Work Text:
Weiss sighed at the fuss her parents were making. It wasn’t that big of a deal that she had to share a room with someone. There were still Schnee guards right outside, and the likely hood of her being put into the exact same room as a terrorist was ridiculous. The other girl looked to be around the same age as her, but she barely looked like she was able to walk on her own, she seemed so weak and frail. She had been sleeping ever since Weiss had came in a few hours ago, and she knew that it was extremely rude to ask the doctor what was wrong with the poor girl.
Weiss sighed again and leaned back, trying to get comfortable. Her eye still irritated her somewhat, making going to sleep all the more difficult, but she wasn’t going to take any of the pain killers they offered, she wanted her head clear. She rolled over to face the open window next to her, and smiled a little. That had been her one request, that she have a room where she could be next to a window. After the doctors had done some looking around, they said they had found her one, and when they and her parents had finally left her alone, she had gotten up and opened the thing, gazing longingly out of it for a few minutes at all the freedom there was, before returning to her bed.
Weiss heard some shuffling from behind her and she looked over her shoulder, to see the other girl seemed to be shivering a bit, pulling her blankets tighter around her. Weiss frowned a little before looking at the open window again, before she held her hand up. She felt a bit of wind brush it and stood up, moving to the window to close it when she heard a small noise.
She turned around and saw that the other girl had her eyes open and was looking at her. “Did you say something?”
The girl cleared her throat a little bit and shifted so that she was sitting up, before repeating herself, “I said that you could leave the window open if you want to.”
“You were shivering,” Weiss stated, not sure quite sure why she was being so insistent.
“People shiver,” the girl replied, “Not like its the end of the world.”
“But wouldn’t you rather be comfortable?” Weiss asked.
“I’ll be-“
Before the other girl could finish, a terrified looking girl burst into the room, her mass of blonde hair trailing behind her. “Ruby!” She shouted, looking desperately at the other girl. Before she could reply though, the tall girl, possibly her mother, was by her side looking her over and gently placing her hand on Ruby. “I saw the people standing outside your room and I got really worried and for a minute those two wouldn’t let me in until a doctor explained that you were in here and…I was just so worried.”
“I’m fine Yang, honest,” Ruby croaked out, before shivering a little. Yang’s eyes narrowed on her for a minute before she turned her head and saw the open window. She glared at it angrily before getting up and moving swiftly to it, and gently pulling it shut, walking right past Weiss and back to Ruby.
Yang looked down exasperated at Ruby and said, “Next time, just tell someone you’re cold.”
Ruby looked down a little guiltily and said, “I don’t want to bother anyone. Besides, that girl seemed like she wanted the window open, and I just didn’t want to ask her to close it.”
Yang sighed and got on her knees before saying, “Ruby Rose, how many times do I have to tell you that you are never a burden, of any kind.”
Weiss felt very much like she was intruding, but right as she began to move to leave, Yang turned to face her and gave a tired smile at Weiss before saying, “Hi, as you probably picked up, I’m Yang, and this little trouble maker here,” she said while gesturing to Ruby, who rolled her eyes in response, “Is Ruby.”
Weiss gave a rehearsed smile in return and said, “I’m Weiss.”
“That’s a pretty name,” Ruby croaked out before blushing and looking away again.
Weiss was a little startled and she took a small step back, before recovering, her smile becoming just a little more real now. “Thank you, that’s not something people tell me very often.”
Ruby looked up at her shocked and said, “No way! That’s a beautiful name, people should tell you that all the time.”
Weiss blushed a little and looked away, her smile becoming even wider. “Well thank you for saying that.”
One of the two guards stuck their head in suddenly and asked, “Do you need anything Miss Schnee?”
Weiss frowned and gave a polite no before moving back to her bed. Yang was frowning and looking at her, a small bewildered look on her face before it finally seemed to click. “You’re Weiss Schnee? Schnee, as in Schnee Gemstone Company?”
Weiss nodded her confirmation and stayed quiet, hoping that these two nice people wouldn’t start treating her any different. She was treated like an item enough as it was at home, she didn’t need anyone else doing it to her as well.
“That’s really cool!” Ruby said.
Weiss looked over at the bedridden girl. She had a genuine smile on her pale face, and Weiss’s heart soared a little. She blushed and quickly focused on her toes. “I’ve never been told that it’s cool who my parents are,” Weiss said quietly. She refused to mumble, because it wasn’t befitting a lady, as her mother always said anyway.
“Well it is,” Ruby insisted. Weiss blushed a bit deeper, and scooted deeper into her bed, refusing to even look over at those two.
A silence settled over the room, and it very quickly felt that it was awkward to Weiss, so she searched for something she could or ask that would pierce the veil (AN: HA) of silence that had descended upon them, when Ruby asked, “So, what happened to you Weiss?”
