A/N

Hey all, I apologize for the long-ass wait for this chapter. I really have no good excuse, but dear lord, this chapter is quite the beast. This will be the final chapter of this particular story, but fret not. See the end author's note for more details. Until then, strap in, cause this Chapter is one hell of a ride. I hope you enjoy, put a lot of hard work into this one.

Chapter 3: Finding the Truth

Ok something is definitely off with them.

This was Yang's thought as she looked across the table. She had woken up today to a rather odd scene this morning; her sister holding Weiss in her arms in the heiress's bed. That alone would've been odd enough, but Ruby had given her a strange look when Yang moved to tease her. It wasn't the normal look of annoyance either, but instead, it almost looked…protective.

Now, they were at breakfast, and things appeared just as strange as they were when she had woken up. After her girlfriend had pulled her out of the room, they had gone to the cafeteria. The other two didn't join them for nearly thirty minutes, more enough time for Weiss to wake up and a conversation to be had.

The two girls in front of Yang sat in their respective places, Weiss drinking some coffee with a plate of eggs in front of her, and Ruby was eating a stack of pancakes drowning in syrup and strawberries.

Who the hell eats eggs just plain like that anyway? Ew.

That was where the normality ended. Yang had known Ruby throughout all fifteen years of the redhead's life, more than long enough to know that large amounts of sugar plus weekends equals a Ruby more excited than a lit stick of dynamite.

Only Ruby had barely said a word.

Then there was Weiss. Like Ruby, she was being rather quiet. Now, this was nothing new, as Weiss was far from a morning person, only, she wasn't just quiet. Weiss was constantly shuffling in her seat, and had a deep look in her eye, as if she was contemplating the meaning of the universe.

Well, maybe not that dramatic.

It was, needless to say, very strange. Seeking to end the silence at the table, Yang said, "So...how did you guys sleep?" Weiss's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, and Ruby lowered a fork full of pancake down from her mouth.

Yang felt a small amount of shock at that; Ruby never would lower food from her mouth to talk, especially strawberries. Regardless, Ruby said, "Fine. Uh…you guys?" Yang felt worry building up in her breast. That was not a Ruby-esque response. It was unnerving to say the least. However, a soft, smooth hand, belonging to her partner and girlfriend, fell onto her own, and all her problems seemed significantly less worrisome.

Thanks Blake. God, I love you.

She resolved to tell her ever-perceptive girlfriend that later.

Right now, however, Blake piped up, "We slept just fine," and went back to her bagel. Yang rolled her hand around so that her palm was touching Blake's and gave an appreciative squeeze. Swallowing the food in her mouth, Blake continued, "So, what are you guy's doing later?"

Ruby picked her fork up once more, and stuffed the bite into her mouth, ever aware of her partner's presence at her side, and shrugged. Weiss responded with, "I'm not planning anything, why?"

Yang then said, "Well, me and Blake were going to head down to the city for a night out. Go eat at a fancy restaurant, maybe see a movie or something…" she trailed off. She saw Ruby's eyes that time. She had glanced at Weiss for roughly a second, just long enough to seem less than casual.

Just what are you up to, little sis?

Unknowing of Yang's observing of her behavior, Ruby said, "Oh, cool. I hope you guys have fun. I guess me and Weiss will…just kinda hang out…?" Ruby looked down at her food for a second, before pushing her plate away and setting her fork down.

Woah, ok, so now Ruby isn't eating, and Weiss didn't correct her to 'Weiss and I' either. What is happening?

Yang turned to look at her girlfriend, a question in her eye. Blake appeared to have picked up on the same clues as her girlfriend, and she met Yang's eyes, glanced at Weiss, then nodded. Yang turns toward Ruby, saying, "Hey, Rubes, I think I left something in the dorm. Walk with me to get it."

Ruby's brow furrowed at that, and she opened her mouth, asking, "Wait, why do I need to walk with-ah!" Ruby was yanked up out of her seat as Yang grabbed her arm as she walked past, pulling her little sister behind her and out of the cafeteria.

