yeah, let me know, I'm probably going to head to the treadmill."

"You should get a couple pumps in, string bean," Harriet teased. There was an innuendo in there somewhere, but Ruby chose to ignore it. "I could probably blow you and knock you down."

Yup. There it was.

"Naw, I'm good," Ruby swiftly deflected. She flexed her bicep and nodded in approval. "I'll probably do some lifting with Yang later this weekend."

"Sounds like fun."

"No, it's hell," Ruby grimaced. "I probably won't be able to move for days after."

"Guess that means you're booked this Saturday?"

"I'm free tonight if you wanna grab a quick bite."

Harriet contemplated the offer before turning it down. "I'm probably gunna just hit the hay after this," she said as she finished the last of her stretches. "Can I grab a lift, though?"

"Sure."

Ruby still had a bit of stretching to do and now that she was painfully aware of the scratches down the entirety of her back, she wanted to avoid doing anything that aggravated them any further. But seeing Harriet do her curls with ease ignited the competitive fire in Ruby's belly. She could definitely lift more than her.

When Ruby pulled up beside Harriet with her own set of dumbbells, the competition began in earnest.

Between Harriet's rapid rep mentality and Ruby's slow, methodical one, the winner of today's match was clear. Harriet had done more reps with a lighter set of weights across all the stations they visited, but she was gassed out by the thirty-minute mark while Ruby still had plenty in the tank.

"God damn," Harriet wheezed on the floor, sweat covering her brow, "are you a machine? How are you barely breaking a sweat?!"

"Slow and steady wins the race," Ruby teased as she pressed her cold water bottle against her friend's flushed cheek. "Hydrate before I end up having to carry you home. Again."

"Thanks," Harriet grumbled.

Ruby sat next to Harriet and watched her guzzle down half a litre in one go.

"Fuck, that's the good shit," Harriet said once she'd had her fill. She passed Ruby's water bottle back and collapsed on the floor again. "I can't feel my legs."

"Do you want to call it quits here?" Ruby asked, taking a small sip.

"Hah, indirect kiss."

"You're a child," Ruby muttered, her upper lip pulled up in an aggravated sneer.

"Gotta stay young somehow," Harriet laughed. "I think I need a minute… or ten."

"Okay, rest up, I'm going to hit the treadmill."

"Machine!" Harriet cried as she helplessly flopped on the floor like a fish trying to get comfortable.

Ruby left her water next to Harriet's limp body and started up the treadmill. Normally, she ran at an incline, but today she just wanted a light jog to get her heart pumping. This was just the warm-up, the real workout was going to be beneath the sheets. Weiss was barely conscious last night, but she still managed to leave her mark on Ruby. Today was going to be payback for many things, and Weiss was usually always eager to go or two after a hard day at work. And judging by her sporadic angry texts screaming into the void, today was extra stressful.

When Harriet showed some sign of life, Ruby decided it was time to shower and head home. She ended up having to drag Harriet around, but they got things done eventually. After dropping Harriet off, Ruby headed home, drained and exhausted. Thankfully, a hot dinner and a happy family was waiting for her. Well, "happy" in a sense.

Weiss and Chrys were at each other's throats, arguing over something trivial. Ruby assumed it was at least because they were being so loud about it. If it had been a quiet discussion, however, then Ruby would've made herself scarce instead of sitting down to listen to them yell in Eastern Atlesian. Too bad they didn't come with subtitles.

"You are my everything…" Ruby quietly sang to herself as Weiss laid down the law.

Later that evening, after Chrys went to bed, Ruby shared a glass of wine with Weiss on the couch. They spoke a little more in-depth about how their day went, which eventually led them to the big conversation.

Not wanting Weiss to think she was angry with her, Ruby pulled Weiss into her lap and cradled her, taking full advantage of their moderate height difference. Weiss melted into her arms and even though they were talking about some rather heavy topics, Ruby knew they'd come out of it stronger than ever.

Weiss was absolutely incensed that Tai kept something so important to himself for so long. Her fury also branched out to Qrow, but he was more of an afterthought in her long-winded rant. While Weiss vented the feelings she'd been holding in for months, Ruby sat in silent admiration. It felt amazing to have someone be so angry for her. The passion in Weiss' words were more intoxicating than the wine they'd been sipping on, and this was damn good wine.