Weiss was startled a bit by how blunt she was about it, and she was about to tell her that it was rude to ask like that when she heard Ruby start coughing again. Weiss looked over at her, fearful that something was happening to the other girl. She saw Yang gently rubbing the small of Ruby’s back, while Ruby sounded like she was hacking up a lung. “Take it easy Rubes,” Yang whispered, and Weiss could practically feel the fear that was in that one comment. Four simple words, how was it that they could carry such a weight to them.
“Should I call for a nurse?” Weiss asked, feeling useless right then.
Neither responded for a moment, and then Ruby laid down and closed her eyes. Yang moved her hand to rub her head and after a couple of moments, she began to quietly sing to her.
As a child
You would wait
And watch from far away
But you always knew
That you’d be the one
That work while they all play
In youth
You’d lay
Awake at night and scheme
Of all the things
That you would change
But it was just a dream
Here we are
Don’t turn away now
We are the warriors
That built this town
Here we are
Don’t turn away now
We are the warriors
That built this town from dust
The time will come
When you will have to rise
Above the best
And prove yourself
Your spirit never dies
Farewell
I’ve gone
To take my throne above
But don’t weep for me
‘Cause this will be
The labor of my love
Here we are
Don’t turn away now
We are the warriors
That built this town
Here we are
Don’t turn away now
We are the warriors
That built this town
From Dust
Here we are
Don’t turn away now
We are the warriors
That built this town
Here we are
Don’t turn away now
We are the warriors
That built this town
From dust
Yang continued to hum quietly as she finished the song, Ruby somehow falling asleep to the song that was clearly not meant to be a lullaby. Yang quietly stood up, after making sure that Ruby was in fact asleep. She shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, obviously unsure if she should leave her in peace, or stay vigilant. In the end it seemed that she decided to do the second and settled into a chair between the two beds, mostly keeping her eye on Ruby.
“I’m sorry for her being rude earlier,” Yang quietly apologized.
It took Weiss a couple of seconds to link the apology to Ruby just suddenly asking why she was in the hospital. “It’s not an issue,” Weiss assured her quickly.
“It still wasn’t ok. She just doesn’t really know any better. Her mom died giving birth to her, and our dad bailed when he found out about her defect, so I pretty much had to raise her. Dropped out of college and everything, investing as much time away from work I could handle to take care of her. I mean, she’s my sister, I couldn’t just leave on her own, or to die,” Yang said quietly, lilac eyes brimming with tears.
Weiss was shocked, she was sure that the way Yang had treated Ruby that she was the younger girls mother, her lover maybe, but her sister? Winter would never have done something like that if they had been put into Yang and Ruby’s situation. There was not a doubt in Weiss’s mind that she would have been left to die. “You are an amazing sister,” Weiss said, almost sounding in awe.
Yang laughed a little and scratched the back of her head, her eyes clearing up, “She’s family, and I protect my family with every fiber of my being.” Despite the seriousness of the statement, her tone never left its sunny, chipper attitude. “So, I know its rude to ask, hell I apologized for my sister doing it earlier, but what did happen to you?”
Weiss sighed calmly, and sat up a little, turning her head to face Yang and show her the stitches that showed how close she had been to losing her left eye. Yang instead of gasping or trying to find out if she was okay merely raised an eyebrow at her, an open invitation to continue or stop as she saw fit. Weiss took a small breath, and began to explain.
“It was a fencing accident. My instructor was going against me for a routine sparing session, see what I remembered from our previous meet. During our match his foil came off without one of us noticing, and he went in for a point, which I deflected upward, and his momentum caused him to begin to hit my face. Luckily I felt the blade begin to slice skin, so I leaned back, just narrowly avoiding him piercing my eye, and the blade finishing up here,” Weiss finished, gesturing to her forehead above her eye.
Yang nodded her understanding and asked, “Shouldn’t you be wearing bandages or something, incase you accidentally do something to reopen it?”
Weiss shrugged and said, “I trust the surgeon’s stitches will hold, and with the location of the wound, as long as I don’t start blinking rapidly or something odd, it should be fine.”
Yang smirked a little and asked, “So how are you holding up then?”
Weiss rolled her eyes and said, “Fine, there isn’t any pain there, and the medication they gave me wore off yesterday. They just wanted to keep me for a couple of nights, make sure that I wouldn’t lose vision in my eye.”
Yang nodded again, leaning back in her chair and gently gestured to Ruby, “I’m assuming you would like to know the story behind her?”
Weiss shrugged her shoulders again and said, “I understand a need and use of privacy. If you don’t think she would like for me to know, or you think she would feel comfortable with me knowing, then I wouldn’t object to you telling.”
Yang gave a smile and said, “Please, she talks about it as if she’s bragging. I’m surprised she hasn’t told you already, honestly.” Yang leaned back in her chair, thinking for a moment before starting.
