Ruby couldn't keep away from her.

Even when they were apart, the memories were scalding and intense, and she was so plagued by them that people were starting to notice.

Especially Weiss.

"Snap out of it, Ruby! I want to know what's going on with you." She'd pulled her aside into the back section of the library to speak privately, unaware how much more difficult it made it for Ruby to focus. "I can deal with Blake being all moody and quiet on me, but not you."

"Take this off."

"W-Weiss, I'm fine!"

"Hands on the wall."

"What do you take me for?! I've known you long enough to know that this isn't normal." Her voice softened a little, and Ruby could see the hurt in her eyes. "You're… my first friend. Did you know that?" Her hands came to rest on Ruby's shoulders, comforting and firm. "I… want to take care of you."

"I'll take care of everything."

"…Ruby?"

-a hand at her throat, tight, pulling her head back to suffocate her moans with a long, wet kiss. The other hand vanishing beneath her skirt, fingers probing deep, and she herself leaning into her touch like a moth to flame-

"Ruby, you're shaking-"

"I-I'm alright! I'm fine, I just haven't-been sleeping well lately-"

It wasn't entirely a lie.

Weiss' expression clouded over, and Ruby could tell she wasn't buying it. In fact, the more Ruby looked at her, the more she got the feeling that she might know more than she hoped-

"It's that woman, isn't it."

Even her mention was enough to feel choked all over again.

"Is she bullying you?" Weiss was raising her voice. Ruby shook her head. "I've seen her looking at you, I don't like how she takes you aside to do whatever she does, I don't like how you go with her, I don't like her-" Weiss' voice was brimming with frustration and her words were strangled.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Ruby blurted evasively, "It-It's not-"

"Then what is it?!" Weiss shook her shoulders and the collar of Ruby's blouse loosened, exposing plum-purple blemishes along her neck and collarbone. Weiss stopped, and Ruby knew that even though she'd tried to cover them back up, she'd seen.

"-What are those-?" She reached out but Ruby stopped her wrist, urging her to not.

"Don't-" She begged, "-please-"

Weiss looked like she'd been stricken. Horror dawned on her expression and-

"-Ruby, what… is she doing to you-?"

-and somehow, Ruby felt relief.

Weiss knew what was happening. She wasn't alone anymore.

All the guilt of lying to her partner caught up to her and it hurt and she couldn't forgive herself-

It would've been so much easier if she hadn't enjoyed it so much, and even now, mentally admitting that she had was frustrating, humiliating-

"-I'm sorry-" Ruby croaked, "-I couldn't-couldn't stop her it's all my-all my-"

Weiss hugged her fiercely and fearlessly, nuzzling her hair, rubbing her back-it reminded Ruby of-Yang, how she gave the kind of hugs that made her feel like whatever had happened, she could just start over, that things would be okay-

"Ruby, it's not. It's not your fault. We'll talk to Yang, and Blake first. We'll help you. We'll protect you-" Weiss squeezed her close and Ruby returned the gesture, "-and things will be alright somehow, I promise you-"

How long had it been since she'd embraced any of her team mates?

It felt good. It felt really, really good.