Unable to contain herself, Ruby interrupted Weiss mid-sentence with a kiss that left her breathless. They finished off their wine and left for their bedroom.

Ruby helped Weiss undress and vice versa. A sharp sting reminded Ruby of the price she paid last night and showed them off proudly. Seeing the scratches brought some much-needed levity to the heady atmosphere they'd created, but it didn't break it. If anything, they only stoked the fire.

"I'll be sure to add a few more tonight," Weiss purred, her hand tracing the length of Ruby's tattoo until it rested on her shoulder. "Take me to bed?"

"Gladly," Ruby obliged as she lifted Weiss up and brought her to their bed.

They quickly lost themselves in each other. Their kisses heavy and forceful, a stark contrast to the languid ones they shared late last night.

"Je t'aime," Weiss whispered in Ruby's ear when she felt eager fingers slip between her legs. A breathy moan escaped Weiss' lips as more words of affirmation spilled from her tongue like warm honey. And when Ruby hit a particularly sensitive spot, she stifled a cry by biting into Ruby's shoulder. "Sorry," she gasped once she snapped back into the moment. "I didn't mean to."

"It's okay," Ruby said with a shiver of anticipation. Whenever Weiss got rough with her, it always signalled a good time, so she embraced the pain willingly. "I like it."

A small, shy smile crept across Weiss' face as she traced the faint outline she left on Ruby's skin. It really wasn't that bad of a bite, but the sad sincerity Ruby could see in her lover's eyes told her tonight wasn't going to be a wild one. Unfortunate, but Ruby would make do… if she could do it at all.

Try as she might, nothing Ruby did started the engine, so to speak. Weiss was receptive to everything, but even she was growing frustrated at the lack of progress.

"Want me to go down on you?" Ruby offered when her fingers couldn't do the job.

"Sorry," Weiss sighed.

"Nothing to be sorry about, you know I love doing it," Ruby said cheerfully. She kissed the tip of Weiss' nose before making her way south, leaving a trail of patient kisses in her wake.

Things were looking promising at first, but after ten minutes, Ruby resurfaced and asked if everything was alright. Weiss was at a loss as well.

"Maybe you should just put in already," Weiss suggested as she wiped the corner of Ruby's mouth with a thumb. Ruby playfully nipped at it and eventually caught it between her teeth. "What are you doing?"

"You know I don't like going in dry," Ruby said, pulling herself up before dropping down to smoosh Weiss beneath her. "Is there something on your mind?"

"I don't know, maybe?" Weiss wrapped her arms around Ruby and kissed the top of her head. "You know I don't mind, and it's not like I'm bone-dry down there. I'm sure it's fine."

"I only ride the slip and slide," Ruby said stubbornly, making Weiss giggle. "It's the only way to go."

Weiss eyed Ruby skeptically, her smile shifting to a toothy grin. "So you're just going to blue ball yourself?"

Ruby blinked. She didn't think about that.

"Can I at least give you a hand?"

"Mm… tempting offer…" Ruby mused aloud. She was comfortably nestled between Weiss' breasts and didn't feel like moving just yet.

"I could also return the favour," Weiss said. "You were down there for, what, five minutes?"

Ruby rubbed her sore jaw. "Felt a little more than that."

"Maybe," Weiss chuckled.

"Nah, I think I'm good for now," Ruby decided. "The mood's gone and I think we still have stuff to talk about."

"I suppose…" Weiss mused as she idly played with Ruby's hair. It was longer now so it didn't spring up the way it used to. "What do you think?"

"About what?"

"What the doctor said about Chrys?"

Ruby hummed in thought and tapped the underside of Weiss' left breast the same way she would a table.

"How do I say this…" Ruby said carefully.

"As bluntly as you can please."

Nodding, Ruby kissed her favourite tiddy goodbye before rolling over to lie next to Weiss. They watched each other carefully, both silently giving consent to an unrestricted conversation.

"I think it has some merit," Ruby finally said.

Weiss narrowed her eyes, but not angrily. She was thinking deeply, so Ruby let her process in silence.

"What… makes you say that?"

"Well," Ruby said as she moved up against the headboard to sit crossed leg, "I kind of assumed she was."

"Really?" Weiss took the opportunity to crawl into Ruby's lap and sink into her embrace. "We got her tested for it years ago… but the doctor said it was just ADHD."

