Ch 16: Her Roses

After getting her niece and son to bed for the night, Weiss walked over to her bedroom and stopped in the doorway leaning against it and watching the person inside. Ruby was sitting on their bed reading something on her scroll. Weiss couldn't help but think she looked cute as she was sitting cross legged and staring at the screen. The older woman reflected on their day and bit her lip, "Ruby…"

Her wife looked up at her and Weiss walked over and sat in front of Ruby, one leg pulled up to lean forward on and the other dangled off the side, "I wanted to apologize for earlier, I overreacted. It wasn't your fault."

Ruby shrugged, "Well… I could've said something to you when I took longer than I meant to look for my scroll so you could check on them or I could've glanced out the window from time to time."

Weiss rolled her eyes a bit, "Maybe… but it wasn't your fault. Dove is old enough to know what no means. She was the one who did something wrong, not you."

Ruby smiled, "Yea you're probably right."

Weiss watched Ruby type something before she set her scroll away, "What are you up to anyway?"

Ruby glanced back and chuckled, "Funny you should ask. Blake was just telling me how sorry she was for chasing me around like that. But I told her it was fine. I'd probably act the same way if I had to go pick Sterling up all covered in injuries while someone I trusted was supposed to be watching him."

The older woman leaned her head on folded arms that we rested on her knee. She had another thing on her mind from the day now that all of that was settled. She reached her other foot out to poke Ruby's knee, smiling as Ruby reached forward and laid against Weiss's waist as she wrapped her arms around Weiss's middle, nuzzling her face into her wife's stomach, "Softtt… Weiss, can we go to bed please? I'm tired and in need of cuddles, pronto."

Fingers ran through her short hair as Weiss slid them along her scalp, smirking a bit as Ruby hummed happily, watching her eyes close and the woman flatten onto her stomach as she snuggled Weiss, "Almost. Before we go to bed though… can we talk?"

Ruby raised a brow, opening one eye, "About?"

Ruby opened the other and leaned up a bit to watch Weiss's face as the woman glanced away for a moment, "I know we agreed to wait for Dove to go home first but, I want to hear you out about another child."

Ruby frowned and hid her face against Weiss, "Actually… I think you might be right. I don't know if adding another kid is the right choice right now."

She felt Weiss gently move her hand around to her chin from her hair and gently lift it so she could look at her, a soft smile on her face, "Be that as it may, I still want you to tell me how you are feeling. Then we can keep our minds open for when and if the time might be right. We do this together, ok?"

Ruby sat back up, face pink in her shyness, "Well… I was sitting playing with the kids and it just reminded me how much I loved having an older sibling and how we had both talked about wanting at least two before we agreed to have Sterling and I just… I love our family and even though you had so much trouble and it was really scary all the time… being a parent is amazing… and I just really want another baby around. I don't know, is that weird?"

Weiss couldn't help but chuckle a bit at that question, "Not at all. My only worry really is that we are often very busy with Sterling getting sick so much and having to restrict our lives around that. I don't know if we have the time and energy for that right now. Or if it would even be a very enjoyable childhood to grow up around for another child or Sterling. Plus, you have been getting really restless to work again. You can't go off as a Huntress putting your body in danger with a baby growing inside it you know."

Ruby groaned, "I didn't think about that. Well, ok that all makes sense but I can't go another long stint without some Huntress work any longer so still, with everything I think right now isn't the best time but… it's not a no against it at some point, right?"

Weiss gave a gentle smile, brushing her fingers along Ruby's jaw to her cheek, rubbing the skin sweetly, "It's not a no."

Ruby's grin widened and she tackled Weiss over onto her back causing the woman to squeak, Ruby falling onto her. Ruby hugged her tightly, laughing happily. Weiss pinched her gently in response before wrapping her arms around the younger woman, "Seriously though, we probably really should go to bed or we will be extremely tired when Sterling wakes up in the morning."

Ruby giggled and kissed Weiss's lips sweetly and briefly before sitting up and grasping her hand, pulling them both under the sheets for bed and snuggling up to Weiss's back, looping her arms around Weiss's waist. Her wife ran her hands along the arms holding her down to her fingers and intertwined their fingers together before closing her eyes to sleep.

—-

After a few days Dove went home. Weiss and Winter had a long conversation about what happened and Winter seemed very displeased when she left with Dove. Now that Sterling had no other children to play with, he followed Ruby around like her shadow, imitating anything she did. Weiss thought it was cute, even if it made her feel quite jealous that he wouldn't spend any time with her if Ruby was home. She didn't say anything about it though, knowing it was silly.