Blake sat there, across from a very confused heiress. It appeared that she was almost startled by the sudden removal of her partner. Odd. Either way, now that Yang had gotten Ruby alone to talk about the strange way the red and white pair had been acting this morning, it was time for Blake to enact her part of her Girlfriend's unspoken plan. "So, Weiss," she began, "I was wondering if you could help me with something."

Weiss didn't look any less confused, but it did appear she had pushed it to the side for the moment. She said, "Now what could you need my help for?"

"Here, I'll show you, follow me," Blake responded, getting up from the table. Weiss, even more confused now, got up as well, quickly throwing their trays away, the Black and White pair left the cafeteria. Blake occupied herself with digging through her mind, trying to find something that she would need Weiss's help with. Yang was probably going to grill Ruby for answers, but Weiss was different. Blake hoped to coax Weiss into divulging the information of her own will. She directed them towards the library for a time, before an idea came to her head.

She suddenly stopped and pulled out her scroll, pretending as if it had buzzed in her pocket. Weiss asked, "What is it?" but Blake ignored her, simply angling the screen in such a way that Weiss couldn't see it, and made a small noise of acknowledgement.

Stowing her scroll away, Blake said to Weiss, "Well, I was going to ask for help with an assignment pertaining to Dust, since I'm not as experienced as you are there, but it's just been canceled," she gave a small shrug before continuing, "Oh, well, we are already out here. Want to go for a walk?"

I am so smooth.

Weiss seemed to accept the answer, and said, "Sure, why not. That sounds nice, and I think I need a little fresh air." The heiress's voice took on a tired undertone towards the end of the statement, a fact that did not elude Blake. Blake changed their coarse slightly so that they were walking to the Gardens instead.

The Gardens of Beacon, a sprawling section of campus seemingly entirely devoted to plant life. Flowers and Trees bloomed all over the area, and it had become a famous study and relaxation place by the students. Surrounding and interweaving the Gardens were a network of paths and walkways, leading to all the different sections of this work of agricultural artwork. The gardens as a whole were surrounded by a tall wall of hedges, a wall that the Monochrome duo were currently walking along.

Weiss

Weiss walked beside Blake for several minutes in silence, letting her mind wander, and doing her best to relax. She mostly succeeded, but for one issue: her mind constantly wandered back to her redheaded partner. That girl was unendingly frustrating to Weiss. No matter what she did, Ruby never seemed to leave her mind.

I just don't know what to do! I mean, I can't possibly have a crush on her, right? A year ago, the answer would be obvious: a resounding "No", but now I just don't know. I have no experience with this.

Despite her attempts at relaxation, a heavy knot of unease began to form in her stomach. She glanced over to her left at the person who was walking with her.

Maybe I don't have any experience in what these emotions are…

Blake Belladonna used to be so different, so glum, so quiet, but now, something had changed her so drastically, so fundamentally, that even those who didn't know the faunus could see a difference, and that change was named Yang Xiao Long.

…but I bet Blake does.

Forcing through her anxiety, Weiss began working up the courage to speak. Blake was, by far, the most approachable one of her teammates at the moment, and was her best bet at finally getting some answers. "Hey, Blake?" she began. Blake gave a small hum of acknowledgement, signaling for Weiss to continue. Weiss then said, "I have something very personal to ask you. Could we go somewhere a little more private?"

Blake raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the suspicious question before saying, "Sure, Weiss. I think I know of a place." Blake sped up slightly on her path, a goal now in mind. Soon, the pair was in the farthest corner of the Garden, where a wall of hedges lined up parallel and against the brick wall of one of the many buildings of Beacon. Blake led Weiss to a section of hedge where there was a gap in the brick wall behind the hedge. Blake then stopped, and turned to Weiss, saying, "We're here."

Weiss raised a confused eyebrow to that, saying, "What do you mean, 'we're here'?" She then made a vague motion to the surrounding area, continuing, "How is this any different than the rest of the garden?" Blake gave a sly smile, before wordlessly brushing a loosely hanging portion of hedge aside, forming a small entryway into the alley between the two buildings.