“Like I mentioned earlier, Ruby’s mom died during her birth. While looking after her during the observations, one of the nurses noticed Ruby breathing was wrong. They took a look at her lungs, and saw that her right lung was just weak overall. It wasn’t going to collapse, but it wasn’t capable of really supporting her. The doctors were overall surprised that she was still alive, but the technology at that point wasn’t advanced enough for her to be able to replace her lung. Everyday was a struggle for her, even then. As she got older, her other lung grew to overcompensate for the other, which is a blessing and a curse. She can now do most of what anyone can at her age, but it also means that, despite today’s tech being able to help people replace someone’s heart, they aren’t able to replace her lung, because the other would continue to try to overcompensate, and could seriously harm her. Like I said, for the most part, she’s good, she just has a tendency to try and over do it, and today was tough on her, which was why you saw her like that. Come morning, as bad as this may sound, you might prefer her like that.”
Weiss raised an eyebrow at that last comment, unsure of how in the world she would prefer someone being weak and frail. Yang saw the raised eyebrow and laughed a little before saying, “You’ll see what I mean in the morning.”
Weiss shrugged and rolled over, letting out a quiet “Goodnight,” to Yang, before drifting off into her usual dreamless state.
*** Dear god Yang was right. That was the only thing that really occurred to Weiss in her mind. She had been up for all of five minutes, and in those five minutes, Ruby had gotten up to fiddle with something beside her bed twenty-two times, repeatedly shifted around in her own bed (reaching the point where even Weiss couldn’t keep track anymore), changed the TV channel twelve times, and had been running her mouth for most of it. Weiss would normally just ignore those things, or pretend that they weren’t happening, but it seemed Ruby wasn’t intent on just monologuing, and frequently tried to pull the quieter roommate into the conversation, only really getting one word replies, or as short of one as Weiss could get away with.
It was almost as if Ruby was unable to handle any form of quiet, Weiss finally groaned internally. “Did you hear me Weiss?”
Weiss raised her head and glanced over at the other girl, to see her looking at her questioningly. “I’m sorry, no I didn’t hear what you said.” Ruby didn’t at all seem fazed by Weiss seeming to have been ignoring her and asked, “Will that leave a scar?”
Weiss frowned for a moment, unsure of what it was that Ruby was referring to, until said frowning resulted in a small tug on the stitches on her face and she was reminded of her injury. She gently reached up to touch where the stitches were, carefully running her hand over the wound. It hadn’t occurred to Weiss to even think about if it would leave a scar or not. “I’m…not sure to be perfectly honest,” Weiss replied, losing herself back to her thoughts of what sort of impacts her having a scar plainly on her face would do to the public, what they would think of her, what her parents would think of her.
“If it does,” Ruby started, yanking Weiss out of her own mind before she got lost in it again, “Would you have it removed?”
“I’m not sure,” Weiss replied again, still carefully running her index finger along the ridge that she thought she could feel there.
“Well, I think you should keep it, if it does. I feel like you would be really cool with it,” Ruby said, before finally quieting down to stare at the mind numbing television.
Weiss blushed again at the comment and rolled over to face the window again. How can she do that so easily, Weiss thought. Why is one girl’s opinion having such an impact on me? Do I have feelings for her? I just met her! How could I have feelings for her?
Weiss wrestled with these thoughts for a moment before looking over her shoulder at the other girl again. She is cute, Weiss mused. I don’t even know if she is that way. There’s no shame in at least liking her though, even if she is a ball of energy. Somehow though, that actually made her all the more endearing for the potential heiress.
Her life was almost exclusively silent at her home, so the noise, as disruptive as it was, was actually quite welcome to Weiss. She sighed internally rolled back over to face her, only to see that now Ruby was looking at her. Ruby blushed lightly and quickly looked back up at TV, as if she had just been caught and was trying to act like it hadn’t happened.
Weiss smirked a little at the action, happy to have at least an idea if she was that way as well.
***
Both of her parents stood over her bed next to the doctor, looking down at Weiss expectantly. The doctor had confirmed that the wound would, in fact, leave a scar behind. The surgery itself had been flawless, but the wound had been to deep to not leave some sort of impression on her. The doctor had offered a variety of ways to remove it, if she so chose, but her parents actually weren’t the ones that got to make the call on this one, and it was being left entirely to her.
“Could I have a mirror?” Weiss asked quietly.
Her parents glanced at each other, a small frown on her father’s face as the doctor handed her a small make up mirror from her pocket.
Weiss observed her face in the mirror, blushing a little when she realized that she had to agree with Ruby’s earlier sentiments. There was a certain attraction to the odd zig-zag that occupied the area directly above and below her left eye. Thinking of the red tipped girl caused Weiss to glance over at her bed, seeing Ruby watching her again, before realizing she had been caught again and quickly refocusing her face on the wall opposite of the Weiss, as if it were fascinating beyond all belief.