Coco mentioned this in her journal and called the initial doctor they saw a quack. He'd made a few dismissive comments about Chrys' condition and hinted at the possibility that the origins of her birth had more to do with it than anything else.

The second doctor they saw was more empathetic and gave Chrys the chance she deserved. It was hard to pinpoint the cause at first because Chrys came off so well-adjusted, but Coco continued to advocate for Chrys until they got to the bottom of it. But if Ruby was honest, they should have gotten a third opinion.

"Maybe she was wrong?" Weiss pondered.

"Chrys is still pretty young, and the signs aren't as obvious compared to a high support needs kid… but the more I get to know her, the more I see it," Ruby carefully explained, taking Weiss' hands into her own. "It's in the way she talks and acts."

"Any examples?"

"At the top of my head… I'd say her overreliance on rules," Ruby said, kissing Weiss' fingers. She played with the dainty digits for a bit before turning her attention to Weiss' flushed cheeks. "She follows the rules so rigidly that if you put her in a position where there were no rules, or try to bend a rule she was taught, she'd probably short-circuit."

"That's not a bad thing, though."

"It isn't, but rules are subjective sometimes," Ruby said, nuzzling Weiss' cheek. "If you follow everything as rigidly as she does, it's going to lead to a lot of frustration when she sees others not follow them."

"Oh, I understand…" Weiss chuckled. "Neptune tried to get her to jaywalk once and Chrys had a panic attack thinking she'd get arrested for it."

"I noticed her get antsy about it pretty early on, so I always use the crosswalk."

"Thank you," Weiss said gratefully. "Are there any other instances you can think of that might point to her being… well, you know."

"You can say it," Ruby said. "It's not a bad word like the one you dropped this morning!"

"I said I was sorry!"

They broke down into giggles and held each other through it, only slowing down to share a kiss or two. And once they calmed down, Ruby stroked Weiss' cheek lovingly.

"You're scared, aren't you?" she whispered, her lips brushing against Weiss' temple.

Nodding, Weiss leaned against Ruby, her gaze a million miles away.

"Being autistic doesn't mean there's anything wrong with her," Ruby said reassuringly. "I mean, look at Penny. Sure she's a little out there, and a bit intense at times, but she's a bona fide genius and one of the best people I know."

"I didn't know that about Penny."

"The genius thing or the autistic bit?"

"Well, both," Weiss said. "I knew she was smart, and you always called her a genius, but I didn't think you meant it literally."

"Do you know anyone else who graduated from university at eighteen?"

"I have a distant cousin who did," Weiss said. "She's a world-renowned architect who built her own castle."

"Of course you do," Ruby snorted.

"But I wouldn't say she's autistic. Socially inept and anxious, sure, but definitely not that… I also don't know when she last left her house. It's probably been years since anyone's seen her."

"Is… is she okay?"

Weiss shrugged. "Who am I to question a genius?"

"We question Penny all the time," Ruby awkwardly laughed, still shocked by Weiss' latest revelation. "It gets her talking about the things she loves. Kind of like Chrys with her fish. I went from knowing jackshit about them to knowing more than most pet store employees do. It's been really neat."

"You got her into plants too," Weiss pointed out. "My apartment is slowly becoming a rainforest thanks to you."

"You're welcome… and I'm sorry it's probably gunna get worse once spring hits."

"Why?"

"Well… you know how the other apartment has that massive balcony?"

"Oh no…"

"Yeaaaaah," Ruby shyly grinned. "She wants to try growing things out there."

"Oh, that's not too bad," Weiss said, relieved it wasn't what she was fearing. "You had me worried there, haha. I thought I was going to wake up to a whole forest by the jacuzzi."

"Well, maybe not a 'forest,' but something close?"

Weiss scrunched her nose and laughed at the absurdity of their conversation. "You know, Nicole had a little garden in our old house," she said with a nostalgic smile, the corners of her eyes crinkling fondly at the memory. "She spent so much time and money on it, but she could never grow anything other than weeds."

"Chrys told me about that," Ruby said. "That's why she wants to try it next year."

"As long as it's her money she's spending, she can buy the whole store for all I care."

"That's exactly what she said you'd say, too."

