Chapter XI: Home
The sweet song of the few birds that were yet to migrate to Vacuo echoed amongst the foliage as the girls strolled under the canopy of red, brown and gold. They were in the picturesque forest on the outskirts of the town of Patch, venturing deeper into the autumn woods as they walked down the well-beaten track littered with fallen leaves. They didn't talk much walking onwards, captivated by the serene beauty that had them surrounded; instead, they simply listened, to nature and to their own thoughts, still trying to wrap their minds around the idea of finally returning home.
Ruby marched by her partner's side, bright-eyed, looking around the familiar landscape of her childhood with an expression of pure, innocent happiness gracing her features. Weiss found herself smiling wistfully at that sight, reminded of that carefree, spirited girl she had gotten to know at Beacon nigh three years prior. It was a distant echo of the long gone, happier times, something that caused Weiss to realize just how badly she had missed that look on her friend's face — that bright, contagious energy not stifled by worries and the weight of the whole world. Now, with the immediate danger gone and no need for them to fear the impending doom, Weiss hoped that they'd all finally find their peace, and that one day Ruby's smiles would once again be free of the taint of long years of anxieties and trauma.
'Let's just rest for now. Let's take our time. After all, they say that enough time can mend great many things.' As Weiss thought that to herself, Ruby's wandering gaze ended up turning towards her. Curious, the girl simply raised one of her eyebrows with amiable interest, silently asking Weiss what was on her mind.
A playful eye roll was the only response Ruby was given before Weiss sheepishly broke their eye contact, somewhat embarrassed to be caught staring; nonetheless, the gentle smile that had been gracing her lips for the past while did not disappear. 'And as it happens, we have all the time in the world.'
Eventually, more and more sunlight began reaching them from between the trees to their left, heralding the presence of a nearby glade. With each step that carried them towards the edge of the woods, the distant, dull sound of rhythmical hammering they had been hearing for the past while grew louder and louder, echoing in the forest. After a while, they all began catching glimpses of a building on the other side of the thicket, and pretty soon, once their path had taken one last turn, the familiar, welcoming sight of the Xiao Long-Rose residence came into full view, along with the entirety of its scenic grounds.
As it turned out, mister Xiao Long himself had been the source of the noise that had been accompanying the group on their way through the woods; armed with a small hammer and — presumably — a set of nails, Taiyang was crouched atop the roof over the porch that ran along the left side of the building, apparently occupied with some repairs. After every few strikes, he would pause his work to reach for one of the nails he held between his lips, then get back to hammering, completely unaware that the guests had already arrived.
Yang slowed her step a notch, then raised both of her hands to her mouth and shouted through the makeshift megaphone. "Yo, dad!"
The hammer, already primed for another strike, froze in place at the sound of Yang's voice, temporarily forgotten as Taiyang's head snapped around to look at the visitors. Seeing both his daughters waving at him in the distance, he waved back, promptly laying his tools aside and tearing his working gloves off his hands. He casually jumped off the porch and headed in the girl's direction to meet them halfway, his face cracked into a wide grin.
While both Ruby and Yang picked up their pace, their respective partners lagged a few steps behind, silently watching as the sisters practically threw themselves into their father's arms, their shared momentum pushing Tai a step back and nearly knocking him to the ground… which might or might not have been the girls' intention all along.
Taiyang, laughing, stood his ground quite admirably, managing to stay upright with both of his daughters hanging off his neck, their feet dangling in the air. The three of them remained like that for a while, before Taiyang eventually set the girls back on the ground and pulled away, looking at his children with a toothy smile.
"Welcome back, girls."
That simple phrase seemed to have struck a chord within Ruby, sending a shiver down her spine; combined with the sight of the house towering over her, it was as if someone had pinched her — yet another reminder that all of it was indeed real, even if she still struggled to believe she'd made it home. With her eyes fixed on the building, she stayed silent for a while, traces of a relieved — if a bit tired — smile present on her lips.
"Yeah," she aired quietly.
Her reaction having not gone unnoticed, Tai squeezed Ruby's shoulder before turning to address the guests. "So, Weiss, Blake..." he started, grinning in his usual, easygoing manner as he looked at the two, "I hope you'll feel right at home."
"I'm fairly sure we will. Thank you for having us," Weiss replied. Then, together with Blake, she directed a small bow at Taiyang, who simply chuckled and waved dismissively, signaling that there was nothing to thank him for.
"So, what's up with the porch?" Yang questioned, gesturing with her head towards the aforementioned part of the house.
Tai followed his daughter's gaze. "Oh. Seems that while we've been fighting in Vale, some a-hole Grimm decided to walk over our house instead of going around. Some roof tiles have been damaged, some loosened... nothing major, but it appears that the roof has been leaking here and there when it rained a few days back. Figured I'd take care of that before it becomes an issue."
Yang nodded in understanding, or perhaps acknowledgment; although her eyes were still directed at the porch, her stare seemed distant and distracted, as if her thoughts had already begun drifting away from the matter at hand. "Probably a good idea, but... could that wait till Blake and I are gone? We wanna get some rest before leaving."
Taiyang looked his daughter up and down, pausing for a bit on the dark circles around her slightly bloodshot eyes and her unusually slumped shoulders. "A long night, huh? Sure, nap away — the roof can wait for a bit." Then, his lips curled into a smirk. "And we wouldn't want you falling face-first into your plate during the first dinner with Blake's parents, now, would we? You already have your work cut out for you, trying not to embarrass yourself."
Yang let out a short, breathy laugh, slapping her old man on the shoulder. "Jerk. Thanks, though." She turned to her snickering comrades, shooting them a half-hearted glare before gesturing towards the front entrance. "Come."
The moment Yang pushed the door open, she also unleashed upon the world the embodiment of chaos that had been lurking beyond; freed, the happily barking creature assaulted its liberator, bouncing up and down on its rear legs as it asked for the attention it deserved.
