Part 1 | something unusual | 2,250 words
Post-Season 2. There will be spoilers to some degree. Sequel to Cobblestone. It's advisable to read that first, but it's up to you. Unbeta-ed because I'm lazy.

. . .

"So...let's get married."

It was said quite abruptly.

And Ruby didn't quite expect herself to phrase it that way, with a clumsy blurt, but she had.

Mid-way sipping through coffee, Weiss paused, and looked up to eye her over the rim of her cup coolly. A seemingly unfazed look adorned the almost delicate features belonging to her partner, were it not for the scar on her left eye giving her a sharper edge.

It was the sort of expression that made the younger woman think would only be possible given how often Ruby had sent the entire RWBY team to do insanely outrageous things over the years for the jobs allocated to them… as well as certain unmentionable little secret missions.

Generally, some of the orders she gave had been tough but workable, but some others were just plain crazy and brilliant and suicidal.

...And in retrospect, that probably was why Weiss had that expression on her face.

She felt a bead of sweat form at the back of her neck.

Still, of all the reactions she sort of expected from her partner (and best friend, even if Weiss wouldn't use that term to label them), the total silence had not been one of them. And a small part of her was screaming in her head - where is the ice? Where is the ice?!

The cup was slowly placed back on the saucer plate with a gentle clink.

She had to stop herself from fidgeting nervously.

The twenty-three year old president of the Schnee Dust Corporation scrutinized her with piercing eyes, attention now completely removed from the reports that she was reading a moment ago.

And for a short moment, Ruby allowed herself to admire her partner.

The past few years had allowed the former heiress turned president of Schnee Dust to flourish really well. Long white hair like the snow, cool eyes a shade of blue so pale that you could see the irises behind them, and a frame so slender and deceptively small - it was the sort of elegant beauty that felt so unreal and untouchable.

Occasionally, she couldn't help but think that Weiss was like something out of a fairytale.

Across the table, aristocratic white eyebrows were beginning to furrow darkly.

Belatedly, she begun to wonder if this was a good idea.

She had just proposed to her partner. As in, just partner. Well, okay, maybe not just partner given that they had fought by each other's sides too many times to count now and more, plus Weiss was about as close to her as she could get without it falling over to the romantic side.

But, in Ruby's defense, the idea had sounded good in her head. It would solve several issues in one go, after all.

Annoyance, mingled with exasperation, was slowly building in those mist blue eyes.

"Ruby Rose…" the former heiress begun ominously.

Ruby back-pedaled to the wall behind her, hands raised frantically. "W-wait! Listen to what I've to say first!"

Weiss clenched her teeth and stood. "You have two minutes," she growled, and planted her hands imposingly on the table as she glared across the table.

The other cleared her throat. "W-well, you were complaining about your board saying it's time to get married, right? Plus, you hated having to meet suitors."

The white-haired woman gave her an incredulous look. "And that justifies us getting married? Ruby - "

"And!" She continued hastily. "It's not like we are getting married for real. It will help you get your board off your back, and my dad off me."

Weiss's eyebrows furrowed further. "Tai? What are you talking about?"

Briefly, Ruby relished the fact that Weiss was finally comfortable enough to call her dad by the name. That had been a long, hard battle for the Xiao-Long and Rose family, and one they had full bragging rights for when they won, especially given how courtesy had been ingrained into Weiss all her life.

Her mood did go sour at the reminder of Tai however.

"Dad's been on my case for being single," she grumbled. "He's worried I'll end up being a spinster. He kept saying I'm always going out for dangerous missions and a lover would keep me grounded. And to make it worse, Yang is egging him on." While cackling, Ruby remembered. She would have her revenge on her sister one of these days.

At that, Weiss snorted. "I would say that his concern has merit."

Ruby puffed out her cheeks. "I just don't have anyone I like that way."

The former heiress rolled her eyes, anger seemingly dissipating, but her eyes were still piercing when they looked back at Ruby.

"That," the older woman said warningly, "does not explain the proposal, Ruby."

Said person who proposed winced.

"W-well, a marriage would get them off your back, right? Give you some room to breathe? You were complaining about it just an hour ago! I could use some peace, and you most certainly do," she stressed.

Weiss was still looking at her with narrowed eyes.

"And," she continued hastily, "Weiss, it's me. Your partner! You know I wouldn't be trying to manipulate you like those stupid suitors of yours. And it's not like we have to do any of those icky stuff - " a white eyebrow twitched - "it would be just a blank marriage. Plus, we have been roommates for four years at Beacon and we know each other's habits so it won't be awkward and it will make your board shut up and let you concentrate on the thing you are working on with Blake, and give me a bit of peace too and - "

"Ruby, stop."

Her mouth snapped shut.

Two dainty fingers pinched the bridge of Weiss's nose, massaging it as if trying to stem off a pounding headache.

"Ruby," a long suffering sigh, "The board has become frustrating as of late, I agree, but marriage, Ruby? Exactly why do you think I'll agree to such a ridiculous solution?"

"Because…" the younger woman hesitated, "you didn't say no yet?"

Silence.

And it was true. The former heiress was a person who passed judgement quickly, and often made snap decisions like a second nature. She certainly wouldn't hesitate to shred a ludicrous idea to nothing if it was brought forward to her, and Ruby was currently topping the chart for that.

Recent years may have mellowed her harsh nature (at least to those close to her), but that side of hers was still inherently Weiss Schnee.