"She knows the rules," Weiss said thoughtfully. "I suppose I should get her reevaluated. But it's still quite a shock. I thought it was genetic? There's no one in Nicole's family that has it. And I know Nicole tested negative for it… oh, I feel kind of bad now."

"Why?"

"I called her retarded so many times," Weiss awkwardly laughed. "I'll have to apologize the next time I visit her grave."

Ruby watched Weiss as she spoke, wondering if she should say anything. Weiss didn't catch the look at first, but when Ruby fell silent instead of offering her usual commentary to her rants, she stopped.

"What?" she snapped in annoyance. "Do you have something to say?"

"Well, you… uh, you don't know?" Ruby asked hesitantly.

"Know what, mon amour?" Weiss asked in a kinder tone when she realized how harsh she sounded. "Is there something I'm missing?"

"You just said no one in Coco's family has it."

"Yes, and?"

"What about yours?"

Weiss blinked. "What about mine?"

"You really haven't noticed it?"

"Cut to the chase and tell me already." Weiss crossed her arms, annoyed. "You know I hate it when you speak so vague—wait, Ruby Rose, what are you implying?"

A chill ran up Ruby's spine. She had to choose her next words carefully or risk Weiss' wrath, just like Chrys had warned. It also didn't help that Crescent Rose was just hanging out there. One wrong move and Ruby would be in a world of pain.

"Weiss, honey, love of my life," Ruby said as she carefully uncrossed Weiss arms to hold her hands, "you're kind of the textbook definition of it."

"What?"

"That right there!" Ruby pointed out. "If it was anyone else, it would sound angry… and a little scary."

Weiss raised her scarred eyebrow slowly.

"Okay, a lot scary—but since it's you, I know this is the fastest way you can ask me to explain further."

"I…" Weiss puffed her cheek out, unable to deny the accurate observation. "How did you figure that out with just a single word?"

"You normally talk in paragraphs. It's actually really cute," Ruby said, punctuating her statement with a quick kiss. "Super-duper cute."

"I don't understand, Ruby. I speak an appropriate amount to—oh… okay, I see what you mean," Weiss blushed. "I can't help it, I don't want you to misunderstand what I'm trying to say..."

"I know."

"Ugh, talking is such a pain!" Weiss groused. "If I didn't have a company to run, I would never speak."

"Yeah, you and Chrys hate small talk in general. And bright light. You guys haaate bright light," Ruby said. "Your office is so dim, I get flash banged whenever we step out of it. I mean, look at our bedroom! If you didn't have that giant window, we'd have no light in here."

Weiss pondered Ruby's words for a moment and nodded along, silently giving her permission to continue.

"It's taken a bit of time, but I've also noticed you struggle in a group setting. You do your own thing, like checking your scroll or filing your nails, and you don't really speak unless you're spoken to. But if it's one on one, or you're with someone you know really well like me or Neptune, you're a chatterbox."

"I don't want to interrupt someone or speak over another, that's just rude," Weiss explained.

"You sit there waiting for a pause to speak up, but by then someone's already talking aaaaannnddd…" Ruby raised Weiss' hand to her lips and gently kissed her knuckles, wordlessly coaxing her to finish the sentence.

Weiss bit her lip and hesitantly asked, "What do I do then?"

"You withdraw back into your shell. You might think you have your expressions locked tight, but I see you, Weiss Adel. I see how sad you get when the conversation moves on without you getting to weigh in. I also see how you do try to speak up only to fall silent when someone says something before you."

"That is pretty frustrating… is that why you always ask for my opinion?"

"Yup," Ruby grinned.

They spoke a bit more about the struggles Weiss faced in a social setting and joked about how confused she was most of the time. Weiss knew that Ruby paid a lot of attention to her, but after tonight, she finally gasped how much that truly meant. Every little action that Weiss thought nothing of was stored away in Ruby's brain like a precious memory. Then the conversation turned to Chrys.

"I know she struggles with the same thing," Ruby said. "Remember last Halloween when we went to that pizza place? While all the other kids were busy playing, Chrys kept to herself, eating nothing but salad. I figured she was a little overstimulated with the arcade noises and flashing lights, but she should have done more than sit perfectly still until you called her over."

"Do I do that?"

"You do, especially when you're in a new environment. You tend to put on this confident persona, but you get really stiff."