Yang scratched the pooch behind his ear, chuckling softly. "Hi there, Zwei. We're back."
Once Yang had finally ceased her ministrations, Zwei's beady eyes set on Weiss, marking her as the next target. Clearly delighted to see her favorite mangy mutt in the whole of Remnant heading her way, Weiss brought one of her knees to the ground, eagerly welcoming the dog in her arms.
"If it isn't my favorite, most adorable little... ow!" Weiss yelped when Zwei briefly licked her cheek, only to giggle to herself a moment later. "You...!" she started, failing miserably in her endeavor to appear angry.
"Aww. Seems he's missed you," Ruby spoke, bending down beside Weiss, then laughed softly when her words were met with an affirmative bark on Zwei's part. "See? Told you."
Once Ruby's hand stopped scratching the underside of the dog's jaw, Zwei flopped onto his back, his bobbed tail starting to wag happily as Weiss — not wanting to miss out on an opportunity — proceeded to rub the pooch's belly.
"I really can't comprehend how you can possibly look at him and not think that he's completely, utterly adorable, Blake," she mused out loud, all the while giving Zwei her full attention. A little while later, prompted by the appearance of the short, repeating snorts of poorly suppressed laughter coming from both Ruby and Yang, Weiss pried her eyes away from the corgi, curious as to what her teammates had found so funny. It became quite clear the moment she looked up, as Blake — who had been standing right beside Yang but a moment ago, next to the door — was nowhere to be seen, apparently having taken advantage of the distraction to inconspicuously slip inside the building.
"Blake, Blake..." Weiss hummed, hopelessly shaking her head.
"She really hasn't gotten any better with dogs since the last visit, has she?" Tai asked, clearly quite entertained, neither directing his query at someone in particular nor expecting an answer.
Though rhetorical enough, his question still got a short, cheerful 'nope' for a reply, courtesy of Yang. Fixing the straps of the duffel bag she was carrying over her shoulder, Yang took a cue from her partner and crossed the doorstep.
Ruby watched her sister disappear inside the house, her gaze still lingering on the doorway for a few moments after she'd lost Yang from her sight. The curve of her lips formed a tiny little smirk. "Eh, I'd say she's getting there. You should've seen her back when we had Zwei staying with us at Beacon."
That remark seemed to have piqued Taiyang's interest. "Was it that bad?"
Ruby grinned. "No; it was hilarious. Maybe we'll tell you about it later." Somewhat amused by Taiyang's bummed expression, she turned to Weiss. "Come, let's get our things upstairs."
Having given the dog one last rub, Weiss stood up and followed Ruby inside, with Zwei trotting happily right behind her. "Lead the way."
Sunlight was seeping in through the eastward windows as Weiss entered the familiar, spacious living room, the soft notes of a song playing on the radio bleeding inside through the half-closed door that led to the kitchen. Taking in her surroundings, she mimicked Ruby's steps and circled the couch, then followed her up the stairs; halfway up, when they were about to take the turn, they caught a glimpse of a black mane a moment before the entrance to the bathroom was closed shut.
Once they reached the upper floor, Ruby took the right corner and walked down a rather short corridor, then opened the door to her left and marched inside, casually throwing her backpack onto her bed as she went in. Ignoring the thump said backpack made upon tumbling off the mattress and onto the floor, Ruby turned to face Weiss, drawing her in with a bright smile.
"Make yourself at home, Weiss."
Their sleeping arrangements were something they had settled on completely unanimously a few days prior, deciding on the same setup they used during their latest stay, back when the team had been staying at Ruby and Yang's for the week that had preceded the reclamation of Beacon. Weiss and Ruby would live in the room the Dolt had used to share with her sister, while Yang and Blake, more than happy to sleep in the same bed, were going to stay in the guest room.
Slipping the straps of her own backpack off her shoulders, Weiss took a look around. Just about everything she saw was exactly the same as she and Ruby had left it when their team had gone to join the battle of Beacon Tower — the same beds, the same curtains, the same books and Grimm figurines filling up the same shelves... or at least so she thought, until she noticed that the once-yellow pillowcases decorating Yang's old bed were now of pale blue — Weiss' favorite color — with a matching throw blanket to accompany them. A soft smile bloomed on her lips at that sight, while a warm, fuzzy feeling swelled in her chest.
Her eyes flicked towards Ruby — the likely orchestrator of that change — who was sitting on the other bed; although she seemed to be focused on undoing the clasps fastening her combat boots, Weiss could have sworn that she'd seen Ruby look away the moment she had turned her gaze in the girl's direction. There were also other signs, the little things that most would've likely missed, like that faint, pleased twinkly in those silver eyes that seemed to be purposefully avoiding Weiss', or the slightly deeper shadow hiding in the left corner of Ruby's mouth.
While the covers themselves must've been changed by Taiyang, it must've been Ruby who had been behind the idea, wanting Weiss to feel welcomed — to that end, the Dolt had certainly succeeded.
Leaving her backpack by the footboard of her bed, Weiss sat on the edge of the mattress and took a moment to contemplate her surroundings. During her previous stay, Ruby had apologized for her room not being 'anything special', but Weiss had actually liked it there — she still did, in fact. While Ruby's bedroom could not possibly compete with the one Weiss had back at the Schnee Manor in terms of fancy furniture and general grandeur, it had something that the Manor, despite being an architectural marvel, sorely lacked: a soul. The deafening silence was not permeating the air within, nor did that room invoke the feelings of being overwhelmed, trapped or lonely; instead, that place was the exact opposite — bright, warm and inviting, just like the rest of the house... and the people who lived therein.