The day Ruby headed into town to get a few missions underway, Sterling was clinging to her refusing to let go and crying when she tried to leave. By the time Ruby and Weiss got him handed over to Weiss, he was a whimpering mess reaching for Ruby helplessly, small hands grasping at air for her. Ruby felt her heart ache at the sight. As Weiss watched the two respond to one another she sighed and gently reached him over to her wife, putting on a gentle smile, "Why don't you take him with you?"

While Ruby did take him from Weiss when offered, she scrunched her brows and frowned a bit. She didn't really want Sterling to know anything about Huntsmen, already determined to keep him away from all that feeling it would just be too dangerous for him. She didn't want to admit that though so she grasped for another good reason she could think of, "But… He has only ever gone to town when we've been rushing him to medical care. Wouldn't it be risky to bring him around so many people? What if someone gets him sick? People do like to be all cutesy with little kids you know."

Weiss gave her a questioning look, folding her arms, "So then don't let them?"

Ruby tried to protest, "But…"

Weiss frowned, Sterling clinging tight refusing to be taken away again should someone try, "Ruby Rose are you saying you would rather leave your son here screaming and crying to be with you than to just take him with you when he desperately wants to spend time with you?"

Well that couldn't be argued. Ruby rubbed her neck, "Well when you say it like that it sounds bad…"

Sterling gripped around her neck and cuddled into her before Ruby sighed, "Ok I'll bring him with me but if he gets sick this is not my fault!"

Her wife rolled her eyes, "Just don't let strangers try to touch him and come right back and it should be fine. You can't keep him in a bubble forever."

Once she was heading out the door, she mumbled to herself, "I can try."

She looked at the boy in her arms who was excited to go with her and couldn't help but smile at him, "Well, Mama needs to go get set up for some work and then maybe we will grab some ice cream before we come home. How does that sound?"

He squirmed excitedly in her grasp. Ruby gave him a big grin and poked his nose, "Want to do something really fun?"

"Yea!" he shouted, arms flinging over his head happily. Ruby held him close to her chest, telling him to hold on tight. As soon as he did, Ruby burst them to town with her semblance, getting them there quickly, though Sterling looked a little green but was still giggling even if he swayed a bit sickly. Ruby scratched the back of her head, smiling sheepishly, "Maaaybe we'll just have Mommy come pick us up to go home so we don't do that again."

He giggled a bit and Ruby nuzzled her nose to his and tickled him slightly before placing him on her shoulders and holding his legs steady, walking into a designated area where mission screens were located so she could pick something out. Having him on her shoulders helped keep people from trying to get too touchy with the toddler, not wanting to knock him down, but still Ruby dodged a lot of conversations politely when people stopped to see him.

When they got close and she started to scroll through the list with one hand while being careful to not drop Sterling with the other, the boy hugged the top of her head and rested his chin in her hair, "Mama what is?"

Ruby bit her lip and glanced up to just barely see a small hand pointing at the mission screen. She didn't really want to tell him but she didn't want to ignore him either, "This is how Mama decides what my next job will be."

He considered it for a moment and grew quiet watching his mother read through different options. Ruby was looking for short, easy missions for now so she could ease back into it and also give her son time to adjust to her being gone for periods of time. She selected two simple search and destroy missions close to home and stopped, speaking mostly to herself, "That should be good for now."

She returned her hand back to his other leg and smiled up at him as he leaned her head up some to look at him as he leaned forward looking down, "Let's go get you some ice cream."

He excitedly squealed. They stopped at Ruby's favorite vendor in town and the aging man smiled, "Ah my favorite customer! And a little guy as well? To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Ruby pulled Sterling from her shoulders to her arm, resting him on a hip before smiling over at the man, "Me and my son were in town for an errand and I wanted to treat him!"

The man grinned and chuckled, turning to make two chocolate cones. When he turned back he reached over with them, "A son now huh? My my, you are really growing up fast aren't you? I remember when you and your sister were knee high running around making trouble and enjoying my stand when it was young! Here, these are on the house."

Ruby handed one to her son before taking the other, "Thanks!"

She turned to Sterling and pointed at the man, "What do you say to this nice man Sterling?"

He stopped licking at the ice cream and shyly spoke before returning to it, "Thank you."

Leaning on the stand counter the older man grinned kindly, "You're very welcome young man."