"I see…"

"Another thing that clued me in was the bubble you keep yourself in." Ruby brushed the hair out of Weiss' eyes and cupped her cheek, pulling her attention back from her thoughts. "You keep a distance from people," she softly told Weiss. "And if you do have to touch someone, it's always got a bit of pressure to it. You don't like gentle touch at all, actually."

"It makes my skin tingle, and I hate it," Weiss pouted.

"I know," Ruby said, "that's why I tend to put all my weight on you when we do it, and I'm on top."

"This is a lot to take in." Weiss curled into herself, her head tucked under Ruby's chin. "How long… have you suspected this about me?"

"Pretty early on in our friendship."

Weiss gasped. "That soon?"

"Penny noticed it before me, and it all kind of clicked. That's probably why you two clash so much; familiarity breeds contempt." Ruby wrapped her arms around Weiss' tightly wound shoulders and whispered her love as she peppered her face with kisses.

"So it wasn't because she was in love with you and I swooped in and stole you?" Weiss giggled as she tried and failed to get away from Ruby's needy lips.

"She got over that pretty quickly," Ruby said between kisses. "She was more worried you would advantage of me more than anything else."

"I would never!" Weiss gasped.

"Well, you're a rich celebrity, Weiss, and I'm just a broke college student."

"You are so much more than that!" Weiss proclaimed. "You're my free babysitter."

"Free? Baby, you gave me a car and a job!" Ruby replied with a scoff. "You also let me live in your apartment rent-free."

"Don't forget," Weiss smirked, "I use you for your body."

Ruby quirked an eyebrow and caught the playful glint in Weiss' eyes. Grinning, Ruby slowly trailed her hand down the curve of Weiss hip before resting it on her thigh.

"I like to think of it as equal reciprocation."

"Oh, that's a big word," Weiss teased.

"There!" Ruby shouted excitedly, startling Weiss. "That! You repeat the things people say and do."

"What?" Weiss scoffed. "No I don't."

"'Golly'?"

"That's just me teasing you."

"I've said it, like, once, babe."

Weiss stared at her in disbelief.

"Once or twice at most," Ruby shrugged. "I also noticed you do the tappy thing Amélia does when she's thinking. And don't even get me started on how you dress and talk like her."

Realization dawned on Weiss' face like a brilliant firework going off. It was a beautiful sight to behold, but one that broke Ruby's heart because Weiss' excitement fizzled into despair soon after.

"Ruby?" Weiss called, her voice small and meek. "You've never lied to me before…" she paused and sucked in a shaky breath, "so you're telling me the truth, right? Because you're saying all these things about me, but they're just… things I do. They're what feel natural to me… and from what I understand, and how I am as a person, I don't know how else to act."

Ruby dutifully listened to everything Weiss said and nodded along to show her support.

"I was told it was like being in your own world," Weiss continued apprehensively. "And that you'd have these special interests that you obsess over. I understand ADHD hyperfixation a little too well after dealing with Nicole and Chrys for so long… but how is it different from that?"

There was a brief moment where Ruby considered pointing out that Weiss may be more familiar with it than she realized, but she decided to shelve that discussion for another day. Overloading someone when they vulnerable was a terrible idea. Weiss was barely holding it together and the last time she was pushed over the edge, she disappeared for more than a week. Ruby didn't want to repeat that event ever again… especially since she technically lived with her now.

"Chrys goes through hobbies like tissues," Weiss sighed in exasperation. "Two months ago it was origami. This month it's crocheting. I can't wait to see what catches her attention next. Maybe it'll be something useful… like vacuuming. That'd be nice."

"It would be, until she does it at 3 a.m. just to spite you. But you're right, hyperfixations are a little different. Penny describes her special interests as something she can spend the rest of her life learning about," Ruby explained, laughing at the clear support Weiss had for her daughter's hobbies despite her complaints.

"Oh?"

"She didn't become a biomedical engineer because she wanted to help people." Ruby realized how bad that sounded and mussed her hair, scrambling to find a better way to explain. "I mean, she does! Penny's practically a superhero with all the things she does…" Ruby sighed, dropping all pretense. "But she mostly wants to figure out how people work because she's never really felt like a normal person. The machines she builds make more sense to her than the muscles and veins inside us."