With both of her feet freed from the restraint of her boots, Ruby flopped onto her mattress, letting out a rather peculiar sound that placed somewhere between a groan and a contented sigh. She remained like that for a while, lying across her bed and staring at the sloped ceiling she knew so well, not saying a word and letting the comfortable silence to briefly take hold of the room. After about half a minute, Zwei hopped onto the bed and wobbled to her side, watching her for a bit before he nudged her cheek with his snout.
Ruby giggled under her breath. "Yeah, you're right. I better get up before I get too comfortable."
She stretched and reached behind herself, her hand searching blindly for something off the side of the bed; after a brief moment, she eventually felt out what she was looking for and hauled her knapsack back onto the mattress. She swung her legs up in the air and then back down, using the momentum to sit up. Once upright, she briefly ruffled Zwei's fur, then went on to rummage through the contents of her backpack, eventually fishing out a change of clothes.
Seeing that Ruby had already discarded her hoodie and was about halfway through unbuttoning her shirt, Weiss tactfully averted her eyes, focusing her full attention on the screen of her Scroll. It wasn't long before her ears told her that it should be safe to look, and, indeed, a quick glance confirmed that assumption — now dressed in a beige off-the-shoulder tee with loose, elbow-length sleeves and a pair of dark gray sweatpants, Ruby stood by her bed, her back turned to Weiss as she drank from a bottle of water she'd gotten from her backpack.
Once she had her fill, Ruby turned slightly, putting the bottle's cap back on as she looked at Weiss. Raising one of her eyebrows, she asked: "Aren't you gonna change into something more... well, casual?"
Weiss, propping herself on her hands, leaned back on her bed and chuckled softly, tilting her head slightly to the side as playful sparks began to twinkle in her eyes. "I would. But, Ruby, when was the last time you saw me wear anything 'casual'?"
Ruby laughed at that and facepalmed, as if she just remembered who she was talking to. "Probably the last time you borrowed one of my hoodies. Why did I even ask..." she mused out loud, shaking her head. Then, as if having noticed something, she turned her eyes towards the open door to her room and spoke, "'Night, Blake."
As she followed Ruby's stare, Weiss spotted Blake standing in the corridor, her hand wrapped around the handle of the door opposite to Ruby's.
Blake gave the pair a tired, friendly smile. "See you guys later."
"Sleep well," Weiss said, watching Blake turn the doorknob and quietly slip into the spare bedroom.
Shortly after Blake had disappeared behind the closed door, Ruby tossed her water onto the mattress, then strode over to the dresser standing at the foot of Weiss' bed, opening the upper drawer and examining what was inside.
"Alright, I should be able to fix you up with something. Let's see..."
Weiss blinked, needing half a second to process what Ruby was going on about. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came forth; before she could say that there was absolutely no need for Ruby to find her something to wear, the girl had already started perusing the drawer, various articles of clothing passing through her hands as she dutifully searched for something that would suit Weiss.
While she was not exactly opposed to the idea, she didn't want to inconvenience her friend and host any further. 'Then again', she mused, 'Ruby would probably just laugh at me if I ever suggested that I'm being a bother now.'
Recognizing that Ruby seemed to be rather enthusiastic in her endeavors, Weiss sighed in surrender and just smiled fondly, opting to simply let Ruby be Ruby. If her host was fine with it, then so was Weiss.
After all, it was hardly the first time they borrowed each other's clothes, and it wasn't like Weiss disliked casual attire, either — while it was true that she herself owned no such outfits, outside of her nightwear perhaps, it was not a sign of some aversion, but merely a habit borne of the fact that her family's manor was not the most adequate environment for such clothes. More recently, the size of her luggage had also become something she had to factor in, as there were only so many things she could carry with her while her team had been on the move, rarely staying in the same place for long; as such, she had limited her wardrobe the her underwear and a few outfits that were suitable for both travel and combat, yet still somewhat elegant. At the end of the day, she could always count on one of her teammates to readily borrow her something if the need arose — Ruby, usually, with her being the one closest in size.
After a while of flipping through the drawer, Ruby let out a small little 'oh' and picked up something dark-gray in color, letting the bundle unravel into a pullover as she brought it to her eye level for further examination. What expression was painted on the face hidden behind the fabric, Weiss could not tell, but there was a soft, satisfied hum that managed to reach her ears.
"Mind turning over here?" Ruby asked, her head popping out from behind the fluffy curtain of the turtleneck.
Her expression was… oddly hard to read, Weiss realized. She still obliged, of course, and Ruby moved the pullover as to overlay it onto her view of Weiss. Soon, a cute little grin lit up the girl's pleased face, clearly marking the end of her tireless search.
"Yeah... this should work nicely." Ruby's gaze flicked from the pullover to Weiss, and for the briefest of moments Weiss could see how mischief glinted in those silver eyes before Ruby all of a sudden cried out, "Catch!" and unceremoniously thrown the sweater over Weiss' head.
It'd been so rare to see that silly, carefree side of Ruby that Weiss' attempt at catching the thing actually failed. To add insult to injury, as soon as she pulled the turtleneck off her head, she got smacked right in the face by something that turned out to be a pair of ashen leggings. Once both the sweater and the leggings fell into her lap, Weiss briefly fixed the Dolt with a half-hearted glower before just shaking her head and easing her face into an amused smirk.
Ruby's part-confident, part-encouraging smile was too disarming to be angry with her. Not that Weiss felt she had a reason to be angry; in fact, more than anything, having clothes thrown at her got her feeling sentimental. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she had missed that energy.
She briefly examined the contents of her lap. "Thanks." Looking up at Ruby, she tilted her head slightly, a lopsided smile on her lips. "That said, you do know that you didn't have to be this accommodating, right?"
Ruby responded to that with a good-natured eye roll. "Oh, shut it."
She approached her own bed and gathered her discarded clothes up into a heap in her arms, then skipped towards the exit and, grasping the doorknob, glanced at Weiss. "I'll let you get changed. Just call if you need anything." With that, she stepped outside, closing the door as she went.
