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It was early Christmas Eve when Weiss was woken up by the sound of light footsteps and ruffling fabric. Rolling over, turning on the bedside lamp Weiss rubbed her eyes. “Ruby, do you need something?”
“No, go back to bed,” Ruby said, her normal chipper happy tone noticeable subdued. Finally opening her eyes she noticed that Ruby was half-dressed holding her boots in one hand looking like she’d just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
“Ruby?” Weiss asked leaning forward and she winced. “Where are you going?”
“A mission.” Ruby avoided eye contact.
Throwing her comforter off she stood up. “Ruby Rose.” Weiss chastised her girlfriend who looked rightfully ashamed. “We agreed no missions during the holidays.”
“I know. I know but—”
“No buts Ruby. We agreed to spend Christmas together no work and no missions.”
“I know.” Ruby bridged the distance between them forcing Weiss to crane her head to look up at the taller woman. “But Yang needs my help and Blake is busy with White Fang stuff. You know I wouldn’t be going if it wasn’t super important.”
Weiss pulled away, crossing her arms over her chest. “More important than your girlfriend ?”
“Weiss,” Ruby drawled, placing a hand on Weiss’s shoulder. “I promise I’ll be back before Christmas.”
Glancing over her shoulder at Ruby. “Promise?”
Ruby wrapped her arms around Weiss’s neck, burying her face in the crook of her neck. “Promise.”
Weiss huffed letting her arms fall to her side. “I suppose if you promise to be back before Christmas then I can let you go. But,” Weiss turned around, poking Ruby in the chest. “If you are even a minute late there will be hell to pay, understood?”
Ruby gave a salute, smiling down at the shorter woman. “Understood.” A look crossed Ruby’s face as she dropped her hand. “You’re not mad at me, right?”
Weiss moved to take a seat on the edge of the bed, reaching up to run her hands over her face. “I’m not mad. I know you have a job to do and that it’s important. I just thought maybe it could wait a few days.” Weiss sighed. “I guess I was just looking forward to spending time with you.”
“Then I’ll have to finish this job quickly to make sure I come home as soon as possible,” Ruby said, darting forward and pressing her lips against Weiss’s pulling away and quickly bouncing out the door. Weiss stared at the empty doorway falling backward onto the bed, groaning reaching up to cover her face with her hands. She could hear the door open and close as Ruby left, Zwei barking for her to come back.
Weiss curled up pulling the blanket up over her body she closed her eyes trying to push the bitter feeling down. It wouldn’t do to dwell on them and let them stew. That never turned out good. The sound of huffing and nails scratching against the floor was all the warning she got before Zwei launched himself onto the bed, pawing at the blanket wanting to be let under the covers. Weiss obliged allowing Zwei to crawl up and settle down next to her. Running her fingers through Zwei’s fur causing him to nuzzle her cheek licking her nose. Smiling down at the dog she buried her face in his fur. “Yeah. I already miss her too.” Slowly sleep claimed Weiss once more as she decided to try and sleep the day away.
Only, of course, to be woken up by Zwei scratching at the door needing to go outside barely an hour later. He whined and Weiss rolled over peeking out over the blanket mumbling. “Give me a moment Zwei, I'll be right there.” Stretching and yawning as she threw the blanket off her body. “Let me just get ready and then we can go for a walk.”
Throwing her feet over the side of the bed, feet touching the carpeted floor. She moved toward the dress already disrobing. Getting dressed only took a matter of minutes but Zwei made it seem like an eternity had passed by the time Weiss had exited the room. Running around her legs parking excitedly, nearly tripping Weiss who laughed. “Zwei relax I’ll be ready in a second.” Slipping on her boots and pulling on her jacket Weiss grabbed her scarf from where it hung near the door wrapping it around her neck. Latching Zwei’s leash on his collar she turned the doorknob, pushing it open causing him to dart forward jerking Weiss out the door before she even lock it.
X x x x x x X
Vale in the wintertime was always a beautiful sight to behold. A light snow had begun to fall, dusting in a way that reminded Weiss of the confectionary sugar. Trees were decorated with lights and ornaments to celebrate the holiday and people were bundled up as the cold weather had finally set in. People moved at varying paces down the streets some in a hurry to get one place or another. Others stopped to admire the decorations the City had put up. Weiss stopped herself, allowing Zwei to do his business admiring the way the trees were lit up with lights and the inflatables that set the mood.
Continuing on their way, the smell of delicious food wafting from a street cart gave Weiss some pause. Looking down at Zwei who tilted her head to the side. “What do you say we get something to eat before heading back?” Zwei barked, tongue lolling out the side. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Once she had food in hand Weiss began to head back toward her apartment, Zwei happily trotting in front of her.
The rest of the day was spent bundled up in front of the T.V. watching cheesy Christmas movies. The kind Weiss didn’t care for but Ruby always got much too invested in. In a lull in the movie she glanced out the window at the darkening sky and then at her scroll. ‘11:45 pm’ Closing her eyes she took a deep breath letting it out, she looked down at Zwei. “Well, I guess we’re going to be celebrating Christmas alone this year, buddy.”
Just then the sound of the doorknob turning caused Weiss to turn and look at the door, breath catching in her throat as the door swung open revealing Ruby who looked like she’d just been to hell and back. She smiled up at her stumbling through the threshold causing Weiss to jerk forward to catch her. Ruby laughed, looking up at Weiss. “I made it in time. It’s not Christmas...yet.” Her words got quieter as she spoke. Her eyes fluttered closed the full of her weight bringing both women to the ground.