Blake motioned for Weiss to pass through, and curiosity drove the heiress through the bush and into the narrow space between the bricks. Blake soon followed her, a quiet rustle sounding behind them, the hedge falling back into place and hiding their path. The two girls walked down the alley for about twenty feet before it opened up, forming a square of space slightly smaller than their dorm. In the middle of the square was a small pond with a single stone bench next to it. "How did you find this?" Weiss asked in amazement.

Blake shrugged, saying, "I was looking for somewhere quiet to read." She then turned to the amazed heiress, catching her attention once more, saying, "So, Weiss, what was it you wanted to ask?"

Oh, right, I almost forgot.

In her wonder at finding the hidden alcove, her unease had faded into the background. Now, however, it was back full force. "It's…I mean…" she let out a huff of frustration, before saying, "I'm sorry, this is…rather difficult."

Blake nodded understandingly, trying to help soothe Weiss's nerves with, "It's okay, Weiss, take your time." Seeing the Heiress continue to struggle with her words, Blake took a step forward, resting a hand on the frustrated girl's shoulder, and meeting her eyes. "Look, It's alright. Trust me, Weiss; I won't get upset by anything you say. I'm just here to help."

Weiss sighed and nodded, and then moved to sit on the bench in the center of the alley, Blake following her lead, before saying simply, "It…it's Ruby…"

Blake gave an acknowledging hum, before asking, "What about Ruby?" The heiress began squirming in her seat, trying to find a way to vocalize her thoughts in some semblance of a respectable manner.

She crossed her arms in front of her, rubbing her upper arms for a few seconds before saying, "I just-I mean-I don't even know, Blake! It just, I can't stop thinking about her, and I don't know why!" She then moved her arms to burry her face in her hands, and groaning uselessly. She looked up, seeing Blake's understanding eyes that urged her to continue, and just like that, the dam broke, "She just…invades every thought! Even worse, I've been having all these odd feelings about her that I've never had before!" The heiress's mind briefly flashed back to the previous two nights she's spent in her partner's arms before continuing with her rant, "It's just like…I don't even know! All the things I always thought were annoying are now…endearing, almost. Like, just yesterday, she fell asleep in Professor Port's class, and I couldn't even get mad! In fact, I thought it was…it was…cute!" Her hands then found their way into her hair, and she began the last leg of her rant, "It feels close to that feeling of friendship I feel for you and Yang, but it…it's not, and I can't tell why! It feels like it's…more than that, but I just don't understand it, Blake, and...and...I need help!"

She stopped her rant, sweat beading on her forehead, tears almost beginning to well up behind her eyes, and looked to the faunus. Blake gave a small hum as she pondered over the waterfall of information that had just poured from the heiress. Soon, her eyes refocused on Weiss's, and she said, "Well, Weiss, it seems to me like you have a crush on our team leader."

Weiss actually scoffed at that idea, saying, "Blake, just because you two are gay doesn't mean we have to be. I need real help, not jokes, Belladonna."

Blake shook her head, adopted a more serious tone, and said, "I'm not kidding, Weiss. From what you just told me, and all the little glances you throw towards her that, yes, I do notice, it really seems like you may like her as more than a friend." Weiss's eyes widened noticeably before she hid her emotions behind her metaphorical mask.

"Blake, stop," the Heiress began, "I do not like Ruby as anything more than a friend." She then wrapped her arms around herself and said, "Besides, we are hardly even friends, what with how mean I've been to her."

She probably hates me.

Her thoughts were halted at an odd sound. In all the time she had been at Beacon, she had only heard this sound a select few times, and almost always in the presence of a certain Xiao Long. Blake was laughing. Well, more of a chuckle, but still. "Weiss," she began, "People who 'are hardly friends' don't wake up in the dead of night to comfort another person in bed."

Now, that got a reaction out of Weiss. An audible gasp came from the heiress, and pink began to dust her cheeks as Blake revealed this specific piece of information. "W-wha-how?" was all Weiss could manage to stutter out. Blake simply gave a knowing smile and wiggled her ears underneath her bow.

Blake dropped her teasing attitude and said in a more sincere tone, "Look, Weiss, it is clear to everyone that you and Ruby are close, and I am only trying to help. Don't lie to me or yourself."