Weiss' gaze lingered for a moment where her partner had disappeared, before shifting towards the bundle she was holding in her hands. "Well, let's see..." she murmured and stood up, spreading out the clothes on her bed as to take a better look at them. After a brief while of visual examination, Weiss chuckled to herself, taking notice of the wreath of roses and thorns wrapped around the cuffs of the shoulderless turtleneck her friend had given her. She liked it; the embroidery was pleasing to the eye, well crafted, and — perhaps most notably — distinctly, endearingly Ruby. "It's hers alright."
Starting off with her tiara, Weiss began undressing, taking off one piece of her outfit after another until she was dressed in nothing but her underwear. With her clothes out of the way, her eyes unwittingly wandered towards her stomach, a wave of unease washing over her as she stared at the dressing covering the cuts on her abdomen. With her stitches already removed, it wasn't strictly necessary for Weiss to keep the wound dressed, but she wanted to try out the ointment Doctor Grapes had recommended her; the cloth, fixed to her stomach with medical tape, was there just to keep the salve in place and away from her clothing.
Thankfully, she no longer had to use bandages, and thus no longer had to be a bother and ask Ruby for assistance with redressing the injury. With nothing to lose but some Lien — which was to say, nothing at all — Weiss was somewhat optimistic; still, a small part of her mind dreaded the day the time would come for her to finally stop applying the ointment and to just accept whatever she'd find beneath the dressing.
With a heavy sigh, Weiss pried her eyes away from her midriff, then grabbed Ruby's sweater and dove inside. Eventually, after accidentally putting one of her hands through the cut out supposed to show off her shoulder, Weiss managed to navigate the pullover's interior and found her way out, her head popping out on the other side with a soft crackle of static. She pulled her ponytail, freeing it from the clutches of the tightly-fitting collar, then smoothed out the sweater's various creases with a few soft tugs at the hem and sleeves.
She pondered on her initial impressions for a while. With its cuffs sliding down onto her hands, the pullover was admittedly a tiny bit too long — either by design or by Weiss' virtue being on the short side — but not to the point of it being an issue; it was fluffy and somewhat snug, but not unpleasantly so, being generally quite comfortable to wear and move around in, not giving Weiss any good reason to complain about her partner's choice.
She brought her hands to her face and sniffed the material of the cuffs, smiling unwittingly when she sensed the same, familiar scent she thought she had smelled while putting the sweater on — roses.
She had always liked it, that sweet yet subtle fragrance of those gorgeous white flowers that bloomed in Schnee Manor, breathing some life into that magnificent but otherwise unwelcoming mansion. They had been poor things, those flowers — nothing more than an asset to her father, to whom beauty had held no value other than the ways in which he could use it; they had been there not to reach their full potential, but to be perfect, to please visitors' eyes and to show off her family's wealth, or maybe to be handed as a gift to win somebody over. The bushes would have been trimmed and molded to suit Jacques' needs, and unruly branches had been to be culled and gotten rid off. Weiss had pitied those flowers, much in the same way she had pitied her own self... and yet, she had found some solace in the notion that even though the roses had grown in that cold, loveless environment and were covered with thorns, there still had been true beauty and strength to be found in them for those who cared to look.
As the water in the river of time had flown downstream, the smell of roses had slowly changed its meaning to Weiss, just as Weiss herself had changed; it had expanded and gained nuance, becoming dearer to her than ever before. It had given her headaches, but also filled her days with laughter and camaraderie she'd never known before, ushering her life into a new age. Then, after the world had gone mad and Weiss' life once again slipped into the cold darkness, that same scent had kept reminding her of all those things she'd experienced with her friends, giving her the strength to push back against despair and to break free.
It was the smell of a warm embrace, of a safe haven for the weary, of a place where she was accepted and prized for who she really was, not for her name nor influence — the smell of home. Her team, with Ruby Rose at its heart, was where she belonged; no matter where they'd gone or how uncertain the tomorrow had been, there was no other place any of the girls would rather be — in each other's care was their quiet shelter, where all their tears would get dried.
With a delicate smile still lingering on her lips, Weiss finished dressing up and made her way to the mirror, her feet, clad in a pair of fresh ankle socks she'd taken from her backpack, sliding slightly on the smooth, wooden floor.
Faced with her reflection, she silently appraised the other Weiss, taking in the sight of the rather uncharacteristic for her outfit; oddly enough, though she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit out of her element, the clothes Ruby had provided her with seemed to actually suit Weiss fairly well — comfortable yet still somewhat stylish, perfect for cozying oneself up in front of a fireplace on chilly, autumn nights. She could easily envision herself doing just that — spending the evening by the fireside, with pleasant company and a cup of good coffee warming her hands.
Judging herself presentable, Weiss stepped away from the mirror and approached the entrance to the room, about to let Ruby in. As her fingers touched the doorknob, she hesitated for a heartbeat, but then quickly recovered and pushed the door open.
Ruby had been waiting right outside, leaning her back against the wall and browsing the web on her Scroll; the moment the girl laid her eyes on Weiss, a wide grin bloomed on her face. Just as Weiss retreated back into the room, Ruby walked inside, giving her partner a good, long look, secretly enjoying how the usually composed heiress fidgeted under her careful scrutiny. She circled Weiss like a wolf would its prey, wordlessly checking her out from all sides while Weiss awaited the verdict, trying to stand still, with her right hand inadvertently gripping her other arm.
When Ruby stepped behind her, disappearing from her peripheral vision, Weiss managed to find her own voice. "So, um... how do I look?"
A soft hum of amusement reached her ears. "Unusual, that's for sure... but definitely not in a bad way," Ruby assured, seemingly truthful, coming to a halt in front of Weiss after having turned the full circle. She cocked her head to the side and looked at her partner for a second, before adding: "I can think of one improvement, however."
"What is it?" Weiss asked, arching her eyebrow.
