Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Too loud.

The music was too loud.

The thing about living for eight millennia, there was no limit that her powers could reach. It was what made the ancients so frightening. Unstoppable. With every passing year, every one of her abilities increased. However slight some of them were. Her magic and gifted boons and charms. Her fighting capabilities. Her capacity to withstand hunger.

Even her senses. Taste and touch and scent. Sight. And hearing.

It was great.

Until it wasn’t.

Because for as much control as Weiss portrayed in every part of her life, the truth was, she had very little control of all of her senses at any one point. Unless she consciously chose to stifle one or focus on one, they could do as they pleased whenever they pleased. All in an effort to keep her alive. That’s all instinct ever wanted.

To keep her going.

To be a vampire was to feel everything at every moment. That was perhaps the worst part of the curse: to feel. Senses enhanced to a non-human degree that could be detrimental in the right circumstances because it was downright overwhelming. Distracting.

Like now.

If it had been her choice, Weiss wouldn’t have gone anywhere near the main part of the festival. There were simply too many people- and considering she lived as a hermit holed up in her sanctuary of a castle in the middle of nowhere with only a few other vampires living there, suddenly being thrust into normal society and a city full of thousands of people was such a shock to her system. Even just approaching Beacon’s outskirts, Weiss knew she was in for quite the handful of days full of sensory overload induced headaches.

The charm that she set over herself that made her virtually invisible to the naked eye helped to block out most of the unnecessary noise, create a protective balm over her senses like a sheet of silk and cloud cover to muffle everything she perceived from the world around her- but when she’s stood smackdab in the middle of the (very loud) celebration or festival or whatever with so many people surrounding her, it did very little to dampen things like she wanted it to.

But Ruby had been so damn excited to show her the city and everything it had to offer, one of which being this festival, and who was Weiss to deny her anything?

So, she willingly put herself through the annoyance- really, the suffering and sheer assault to her heightened senses, but Weiss had survived worse- and felt her lips never drop from their upturned state. The smallest of smiles to grace her that just came so naturally and never once left whenever she was around her beloved, even if Ruby wasn’t right next to her.

No, the young Enforcer was in the middle of the ring of dancers. Joining in on the fun first-hand with the civilians that would never know what this apparent stranger protected them from and how much she sacrificed for them.

Weiss stood on the outskirt of the performers amidst others that watched on excitedly, entranced. She had encountered this particular traveling band dozens of times, and while their shows in Atlas were always more tempered and not as… lively and loud, it was always nice to come across them again. Like meeting an old friend, even if nobody here knew who she was.

She knew them, though, so that was plenty for her.

Ruby’s laugh echoed through the air after succeeding at a particularly risky flip that had the crowd cheering- risky if one wasn’t an Enforcer, at least- her dance partners for the time stopping momentarily to clap as well and share in her excitement. The song was beginning to wind down, the end of it approaching, but for now, they continued with their fun. As if the good times would always last.

Oh, if only that were even remotely close to the truth…

Because as it is-

Thump-thump.

-it’s the good times that always end first.

Weiss’s head snapped to the side, in a seemingly random direction. Her illusion of a different face that she opted to have instead of her full invisibility wavered. The short, dark brown hair that everyone around her saw flickered for half a second to reveal the true silvery white coloration beneath of her long ponytail. Faux green eyes speckled with icy blue and the flawless features of her illusion failed to hide the scar on her face. Only a heartbeat. A fleeting life of a moment. Nobody here truly paid attention to her anyway, but they were not the ones she was concerned about seeing her.

The Enforcers in hiding all around the festival were.

Thump-thump.

Her senses were bombarded. The careful control she had on them diminished, the shielding wall put up for her own sanity crumbled to pieces, and everything, everything came barging in. Colors and lights and movement sharpened to a blinding degree that caused a strain to her vision instantaneously until she could pinpoint every particle of dust in the air that was never truly clean in a city. Smells of every variety- sour and sweet and musky and floral and putrid and pine and sweat and the sulfur and burning of recently set-off fireworks- flooded through her nose and she forced herself to stop breathing just so she wouldn’t have to take them in anymore. She chose not to even inhale through her mouth either, lest her taste buds be assailed as well by it all.

And sound.

Gods, everything was so fucking loud-

Thump-thump.

But not as loud as that heartbeat. Far off, nearby. She couldn’t estimate the exact distance from where she was, considering the great distraction that was the rest of the world, but it was close enough for her to know that the individual was in a position to have noticed her. Every beat was like an explosion going off in her ears and her jaw clenched tighter and tighter and subconsciously or not, her body angled in that direction in preparation to chase, to hunt.

You.

Every thump, thump, thump brought with it flashes. Flickers of memories that had her fingers twitching, claws threatening to unleash and fangs readying to appear and a band of scarlet slowly began to appear in fake green. Sounds morphed and melded until the cheering of the crowd around her became screams.

Screams.

Her screams.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!”

Weiss squeezed her eyes shut and she had no idea why she thought that would be helpful. It never was. The darkness just gave room for the images to become clearer now that there were no more distractions.

She was surrounded. She’s aware of that much, the heartbeats of everyone around her was loud and clear and ready for war no matter if she was their teacher, but all of her focus was honed in on that vile excuse of a man that she put her full faith in.

And he betrayed her.

“Your greed has ruined this for us!”

She made a point to memorize them all. Every single heartbeat of every single person that circled her. Weapons drawn and bodies poised to attack, just waiting for the signal to charge in. They had no hope of winning, but they foolishly believed they did.

Children, all of them.

“Congratulations. On your quest for more power, you have doomed this entire world.”

How could they not get it? How could he not understand that?

This was their one chance at winning.

And he gave it all away.

“I hope it was worth it.”

Thump-thump, thump-thump, thumpthumpthumpthumpthump-

So much noise.

There was so much noise, so much fucking noise, and her skin tingled, nerves raw from the oversensitivity- and all Weiss wanted to do was rake her claws down her arms, her torso, her face just to give herself something else to focus on. Just to ground herself before her senses swept her away to depths unknown. Just to come back to herself.

But no one and nothing did that better than her beloved.

Arms enveloped her. So sudden, so out of nowhere that her fractious instincts demanded her to push away, to fight, to flee-

But her sharp inhale from the act came with it that lovely scent of roses that worked wonders on calming everything down. It was an anchor. Steadying her when she felt like she had begun to float away, never to be found again. A beacon in the abyssal night, with a light that shined brightly against the odds of the shadows. She was warm and Weiss always hated it as much as some part of her envied the girl.

What was it like to be warm all the time?

Weiss could only ever experience it after being in her presence. Perhaps that’s why a part of her longed to always be by her side. Hungry. 

Not for her blood, but for her warmth.

Weiss screwed her eyelids shut as she buried herself into Ruby’s chest. Not quite returning the hug- She never did. Because to hug was to be human and Weiss had stopped being human for a very long time now- but never denying it either, not when it came from her. Instead, she went willingly, further into the embrace as she brushed her nose along her collarbone. Pressed her ear over that beautiful heartbeat of hers with a song that reminded her of home. Or whatever home had once been to her.

All of her senses centered on Ruby like she was the sun- and Weiss, the planet trapped in her orbit.

Calm.

That’s what she brought her.

Peace in a world fraught with peril.

Ruby didn’t push. She didn’t stress over her when something was clearly wrong if she felt the need to touch her without prior permission like they’ve established. Her partner sometimes knew better than Weiss did what she needed to come back to herself. Come back to her. Come back to the present.

It wasn’t the first time Weiss would nearly lose herself to her senses.

It definitely wouldn’t be the last either. 8000 years and it only seemed to get worse as time went on. Her moments of slipping came more often. Lasted longer. Hit her harder.

Not that anybody else knew that. As far as the other vampires knew, as far as Blake did, Weiss was in complete control at all times. Portraying an absolute command over herself, and to others. Because if Weiss could curb her hunger- the one thing no vampire had ever been able to conquer- and survive off of feeding from the wrist instead of the neck like her base instinct demanded, then there was nothing she couldn’t control.

It was all a ruse, really.

And Weiss had always been a wonderful actress.

“One,” Ruby’s voice was soft near her ear, a total contrast to the perpetual buzz of conversation all around, the blast of the fireworks that went off, the jubilant cheers, (that fucking heartbeat still within range. Clearly waiting. Watching…). Her hands didn’t roam, fingers curled like hooks; one palm between her shoulder blade, the other at the small of her back. Both dug in with a little more force than Ruby ever wanted to show to her, but Weiss had told her time and time again that it was okay for her to be a little aggressive. More than okay, really.

Sometimes it was only the pain and the pressure of her nails digging into her back that kept Weiss here.

One.

“Two,” Weiss murmured, muffled as she was by her lover’s heart, letting the song soothe her. “Three.”

A small method of theirs. A count to five.

“Four,” Ruby kissed the top of her head, shifting back just enough to do the same to her forehead. A relieved smile to her mouth as she finished for them, “Five.”

At five, Weiss drifted away to meet her in the eye. For her own safety- considering if what Ruby told her was true, then they should expect the Enforcers here to be hunting the sisters as well at one point or another- it was better overall to put an illusion of another over her as well. But while outsiders saw a girl with dark hair and skin and orange eyes and a smattering of freckles like stardust along her cheeks and over the ridge of her nose, to Weiss, Ruby was still herself. With starshine eyes and red-tipped wayward locks that she could spend the rest of eternity running her fingers through and a face she’d strike the heavens down for.

“You okay?” Ruby asked, arms now hovering around Weiss’s form instead of actively holding her, and she brought her hand up toward her face but stopped short of cupping her cheek. Hesitant. Silver glinting with a question; Can I?

Weiss bit the inside of her lip before she regretfully gave a small shake of her head.

Please, don’t.

Ruby never seemed hurt or offended if she rejected her touch. Only ever understanding, letting her hand fall back to her side. Never pushing, never prodding, never demanding. Sometimes, like now, she even went as far as holding her hands behind her back and out of sight. Perhaps to further comfort Weiss, or perhaps to help herself resist temptation to reach out again so soon.

Thump-thump.

Weiss peered off to the side again with the faintest huff. Annoyed, but no longer furious.

Because Ruby was right next to her. And she feared that in her rage, she would get caught in the crossfire and Weiss would sooner die than harm her (and she couldn’t die. She couldn’t, she’s tried, so it almost meant she could never hurt her). The anger turned inward instead, tearing at her chest, her organs, but there was no blood in her to be shed so Weiss suffered the supposed torture in silence and a serene composure.

If you looked at her, you wouldn’t be able to tell she was dying inside.

Thump-thump.

“There’s something I need to take care of, Schatzi. Stay here, I won’t be long.”

Predictably, Ruby frowned; the ease and contentment and delight of participating in the festival slipping away to make room for concern. Uncertainty. Nervousness as she shifted her weight and briefly followed her gaze, trying in vain to locate whatever it was that had clearly caught Weiss’s attention. Her brow furrowed as the seriousness of a focused Enforcer on a mission overtook her features.

And beautiful as she was with any expression, Weiss disliked that one the most.

When she showed signs of what the Organization was trying its hardest to make her. A perfect, unfeeling soldier that never went out of their way to have fun and smiles were few and far between and laughter was nonexistent. Always serious, always focused on their mission, always ready for a fight.

They hadn’t succeeded- and blamed it on Ruby, called her faulty (how fucking dare they; Ruby was many things but faulty was not one of them), distrusted that which they could not change and control- but it was little moments like these that made Weiss worry that maybe… maybe some part of her deep within did succumb to the change. However unfortunate.

So maybe that’s why she reached out first. Pressing her thumb to the little wrinkle between her brows and trying to smooth it out. Silver glimmered with surprise, a bit of glee because it was only on the rarest of occasions that Weiss initiated contact between them, but she didn’t flinch away, held perfectly still as if not wanting to miss a second of this, and maybe that’s what Weiss loved about her the most.

The fact that Ruby never flinched from her.

The fact that Ruby was never afraid of her.

Live long enough, and eventually, everyone becomes scared of you. Weiss had learned to be okay with it. Reveled in it, sometimes, though she would chalk that up to ancient vampire pride (she swore it was a real thing. Blake insisted it was just a Weiss thing, but what were the chances that every ancient she knew just so happened to be stuck-up or cocky and prideful , each in their own unique ways? Blake can deny it all she wanted, but the fact of the matter was, she was just like her in that regard).

But there was a piece of her non-beating heart that mourned it when a room went utterly quiet as soon as she entered, and though those in her sanctuary at Schnee Castle knew how kind she genuinely was, they would go absolutely stock still whenever she was there. Nobody would ever approach her first for conversation, they only ever went to Klein and Klein would come to her if anybody had a question or a request or an issue that needed dealing with. They operated at a stiffness around her, on the hair trigger of running away or defending themselves- more the former than the latter, since everyone knew they wouldn’t be able to beat her if it came down to a physical altercation- and they respected her as much as they feared her.

Even Blake, the only other vampire outside of Klein that she could reasonably call a friend, carried herself with a hesitance around her. Though she was a pest and enjoyed her mischief, there was always a limit she wouldn’t dare even approach.

But Ruby?

Ruby has never been like that. Even before they had fallen for each other. Even when she should have been afraid.

“Don’t frown,” Weiss murmured, feeling rather silly saying what her partner always told her, but it was nice in a way. “The wrinkle will get stuck there.”

Ruby laughed, soft and fleeting and nothing like her usual exuberance, but some of the tenseness evaporated with it. She leaned into the touch and Weiss indulged her, indulged herself, and let her palm rest at her cheek. The warmth of her exertion during the dance, the warmth of her blush at Weiss’s tender touches, the warmth of the life that flowed under her skin; it was as though it seeped into her through her hand alone. Until the ancient could convince herself there was something in her veins too other than cursed blood that didn’t flow and corruptive venom.

Until she could convince herself that she, too, was warm.

(Oh, how she missed being warm.)

“I shall return.”

“Is it-” Ruby’s body twitched, her shoulders jumping as though she had wanted to grab onto her and prevent her from leaving as soon as Weiss lowered her hand. But she held her arms firmly behind her, probably even clasping her fingers together just to stop herself from doing exactly that. But Weiss understood the intention: stop, wait. Please. Don’t leave yet. So, she stopped. She waited. She ignored the knee-jerk reaction to speed after the heartbeat that started to grow more and more distant, foretelling that the individual was starting to leave. “Is it something dangerous?”

“I’m the most dangerous being in all of existence. This,” Weiss couldn’t stop herself from scoffing (prideful as ever) and wrinkled her nose, “ranks at the bottom of the ladder. I’m not the one at risk here.”

Perhaps an exaggeration. 

Curse Mother was more dangerous than her, after all. Weiss could feasibly claim second place, but never first. And maybe that was for the best.

This person, though, was no competition.

That frown quirked at her mouth once more but Ruby shook her head. Stepped closer to her until she could bring her lips to her ear as if to whisper a secret. Weiss was torn between tensing at her approach, her close proximity, and melting more into her at the barely-there graze of her body against hers. (The latter won. She leaned toward her like how shadows are drawn to sunlight; entranced but frightened of their inevitable death from the radiance.)

“Please, don’t hurt anyone.”

A whisper. A plea.

Never a demand, with this one. Everything she asked for always came with a please.

And Weiss hated how she could never deny her.

Quite frankly, it wasn’t fair.

She huffed. Rolled her eyes as if the simple request was a bigger bother to her than it was. Tried not to be hurt by it because Ruby knew her past, she showed it all to her and had nothing left to hide- but she didn’t know who it was at the moment. She didn’t know it was someone who had betrayed the ancient. 

Would it be different, she wondered, if Weiss just said her name?

She didn’t. Something compelled her not to, warned her against it as if it was a matter of life or death.

It was, in a lot of ways.

Ruby’s life. Ruby’s death. Ruby was always the one at risk in all of this mess.

Never Weiss.

“I vow that I won’t,” Weiss uttered her promise- and a promise from a vampire was everlasting. She wavered, unconfident, one may call anxious, but she gave in to the temptation to inhale. To bombard her nose with all the scents of her surroundings but found comfort in the aroma of roses so close to her. Apprehensive, forever uneasy with allowing herself to do what she wanted, Weiss shuffled her feet the tiniest bit closer until she could rest her forehead against her shoulder in what could be excused for some kind of hug. A distant relative of an embrace. “You have my word.”

And she never failed to keep it.

No matter how big or small, important or insignificant her promises were. All of them were treated with equal value. All of them were upheld to the fullest.

(Tried to.)

Ruby hummed, the subtle vibration within her chest echoing in the hollow of Weiss’s and it almost felt like a heartbeat again. She treasured it. Just like the small kiss her love gave to the side of her temple. It mustn’t have been the hug she most likely wanted to give her, but she would settle for this. All to make Weiss as comfortable as possible.

How kind of her.

“And please,” Ruby added in a quieter mumble before Weiss could wisp away (as though she never existed, a ghost amongst the living. A shadow in the sunrise) and it made her freeze to a stop then and there, especially when her partner pressed her forehead against her shoulder too. Returning the pseudo-hold. “Please, be careful.”

She didn’t know whether it was more appropriate to laugh or smile or sigh. To wrap her arms around her and reassure her that everything was going to be okay or take a step back and meet her in the eye and shake her head because Nothing can hurt me.

Even if it tried.

And oh, have many tried- but pain became detrimental the day her heart stopped beating forever.

It was… odd. Something she wasn’t used to. The sheer amount of- of concern that someone could have for her. Klein was the only one who ever really worried over her, but even he had learned by now not to ever fret too much because it was pointless because nothing could hurt her.

She was all but immune to silver nowadays. Frequented the isolation chamber in her castle where the very walls were made of it. It was uncomfortable, sure, but it could never explicitly damage her. She’s been stabbed, shot at, shackled, even tossed into a pool of liquid silver.

And yet, here she was still.

And all those people who had done that to her were not.

Ruby knew that. She knew Ruby understood extremely well that there was only one being in this world that could possibly harm her in any way. She was there for a few of those instances, saw firsthand that silver hardly did anything to her but caused her skin to sizzle a bit. An inconvenience. A tickle, really.

Nevertheless, ridiculously, Ruby still worried.

“Alright.”

So it was up to Weiss to reassure her.

“I’ll be careful.” 

And as if to seal her oath, she leaned away but didn’t stray too far before cupping her cheeks and pressing her lips over hers.

Warm.

Everything about Ruby Rose was warm. Her scent, her presence, her voice, her touch, her lips.

Could anyone blame Weiss for being maybe a little addicted?

There was always a second. A fleeting heartbeat. A time so small it might as well have been insignificant, but to Weiss, it was anything but.

There was always just a moment whenever they kissed where Ruby paused. Hesitated. Wavered, as though she were a second from leaping away if it was something Weiss didn’t really want (always putting the ancient’s needs and comfort before her own). As though she didn’t know if it was something that she herself wanted either. As though she had dreamed of it for centuries and could hardly believe it was happening so it left her stunned.

In that fraction of existence, the trivial fragment, Weiss always feared. But fear what? She couldn’t precisely tell.

Did she fear she would pull away? That Ruby would do what everyone else had done in her life and run the other direction from finally seeing her for the monster she truly was?

Or that she would reciprocate? That Ruby would do what no one else had done and love her anyway, even if she was all that was wrong in the world?

Either way, after the eternity was over, when her lover finally did start kissing her back, it was overwhelming in the best ways possible. Because Ruby kissed her the same way she did everything in her life; full of emotion and the utmost fervor. Like she had something to prove. Like she recognized just how short life could be despite both of them having extended lives and she didn’t want to miss a single moment.

Like she was desperate for Weiss to understand just how much she loved her.

She understood.

She also just couldn’t comprehend it. The concept, simply unfathomable. Impossible.

But when Ruby kissed her like that, maybe it stepped a little more into the realm of believable.

She was distracting. Almost too distracting, all things considered, and for the longest time Weiss nearly forgot what she intended to do. Losing herself to the sensation of her partner’s warmth. The love that she could feel as Ruby broke her own rules and placed her hands at the ancient’s hips to pull her close. Deaf to the world around her, deaf to the overstimulating nature of the festivities going on, deaf to that heartbeat in the distance that faded and was replaced with the lovely tune of the heartbeat in front of her.

But no.

No.

Much as she wanted to stay right here in her embrace, Weiss was a creature of the night and could only stand to be in the sun for so long.

So, naturally, she parted from her first. It took every ounce of willpower to maintain her composure, to not yank away from her as if she’d been burned (because she did that once, near the beginning of what she viewed as this impossible relationship of theirs, when everything was so fresh and so new and so raw- and the flicker of hurt in silver still haunted her). The effort to control herself left her fingers shaking, the tremor traveling throughout the rest of her.

One measured step back. (“Control, Weiss. It does not control you, you control it.”)

Two. (“I can’t do it. I can’t do it, I’m so hungry, I can’t do it.”)