“Ruby?” The panic that Weiss had been trying so desperately to suppress bubbled over as tears trailed down her cheeks. “RUBY!?” The sound of her scroll beeping and her cries for her partner to wake up mixing together in a painful symphony.
X x x x x X
Weiss paced back and forth in the hospital lobby, glancing up at the clock that hung upon the nurse station. ‘ 3:05 am. It’s been three hours since she went in for surgery.’ Weiss continued her pacing trying to keep herself from spiraling but her mind quickly turned to the worst possible outcomes. Spiraling further and further into despair as she paced back and forth. Thoughts of Ruby never making it off the table. Of the last time they talked, really talked, being an argument. Of them never really getting to spend the rest of their life together. Of—
“—Miss Schnee!?” Someone called out breaking Weiss from her destructive spiral and looking up to see a nurse standing slightly off to the side.
“Yes!” Weiss paused in her pacing turning to look at the nurse who held a clipboard settled on top of a plastic bag of what she realized were Ruby’s clothes. “Is Ruby—”
“She’s fine. The surgery was a success. She’ll need to recover here overnight but, if you want to see her you can, just know she’s on a rather high dose of morphine to help with the pain so she might not be the most lucid.”
Taking a step forward Weiss nearly yelled. “Yes! Yes please let me see her!”
The nurse laughed. “Alright then come with me.”
Weiss followed the nurse down the halls, the beeping of heart monitors in the distance and the flickering florescent lights set her even more on edge than she already was. The stark white of the halls which echoed with each step seemed far too familiar to Weiss and the smell of antiseptic clung to Weiss’s skin and hair.
“And here we are.” The nurse said, gesturing to a door. Room 306.
Pushing open the door Weiss stood in the doorway clearing her throat causing Ruby to look up at Weiss, leaning toward her slurring slightly. “Hey, Weiss~y,” She giggled, holding a hand out toward Weiss.
“I see the morphine is doing wonders for you.”
“Ooh,” Ruby audibly winced, holding up her hands to cover her face. “You’re mad at me, aren’t you.”
Weiss ran a hand over her face. “I’m not mad at you.”
“But you’re using you’re mad voice.”
“I’m not—” Weiss started forcing herself to take a breath and be slightly calmer. “I’m not mad. Promise. This just isn’t how I planned on spending my Christmas.”
“I’m sorry,” Ruby mumbled leaning back into the pillows with seemed to try and swallow her whole.
“I’m not mad.” Weiss took a seat next to Ruby. “But if you ever do something so reckless again I will not be so forgiving.” She placed a hand on Ruby’s cheek. “Understood?”
Ruby nodded looking away only to look back up. “I won’t do it again. So will you forgive me?”
“I do forgive you but please don’t do something like that again. I was so, so worried and if you hadn’t survived,” Weiss shook her head of the thought. “I don’t even want to think of the possibility.”
Ruby reached up, placing a hand on Weiss’s cheek causing her to open her eyes. Blue eyes meeting silver. “Hey, I’m here now, aren’t I?”
“But what if you hadn’t made it back at all?” Weiss reached up placing her hand over Ruby’s. “I don’t want to go back to being alone. I can’t...” Tears finally fell from Weiss’s eyes as a sob escaped her lips. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.”
Ruby brushed the tears away with her thumb, allowing Weiss to lean her forehead against hers. “I...I’m sorry. I promise I’ll be more careful from now on.” Ruby gently stroked her face, placing her other hand on Weiss’s back.
“Thank you,” Weiss said barely able to contain the sob that forced its way out of her lips.
A silence fell over them, the sound of them breathing interrupted only by the heart monitor beeping rhythmically. “I got you a gift,” Ruby spoke slowly looking yo at Weiss. “It’s in a pouch on my belt. If you can get it out we can still have Christmas. Just a little late.”
“I didn’t bring any of my presents for you with me,” Weiss said with an uneasy laugh.
“That’s fine. I can wait.” Ruby said with a smile watching as Weiss stood up grabbing the plastic bag from the chair she had tossed it on. Tearing it open she fumbled around until she found a small beat-up looking package which Ruby quickly snatched from her hand.
Ruby opened the beat-up looking packaging to reveal a blue felt box. Opening it Weiss gasped at the item that was inside. A small silver ring with blue gemstones embedded into it. “I wanted to wait until I got back but well...” Ruby trailed off glancing off to the side. “I guess it’s better late than never.” Looking back up at Weiss Ruby smiled at Weiss. “So, Weiss Schnee will you marr—” Before Ruby could even finish Weiss lunged forward, pressing her lips against Ruby’s cupping her cheeks.
When she pulled away there were tears in her eyes but for an entirely different reason. “Yes! Yes, a hundred times yes!”
Ruby let out a sigh, reaching up to cover Weiss’s hand with her own. “I was worried you’d say no after...everything.” Ruby took Weiss’s hand, slipping the ring on her ring finger finding that it fit perfectly.
“I still love you, you dolt.” Weiss breathed, stroking the area under Ruby’s thumb. “And honestly, you could have proposed to me with ring-pop and I’d have said yes.”
“Really?” Ruby leaned further back into her pillows, practically being swallowed alive by them
“Yes, really.” Weiss laughed, reaching up to wipe away unshed tears. “I love you, Ruby. I don’t need material possessions to want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Ruby blushed slightly. “I love you too.”
Weiss curled up next to Ruby, placing a hand on her chest letting her eyes close, and the stress from the day to wash away as sleep finally claimed her.