Weiss simply shook her head, willing the blush to go away, and said, "Blake, yes, me and Ruby are close, but," She punctuated each of the next few words with a single finger poking Blake in the shoulder, "I. Do. Not. Like. Her. Like that."

Blake caught the hand that was poking her, careful not to squeeze too tight, and said, "Look, Weiss, I want you to do something for me. I want you to think about everyone you know, and everyone you've ever met, and then imagine spending your whole life with them. Is there anyone who you'd want that with?" She looked deeply into the Heiress's eyes, seeing the gears turn inside her head.

Weiss did what Blake asked, doing her best to work through all her friends and acquaintances. Out off all the many names and faces, only a few stuck out. Of those few, only one seemed entirely tolerable. Only one person Weiss could imagine being with. Only one Weiss wanted to be with. The person who showed her a world she had never imagined back at the Manor, the only person who ever seemed honestly interested in her, the person who changed her character on a fundamental level.

That young, redheaded, dunce of a girl.

"Ruby," Weiss whispered. Her heart stuttered as she said the name, so simple, yet so powerful. Blake gave a knowing smile hearing the name pass through the shocked Heiress's lips. Weiss shook her head, snapping herself out of her reverie before saying shakily, "Maybe…maybe I do like her as more than what we are…but that doesn't change anything, Blake…"

At that, Blake's brow furrowed. What could possibly be enough to dissuade someone from seeking love? "What do you mean?" she asked.

Weiss looked Blake in the eye, and said in a tone that was borderline mournful, "Do you have any idea what I had to do to even come to Beacon? Getting permission to attend here was honestly the hardest thing I've ever done. Now the thought that I could be homosexual, and that I could be in a relationship with another girl…my-," there were tears in her eyes now, and one of the strongest people Blake knew slowly began to crumble under the next few words, "my Father would die before he let that happen."

"Oh," Blake said. With the topic at hand, she had forgotten about Weiss's unique situation. "Look, Weiss," she began, reaching out to hold her friend's shoulders, "I know this is hard for you, but I want you to understand something, your father isn't here. He doesn't have the power to control you."

At that, Weiss wretched away from Blake, stumbling off of the bench facing away from her. Her eyes stung with furious tears as she said venomously, "Are you an idiot?!" Blake reeled at that, the sudden insult shocking her. Still, Weiss continued, "Even if Ruby did want us to be together, it wouldn't change anything! My Father would still find out eventually, he would tear us apart, marry me off to some businessman, and that would be that, Blake!" She then whipped around facing the Faunus, "You have…not the slightest inkling of an idea what power he holds over me! Just because he isn't here doesn't-"

"Weiss."

The heiress was silenced with the firm articulation of her name, shortly followed by Blake standing up, reaching out to once more hold her friend's shoulders, and then said, "I want you to understand something. I can't make you do anything, because in the end, it's your choice, but I want you to understand this." Weiss brought herself to look into her unlikely confidant's eyes, finding the strong spirit of someone with a clear goal in mind. She was trying to help. Blake continued, "Weiss, at the end of the day, you have your life. It is the only life you have, and the only one you're going to get. Are you going to willingly give it up for your Father, and the furtherment of a company that you won't even get to participate in?"

More tears welled up in Weiss's eyes, and she said, "Blake, you just don't understand…I can't just revolt against him."

Blake gave an inquisitive stare, before asking the heiress, "What is stopping you?"

Blake felt the heiress take in a shaky breath through the palm that was resting on the other girl's shoulder, before Weiss said in an uncharacteristically small voice, "I…I don't think I'm strong enough…"

There was silence for a time. It broke the faunus's heart to see the girl who always acted so strong crumble so thoroughly. Soon, Blake said softly, earnestly, "And what about Ruby?"

Weiss's brow furrowed at that, and she spoke her confusion with, "What about her?"

