A/N: Just so you know, everybody is wearing their V2 prom outfits with only minor alterations at most.

X

-Yang-

Summer seemed a little doubtful about her daughter's choice of dress as she brushed her luxurious hair. "Are you sure this is what you want to wear to the dance, honey? It's November; you're going to be freezing later!"

"That's why I have the sweater, Mom; and they keep the ballroom pretty warm, so I won't even need it while I'm inside the building. I thought you knew this?"

"I do, it's just a little..."

"Summer-y?" Yang was wearing a sleeveless white dress with thin shoulder straps and a flaired skirt that stopped just a hair above her kneecaps. The cut of the neckline revealed was deep enough to show tops of her bust, but the sheer yellow sweater that she could put on would cover them up just a little bit more. "I wanna be comfortable while I'm dancing on the floor, that's all."

Summer shrugged. "If you say so. Now, do you remember my rules?"

"For the tenth time, Mom, yes: Don't bring any boys home unless it's because they're sick and need a place to crash; if I'm gonna be out past midnight, let one of you guys know; and most importantly, just have a good time."

"Right on the nose; also, make sure you smell the punch before you drink it. I have no idea if the seniors still try to spike the bowl with alcohol." She set the hair brush down and gave a satisfied look at her hard work. "If you do wind up drinking the poisoned stuff, don't be afraid to call us for a ride home."

"I will." Yang slipped on her white pumps as she stood up in front of the mirror. "Last year's seniors got in a metric ton of trouble for even trying. I think Professor Goodwitch was setting an example."

"That's a good example to set. Now, how about we head downstairs so your father can use his obligatory 'no boys better approach my daughter' look?"

"Sounds like fun." They shared a laugh and went to the living room, where Qrow and Taiyang were busy watching a football game; Mount Glenn University against Emerald City College, an old rivalry match that was always hyped up to the extreme. "Hey, old guys. What's the score?"

"Seven-'O' in favor of EC, firecracker. And don't call me old." Qrow looked away from the screen and gave a small 'hm' as he appraised her. "Aren't you gonna be cold?"

"This again?" She rolled her eyes for dramatic effect. "I already heard it from Mom, so come up with some new material."

Taiyang turned and examined her next, sporting a tiny frown. "Is there somebody that you're wanting to impress in that dress?"

"Not really, Dad." At least, that was the story. She had asked her mother not to tell Tai about her feelings for Jaune. Summer agreed, citing that her husband's overprotective personality would likely lead to the man interrogating Jaune, especially if he found out that Yang was intentionally burying her feelings for someone else's sake.

There was a loud knock on the front door about twenty minutes after she was ready. Summer went to answer it, and a moment later Nora came bouncing into the house. She was wearing an exceptionally pink dress, complete with frilly skirt. "Hey there, Yang! You ready to go?"

"Yep," she answered with a pop on the 'p'. She gave Summer and Taiyang farewell hugs, fistbumped her miraculously not-drunk uncle, and hopped into van that awaited her outside. With Ren at the wheel and Nora riding shotgun, she slid comfortably into the middle section of seats. "Thanks again for driving, Ren. I thought you were picking Blake up before me?"

He acknowledged her thanks with only a nod. "She had us pick you up first, citing a last-minute wardrobe issue. Are you buckled in?"

"Ready to go." The aging engine came to life with a roar, and they were quickly on their way to the Belladonna home. Yang and Nora had an animated conversation about fog machines and how they could be used to spice up a dance, which helped the ride go by in the blink of an eye. Once they arrived at their destination, Yang volunteered to fetch the kitty and hopped out.

The Belladonna home was a little unlike your typical house in that every entrance was much larger than normal; this used to confuse her, until she met Blake's dad and found out that he was a physical beast of a man. Afterwards, confusion became mild concern for how he could walk into a public building and not slam his forehead on every low-hanging decoration.

Yang grabbed the giant knocker on the front door and gave it a hearty slam. Barely ten seconds had passed before Kali Belladonna answered the front door, dressed in her everyday kimono. "Hello, Yang. Blake will be ready in just a moment."

"Sure thing, Mrs. B. What kind of 'wardrobe issue' did she have?"

"The 'father disapproves' issue," she replied with a soft laugh. "I'm sure you can understand."

"Completely. 'And where are you going dressed like that, young lady?'" She gave a small shrug. "In my dad's defense, I do go clubbing in those outfits."