And three. (“Control it.”)

(She did.

She does.

She has to.

One cannot ignore the charm of a vampire older than them.)

When her eyes opened, lips tingling, it was an open invitation. An unspoken permission for her senses to spread out again and for the rest of the world to make itself known to her. And the very first thing she picked up on wasn’t the ear-splitting screech of the speaker going wonky because someone messed up a wire or two that caused everyone around her to flinch.

Thump-thump.

It was that heartbeat again.

She made sure the illusion over her partner’s features was solid. That no matter how far she went, however much Ruby moved (no matter if she was here to track said movement or not), whatever distractions Weiss would soon face, it would remain. Everybody here would be none the wiser to who she really was. If any of the Enforcers who had been present the night before were here, even they would be fooled by the illusory charm.

How long, she wondered, would it take for them to realize their fancy necklaces didn’t work anymore?

Once she was certain Ruby would not run into trouble in her time away, only when she was content that the mirage would hold firm, Weiss gave a firm nod- more for herself than anything- and motioned toward the performance that was starting up again. Her partner would fit right in with them, and she didn’t want to ruin her fun. “Go. Enjoy yourself. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Okay,” Ruby sighed; despondent, disappointed. And they both knew she would do anything but enjoy herself now that Weiss would be off elsewhere.

It would be the easiest thing in the world to bring her along, sure.

But Weiss would sooner face Curse Mother alone again than bring Ruby closer to this person.

Because it was never Weiss’s life on the line.

It was always Ruby’s.

With that in mind, it made leaving a little easier. Much as she wanted to speed off into the crowd, much as she would rather stay, she kept her calm composure as she stepped around a ruckus of children running by. Laughter streaming behind them the same way their parents chased after them pretending to be monsters. 

And as with every other instance since she’s arrived here, Weiss stopped.

Stared.

Watched as the children waved around sticks they must have been pretending to be swords they wielded clumsily and she had half a mind to go over there and correct their grip, even on the imaginary blade, because the way they were holding it was all kinds of incorrect and improper. Watched as the parents caught up to them; with one of them scooping up a child and playfully gnawing at their cheek while the other simply wrapped the remaining survivor up in their arms in a bear hug they couldn’t escape from. Screeching giggles filtered through the air and she somehow didn’t find it as aggravating as the malfunctioning speakers that those organizing the event would have to attempt to fix soon.

There were never any children in Schnee Castle. Not anymore. Vampires were infertile and none of them ever took on a human mate, and if they did, they didn’t bring them to the sanctuary. It was too inhospitable for humans, the journey there alone could kill them. 

As far as she knew, Newborn child vampires didn’t exist either. Whether because no vampire, even Curse Mother, felt it morally right to change a child, no one had ever dared to try, or a child simply couldn’t survive the change-inducing venom (because even if some adults couldn’t, the chances of a young soul withstanding it was rather low. Not impossible, just very unlikely), it was hard to tell.

How long has it been, then, since Weiss had even seen a child?

Were they always that tiny? That uncoordinated and simple-worded? That full of sheer joy and uproarious laughter?

That innocent and pure?

Some part of her, that little bit of warmth left over from her time in Ruby’s presence, couldn’t help but be a tad envious.

To be young again. So new into the world, with so many possibilities ahead and no hardships faced.

Weiss had known one too many hardships by now.

Thump-thump.

One of which was that.

It wasn’t hard to blend in with the crowd. And she couldn’t decide if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

How easy it was to disappear.

Three steps more, and Weiss was gone. Vanished into thin air from the naked eye as if she never existed. Only those who might’ve been truly trying to keep their attention on her probably noticed something off, but by the time they realized they lost her, she was no longer in the general area whatsoever.

Instead, she was racing for the heartbeat.

She didn’t have to go incredibly far. And if she did, it didn’t take long. From one blink to the next, a single choice was all it took, the hunt started and it ended and Weiss wound up in one of many back alleys of Beacon. On the complete other side where the festival was taking place, near the outskirts leading toward the forest that separated the abandoned warehouse where Ruby and Yang had chosen to make camp and the city itself.

Meaning this person knew of its existence.

Meaning: the two of them definitely couldn’t stay there. It wasn’t safe anymore. But that was fine. Neither she nor Blake planned on leaving them alone there anyway.

Weiss sniffed, wrinkling her nose. Narrowing her eyes.

The heartbeat wasn’t here. It was still further ahead.

But the stench of newly spilt blood flooded the alley, the walls of the stonework building stained in a fresh splatter of scarlet. She viewed the macabre painting around her as she stood in the center of a slaughter. Half a dozen bodies littered the backstreet like they were bags of trash someone meant to dispose of in the nearby dumpster but couldn’t quite care enough to finish the journey. It would’ve turned her stomach if she wasn’t already used to so much worse.

As it was, Weiss only passed a disinterested eye over the scene. A full sweep in a half-circle was all she needed to determine five of the six bodies were vampires. Their blackened blood pooled on the shadowed floors rather than arc against the walls like the red did. Come morning when the sun revealed all, it would be impossible to hide its true coloration, but maybe by then this mess would’ve already been cleaned up.

The sixth was a human. A poor soul without a home, maybe. Or perhaps someone who had been caught unfortunately in the worst situation ever and paid for it with his life. She didn’t bother stepping closer to search their pockets for any kind of identification. She knew better than to get her hands dirty- and besides, blood was so hard to clean off and it left her skin feeling rather pasty. She hated it.

The Enforcers that caught wind of this would assume only one story, a single possible outcome: the five vampires got hungry, began feeding on this person, and one of their own killed the creatures but was too late to save the civilian. A tragedy. Another case that further proved vampires were dangerous.

They would not bother to realize that in all the morbid mess, there was not a single bite mark on the man. He had not been fed from. Surely if five vampires drank from him, there would be at least one bite, but no.

Nor would they notice that all the vampires carried defensive wounds. Not a single one of them had their claws unsheathed or features altered to their more monstrous forms. In fact, most of them seemed to have been trying to run when they had been stricken down.

The human, it seemed, was only caught in the crossfire. Disposed of too for seeing something he wasn’t supposed to see. Silenced forever.

And in stories, somehow Weiss was labeled as the evil one.

Oh, the irony.

She had no idea where the Enforcers got their cruel streak from, but it wasn’t from her. 

At least she had never killed an innocent on purpose. (Now, as for accidentally… That was a different case.)

Weiss sighed as she stood by the bodies of the vampires, spending only enough time by each of them to carefully close their eyes because almost all of them died with them open. They wouldn’t be able to rest properly if their eyes weren’t closed… and it was a silly thought, she was aware, but it was one she still followed no matter what. For them to meet such a brutal end, they at least deserved the chance to-

“Sleep now,” she murmured to the strangers, frowning at the wounds on their body. Arcing gashes made by blade, she knew the details of it well. Carried only two scars that looked just like these on her back (for the ones who caused it were never brave enough to fight her from the front). And she’s long since become numb to them, but right now, she swore they gave the faintest tingle that she could mistake as her wings hidden away wanting to sprout forth. “You finally get to rest.”

Perhaps the only upside of a vampire’s demise.

They got to sleep. Without the forced effect of a charm.

At last.

Before rushing off into the forest, she picked her way over to the human as well. Performing the same sort of ritual with him and gently pushing his eyelids down. She had no words to share with him. She didn’t know his name, his occupation, his life. Whether he had friends and family that would mourn him. What kind of person he was.

There would be no time for her to learn any of that either.

Not with the footsteps steadily approaching her way. Quick and light, with the expertise of those who called this place home and knew the ins-and-outs of every nook and cranny. Hushed compared to the distant noise of the festival. If she were anyone else, she wouldn’t have noticed until they were right on top of her.

Unfortunately for the group of Enforcers that hopped down from one of the nearby rooftops, Weiss was Weiss. The second oldest living creature in the entire world. She knew they were coming the moment they stepped out of their apartment building.

They looked right in her direction where she kneeled by the human-

And continued to scan around.

Because their amulets weren’t working anymore, but they didn’t know that. They had no clue there was an invisible ancient vampire within their vicinity. Because quiet as they were upon their arrival, they were nothing compared to the absolute silence of Weiss’s movement as she stood up smoothly from her crouch. Wandered between the two that rushed over to the human to fruitlessly check for any vital signs, not touching either as she angled her body to seamlessly fit in the space in the middle of them.

Nobody was aware of her as Weiss meandered all the way up to who she clocked to be the leader. Standing in the center of the space where she had been when she arrived as the others flit about like flies over a corpse. Some were taking pictures while another rudely toed at the body of the vampires to check if they were alive.

These people. The lack of respect they had for the dead was atrocious.

She stood right in front of the girl with vivid red hair. Emerald green eyes carrying an exhaustion in them she hid well, but Weiss lived and breathed exhaustion so she could spot it in someone else from a mile away. She didn’t even have to see them to know.

“Anything?” The one known as Miló (or Akoúo… or Pyrrha. Weiss read all their minds, sifted through all their memories, so that she knew the names and identities and pasts of every Enforcer currently at Beacon. Because to know the enemy eliminated them as a threat forever) questioned as she observed the alleyway too. Completely overlooking Weiss in front of her even when her gaze passed right by her. Her jaw was clenched, fingers curling and uncurling, twitching toward one of her pockets where her scroll must have been as though she wanted to take it out and call someone.

It wasn’t hard to guess who. Pyrrha peeked to the side, as if expecting someone to be there with her- and when they weren’t, because Yang left them, she swallowed thickly and shook her head and focused again.

A valiant effort, Weiss would give her props for that.

I could kill you… She mused mostly to herself as she eyed the Enforcer up and down, cocking her head to the side just so, pinpointing where every one of her weapons were. Hidden or otherwise obvious. Thought about a couple thousand different ways she could absolutely disarm her until Pyrrha had nothing to rely on but her own bare hands- and maybe in the end, not even those if Weiss was feeling particularly sadistic and decided to cut them off. I could tear you limb from limb before you could even comprehend what was happening to you.

Who would stop her?

Who could stop her?

Blake was the only one who stood remotely a chance at doing anything against her here, and even then, that chance was slim to nonexistent. None of the Enforcers here would be able to react fast enough before it was their turn on the chopping block. The woman with that forsaken heartbeat wouldn’t bother helping her subordinates, anything to save her own skin. Should all the covens of Beacon convene together for some reason, all of them would end up bowing before her.

There was only one person in this world who could stop her- and Curse Mother wasn’t here. And Curse Mother wouldn’t either, she’d likely encourage her to kill her own creation. Every single one of them. Until the entire Organization was in ruins and everything she worked so hard for was right there in the ashes with it.

Two, she had to remind herself.

There were two people in this world who could stop her.

“Please, don’t hurt anyone.”

Weiss swallowed down the disappointment, the temptation, and carefully shifted to the side at the same time Pyrrha was called over by one of the others. Shoulders nearly colliding, but missing by a margin. If only she walked slightly more to the right, or if only Weiss had stepped slightly less to the side, they would’ve bumped and maybe Pyrrha would’ve caught on then that something wasn’t quite right and that they weren’t alone. She seemed to be a smart girl. 

Or maybe Weiss was being too hopeful again that an Enforcer could be anything but ruthless. Dogged with their duty to eradicate vampires, even when that was not what they were originally made for.

Not in the way they were doing it, at least.

Thump-thump.

With nothing for her left here, Weiss continued. Pacing only a couple of feet onto the grass that marked the end of the city limits before rushing through the forest in the span of a breath. Arriving at the edge of the rooftop of the warehouse in naught but half a second. With the wide open space and comfortable silence of being so far out of Beacon, where the night lights couldn’t pollute the sky and she could get a full, unbothered view of the moon and the stars.

Already just one day here and this was what she missed most about Schnee Castle.

Being able to gaze at the motes of light in the darkness above.

The stars gave her something to believe in.

“Must you pick such a beautiful night,” she huffed, knowing the person was watching her, listening, perhaps even crouched in a position to attack, “for such a violent act, hatchling?”

Thump-thump… thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump.

Her lips quirked, amused. Kept her attention on the tiny specks high in the heavens above rather than the warrior poised to unleash a barrage of strikes against her. She could picture it now without even needing to look: hand at the hilt of a partially unsheathed katana, muscles tense and breath held, heart beating rapidly.

“To this day, why have you still not learned how to control your heart like I told you,” blue ticked down to meet the slits of a masked face, marked with traces of red made by the very blood of the wearer (her last connection to her “human” self, blood unaltered by the mutagen changes like that which ran through her veins now), and a slow smile curled to reveal a single pointed fang, “Raven Branwen?”

The movement was insurmountable, but Weiss saw it all.

The tightening of her grip at the hilt of her blade. The subtlest shift in weight to get in the most ideal position, like a predator prepared to pounce on cornered prey.

But oh, Weiss was far from the prey here.

And Raven acknowledged that by not striking immediately like she would’ve had Weiss been any other vampire.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Weiss nodded to her sword hand indicatively, carefully folding her arms behind her back. An obvious sign that despite it all, she was not here for a fight. She made herself completely vulnerable. Gave Raven the perfect opening- one that she would have to be a fool to take. And for her part, the Grandmaster didn’t take it, so maybe there was hope for her yet. “I promised her that I wouldn’t hurt anyone today. I don’t like to break my oaths, so do not force my hand.”

Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thumpthumpthumpthump.

“But do keep in mind, she isn’t here to witness it if I did. I’d be blameless- and it would be my secret to keep.” She leaned forward the slightest bit to smile mockingly and it was game over. Stage-whispering; “And you know I already have plenty of those. What’s one more?”

Because now, it wasn’t Raven who was in an opportune position to attack.

It was Weiss.

Arrogance was the weakness of a confident warrior. There had only been a couple of Enforcers who understood their place in this world quite well, remained humble in the face of change, and Raven Branwen wasn’t one of them.

Enforcers were not the guard dogs protecting the flock of sheep from vicious wolves.

They were one with those sheep.

And they were utterly at the mercy of the wolf.

A predacious glint sparked in blue, the pupils thinning to the finest slits. Fangs on full display.

But for all her minute changes from human visage to creature flesh, her eyes never changed to their ravenous red. And no matter how angry, how hungry, or how out of control Weiss was, she always, always made it a point never to let it. She clung to the humanity of icy blue and even should the rest of her change, never would that.

Unless, of course, Curse Mother forced her. Then there was nothing she could do about it.

Or if someone threatened Ruby.

Then she would throw away her humanity for her.

Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump-

Weiss let out a breath of a laugh.

And fluidly side-stepped out of the way (graceful, as if she were performing a dance) of what could’ve been quite the devastating slash.

Not from Raven though.

From the second Grandmaster that had the misfortunate task of trying to attack her from behind. The poor boy, needing to somehow scale the side of the building without making a sound and get into a good enough location to spring an attack.

Without even glancing his way, keeping her focus locked on that silly little mask that Raven has always worn, Weiss caught the wrist of Qrow Branwen- birds of a feather flock together, and where one of them went, the other was sure to follow- and forced the greatsword he wielded into the stonework of the roof beneath their feet. Fingers shackling him, not even budging when he flexed his muscles and tried to pull away- but a tightening of her grip was more than enough of a threat to dissuade him from a second attempt.

They stood there together, side-by-side. His breaths shaking as she clicked her tongue in disappointment. Like a teacher scolding a student.

A creator chastising their creation.

“How nice of you to join us too, nestling. And what a wonderful welcome the two of you have given me. I’m honored.”

Really, she shouldn’t have expected less.

They were long since past pleasantries. It ended the day their alliance did. The day they betrayed her. The day she officially lost it all.

She remembered the heartbeats of every single person who was there that day.

And she vowed to be there when the time came for them to beat their last rhythm.

A vampire never broke their vows.

Despite being fully cognizant of the fact that they would not be able to beat her, even as a pair, (because they never have… and they never will. Because they could train until their bodies broke and their spirits were sore, but Weiss simply improved by staying alive. She didn’t need to fracture her bones or tear her muscles or endure the mutagen changes over and over again to become better. It would take an Enforcer thousands of lifetimes of training to match up to the abilities she gained with just living another year with the venom in her veins), neither of the two were ever the kind to give up. Even in a hopeless battle. Especially on those where failure was a guarantee.

So it didn’t surprise her when Raven lunged forward, unleashing her blade with deadly precision.

But Weiss was faster.

Weiss was always faster.

Stronger, too; Qrow stood no chance at even attempting to resist being dragged in front of her. Acting as her meat shield to take the hit for her. Raven wouldn’t be able to stop or redirect her strike before it landed and Weiss questioned if she even bothered trying to do so before the blade sliced into her own brother. Ripping a gash across his chest that, for his part, he took like a champion with only a strangled grunt of pain in response.

He made more noise from Weiss kicking him straight in the back afterward, sending him flying forward with a yelp.

Raven dodged her brother’s body, rolling to the side and coming up, ready for another attack.

But by the time she was upright again, Weiss was already past her. Casually standing between them with a prone Qrow at her back and Raven at her front. Arms loosely crossed over herself as she held the Grandmaster’s stolen mask aloft in one of her hands. Observing it as though she were a critique in an art museum judging a piece of featured work.

She tilted it this way and that. The ‘face’ of the mask directed to her so she could meet it where the eyes would be with a hum.

A blink- and it was so easy to imagine the real face of the creature it was designed after. The only entity that Weiss genuinely feared, that Raven was afraid of too. The only one neither of them could ever stop. For as powerful as they were, especially combined, they were nothing compared to Curse Mother in her monstrous form.

Salem was already bad enough alone. But include the added strength, invincibility, and skills of a vampire’s secondary form?

It was like being at the mercy of a God. Or the devil.

The muscle in her jaw ticked as her teeth clenched together. That spark of anger, of vengeance, of bloodthirst causing a spike in her temper and the mask stood no chance against her as she strengthened her grip. It shattered like bones and glass, the pieces clattering to the rooftop below as she sneered at Raven’s narrowed red eyes (and that woman had the audacity to glare right back at her).

“Does it make you feel braver to wear the face of a monster?”

“You tell me. Because as far as I know, there is only one monster between us.”

Monster.

Monster…

You’re a monster.

How many times did she stare at herself in the mirror telling herself that before she broke them all?

How long did it take before she stopped hating the sight of herself and flinching away like everyone else did?

How much did she bear resisting those allegations and trying to prove them wrong?

Sometimes it was just so much easier to lean into the falsities. It was but a performance, you see. Weiss lived every moment in a lie, in one huge game of pretend.

Pretend to be human.

Pretend to be a monster.

Pretend, pretend, pretend.

Pretend that you care. Pretend that you don’t care. Pretend that you’re in control. Pretend that it doesn’t break your heart seeing them like this. Pretend that you aren’t followed by the spirits of the dead forevermore.

Pretend that you know what it’s like to be in love. Pretend that she isn’t the only thing in this world that makes you happy.

Pretend that you’ll be okay when you lose her.

Gods, it was exhausting.

But every waking moment for her was, and a vampire never got to sleep, so Weiss wouldn’t know what it was like to be rested.

So, as much as a part of her deep within withered and died a bit more at Raven’s harsh remark, her bared teeth and blade ready to strike her down (attempt to, at least), Weiss bore it all and put on the most dazzling smile she could muster. Placed a hand over her chest as if touched by the insult.

“Well, someone has to play the part.”

And she bowed at the waist-

At the exact second that Qrow, having regathered himself behind her and recovered from his injuries, fired his shotgun. Missing her by a margin.

And hitting Raven instead.

Luckily for her, the armor she wore was able to deflect most of it, but the impact of the blast sent her stumbling back. Disarming her from her katana as it was sent skidding across the roof. Only a short distance, but with Weiss there, Raven would never be able to get it back unless the ancient felt pity on her.

She didn’t.

Instead, Weiss used the opportunity to rush up to her. Until she was right in front of her face, and though she was shorter than the other woman, Raven was the one to widen her eyes and scramble back. Frightened, alarmed by her sudden close proximity. She reached for where a number of her silver daggers were in various pockets on her person; always having something to defend herself, however small it was compared to her sword.

But that would come too late.

The fight was over with the resounding snap of the chain of Raven’s emblem.

An Enforcer was nothing without their insignia to protect them.

Because as powerful as they were, there was no way for them to train their mind to resist the charm of a vampire. Even a Newborn could mess with them, so for an ancient like her?

Oh, it was as easy to pick through her mind as it was to pluck the feather from a bird.

Though the necklace instantly burned at her skin, the silver scalding her hand and causing black veins to appear and spread rapidly down her arm as the shriek of her sizzling palm filled the air, Weiss clung onto it without a care in the world. She’s encountered worse from her room of silver, this was child’s play.

Raven tried to look away, to not meet her in the eye, perhaps foolishly believing that’s all that needed to be done to avoid being charmed.