Ruby took Sterling to the tables and got him in a chair to eat his sweet treatShe was going to message Weiss for a ride home but the walk wasn't too far from the stand back to their place. She would walk them back once they finished. Of course the toddler ended up a mess but most of it was in his stomach rather than on his skin. It made his mother giggle before she got some napkins to clean him up when they were both finished, picking him up back on her shoulders, his favorite place to travel with her, and began their walk home.

Along the way, he pointed out anything he thought was interesting and Ruby happily humored him. She loved his interest for the world around him and tried to answer his curious questions as best she could. As they were getting close to home he looked at her, "Mama… what is your work?"

Ruby bit her lip. How could she explain without making it sound fun to him? "Well, Mama goes to dangerous places that other people can't and I change it."

"Change how?" he asked, curiosity in his tone.

"Um… well… in whatever way I can," she said, still dodging trying to sound like a hero or anything. No way would she let her frail son do this work. She had lost enough people to that world she wasn't going to let it take him too.

"Oh… ok! Look! Mommy is outside!" he was quickly distracted as they approached the house, Weiss outside on the porch with some coffee going over something on her scroll.

Ruby felt relieved and giggled when he leaned upright on her shoulders waving to Weiss and calling out to her. Weiss looked up at them from her tablet sized scroll with a smile, waving back to the boy. As the two got onto the porch, Weiss helped take him from Ruby's shoulders and he sat on her lap, "How was your trip with Mama? Did you have a good time?"

As Ruby sat in the chair next to hers, he excitedly recounted their trip and the walk back, Weiss giving Ruby a bit of a scowl at the way Sterling tried to describe her semblance with how wobbly it made his head but was fun. Ruby just stared away as if she didn't know what he was talking about until Weiss gave their son her attention again.

He sat leaning against her, watching the scroll as Weiss finished up a few work things, transfixed by the graphs and shapes and colors of the images in the files until a sneezing fit came over him and left him with a runny nose and sniffles. She took him inside and got his nose cleaned up and some medicine to try to get ahead of his symptoms as the family settled into their usual routines for the afternoon.

"So, when do you go back?" Weiss asked Ruby as Sterling napped on the couch, tuckered from the excitement of the day and the meds making him a bit drowsy.

Her wife was pulling Crescent Rose from its place by the door to check it over and give it some maintenance before she was to take it back out into the field again, "I head out to the first one tomorrow morning. Shouldn't take too long then I'll go to the next the next morning, it's a fairly low priority one so it will be ok waiting a day."

Weiss nodded, taking the moment to pull her own weapon out and give it some love while Ruby was working on hers. It had been a while since they had done this together and she missed it, especially the way Ruby seemed to gleam as she worked on her own weapon. Weiss always thought it was a beautiful sight the way her face looked when she was so focused on her beloved weapon's care.

The woman could easily just watch her work for hours but years ago had discovered how much more it meant to them both to share that moment, working together on the weapons. Ruby too loved when Weiss would join her, feeling this heart warming sensation of her wife truly sharing her passions with her.

—-

Sterling did not enjoy Ruby leaving without him for several hours, having never really had to do so since he was born. He made her heart ache when he screamed and cried as she left, refusing to take him. Obviously she couldn't but he didn't really understand that. After all, Weiss worked from home and he could join her whenever he wanted so why couldn't the same be true with Ruby?

He spent most of her time gone either crying or standing at the window watching to see when she would come back. It took great effort just to get him calm and distracted enough to feed him at breakfast and lunchtime. When she got back, she was sweaty and covered in grime but he waited by the door all the same with Weiss kneeling next to him as the younger woman came through the door.

He rushed Ruby before she could even put her weapon down and gripped onto her dirt covered legs, sneezing at it but not letting go. It broke her heart to hear his whimpers, looking down at him to scoop him from her leg, his eyes watery and irritated from the dirt and his sinuses congested from so much crying.

Weiss stood, watching Ruby try to maneuver him without getting him all gross from the filth all over her, the younger woman's voice soft and kind as she smiled sweetly at him, "Hey, hey buddy. It's ok, I'm back, see? I just had to go to work. But I promised I'd come back and I did, right?"

He nodded, small fists rubbing his eyes as she kissed his head. Ok, Weiss could understand Ruby's feelings more now about wanting another baby as she watched them. It made her melt inside with so much love just watching the woman she loved with their son. She stepped over and kissed Ruby's cheek, always happy to see Ruby come home in one piece. "Weiss, I really need to get cleaned up before all this gunk makes him sick…"

She got a nod in response, gently peeling Sterling from her, "Come on, Mama needs to get clean. We can wait for her in the living room. She will be quick, I promise."