"I think Ghira would lock Blake in her bedroom before he allowed that. Would you like to come in while-"

"No need, I'm ready." Blake materialized beside her mother. She was wearing a full-length purple dress, with a thin shirt beneath it that was a lighter shade of purple. It was conservative, but still regal. "Sorry to make you wait. Yang."

"No problem. Let's boogie, kitty."

"Please don't ever say 'boogie' again. Have a good night, mom."

"Have fun, dear." Kali gave Blake a firm hug before dismissing her, and soon all four teenagers were on their way to Beacon.

"So, Blake," asked Yang with her trademark tease in her voice, "I forgot to ask: did you ever agree to dance with Sun?"

Blake's response was neutral. "Actually, yes."

"Oh? And why the change of heart?"

"Sun agreed to not expect anything particular out of tonight, and that we'll see how things go. If I don't feel any chemistry with him, he and I will remain as friends." Her expression softened as she continued. "And if there is some chemistry there, there's little doubt that he'd be a better guy than my ex."

Yang withdrew just a hair at the reminder. "Ah. Is... Adam still in prison?"

"Last time I checked."

Nora unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned almost completely over her seat to glare both at them. "Today is a happy day! None of that, or I'll throw you out of the van and make you do push-ups until you drop!"

Yang threw her hands up while Blake recoiled. "Okay, okay! Just sit back down before Ren has a heart attack!"

The Valkyrie gave them one final look before buckling herself back in and launching into a monologue about a giant scorpion that she had dreamt of. As she began describing the bizarre events that led to her nailing its stinger through its own body, Blake and Yang looked at each other and reached a silent agreement: Nora was right, and they needed to just enjoy the dance for what it was.

Before long, Ren successfully parked the van in Beacon's parking lot and the four friends walked to the ballroom together. The song playing over the speakers was relaxing as opposed to invigorating; so while there were a few couples already partaking in slow dances together, most of the students were either standing around in small groups or sitting at one of the tables. They decided to follow the latter example by finding an empty table and sitting down, making sure that there were three extra chairs for the late arrivals to sit in.

Nora left the table but quickly returned with seven cups of punch nestled between her arms. Before drinking it, Yang took a quick sniff of it like she promised she would; thankfully, it smelled only of the normal fruit punch. Where did people buy this stuff from to begin with? "Do you guys think the DJ will start playing some faster music soon?"

"I sure hope so!" Nora took a hearty gulp of her drink, almost downing the entirety of it before she set the cup down. "Some of us came here to dance!"

"And what, exactly, is wrong with slow songs?" Four sets of eyes turned to examine the new arrival. Jaune, decked out in a suit with red trim and bowtie, was giving Nora a look as if she'd lost her mind. "Slow songs are romantic, even if it is a little cheesy sometimes."

"I, myself, have a preference for waltzes, but finding a good partner can be difficult." Weiss appeared on Jaune's left and pulled a seat out for herself. She was wearing a dress not dissimilar to Yang's own, but her neckline was a little shallower and had a mesh that wrapped around her neck. The outfit was completed with a little tiara in her hair, befitting of the heiress that she no longer was. "However, I must admit that a night filled only with such music would be dull."

"Finding a good balance must be rather difficult for the DJ." Pyrrha finished the trio, dressed in a full-length red gown that shimmered just the faintest bit in the lighting of the ballroom. Jaune, likely acting on the training he once mentioned Vermilion put him through, pulled out a seat for Nikos to sit in before moving to take his own. Pyrrha's pleased expression showed that the gentlemanly act was not unappreciated, and Yang had to struggle against the ugly jealousy that raced through her heart.

"I'm glad you three made it here safely," she opted to say before aiming some snark at her crush. "Jaune, you aren't by any chance saying that you can only dance to slow songs, are you?"

"Please," he countered as he crossed his arms. "When you have seven sisters, you learn to dance to everything under the sun. I'm confident that I could chase you right off of the dance floor with my moves, Yang."

"Big talk, fellow blonde. I guess you'll just have to prove it to me after you dance with P-money for a bit."

"Look forward to it, Xiao Long." Almost on cue, the song that was playing ended and gave way to a much more enthusiastic piece. Jaune chuckled. "Good timing. Pyrrha, would you like to dance?"