Ruby smiled slyly. "I believe it'll be easier to go with the 'show, don't tell' rule. May I?"
Having gotten a wary permission in the form of a single nod, the girl grinned and once again disappeared behind Weiss. Moments later, Weiss felt nimble fingers tug gingerly at the base of her bun tail, carefully undoing the knot keeping the whole thing together; it soon gave way to Ruby's gentle touch, letting Weiss' alabaster mane flow freely down Weiss' back. With that deed done, Ruby grabbed Weiss by her arms and turned her towards the mirror, peeking over Weiss' shoulder at the reflection.
"Yup, perfect," she assessed, visibly satisfied with the outcome. "What do you think?"
There was a pang of unease as Weiss looked at herself in the mirror; without her asymmetrical ponytail drawing the attention away from the scar across her left eye, she felt… exposed, for lack of a better term. Her hand moved up as on instinct, only to freeze the moment Weiss saw the expression of regret slowly settling on Ruby's face. Internally cursing her insecurity, Weiss fought off the urge to touch her marred cheek; she was amongst her friends — no, her family — and needed not to hide anything. With that thought in her mind, she relaxed a bit, trying to see the whole picture painted by the mirror, rather than focusing on a single imperfection.
"It certainly is different, no arguments there," she said eventually.
She was so accustomed to her usual hairstyle, hardly ever leaving her mane unchecked outside of bedtime, that seeing herself with her hair down felt actually kind of weird. Not that she looked bad, just… foreignly informal.
Surprisingly enough, a soft smile soon returned to her face. "Maybe I could even get used to that."
Ruby, who seemed to have sensed Weiss' earlier disquiet — and possibly even knew its reason — eased up a bit after those words. She mustered a smirk, though the shadow of concern did not leave her eyes completely.
"I'd say that this style really works out for you. You look kinda cute." A happy little bark resounded in the room, backing up the girl's statement and causing Ruby to let out a short giggle. "Even Zwei agrees."
There was honesty to Ruby's voice that caused some healthy rosiness to appear on Weiss' cheeks in response to the praise. "Thanks," she replied quietly, glancing to the side, away from the pair of silver eyes looking at her from the mirror. After a while, she cast her gaze down and gripped the hem of the sweater, stretching the material a bit.
"I probably get some casual outfits for myself, shouldn't I."
Ruby let go of Weiss' shoulders and stepped to the side, plopping down on her bed. "My wardrobe is at your disposal. That being said... yeah, it'd probably be for the best if you did just that. And, seeing that I grew up a bit these past two years, I suppose I could also look for something new for myself, too."
That reminded Weiss of a somewhat important matter. "Hey, would I be wrong to assume that you don't have any formalwear at the moment?" she asked, her head swiveling to face her partner.
Ruby looked at her quizzically, but answered nonetheless. "Well, my prom dress should be somewhere in the house, but it might be a bit, uh..."
While Ruby was searching for the right words, a slightly mischievous smirk manifested on Weiss' face. She let out a thoughtful hum as her gaze roved up and down Ruby's attractive body, hovering for a while over the girl's bust and hips. "Tight in places?"
Prompted by Weiss' suggestive stare, Ruby glanced down at her chest. "'Too small' would be what I was going for, but, yeah, I suppose that also works," Ruby deadpanned, then looked up at Weiss. Although she was able to maintain the eye contact, her cheeks were the indicator that Weiss' attempt at getting Ruby flustered hadn't been entirely unsuccessful. "Why do you ask?"
"If we really are going to accept my mother's invitation for New Year's Eve, then you're going to need a proper dress," Weiss reminded, causing Ruby to flop onto her bed with a groan. Not at all surprised that her words were met with such a lukewarm reaction, she carried on. "Seeing that we'll be going shopping for clothes either way, we could also take care of our dresses for the ball."
Ruby sighed, lying flat on the mattress and staring at the ceiling. "I suppose... But don't even think about talking me into wearing stilts again. I still remember the prom," she spoke, shooting Weiss — who was struggling to keep her amusement off her face — an accusatory glance. "Seriously, how come you can fight in those things?"
"Practice," Weiss replied honestly. Fighting in high heels had long since become a total nonissue to her, and although the long marches of the past two years had taught her to appreciate comfy, flat soles, she still preferred to wear heels unless faced with difficult terrain. "You'll come around eventually. You just need to get used to them. Think of it this way: it'll be easier the next time you wear them."
Ruby propped herself on her elbow, threatening Weiss with a finger. "Stop right there, miss. I'm not falling for that reasoning."
Weiss laughed, lifting both of her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, I'll stop. For now," she stated, grinning in response to her friend's glare. She wasn't actually trying to convince Ruby, merely messing with the girl — while it didn't bother her to be the shorter one by about half an inch in spite of high heels, she didn't necessarily want to further pronounce that height difference, either. "So, when would you like to go shopping?"
Ruby scratched the back of her head. "Tomorrow? I mean, in theory it's still fairly early, so we could go even now, but... well, I don't know about you, but I'm kinda beat after the last night."
"Yes, I don't feel like going anywhere today, either," Weiss conceded. "Honestly, I'd love nothing more than a long, nice shower followed by no less than ten hours spent in an actual bed. Then again, seeing that it's not even midday, it'd probably be wiser to find something to occupy myself with until the evening comes…"
"Well then, if that's the case..." Ruby started, getting up from her bed, "what would you say to chilling on the couch and watching movies for the rest of the day? We have some serious catching up to do."
"Why not?" Weiss easily agreed, finding the prospect somewhat enticing. She strode towards the door, glancing at Ruby while crossing the threshold. "Before we begin, though — coffee. I'm in a dire need of caffeine if I am to last until the evening."
"Oh yes. You're not the only one," Ruby mumbled, lazily stretching her back as she followed Weiss out of the room. Realizing that the two were leaving, Zwei promptly hopped off the bed, skidding a bit on the floor as he took off after the girls.