“I think I would like to keep it,” Weiss said sheepishly.
Her father’s frown deepened, but he made no move to persuade her otherwise. Her mother merely smiled lightly and said, “If that’s what you want dear.”
Weiss nodded her affirmative and handed the small mirror back to the doctor, watching it disappear into her pocket. “Well, I would like to keep you for at least one more night, make absolutely certain that everything is ok before we send you home.”
Weiss parents nodded and her mother said that she would send Gunther to pick her up in the morning.
They all filed out of the room and Ruby looked over at Weiss when the door shut. “You agreed with me.”
Weiss smiled lightly and said, “It’s just hard to argue with the truth.” Ruby blushed slightly and then fiddled with her small phone on the table beside her bed. “I…I don’t normally ask people I just met a few days ago to do this, but I don’t really want to lose contact with you when you leave, so do you think we could maybe swap numbers?”
Weiss smile grew and she agreed, getting up and giving Ruby her phone, allowing her to punch in her number in. She took her phone back and looked down at Ruby’s flip phone suspiciously, “Can you text on that thing?”
Ruby looked a little hurt, but when Weiss started to apologize she laughed and told her she was teasing her before confirming that she could, and sending one to Weiss to back it up.
Weiss climbed back into her bed and leaned back, content with the new addition to her contacts. She thought for a moment before she looked over at Ruby and worked up a bit of courage and asked, “So how exactly do you feel about homosexuality?”
Ruby sputtered for a moment at the sudden question before turning to face Weiss, seeing that she had a blush of her own on her face. “Um, as long as the couple is happy, who cares about their genders, right?” Ruby somehow felt as if their were a right or wrong answer and she really hoped that the one she provided was correct.
Weiss smiled, her cheeks still red, and Ruby visibly relaxed before asking, “Um…what about you?”
With just a hint of snark and a whole lot of sass Weiss replied, “Well, considering I am one, I kind of have to support it.”
Weiss saw Ruby’s face become a deeper shade of red and for a moment she worried that some damage might be done to the poor girl. “You’re certainly very open about it,” she muttered in response.
Weiss gave another smile and said, “I’ve spent my time in the closet, and now that I’m free, I’m never going back.”
Ruby shifted around in her bed for a moment and Weiss frowned before a mortified look crossed her face. “You aren’t in the closet still are you?”
Ruby blushed deeply and that was all the answer Weiss needed. “Oh I’m so sorry Ruby, I wasn’t trying to make you uncomfortable.”
Ruby groaned a little and said, “You sound like Yang. Teasing me until I think I could die of embarrassment and then getting all apologetic about it.”
Weiss smirked and asked, “Have I mentioned I think you’re really cute?”
Ruby just put her head between her hands and shook her head.
***
“So you’re leaving today?” Ruby asked as Weiss slipped her normal clothes back on. A simple white skirt, a white blouse, and an ice blue jacket embroidered with the Schnee family crest on its back.
Weiss slipped out of the bathroom and nodded her affirmative at Ruby, who pouted in response. Weiss offered her a sweet smile and said, “You have my phone number, text or call me whenever you can get out of here and we can try to arrange a meeting.”
Ruby smiled lightly at the idea and waved her goodbye. Weiss confidently strode out of her room and the hospital to the limo that was patiently waiting in front of it. Gunther, wearing his usual tuxedo, that had reminded her greatly of a penguin when she had been younger, was waiting by the door, offering her a nice smile and saying, “It’s good to see you are well Miss Schnee.”
“Thank you Gunther. Are we to report directly home, or is there some lenient time?” Weiss asked.
“We have permission to roam until dinner, which I have been informed will be at six tonight. Was there somewhere specific you wanted to go Miss Schnee?”
Instead of replying straight away, Weiss climbed in through the still open door and relaxed into the comfortable seats. Gunther lightly shut the door and climbed into the drivers door, rolling down the small window that separated him from her. “Miss Schnee?”
“I would just like to go home Gunther, some rest in my own bed would be nice.” “Of course, Miss Schnee.”
Weiss leaned back in her seat and close her eyes, just in time to hear her phone ding at her. She glanced down at it and saw the number, recognizing it as Ruby’s. So, you called me cute, and I didn’t say that I thought you were too.
Weiss rolled her eyes and replied back, I’m glad you think so.
There was no reply for a minute, and Weiss wondered if that was the end of the conversation when her phone dinged at her again. Since you know that I’m gay, and I know that you’re gay, is this flirting?
It could be, if you want to take it that way.
Is it not supposed to come across that way?
No it’s definitely supposed to come across that way.
Is there any chance I could ask you a question and you not give me a vague answer, or am I to expect those often when I text you?
I happen to enjoy vague answers.
…So a lot apparently.
It would appear that way, yes.
Well, if you have to be vague and beat around the bush, I’m just going to be direct. So, I thought you were really cool and cute and would really like it if we could hang out again some time.