"I would love to dance." Leaving her drink untouched, Pyrrha took the offered hand and the duo disappeared into the crowd. Ren and Nora quickly followed suit, and shortly after Sun appeared in order to awkwardly whisk Blake away to the dance floor.

Yang finished her cup and rose to start dancing herself, but noticed that Weiss had apparently chosen to remain in her seat. "You gonna dance, Ice Queen?"

Weiss shook her head. "I'll join soon, just not right now."

"Suit yourself." Yang let her be without any further thought, losing herself in the music as her nightclub mentality took her body over. For the next hour or so she simply danced from one spot to the next, perfectly happy not to have anything on her mind as the DJ did his thing. It was a good dance with decent atmosphere, and she promised herself that she'd get Ruby to come next year for sure.

As she made her rounds on the dance floor she noticed that Jaune now seemed to be dancing alone, though he wasn't upset in the slightest. A quick glance to their designated table revealed that Pyrrha was chatting with Neptune and Weiss. When the music shifted back to something slower, Yang felt compelled to make her way over to her fellow blonde. "Dancing by yourself, stranger?"

Jaune cracked a grin even as his body kept in time to the more relaxed beat. "My partner decided to take a short break; but I'm still up for dancing if you're game, stranger."

"Sure thing." She threw in a flirtatious wink, causing him to laugh as one of his hands joined hers and the other was placed in the small of her back. They began making slow circles, and Yang had to fight the urge to close the small gap between their bodies. "Is Cereal Girl a good dancer? I haven't been looking at you two much."

"Pyrrha didn't know that many moves at first, but she's always been a quick study. She kept up just fine. What about you, Yang? Are you having fun flying solo today?"

"Meh, it's like any other club night for me. At least all the guys I caught staring are around my age, for once."

"Well, you do look pretty amazing tonight." A beat passed as scarlet blushes crept onto both of their cheeks. "I-I'm sorry, I just kinda spoke and- oh, I can't believe I just said that out loud."

"I-it's alright, Jaune. Settle down a little." Damn him for saying that! She was gonna be replaying that in her head all night, she just knew it. The air between them was considerably more awkward now, and when the song ended Yang couldn't help but make her retreat. "I'm, uh, I'm gonna go talk with Pyrrha for a little bit."

He looked as out of place as she felt. "Uh, sure thing. See you around."

Before going to meet with Pyrrha, she decided to grab a couple more cups of punch. Mercury was manning the station, so she spent a moment chatting with him about his on-again off-again girlfriend Emerald, who had apparently just switched them to "off" for the night. Once the pleasantries were finished, she brought the drinks to the table and offered one of them to the athlete who had been left alone at the table. "Need a drink, Pyr?"

"Yes, thank you." She accepted the cup and sipped from it a little. Yang expected herself to be the one to start an actual topic, but as she sat down Pyrrha launched straight into a question. "Yang, please be honest: do you have feelings for Jaune?"

She felt herself flinch a little at the inquiry. "Hey, what brought this up?"

Another sip; she seemed a little nervous. "Jaune's sisters told me that you've been going over to his house every Sunday since last school year; somebody who's just a friend wouldn't do that. And just now, with the way you were looking at him as you were dancing..."

"Oh." She hadn't thought about how the dance might've looked from the outside, especially after Jaune had her blushing from his little slip. Pyrrha was giving her a rather intense stare, and while she didn't look angry, Yang could tell that there would be no avoiding this line of questioning. She took a deep breath and met Pyrrha's eyes with her own. "Yeah, I do."

"Then why? Why set him up to go with me to the dance?"

Her first instinct was to admit that she had failed to fully process her feelings until just two days prior, but she suspected that Pyrrha wouldn't appreciate that answer. "Because you two are my friends, Pyrrha, and I want you both to be happy."

Pyrrha turned her eyes to Jaune's place on the dance floor, where Yang could see him sharing a dance with Weiss. Jaune seemed to have recovered from his earlier mistake and was slow dancing with the former heiress just like he'd danced with her. Since Weiss was a full head shorter, it made the soft look she was giving him as she looked into his eyes all the more pronounced, and that helped Yang understand why Pyrrha was nervous. Just what did Weiss think of him, anyways?

The redhead downed the last of her liquid courage, looking into the empty bottom as if she wished there were more. Yang wordlessly passed her own cup over, which Pyrrha accepted with a nod. Once she had another long swig of punch, she set the cup down and turned back to Yang. "Then, again, thank you; but just so you know, I refuse to lose to you."