"I… think I understand," Weiss murmured. "I've never felt like I belonged anywhere. Not with my family, in my home, or the industry I poured my everything in to. I was an outcast without knowing why, which I guess made me a bit of a rebel. My personality when I was younger was also much more abrasive than it is now; I didn't get the 'Ice Queen' moniker because I loved ice…"

Weiss went on to explain a bit more about her childhood, the puzzle slowly coming together with each heartbreaking anecdote. She had built herself up thinking everyone struggled the same way and forced herself to overcome them by putting in arbitrary rules where they weren't needed.

"You know how you come home after work and stop talking for a bit?" Ruby asked when she heard a quiet, defeated sniffle.

Weiss listlessly nodded.

"And you usually take a moment to hide away?"

Another nod.

"There's a thing I learned from Penny called 'masking.' It's when you put on an act for the world to try to fit in…" Ruby said gently. "You and Chrys both do that. And I know we joke about how bad her acting is, but Chrys' switch is as seamless as yours."

"Isn't that normal?"

"In some ways, but you two are really good at it," Ruby said. "Chrys tries so hard to be the perfect little girl who's everyone's best friend, but she's a potty mouthed grump who hates almost everyone she talks to."

"She is a bit of a grump," Weiss agreed, her expression softening. "I just figured she got that from me… I'm argumentative, bossy, and really controlling if we're being honest, so I thought 'what if I just tried harder to be nice?' Surely people would like me more that way, right?"

A breathy chuckle rumbled through Ruby's chest when she thought of all the times she saw Weiss engage in small talk. It was like watching a caged lion shuffle back and forth, stewing in annoyance, as the zookeeper asked how the weather was.

"You are so amazing." Weiss looked up at Ruby in awe. "How do you know me so well?"

"Because I love you," Ruby easily replied, nuzzling her cheek against Weiss'. "Every day I wake up excited to learn more about you and Chrys."

"Isn't that exhausting?"

"Never."

A comfortable silence settled in as Weiss withdrew from the conversation to think. She wore a pensive expression, her lips pulled slightly to the left. Ruby couldn't help but poke the dimple in Weiss' cheek.

"What else?" Weiss asked. "Tell me more."

Ruby had a year's worth of observations she could list, but the night was dragging on and they both had a busy day ahead of them, so she listed her three biggest clues: Weiss' hypersexuality, her absolute pitch, and the fact she vibrated when she was pushed over the edge.

"I do not vibrate," Weiss argued.

"You know how your hands shake with anger sometimes?"

"Yes?"

"It isn't just your hands, baby," Ruby laughed. "Your whole body starts shaking, and it isn't always when you're angry. Sometimes it happens when you're overstimulated and you get really antsy. It also happens when you get really excited, like when you got Chrys her aquarium. You two were practically buzzing!"

"That does make sense…"

"It's super cute," Ruby beamed.

With their conversation nearing an end, Weiss got up from Ruby's lap and retrieved their clothes. They got dressed and climbed back into bed, curling against each other, with Weiss being the big spoon. And once the lights were off, Weiss called out to Ruby again.

"If what you say about me is true… what does it mean for our future?" she asked, her tone heavy and sombre.

"What do you mean?"

"Doesn't this change how you see me?" A tear slid down Weiss' cheek, hitting Ruby's neck, startling her. "I always felt like something was wrong with me, l-like everyone got an instruction manual on how to be a person… e-except for me. I felt… so alone, for so long, until I met Nicole, and Neptune, and Neon..."

"Oh, Weiss…"

"I didn't know how to fix it without pretending to be someone else completely, but it's so fucking exhausting!" Weiss continued, her voice growing hoarse as she forced back the tears. "If I am… what you say I am… then there is no fixing me."

Hurt by the things she'd heard, Ruby turned to face Weiss and pulled her into her chest.

"You were never broken," she insisted as she stroked Weiss' hair. "You're just you, and I fell in love with you thinking you already knew but didn't care to label it."

"But it changes so much of what I know about myself!" Weiss clung to Ruby, her tears falling freely. "I don't want to believe it. I can't. I-I just can't, Ruby."

"And I just learned I was adopted," Ruby chuckled awkwardly. She stroked Weiss' hair and kissed the top of her head, consoling her silently. "Let's just say we're even on the big revelation stage and figure things out together."