"What if you tell Ruby about your feelings, and she reciprocates?" Weiss opens her mouth to speak, but Blake silences her with a hand, showing that she was not done speaking. She continued, "If she really does feel the same way, Weiss, do you think Ruby would just let you face your Father alone? Weiss, you know her, you are her best friend, so you must realize that if and when that happens, Ruby would be right there by you. Maybe…maybe you aren't strong enough to stand up to your father, Weiss, but Ruby, with how stubborn, protective, and, dare I say, loving she is, maybe you would have the strength to fight back, and live your own life."

Blake's voice died down, waiting for a response from the Heiress, who appeared to be mulling over the idea. Surely, the idea of Ruby standing up for her in front of her father was an odd one, and yet seemed surprisingly plausible. Still, though, unease like a lead weight still rested in her stomach. "Blake," she began, "I just…I just don't know."

Blake sighed, lowering her hands from Weiss's shoulders, and said, "Look, it's up to you whether or not you tell Ruby, but like I said, I want you to understand this. You only have this life, so how do you want to spend it, under your father's thumb, or in Ruby's arms?"

Weiss blushed lightly at how Blake finished her statement, as the images passed through her head. Would she rather live in the fear and unease she felt now, or try and find solace and peace in her partner. For the first time ever, Weiss truly entertained the idea of being with Ruby, and potentially having a life with her.

We could sleep like we've been the past two nights all the time, without shame. I could hold her, and she would do the same for me. She would protect me.

Another thought passed through her head, the notion that one of her most powerful fears, one that she had fostered ever since her mother died and Winter left for the military, could finally be done away with.

I…I would never be lonely again.

Weiss sighed, looking up at her close friend. It was funny, not too long ago, the very idea that she would be discussing matters of the heart with a faunus, and ex-White Fang at that, would be absolutely preposterous to Weiss, yet here she was. She couldn't help the smile that came to her face as she looked to Blake, and said simply, "Thank you, Blake."

Blake gave one of her ever-so-rare half smirks, before saying, "Anytime, Weiss." The two girls sat in contented silence for a few minutes so that it wasn't readily apparent that Weiss had been crying before walking out of the hideaway and back into the garden.

It wasn't long before Weiss wondered aloud, "I wonder what Yang and Ruby are doing?"

Ruby

"Aaaahhh! Yang! What are you doing?!"

Yang was currently barreling down the hallway, towing her little sister along by her arm towards their dorm. "We are having a sister-sister talk, Rubes!" Yang shouted back toward Ruby as they came up to the dorm. Quickly passing her scroll over the scanner, Yang pulled Ruby into the room. Twisting her torso, Yang quite literally tossed her sister into the room by her arm.

Stumbling, Ruby did her best to right herself as she was thrown into her own dorm. Regaining her balance in the middle of the room, the redhead turned back to her sister and asked, "Ok, so why did you yank me all the way here from the cafeteria? I bet you didn't even need to get anything!"

Yang followed her into the room, the door closing behind her with a soft click, and she smiled, "Yep, didn't need anything!" The older girl then walked over to her sister and poked her in the forehead with each of her next word, "But. We. Need. To. Talk."

Swatting away the offending hand, Ruby said, "About what, Yang?" wordlessly, Yang pushes Ruby towards one of the two beds to the left of the door. Ruby sits in her bed, the one closest to the center, as Weiss's replacement was simply pushed haphazardly against the far wall.

Yang places her hands on her hips, adopting what Ruby assumed was an authoritative stance, and said simply, "Talk." Ruby frowned in confusion at that. Yang simply held her stance for several uncomfortably quiet moments as Ruby squirmed in her place on the bed.

Eventually, when Ruby couldn't stand the silence any longer, and gave an awkward shrug and said, "About…?"

Yang huffed and let her arms and head go limp. After a moment she slammed her hand into her own face and held it there for a moment, then, with a sigh, her arm went limp again. She then said in an exasperated tone, "Oum, you are hopeless." At Ruby's further confused face, Yang threw her arms out towards her sister and shouted, "About Weiss, Ruby!"

Her statement had the opposite of the intended effect on Ruby, who shrugged and said, "What about her? You're being weird again, Yang."

I mean, what is she talking about? She can't possibly know that I have a crush on Weiss.

"You mean, other than the glaringly obvious fact that you have a crush on her?"