"I know. That's why you need to tell him how you feel tonight, Pyrrha; so you won't have any regrets." Gods, how did Summer do it all those years ago? This was tearing her up.

Pyrrha nodded once more, this time to herself, before making her way over to Jaune and Weiss. The goddess of speed tapped the former heiress on the shoulder and spoke some words that Yang couldn't hear. The message behind them was clear, however, as Weiss nodded and swapped places with the athlete, leaving the latter slow dancing with the boy while the former went to get herself a refreshment. Soon enough, the sparkling tiara announced the girl's return to the group table.

It seemed that her night wasn't quite over yet.

-Weiss, Earlier that same day-

Lavender gave a small "ooh" of admirement. "That's so pretty! Do you like wearing tiaras?"

Weiss smiled as she worked on the ends of her hair with a brush. "If the occasion warrants it, yes. I decided that it would compliment the dress quite nicely this evening."

"The dress is also nice," Lavender responded as she gently placed the tiara back on the bed. "But not everyone can pull off white dresses. No wonder Jaune once called you a snow angel."

Amused, Weiss finally set the brush down and put her hair into her signature side-ponytail. "I can't believe he shared that story with you. For someone who hates being embarrassed, he certainly seems to have no issue divulging information that can come around to bite him."

"I think it's because he tends to say what's right on his mind instead of thinking his words through." The youngest Arc shrugged as if to say 'what can you do?' "At least he's a good guy, so it isn't like he's going around acting like a pig."

"I agree wholeheartedly." She took a moment to appraise her appearance. Klein had only recently dropped off her dress and tiara, but the simplicity of her attire meant that all she had to do now was put on the headwear and she would be good to go. The other Arc girls were either assisting Jaune with his clothes (Olive and Sapphire) or playing a board game in the living room, but Lavender had opted to keep her company instead.

Weiss had to admit that she didn't completely understand the youngest Arc child, especially with her passive-aggressive actions against Pyrrha; but, she could also admit that she wanted to get to know the whole family better. It was with that in mind that she turned to Lavender and said, "Lavender, may I ask you an odd question?"

A raised eyebrow. "Go ahead, I guess."

"Olive informed me that you wish for Jaune and Yang become a couple. That is correct, yes?"

"Yes, and...?"

"With that in mind, I can understand why you acted how you did around Pyrrha; however, I fail to understand why you haven't, for lack of a better phrase, done the same to me. Why the difference in attitude?"

"Ah, that." Lavender tapped her toe on the ground in an awkward fashion. It was as if she was unsure of something, but the Arc took a deep breath and asked, "Do you remember what we told you about Gamma and Terrier?"

"Of course I do. Gamma is for guest and Terrier stands for temporary pet. What about it?"

"Well, think about it a little bit. If we bring a pet to the house, that's because it needs a family. Gamma is the same thing, just for people instead."

Weiss contemplated that for a moment. "I can understand the correlation, but I don't see how it answers my original question."

"Look, if you were 'just a guest-'" -she emphasized the words with air quotes- "then I probably would've treated you like Pyrrha; but Jaune didn't say you were a guest, he called for Gamma instead. That meant we needed to make a home for you, and when I saw you that night I understood perfectly why. You were limping a little from the broken shoe, you were starving, and you were wearing somebody else's clothes because yours were stuffed in a plastic bag; but, most importantly, you had bags under your eyes that screamed that you hadn't slept in days. You needed a family. That's why we went through the whole 'Jaune brought a girl home' skit, because you clearly needed a distraction from whatever happened to you."

Weiss sat down on the guest bed as she absorbed the new perspective on Wednesday night. The Arc family had observed everything about her and, without even communicating beyond the word "gamma", decided on the perfect way to make her feel at peace. They were prepared to do anything to help, even if it meant putting aside their personal agendas. She shook her head in amazement. "This family truly is something else. Your parents have raised you to be great hosts."

"And don't you forget it!" Lavender puffed her chest out like a peacock, the comparison almost completed with a strut. "Although it was Vermilion and Jaune that..."

She trailed off before ceasing to speak entirely, leading Weiss to ask, "That what?"

The ten-year-old shook her head. "Nevermind; today's a dance, so it's a bad day to drop a drama bomb on you. You and Jaune don't need any bad vibes going around, okay?"