"I am sorry about that…"

"See? Even."

"So what happens now?" Weiss sniffled.

"Up to you," Ruby answered. "I think you've unconsciously noticed all these things about yourself, so you found ways to make them work. And in doing so, you taught Chrys how to handle the exact same things. Your organizational skills are more than just OCD off the rails."

"You think so?"

Ruby nodded. "It's so much more than that, though. You struggle with your emotions a lot, and you're super careful with textures, whether you notice it or not. You also hate getting your hands dirty."

"I suppose I do struggle with how I feel," Weiss conceded. "And I have noticed I react pretty violently to certain things…"

"It's really cute!" Ruby gushed. "You recoil in disgust, shake your hand and rub your fingers like you touched something hot. Then you make this really disgusted face that always cracks me up before you touch it again to make sure it wasn't a fluke."

"I've… seen Chrys do that with wool," Weiss murmured. "But I thought the handwashing was just good hygiene?"

"It is, but not to the extreme you two do things. It's a good habit to have, though; don't worry." Ruby brushed the hair out of Weiss' eyes and kissed her forehead to reassure her. "You're doing great, baby. Don't overthink it."

Silence settled in and Ruby thought that was the end. But Weiss wasn't done just yet.

"She's copying me, isn't she?" Weiss mused aloud.

"I like to call them 'Weiss-isms'," Ruby yawned, the long night finally catching up to her, "and they're some of my favourite things to find."

"I see…" Weiss gently tugged at Ruby's shirt and slipped a hand under to feel her skin. "You want children someday…" Weiss murmured as she trailed a finger up the curve of Ruby's spine. "Are you sure you want them with me?"

"Of course," Ruby replied without hesitation. "I can't imagine anyone else but you."

"But what if… because of me… we have a child that…" Weiss slowly trailed off as she hid her face in the crook of Ruby's neck. "I know Chrys struggles socially. She doesn't have many friends…"

"She has three, that's two more than Penny ever had as a kid," Ruby snorted. "It's funny. Y'know, she just started coming out of her shell. You'd think her and Yang were closer with how friendly they are, but Penny's still pretty stiff."

"I don't have many friends either…"

"You're choosing quality over quantity," Ruby said. "You don't have a lot, sure, but the friends you have would move heaven and earth for you. I know I would, and so would Yang and Blake."

"I'm scared, Ruby."

"Don't be," Ruby cooed. "Chrys will be alright. And having a kid with a disability isn't all on your shoulders just because you might be a little extra special. It can happen to anyone. Hell, we don't even know my entire medical history! For all we know, I'm disease-ridden."

"You are a pest," Weiss quietly giggled, her fingers dancing across Ruby's back. "Well, as long as you're still sure about me…"

"I've never been more sure about anyone in my life."

"Just give me a couple of years," Weiss added in a whisper, kissing Ruby's jaw. "We can start trying then."

"Does this mean we can get some practice in?" Ruby asked, giving Weiss a taste of her own playful teasing. She ran a hand over Weiss' thigh and gave her ass a little squeeze. "I'm still game to put in some work tonight, coach."

Without warning, Weiss pushed Ruby onto her back and got on top of her. It was dark, but their eyes had adjusted, and they could see they were both thinking the same thing.

"God damn, I love you," Ruby whispered excitedly when she felt Weiss grind against her. "I really, really love you, Weiss."

"'Coach,' hm? I like the sound of that," Weiss hummed as she undid the knot keeping Ruby's sweatpants secured around her waist. "If I'm your 'coach,' what should I teach you tonight?"

"Anything you want, coach," Ruby grinned, giving herself entirely to Weiss. "I'm a really good student, ma'am."

"Well then…" Weiss said, "how about we—"

The door silently creaked open and Chrys shuffled into the room, half-asleep and barely cognizant. She rubbed her bleary eyes and forced them to open just enough to blinked away the tears.

"Mama, my arm hurts…" she hoarsely whimpered. "Can I have some medicine?"

Weiss froze, her eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"Mama—" Chrys blinked, her jaw growing slack as the situation slowly sunk in.

Before anyone could say anything, Chrys bolted from the room and slammed the door shut behind her. A subsequent slam echoed throughout the apartment, followed by a deafening silence.

"Fuck," both Ruby and Weiss cursed at the same time.