I don’t think the hospital is the best place to meet up at regularly.
Well first off I didn’t mean the hospital. I meant when I got out. And second, what’s wrong with hospitals.
There’s no reason to get in the way of the doctors and nurses, as well as hang around various ill people that may or may not be contagious, and I have no issues with meeting elsewhere again, assuming we attempt to plan accordingly before hand.
Are you aware that you act totally different when we’re texting than when we were talking?
How so?
,em>You really remind me of a robot to be honest. It’s a lot like the way you sounded when you and I first tried talking to each other in the hospital.
It’s just the vocabulary I grew up with.
Ok then. Well, back to the original subject, should we call us meeting a date?
To quote you, “You know that I’m gay, and I know that you’re gay…” so if you want to call it a date, I have no issues with it.
Does that mean we’re dating?
It would be my first time, I can’t guarantee how good I’ll be at it.
Considering I’m still in the closet, and only you and Yang know, I’m not much better off than you are.
This should be interesting then.
I guess it will be. Can I tell Yang, or would you rather keep it just between us for now?
As long as she agrees not to go around telling everyone about it, I’m not quite sure how my parents would react to the news.
I thought you said you were out of the closet.
And I am, but there is a difference between having a gay daughter, and having a gay daughter with a girlfreind.
Don’t those usually come hand in hand?
One would think, but I’m not really sure how that bomb would go off with them.
Ok, well Yang and the doctor are outside my room, so I got to go, but I’ll let you know when ever they release me, and we can try and schedule something to do.
Sounds good to me. Weiss leaned back and sighed for a moment, letting it sink in that she literally just went from being single to dating someone she barely knows in only a few minutes. “Gunter,” she started.
“Yes, Miss Schnee?”
“How do you think my parents would react if they found out that I’m dating someone now?”
“May I speak freely, Miss Schnee?”
“Of course.”
“I think that it is likely that both you and the lucky girl would be burned at the stake.
Weiss chuckled at him and said, “I had pretty much the same thought.
***
It had been two weeks since Weiss had been released from the hospital, and in that time she had learned about her girlfriend. She learned the girl had a ridiculous sweet tooth, as almost two or three times a day the girl would send a picture of some other ridiculous sugary concoction. She also found out that the girl loved the color red, and was never completely happy without having a large red sweatshirt either on her, or close at hand. She also learned that the girl was very seriously into some sort of Xbox 360 game called “Soulcalibur 4,” and that she was, to quote her, “Amazing with Zasalamel,” who with a generous amount of YouTube searching showed that he was some sort of incarnation of Death, wielding a large scythe, as well as his secondary outfit never showing his face. She also learned that Ruby had been released earlier today.
Ruby had found out three days ago, and the two had made plans for Weiss to visit Ruby at her home at around four in the afternoon. Ruby had admitted that she was liable to be tired, but she should be awake enough to kick Weiss’s butt at the game that had been mentioned before, of which Weiss had little doubt as she had never played before, but of course she would never admit such a thing to Ruby.
Weiss glanced at the clock and saw that it was three and quickly moved to leave her room, looking over her attire again. It was the same outfit she had worn when she had left the hospital, but something kept nagging at her about the way she looked.
She ignored it and briskly walked out of her room, down the many halls and stairwells, and finally out the door to where Gunther was waiting with another limo. “Are you ready to go Miss Schnee?”
“Yes, thank you Gunther. You have the address right?”
“Of course,” he said as he closed the door behind her. They rode in silence, Gunther focusing on his driving, and Weiss thinking about what sort of state Ruby would be in, what they would be having for dinner, and if she was over dressed, oddly normal things one would think of when they were going to another’s home for dinner, especially if the another happens to be the one’s girlfriend.
Weiss was so absorbed into her thoughts that she didn’t notice the limo had stopped or Gunther get out of his seat. She was startled out of them when there was a sudden flood of light coming from the door that Gunther was holding open for her. “Thank you Gunther. I will call you when I’m ready to return back home.”
He gave a nod in response and moved back to the drivers door, climbing in with relative ease despite his height and bulkier build. Weiss turned back to the small home that was in front of her, moving up to the front door and rang the doorbell.
There was a sudden loud thudding before the door opened to reveal Yang, who gave a happy, “Hey there Weiss! Ruby’s on the couch in the living room. She then turned and sprinted away, revealing what the loud thudding had been from a moment ago. Weiss stepped in and shut the door behind her, looking around her at the relatively tight and small hallway. On the wall were a couple of Yang, Ruby, and a man. Sometimes it was just one of them, sometimes it was just Yang and Ruby, or Yang and the man, but it was never all three at once.