"If you say so." It was obvious that the conversation was done for the day, so she moved onwards by handing her tiara to Lavender. "Would you help me put this on the best way you think it will look?"

"Absolutely!"

The discussion went back and forth for a little while, until it was decided that the tiara would be best situated around her ponytail. Now ready for the evening, Weiss and Lavender walked to the living room where the others were. Jaune, wearing a black tuxedo with red trim and bowtie, was chatting with Olive, but when Weiss appeared he turned to her and grinned. "Wow, you look pretty incredible, Weiss."

"Thank you." She felt herself preen a little bit, and on a whim she decided to tease him a little bit. "I must say, you look exceptional in that tuxedo. I guess it's true what they say: the clothes really do make the man."

Jaune rose to the challenge, his grin getting even wider. "Oh-ho-ho! The Ice queen has jokes, I see. At least I'm going with somebody, even if it is a friend. You're gonna be stuck in the backseat of the truck allll by yourself."

'Oh, did he really go there?' "Jaune Arc, are you insinuating that I can't get somebody to dance with me?"

"What I'm saying, Weiss Schnee, is that you shall be missing out on being my dance partner on account of your frosty attitude."

Sapphire snickered from her seat on the sofa. "Are you sure that you're escorting Pyrrha tonight, Jaune? Because there's a certain something going on here and I'm not gonna be the one to put a name to it."

Weiss and Jaune just blinked as they regarded her words, but the latter was the first to crack as he flushed a little and gave an awkward cough. "Yes, I'm sure that I'm going with Pyrrha."

"Uh-huh." Olive let those words hang in the air before continuing to speak. "Mom may be asleep in her bedroom, but she made me promise to take a picture of you two before you left. I've got the digital camera ready to go, so both of you scooch in together."

It took a minute for them to take the picture since they were both trying to recover from Sapphire's jab, but eventually they got a shot of Jaune putting his arm around her shoulders. The image came out very well, and Weiss felt a sense of contentment arise as she examined it. The entire affair felt very warm, and she was reminded of Lavender's words: the Arc family was giving her a home.

Suddenly, a week-old memory flashed of her calling Neptune to pick her up so she could avoid Jaune. The vision sent a spike of pain through her heart as she remembered that she had still failed to tell Jaune the truth. She was a family member under false pretenses, and it hurt to think about how he would take the knowledge of her transgression. She couldn't hide it anymore, but to do so that day would ruin his night with Pyrrha.

...Sunday. The day after the dance, she would tell him everything.

Jaune's voice beckoned her return to rhe present. "Weiss, are you ready to go? We still have to pick up Pyrrha."

"Yes, I'm ready. Let's go."

The fifteen minute ride to the Nikos household was pleasant and mainly consisted of Jaune singing along with the radio. Weiss didn't know any of the songs, but as each one progressed she could hum along with the melody. Once they reached their destination, they both exited the truck and walked to the front door. It was quaint, far smaller than the Arc home, but the neatly maincured lawn and auburn paint helped it to stand out from its neighbors. Jaune gave three solid knocks, which was followed by the door opening almost immediately. Pyrrha was wearing a stunning, red body-length dress, and Weiss briefly wondered if she should have worn her sapphire dress with its matching brooch before she perished the thought.

Pyrrha's smile was quite pronounced. "Hello! I must say that both of you look very nice this evening."

Jaune made a small bow. "I'd hate to make my escort look bad, after all. You look great in that dress."

"Thank you!" Her chest seemed to swell from the compliment. "My parents were wanting to see you before we left for the dance, but they were both called in to work a few hours ago. If we have some time after the dance, would you mind coming in to greet them?"

"Sure, no problem. Are you ready to go?"

"Indeed I am."

It was at that time that Weiss discovered how it felt to be the third wheel in a given situation. Crammed into the miniature pull-down seat behind Jaune, the light conversation between him and Pyrrha felt like a conversation she couldn't intrude on. It wasn't that they were leaving her out on purpose, they were both much too nice for that; it was just that Pyrrha seemed so happy, and Weiss simply had no reason to butt in.

Additionally, the athlete's request for Jaune to come into her home after the dance felt a little suspect, to say the least. From her own perspective, it appeared that Nikos was now taking the aggressive route to Arc's heart; not that he would catch the subtle clues, anyways. Idly, Schnee wondered if Pyrrha's parents would actually be home later in the night.

...Maybe she would need Ren to drive her home this evening.