But the Grandmaster was already trapped in the horrors of her mind that Weiss made her see. Excavating the memories of older times; past regrets and irreparable mistakes. Everything and anything that Raven often pushed aside to ignore, everything and anything that made her feel human. That made her feel hurt. That made her feel.

Weiss made her Remember.

The sob from her was almost instantaneous and she stumbled again, this time from the force of her own past mistakes. Raven covered her mouth with both palms even as she cowered, squeezing her glazed-over eyes shut and shaking her head to push it all away again, but to no avail. She faltered; back, back, back and almost to the edge of the roof.

And step after step, Weiss followed after her.

“Deep down, you understand... Don’t you, Raven Branwen?”

“Raven!” Qrow called out from behind them, firing at her again, but a twist of her heel against the stonework- and a barricade of ice shot up from out of nowhere. The protective wall rapidly climbed high, higher than even he could dare to climb, and gradually encased predator and prey in a dome. Keeping the outsiders away.

And just to mess with him too, from the memories of him that she dug through long, long ago, lifetimes ago, she called forth spiritual creatures from within. Formed from snowflakes and frost, a pack of wolves circled him. Lunging and barking, with lips pulled back to reveal wicked fangs as they harried him. Distracting him and preventing him from trying to help his sister more than they actively did any damage.

Qrow, she remembered, was terrified of wolves.

A human fear that carried over past the end of his human life.

Weiss let the wolves have fun with their sheep.

She had her own to play with.

“You understand-” Weiss whispered, voice dropping in volume, as the shrieks of the thousands of souls that Raven has taken from this world echoed her words; banshee screams in the Grandmaster’s ears that caused her to cover them, bending over as if it physically caused her pain- but refusing to fall. Forever refusing to fall, “-that you are in the presence of death. And it is only by my mercy that your heart continues to beat.”

Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump.

There was no better song that a heart could sing than one of fear.

(Love was perhaps the one she preferred. But it was so damn difficult to find. In all her years, Ruby’s was the only one that beat with such a tune.)

“You understand,” the wall of ice sealed shut behind Raven, preventing her from falling off the roof, but also preventing her from leaving, and the terror on her face at the realization made Weiss’s undead soul thrum with excitement (oh, the power she had right now; I could kill you, I could kill you, I could kill you-), “that you will always be beneath me. Beneath us. So do as you are meant to… and bow.”

The command took on a different timbre, low and gravelly, and the effect of the charm had Raven trembling. Her body’s instinctive response was to fight against it- but none in this world could ever. They would always try, but in the end, they would always fail.

They would always fall.

Maybe it was a sick kind of satisfaction watching the Grandmaster drop to her knees, bowing before her with her hands still covering her ears, but it was satisfaction nonetheless. For someone this prideful and this stubborn, to genuflect in her presence. As she deserved.

Once upon a time, the people in her kingdom used to bow to her in respect.

But the princess and royal family of Atlas were nothing more than a distant memory of the current world, a fairy tale for the present day folk that would never know the era of courts and crowns, so now Weiss could only ever get someone to bow to her out of fear.

Which…

They’re almost two sides of the same coin, no?

Weiss may not see the memories that were playing in Raven’s head, flashes of past times darting in and out of view, taunting her- but she knew. She was there for many of them. And for those that she wasn’t, all it took was a quick peek into her mind and it was if she lived it too.

Gods. The amount of blood that stained Raven’s hands. Down to her very bones, down to her very soul.

It wasn’t even half the amount on Weiss’s, but she liked to think she had an excuse considering how long she’s been alive. The longer she was around, the more bodies littered the ground behind her as she roamed. If she were to cut down her lifespan and compare it to Raven’s...

No.

Weiss would still have more.

She couldn’t deny that there was the slightest twinge of guilt within her. Because Weiss didn’t like to be forced to remember her past mistakes, she doubted anybody did. And there was something almost… saddening. To witness someone as composed as Raven to absolutely break apart, sniffling and sobbing and shaking from head to toe. Grabbing fistfuls of her hair and cowering down as if she just wanted to disappear from this world.

However-

“I think you owe me an apology for the way you’ve treated me tonight.”

-Weiss was also a bitter person. She held onto her grudges.

And for someone who lived forever, that was a long time to stew in her resentment.

“All will be forgiven. I only ask for one thing.” She halted only a step away, certain that Raven would be able to see nothing more but the heels she wore and she would not dare to try and look further up (for she had not been given permission). Her head tilted and her eyes gleamed in the light of the silver moon; red, red, red. “Grovel.”

As before…

The charm took effect instantaneously.

“I’m sorry,” Raven gasped, all but choking on her tears, and she pressed her forehead into the rooftop below. Completely bowed before her. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m- I’m sorry.”

Hmm…

It wasn’t as gratifying as she thought it would be.

(Perhaps, it’s because… an apology fixed nothing. It changed nothing.

It meant nothing.)

What a shame.

Monster!

“You’re a monster, Madame Schnee.”

“You’ve become one of them devils.”

“We’re monsters…”

“No,” she winced, the forgotten voice of who had to be one of her siblings stolen from Blake’s failed memory recall pierced her head like a bullet tearing through from temple to temple. The first real and genuine pain she’s experienced all night; of course, it had to come from within. It always did. That was the only way she could ever feel pain again. Nothing externally could harm her. “That’s what they call us… but that’s not what we’ll be, Weiss. We’ll prove the world wrong.”

Well, Weiss has certainly done that tonight, hasn’t she?

Would they be disappointed in her? Whoever her siblings were?

Did it even matter to her if they were?

(Yes.

It matters.

That’s enough, Weiss.)

She took a step back from the still whimpering Raven. Lifted the medallion up to inspect the design and ran her thumb along the winged edge of it. Sharp enough to slice at her skin, perhaps an extra precaution made by the Grandmaster herself to discourage vampires from striving to steal it from her (if the silver wasn’t already enough of a deterrent). Idly studied the way the cut overflowed with those same black veins, the venom itself stitching her back together while seeking to flee from the contact of silver.

Monster, indeed.

Weiss didn’t need to play the part.

This was her reality.

These black veins. This corruptive venom. This heart that sat still in her chest.

This was who she was.

This was who she’d always be.

Because the one true attempt she made to be anything else resulted in an entire Organization of people who forced themselves to become the creatures they hunted down. A group that would kill at the drop of a hat, so long as they were ordered to.

A syndicate that could never stand a chance against her, let alone against the one person they were meant to fight.

Curse Mother let them exist because she enjoyed a challenge. Because it was no fun winning when there was nobody competing against you.

But victory would forever and always be in her devilish hands.

Weiss tossed the emblem to the floor as she ended the charm, releasing Raven from her mental hell too as she retreated another step. Another. Many more until she was a respectable distance away from the Grandmaster. Not for her own safety, but as a sign to Raven that despite their differences and despite every right that Weiss has to do so, she was not looking for a fight.

Not tonight, at least.

She promised Ruby she wouldn’t hurt anyone, so she couldn’t.

(But maybe tomorrow…)

The dome around them cracked and crumbled with nary a sound, the ice turning to snowflakes that gently floated to-and-fro and their journey to the floor. As the breeze blew some of them closer to her, Weiss could imagine that she was at the top of Schnee Castle instead of here. Longed to be back home despite how much she would rather be in Ruby’s company.

Because the last time she left home, that was when she lost it all.

She didn’t even want to consider what she’d lose this time around.

The low growls of the summoned wolves all gradually began to fade away as she dropped her connection to them. She turned her sight to where Qrow was, on one knee now with a pair of serrated silver daggers. One in each hand and wielded to defend himself. Eyes wide and wild, body shaking so much that the tips of the knives quivered violently and he remained absolutely frozen in his position until every single one of the wolves was gone from view. 

And even then, even once they were gone, he still didn’t move. As though expecting them to pop back up out of nowhere if he even shifted in place.

Maybe it was cruel of her to torment him that way.

Did she care? No, but she considered it a cruel thing to do so that had to count for something, right?

“I think we’re finished here,” Weiss announced once both of them relatively recovered. Raven snatched her emblem from the ground in front of her and quickly tied it on while Qrow teeter tottered his way over to his sister’s side so they were together at least no matter what came next. “You’d be wise to leave while you have the chance. I made my promise not to hurt anyone tonight, and I intend to keep it… but tomorrow is a new day. Choose to stay- and you won’t get this chance again.”

“We should’ve known… it was you,” Raven grunted, and she did her best to come off as unaffected by the whole ordeal as much as she could. But even if she was much faster than her brother at getting to her feet, at tempering her fear, at glaring at her with all the hate she’d shown before- she could never truly stop the trembles in her hands. No matter how tightly she balled them into fists as she did now. It made Weiss chuckle softly in amusement. “Figured there’d come a point when controlling all of Atlas wouldn’t be enough for you anymore.”

Weiss smiled, sharp and bitter. “Still painting me as the megalomaniac, I see. Let’s not forget just who is the one desperate for more power… and who is the one it naturally comes to.”

It was downright hilarious, in truth.

The idea they had that Weiss was obsessed with gaining more territory. Believing she was always the shadow pulling the strings on any coven that may start to get out of hand in terms of numbers or power, that she was always somehow involved in it all. When in actuality, she has not left Schnee Castle in hundreds of years.

She had no desire to. No need for it. No real reason.

Until she met Ruby almost 25 years, and until Ruby had to leave and could no longer stay with her. Only then did Weiss finally long for something her home could not provide. Because home had taken on a new meaning, and it was not the rundown palace that she had been born in, that she had died in, that she had been remade again in.

Home was the warm embrace of a girl who smelled of roses and wild winds. With blood that tasted of open fields and the freedom of running through it with no end in sight and nothing around to stop her. With eyes that shone like the moon, with a color that was meant to spell her doom. With a smile that could make her heart beat just one more time.

But of course, to the Enforcers, that was just impossible. Because all vampires wanted in their life was to control the world.

Vampires cared for nothing but power and blood.

“Who else could keep entire covens in line?”

Who else do they have to be afraid of?

“You flatter me, but your praises are misplaced.” Weiss peered off toward the city lights, past the forest that separated them for miles that could all be cleared in less than a second for her. Where the coven she had charmed to sleep rested in their forced slumber. A couple of them were resisting it, she could sense it within her subconscious, and it was easier for them to do since she devoted half of her attention (more than half of it, really) to protecting Ruby with the illusion charm. But they would not be able to break through. They were all too young. Too weak. “I’ve only just arrived at Beacon. I’m but a mere visitor.”

“Bullshit, don’t lie!”

“Raven…” Qrow, at least, was a bit more well-mannered than the other Grandmaster. More tamed. He’d always been that way; patient instead of hot-tempered. Willing to take a step back and observe everything at his disposal instead of rushing headlong into whatever task he was assigned.

He held Raven back with a hand against her shoulder.

A wise choice.

Weiss has offered them an escape. A temporary peace. But if either of them chose to deny it, well…

All bets were off.

It was easier to ask for Ruby’s forgiveness for breaking her promise than it was to ask for permission.

Ruby would understand.

And if she didn’t, Weiss would live with the pain of disappointing her.

She already lived in an eternity of suffering with no end in sight, Ruby would just be another person that the ancient has let down on the long list. Weiss could wrap herself in their names like a cloak. Like a shield.

Like a noose.

“Such colorful language, you have,” Weiss narrowed her eyes, more annoyed by the cursing than anything else. “A handful of centuries for you and you have yet to learn to hold your tongue, hatchling. You disappoint me.”

Despite everything, Raven flinched.

It was somehow much more fulfilling to accomplish that than it was to make her bow.

“Any and all credit for how peaceful Beacon has been goes to my dear friend. Not to me. Don’t overlook her hard work, please. She tries her best.”

For as much as Blake had proven that she wanted no part in any leadership position, it did come naturally to her. She had to commend her for that. Though Weiss would have handled the situation with the Apocyn coven differently, in no way did her friend do it wrong, per se. She just… used methods Weiss wouldn’t have. And every leader was different so it was fine.

Not that she would admit any of that to her face.

Someone had to keep an ancient’s ego in check, and who better than one older than them?

“And you have my word,” Weiss put a hand over her heart as if she was making a most sacred oath (but did it ever count if her heart didn’t work anyway?), “that she will correct any and all mistakes that the covens have made in her temporary absence. She will put them back in their place. So, Enforcers,” a taunting sneer, a hidden snarl, “you have nothing to worry about. There’s no need to get so violent and up in arms. There’s no need for this to end in a fight. As I’ve said… we’re finished here. Return to your Headquarters… and not a single one of you has to die. How does that sound?”

She didn’t give out peace offerings very often- and it definitely wasn’t part of her plans when confronting these two again.

But vengeance could wait another day. Another month. Another year. Weiss was willing to wait however long it took before she could get her chance.

Because as of right now, killing them- despite how much she craved it- would only make matters here at Beacon worse. For everyone involved. The death of two Grandmasters would cause every Enforcer in the entire world to come running to this city to avenge them. There would be absolute mayhem. War.

And while Weiss was confident they would win it, ultimately… she would lose in the end.

The Organization was the only thing she had to face off against Salem. No matter if she wasn’t the one in control of it anymore, all she had to do was wait. Wait for the ‘Founder’ (or whatever he liked to call himself now) to realize what a fool he’d been this entire time, that he needed her, that they all needed her. Wait for him to apologize. Wait for just the right time that they’ll finally understand the game she’s been playing at and join her in her endeavor to defeat their common enemy in Curse Mother.

Weak as they were in comparison, Enforcers had their strengths too. They just didn’t know it, but Weiss did.

Weiss made them, after all- and she could un make them just as easily if they pushed her too far or too much. If you asked her, she was being really lenient with them. Considerate. Forgiving.

She’d let them go through their little rebellious phase. She’d let them kill innocent vampires just trying to live their lives in peace. She’d let them ‘take in’- their nice way of saying kidnap- children and young people to join their ranks.

But she would not end them.

Because as much as they needed her, she needed them.

Now, if only the Enforcers could see it that way too. That would make her life so much easier.

But when did Weiss ever get anything she wanted?

“That sounds,” Raven hardened her glare, reaching into her pocket for what Weiss presumed to be a dagger; to arm herself, considering her katana was much too far away and to try and go for it would be a death wish, “like you’re scared.”

“And just what do I have to be afraid of?”

Weiss was fear incarnate.

The only one she couldn’t best was Curse Mother.

And-

“What all of you monsters do.”

She pulled out not a blade, but a small device. To her, it looked like a speaker with a switch on it. Currently flipped to the off setting, but Raven pressed her thumb to it-

“Your hunger.”

And turned it on.

And it was almost like… a buzz. A distant ringing in her ears at a pitch a normal human wouldn’t be able to pick up on. And it grew louder and louder, louder, louder-

“For surely,” she could swear the ghost of Curse Mother’s charm echoed just beneath that unearthly chime, “you must be hungry.”

A gleam of red. A dark, ominous glow.

A stern command.

Having experienced it many times throughout her life, one could say Weiss was… familiar with the effects of being forced under a charm-induced feral state. Like a punch to the gut, a wave of force that brought a tremble throughout her. It was markedly different from naturally falling into one; where that was a gradual progression, a slow downfall, this was quick and sudden. The hunger, artificial- but still having a very real effect on the being. A clenching of her stomach, a tightening of her throat that began to close up from the thirst for blood. It was irresistible.

Because for as much as someone could train their body, their mind would always be weaker.

Their mind would always fall for tricks.

…Unless, of course…

Weiss smirked.

And began to laugh.

…You were older than the one trying to charm you.

She could sense it. The charm that came from within what had to be some sort of recording device- “Aren’t you hungry?”- at a frequency that only a vampire could understand and be affected by. From an outsider’s perspective, it was probably just a bunch of static and jumbled words that made no sense. But she could pick out the command. The prying claws at her mind trying to rip into it and control her will. Completely take over her mental state until she was nothing but a beast that could be pointed in the right direction and unleashed upon whoever the one commanding them wanted.

And while it did make her stumble a step, grimace a bit, squeeze her eyes shut and swallow the instinctive snarl down thickly…

She resisted it.

“Well, that’s a fun new toy the Organization has made.” She shook herself out, standing taller- and reveling in their shocked expressions. Weiss brushed herself off as if the charm itself was specks of dust gathered on her. Lip curled in aggravation. “But don’t overestimate yourself now. Believe me when I say the last thing you want is for me to go feral. You’ve called me a monster, but I’ve yet to truly show you one.”

“How did you…?” Qrow gawked at her, glancing at the device as if to inspect that it was actually on. Even going as far as taking it from Raven’s limp hand, flipping the switch off, and then turning it back on like that’ll make all the difference.

Oh, these two.

They never fail to entertain her.

“You can’t charm a vampire unless you’re older than them, I thought you’d learn that by now. I’m afraid whoever the poor soul is that you coerced into aiding your endeavor…” Weiss focused her gaze on the box, tipping her head and letting the static wash over her to pick up on the hidden voice within it, “...is younger than me. Then again, most are. But bravo, truly; it’s an ingenious idea, though…”

She hummed and held a hand to her chin in thought. Furrowed her brow, confused.

“I’m uncertain of your angle for it. I figured the last thing you’d want is feral vampires running about. That would be an absolute disaster. Unless…”

No, something wasn’t right.

Because while it was true you had to be older to induce a feral state in another, you also had to be part of their coven. You had to have some sort of connection with them. Weiss couldn’t create it in any random vampire she walked across, nor in Blake either despite their close friendship. The only one she had the ability to do that to was Klein, since she was the one who turned him (and never in a million years would she even consider it). The bond of a coven opened that link, connected every member with each other and gave the power over to the leader.

The leader, often the one who turned the others in most cases, would have full authority over the hunger of their followers. The members of the coven, then, would put their full faith that their leader wouldn’t abuse that power.

The only exception to that rule was Curse Mother.

As creator of the curse itself, it technically meant she was the ‘coven leader’ of every single vampire in existence. Whoever carried her curse within them was at her mercy. At any moment in time, if she was bored for example, Salem could simply make anyone go feral. In some ways, she was always doing it. Calling forth the hunger in all of her creations. It’s why they needed to feed often, to resist her.

“Unless you could control them.”

Only Curse Mother was able to do that.

…But also-

“Aren’t you hungry?”

-there was one other, now that she thought about it. Who exhibited that same ability to puppeteer the hunger of other vampires, regardless if they were of the same coven or not. A unique skill, a boon gifted by Curse Mother herself at one point in time. Thousands of years ago.

And the only vampire that Weiss knew… that Salem regretted making and giving such a gift.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

She recognized the voice now.

“Adel.” Now the pieces of the puzzle fit together- and it was a lot like meeting an old friend (and an old enemy). Regardless, Weiss gave a softer smile this time. “I see now.”

Coco Adel. One of the last few surviving miscreants of the Second Wave; an ancient well on her way to 7000, give or take a few dozens of years. Officially also, the second (or third, depending on if one wanted to include Curse Mother) oldest vampire in the world right behind Weiss. Only a couple of years older than Klein.

Now it made sense. The sudden shift and frenzy of the Apocyn coven, how all of them could conceivably turn feral all at once with little to no indication. Just how remarkably quick it was for them to lose themselves entirely. She should’ve realized the signs earlier.

Nothing can break a person’s mind faster than a charm. Especially one made by an ancient.

Especially if said ancient was one Coco Adel.

Arguably the only vampire who had charms that were nearly on par with Salem herself in terms of strength and will. Truly it was only the millennium that separated them that allowed Weiss to resist at all, but if she had been even a few hundred years younger, she had very little doubt that Adel’s charm would’ve worked- regardless if Weiss was still older. It was a special gift, one that worked wonders in Salem’s favor to have such a powerful underling.

…At least until Coco decided to stop following her, break away from under her wing, and do her own damn thing which included whatever the fuck she wanted. There was very little Curse Mother could do to stop her.

Because for as much as Coco’s charms were amplified to a degree that could never be fought against, it also meant her own resistances were increased as well. To the point where not even Salem could force her to do anything.

Oh, Weiss wished she had been there the day it happened. What she would give to see the look on Curse Mother’s face at such a betrayal.

In another life, she liked to think they could’ve been great friends.

But she found Coco insufferable (for more reasons than one); and equally, Coco did as well. 

Because Weiss was the only one who could resist her charms, due to age alone- and Coco was the only one that Weiss couldn’t control either. Whenever they stumbled upon each other, it was a constant test of will of one trying to overpower the other and neither of them coming out on top. Quite frankly, it was exhausting being in her presence (and it reminded her so much of how it was like to be near Curse Mother too).

On top of that, they also had very different viewpoints of the world. 

Where Weiss had chosen to hide herself away in isolation, never leaving her home until now, Coco took to the spotlight and thrived in it. Naturally, to avoid suspicion and whatnot, she would take on pseudonyms from time to time (but never as often as vampires are supposed to. No, more than half the time she’d flaunt around with her real name as common knowledge), change her appearance, hole up somewhere until the current generation forgot all about her, before popping up again in whatever endeavor she wanted- from being a famous actress to photographer to fashion designer to director to model, anything that got her crowds of attention- and took the world by storm. 