Blake quietly slipped inside the spare bedroom, finding Yang already waiting for her in the bed. With her mane scattered haphazardly all over the pillow, Yang was lying on her back, with one of her arms tucked under her head and the other — the prosthetic one — lying atop the blanket as she stared at the ceiling. Her previous outfit, now hanging off the backrest of a nearby chair, was traded for an orange tank top and, presumably, a pair of shorts hidden under the bedsheet. The moment she noticed Blake's arrival, she smiled at her.
"When are you gonna stop avoiding my dog?"
"I just needed to go to the bathroom," Blake retorted, hiding behind a half-truth.
Yang laughed softly, seemingly not at all convinced. "Alright."
Blake approached the bag with her belongings, which she had left in the bedroom before heading to the toilet, then, pulling out her nightwear, she proceeded to undress. Under different circumstances, she might've entertained the idea of putting on a bit of a show for Yang, but right at that moment, as tired as both of them were after spending the whole night with Coco, she simply wanted to get under the blanket as soon as possible and cuddle with her girlfriend into oblivion. Once she had slipped into her a-size-too-big black t-shirt and a pair of black shorts, she neatly folded her clothes and placed them inside her bag. Ready for bed, she shifted her attention to Yang, only then realizing that Yang had returned to staring a hole through the ceiling, lying silently with a somewhat pensive expression painted on her face.
"What's with that look? Is something wrong?" Blake asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at Yang with a concerned frown.
"Nah. It's just... weird, y'know, being back here. Lying in this bed, in this room, with my biggest worry being surviving a whole week with my girlfriend's parents," Yang said, smiling wryly towards the end, her final remark getting a short giggle out of Blake. After a brief pause, her smile dissipated, and she continued. "Back at Beacon, with all those Huntsmen still running around, clearing out the city... I guess it just didn't sink in that the war is over. But now... now I'm back home, and the realization just blows my mind. It almost feels as if the last two years were just some long, bad dream..." She lifted her prosthetic arm off her stomach and looked at it with a hint of wistfulness in her eyes, unawares of the pang of guilt Blake felt in her heart. "But I know they were not. And it makes me worried. Worried that it's now that we are falling asleep, dreaming and forgetting what the world is really like... and that the next time we wake up, it'll be just as ugly as it was during the Tournament."
Blake listened intently to every word; once Yang had finished, she remained silent for another while, considering her response before speaking. "I understand why you are worried... and, to be honest, you're not alone. But Ruby was right — we shouldn't let fear and paranoia to control us." Noticing the part-amused, part-incredulous look she was being given, Blake let out a soft laugh. "And yes, I do know that's rich coming from me of all people," she admitted, "but the point still stands. I'm not saying that we should just forget everything that has happened, or that there's no need for us to stay vigilant; I'm just saying that we should feel free to enjoy the peace we've fought so hard for, without spending every waking hour worrying about a conflict that might not even happen in the upcoming century. Just as it's our duty to protect Remnant, it's also our duty to make it a better, happier place — that appears to be the only way we can delay Salem's return. And how are we supposed to spread hope, if there's no hope left in us?"
Yang stayed silent under Blake's gaze, seemingly having no answer to the posed question. Blake let that silence linger for a while, then, fairly certain that Yang was not going to speak up, she carried on.
"As for whether we are just dreaming right now or not... I don't know, Yang. I mean..." She paused and leaned in, then, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her human ear, kissed Yang sweetly and softly.
What the kiss might have lacked in passion, it made up in the intensity of the feelings poured into it — though brief and featherlight, it filled Yang's chest with warmth and breathed true happiness into her being, putting her mind at ease and making the future look a bit less scary. Blake remained close even after their lips did eventually part; with her face mere inches away from her girlfriend's, she gazed lovingly into Yang's lilac eyes, stroking her cheek with her thumb.
"That sure felt pretty real to me," she spoke with a smile, her voice dropping to a whisper. "But even if it is a dream... then what? We've got some time — let's just dream, of all the good things that might be. We'll worry about punching our problems in the face when they show up."
A gust of warm air tickled Blake's face when Yang let out a sigh. "Alright," Yang murmured. Then, a tiny smirk snuck onto her face. "Though I gotta admit, I don't quite follow how punching your parents is gonna help me."
Blake snorted with laughter. "Hush, smartass. Let's just go to sleep."
As Blake slipped under the blanket, Yang drew the curtain by the window, drowning the room in pleasant dusk. The two laid down beside one another, locked in an embrace; with their legs entwined and eyes closed, they stayed in each other's arms, waiting quietly for sleep to overcome them and bring dreams of a better tomorrow.
Hours passed and, eventually, the morning gave way to afternoon. Ruby was in the kitchen, chatting with Weiss while making food for the other two members of the team, who were supposed to wake up around that time. Just as she was buttering one of the last few slices of bread, a very drowsy Blake strolled into the kitchen, still dressed in an oversized t-shirt and a pair of shorts.
"Hi guys," Blake greeted the girls groggily, then stifled a yawn so mighty that it made her tear up. When she reopened her clenched eyelids, she was met with the sight of a silver-eyed angel offering her gifts of food, held out for her to take. "Is that for me?" Blake asked, her gaze zeroing in on the plate topped with a bunch of very appetizing sandwiches that made her realize just how hungry she had been.
"That'd be why I'm holding it out in front of you, yes," the angel replied, somewhat amused. "I'd have whipped up something more filling, but I've figured you're probably gonna eat with your parents."
Blake accepted the plate with a smile of gratitude. "Aww, thanks. You're sweet."
"Don't mention it. Where's Yang?" Ruby questioned, resuming her preparation of the other serving.
"Upstairs, showering," was Blake's short answer. Placing her platter on the countertop, she started munching on her first sandwich.