There were four doors leading out of the hallway. Yang had gone into the one at the end on the left, and based off the smell that was wafting around her, she was cooking. Weiss cautiously moved to the first two that were across from one another. She looked into the one on the right and saw a small closet that was relatively empty. A couple of coats and only two different sized shows. It only then hit Weiss just how different their homes, and lifestyles were, as her closet alone had more than forty times as many shows as they did. She looked into the one on her left and saw a small bathroom, with a single sink, toilet, and small shower.
She moved further down the hall, keeping her heels on, unsure if she should have removed them or not. She reached the end of the hall and immediately looked into the room on her right, only to see a small bedroom, painted a blood red, with similar sheets and a small computer on a desk. Ruby’s room, she immediately assumed.
Weiss frowned at that and looked around, but not seeing any other choice, she turned back to the door that Yang had dashed through. Weiss saw another hallway, but there wasn’t a left wall, so she tentatively stepped through, and she found herself in what had to be the living room.
As Yang had said, Ruby was relaxing on a couch, a blanket going up to her waist, and her top was hidden by the infamous red sweatshirt she had heard so much about. She had a controller in her hands, and Weiss recognized the logo of the Microsoft game console in the center. She glanced up and recognized the game Soulcalibur 4 playing.
“Hi Weiss!” Ruby called without looking away from the TV.
“Hello Ruby.”
“Sorry I’m being a crapy host, let me just finish this fight real quick.”
“You’re fine Ruby.”
Instead of replying again, there was an audible series of buttons being pushed, along with a series of flawless movements, and Zasalamel dispatched the boy that had been standing in front of him.
“There, sorry that took so long. Kilik has such a ridiculous range that the only real person that can counter him is him pretty much.”
“As I said Ruby, you’re fine.”
“Thanks. Here, why don’t you sit down next to me, we can talk or something.”
“Actually, I was looking forward to trying my hand at the game with you.” “Are you sure? You haven’t played before, and I don’t want your first introduction to be bad.” “I want to go against you,” Weiss insisted. Ruby shrugged instead of arguing further and handed her a controller. Weiss took it and booted it up while Ruby quickly went through and switched it over to two player. She quickly went down and chose Zasalamel, while Weiss went through and hovered each character, looking at their weapons, and the way they looked overall. Ruby had a good tendency to offer a light summary on each character that Weiss stayed on for more than a second or two.
Then she saw a shorter girl wielding a rapier, and she read the name, “Amy?” She questioned to Ruby, the other characters so far had been with mostly interesting or obvious names, and then there was this little girl that had an assuming name.
“Yeah, she’s Raphael’s lover. He turned her into a vampire so that they could live forever together, but then he went even further and wanted a whole world just for them, which is his main goal in this game.” “She looks like she could still be in school.” “Yeah, Raphael is kind of a pedophile, cause he totally turned her when she was still in school. That’s actually her second costume, her school uniform.” Weiss decided she wanted to give Amy a try. “Amy’s actually pretty good. She doesn’t have much range, but she has one of the fastest combo speeds I’ve ever encountered, and she can dish out a lot of damage quickly because of it.” Weiss nodded, satisfied with her choice and left the two bars that appeared after she chose her alone, and settled herself a bit deeper into the comfortable couch. She wasn’t quite sure what the material was, which under normal circumstances should probably be worrisome, but she had only been here for two minutes, and she already felt at ease.
Ruby just hit random and the stage appeared to be some sort of garden type place that was surrounded by water. It was overall a serene place, and it greatly conflicted with the fact that the two were about to fight to the death.
The game began and Weiss immediately rushed in and as soon as she felt she was close enough started mashing buttons at random. Amy delivered a large flurry of blows down on Zasalamel, taking a quarter of his heath away before he finally dropped to the ground. He got up almost instantly and swung his blade down, smashing Amy into the ground. Weiss let out a bit of a gasp, which Ruby chuckled to, sounding suspiciously like an evil chortle instead to Weiss.
The fight continued as such, with Weiss pressing buttons at random, and Ruby offering a weak resistance, and being taken down quickly. The fight finally finished and Weiss glared over at Ruby, “What?” She asked, feigning innocence.
“You weren’t trying.” Weiss grumbled at her, letting a bit of her normal composure slip.
“I wanted you to feel as if you were doing well. I hate for people to die embarrassed.” “I would be more embarrassed because that wasn’t a real fight, now I expect a real fight.” “Only if you promise something first.” “What is it?”
“A second time. No matter what happens, you have to go against me a second time.”
“So you want me to promise you a second time?”
“I want you to promise me a second time.” “Sure, that’s easy enough,” Weiss said, not really worrying about it. Then she entered said next match. Before she even had a chance to move, she had been flattened and practically flung from one side of the stage to the other, almost never actually falling off of it somehow though.
By the time the round finally ended, Weiss felt both regret and satisfied. She regretted her demanding Ruby go full out, but she was also pleased that Ruby had gone all out on her instead of just letting her win as if she were some sort of five year old.