…well crap…

Slightly panicking, Ruby gave what she hoped desperately was a convincing grin and said, "Wh-what do you mean? I mean, pfff, I don't like her!" Cursing her stutter, Ruby forced herself to meet her sister's eyes.

Yang had an unconvinced frown on her face which, coupled with a raised eyebrow, added up to spell Ruby's utter demise. Yang's words mirrored what her face had already said with, "Really?"

Ruby gave a defeated sigh and said, "How did you figure it out?" She shrunk in on herself, idly tugging on the ends of her cloak embarrassedly, only for her head to jerk up at the sound of Yang's laughter.

It wasn't even a chuckle either, but full-blown cackling. With a miffed expression on her face, Ruby asked angrily, "Hey, what's so funny?" When Yang continued to laugh, Ruby simply stood up and socked her in the arm. Somehow, that only made the blonde brawler laugh harder. Frowning, Ruby said, frustrated, "If you're just gonna laugh at me, then I'm going to leave."

When her big sister only continued to laugh, Ruby turned towards the door. She only made it a few steps before a hand grabbed her wrist. Turning around, she found Yang hunched over, one hand holding Ruby's wrist, the other holding her own stomach as she struggled to suppress her mirth. "S-sorry, sis, I'm just-hehe- just…you're just so dang oblivious!"

"What are you talking about?" Ruby pulled her arm out of Yang's grip and crossed her arms, and did her best to stand taller.

Yang finally seemed to be calming down, only to look up at Ruby. She saw the way she was standing, arms crossed, spine straight, and head held high, managed to stutter out, "Oh-oh Oum you're even standing like W-Weiss! HAHAHA!"

Aaaand, she's laughing again.

Ruby gave up trying to look dominant, sighing and sitting back down on her bed. She waited impatiently for her sister to calm herself. Once she did, Ruby asked again, "What do you mean I'm oblivious?"

Yang gave a few residual chuckles as she finally calmed. "It is just…so obvious you have a crush on her." At Ruby's confused frown, Yang elaborated, "Ya know, all the little glances, how you always try and stay next to her…also how you zone out sometimes when you're looking at her..." She waited a moment as Ruby's eyes widened, before saying, "Seriously, Rubes, you practically drool sometimes."

Ruby was already embarrassed enough with the things Yang had said, and that last addition seemed to be the tipping point. Her face was burning crimson as she sputtered out, "I-I do not drool over Weiss!"

Yang was suddenly in her face; the only thing in between them was a single finger that Yang was holding up. Without missing a beat, Yang said, "One! Time! You literally drooled over her one time, and that's all the teasing ammo I need, lil' sis!"

Smacking her hand away and scooting to the side to make some space, Ruby said, "Ok, yeah, I do kinda like Weiss," at Yang's raised eyebrow, Ruby continued, "Ok, more than kinda. I really like her." Ruby buried her face in her hands out of embarrassment. She didn't know what else to do aside from hide her face in her hands.

Her head jerked back up, however, when Yang gave a single loud clap and then said, "Ok, now that we've got that out of the way, what are you gonna do about it?"

The redhead gave her sister a questioning look, confused, before realizing what exactly Yang was asking. "Uh, nothing? Yang, this is Weiss we are talking about."

That was not the answer Yang was expecting to hear. She said, "Nothing? Why not?" She seemed genuinely baffled by what her little sister had said.

"Yang, come on, you aren't dumb. Well, that dumb. This is Weiss we're talking about. She's all…" Ruby waved her hands above her head for a second in some odd means of emphasis, "…high class, and stuff. There is no way she's gay." At her final statement, Ruby's hands flopped down into her lap once more.

Yang gave her little sister a disapproving look and folded her arms over her chest and said, "And what? Just because she's got money she can't like girls? Look Rubes, you know Weiss better than anyone, I'd say, so tell me, even with the social issues that would come with her being gay, is Weiss really the type of person to let other people tell her what to do?"

She…kinda has a point, but…

Shaking her head, Ruby nervously rubbed the back of her neck and said, "Well…no, not really, but still. Even if she was, it doesn't matter. I'm all loud, and I bug her all the time, and…she just wouldn't like me like that. We're just friends, and that's…probably all we are gonna be."