Upon reaching their destination and crossing the threshold to the ballroom, Jaune was able to quickly spot their friends sitting at a table and led the way to join them. After some idle chatter and following the DJ shifting the music to something more appropriate for a party, Weiss found herself alone at the table, nursing her punch and mentally commenting on the decor. 'The table covers are a wonderful color, but some doilies would've made the look more complete. The banners are adequate, I suppose. Floral arrangements, very exceptional! And-'

"Hey there, Weiss." A voice called out to her, so she turned to the source and found Neptune standing awkwardly by the table. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

She shook her head. "Some company would be nice. Go right ahead."

"Thanks." He pulled out the chair left of hers and sat down, and they shared a brief moment of silence as they both observed the dancers on the floor. It was broken by Neptune clearing his throat. "So, uh, you look better now."

"Hm?" She looked over at him questioningly. "How do you mean?"

"Well, it's just that you seemed a little down while we were watching the play. I'm glad to see that you cheered up a little."

"Ah, I see. I must say that I do feel better." Beat. "I'm surprised that you aren't dancing with anybody, Neptune."

"Nah, I give new meaning to the phrase 'two left feet.'" Neptune laughed at himself for a moment. "The only reason I'm here is that Sun wanted a wingman in case things got bumpy with Blake, but he seems to be doing alright."

Weiss's eyes drifted over to the named pair. Sun was dancing, well, a bit like a monkey honestly; but Blake seemed amused at his antics, and they both grooved in time with the beat. "Indeed it does."

"Yeah, but how about you, Weiss? A girl as pretty as you shouldn't have to sit by herself."

She took his flirting for what it was and smiled in appreciation. "Yes, well, I've been informed that I'm a little frosty. Any man that wanted to approach me was likely put off to some extent."

In her peripheral vision, she saw Pyrrha step away from Jaune and begin walking towards the table. She mused that even athletes needed a break from dancing.

"Well, how about you and I dance?" Neptune's suggestion caused her attention to snap right back to him. "I can't pull off any real moves, of course, but I could probably do an easy back-and-forth to a slow song just fine."

Weiss honestly hadn't expected an invitation from him after he saw her miserable state just a week prior. She sipped the last of her drink as she processed his words, but afterwards she gave him a nod. "That would be nice."

"Cool." He gave an honest smile before noticing the approaching redhead. "Hey, Pyrrha. Resting your feet a little?"

"Yes, I'm afraid that my track events haven't prepared me for hour long dance marathons."

Weiss winced despite herself and pulled her phone from her handbag to check the time. An entire hour had passed? She and Neptune had only recently begun talking, so how long had she spent simply observing the festivities? Goodness, how the time flies.

The trio simply talked for a minute, until the speakers began inviting the students to a slow dance. Neptune stood and extended her a hand, which she accepted, and together they found a spot to dance. They joined hands and began to do a one-two step. Unfortunately, Neptune truly had no sense of rhythm, and Weiss found herself having to guide him. He flushed a little as she led the simple dance. "Sorry. I swear I'm going to go to a dance class one of these days."

"It's okay, Neptune. Just try not to step on my foot... again, and you'll do just fine."

"Right." They danced in silence for a minute, with Neptune occasionally looking at his feet to make sure he didn't repeat his error. It was a little strange to be leading him, but it wasn't as if he meant to cause the damage he did. When Neptune filled the void of sound between them, it was with no small amount of trepidation. "Hey, Weiss?"

"Yes, Neptune?"

"If I invited you on another date, maybe one that didn't involve dancing, would you say yes? We could catch a movie, or go to the park..."

There it was again; a genuine offer from him to her that could, potentially, lead to something more. Neptune was certainly not low on the list of possible suitors, and she did so enjoy his presence when she was in a right state of mind. So, why was it a little less appealing than it was when he invited her to the play? "I... would have to get back to you, Neptune. My personal affairs are still in a state of chaos, and I'd like to get my family matters sorted before thinking about any... possible relationships."

His expression dimmed a little further. "Ah, I-I can understand that. I know that life can be crazy, so you do what you need to."

"Thank you for understanding." She didn't enjoy doing that to him, but she had by no means lied. She still needed to confront her father and determine what she would be doing with her life from now on; and, if necessary, finding a more permanent place to live.