Weiss leaned back, still a bit stunned and glanced over at Ruby, who was giving her a coy smile. “Do you want to back out?”
“And break my promise? I never go back on my word.”
“That’s a nice sentiment, but it’s a whole lot more difficult to live up to in real life.” Ruby said, sounding somber suddenly.
Weiss tried to offer a smile, which Ruby returned in kind, though it was weak, and Weiss replied, “Well, until I’m forced not to, I plan to live up to it.”
Ruby just shook her head but went ahead and started up another round, and waisting no time in laying Weiss’s character to rest.
After that, Ruby went through and played the arcade mode a couple of times, offering idle conversation with Weiss as she did so, sometimes it being more information or backstory on a character she could be fighting, or it would just be her asking after Weiss’s family, how she was, or lastly asking if she wanted to play or do anything else. Oddly enough though, Weiss was really just enjoying being in Ruby’s presence, and she didn’t feel as if she needed to do anything else.
After a little while, Weiss found herself leaning on Ruby, who had glanced down at her, but did not ask her to move, only shifting around a bit so that Weiss then had her head in Ruby’s lap, and both were significantly more comfortable all of a sudden.
Only for that to be the moment for Yang to walk in with some chicken, rice, and dumplings. She gave the both of them a sly smile and asking, “I’m not interrupting, now am I?”
Weiss blushed a deep red and quickly leapt off of Ruby, who she saw was blushing as well. “Yang!” She half whined, half yelled at the blonde, who merely laughed in response and gave the both of them a plate with a decent amount of all three items on them. “Hope you two are hungry, because we've got plenty.” Yang said with a wide and honest smile.
Ruby dug in with vigor, while Weiss went through and ate carefully, doing her best to not appear a slob before the two of them. Yang just lounged, watching the two of them for a moment before turning back to her own plate, a small smirk taking occupancy on her face.
Weiss saw it and it made her fidget a bit in her spot, she wasn’t sure why, but something about it was just a bit unsettling for her. After they finished eating, Yang and Ruby went a couple of rounds against each other, then Weiss was pitted against Yang, managing to tie against her a couple of times, despite her great skill, Amy had the tiniest bit more range than Maxi, despite his greater power over all.
After finishing another round, with which Yang had won, Weiss declared that while she had enjoyed herself, it was about time that she go home. Yang and Ruby nodded in response and Weiss pulled out her phone, calling Gunther. He agreed that he would call her when he was there, and Weiss hung up, putting her head on Ruby’s shoulder again as she watched Ruby and Yang pit themselves against each other. If Yang had any comments about the way they were leaning against each other, she kept it to herself.
When her phone finally rang in her pocket, it made her jump, and she accidentally head-butted Ruby because of it. Ruby quietly rubbed her jaw, but otherwise didn’t complain. Yang laughed lightly at them and offered, “I’ll walk you out.”
Weiss just nodded her confirmation and followed her outside, where she was stopped by Yang, who had a serious look on her face. “Listen, I don’t have any sort of issue with you and Ruby dating, honest I don’t. I think it will be good for her, and on some level I feel like it will be good for you too, but I have to say this. If you hurt her, I don’t care who you, or your parents are, I will hunt you down, and I will break you. Do you get me?”
Weiss just nodded her affirmative, not really all that intimidated by the blonde but she also didn’t doubt her word. Yang seemed satisfied with this answer and said, “Come on back whenever you want to, we have a huge open door policy here.”
Weiss smiled and offered her thanks before turning around to see Gunther was sitting in the passenger seat of her snow white porsche. She smiled and just went straight to the driver’s side. “Is there a reason I’m driving now?”
Gunther smiled in return and said, “I thought you might wish to know how to get here on your own, should the need ever arise. Now, you should make a u-turn and let us be on our way.”
Weiss shook her head, but went ahead and followed his instructions, committing how to get there and back to her memory.
***
Weiss’s classes started up again that week, so she and Ruby didn’t see each other, the only real communication they tended to have with each other was calling one another before they went to bed for the night. They both talked happily with each about their days, and Weiss was overjoyed for Ruby when she happily declared that she had felt well enough to go out with Yang for a few hours by the end of the week, having decided she felt well enough. They didn’t go into great detail, they just touched lightly on somethings they thought the other would be interested in. Weiss talking about her going shopping after school pretty much every day after classes, and Ruby giving a brief summary overall, except when she had gone out, then she had lightly talked about what she and Yang had done, a couple of the places they had visited, and such.
That weekend, after Weiss had finished her course work, she left to visit and spent most of the day with Ruby, as Yang was working then. They talked quite a bit about some of the things the other had missed during the week. Weiss mostly talking about some of her classes, how she felt overall they weren’t to difficult, but she could easily see them becoming so as time went on. Ruby went into greater detail about what happened during her day on the town.