He whined but his parents weren't giving in so he pouted and waited for Ruby, sniffling and coughing some, his coughs sounding heavy with mucus. Weiss got him his next round of medicine while they waited but she had a feeling another trip to a professional was in their near future. When ruby got done, she joined her family and spent the rest of the day giving Sterling her full attention.

Before they knew it, it was dark outside and he was passing out in Ruby's lap exhausted from his "rough" day. Ruby opted to put him to bed while Weiss headed off for a shower. By the time the older woman came out, Ruby was already tucked into bed, awake still but exhausted herself with an early day tomorrow.

Weiss slid in next to her and pressed close to Ruby, legs tangling loosely together and hands lacing into one of Ruby's and the younger woman's hair, kissing at her face softly. Ruby smiled and returned the kisses when they made it to her lips. Weiss very often had been one to lavish her in sweet affections after returns from missions and Ruby had learned over time that it was Weiss's way of releasing any hidden worry that Ruby might get hurt or not make it back and thank her loved one for returning home to her.

It made Ruby feel so special and loved and warm inside. Weiss didn't doubt she was capable of course and trusted in Ruby's skills wholeheartedly but that doesn't change the fact that anything could happen. As Weiss's lips caressed across her skin, Ruby hummed happily, trying to stifle a yawn. She failed at hiding it which caused Weiss to grasp her cheek softly and kiss her nose before tucking her face into Ruby's shoulder and closing her eyes, "Get some sleep Ruby, you have an early day tomorrow and I don't want to cause you to be too tired."

Ruby nodded, not needing her tired form to be told twice as her arms pulled Weiss close against her and she tucked her chin on the top of Weiss's head, the two falling asleep in each other's loving embrace.

—-

The following day was about the same for Sterling but over time he had adjusted. Eventually, ruby had called Yang, trying to convince the woman to bring Jin over sometime to help him socialize with more children, especially now that she wasn't there to play with him all the time while Weiss worked.

"Come on sis, Sterling and Jin love spending time together," she had pleaded.

"Yea I don't know Ruby… Blake's not… super up to bringing her around as much anymore since last time…" her sister responded, trying to entertain the dragon faunus that was teething for the second time around.

The first time had been when those tiny nubs grew in but now she was teething like crazy, the rounded teeth falling out to sharp teeth growing in pushing the baby teeth out as they did. Yang would argue this time around was ten times worse and practically like dealing with a teething puppy the way she was chewing up anything and everything she could get her mouth on including their furniture.

Right now, the dragon was trying to use Yang's metal arm to soothe the pain and getting very irritable when told no, moving to things like Yang's boots or shirt. It was trying the hot headed woman's patience and wearing her thin, already down to only a few shirts that didn't have holes in them from those teeth. It was definitely not easy to go on missions when any shirt you reach for was covered in holes from those dragon jaws.

Yang had long since gone back to work herself for a couple years now, though sparingly and only things close to home that were simple enough to not keep her out and never when Jin's health was in rough patches. She had to keep food on the table and bills paid though and was fine with Blake being a stay at home mom for their daughter, especially since those distress yelps could only be soothed by blake.

The faunus woman came into the room, grabbing Jin as Yang was wiggling her arm trying to free it, her other hand trying to pull her off carefully, not wanting another bite wound in her hand for getting the flesh too close while denying the girl, whispering, "Thank you Kitten."

Ruby's voice carried from the scroll as Yang turned back to it, "Is that Blake? Why don't you just ask her?"

Blake's ears flicked as she gave Jin a very sturdy teething toy to naw on, "Ask me what?"

Her wife sighed, "She wants to see if we can bring Jin over to.."

"Is Dove there?" Blake's voice was suddenly very stern and Ruby could be seen on the screen wincing.

"Well… yes but…"

"No," Blake's tone was even harsher now as she walked away from Yang with the toddler signaling the conversation was over.

Yang just shrugged, "Sorry Rubes but you heard the woman. She doesn't want Jin over there while Dove is. I mean I'm sure the holidays are a different story but just to go over there, it's a no. At least right now, give her some time I'm sure she'll come around. Besides, I'm pretty sure Weiss would die if Jin chewed through any of your house or furniture and that's pretty much impossible to avoid right now, believe me I have been trying everything."

Ruby sighed annoyed but nodded. Well she had tried. She would have to talk to Weiss and figure something out. Sterling was constantly asking about Jin now that he hardly saw her anymore and there had to be a way to make Blake feel more comfortable even if Dove was here. There had to be a way they could figure out how to see her sister's kid while also still helping Weiss's sister with her kid, right?