And then, she’d disappear again when the time was right.

Weiss would reprimand her for it at any chance she got. Because making herself so well-known by the humans and incorporating herself into their lives the way she did was a very risky move. It was playing with fire. All it took was one person to have enough interest to start digging, and humans could be so nosy.

Coco, as her only argument, would call her a killjoy.

And if she didn’t know any better, she dare say the younger ancient might have been a bit… envious of her. She never did like coming in second place, and no matter what happened, Weiss would always be above her. She could not go back in time to become a member of a First Family, so she had to settle for being created in the Second Wave.

Forever beneath her, in age and ability.

So the fact that the Organization somehow managed to get her of all ancients to comply with them was a downright miracle because-

“Adel hates everything I’ve had a hand in making,” Weiss snickered, more to herself than anything else because Coco could be so petulant sometimes. “She’d sooner cause the Enforcers to fall to ruin than help them in any way, shape, or form. How in the world did you manage to get that stubborn one under your control? I must know, you don’t just make Adel do anything she doesn’t want to. Trust me, I’ve tried.”

Oh, did she.

Between 5000 and 6000 were some of the most annoying years of her long life since she spent it all in Coco’s company. They tried to make some form of alliance, a peace treaty between them. But their differences caused them to clash instead more often than not until eventually, Coco took her coven and left.

It was the last official time an actual coven had ever set foot in Schnee Castle. From then on, Weiss only ever took in the strays. The wanderers. The urchins.

Her people.

Coco couldn’t stand any of it.

The Grandmasters peeked at one another. Contemplative. Qrow flipped the switch off again and pocketed the little box for safe keeping, since it clearly wasn’t doing anything to her, while Raven wiped the last of her drying tears away and gave a firm shake of her head. Coming to some sort of decision (and whatever it was, it made Qrow frown and let out a sigh. A deep-rooted sadness finally beginning to blossom into sorrow-ridden blooms) as she straightened herself up. And though her mask was gone, it was as though she slipped a new one on.

She breathed in preparation as if she was getting ready for war.

And Weiss gave her as much time as she needed. Because none of it would make a difference in the end.

“The same way we’ll get you.” Raven took a step- but instead of heading for where her katana lay discarded, it was toward Weiss. A bold choice, she must say. If she had any chance of making it out of here alive (she didn’t), it was gone now (it never existed). Her teeth flashed in a taunt, rolling her eyes as she jeered, “She fell in love.”

All but spitting the last word. As if the idea that a vampire could ever have feelings that went past bloodthirst was inconceivable.

Ah.

I get it now.

“She gained an obsession with a human-”

“Infatuation,” Weiss corrected softly. Saddened. Because while Coco had done the impossible and strengthened her mind and will to a level that could not be conquered… She could not do the same with her heart. “Fondness.”

Sometimes, it was the heart that was weaker than the mind. More susceptible to pain.

“Fixation,” Raven scoffed, calling it everything else but love because it couldn’t possibly be. Vampires felt nothing, they wanted for nothing but blood. “It was easy then, to get her to obey. One threat to her little human and Adel was willing to do anything we needed, so long as we promised not to hurt her.”

“And I sure hope you’ve kept that vow. Because if you haven’t, and Gods forbid if you’ve killed the girl…” If she were a lesser being, she would’ve shuddered in terror at the mere idea. But as it were, Weiss only shook her head in pity. “Curse Mother and I are the least of your concerns now once Adel finds out. Because she will. It’s only a matter of time before one of you slips up.”

“You let us worry about that, Schnee. Because you,” the Grandmaster took another step and it took every bit of willpower within her not to split her in half then and there, “should focus on what’s going to happen to yours if you don’t do as we say.”

Ruby.

It made sense now, why Qrow looked so sad. So guilty. Because even if he wasn’t meant to, he did develop a soft spot for the younger generations of Enforcers. Especially the two in particular that were assigned as part of his family.

And now he had a choice to make. Between Ruby or the Organization.

The fact that he didn’t speak out against Raven proved which decision he came to.

The wrong one.

(Always making the wrong choices, aren’t you, Qrow?)

“Nothing will happen to her.” Compose yourself, Weiss. She couldn’t. Blue slipped away to reveal deep red, monstrous red, and her fingers ached to unleash her claws as the scars on her back where her leathery wings rested began to itch. Eager to be released, it’s been so long. How many centuries now? How long ago did they betray her? “Because none of you are going to touch her if you know what’s good for you. Do not threaten her name because I promise, the next beat of your heart might just be your last. Don’t test me.”

“We won’t do anything. So long as you give us what we want.”

Before she could ask what exactly that was, Raven was tossing something into the air. Small, too small to be a dagger as it spun toward her, and while it would’ve been the easiest thing in the world to dodge it or knock it aside, Weiss caught it instead. No bigger than the palm of her hand.

A glass vial. Like those used in a lab to hold some sort of liquid. Cylindrical and simple with the top of it modified in such a way to come to a fine point. Sharp. Needle-like in its design with a lid that twisted one way or another to open and close little hatches.

Nothing was funny about this situation, but she couldn’t stop herself from snorting. Almost felt like cooing.

Because for as much time had passed, and for as much had undoubtedly changed in the Organization, they still used some of the equipment she designed for them. If slightly altered with a more modern touch.

She knew a blood collection tube when she saw one.

And she couldn’t decide whether to laugh or be impressed or be annoyed that she had overlooked what was right in front of her face.

At first, using Coco’s ability, it could easily be assumed they were trying to make an army of ferals. The only logical reason for that, aside from the obvious of just wanting a viable excuse to kill them all (and what’s more of a reason than entire covens of vampires feasting on innocent lives to quench a hunger that they caused?), would be that they were trying to build forces to- she hoped- attack Curse Mother. Again.

They’d fail. Again. But hey, if the Founder and the Grandmasters wanted to give it a shot, Weiss would stand back and let them fail. Maybe it’ll be enough to finally get them to learn that what they’re doing isn’t working and they need her guidance. They would not kill Salem with a swarm of frenzied vampires.

…But now with the vial in her hand, she understood that killing Curse Mother wasn’t their goal here.

No.

“You’ve run out…”

Why kill her… when all they needed was to make her bleed? They would be able to accomplish that at the minimum. With heavy casualties, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. They’d take what they could get away with. However small of a victory it was.

Because it was more valuable to them to keep Salem alive.

After all, the only way to make more of their precious mutagen concoctions… was with Curse Mother’s blood.

And with hers.

“Well, isn’t that fantastic.” She bared her teeth, but whether in a sneer or a smile or a smirk, she couldn’t tell. Half of her was amused by the whole situation, by their desperation, and the other half was pissed off because she told them. She warned them that this would happen- and they didn’t listen to her! If they had just listened… “Have the reversions begun? Is that why your blood smells differently, Qrow?”

Weiss hadn’t quite been able to put her finger on it, from the moment he had been struck by his sister. The scent of his altered blood had hit her without fail, but there was something… peculiar. An oddity that she brushed off in favor of toying with them a bit more, but now that their pseudo-battle was over and things had settled, a deep breath revealed it once more. 

It was difficult because he was no longer actively bleeding, but it was there.

Weaker.

His blood smelled weaker than it used to be. Which shouldn’t make sense considering how long it’s been and how many more mutagen injections he must have gone through in her absence. It was subtle. But it was there.

Neither of them responded to her. Neither of them dared to, not wanting to admit a weakness.

Either way, she already had her answer.

“And you expect me to help you out of the hole you’ve dug yourselves?” Vivid red switched over to them distastefully, releasing a sharp exhale of irritation through her nose. She clenched the glass vial in her grip until it threatened to shatter, and for the life of her, she couldn’t understand why she didn’t just throw it back in their faces and tell them to figure it out. They’ve got themselves into that mess, they could get themselves out of it too. “I’d hate to say I told you so… but I warned you that this would happen. And not a single one of you ever listened.”

“We-” Qrow tried, but whatever he was going to say never saw the light of day. A mote of vulnerability that Enforcers shouldn’t show. A spark of emotion that Raven disagreed with as she stepped in front of him entirely, fists clenched at her sides and glare sternly on her.

“You are going to fill that vial for us.” The audacity of this woman. To order her around. It brought a low rumble of a growl within her chest before she could stop it and she had to ignore that ever incessant voice in the head reminding her of just how easy it would be to strike her down. “Tomorrow evening, there will be more at the top of Beacon’s clock tower waiting for you. Do that, and the Enforcers stationed here will leave in peace.”

“And if I don’t?” Her eyes glowed, dark and threatening. She delighted in the way it made both of them stiffen in place, shifting their weights to a more battle-ready position. Cautious and afraid. “If I choose to kill you right here and now instead? It’d be a lot faster. Less draining on me too.”

Literally.

But no.

She couldn’t.

Because it was not her life that was being threatened. It was never her life on the line.

Raven hesitated. A second, a minute. Thump-thump. Maybe she did it to taunt her somehow, to let her come to her own conclusions, or maybe she genuinely didn’t want to do it either. Like Qrow, maybe she was starting to remember what it was like to be human. To have sympathy. To have compassion.

It was only ever short-lived, but perhaps it could count for something in a different life.

The Grandmaster pulled out her scroll, tapping the screen only once- and it’s then Weiss understood that there had been an ongoing voice call active for probably this entire time since she arrived. She cursed herself for such a sloppy mistake, for getting rusty, for being a bit too easy on her pupils (that were never really hers to begin with).

“Sorceress-” Glynda. Wonderful, Weiss was due for a reunion with all the people she wanted dead. A shame she couldn’t be right here with them. (And it was ridiculous how they insisted on their aliases when Weiss already knew everything about all of the Grandmasters. Qrow, at least, never bothered with it, well aware that it was worthless.) “Are you in position?”

Over the speakers of the scroll, Glynda’s voice came through, the sound of the festival’s music faint, “I am.”

“Has your blood bond found its target?”

“It has.” A pause, the music grew a bit louder, so Weiss could only guess that Glynda might’ve approached the main area of the festival more. “It says that she looks different, but it has her scent and her heartbeat located. It's certain that it found her by the playset. Is it to engage?”

Great.

Weiss could mask Ruby in the most perfect illusion, but never could she replace her natural scent nor the sound of her heart. That was a skill she had yet to practice, and in hindsight, maybe it was one she should’ve mastered before. Because while Enforcers relied on their vision, their vampiric partners (or prisoners, as she viewed them as) didn’t need to know the face of their target. Only the scent of their blood, the sound of their heart. 

Both of which were recorded and classified information that the Organization had on each of their members, so they could track down anyone they needed to for moments exactly like these. Where someone had deserted their post and they were now a threat to the entire group as a whole. Because they couldn’t just have superhumans living amongst the regular civilians, who knew what would happen then? Gods forbid if they tried to procreate; they could single-handedly produce a whole new generation of unnatural mutations in humanity and it would go against everything they stood for in regards to “maintaining order” and “defending the natural world” or whatever their slogan was.

Weiss didn’t make them for that reason- but if that’s what they wanted to tell themselves they were created for, by all means. It at least gave them something to focus on because a bored Enforcer was just as bad as a violent one.

This is bad.

Not the worst situation she’s been in, she wasn’t completely backed into a corner yet. She still had a viable escape route. She could call this a bluff, that maybe it was all a ruse and Ruby wasn’t in any actual danger, but was it something she could afford to do? If it meant putting Ruby’s life on the line for a potential hoax?

No, absolutely not.

If there was a possibility that they were telling the truth and whatever blood bond Glynda had decided to take in was within striking distance of her partner, then Weiss needed to take that into account.

Fast as she was, all it would take was one word from Raven for that vampire to attack. Weiss simply wouldn’t get there on time. Especially if it caught Ruby by surprise and it had orders to kill, then the odds weren’t exactly in her beloved’s favor. It fully depended on what position the blood bond was in comparison to Ruby right at this second and the young Enforcer’s instincts. It would take a miracle for her to get out of it unscathed by the time Weiss got there.

Of course, she could just kill Raven and Qrow before either of them got the chance to give the order, but she suspected they were prepared for that too. Ready for any path Weiss would choose, anything to make this work. And it really wouldn’t resolve anything either; Ruby could still get hurt and there’d be two dead Grandmasters and it would just loop back to a full-scale war erupting between her and the very Organization she constructed from the ground up.

The only one who would win in the end in that scenario was Curse Mother.

It’s not like she’d be able to start over anyway. Make a whole new Organization from scratch. She had no ability to make anymore mutagen concoctions, not without Curse Mother’s blood (which she had none of anymore) nor without the Founder’s. A human’s. Sure, she could hypothetically just grab any random human and use theirs, and hers would always be the easiest to provide, but there was no way for her to get Salem’s.

Weiss didn’t have it within her to fight Curse Mother again. Not right now. She had nobody who could fight alongside her anymore.

If even all of the First Families couldn’t do anything the first time, what chance did Weiss have as the only one left?

None. Her chances were in the negatives by this point.

“What do you think, Schnee?” Raven spat her name in a curse, somehow having it within her to send her a cocky grin. As if victory was a guarantee for them. As if they’ve somehow trapped her against the wall and Weiss had no way out of this. As if she was stuck. “Should it engage?”

Weiss paid little attention to her. Going through every outcome within her mind that promised the most number of lives saved- and if not that, then at least Ruby’s. It was the only one that mattered to her. But if she saved her now by choosing the violent option of killing these two and then racing over to defend her against the blood bond, that would only put them in an even worse situation in the long run. The Organization would be forced to strike back and Weiss would not stand for it, she would defend herself if she had to. They would force her to. And then where would they end up?

Cowering at Curse Mother’s feet.

But to give them more of her blood just like that… Oh, it infuriated her. Because they were imbeciles, that’s all it was. They were desperate, they would go on to do the stupidest things just to get some of Curse Mother’s blood too and continue with their silly little science experiments no matter how many people had to die for it.

With Coco Adel and her ability at their disposal, it made them victims of their own hubris believing it was all they needed to get what they wanted. It made them arrogant.

It seemed like no matter what choice she made, the Organization she worked so hard for was destined to go up in flames one way or another.

How did they not understand that she was just trying to save them?

What do you think, Schnee?

Ruby.

Save Ruby first.

Worry about the rest of these idiots later.

(She questioned why she even cared about them. Let them die. They could be replaced. Everyone could be replaced eventually.)

With a sigh, Weiss looked down at the vial in her palm. The faintest breath of amusement coming from her as glimmering red eyes lifted to them and she gave them a fond smile, “You’ve grown clever. I’m proud of you.”

The pinch and pierce of the needle into her wrist was a distant sensation. She did not break eye contact as blackened blood filled the glass vial to the point of overflow, and as she withdrew it, the wound healed within seconds as she closed the cap. Held the vial between her fingers with a vague interest.

It wasn’t often she got to see her own blood.

It was incredibly hard to make her bleed nowadays.

“Catch.”

She tossed it back with very little warning, as if it wasn’t something so critically important to the grand scheme of things. As if it wasn’t one of the things they needed to survive. Because she didn’t care. It didn’t matter.

Weiss would fill this vial and the rest that they asked for- but it would not make a single damn difference in the end.

So if everything was doomed to fail anyway… Why not give them a sliver of a chance at achieving the impossible?

Who knows? Maybe they could pull off that miracle the world needed.

Qrow rushed forward to catch it- probably something they established beforehand since Raven made no attempt to do the same- and snatched it between his hands. It sat in his cupped palms oh so carefully as though he were afraid of dropping it. It was, after all, their only chance at stopping the reversions before they fully took hold.

Weiss had no idea what would happen to the human body once that happened. If they would even survive it.

And that’s all it stemmed down to.

They were afraid.

They were afraid to die now that they’ve had such a long time to live.

Long, at least, in their eyes. Ozpin was only around 400, if slightly older. The others, 300 and below.

In her eyes, that was nothing. That wasn’t even considered an Elder in vampire years, so it only made sense that they were so desperate for more time. Because they had yet to live long enough to understand that death was a blessing. A privilege.

The Enforcers wouldn’t know the meaning of a long time to live even if it was standing right in front of them.

How many times has she been around them and they still don’t know?

“Omen,” the Sorceress’s voice came through the speakers, clipped in what could only be concern. A question.

Weiss raised a brow.

I did my part.

Now you do yours.

She tensed. Body poised to rush back to the festival in an instant if they still decided to attack Ruby. There’d be hell to pay if so and she would not give a fuck if any of the humans there saw her in her true form. She could just erase their memories afterward if she wanted to.

But luckily, the Enforcers at least had some sense of intelligence. Honor.

“Disengage,” Raven responded before hanging up and pocketing her scroll away. Sidestepping warily on her way over to her blade while Qrow did the same toward his, hefting it from the stonework and hoisting it on his back while his sister sheathed hers at her hip. All the while, Weiss stayed where she was. “You made the right choice.”

“I made the only one.”

Save Ruby.

No matter what else happens in this world, you will save Ruby first and foremost.

“And I mean this with nothing but the utmost sincerity,” Weiss dipped her head in a bow, honest, “I wish you the best of luck. Because you are going to need it with what you’re doing.”

“You don’t even know our plans.”

“Don’t I?” Her lips quirked into a smirk. Tapped a finger to her temple. “Your mind is still awfully weak, Raven Branwen. You really should consider training it some more before you embark on yet another suicide mission for him. Curse Mother will not treat you as kindly as I have. She’s lost her patience with you lot from that first time. And my charm can only protect you from so much when it comes to her.”

She nodded to the insignia around her neck. Where the protective charm she made for all the current Grandmasters still remained as strong as ever. Forever at her mercy because all it would take was for her to end them and they’ll be totally vulnerable from then on, and they wouldn’t know until it happened (aka; when it was already too late).

Why Weiss chose to let them keep it was beyond her.

She’s forgotten at this point why, but she swore she had a reason.

Raven paled. Hardly noticeable, but there. She grabbed at the necklace as if that alone could protect it from her, protect her from the world. Nervous, but angry still. Because it must have enraged her to acknowledge that they were forever at the behest of Weiss’s whims. At her grace.

They were forever beneath her.

In their rightful places.

“Let’s go,” Qrow could at least remain level-headed when the time called for it. He grabbed his sister by the elbow, pulling her along toward the edge of the roof. Never fully turning their backs to her though, they were smarter than that. Over his shoulder, he spoke, “Tomorrow evening, at the clock tower. We’ll be expecting you.”

“And if I decide not to show up?”

“Then Ruby’s blood will be on your hands.”

“Do not,” Weiss snarled, so sudden it almost had them tripping over the side of the building, both of them reacting instantly and placing their hands at their weapons’ hilts, “say her name.”

She could not protect Ruby’s name from those that possessed her protective sorcery, essentially negating any kind of charm she tried to do to them. It made it all the more difficult since they already knew her name too and it would be such a strife trying to erase that from their minds. The Grandmasters were small in numbers- only seven now, not including the Founder; with five of them dead. The cost they paid to ruin it all- but they were scattered. Glynda was the only one that stayed at Headquarters (for the most part), while Qrow and Raven came and went often and were the most wayward of the group. All the others had settled down in one kingdom or another and worked at separate branches of the Headquarters established wherever they were.

Not impossible, and it honestly wouldn’t take her too much time, but still.

That sounded like a lot of effort.

But if they continued to taunt her by using her love’s name so freely like they were now, she might have to reconsider it’s worth.

“Just…” Qrow hesitated even as Raven leapt to the ground (only after taking the vial of the ancient’s blood from him, of course. Because they had proven time and time again that she was faster than him, if only by a margin). He gazed back at her with a conflicted expression, a grimace of a frown to his features. “Think about what’s at stake. Before you do something drastic.”

“I seem to be the only one who has ever done that, nestling.”

Because the Enforcers don’t think- they never fucking think about the future. It was only ever the present. What they had to do to get what they wanted now, even if it wasn’t something they absolutely needed.

It was how they got into their mess in the first place.

And here they were. Expecting Weiss to get them out of it.

What did she get in return but threats and demands?

Qrow opened his mouth, as if he had something else he wanted to say, but he chose to keep it. Shake himself out as he too stepped over the side and plummeted to the ground. By the time it took for Weiss to walk to the edge of the roof, they would already be gone into the forest. Maybe they would be heading toward the apartment building where all the rest of their posy were, or maybe only Qrow would while Raven was responsible for taking the vial back to Headquarters.

She could make chase. The two of them were always more helpless when separated. Easier targets.

Thump-thump… Thump-thump… thump…

Instinct demanded she hunt them down. To do what she’s wanted to do for centuries now and rip them both to shreds, and the Sorceress too while she was at it. Forget about using the Organization to defeat Curse Mother, Weiss could find a different way to do it. It’ll take time, but time was one of the only things she had left of. At any other point in her life, she would’ve done it.