After a little while, Weiss saw the time and asked Ruby to please get dressed, and when she was asked why, Weiss said she wanted to take Ruby out on a proper date. Ruby then gave a smile and went to her room, returning a few minutes later with a skirt, a red t-shirt with a rose on the front, and a pair of boots. Weiss smiled at her and offered her arm, which Ruby happily took, and Weiss escorted her out to her car.
She took her to a small restaurant that Weiss knew she wouldn’t have to worry about anyone attempting to call the media, as it was greatly against restaurant policy, and they would be kicked out and told to never come back. They were very firm about the rule, going so far as to take their picture and hang it up.
They both had an enjoy there meal, and asked each other more questions they hadn't before. Yang ended up picking Ruby up from the meal when they were done, and Weiss went back to her own home.
From there, Weiss and Ruby had a date in various locations weekly. Things were good, great even if you were to ask either Ruby or Weiss, but as time went on, Ruby began to get worse, and worse.
***
Weiss’s phone buzzed suddenly, attracting her attention from her undergrad work. She didn’t recognize the number, but she went ahead and answered the phone, “Hello.”
“Weiss?”
“Yang? What’s up?”
“Listen, I don’t have all that much time, I’m using my break to call you right now.” “What is it?”
“I took Ruby to the doctor yesterday for a routine checkup, and it turns out her left lung is acting wonky. The doctors are pretty baffled, they aren't what could have triggered it, but her one lung isn’t doing its job properly right now. They have her listed as a top priority for a new one, a pair if they can manage, should it come up, but you know, people can’t just donate lungs away.”
“Is she ok?”
“For now, she is. She’s still in the hospital, and the only reason I’m not there right now is I because I have to work.” “I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Weiss said hurriedly as she got herself ready to go. “That actually explains her text actions last night.” “What do you mean?”
“I mean that last night, after she had a coughing fit, I asked if she was ok, and she recited every reason to me of why she was fine.”
“Last night she recited every reason she’s fine?”
“Yes.”
“That’s not good. Last time she did that, she was pretty convinced she was going to die soon.”
“I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”
“Alright. I need to go, thanks Weiss.”
“I care about her too. It doesn’t just have to be for you.”
***
Weiss stepped into the now familiar home, only to see it was exceptionally dark. Yang had said that she had to work, so Weiss had been more than happy to be there to take care of Ruby while she did so, but it was odd all the lights were off, Ruby had a tendency to turn on lights as she passed into rooms. “Ruby,” Weiss called out worriedly. Hearing something akin to a groan Weiss quickly sped-walked into the kitchen, to see a familiar figure on the floor, groaning in pain, “Ruby!” Weiss yelled as she was by her side in an instant, pulling the worryingly light girl into her lap.
Ruby buried her head into the crook of Weiss’s neck and began crying, “I just wanted a bowl of soup! Why the hell is that to much to ask of my own damn body!”
Weiss carefully rubbed Ruby’s back and rocked the two of them for a moment or two, just letting Ruby get this out of her system. The sooner she did, the easier time her lungs would have. She gently nuzzled the top of her head with her check and whispered, “It’s not your fault Ruby,” sounding like a recording on loop as she continued to whisper the phrase to the crying girl.
Ruby had given up long ago that it somehow was her fault, and merely shuddered on top of Weiss, very much not in the way she would have wanted her to do something like that. Weiss thought for a moment before she began to quietly sing to Ruby, hoping to calm her down, to comfort her, to show she would be there for her.
When all of your flaws and all of my flaws
are laid out one by one
A wonderful part of the mess that we made
we pick ourselves undone
All of your flaws and all of my flaws
they lie there hand in hand
Ones we’ve inherited ones that we learned
they pass from man to man
There’s a hole in my soul
I can’t fill it, I can’t fill it
There’s a hole in my soul
can you fill it? Can you fill it?
You have always worn your flaws upon your sleeve
and I have always buried the deep beneath the ground
Dig them up let’s finish what we’ve started
dig them up so nothings left unturned
All of your flaws and all of my flaws
when they have been exhumed
We’ll see that we need them to be who we are
without them we’d be doomed
There’s a hole in my soul
I can’t fill it I can’t fill it
There’s a hole in my soul
can you fill it? Can you fill it?
You have always worn your flaws upon your sleeve
and I have always buried them deep beneath the ground
Dig them up let’s finish what we’ve started
dig them up so nothings left unturned
When all of your flaws
and all of my flaws are counted
When all of your flaws
and all of my flaws are counted
You have always worn your flaws upon your sleeve
and I have always buried them deep beneath the ground
Dig them up let’s finish what we started
dig them up so nothings left unturned
When all of your flaws and all of my flaws
are laid out one by one
A wonderful part of the mess that we made
we pick ourselves undone
“Weiss,” Ruby quietly started when she finished.
“Yes?”
“Can you chase away the darkness?”
“I can try, Ruby. I can try.”