Weiss, who had just finished making tea, looked at Blake with a smirk on her face. "And freaking out about going to your parents while she's at it?" she quipped, timing it perfectly with Blake taking another bite.
Blake laughed, almost choking on her food; she brought her free hand up, holding it a few inches below her chin in fear of something falling off her sandwich. Her whole frame shaking with mirth, she chewed cautiously, opting to wait for her fits of laughter to come to pass before she swallowed.
"Quite possibly," she admitted eventually, wiping the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. "I don't get her. It's not like you guys have never met them. Hell, they like her. They just want to get to know her a bit better."
"Well, I suppose it just means that she cares what your family thinks of her," Weiss mused out loud, approaching Blake and handing the girl a cup of tea.
"Yeah, I suppose so. Thanks for the tea, Weiss."
Another ten or so minutes passed amidst the casual chatter by the time Yang had shown up, walking into the kitchen with her hair wrapped in a towel. Though visibly tense, she managed to eventually ease up a bit, calmed down by the pleasant buzz of a friendly conversation following its natural course. They did not focus on a single subject, the topic of their chat constantly shifting and changing, jumping from one mundane thing to another, like their individual plans for the week, movie Ruby and Weiss had just watched, and so forth.
When the girls finished their lunch, Blake headed to take a shower, while Yang left Ruby and Weiss to their own devices and headed back up in order to pack for the week. With each pair tending to their own business, the team did not reassemble until some time later, when they gathered in front of the house to say their goodbyes before Blake and Yang would leave for Vale.
"So, about my birthday..." Blake spoke up, figuring that it was high time she brought up the topic. "Should I mention to my parents that we'll be having two guests coming over?"
Ruby and Weiss exchanged meaningful glances, neither answering outright. "Actually..." Ruby started, "you see, we've been thinking. Would your folks mind if we just, uh, borrowed you for a few hours? We could go to a café and treat ourselves to something nice, or maybe hang out in Vale, just the four of us... what do you think?"
Going by her expression, Blake seemed to like the idea quite a bit. "I'd like that. And don't worry about mom and dad, they'll be fine."
Blake's question had reminded Weiss that she, too, had something she ought to mention.
"Speaking of guests and parents... You see, my mother has invited our team to a New Year's Eve ball held at Schnee manor," she declared, if not without some reluctance.
One cursory glance was enough to tell that the news caught both Yang and Blake completely off guard — clearly baffled, they looked at one another, as if searching each other's faces for a proof that their ears had not deceived them. Finding said proof quite easily, they both dedicated Weiss their full, undivided attention.
"I can't say I'm too enthusiastic about the prospect, but a certain someone," she spoke, shooting Ruby a rather accusatory glance, "has told me that if my mother is actively trying to rebuild some old bridges, then she may deserve being given a chance. So I'm considering taking up on the offer, as long as the three of you would be willing to accompany me."
Yang and Blake looked at each other once again, then back at Weiss. Yang was the first one to speak, though she still did appear to be quite stunned. "Hell yes?"
"Are you sure?" Weiss questioned, quirking her eyebrow. "It's going to be far more formal and 'fancy' than our prom back at Beacon."
Yang rolled her eyes in mild exasperation. "Well, duh. That much was obvious."
Blake, too, appeared undeterred. "Look, Weiss, if you really don't want to go, then just don't. But if you do go, then we've got your back."
"What she said," Yang reaffirmed, pointing at Blake with a small jerk of her head. She grinned. "Worst case scenario, if the party blows, you'll have three kick-ass Huntresses happy to bail you out."
Weiss sighed, but smiled nonetheless, genuinely glad to have friends who would stand by her side — even at a stuffy party. "Well then, I guess that settles it." With that, she opened her arms and stepped closer to Blake, hugging her friend goodbye.
In the meantime, Ruby did the same with her sister. "Have fun, sis."
Yang laughed nervously. "Yeah, sure. Try not to blow up the house, wouldya?" She pulled away and — taking on a surprisingly serious expression — stared her sibling straight in the eye, one of her fingers hanging threateningly just a few inches away from Ruby's face. "And don't even think of touching Bumblebee while I'm not around. I'll know."
Tai, who had been silently standing nearby the whole time, joined in on the ongoing hug exchange. After all the squeezes had been given, Zwei was the last one to approach the departing couple; much to Blake's dismay, the pup did not move an inch after being petted by Yang, just sitting on the ground and staring at Blake intently, as if waiting for her to move. With her cat ears lying flat atop her head, Blake looked at her friends haplessly, hoping to be saved, but it quickly became clear to her that it was a battle she would have to wage alone. Mustering her willpower, she met Zwei's beady eyes and the two simply stared at one another for a while, until eventually Blake drew a deep breath and slowly — ever so slowly — moved her hand, bringing it inch by inch closer to the dog's head… only to recoil in surprise when Zwei took a playful nibble at her finger.
Once her initial scare came to pass, Blake, with her pride being the only thing that had been wounded, shot the mutt an indignant glare. Zwei didn't seem too concerned, just looking back at her, his tongue sticking out of his mouth and his stubby tail wagging merrily. All it took for Blake's heated stare to falter was a single happy bark, which shattered her composure and caused her to burst into giggles; eager for vengeance, she poked and prodded with her fingers all over the pooch's body, with Zwei clearly enjoying every single moment of the assault.
The laughter eventually died down among the group; after exchanging the last few words and waving each other goodbye, the team split up for the week, with Ruby and Weiss watching their teammates leave until long after they'd lost the girls from their sight.
Bright flames danced happily in the fireplace, casting flickering shadows onto the walls of the dimly lit living room. While the world outside the window drowned in the darkness of the night, Ruby and Weiss lingered in that pleasant, warm twilight, where the blaze of the hearth and the soft glow of a turned on holo-TV were the only sources of light. Having left the whole couch for Weiss to lie down, Ruby had built herself a cozy nest of pillows on the floor, where she would sit with her back against the sofa as they continued their movie marathon.