But Weiss only chuckled to herself.

“Why did you have to weaken me, Schatzi?”

And as she left the rooftop, it was not to go after either of the two Grandmasters.

It was to return to her home.

…

The overbearing music of the festival hit her full force as she reemerged into the main square where it was taking place, donning her full invisibility as she weaved through the crowd without touching a single person. All the way straight to where Ruby was. Not within the circle with the rest of the dancers, but nearer the outskirts now by a playground where a group of kids were chasing after her with more stick-swords at their disposal. A little army that she pretended to be frightened of, running from them, even going as far as jumping onto the monkey bars and pulling herself up on top of them so they couldn’t get to her.

Naturally, a couple of them marveled at the skill. Downright ecstatic over it and insisting she teach them how to do it.

So obviously, Ruby proceeded to jump down and help each of the kids take turns. Lifting them up so they could grab onto the bars themselves and encouraging them to pull themselves up. And if one of them couldn’t do it, she’d let them piggyback on her and did it for them without breaking a sweat.

The laughter and shrieks of delight and excited chatter were constant; yet somehow, Weiss didn’t find it as grating as the nearby speakers. It brought a yearning in her chest that she couldn’t quite place, wasn’t brave enough to give a name to, and she allowed her illusion to shift and change. Going the long way around the entire playset with as little eyes on her as possible to make herself visible again, but with an entirely different appearance.

Not that it would matter if a Grandmaster was here. They’d be able to see her for her. But their heartbeats weren’t anywhere near, so she could at least trick any of the other Enforcers that happened to be attending the festival (keeping guard, making lists of any potentially suspicious suspects). Which was enough for her.

When she stepped around the corner, Ruby seemed to be distracted. Searching this way and that as if trying to find something, before her movement must have caught the corner of her eye and her gaze snapped in her direction. And the very first thing she did?

She beamed, grinning from ear to ear and perking up as if just the sight of her brought her energy like no other.

Yes.

I made the right decision.

Anything to protect that smile.

Weiss waited for her to come over first. Much as she was fascinated by the children, it didn’t feel right for someone like her to be so close to those so innocent. She didn’t want to accidentally stain them with the sins she carried, they didn’t deserve that. Nobody deserved that. And besides, she didn’t know how to talk to one, so the idea of being around the twenty or so that had flocked to her partner was a tad intimidating. (How are you supposed to talk to a child? She’s never had to speak with someone who didn’t know the meaning of suffering.)

So even though the kids all sounded disappointed as Ruby began to say her goodbyes to them, Weiss didn’t insist she stay there or try to go to her first. She stood by the edge of the playground, wondering if she would’ve enjoyed something like this when she had been a young girl. They didn’t have anything like it 8000 years ago. At least not in Schnee Castle.

There was not a single fun thing to do there.

She couldn’t remember if she ever used to play games…

(And that just made her feel so fucking sad, it had her squirming at the pain in her chest…)

“Hey.”

Weiss focused on the present- the present, the future; never think about the past, Weiss. There’s too much of it, never think about the past. It’ll swallow you whole- and found she could breathe a little easier, found she could breathe at all when she met silver eyes right in front of her. The film of false orange was like a wispy aftereffect to her. Letting her know that the masking mirage was still active so there was no way the Grandmasters discovering her was any of her fault.

Of course not. Her illusions were perfect.

“Everything alright?” Ruby glanced around, as though whatever Weiss had gotten herself involved with had followed her here. And it was sweet, the way she stepped closer. Protective. Despite the fact that of the two of them, the Enforcer was not the stronger one. But the ancient let her. It made a warmth unravel within her at the thought of someone wanting to defend her. “Are you okay?”

Are you okay?

No, she wasn’t- and no, everything was not alright.

There was nothing she could do to stop the Founder and the Grandmasters from destroying everything she worked so hard for. Weiss was used to the sting of defeat, but this one hurt significantly more than the first because again.

She failed again.

Perhaps it was too soon to count her losses, maybe she should’ve had a little bit of faith, but Weiss has survived this long because she knew when a battle was destined to end in defeat. When every scenario she could think of wound up in ruins, it made it impossible to have hope of anything else happening. All she could do then was make a plan that ensured she lived through yet another disaster.

And she would.

Because it was never Weiss who was in danger.

Pretend, Weiss.

Pretend that you’ll be okay when you lose her. Because you are going to, one day.

It was inevitable.

Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not tonight. Maybe not for decades.

But one day.

Because there would come a point where the mutagens simply stopped working. When the reversions began and couldn’t be stopped. When the body that they’ve broken apart and built back together to improve just… broke down.

All Enforcers lived on a timer. None but the Grandmasters and the Founder and Weiss knew.

It was not a matter of if. It’s forever a matter of when.

“Weiss-”

I can’t.

I can’t pretend that I’ll be okay.

How could she? Because one day eventually, she’ll stop being able to kiss Ruby the way she did now; with all the emotions she felt every second of her life- and then what? She was just to be okay with that?

Fuck no.

She cupped her cheek with one hand, letting her fingers slip into short hair near the base of her neck to pull her closer. Because so long as she was close, then that meant Weiss could protect her from anything. Everything.

Almost.

Almost anything and everything.

Because when- when, when, when- the reversions began for Ruby and the current generation of Enforcers, there would be absolutely nothing Weiss could do to stop them. It was impossible to turn an Enforcer into a vampire, she knew that better than anyone else. She was the one who discovered a way to make them immune. So even if she wanted to somehow save her life and turn her as a last resort, she couldn’t.

She couldn’t.

You can’t save her, Weiss.

You can’t have her forever.

Every day that passed was one step closer to the end of their time together- and Weiss dreaded it the way mortals are meant to dread death. The way she once did before death became a distant wish. It would always pass her by. Scooping up everyone else around her until she ended up exactly as she was meant to.

Alone.

Curse Mother would not grant her what she wanted. Even if she disobeyed and went after her, Salem would simply force her to behave and keep her around for the rest of eternity. For her greatest punishment would always be to live on and on and on with the weight of her mistakes.

You can’t have her forever.

But for now…

Ruby panted for the air that Weiss did not need when they part, clinging onto her waist as if afraid her legs would give out underneath her and needing to lean more of her weight on her right side because the left often felt the echoes of having previously been broken (because she was stubborn and pushed herself too much in the recovery process that any hope it had to heal correctly flew right out the window she fell out of). When her lashes fluttered open, pupils blown wide and expression soft yet worried, she searched her gaze. Confused. Concerned. Conflicted, even.

Weiss gave a kiss to the tip of her nose, just to allow her the chance to catch her breath.

…For now, she is yours.

“I will be.”

“Huh?” Ruby furrowed her brow, having forgotten her question entirely.

Pretend, Weiss.

“I will be okay.”

Pretend, pretend, pretend.

Pretend that you aren’t so afraid.

(She can’t.)

… … …

It’s astounding.

It’s astounding to her just how… gentle an ancient vampire could be. How patient. How soft her touches were and how reverent her kisses. Always checking in with her, always giving her as much time as she needed because all of this was so new for Yang and anything new was frightening, always putting the Enforcer first before her own obvious desires.

“Let me take care of you,” Blake had told her, whispered by her ear like a confession of devotion as she held her close in one of many moments it became too much for her, ran her fingers through blonde locks as Yang focused on breathing her in until the scent of lavender made her head spin. “I want to worship you, darling. Won’t you let me?”

You deserve to be spoiled, Blake had said to her just that morning.

And by the Gods, Yang wanted to believe her.

“Okay.” Not as eloquent, but concise and all the permission she had to give.

For the first time in her life, Yang learned what it felt like to be loved. And it was overwhelming and it was too much at times and she felt like she wanted to cry in moments- so overwhelmed by all the emotions flooding through her now that she had made the final strike to break the dam holding everything back- and she’s pretty sure she did cry a couple of instances. It was like finding herself and giving all of that over to her blood bond and it was terrifying just as much as it was downright exhilarating.

And all throughout it…

There was Blake.

She was all Yang needed.

…

For the second day in a row, Yang woke up fully well-rested after a proper night’s sleep. Not disturbed by horrific nightmares or lovely, impossible dreams whatsoever.

At this rate, she might actually have a chance at correcting all of the fatigue the Organization had drilled into her. (Maybe not, but one could wish.)

She was swathed in warmth like no other- a soreness in her body that she never knew could be pleasant, satisfied- and she nuzzled more into the smell of soft lavender. Let it wash over her until she drowned in it with a small smile to her lips. Having never known peace quite like this before.

It would’ve been better if she wasn’t alone though.

The space beside her was dreadfully empty.

She remembered falling asleep while holding onto Blake, but as Yang stretched in the bed with a groan of gratification and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she found that the ancient was no longer in the room with her at all. Having somehow slipped out of her grasp without waking her up, which was quite the feat considering Yang was such a light sleeper.

And she would’ve been incredibly disappointed (or a little scared that maybe she imagined everything that happened yesterday)...

Were it not for the cluster of little purple flowers set at the edge bed. Heliotropes, from what she could recall of her limited knowledge of flora. Bundled together with a pretty yellow bow and a small card sitting atop of the stems.

Yang leaned against an elbow as she reached for the note. The thin blanket that had been pulled up to her shoulders, carefully tucked around her, slid down and she was momentarily distracted not only by her lack of clothing, but the evidence of everything that occurred the night before there against her skin that had a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. Love bites and hickeys, (what do you know, a vampire liked to bite), scattered here and there across her chest and down further under the cover of the blanket. Centered by any of the scars that marred her body from her years of training and fighting until no part of her had been truly left untouched.

It brought a rush of relief just as much as shyness.

Because if those were there, then no, Yang didn’t imagine what happened last night. Yesterday. Everything from the moment she kissed Blake and beyond and everything before too. Letting Blake feed from her. The date.

The choice she made to walk away from the Organization with her little sister by her side.

She had no idea what that meant for them now or what they were going to do. What they could do, what they should do in regards to it all. It wasn’t safe for them to stay here at Beacon, but well…

Yang wasn’t so inclined to leave. Especially not now.

Later.

Worry about it later.

Right now, she just wanted… a minute more of happiness. Was that too much to ask for?

Normally, yes, but at the moment, she stole a minute from the world and grabbed the white card as she sat up properly. Ignoring her lack of dress as the blanket gathered low at her hip and against her lap. Yang ripped open the seal with her thumb, flipping it open to reveal a beautiful scrawl.

It read;

“You deserve to be given a flower every single day.

This is day two.

I hope you like it.”

…No, she wasn’t grinning like an idiot, thank you very much.

Yang didn’t quite know what to do with the glee that surged through her because a quick gander around the room revealed she was definitely alone in here. Blake’s bedroom. With the organized chaos of numerous books filled to the brim in shelves and wall mountings and bookcases and on top of dressers. Pressed flowers in frames against the walls, the single window off to the side with the curtain closed, fluttering gently in the morning breeze. There was no desk or mirror or closet, with only one door leading to the rest of what she assumed to be an apartment. Nowhere for Blake to be hiding at the moment, essentially.

Which meant she had to find her.

There was none of the panic she had experienced before when it came to being out of sight of her blood bond. No innate fear to be by her side as fast as possible, lest she never get the chance to be with her again. As she sat at the edge of the bed with her feet touching the carpeted floor, pushing aside the covers with the barest shiver from being entirely naked, Yang lifted quivering fingers up to the side of her neck. Traced the trio of bite scars that Blake had made in her feeding.

They were so sensitive it had her breath hitching in her throat, goosebumps rising to her skin, a shaky laugh escaping her.

But they were there.

They were there to stay- and it meant that Blake wasn’t going anywhere either. No matter how far she went, she would always come back to her. No longer as a forced partnership between an Enforcer and a vampire, but as a bonded pair that went beyond one needing to drink the other’s blood and the other reluctantly allowing it to happen. A relationship that Yang had no idea what it entailed, and for some reason, it excited her more than it made her nervous (though the nerves were undoubtedly still there too).

She had the sudden (now familiar) urge to cry but she chose to smile instead. Granting herself a moment longer to bring the flowers up to her nose and letting her eyes fall shut as she breathed it in. And it was strange because while she couldn’t taste anything sweet, she could still smell something sweet and the aroma of the heliotrope reminded her of vanilla. But she couldn’t ever recall a time where ‘vanilla’ was a scent she could’ve picked up on.

No matter, she chose not to question it and just enjoy it.

There was nowhere for her to put it since the entire bushel itself was too large to place behind her ear, but she temporarily set it aside on the nightstand as she stretched languidly. Groaning from the delightful aches that did nothing more but make her smile widen and blush deepen. She didn’t think she’d ever get over it. At least until it was something she was used to.

If she could wake up like this every morning, and if she could fall asleep with Blake right beside her every night, she thinks she’d be happy.

Yang took a second to try and locate where her clothes had ended up in all the activity. The night before, she hadn’t particularly cared where any of it went but maybe she should’ve thought ahead a little. 

Not her fault she had other priorities at the time though.

She didn’t have to search far. The travel bag that she had made and left at the abandoned warehouse was sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed, curiously enough. Everything she had been wearing last night was folded in a neat little pile beside it. With her medallion sitting atop of it all.

That made her good mood sour a bit, but Yang shook it away as she wandered over to start getting dressed. Not really knowing what she had to prepare for today. There was no schedule she had to follow aside from her classes (which she’d probably drop out of now that she considered it. There was no need for her to attend them anymore) nor any assigned mission for the day for her to do. She’d normally get all of that organized in the morning over breakfast with Pyrrha and the others, and then they’d set about their individual tasks.

But now that she technically wasn’t a part of the Organization anymore… She could do whatever she wanted.

Which was weird.

It was so fucking weird, and because of that, Yang spent much longer than necessary kneeling by her bag and searching through it for something suitable to wear that would correspond with her given duty. And with none, she settled for pajamas since everything else either implied she’d be off to hunt something down and needed to be ready for a fight or she’d be masquerading as a civilian for the day and hitting the town to gather intel so she would have to look natural (but still have plenty of hiding spots for her daggers).

Perhaps a bit counterintuitive to dress into something she’d wear to sleep when getting ready for the rest of the day, but she didn’t really have any other options.

Besides, these were the most comfortable.

She thinks she deserved to be comfortable for a day.

Yang hesitated at the last piece of her outfit. Always, her medallion was meant to go on last. Forever sitting against her chest, ready to protect her from a vampire’s charm. A symbol that every member of the Organization carried to mark them as one. An Enforcer knew each other’s insignias more than their names and faces.

…So what the hell was she supposed to do with it now?

Blake informed her that the protective charm there had been broken, courtesy of her friend from Atlas, so it was essentially as useless as a random chunk of metal. It was pretty, no doubt, but in terms of helpful? Not at all. The amount of silver in it wouldn’t even harm a damn Newborn if it touched them.

And as for what it stood for…

How could Yang dare to wear the mark of an Enforcer when she’d abandoned her post?

How could she dare to wear the symbol of an Organization that has killed so many innocent lives, that will kill so many more, and has lied to its people without a second thought for generations now?

Instinct honed from her years of training demanded she put it on. Habit formed from decades of repetition and routine required her to put it on. Logic argued that it could still maybe be useful if she ran into danger, so she should put it on.

But Yang was learning to listen to her heart more nowadays.

And her heart told her to put it away.

So she shoved it into her bag, underneath all the piles of clothes she had there, and zipped it shut before she could change her mind and dig around for it. She stood on shaky legs and made her way back over to the flowers, growing steadier by the step until she had it in her hands again. Not yet ready to part with them, at least until she could find a better place to put the bouquet.

Yang ran her fingers through her hair to make herself at least a little more presentable, peeked around for anything she might’ve missed but came up empty, and went toward the only door present. Not daring to even glance toward her bag for fear she’ll go on and take everything back. She had to be steadfast in her decisions, now more than ever. She couldn’t afford to second guess everything because nobody would be there to protect her during her bouts of overthinking and hesitation like Pyrrha and the others had been. There would be nobody there to clean up her mistakes.

Hmm.

Maybe Blake would.

If she could find her first.

(She hated waking up alone. Which was odd because up until only yesterday, she woke up alone pretty much her whole life. Nobody shared a bed at Headquarters, and the rare few times she could get away with having Ruby there were never restful because she had always been worried they’d get punished for it somehow. And considering they were in different classes of Enforcers, they barely got the chance to share a room to begin with despite being sisters.

It was something she should’ve already been used to.

But now that she knew what it was like to cuddle with someone, to fall asleep with their arms around her, Yang didn’t want to go back to sleeping by herself.)

The hallway that greeted her was cramped. If she stood in the middle of it, she wouldn’t even be able to fully extend her arms out on either side of her. Not particularly out of the ordinary, her apartment- (Was it still considered hers if she didn’t live there anymore?)- was much the same. Something about it was… comforting. For an ancient vampire, at least this one, to have similar living conditions as the ones meant to fight them.

Proof that they’re more alike than the Organization wanted them to believe.

While a part of her wanted to be nosy and peek behind the doorways she passed by, two in total that had to either be a bathroom or spare bedroom or both, Yang bit back on her curiosity and continued down the way. Peeping at any of the decorations on the walls. The Enforcer side of her brain wanted to take down notes, because to know the enemy was to eliminate them as a threat, while the other side of her genuinely appreciated the artwork.

Swathes of all kinds of colors, with each framed piece depicting a new combination of shades. Abstract pieces that just looked like the artist had grabbed various buckets of paints and threw them against the wall. With every hue under the sun represented somewhere in at least one of the artworks.

All except red.

It was the only color noticeably missing. Across all of the paintings.

And Yang sped up. Suddenly wanting to hug the ancient. Not knowing why, but not choosing to question that either.

(A blink- and for a split second, the world was bathed in crimson. Bodies littering all about. Staining her hands, her mouth, down her neck. It made her swallow thickly.)

There was a corner coming up near the end of the hall, the light from what had to be the main living area creating shadows against the wall, and she could hear talking. The ever familiar timbre of her sister, lively as always and recounting what had to be her time at the festival last night. The sound of her whisked away all of her worries- because content or not, Yang’s first priority was Ruby and making sure she was safe in all of this.

It was the least she could do after letting her go through this struggle alone for so long.

“I had a lot of fun… and I like to think she did as well. I mean, I hope she did.”

“She was with you,” Blake’s voice nearly had her tripping over herself, her heart skipping a beat, and Yang buzzed with a newfound energy to get to her. As soon as possible. She sped up her pace as a result. “Of course, she did.”

“...Not for all of that. There was a moment where W-”

It happened so suddenly that Yang could hardly fathom it.

One second, she was just about to round the corner and join the other two, excitement in her chest and a smile to her lips and the heliotrope bundle in her hand.

And the next, an unholy screech in her head had her doubling over with a cry of pain and surprise, dropping the flowers in favor of covering her ears. Even though it didn’t help whatsoever. It left her stunned, her entire body viscerally reacting to the shrieks and static, and she was vaguely aware of falling to a knee with her shoulder pressed against the wall. Slumped over as if she had taken a strike to the gut. With teeth clenched and eyes screwed shut and a tremble passing through her and agony in her mind.

There weren't any intelligible words to pick up on either. None that she understood, at least. It was nothing but clamor and the kind of caterwaul that filled her with absolute dread as if she was in the presence of death itself. Until all that was left behind was a high-pitched ringing that had her instinctively feeling for any blood by her ears, worried they might have popped and she’d be deaf forever.

They didn’t, thankfully, but it sure felt like they did with how much her eardrums throbbed afterward.

A hand pressed against her shoulder- and while on a normal day she would’ve immediately struck out against whoever it was (because she was defenseless and they were touching her so she had to defend herself), she knew that warmth against her skin. The subtle calluses. Even the pressure at which it touched her.

And when she opened her eyes to meet the most vivid gold she’s ever seen in her life, she knew she was right.

Blake wore a face of concern at her apparent pain, but my, how pretty a face it was. Yang couldn’t stop herself from instinctively peeking down to her lips, the memories of where exactly her mouth had been against her and what it felt like pressed to hers flashing through her mind and setting her cheeks ablaze. And despite how drawn to that part of her she was, it was nothing compared to her eyes.

Fuck, they were so beautiful. More vibrant, more striking, more full of life and warmer than she could ever recall them being. Some distant facts from her years of study reminded her that a recently fed vampire was more rejuvenated in every sense of the word. The color would return to their cheeks, their eyes would be brighter and more pleasing to look at, every part of them more enthralling for their next prey to fall victim to. The blood pushed them closer to humanity (at least in appearance). Revitalizing.

But no one ever thought to learn the difference blood from the wrist compared to blood from the neck could do to a vampire’s appearance.

She thought Blake was gorgeous before?

She might as well have been a goddess now.

