Work Text:
Weiss's eyes opened slowly as she became aware of the all-encompassing warmth around her. The first thing that greeted her as her eyes adjusted was dark red hair. Weiss smiled as she buried her face in the back of her love's head. She'd come to Patch to reconnect with Ruby and put these feelings to rest. She hadn't expected things to go so differently from what she thought.
Weiss's hands tightened around Ruby's waist, her fingers tracing the hem of the sleep shirt. Feeling the soft, warm skin, Weiss felt a thrill of joy travel up her body. Her hands moved slowly, slipping under the shirt and pressing gently against Ruby's stomach. She was so warm.
Weiss buried herself deeper into Ruby's warmth and comfort as her hands trailed up. She was so enraptured in the feeling of contentment and comfort that she didn't notice Ruby stir awake until she spoke. "U-uh... Weiss?"
"Huh?" Weiss mumbled as her hands continued to drift up. She was confused as to why Ruby was tensing.
"I u-um... don't mind, but this seems a bit sudden, and it's early in the morning."
"Huh?" Weiss murmured again as she started to wake fully. Once her wits were about her, she realized her hands had trailed up her partner's stomach, and her fingers were now brushing the underside of her breast.
Weiss's body tensed immediately as she pulled away, nearly falling off the bed. "AH! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to."
Ruby chuckled nervously as she rolled over to look at her partner. "It's ok. I just wasn't really expecting to wake up like that."
"Maybe we shouldn't have done this," Weiss muttered as a bit of shame settled over her.
While Blake and Yang were visiting, Weiss continued to stay in the guest room. After they left, she felt bold and suggested that maybe Ruby and she could simply cuddle in bed and fall asleep. It had gone well, and Weiss had felt like she'd had the best night of sleep in years, but then she went and did something like that; even if unintentional, she made Ruby uncomfortable.
"Hey," a soft whisper cut through the cloud of self-doubt with ease as Ruby took her hand and gently guided her face so they were looking at each other. "I'm ok. I didn't mind us being in the same bed, a-and I wouldn't mind you touching me like that..."
Weiss's cheek burned, and based on Ruby's red face, it seemed the other woman was equally embarrassed. Ruby groaned and rubbed her head as she said, "Agh, I just... it's a bit too soon, but we're also adults, so like you know."
Weiss stared at her lover's silver eyes and swallowed her reservations and worries to ask something she had tried not to think about during their years apart. In a voice almost too small to hear, she asked, "D-do you not have experience with that kind of thing?"
Ruby's eyes widened as she looked at Weiss, who felt like she'd maybe done something wrong, but after a beat of silence, Ruby chuckled nervously as her eyes darted away from Weiss. "No, I don't. I was well, you know. Things weren't good. Romance or even just y-you know, casual stuff was never an option for me. I wouldn't let it be."
Weiss nodded, her chest feeling hollow. The answer didn't make her feel better. If anything, she felt worse now for making Ruby look like this. "I'm-"
"What about you?" Ruby asked suddenly. "Did you, um... did you try to move on or something when I rejected you?"
Weiss spoke before she could even really process the implications of what Ruby may have thought while they separated. "Never. I couldn't think of anyone else like that like this. You were and always will be the only person I love."
Tears welled up in her eyes, and Weiss' hollowed chest filled with regret, but before she could start to question her actions and words, Ruby closed the small distance between them. Their lips connected as Ruby's hands grabbed Weiss's cheeks, and suddenly, everything felt ok. She hadn't messed up. Ruby was just being as energetic and loving as she always was.
The two separated, and Ruby whispered as faint tears streaked down her face. "I love you so much, Weiss Schnee, and I'm so glad I can say that to your face."
Tears pooled in her eyes, and a weak chuckle escaped her lips as she reached over to cup Ruby's cheek. "I love you too, you dolt, and I'm glad I can say it to your face."
The grin on Ruby's face at that moment shone brighter than anything Weiss had seen before or after the Fall of Beacon. After another firm, loving kiss, the two women held each other close, and for a moment, nothing else existed. They would have drifted off back to sleep if not for the sound of pitter-patter in the hallway outside, followed by a soft knock.