Yang nodded understandingly, and said, "Ok, ok, so you accept the possibility of Weiss being gay."

Really, that's what you got out of that?

Unknowing of Ruby's thoughts, Yang continued, "So tell me, what is stopping you from telling her then?"

Frustrated, Ruby said, "Because she doesn't like me like that, Yang!"

"She let you sleep with her!" Yang threw her arms into the air before saying, "That's, like, second and a half base!"

"YANG I'M SERIOUS!"

"SO AM I"

Ruby opened her mouth to retort, but stopped when two hands roughly grabbed her shoulders, and Yang looked into Ruby's eyes, "Look, Ruby, you realize how alike Blake and Weiss are, right?" It was something that Ruby had noticed yes, which she blamed on their parallel backgrounds. "Look, it took me weeks before Blake let me sleep in the same bed as her. It's a trust thing, Ruby." Yang then took a step closer to her smaller sister, and cupped her cheeks in an almost motherly manner, and said, "You know Weiss, little sister, so do you think she'd sleep with anyone that she didn't like and trust, huh?"

There was some silence as Ruby contemplated this. Yang had made a good point. Now that she thinks of it, Ruby realized that Weiss never even let anyone touch her under normal circumstances, yet Weiss had hugged her in class yesterday, and not just the quick squeezes Ruby had gotten on occasion from the heiress before, but an actual, drawn-out hug. That's not even considering the fact that Weiss had been sleeping in the same bed as Ruby for the past two nights, and through this time when Weiss had been more touchy-feely with her, she'd realized something she had never thought of.

She really liked having Weiss in her arms.

And Weiss seemed to feel similarly, even in her sleep, if the way that she always seemed to snuggle up to Ruby after they had both fallen to sleep was anything to go by.

Maybe…Weiss could like me back…

"Y-Yang, I…you might have a point…" said Ruby. Her considerably normal knees were shaking as she stood there in front of her sister, who had a grin slowly growing on her face.

Soon, the silence was broken by a loud slap as Yang clapped Ruby on the back and said, "That-a girl! Now, what are you gonna do about it?"

Squirming and trying to reach back to rub the now sore spot on her back, Ruby considered her options.

Well, I could just wait it out and do nothing, and wait for her to make the first move, just to make sure she really does like me back, but then she might just not do it. Yeah, I don't think Weiss is gonna make the first step. I like her and all, but she's just not too great with emotional stuff. Well, then I guess I can only do one thing…

"I-I…" Ruby inhaled, steeling herself, and continued, "I'm going to tell her…"

Yang gave a victorious laugh, and raised her arms excitedly into the air. "Whoo! Yes! Alrighty then, I'll make sure you guys have some privacy tonight!" She was already barging out of the room, even as Ruby turned to the door.

Just before it closed, Ruby yelled out in a panic, "Wait, tonight?!"

Heedless to the urgent question, Yang slammed the door closed, with a muffled cry of, "Don't forget to use protection!"

Catching what she had said, a furious blush came over Ruby's face, and she yelled into the now empty room, "Yang! Neither of us even has one of those!"

The sounds of shuffling and bustling filled the dorm as Ruby and Weiss sat on their respective beds, side-by-side as of yesterday, and Yang and Blake, the dual causes for the noise, prepared to leave for their date. Blake had dawned a simple deep violet dress and some relatively short high-heels, whereas Yang had an orange sundress with a brown leather jacket, similar to her usual one, on over it. Rather simple, but it served its purpose. Soon, Blake spoke up, "Yang, we should get going. It's six-thirty, our reservation is in an hour, and the flight to Vale takes at least ten minutes."

Yang nodded, and turned to the other two, saying, "Alright, you two have fun while we're out. Make good choices!" She said the last part as she walked out of the door. As the door was closing, she locked eyes with her little sister, simply giving a knowing wink before the door shut. Luckily, Weiss had already looked back to her book, and didn't see the wink, nor how Ruby's face lit up like a firework.