The song ended, so Weiss took a step back and curtsied. He bowed in response, seemingly grateful to take a step back so that they could avoid the awkward atmosphere that had been created. She turned to walk back to the group's table and noticed that Yang was more-or-less powerwalking away from Jaune, having apparently finished a dance with him. Jaune was rubbing the back of his head as he tended to do when he felt out-of-place.

Without thinking, Weiss walked over to him and curtsied when he noticed her. "May I have a dance?"

He dropped his hand from his hair and chuckled. "Sure, I just hope I don't put my foot in my mouth again."

The song that came on next was, to her faint surprise, a waltz. They approached each other and assumed the appropriate position; Weiss noticed that he was much more confident than Neptune was, and as they began moving in time to the music decided that his proclamation of his dancing skills had not been an idle boast. He properly led her around the floor, and suddenly she was enjoying herself quite a bit more.

"If I may ask," she started after a maneuver where there hold was reduced to one hand before rejoining, "But did something bad happen between Yang and yourself just now?"

"Nothing bad, really; I just said something... a little embarrassing and made things awkward." He shrugged. "Did you enjoy your dance with Neptune?"

So he had seen her? "It was pleasant, yes. Though my foot hurts a little."

"Your foot?" Jaune suddenly looked a little worried. "Is it the sprain from Wednesday?"

Weiss felt touched at his concern, but she made sure to laugh it away. "No, not at all. He just stepped on it on accident."

"Oh. Oooh, okay." His relief was almost palpable. "Well, we've all done that at one time or another."

"Even professionals make errors," she agreed. "You, on the other hand, do a lovely waltz."

He adopted an over-the-top, posh tone. "Why thank you, madam, and the same goes to you."

"Oh, quit it with the voice."

They shared a smile, but right then she felt a tap on her shoulder. Pyrrha was holding a hand towards Jaune, with a smile of her own that didn't quite reach her eyes. Was her face a little red? "May I cut in?"

"Certainly." Weiss let go and allowed the partners to rejoin. She was about to bid Jaune a vocal farewell, but Pyrrha gently pushed him into the crowd. Perhaps she was feeling a bit jealous, an emotion that Weiss certainly had not meant to cause in the athlete.

Deciding that she should vacate the floor, Weiss fetched herself a cup of punch before returning to the group table. Yang was sitting there alone, and when she noticed the approached Schnee raised two fingers in a lazy hello. "How's it hanging, Weiss?"

"It could certainly be worse. And yourself?"

"All's good on my end, thanks."

"Good." Weiss sat down after that, the air between the two stiff and uncomfortable. After several moments without a sound, a thought occured to Weiss and she turned to her companion. "Yang, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Boy, doesn't that sound familiar?"

Weiss ignored the dry bite and pressed on. "I cannot continue to impose on the Arc family's goodwill without thinking about what I should do with my life. Tomorrow, would you be willing to drive me to my estate? I believe that it's time to confront my father."

Yang lightly tapped the table as she thought about it. "I could do that. Will you need a ride back?"

"I can't rule out the possibility."

"...Alright, I'll do it if you agree to one thing."

"And that would be?"

Yang looked her square in the eyes. "Stop hiding the truth."

Weiss nodded. "That will also happen tomorrow, regardless of what occurs with my father. The status quo... cannot remain as it is."

Yang stuck a hand out. "It's a deal, then. Know that I will hold you to this."

"I know you will. Thank you." She shook the offered hand firmly. Once the pact was sealed, she grabbed her punch and took a drink of it-

-and almost immediately spit it back out. Only years of etiquette training stopped her from doing so, and as the liquid slid down her esophagus she began to massage her throat. "Wh-Why did that burn going down!? It wasn't like that before!"

"What?" Yang snapped to attention and took a deep sniff of what was left in what Weiss presumed was her own cup. "Somebody spiked the punch, and holy crap does it smell strong! Shouldn't the teachers have stopped this!?"

Weiss glanced around the room, trying to recall everything she'd observed during her earlier boredom. "I recall Professor Goodwitch standing by the punch bowl when we arrived, but something must've pulled her away."

"And somebody took that as an opportunity. Wait-" Yang began frantically searching the crowd. "Pyrrha drank a whole bunch of it! Shit, where is she!?"

Weiss felt the color drain from her face as her mind began to race. "Yang, go find Pyrrha and Jaune while I warn the teachers!"

X

I would like to forego all of my usual lines and say that if you're thinking of spiking a friend or a group of friends with alcohol for laughs:

Don't.