Ruby sat up slightly as the door opened, and her daughter poked her sleepy face in. Ruby smiled as she scooted over and patted the bed between her and Weiss. "You're up early."
Noir grumbled as she scampered in and climbed into the bed, settling into the warmth between her mothers. "Had to pee."
"And now you want to sleep here?"
Noir hummed in agreement and quickly snuggled closer to Weiss, who tensed as she was unsure of what to do. Ruby smiled at her partner and motioned for her to put her arm around the young girl.
Weiss did as she was instructed, and Noir quickly started to drift back to sleep. Ruby smiled as she looked at the scene before placing her hand on the young girl's head and gently patting her between her ears.
Once it was clear Noir had fallen asleep again, Ruby kissed Weiss's cheek and whispered, "I'll go start breakfast. Relax and just enjoy the moment, ok?"
Weiss nodded wordlessly as she watched her partner leave. Once she was alone, her eyes settled on Noir's head and the quiet sound of her breathing. It was so... peaceful and something. She wasn't sure what it was, but something about holding this child close to her and just lying here stirred unfamiliar feelings in her chest. Weiss shuffled down slightly and held Noir closer as she closed her eyes.
__________________________________________________________________
After being woken up by Ruby sometime later, Weiss and Noir shuffled off to the table so the three could have breakfast. As they ate, Weiss could feel a bit of tension, and as her eyes drifted to the open door of the guest room, she realized something. She had to leave at some point. Everything that her life had orbited around before coming here resided in the city of Vytal, and as much as she wanted to just not leave this cozy little house on the quiet island of Patch, she couldn't. At least she couldn't without causing a lot of problems for a lot of people, and she was not one to do that to those who supported and helped her over the past few years.
"I'll have to go back to Vytal..."
The words caused everyone at the table to stop, and Weiss winced as she realized she'd said it out loud. Ruby swallowed and set down her fork. The woman stared at her plate for a moment before saying, "I guess you do..."
Noir looked between her two mothers. She'd known Ruby forever and could tell she wasn't happy, and while she didn't know her newest mama very well or for very long, she could tell she wasn't happy either. "Do you have to stay there?"
Weiss blinked before looking at the young girl who fidgeted. "When are you going to be back?"
"I-" Weiss swallowed as she thought about everything. Vytal was her life and purpose. It kept her mind off Ruby, and the night she was rejected, it gave her an excuse to keep everyone at arm's length, but most importantly, it was a source of pride. She'd worked so hard along with her family to repair their name, and Vytal played a part in that.
Atlas and Mantle were symbols of the past. A restoration to a time before the war. It made people wonder when the dust mines would open again, and the Faunus would be abused. Vytal was different. It was the future. Much like how the island had served as host to the end of the Great War, the city that now stood on it was host to a future without Grimm. A brighter and kinder future.
Weiss stared at the young girl, full of worry, and came up blank. She wasn't sure what to do, but she had a partner to back her up when she was in over her head. Ruby grinned as she spoke, getting her daughter's attention. "She'll be back after she takes care of some stuff. We're not sure how long it'll take, though. Remember how long it took us to get to Vale?"
Noir nodded as she looked at her mother. "Well, Vytal is soooo much farther away than Vale, so it's gonna take Weiss even longer to get there. Then she has a lot of grown-up work to do before she can come back, but Weiss isn't sure what kind of work it'll be or how long it'll take, so we don't know how long she'll be gone."
"Oh...I understand." Noir said as she pouted at her waffles.
Weiss felt a sensation like the time Cinder had stabbed her during the fight for Haven. On impulse, she reached out and gently caressed Noir's head, making sure not to ruffle her ears. "I... promise I'll come back as quickly as I can. Do you think you can behave for your mama while I'm gone?"
Noir's eyes shined as she nodded quickly. "I'm a good girl. I've always been one."
Ruby chuckled as she patted her daughter's head. "Yeah, you're a good girl, and we'll have plenty of fun while Weiss is gone, so we can tell her all sorts of stories by the time she gets back."
Noir's mood improved greatly, and the three finished breakfast with light chatter. Once Noir was sent off to her lessons for the day, Weiss went to the guestroom to prepare for her leaving. The ferry would be back tomorrow, and it would be her last chance to leave for the week.