As hours passed, the girls talked less and less, growing progressively more weary, until eventually the quiet crackle of flames and the sounds coming from the speakers became the only things that disrupted the comfortable, sleepy silence that had taken hold of the place.
At some point, the credits inevitably rolled for one more time and the soft notes of the theme song swept across the room, dissolving amongst the shadows. Ruby simply listened to that tune for a good while before eventually deciding to speak up.
"It's kinda surreal, isn't it?" she asked, only to cringe at the sound of her hoarse voice. Hoping it'd help at least a little bit, she cleared her throat before carrying on. "The two of us, just sitting in my living room and idly watching TV, not needing to worry what tomorrow might bring… less than a month ago I'd have problems believing that a moment like this would ever come again."
She turned her head to look at Weiss, then let out a soft chuckle when she discovered that the girl was sound asleep, having fallen victim to the combined forces of a decently comfy couch and the warmth of the nearby fire.
"But I'm really glad it did," Ruby whispered to no one in particular, knowing full well that no one would hear her.
She considered waking Weiss up, then — not having the heart to interrupt her partner's nap — briefly entertained the idea of just carrying Weiss upstairs, before coming to the conclusion that it'd be most unwise; in the end, she opted to just let the girl rest for a while longer.
Weiss looked absolutely adorable sleeping like that, nuzzling into the crook of her own elbow, dressed up all casually in a fluffy turtleneck and with her white hair set loose. Zwei napped contently by her side, with Weiss' hand buried in his fur, which led Ruby to believe that the girl had dozed off while petting the pup. There was a slight coloration to Weiss' cheeks, though whether it was a trick of the light or simply a blush caused by the heat emanating from the fireplace, Ruby could not tell. Whatever the case might've been, it was nice to see Weiss like that — peaceful, healthy and relaxed, breathing steadily in her sleep instead of fighting for her life in a hospital bed.
The sight filled Ruby with a sense of joy and immense relief that was difficult to explain, making all the hardships of yesterday seem pale and distant. Wanting to savor the moment, she just let her eyes roam freely over Weiss' serene face, the thought that her behavior could be considered weird or inappropriate never registering in her sleep-addled mind.
There was so much that she owed to that sleeping girl; even if Ruby had been completely awake, she would've likely still had problems expressing just how grateful she was to Weiss.
Ever since they'd set their differences aside, Weiss had been bringing out the best in Ruby; more than that, she'd become her catalyst, one of the main reasons that made Ruby strive to become better — be it as a team leader, partner, Huntress, or simply a person. Weiss was driven; sometimes demanding, of herself most of all, but also fair in her critique, and appreciative of the effort. It was that harsh but earnest spirit of hers that made Ruby wish to be able to match her step; to make her proud.
And so she had tried, and had her efforts responded to in kind. She'd gained someone who offered her advice, aid and praise, but who would also call her out on her shit and ground her whenever the need arose — someone she could trust, and who put their trust in her in turn. It had been scary, but also freeing; empowering.
Whenever doubts had come crushing upon her, Ruby would turn around and see that Weiss was there for her, believing in her; as long as Weiss followed her without objections, she could take heart in knowledge that she must have been doing something right.
Weiss had been Ruby's critic, but also her most trustworthy confidante; she always sought to understand her partner, eventually becoming privy to the parts of Ruby's psyche that even Yang had no access to. Ruby trusted Weiss with her life and her heart, and took great pride in knowing that Weiss reciprocated that sentiment; they shared both their joy and their suffering, each helping the other shoulder their burdens.
In times of strife, Ruby had come to lean a great deal on that bond for the strength to keep going, to keep on hoping in spite of all the adversities. Weiss had become her safe harbor, the anchor that allowed her to weather even the darkest of storms. No matter how many times Ruby had stumbled or fallen, she had her through it all — and that she would forever remember.
With the war having come to a close and the team spending the break together in Patch, Ruby was glad that she'd finally have an opportunity to at least partially repay Weiss for everything she had done for her, knowingly or not.
She couldn't answer what the future had in store for Remnant, or even just for her teammates; still, even though tomorrow remained an unknown, there was at least one promise she could make to Weiss: she would not be alone.
Author's Note:
Hi again! Sorry that it has taken me so long, but my university life was kind of a bitch and, as it turned out, I was unable to get any work done until the second week of July (hell, I even missed the con that I had already bought the ticket for!). And then the chapter turned out to be, like, two times longer than I expected — y'kno, the usual.
So, yeah... that was the one chapter that made me really wish I had a beta reader. It was quite important for me to get it right, and there's also That Thing I did that made a few paragraphs a fair bit trickier to write (though you might not have even noticed it, depending on how familiar you are with the lyrics of a certain song). Well, all I can say is that I hope that I've mostly delivered.
Bit of trivia: if there's one thing I learned from writing this chapter, it's that dogs seem to be some sort of a literary Achilles' heel of mine, or something...
Guest (A me): Glad to see you're still around! Sadly, as much as I'd like to answer whether your predictions are correct, I can't do so here without delving well into the spoiler territory. What I can say, however, is that there are plenty of clues to be found in the story so far ;)
Commandant Luna: Well, yeah, it does live. I know that my update schedule is pretty darn erratic at best, but if there's one thing I can promise, it's that After the Storm is going to reach some sort of a conclusion. It might take me a while to get there, that's true... but I will get there. Just hang on in there, and I'll do my best not to disappoint c:
Anyways, I'm really grateful to all of you who stay around and keep reading despite the long periods of wait between the updates; I hope that this chapter was at least somewhat worth the wait. Feel free to hit me up on Discord ( Terkontar#1181 ) if you'd like to talk. Thanks for reading, for follows, faves and reviews, and I hope I'll see you in the next chapter!