So when Weiss had not outright rejected the idea, Ruby knew that her partner saw some merit in it. It might also be that her board had been frustrating her to the point she was ready to consider just about the most outrageous ideas as long as they could shut the board up.

The white-haired woman just looked at her silently for a few moments, before finally crossing her arms, and sighing in exasperation.

"I don't think you really understand what you are suggesting, Ruby," Weiss said dryly.

"But I do!" was the protest.

"No, you don't. Do you even know why they want me to marry?"

Ruby's mouth closed shut, and her eyebrows furrowed.

Come to think of it, while her partner had been muttering vile things about her board whenever the topic came up, Weiss hadn't actually specified why it started coming up.

Especially since the woman was only twenty three years old. Who marries at twenty three nowadays?

"Uh...why?" That was really all Ruby could think of saying.

Weiss clicked her tongue irritably. And for a moment, the president seemed to battled with herself before she gave a resigned look.

"They want me to produce an heir."

Her brain blanked out.

"...What?"

Weiss threw her a sharp look, as if asking how dense she was going to be.

"You heard me the first time. They. Want. An. Heir."

"B-but - " she gaped.

"Please do not tell me you need a lesson about birds and the bees, Ruby."

She flushed a deep red.

"I don't!" she exclaimed loudly, almost ready to stomp her foot at the insult. "I'm twenty one, okay! I know how that works."

There was a peculiar glint in Weiss's mist blue eyes as the older woman looked at her. "Do you now?"

"Yes! Yes! I-I know how that works!" Ruby sputtered in disbelief. Were they really going to talk about this? No. No. She was so not going to talk about this. Desperate for an escape, she pointed an accusing finger at Weiss. "A-a-and that's beside the point! Weiss, you are only twenty three!"

Said accused rolled her eyes and huffed. "Yes. I am also a huntress and the head of SDC. I do, also, have a big target painted across my back by extremists consisting of faunus and human both. Or did you forget that?" Her words were full of sarcasm.

Abruptly, the mood in the room changed.

Something cold stirred in Ruby's stomach.

"What are you talking about?"

Weiss looked like she was sorely regretting even bringing the entire topic up, but eventually she spoke, if a bit curtly.

"What do you think I'm talking about? You know as well as I do that I had and will always have a bounty on my head."

Ruby's eyes narrowed. Her mind raced back to when this...this entire marriage thing has started.

Considering that Weiss had been a target her entire life, that particular snippet of information shouldn't have been of any significance. But the part of them wanting her to produce an heir?

That was new, considering that they could've started harping about it the moment Weiss graduated from Beacon and yet did not.

Until now. What was so special about twenty three?

"Weiss…" she said slowly.

The other scowled. "What?"

"Why does your board want you to produce an heir now?"

The former heiress grimaced, and that was all Ruby needed to see to know that something did happen.

It was Ruby's turn to cross her arms and stare down at her partner. Half a decade ago the huntress wouldn't even think of doing this, but the years at Beacon and the following two years after that had proved that she could be a leader who radiated authority.

Also, she had the advantage of height now, thanks to a growth spurt during the second year of Beacon.

"Weiss." Said leader of team RWBY demanded.

Her partner simply regarded her silently for a moment, guarded and evaluating, reminiscent of a time when they had conversed about Weiss's family on a cliff overlooking the sea.

Then, the president of SDC sighed.

"The White Fang has gotten aggressive." The cup was picked up, and Weiss sipped at her beverage - only to have her expression twist with disgust as she put it back down.

Coffee gone cold, probably.

Ruby would've offered to make her another cup, but she refused to allow herself to get sidetracked now with the current topic.

"White Fang?" She was immediately by Weiss's side, assessing for any injuries as she ran gentle, testing hands down her partner's arms, searching for bandages, scratches, bruises, anything - she hadn't noticed any earlier, but then again the other wore long sleeves and combat skirts no longer dominated the wardrobe. "When? What did they do? Did they hurt you? How - "

"Calm down!" Weiss snapped and planted her hand on Ruby's shoulder, putting her leader at arm's length.

Ruby just stared, nervous energy and light-hearted mood from a short while ago seemingly gone. If there was even so much of a scratch on her partner, she would hunt down those responsible for it.

The white-haired woman lifted her hand away carefully and took a step back. With a deep breath and a tense voice, she spoke. "I'm fine. I'm not injured. So calm down, okay?"

...But the younger huntress still remembered the beeping machineries.

The white ceiling, the faded beige tiles, the air that was filled with a faint scent of blood, and the bed at the center of the private room that seemed to dwarf a small, still figure with stray bandages on her head, arms and the white hair spread out -

Her teeth almost grinded together.

"Ruby," her partner said quietly. "I'm fine."

There were a myriad of things hidden beneath the suddenly soft voice, one that made her heart felt as if it was being squeezed tight.

She breathed in deeply, and closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, it was to meet Weiss's mist blue eyes that were calmly regarding her with a hint of hesitance.

Slowly, she uncurled her fists that she suddenly realized had been clenched tight enough to hurt, and spoke.

"Weiss."

Said woman tilted her head slightly in acknowledgement of the name.

The younger huntress took in another deep, calming breath.

"Tell me what happened."

. . .

A/N - ...This had just totally exploded in a direction I didn't expect it to go. I was planning to do something short. Woo.

Story will be related to Cobblestone, in the sense that I may reference events in that fic here now and then. Consider it a prelude, even though it's not necessary for you to read it.

Feedback and all are, as always, much appreciated. Thank you.