Weiss grunted as Ruby's body rammed into her back, and the woman wrapped her arms tightly around Weiss's waist. "Ah! Ruby, you startled me."
Ruby breathed deep against the nape of Weiss's neck and whispered in a voice that felt too fragile for Weiss's comfort. "You'll come back, right?"
Weiss's hands reached up and covered Ruby's, which tightened around her. "I- Vytal is so much. I've put so much of myself into it, but... I love you. I've loved you for so long, and I finally have you. I don't know what I'll do, but I promise I'll be back."
Weiss turned around while still trapped in Ruby's grip and cupped the woman's cheeks. "Please don't worry. Besides, I could never hurt Noir or you, so please don't look so sad."
Ruby looked up as she asked. "Just... keep me in the loop. No more hiding from me."
"Never again," Weiss whispered before leaning forward to capture Ruby's lips.
As Weiss pulled away, Ruby tightened her grip and pushed forward to kiss her again. Weiss nearly tripped over her feet before reaffirming her stance and wrapping her arms around Ruby's neck. She still wasn't sure what to do, but she would figure it out as quickly as possible. She was tired of not being around Ruby, and there was no way she would ever do anything to hurt Noir.
___________________________________________________________________
Weiss sighed as she rode the ferry back to Vale. The goodbyes had gone well, though, when Noir hugged her and told her she hoped she got her work done quickly, Weiss really considered abandoning everything to start her life over on Patch. She managed to restrain herself and get on the boat. It was going to be a long trip back to Vytal.
After a couple of days of travel, Weiss was no closer to figuring out how she was going to manage her desires and responsibilities. After dropping her things off at her apartment, she headed to the office in the hopes that it would somehow help her piece together what to do.
As Weiss entered, a cheerful voice, sounding slightly startled, spoke up, pulling her from her thoughts. "Oh, Ms.Schnee, I didn't know you'd be back today. I hope you had a relaxing vacation."
Weiss looked at her secretary and was struck by a mildly horrifying realization as she looked at the young woman with bright red hair and orange eyes. Somehow, in the two years she had worked with this woman, Weiss had never consciously realized how much like Ruby she looked.
"Um, yes... I did. I just have some things I need to look into today, so I probably won't be around for long," Weiss said as she quickly headed into her office so she wouldn't have to look at the unsettlingly similar face of her secretary. The only consolation Weiss could think of was that Scarlet did perform her job well.
After an hour of doing almost nothing but fretting and thinking in circles, Weiss looked up from her desk to see her younger brother entering. "Hello, dear sister. How was your vacation?"
"It was... eventful," Weiss said as she slumped in her chair.
"Ah, so things went well with Ms.Rose?" Whitley asked as he sat across from her. "Though with how distraught you look, maybe it didn't go well."
"Things went wonderfully." Weiss groaned. "It's just now I have a very different problem."
At Whitley's curious look, Weiss explained how she went to Patch, met Noir, and managed to reconnect and confess to Ruby. She left out some of the issues she had learned Ruby suffered through. Those were things Ruby should tell others, not her.
"And you're struggling with what to do."
"Yes." Weiss groaned. "I love her and Noir. I want to be there with them, but-"
"But you have a responsibility here. You started the Vytal construction process and feel you have to finish it." Whitley said as he sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Honestly, sister, don't you think you've done enough for the world? You've saved us from Salem, rebuilt Atlas and Mantle, and have done more than any other Schnee to advocate for Faunus rights."
Whitley sighed as he looked at his sister. "You've earned the right to just go be happy, dear sister. I don't think anyone would fault you if you handed the reins over to someone else and ran off to Patch to be with the love of your life."
Weiss wanted to argue to say she had to be the one to finish this and that she wanted to, but in truth, the moment she saw Ruby on Patch, she didn't think about Vytal until she had to leave. The city was her pride, but she had long since gotten over holding onto that.
"I-I, you're right. This... whole thing." Weiss said as she motioned out the window to the city being built around them. "Was just... a thing to keep her off my mind. To keep that night off my mind."
Whitley chuckled as he leaned back in his seat. "Well, I wouldn't say that was all it was. You did put a lot of effort into this. More than I'm sure others would have, and you're a bit of a workaholic, so I must admit I'm a bit worried about what you'd do on such a quiet island."