It was with only vague awareness that Yang realized Blake must have been asking her a question because her lips were moving and her brow furrowed with trepidation and her palm skimmed down her arm and- and she had to know the effect that had on her. She had to feel the goosebumps. But Blake seemed to be more focused on her well-being than anything else, and the longer she went without answering her, the more troubled she became.

Alright, brain.

Focus.

It was considerably hard to do so, past the fact that Blake was still touching her, but she cleared her throat and adjusted her weight so she wasn’t leaning against the wall anymore. Yang took a shaky breath in, looking to where her hand was at her arm and back again, and rubbed at an ear where the ringing was beginning to die down.

“Huh?”

Wasn’t perfect but it was a start.

She deserved a reward.

“I asked if you were okay, darling.” That hand left her arm but before Yang could whine and complain or panic, it was suddenly cupping her cheek and she short-circuited entirely. Her heart rate began to pick up in tempo, lungs refusing to cooperate now, a fluttery feeling in her chest and her stomach. She couldn’t decide if she should be embarrassed about it or not. At just how the littlest touches were setting her off like this. “You screamed out of nowhere. Would’ve scared me half to death if I was alive.”

“Very funny,” Yang huffed out a chuckle, withholding a squeal at the smile Blake gave her, told herself to Focus again with minimal success. She surreptitiously leaned her cheek into her palm, wincing as she rubbed at her ear again. “But yeah, I’m okay. I just heard… To be honest, I have no idea what that was.”

The echoes lingered. Fading howls of wraiths over her shoulder.

It made her instinctively check behind her, just to make sure nothing was actually there.

There wasn’t.

Somehow, that didn’t make her feel more comfortable.

“It was a charm.”

As she turned back around and concentrated past her blood bond, there was Ruby. Standing at the end of the hall where it turned the corner, arms held close to herself as she leaned against the wall with an apologetic grimace to her. (She made no mention of their position. Didn’t even seem bothered by the tender way Blake was cupping her cheek, even while Yang’s first instinct was to try and hide this from her before reminding herself she didn’t need to. Because if anyone understood, it was Ruby.)

“I said her name,” Ruby explained with a feeble shrug, “and she hasn’t given you permission to hear it. So you can’t.”

“Who?”

As per usual, a grin appeared as she uttered, “My princess,” before disappearing around the corner to return to wherever she was. Pleased to know that Yang wasn’t in any danger and leaving her momentarily alone with her blood bond.

Ah.

The super ancient vampire that Yang still had yet to meet.

It was too early in the morning for her to question how it was possible for someone to put a passive charm over a name. By this point, she shouldn’t be surprised over the feats that girl was apparently capable of. They could tell her she was able to do anything and Yang would genuinely believe it.

“I’m sorry,” Blake sighed and brushed her thumb along her cheek (and Yang could forget all about her pain). “I knew you were in earshot. I should’ve told her not to say it.”

“You knew?”

“Your heartbeat came closer.” Those breathtaking eyes ticked down to her chest, a hum escaping her. Tranquil. She shifted closer on her knees and everything within Yang wanted to reach out for her, to drag her into the embrace she’s been wanting to give her, to just hold her to reassure herself that Blake was here and she wasn’t alone anymore, but she remained frozen in place. Watching her. Cautious, even. And as Blake met her gaze again, she couldn’t help but shy away a bit until she was out of her grasp. “It is a lovely song, my dear.”

A broken exhale.

“Your heartbeat never once changed.”

Was it different now though?

Did she want it to be?

Would it be better or worse for her if it was?

“Blake, I-” She began but didn’t know how to finish. Because in light of last night, they still hadn’t talked about everything that happened yesterday or what Yang had done (or rather, what she couldn’t do) in the basement. And it felt like something she had to work through on her own. So instead, she scrambled for something else and reached for the bouquet on the floor beside her. “I-I got your flowers.”

… Yeah, no fucking shit, you’re holding them, you idiot.

She kindly told her thoughts to shut the hell up.

“So you did,” Blake humored her with a stunning smile, soft at the edges as she peered down at the purple buds in her grasp. A gentleness unlike any other tempered her repentance and apprehension and Gods it was astonishing. To behold someone who has lived so long with the pain of what she did to her home and the fear of losing herself again to the hunger of her curse finally free from it all. For a creature who had sovereignty over the shadows and ruled the night, she was so damn bright under the right circumstances and it stole all sense of function from Yang. “I… Do you… like them?”

Hope gleamed in the center of gold as Blake as she met her gaze again. A vulnerability- dare she say nervousness- that has never been there before appearing in specks like twinkling stars within the treasure. And it was… different. Not bad, just different. Because Yang was already so used to the ancient being so confident with her flirts, her teasing, her devoted declarations. It seemed to come so easily for her.

But somehow, it was the prospect of giving her flowers that somehow made her bashful.

Cute, her mind supplied (and okay, maybe she could forgive her thoughts because she had to agree with them there).

“Yeah! Y-Yes, I do. Thank you,” Yang cleared her suddenly dry throat as best as she could, gripping onto the stems of the heliotropes for dear life like they could somehow save her from her own awkwardness. She smiled down at the purple flowers, twirling them once. Treating them more carefully than she did the lavender last night because now she’s fully aware of how fragile they are, how important they are. How special they are- because they are a gift from Blake. “They’re very pretty.”

She took a deep breath to prepare herself. Almost backed out the second she met her in the eye again but held firm. If she could go toe-to-toe with feral vampires trying to kill her, you’d think just giving someone a compliment would be easier.

“Like- Like… you.”

Apparently not.

Yang cringed to herself over her stuttering, but Blake seemed flattered by it nonetheless so maybe it counted for something. Her blood bond offered her palm to her, which she took without any hesitation, pressed a kiss to the back of her knuckles with a quiet, “Thank you, my dear,” before she stood up. Helping her along the way too because she didn’t expect the sharp wave of vertigo that came as soon as she was on her own two feet.

The charm did more than simply block out the sound of the ancient’s name.

It, if only for a few minutes, left her vulnerable. Incapacitated and uncoordinated.

An easy target.

Thankfully, Blake was there to prevent her from falling. She stepped closer, hands at her hips the very second Yang stumbled a little too much to one side- and the contact had the Enforcer sucking in a sharp breath. Jumping as if she’d been jolted with a shock of electricity.

Blake frowned, catching it and mistaking it for a flinch. She hovered close to her without touching her (and Yang wanted to scream).

“Are you okay?”

“Yep,” her voice was too high-pitched and strained and it definitely didn’t fly under the ancient’s radar.

“Love…”

“It’s just-” Yang shifted her weight again, testing how much she could get away with on her own before the world tilted at an odd angle. The sensation was fading, but not fast enough. If she used the wall for support, she’d be able to walk on her own. Slow, but it would still be progress. But she found that she didn’t want to do it by herself. I don’t want to be alone. So no matter how much it made her cheeks heated up, she forced herself to admit; “I’m not used to you touching me. To… letting you touch me.”

“Oh.” It was faint, and it disappeared quickly, but being this close to her, Yang caught it. The sorrow that came and went before Blake took a respectable step back and folded her arms behind her back. Giving her the space she’s always demanded. Boundaries, leech. “I see. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed.”

She’s leaving.

Alarm had her choking and she shook her head (no matter how much of a mistake that was, worsening her vertigo), stepping forward to try and close that short distance created. Wanting it to just be gone. “N- Blake, that’s not…”

I want it to be you, I want it to be you.

Please, let it be you.

Yang fought back against the teachings to keep it all in with her entire being. Her teeth clenched together as if wanting to contain the confession, the weakness of her words, but she worked her jaw loose enough to get it out anyway.

“I want you to.”

It should’ve been easier. After everything they did last night, after already letting Blake explore all that she is, after letting her touch and kiss and bite and scratch and love her…

But it wasn’t.

One night wasn’t going to magically get rid of decades of the damage the Organization did to her.

And it was all so fucking frustrating because things should’ve never been like this to begin with.

But with enough time, enough patience, enough days and nights of being shown it’s okay to let her guard down and it’s okay to want someone (even an ancient vampire) in such a way and it’s okay to want…

Maybe it’ll change. Maybe she will change.

“I hope you know,” Blake whispered, drifting closer, not quite touching but not as far as she was before- and it still wasn’t enough, “that you never have to force yourself with me, Yang. We will go as slow as you need to. Whatever pace you’re comfortable with. Whatever it is you want.”

“What about what you want?”

“I get to be with you. That’s more than I could’ve ever asked for, you shouldn’t enable me to be so greedy.”

“But if you could take more?” Yang boldly moved closer, keeping the bouquet close to her chest with one hand while reaching for her with the other. Holding her by the chin to maintain that eye contact right as Blake was about to turn away, to temper herself, to give her space. It’s not what she wanted anymore. “If I let you… what would you do?”

She just wanted to get closer to her.

She had to.

It wasn’t a want anymore, it was a need.

“Yang,” Blake breathed her name in a warning, a plea, a question. It wasn’t hard to guess what she was asking for, her attention went down to her mouth for a long moment before back up again.

And Yang responded in kind; “Blake…”

She couldn’t tell who leaned in first or if it was more of a mutual decision, but either way, her senses were set ablaze the instant their lips touched. Any amount of control she might’ve had with her hand at her chin vanished as Blake pushed forward, unrelenting, forcing her back a step before guiding her to the side with her fingers digging into her hips until she was pressed into the wall. She wrapped her arms loosely around her shoulders and neck, clinging to the roots of dark hair the same way she held onto the stems of the heliotrope. Losing herself to the sensations, losing herself in Blake.

Kissing her had quickly become her new favorite thing to do. (One of her new favorite things, at least.) It was an easy way to shut off her mind and every instinct and habit that she was slowly learning to get rid of that urged her against being with this girl. She didn’t need to focus on anything else but reciprocating, but holding onto her and pulling her closer, but all the feelings that made her heart swell and swoon and speed up faster and faster at being able to do this. It helped her to be more present in the moment even as it threatened to sweep her away.

In a way, it was reassurance. A promise that Blake wasn’t going to go anywhere and she would never have to be alone again.

In another, it was proof.

Proof of how far she’s come in her life. Not as an Enforcer, but as Yang.

The Ember Celica of a few years ago- hell, maybe even just last year before coming to Beacon- would’ve never allowed this.

But the Yang of now could only release a whine from the back of her throat when Blake stopped, moving away from her lips, kissing her way across her cheek, down her jaw, to the side of her neck and-

Right as she teased a kiss along the feeding scars there, right as Yang tipped her head aside to give her space, permission, Blake abruptly hissed between her teeth and jerked away from her. Leaving her against the wall, panting and trembling and taking much too long to focus from that free-floating feeling. Yang shoved aside her disappointment, a furrow to her brow as she observed the way her blood bond latched onto her own neck with a low growl. Pained.

She was just about to fret before she caught sight of what appeared to be specks of ice and frost against her skin. Ringing around her neck and jaw in relatively the same spot Blake currently clasped, like a hand around her throat. It gave off a subtle glow in the dim light of the hall, dwindling more and more until it disappeared entirely. As if it had never been there to begin with.

Blake didn’t seem too bothered by it. She grumbled petulantly under her breath, rubbing the leftover cold of the ice away. Her teeth chattered for but a moment, the faintest shiver to her body that had Yang instinctively moving toward her. (Because she was warm. She was very warm and maybe she could keep the chill away.)

“Blake?” When she reached her, it was both a surprise and a relief that the ancient didn’t try to evade her as she often did. She placed a palm against her shoulder, frowning at her neck where the ice had been. Tilted her head. “What was that?”

“...Let’s just call it a safety precaution,” Blake chuckled, a tad remorseful, still rubbing at the spot so the feeling of the ice must’ve remained for a while. “A warning.”

“For what?”

“Not to give into the temptation of overindulging myself.” Her hand stilled, fingers around her throat to replicate where the ring had been. She bit her lip as her attention centered on the Enforcer’s neck. And though it left her feeling very exposed, Yang didn’t stop her from doing so or made an attempt to cover the bite marks. She left her bandana in the room anyway (and there it would remain). Blake gave a wry, regretful smile, “I’m fuller than I’ve ever been in a long while. I don’t need to feed for at least a few months. But old habits die hard, Enforcer… and Gods I want to. Everything within me is telling me to, demanding it. Just so I can taste you again.”

“...I told you not to call me that anymore.” She couldn’t stop herself from flinching at the title.

“Apologies. Old habits.” Blake released a breath, forcing her view away from the feeding scars and back to her face. “It almost feels like taboo knowing your name. Let alone saying it.”

“Well, too bad, I want you to say it.” She brushed it aside before they could get caught up in that, tapping a finger to Blake’s hand that was still around her neck. Wanting more than anything to take it off just so she could double check that whatever had caused her pain was truly gone. “I take it… whatever that was is meant to stop you then? Did your friend make it?”

“She has quite a number of tricks up her sleeve.” The ancient gave a slight nod before giving in and lowering her hand from its place.

“Yeah, I’m starting to understand that,” Yang commented off-handedly as she carefully examined her neck. Running her thumb along where the line had been, from one side to the other. Fully as though something had grabbed her to choke her. “Nothing’s here.”

“Nothing will be unless I get too close to your pulse. Then it’ll activate. Don’t ask me how it works, I have no idea, I don’t know how she does it- and quite frankly, how it works matters very little to me, just that it does.” Blake took her hand between both of hers, stern and resolved. Slightly worried, but having full faith in whatever her friend had designed for her. “I will not allow myself the opportunity to hurt you. I refuse to.”

“I think we’ve already proven that you can stop yourself, Blake.”

“One time,” she corrected, intertwining their fingers together for something to hold onto. Yang gave her a comforting squeeze in response. “I was able to stop myself one time. There’s a million more where I couldn’t. So until I have more faith in myself, I’m not going to take my chances. Because the odds haven’t panned out to be in my favor.”

She didn’t like it. She understood the reasoning, could never fully resonate with it, but she got it.

If Yang couldn’t magically change overnight, neither could Blake.

It was a shame though.

It felt like for all the progress they made, both as individuals and together as partners, there was still so much left to go.

But they were moving forward, step by step. And that’s what mattered.

“I don’t like you hurting yourself for my sake.” To prove her point, she lifted their joined hands up to indicate the shackle scars around her wrist. The thickened tissue that had reduced compared to what they were like yesterday, about half the size now. Her healing had no doubt sped up from feeding, but it still wasn’t enough to get rid of it entirely. She paused, shuffled closer until she could delicately bump her head against hers. Resting their foreheads together as she closed her eyes. “I don’t like it when you’re in pain.”

“I’m a resilient beast. I can take it.”

“No.” Purple met gold- and her heart won the war in the end. “You’re a girl who has gone through so much suffering, and you don’t deserve more of it.”

Blake gasped. That same, cornered animal expression that she had shown when Yang kissed her scarred wrists yesterday revealed itself again. Like she was afraid of the compassion. Unfamiliar with it. She cowered, leaning away so their foreheads didn’t touch anymore, but she didn’t let go of Yang either so she couldn’t truly go far.

Not that she wanted to.

“We’ll try this for now,” Yang nodded toward her neck, ran her thumb against the back of a knuckle. Coaxing her back to her. Showing her that she didn’t have to be so scared of her. Of this. “At least until I figure out something that doesn’t involve you getting hurt from it. Okay?”

“...Okay,” the ancient’s voice broke. Neither of them chose to mention it.

And maybe it was counterproductive, to bring her closer to her throat right after saying that, but Yang fulfilled her desire and pulled her into a firm embrace. Holding her close and burying her nose into her hair. Breathing her in.

Home.

Blake mumbled something against her chest, over her heart, and before she could ask her to repeat it, the ancient pushed to her tiptoes to kiss her again. A fleeting one this time, full of affection nonetheless, and repeated it. Not in a language she comprehended. Nor in the old speech that her friend had spoken either.

In her mother tongue of Menagerie. But instead of a single word, the name of the island itself, it was a sentence. A silky purr. Melodic and smooth, almost song-like in quality.

Beautiful.

“What?”

“You are too good to me, darling.”

“Even after all the hard times I’ve given you?” A playful feeling washed over her, a twinkle to her eye as she muttered a teasing, “Leech.”

“It makes things exciting. I wouldn’t have you any other way.

I would.

If she could go back to the beginning, she would change it all. If she could, if the option was hers. Because something told her that even if she had denied Qrow’s help initially after the orphanage burned down and she lost everything for the second time in her young life, they would’ve forced her and Ruby along anyway. And if they hadn’t, they would be without a home and a family again and in those days, that was as good as a death wish. She didn’t want that life for her sister.

But was joining the Organization really the lesser of two evils back then?

If she could rewrite the story, how far back would she have to go to end up where she was now? With a girl who has experienced and caused so much destruction, has lived for far too long to the point where death was the one thing that she wanted that she could never get- yet, a girl who has still found it within herself to love Yang for all that she was. Broken pieces and all.

Of every scenario she could think of, nothing brought her back to here. If Blake hadn’t been turned into a vampire, she would simply be dead by now. Forgotten by the world; because no matter what she said, 5500 was a long time. And if Yang hadn’t altered herself with the mutagen injections, she would be in her elderly ages nearing the end of her life if she even reached 100 naturally.

Nothing else got them to this point of time. Where two unlikely souls from different eras of the world were able to meet and fall in love.

…She took it back then.

She wouldn’t change anything leading up to here.

But she would change everything moving forward from now on.

So it might’ve been a step out of her comfort zone to kiss Blake on the cheek for no reason other than she wanted to, but it was something she wouldn’t normally go for and maybe all she had to do was the opposite of everything her mind drilled her to. The opposite of what she had been trained to do.

It was shockingly easy- and there were no consequences. Blake paused for a beat, blinking in surprise as she searched her eyes, before she smiled and began to pull her along down the hall. Hand-in-hand.

“Come,” the ancient was patient, allowing her the opportunity to let go of her if she wanted to. But Yang held on. Adjusted their hands so she could hold her more comfortably. Taking special note of the size difference there with a hum. “I made you breakfast.”

“You did?”

“Is that so hard to believe?” 

“A little, yeah.” Yang would’ve continued looking at all the other artwork on the walls that they passed by, but she was entirely centered on her blood bond. Arguably, the most beautiful masterpiece amongst a collection of breathtaking craft. She could appreciate the others later. “You told me you’re unable to eat real food. Kind of hard to cook if you can’t taste it along the way.”

It took all the fun out of it too. But then again, most of the meals Yang had ever made were quick and bland. Nothing that ever took too much creativity or time because Enforcers lived on a schedule. Sandwiches were often their go-to. Simple and easy to make.

“It helps that I had a sous chef this time,” Blake announced as they finally reached the end of the hall and the rest of the apartment opened up. 

It was just one other room that made up the living room, the kitchen, and the dining area where a small table barely enough for four chairs sat. Instead of a standard refrigerator, there was a mini-fridge (which made sense, considering she didn’t need to store produce here) and there was no microwave or coffee maker or the like. It was incredibly bland in comparison to the rest of the space.

To no surprise, the living room was filled with more books. Tall bookshelves from floor to ceiling lined two entire walls, each of them filled to the brim with tomes and a couple of antiques. More paintings and sketches as well covered one other wall, with an entire area by the window where an easel sat. And most interesting enough, by the front door, there was a large map pinned to the wall that was filled with various different colors.

The only traces of red in Blake’s entire apartment were on the map. Circles and crosses.

Ruby was such a stark contrast to it all. Humming a tune to herself as she filled a plate with pancakes and an unhealthy amount of syrup that must have been recently bought. She didn’t pay them any mind; and she dared say Ruby was comfortable here. More than she had ever been back in their own apartment building.

“Although this particular sous chef has quite the sweet tooth,” Blake brought her out of her observation with a faint (fond) laugh as she tugged her along toward the kitchen area. “I spent more time restraining her from adding some kind of sugar to every dish than cooking.”

“I have to get my energy from somewhere and you don’t have a coffee machine,” Ruby spoke up with a grunt, pointing at her accusingly as she plopped down on a chair. She motioned to the pile of pancakes on her plate, grabbing one of the strawberries on top of the mountain. “I had to make do somehow.”

“You can’t deprive Rubes of her sugar,” Yang snickered, sending her sister a wink. “Trust me, I’ve tried. She’s a feral little thing without it.”

She would know. Ruby even bit her once back when they were kids because Yang had taken her candy away from her because they weren’t allowed to have sweets in the rooms. She learned to let it go and if Ruby got in trouble for it, then she would find a way to step in. Take the blame for her if need be.

Anything to prevent them from punishing her.

“Then I suppose I’ll let the beast tame itself,” Blake snorted as Ruby went about taking a much too large bite of the syrup-soaked pancakes. Resuming her earlier humming of a song Yang couldn’t recognize, but it sounded happy so it made her happy too. Her blood bond brought her aside to the array of other dishes; mainly eggs and bacon and sausages. “I thought you might enjoy more savory options. I didn’t quite know what you liked, so I hope it’s enjoyable.”

Before she could respond, Ruby spoke up around a mouthful of breakfast, “Yang’s favorite flavor is spicy.”

“Oh now you tell me, you little saboteur,” Blake peeked around her to shoot a faux glare at the girl at the table ruined by the easy smile… and it was so fucking weird. To have her sister and her blood bond in the same room, conversing like old friends. She supposed they were, since they knew each other before Yang ever met Blake, but still! She never expected a day like this to come, and now that it was here, she didn’t quite know how to feel about it all. “Here I am, trying to impress you, and she lets me flounder.”

“Why?”

“Have I not made it obvious that I want your attention, my love?”

“No, not-” Yang waved it off, taking in her options before turning toward Blake. Bewildered. “Why would you make me breakfast?”

“I just said it; I want to impress you. My courtship attempts don’t end after just one day, darling. And besides…” She stepped closer into her space and it was unfair just how much it made her heart race with anticipation. Her skin tingled where Blake’s palm passed by, from her hand back up to her shoulder and she leaned toward her to whisper by her ear. Tucking a golden strand behind it and letting her fingers brush against her skin. Savoring the feel of her, voice dropping low. Husky. “You worked up quite the appetite last night, Yang. I figured you’d be hungry.”

…Not for food, that’s for sure.

She would’ve said Fuck it all and prove just how ravenous she could be and drag Blake back to the bedroom, but right as she was about to lean in to steal another kiss the ancient would give her so freely, a dramatic clearing of her sister’s throat stopped her in her tracks and she scrambled back from temptation. A burn to her cheeks as she discovered it was suddenly the hardest thing in the world to meet Ruby in the eye, she scratched the back of her neck awkwardly with a strained chuckle. Fidgeted.

Blake just grinned victoriously. A hint of her usual mischief shining through as she took the flowers from her. “I’ll find a vase for these. Get whatever you want.”

She was spoiled for choice.

It was such a bizarre occurrence.

But in spite of it, Yang took the words to heart and located a plate from one of the cabinets and a fork from a drawer. Always keeping Blake out of the corner of her eye as she went about putting at least a bit of everything on her plate (minus the sweet stuff like the pancakes. She’d save those for Ruby). And it was such a surreal experience that it almost made her feel… normal.

Blake moved around the room with the familiarity that only came with living here. This was her home. Yang was here with her, with Ruby, and though there was a bout of quiet as she joined her sister at the table and took her first couple of bites (with Blake roaming about in the background with a newly acquired glass spiral vase, filling it with water for the heliotropes to survive for longer without withering), it was… peaceful. There was none of the usual tension to her body that she always carried, forever stressed about what she would have to do for the day. No worry in her mind about her next required task or two. And why think about Blake when she can just peek over her shoulder and she’d find her there instead?

It felt…

Like a home.

What if this was our life every day?

No vampires to hunt. No mission of blending in with the masses to partake in. No forced outings.

No pretending.

It was a dream come true.

(But could a dream really last forever?)

(No.)

“Now, your sister and I have talked a bit, and I know it’s not in either of your vocabularies.” Yang nearly choked on her next bite when Blake suddenly appeared behind her, leaning over the back of her chair with her hands against either of her shoulders. Pressing with the gentle pressure of a soothing massage that had her slanting back into her touch for more. It was so hard to focus as she continued speaking; “But I must ask that both of you-” A purposeful squeeze, it had her shooting a faint scowl at her. “-lay low for the day and stay here. At least until I’m able to gauge how… intent… the Enforcers are when it comes to finding you two compared to me. I’ll return as soon as I can.”

Right.

That.

Back to reality, Yang.

It was time to stop dreaming.

She whirled halfway around in her chair as best as she could, frowning, “You’re leaving?”

Don’t go, don’t go, don’t-

“There are a couple of tasks that require my attention, unfortunately. Just a few things I need to check. And…” Blake winced as her gaze switched over to where Ruby had stopped eating. Staring down at the table with a set to her brow and a clench to her jaw. “...I need to find my friend. Your sister is getting worried, it’s been a few hours now since she left.”

“She sounds like the most powerful person here. What could threaten her?”

Blake opened her mouth to answer- but Ruby beat her to it.

“Loneliness.”

Yang peeked across the table to her, never having known her sister to be like… this. Serious, deep in thought like she was mapping out a thousand different possibilities of where ‘her princess’ could be or what she could be doing. Ruby had always portrayed herself as someone who recklessly charged in without a plan into any scenario, but now it was as if she'd come up with at least five varying routes to take. Each one that could take her to the most ideal outcome, and if not there directly, then somewhere adjacent to it. As close to perfect as possible.

It was a completely different version of her.

Was it the real one that’s been hiding this entire time? Or one that’s always been there but Yang had never given enough attention to her to notice it?

“Precisely,” Blake dipped her head in agreement, stepping around to stand beside Yang now so she wouldn’t have to crane her neck so much to see her. “I won’t be long. You two should be safe here, no Enforcers typically check this apartment. The landlord turns away false inspections and doesn’t allow unnamed visitors. And even so, they aren’t able to knock on my door.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’ve charmed them into forgetting this apartment exists.” An inkling of regret had the ancient turning away from her. As if ashamed of what she had to do, especially when admitting it to Yang. Who, up until now, would’ve added that to the lists of reasons not to trust the vampire. “Not out of malicious intent, mind you. I still pay rent, I… simply don’t like to be bothered if I can help it. It’s easier to be forgotten than to try and make friends with strangers.”

Easier to be forgotten…

In what world?

Yang kept quiet though. Slotted that away for something to discuss after amongst the long list of topics they needed to sort through. But that could be dealt with later. Whenever they had a chance to sit down and talk because as of this moment, Blake was right. 

They needed to assess the situation. To learn what the efforts in finding Ruby and Yang, the two defectors, were compared to that of the hunt for Blake. If what Pyrrha claimed was true, then they could only assume that the Grandmasters had already arrived. And without being there in the thick of it, neither of the runaway Enforcers would learn anything about their plans.

Maybe it would’ve been smarter to continue playing along. To help Blake avoid capture- or worse, death- by being her person on the inside. That way, Yang would have had many perfect opportunities to ruin any of their ideas from the start.

But because she had chosen to leave then and there, they were completely in the dark now.

You never think ahead, Yang.

Oh well. It was too late to take it back.

All she could do now was let Blake do her thing and trust that she would be able to escape any and all threats, should they find her. To wait here until she got back with information.

Seems like she was stuck with ‘standby and observe’ duty anyway no matter whose side she was on.

Wonderful.

“Be careful.” She reached for her but stopped short, bringing her hands back to her lap and clenching them into fists. All she wanted was to join her on this little mission but she had a feeling Blake wouldn’t allow it. It was safer if she remained here, where the people she used to call friends and allies would have to go out of their way to find her. “I know you’re powerful or whatever, but don’t underestimate them either. A lot of them that are coming are so much stronger and smarter and more experienced than me- and some even have powerful blood bonds at their disposal too.”

“Darling-”

“All it’ll take is one slip-up or one instance of you being cocky for them to get you. It’s happened before, I was there when they managed to kill a 3000 year old ancient before- and I get it, I get it, you’re older, you’re better than that ancient, but still.”

“My love.”

“I meant it, Blake, I can’t lose you. So you have to-”

“Yang.” Gentle hands framed her face, directing her attention to rich gold. Stopping her spiral instantly.

But still, Yang finished with a whisper, “...be careful.”

“I will,” Blake pressed a kiss to her forehead, reassuring. The Enforcer closed her eyes to savor it and wanted to cry as she began to back away. “I will. I have no intention of confronting any of them. Not today.”

“Promise?”

Vows were important to vampires.

So she knew she had absolutely nothing to worry about when Blake murmured, “I swear it.”

She would be careful.

Better yet?

She would come back. Safe and sound.

“Okay,” Yang swallowed the rest of her panic down, squeezing her wrist once and kissing the palm of her hand before finally letting her go. The instinctual need to stay next to her remained, but she did a better job at fighting against it. All she had to do was wait. She was terrible at being patient, but it always paid off when she was. “See you later.”

“No kiss good luck for my dangerous endeavor?”

“You get one when you keep your promise and come back.”

“Well, if that isn’t a good incentive,” Blake winked, sending her a smirk that had her heart skipping a beat, “I don’t know what is.”

Yang couldn’t shoot back with another witty remark because between one blink and the next, the ancient was gone. Tendrils of shadows like mist floated into the floorboards before vanishing altogether, leaving nothing in the space she just was. The darkness of the room returned to its rightful places and all was as it should be. As if Blake had never been there to begin with (but the warmth of her kiss and her touch persisted, the scent of her on her skin).

She could be such a show off.

It made her laugh.

The silence of the room shrouded over her as she averted her awareness to the only other person here now. Ruby still had yet to break out of her contemplations, a wrinkle of worry between her furrowed brow as she grabbed at her insignia around her neck. Tracing the outline of the rose over and over again in a method that must have been grounding for her.

She’s never seen her so worried about someone.

So it was her job as her big sister to reassure her that everything was going to be okay. Even if she had no proof that it would be.

“Hey,” Yang called to her, and though it took a minute longer than she wanted it to, eventually, silver eyes fixated on her. Clearing up from their distant, glazed expression. Her sister blinked once, twice, as though partially surprised she was there to begin with. As though she had forgotten she was there. “Blake will take care of it. I’m sure your… partner?”

“My princess.”

“Yeah, I’m not calling her that,” she snorted, leaning back in her chair and skewering a piece of the scrambled eggs with her fork. Stating before taking a bite, “Whatever she is, I’m sure she’s fine. From what the two of you have described about her, she might as well be invincible.”

Ruby shook her head; “Nobody is, Yang. Everyone can get hurt, even if they don’t register the pain.”

“I live in a constant state of torture just by existing, my heart. And that pain is never going to end.”

Fuck, if that was how Blake felt at roughly around 5500 years old…

How did someone who has been alive for eight millennia feel?

It was too big of a number for her to wrap her mind around. The idea of living on and on and on for that long…

How torturous.

“You haven’t really told me much about her,” Yang chased off the gut-wrenching thoughts, trying to steer them toward a happier route. If it was at all possible. Maybe no road ahead of them would be free of agony, but they could at least choose the one with the best outcome. “You and Blake mention her all the time, but I know very little.”

“We… haven’t had a real chance to talk, period,” Ruby shrugged weakly, poking at her breakfast now with her fork. She squirmed in her seat, bouncing her leg in that nervous habit of hers, looking at everything but Yang across from her. Instinctively searching for any places where hidden cameras or recording devices could be, just like at Headquarters. Just like in their apartment, even. Neither of them truly knew if they were constantly being surveillanced at their assigned home or not. “Not with everyone watching you.”

“Watching us, you mean.”

“No. Just you,” a dejected manner overtook her as she hung her head, chin tucking toward her chest, shoulders drooping. “No one ever looked at me. Because I was faulty. But you?” Silver glanced up at her, almost guiltily. “Everyone had high hopes for you.”

And I’ve let them all down.

There was talk. Yang never wanted to let herself dream or wish for it, but if the Founder himself had offered her to become a Master, then naturally, it wouldn’t be long before she was given the opportunity to join the Grandmaster rank too. Maybe they would’ve even given her a seat on the Council if she worked hard enough for it.

Because Yang was their perfect little soldier. Always doing everything she was assigned to do with efficiency and diligence. Her and Pyrrha both, the pair that was swiftly rising above all others of their class and even competing with those of older generations. They both still had a lot to learn, sure, so it would take many more decades before either of them could make any true progress toward that goal, but it was possible.

And here she was.

Having thrown all of that away- for what? For the very monster she was supposed to kill? For emotions that shouldn’t have existed in the first place?

For myself.

She gave up the chance to become a Grandmaster… so that she could become Yang again.

“Ruby.” She waited for her sister to hold her gaze again. Half of her was tempted to get up and round the table so she could hug her, because this felt like something that should only be said in the safety of an embrace, but it felt so much more vulnerable, so much more real to say it from where she was. “You’re not faulty. You’ve never been faulty.”

Yang smiled, tragic but proud.

“You’re the only one of us who didn’t change.”

The only Enforcer in existence who didn’t absolutely break from the mutagen injections. Having somehow held on to most of what defined them as humans, most of what maintained their humanity. Compassion and joy and love and kindness and feelings. She might’ve lost memories like the others did and gained abilities that went beyond what a human was capable of, but not once had she ever lost her heart. Throughout all rounds of injections, throughout every single trial, throughout decades of training.

Everyone lost themselves in the mutagens.

But never Ruby.

The Organization called her faulty.

But Yang would call her a miracle.

“...Gods,” Yang set her fork aside to run her hands down her face, frustration and anger and disappointment and defeat raking through her, making her double over, “what have they done to us?”

She didn’t know if she was talking more to Ruby or to herself.

She didn’t think either of them could give her an answer.

“Here.”

As she peeked through the gaps between her fingers, it was to Ruby extending her Enforcer emblem to her. The necklace dangled from her grasp, the rose catching the morning light. The silver glinted magnificently. Blindingly.

“Wha-” Yang leaned across the short space to take it anyway, despite her questions. And it dawned on her that this was technically the first time that she’s ever touched another Enforcer’s insignia. It wasn’t exactly against the rules, but it was strongly discouraged. She never knew why.

But as with most things, she never questioned it before.

“Put it on,” Ruby nodded in encouragement, settling back comfortably despite no longer having the one thing to defend her mind. (If a random vampire decided to pop in here somehow, she would be entirely at their mercy.) Breakfast was officially set aside for what was bound to be a long, long conversation. “I want to test something. It’ll be easier to tell you everything if I’m right.”

And that was even more dissuaded upon in the Organization. To bear a mark that wasn’t yours.

“Okay?” Hesitant as she was, and so incredibly puzzled, Yang did as she was told until the cool metal was against her skin. Just like hers. (And here she didn’t want to wear one today.) “I still don’t get what you’re trying to-”

“Her name is Weiss.”

… … …

Maybe it was a fool’s wish to ask for just one day of peace, but come on.

Blake liked to think they deserved one day where nothing went wrong.

But the universe did love to fuck with her, so of course they wouldn’t get that- and now here she was. Needing to hide (in her own damn city) and travel through the shadows because going by rooftop was already proving to be too risky.

Enforcers were everywhere. The numbers on patrol had tripled, if not quadrupled in size. Some of them weren’t even bothering to blend in with the humans that much either, so they were getting strange looks from normal civilians that spotted them running about and climbing onto nearby roofs and such.Those were the easiest to avoid, but something told her that was a tactical decision to make them so eye-catching. The others that were more discreet about it all were remarkably difficult to tell apart from the humans. Even their insignias, an identifier of every Enforcer, were not just in necklaces anymore.

Some were earrings. Others, bracelets. She spotted one Enforcer with matching rings on every single one of their fingers that gave off the telltale stench of silver with their fancy designs.

Yang really wasn’t kidding when she told her not to underestimate them. Because already these new batches of Enforcers were bringing so much to the table. They would surely make for interesting opponents to deal with when the time came. A confrontation with them was inevitable at this point if they were so abundant. No matter how careful Blake was or how much she tried to hide, all it took was for one of them to find her to alert all the others and she would be swarmed in an instant.

And Blake hadn’t even encountered a Grandmaster yet. Though maybe she did but couldn’t tell the difference. She’s never met one before so she didn’t know what to look out for specifically.

Still, she stayed out of their radar with no issue. As far as she knew. She wasn’t immediately bombarded or trailed after so that must have been a good sign. Jumping between shadows and remaining in a mostly non-corporeal state as she ventured around Beacon. A specter, a creature of the night that persisted even past morning. It pricked at her nerves seeing so many unwanted guests in her home, but she set aside her pride before she did something she’d regret later and kept going.

Her first stop was in the rundown district where she had left the Apocyn coven asleep.

They were more vulnerable than ever before, and with the influx of those trained to kill them, the last thing she wanted was to give them such easy targets to eliminate. If they wanted to dispose of a vampire, they would have to work for it- and Blake would not make it easy for them.

Why she felt the sudden urge to protect all of the younger vampires of her home, she had no idea.

But she did promise Thevetia that she would fix this.

Blake was determined to make one thing right. Even if she had genuinely no idea how to help them out of their feral states.

Mercifully, everything was as she left it down here. She and Weiss (much to her friend’s chagrin and voiced complaints) had worked tirelessly to transfer everyone to the underground area of the building. Indeed, just as she suspected, there was a network of tunnels there with all but one path that led to dead ends. A maze meant to trap their enemies in the wasps’ nest, with only one possible exit that was difficult to find if one didn’t know their way around.

A smart move, normally… if Blake wasn’t connected to every inch of darkness down here. So even if she had never traversed these tunnels ever in her life, she knew exactly which route to take to lead her back out. She’d never get lost.

She just had to count on the tunnels to protect the coven from their enemies. Be it the other vampire families of Beacon that had been a part of the turf war with them, or the Enforcers themselves. At least until she could find a solution to their issue.

Something’s wrong.

It was subtle. But as someone who put them here specifically, it was obvious.

None of them were in their original places. All of them were asleep, but it was as though they had been trying to make their way to the exit. So either, someone came down here and moved them all like this- for some reason- or…

Or Weiss’s charm on them had diminished enough for the entire coven to wake up and try making their way out before her friend must have sensed it and forced them back under before any of them could escape.

Which simply shouldn’t be possible.

Nobody could resist Weiss’s charms. Nobody at Beacon, at least, and certainly not anyone of the coven because they were far younger than Blake- and Blake was far younger than Weiss by a landslide.

And it wasn’t like Weiss could merely be distracted out of maintaining a charm. She could be in the most agony of her life and she would still keep them going somehow. Blake was rather jealous of her capacity to keep her concentration on such large-scale, long-lasting spells.

So either the older ancient decided to release them momentarily (for whatever reason)- or her powers were failing.

Neither of which made sense.

Unless there was a third option that she wasn’t taking into account. And she would have her work cut out for her trying to figure it out to prevent it from happening again. The last thing they needed was all of these feral vampires running loose in the city. It would be a full-scale war and Blake didn’t think she could acquire peace here ever again.

Of course, she could just leave if it came down to it. Beacon was her home, but it wasn’t like she couldn’t make another one elsewhere. Nothing was truly keeping her here.

Except Yang.

If it did start to get too dangerous and out of control here, would Yang even be willing to leave? Or would she insist on staying here and trying to fix it the way Blake was so intent to do so as well?

How far would they be willing to take this before they either gave up or got swept away from everything against them?

How much would she be able to protect her beloved from?

Everything. She huffed, delicately picking up one of the vampires that was too close to the exit of the alcove she had shoved them all in and tiptoed around the other bodies to find a place further in to put them. They stirred, large wings hanging limply as they grunted and groaned as if they were having a nightmare they couldn’t get out of. She almost felt sorry for them. Anything.

Whatever it takes.

She could not lose her. And not only because she literally couldn’t survive off of another’s blood.

Didn’t you learn from before, Blake? She carefully set the youngling on the ground, frowning as they swiped blindly in her direction. It was easy to dodge, but the fact they were even fighting the charm and reacting this much to their surroundings was troubling. You shouldn’t give your heart to someone so easily.

It was baffling how that pointless little thing that sat unmoving in her chest could hurt her the most.

When it had its own rhythm, she had given it so stupidly to a beast that had enthralled her with his smooth words and wondrous tales and fantastical lies. It was an infatuation that ended in her death. In her rebirth to a monster she never wanted to be.

But if she couldn’t trust it back when it was beating, how was she able to put her faith in it now when it wasn’t even alive?

Well.

It wasn’t like Yang could hurt her the way Adam, even if she wanted to.

Nobody could hurt her quite like that anymore.

And that was with knowing that Blake couldn’t remember any of what he truly did. But it was like a sixth sense. A measure of her pain tolerance that exceeded far past whatever the Enforcer could do to her, far past whatever any of them wanted to do.

And if they hurt her?

If you lose her?

…That would be a close second now, wouldn’t it?

But it’s not as though she’d ever let that happen.

Yang and Ruby might have been some of the most targeted people in all of Beacon, but they were also the most protected.

Blake wouldn’t let anything hurt them. And even if she failed, Weiss never would.

She just had to find her.

With her checks of the coven complete, Blake stepped toward the nearest wall as if intending to walk right through it. She merged with the shadows, using them to speed out of the tunnels and return to the surface of the city. Rushing through entire blocks undetected by humans and vampires and Enforcers alike, always sticking to the darkest locations and nooks and crannies. She knew exactly where all of them were.

It was unbelievably exhilarating- to the point of being a tad overwhelming. Centuries have gone by where the ancient had been forced to remain in a state of half-power. The nourishment she got from blood from the wrist was nothing compared to from the neck, it elevated her senses and abilities to truly inhuman levels.