Weiss stared out at the city as she thought. What would she do on Patch? Other than obviously helping Ruby keep things safe while the Grimm population continued to decline. As she took a deep breath and looked around her office, her eyes landed on a painting of her grandfather, and an idea came to her. "I have... an idea, but first, I need to transfer my work to someone else."
Whitley rolled his eyes. "Oh, who could possibly take on such a big task? You'd need someone you trust who's worked with you for years and knows the designs you set in motion."
Weiss rolled her eyes in response as she said. "Yeah, no need to lay it on so thick, Whitley. I know you're the only one who could take over for me... I'm just- are you sure? Do you want this job that badly?"
"Sister, you aren't the only one who wants to fix our family name. This will be a good experience for me to use in future projects." Whitley grinned as he steepled his fingers. "The world's growing, and I plan on having the name Whitley Schnee outshine Jacque Schnee so totally that people forget who he was."
Weiss tried to stifle her laughter but failed. She doubled over as her chest heaved, and her laughter echoed through her sparse office. After collecting herself, she smiled and said, "Well, then, let's get to work on wiping Jacque's name from people's minds."
___________________________________________________________________
Ruby sighed as she looked at her scroll and slouched on the loveseat. Weiss's leaving hurt more than she thought it would. Not helping things was that the only message she got from Weiss days later was that she was going to be busy getting things in Vytal in order and that she would contact her as soon as possible. It wasn't what Ruby wanted to hear, and as the days ticked on, it was getting harder to manage.
Noir had started to notice Ruby's suffering and was doing her best to make her mother feel better. Ruby was so thankful that her daughter turned out to be such a wonderfully caring girl.
Ruby sank deeper into her seat and her melancholy only to be jolted out of her spiraling thoughts as someone knocked on her door. After groaning softly, Ruby pulled herself up and walked over, intent on making whatever conversation this would be as short as possible.
Blue eyes and a nervous smile greeted her as the door opened. Ruby felt her heart stop as her brain tried to process what she was looking at. Weiss was standing there in front of her with a suitcase at her side and a backpack slung over her shoulders. "I- what?"
"Surprise," Weiss said nervously. "I um... I made a choice, and if you'd have me. I'd like to live here with you and Noir."
Ruby surged forward, taking the love of her life, her partner, the woman who knew her better than anyone else in the world, into her arms and squeezed as tightly as she could. As Weiss groaned and tried to hug her back, Ruby said. "Yes, yes, yes. Thank you... thank you so much. I love you so much."
Weiss smiled as tears welled in her eyes, and she whispered. "I love you too."
After a moment longer, Ruby pulled back as her mind started to process the implications. "What about Vytal? You spent so long on that city."
"Eh, it's the third one I've built, and honestly, my mind was in it but not my heart," Weiss said as she shrugged. "Whitley will take over for me, and I'll listen to my heart for once and focus on being happy."
Ruby chuckled weakly as she clutched onto Weiss. "What are you going to do though? You're such a workaholic."
"Well, I figured I'd do what my grandfather did in his later years," Weiss explained as she cupped Ruby's cheeks. "I think people need to know the truth about our adventures. I'm going to write some books about our team and friends and how we saved the world."
Ruby chuckled as she wiped away the tears on her face. "That sounds like a good idea."
"And you know I've got some ideas on how to improve Patch," Weiss added as she stepped back and looked at the path she walked to get here. "There are some improvements that could be made that would improve the quality of life on the island and-"
"Will you marry me?"
The words slapped Weiss in the face, and she turned to look at Ruby, who was smiling softly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Weiss's throat constricted, and she struggled to speak. "W-what?"
"Weiss Schnee, let's get married. We spent too long apart. I don't want to waste any more hesitating." Ruby said as she approached and grabbed Weiss's hands. "I don't have a ring, but-"
"I don't care," Weiss whispered as she smiled and squeezed Ruby's hands. "I'll marry you. I'm tired of avoiding my heart. I think it's time I be a bit selfish when it comes to what I want."
Ruby grinned and leaned in for a kiss. She never would have thought a celebration of the anniversary of the war ending with her team would lead to so much change for the better in her life.