Admittedly, Blake had forgotten she could be this strong.

It scared her. Because the call of the hunger was there, even when she didn’t need to feed… and it was exactly how she used to be. Full of power and possibility, in a world where nothing could stop her. Why shouldn’t she take more then? If she played her cards right, she could have Yang give her more willingly- she had her name. She had the power to make her do anything that Blake wanted.

But no…

No.

She didn’t have Adam to whisper in her ear this time- “Aren’t you hungry, my love?”- and it seemed like all of her resistance training had actually been effective because she could look at those thoughts and deny them.

She shouldn’t take more because she didn’t need more.

She had already proven to herself she could survive off of less. She didn’t need more than what she had currently.

No, Adam.

I’m not hungry.

What she would give to tell him that to his face and resist the chain he had on her whenever he forced her to go feral.

Another life, possibly.

“When I brought you here, I didn’t expect you to choose to spend time away from your little rose.”

The clock tower. That’s where Blake found her friend. Stood at the edge of the rooftop, overlooking the entire city below as she herself was often prone to doing. It was peaceful up here. Away from all the noise. It had quickly established itself as Weiss’s favorite location in the span of two days.

She should’ve guessed as much. Weiss always did like being high up. (Not to be above others, but to be closer to the stars.)

Predictably, Weiss didn’t jump at her unexpected presence. It was downright impossible to surprise her. Unmoving and silent. As still as the gargoyle statues that watched over Schnee Castle back in Atlas. A hidden tension to her shoulders.

It was… rather unnerving.

Blake didn’t know why, but it felt like she had to keep her distance. So she did. Sticking close to the center of the rooftop and frowning at the back of Weiss’s head.

Something’s wrong, instincts warned again and Blake hid her twitching fingers behind her folded arms. Trying to come off as casual as possible even though it made on difference in the end.

“She’s starting to get worried… and to be honest, so am I, darling. So if you could just-”

“Winter.”

Blake choked on the rest of her sentence, teeth clacking shut. Weiss pivoted her head aside as if wanting to make an attempt to look over her shoulder, but she couldn’t commit fully.

“And… Whitley…”

“What were my siblings’ names?”

In light of everything, she had almost forgotten the consequences of her failed memory recall. Because not only did she lose pieces of her past, still had yet to recall what this ‘Menagerie’ was, but it also resulted in Weiss losing some memories as well. And no matter how much Blake had complained and begged and whined, Weiss insisted that she let it come back naturally. For both of them.

She didn’t understand what the process was of getting the lost back.

But something told her it wasn’t anything pleasant.

“Those are their names. Correct?”

Danger, danger, danger.

There was a part of her that told her to run. Run far, run now. No matter if she was at her strongest, she would never be able to stand up to Weiss. They’d already proven that before in the ruined town of Kalt. The older one had so easily dispatched her, even when she was in the middle of a frenzy.

She had to approach this carefully.

“Do you want me to answer that honestly?”

Weiss didn’t appreciate being lied to, but maybe this time, it would be a mercy.

“Whether you do or not, I know it to be true,” Weiss released a breath like a snicker, and she went back to focusing on the city below them instead of making any effort to turn to her. “Your aversion to the answer gave it away… and did you forget I could read your mind?”

Shit.

Her friend snorted, waving her off. “You can relax. I’ve already returned to myself before you arrived. It’s why I had to drop off Ruby with you, I didn’t…” A pause. Fingers curling into fists. “I couldn’t trust myself around her in the midst of remembering.”

Not that she was against Weiss bringing her beloved to her home, but it wasn’t something she had expected earlier in the morning. Much as she wanted to remain with Yang in bed, the rare knock on the door had dragged her out of it. For as long as she had been living at Beacon, nobody had ever knocked on the front door because it was all but invisible to the common world. Her own little domain where she could truly be alone and away from the rest of the city if it ever became too much. Where she wouldn’t be disturbed in her attempts at starving herself.

She shouldn’t have been surprised that Weiss found it. Probably saw right through the illusion. She hardly said a word and Ruby obviously didn’t want her to go, but they had both relented in the end and let Weiss leave. 

Because not only was she transparent of her hesitance to meet Yang face-to-face- “She has too much on her hands,” Weiss grimaced with a wrinkle to her nose, pinching the bridge of it as if she was overwhelmed by whatever scent she had caught. “Too much spilt blood. I can’t promise to be cordial around her yet knowing what she’s been a part of. And I know it’s not her fault, but I need time.”- but there had been an almost panicked glint in her eye. Like she didn’t want to leave them, but at the same time, she had to get as far away from them as possible.

Now she understood that Weiss must have been in the middle of regaining those forgotten memories. And she didn’t want to allow herself the chance to lash out at either of them, but especially not at Ruby.

It was touching to her that the first person Weiss went to in order to protect her love was Blake.

She would not fail at such a huge responsibility.

“But you’re sane now?”

“Sanity is relative.”

“More like overrated,” Blake snickered, earning herself the faintest chuckle from Weiss so she took that as a sign that everything was as okay as it could be. Not perfect, not by any means, and she doubted it ever could be, but it was fine. Better than for it all to be in a bad state. She approached cautiously, just in case, until she was closer to an arm’s length away at her back. Keeping the shadows gathered directly underfoot for a quick escape if need be. “How did you get them back?”

Strange, really.

Half of her didn’t want to make the effort to get Menagerie and all of its associated memories back. She got the sense that it would be too much to take in all at once and she was just starting to feel happy, and for the first time in her life, she no longer wanted to die. She didn’t want to ruin that. She was breathing clearly again after over 5000 years of suffocating in the miasma of all her sins.

But Yang was right.

Because the other half was desperate to remember. It was killing her to forget it all. And it was frightening how so easily the pieces of old could slip from her fingers and into a void, never to be found again.

Was it worth it to remember if it was only going to cause her pain?

(Yes. Maybe.

I don’t know anymore.)

“To bleed is to remember,” Weiss spoke after a moment, cryptic as all hell and giving no further explanation as she idly brought a wrist up and frowned at it. Opening and closing her fingers as if trying to get the blood in her veins flowing. Even if it never would again. “And to remember is to bleed.”

“...Okay, so you’re definitely not sane yet,” she quipped, expecting a sharp retort. As was common for Weiss and her limited temper for Blake’s insults.

But all Weiss did was lower her arm again and sniff, declaring with no preamble, “The Grandmasters are here.”

Completely ignoring her, but okay.

She’d let it slide for now. They had more important matters to attend to.

“I expected as much,” Blake sighed; groaned, more like. All of this was such a bother. She was starting to regret showing herself in front of all those Enforcers at the fountain courtyard. If she hadn’t, if she just let them deal with the Apocyn coven on their own, they would still be unaware of her existence here and everything would be the same as before.

Not like she had much of a choice in the matter. Weiss revealed herself first to defend Ruby- and in order to maintain her position as the leading vampire of Beacon, Blake had to show up too and take over the conversation.

When you really think about it, everything was Weiss’s fault.

“Four, as of now,” Weiss informed diligently- and it was such a reversal of roles. Because when they had been at Schnee Castle, it was Blake who would give her a summary of every vampire present in the sanctuary day to day. She would act as the eyes and ears of the castle’s keeper, brief her about any potential issues that could arise between the people there, if there were any intruders to the territory. And Weiss would deal with it afterward. “Two I encountered directly last night. A third I only heard the voice of, but I didn’t confront. And the fourth…”

A sneer, though she couldn’t tell if it was amused or annoyed. Maybe both.

“...is doing a terrible job at being inconspicuous at the bottom of the tower.”

Both. Definitely both.

Blake made a move to join her at the edge of the roof, to locate the Grandmaster that was apparently standing down there (and had probably been there the entire time Weiss has, just keeping an eye on her), but before she could, her friend blocked her advancement by extending her arm aside. Keeping her from going forward and effectively staying out of sight.

“No,” Weiss narrowed her eyes, hardly glancing at her as she glared down at the Grandmaster below. “Best that they don’t see you, urchin. You have the element of surprise, do not squander it.”

“Considering I’ve revealed myself to the younger Enforcers here, I’d say they already know to expect me. Whether or not they have my face makes no difference. Besides,” she scoffed, but chose to listen anyway despite her complaints (best not to push Weiss’s buttons today), “I have no reason to be scared of them. I invite them to hunt me down.”

Because at least that way, it’s her that they’re focused on. And not Yang and Ruby.

If she could draw in the attention of every Enforcer here and make herself the primary target, then the two of them have a higher chance of getting through this mess as unscathed as possible. Blake wouldn’t mind coming out of it with a scar or two if it meant she could keep Yang from harm.

“You’re right. But it’s not them you should be afraid of,” Weiss finally turned halfway around to face her, frowning. A sense of something akin to guilt causing her shoulders to slacken. She shook her head regretfully. “It’s what they have in their possession that you should fear.”

“I’ve dealt with their blessed and ‘holy’ weapons already, Weiss.” She held up her hand that, previously, had been marked with black veins after catching the silver bullet from Yang’s partner. But now after feeding, all that’s left behind were the most indistinguishable scars, they might as well have just been the lines of her palm. “Need I remind you?”

“Not their holy weapons, but the sinful ones.”

“Huh?”

Weiss swallowed hard, lips thinning into a firm line as she went back to viewing the city (and the Grandmaster) below. It took a second for her eyes to stop darting around, no doubt locating the person again. They must have taken advantage of her looking away to relocate. Eventually, she sighed, “...They have a device. It contains the recorded voice of a Second Generation vampire that they can use to command any and all vampires here at Beacon. They’ve already proven it with the Apocyn coven… and I imagine they will prove it with you too, if you give them the chance.”

If she had a working heart, it would’ve stopped.

A cold chill washed through her, Blake wanted to be sick. The fresh blood in her system suddenly felt like the biggest curse of all and her claws pricked at her skin to try and get it out, to weaken herself again.

She should’ve known the signs. How many times did she endure exactly what Thevetia and the rest of her coven have?

How many times did Adam force her to become a monster?

“Aren’t you hungry, my love?”

“In short,” Weiss frowned, sympathetic in the midst of her newfound panic, “with it, they’ll be able to make you-”

“Go feral…”

And there would be nothing Blake could do to resist.

… … …

Weiss.

WeissWeissWeissWeiss WeissWeiss-

The shrieks and wails from earlier returned, the volume increasing with every beat of her rapid heart as Yang braced herself for the pain in her head again. An uncomfortable pressure built in her ears until they were a second away from popping, from bleeding. Yang hissed between her teeth as her sister’s emblem scalded her skin hotter than her own necklace had ever gotten before as blisters formed and tore immediately. She grabbed her head at the sharp stab until it was all almost too much to bear.

Almost.

Because she endured the torture until it reached its peak- and began to steadily lessen. A pulse against her chest that she mistook for her heart at first before she realized it was the rose emblem that emitted the faintest vibration. Like its very own heartbeat. For every beat, a wave of coolness rippled over her skin until it covered her entire body. And by then, the agony was gone completely.

And she was left staring at the rose insignia with so many questions buzzing in her head.

“Yang?” Slightly nervous, but not overtly worried. As purple lifted to meet silver, Ruby gave a cross between a grin and a grimace. “You okay?”

“What the fuck was that?”

“Did you understand what I said?”

“Her name is Weiss.”

“You… told me her name.” Weiss, Weiss, Weiss. The echoes grew farther and farther away like someone screaming it from the bottom of a well or deep within a cave. The source of it, never to be found. But it no longer made her want to double over in pain. And as she did a quick run-through of every vampire’s name she could think of off the top of her head, this one wasn’t included in the list. Not from what she could recall, at least. “Ruby, are you sure that was a good idea?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Because…” Because? She had no real reason because everything she could come up with implied devotion to the Organization, but it’s not like she would take it to them anyway. It would be her secret to keep, along with Blake’s real name. And she would never give it to the others. “Because she didn’t want me to know. What if she gets mad?”

Because, ridiculously, some part of her wanted to genuinely get the approval of this ancient on her own. Without the help of Blake or Ruby. She wanted to prove that she was on their side and she would do whatever it took to keep them all safe too.

“She can’t stay mad at me,” Ruby snorted (and the power she didn’t even know she had, to have this kind of sway on such a dangerous being), waving off her concern, “she’s tried before. It’s cute.”

“What about me?!” Yang gawked incredulously. “I could be in danger!”

“I’m sure she’ll forgive it. Maybe.”

“Oh yeah, real convincing there. All my worries are magically gone.”

“Look, it’s a hell of a lot easier to tell you our story by referring to her by name, okay? I don’t want to keep calling her ‘the ancient’ or ‘the vampire’ or whatever, she deserves to be known by her name.” Ruby rubbed the back of her neck, now seemingly second-guessing her decision but deciding that it was already too late. She made the effort to try and finish her pancakes that were probably beginning to grow cold now, but it was mostly just more of her poking the pieces around. “And if anything, you can only understand it by wearing my emblem. So even if you know it, the charm will still prevent you from saying it or hearing it with it off.”

Meaning she still had to earn the right to Weiss’s name.

But that was an issue for later-Yang to worry about. She had no idea what she had to do to earn it, but she was determined.

As for now…

“Alright, fine. Go ahead then. Talk, tell me everything because you seem to understand things that I don’t. Things that I’m barely figuring out. About this a-” She stopped herself. Corrected herself. “About… Weiss. About the Organization. About us.”

Yang took in a deep breath because it felt like she had to brace herself.

“I’m listening, Ruby.”

For the first time ever, she was willing to listen.

Ruby recognized the weight of her words. It brought her a second’s pause, blinking in astonishment as if she couldn’t believe this day had finally come and she didn’t know where to start. Or if she did, she had to take the time to plan out the rest of it.

There was hesitance, too.

As though she didn’t know how much she could truly trust Yang with the truth.

Yang tried not to be hurt by that. Though the sting of pain in her chest was undeniable, she acknowledged their places. Everything had happened so fast and for her to suddenly switch sides like she did showed just how flippant and reckless with her decisions she could be. Come tomorrow, what was to stop her from going back to the Organization and betraying Blake and Ruby and Weiss?

“I’m right here,” she whispered, a promise, not realizing until now just how much she didn’t know how to approach her sister. Not as two Enforcers, not as someone older than her wanting to keep her safe, not as a mentor trying to mold her into something she could never be, something the Organization needed them to be. “I won’t leave you alone again.”

It’s exactly what she has been doing this entire time.

Ruby has been forced to make these discoveries and steps by herself. Because it was safer that way. Because Yang wasn’t on her side until now. Because she was one person against an entire Organization of people and one fuck up meant she could get killed or even get Yang killed in the process too.

How long has her sister been living with a knife to her throat? Carefully calculating every one of her moves and words because if she didn’t, one of them would pay the price for it.

62 years.

From the very beginning. Since the day they joined the organization, Yang at ten and Ruby at eight. Even as a kid, her little sister has been walking in a field of broken glass and torn memories.

So even if it hurt, Yang would walk it with her now.

Neither of them were alone anymore.

“25 years.”

Ruby began in a soft tone, unable to bring herself to speak louder. Tentative in her faith but wanting. Wanting so much to trust in her sister and believe that they’re in this together now.

Yang will not break her trust.

“Almost 25 years ago, I met her. And Weiss not only saved my life… but she changed it. Forever.”

… … …

“Blake…” Weiss took a step toward her, wanting to comfort her but not knowing how. She was terrible at it.

And Blake…

“Stop them.”

“Blake-” An exhale like a sigh, and maybe she didn’t mean it in such a way, but Blake only took it as condescending.

She bared her teeth, the shadows darkening around them. The very world, dimmed.

“They’re your hounds, Weiss,” later she’d apologize for how accusatory her tone was, but right now, Blake couldn’t change it if she tried, “Can’t you just command them to stop?”

She didn’t want to be controlled again.

She’s been free for over 2000 years now after killing Adam and disbanding the coven without someone being able to induce her hunger. And yet still, she remembered exactly what it was like. To be a puppet like that. To be feral like that.

“I wish it were that easy, stray.”

“You have the power to stop all of this,” Blake threw her arm aside to indicate to the city swarming with Enforcers. Creations made by the ancient standing before her. “A single charm and they will do as you say. And if that doesn’t work somehow, don’t pretend like you can’t just burn it all to the ground. Start over. This… science experiment or pet project or whatever you want to call it has gone on long enough, and it’s failed- How many times do they have to betray you before you pull the trigger on it, Weiss?! How many of us have to get hurt because of something you created?”

Perhaps she was overreacting. But Blake feared very little in this world.

And losing control of herself to the beast that was a vampire’s hunger was her greatest one.

If what Weiss said was true and the Enforcers had somehow found a way to do that…

Then that’s exactly what would happen.

“Do you know why I made the Organization?”

The question threw her for a loop in the midst of her panic and rising fury. Quelling some of it in favor of bafflement. She flinched, not knowing why, because it wasn’t like Weiss had snapped back at her or anything.

In fact, Weiss sounded…

Defeated.

“They believe it’s to eradicate vampires,” Blake answered slowly, uncertain of where this was going. She wished she had paid more attention back in those days. But back then, Blake had been more focused on weaning herself off of blood from the neck. It had taken all of her concentration and left very little room to be aware of everything going on around her.

“In a sense, they’re not wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

“I made them for the purpose of ridding this world of the vampirism curse.” A deep, profound sadness shone in her eyes, and though Weiss wouldn’t cry (she hardly ever did in front of her and Blake could not recall the last time it happened), the glimmer of tears was evident. It left her speechless. “Though, not by killing us. I wanted to find a cure- and I believed it was possible through them. I still do.”

Her eyelids fell shut, a visible wince to her features, and she tilted her head back skyward. Breathed in. Held it.

Held it forever in her lungs, where it would grow stagnant.

Toxic.

“But they lost themselves, and I couldn’t prevent it from happening. And you’re right. I failed, Blake.”

She was too stunned to do anything as she witnessed a single tear roll down the older ancient’s cheek. Red replaced blue as her lashes parted, but not from anger. Not from hunger.

From pain.

“I failed to keep the promise I made to my siblings.”

A vampire was nothing without their promises.

“Winter and Whitley. I remember them now,” another tear trail. A fourth. A fifth. But her voice remained even, her body did not shake, she didn’t need to breathe. It was as if her heart suddenly recalled how to cry but the rest of her didn’t. “And to remember them is to go back to the start of the Organization. And from there, I slip further. All the way to the very beginning. 8000 years. Do you have any idea how long that is?”

“...A little bit.”

5500 was already too long for her.

But to go back even further?

“A shame,” Weiss softened at that, consoling. Sharing in the misery- but carrying so much more of it that Blake couldn’t even hope to compare. Nor could she carry some of it with her. She’d be crushed by it. “I can’t just start over from scratch, Blake. It’s impossible.”

“Why?” Blake huffed, stepped toward her and hesitated when it made Weiss tense. But she pushed forward still, lifted her hand until she was able to place it on her shoulder. A fleeting touch to prove she wasn’t a threat. That she was angry, yes, but not at her. “You keep saying these things and not explaining yourself. Help me understand what you do about them. Help me understand why you’ve let them hurt you so much over the years. I just want to understand, Weiss.”

“I’m afraid of what you’ll think of me when you learn the truth.”

“You’re stuck with me forever- and that is a threat. Didn’t you know?” Blake smiled, just barely fought the urge to bring her into a huge. “You show kindness to a stray once and they never leave your side.”

“Funny. I seem to recall you leaving Atlas to venture off on your own.”

“Ah, but I came back, didn’t I? Not because I was forced to, but because you are one of the only few people in this world who have given me a chance, Weiss. A chance to be something good.” She framed her face carefully between her palms. Wiped away the rolling tears with a brush of her thumbs on either side. Gentler on the side where her scar was. “I ask you now for the chance to trust me with the truth. I swear to you that no matter what you tell me, I am not leaving. I won’t turn away. I won’t shun you out. I promise that you have me.”

She could hardly get the final word out before Weiss hugged her.

And unlike the one she gave her at Schnee Castle that left Blake too stunned to reciprocate…

Blake returned this one. Just as fierce. Just as desperate.

It wasn’t often Weiss allowed her emotions to show on the surface. The world has punished her too much for it. But Blake wouldn’t. She would savor the rare occurrence. Shield her from the universe itself that she would tear apart if it so much as dared to hurt her gain for it. Shoulder her weight.

“The Organization’s fate is as tied to me as I am to it. So to understand one, you need to understand the other.”

Weiss stepped back at last- and it was the most disarming thing in the world for her to let her eyes remain red instead of shift back to blue. As though it were a sign she was accepting the monster. Letting it reveal itself after doing everything in her power to push it away.

“The story of the Organization begins over 400 years ago…”

There was no going back now.

“...but mine begins 8000 years ago. When the first vampires of the world were ever created.”

No going back…