Alright, Ruby, you are going to tell Weiss how you feel. Tonight. Have I ever been this nervous? Nope. Am I gonna tell her anyway? Probably. But when should I?

Looking over to her partner, who was deeply engrossed in her book, Ruby glanced over Weiss's form. They were both still in their normal clothes, but Weiss had kicked off her shoes as to not dirty her new bed. Without the calf-length boots covering her, Ruby noticed, if not for the first time, that Weiss had wonderful legs. To match everything else about her, of course.

Why not now?

WIth the realization that she may as well get it out of the way, Ruby looked forward once more. Unknowingly, she began to squirm on her bed as she tried to work up the courage to tell Weiss what was on her mind, and also trying to figure out what exactly to say. Her mouth opened and closed several times as if she was a suffocating fish. Without her knowledge, Ruby attracted the attention of a certain white-haired Heiress, who was pulled out of her book on psychology in regards to romantic attraction by the sound of the blankets on her partner's bed rustling together obnoxiously.

"Ruby." The simple word said by Weiss may as well been a gunshot to Ruby who was lost in her own thoughts. Jerking ramrod straight in her bed, Ruby's head whipped around to meet her partner's confused eyes. "Are you...okay?" Weiss asked.

Well, here goes nothing.

"W-well, Weiss, the-there is something...something I need to tell you...I really...I mean-I just really...HAVETOGOTOTHEBATHROOMBERIGHTBACK!" Faster than Weiss could react, Ruby had launched out of her bed, not quite using her semblance, and dashed into the dorm bathroom. The door slammed shut behind the redheaded ball of panic. Silence filled the room. Wordlessly, and more than a little confused at the turn of events, Weiss looked back to her book.

"Odd."

Well, there went nothing.

Ruby sat in front of the mirror, simply staring herself down, and trying to understand how she could've failed that spectacularly. Seriously, that was pretty ridiculous.

Come on, Ruby, it's not that complicated.

An image flashed through her mind, something she had seen in several movies, where a character is looking into a mirror and repeating a mantra.

Well, it can't hurt, can it? Practice makes perfect….I guess?

"I like you, Weiss...I like you, Weiss...I like you, Weiss…", Ruby repeated into her own reflection. She took care not to say it loud enough that Weiss could hear it through the thin walls. Despite the content of her newly found mantra, Ruby felt herself slowly calming down, until the words were flowing off her lips like water. To Ruby's surprise, it was actually working.

At least, until Weiss knocked on the door.

The sudden, unexpected noise caused the redhead to jump, her hand flew to clamp over her own mouth with the double purpose of quieting her mantra and preventing her from shouting in fright. "Hello? Ruby? Are you ok? You've been in there for twenty minutes," Weiss said, to Ruby's surprise. Glancing at the small digital clock on the counter, she found Weiss's words to be true.

Holy crap, how did that happen?

"U-uh, yeah, I'm fine!" Ruby shouted through the door, "Just...just finishing up!" Ruby quickly moved to turn on the faucet, and made like she was washing her hands. The silence on the other side of the door told Ruby that Weiss had left the door.

Ok, I guess that's enough practice. Go time.

Drying her hands, Ruby opened the door and walked back into the dorm. Fighting through her nervousness, Ruby did her best to walk normally back to her bed, and as it usually goes when one tries to consciously walk normally, she instead looked much like a robot as she walked over and then sat down on her bed. This was something that Weiss definitely noticed.

Alright now, how do I go about starting this conversation?

Ruby opened her mouth to talk, but was cut off by her white-haired partner, who said, "Ruby, what is the matter?"

Well crap, looks like I don't need to start it after all.

"W-what do you mean?" Ruby asked, the stutter betraying her nerves.

Weiss let out a sigh, pinched the bridge of her nose, and said, "Ruby, don't play dumb. It obvious something is bugging you," She then looked up into Ruby's eyes, "You've been acting odd for the last few days, and even more so tonight," Now she was standing with a slightly cross look on her face, and got not-quite in Ruby's face, and said, more of commanded, "So, partner, what. Is. The. Matter."

Because of the proximity of Weiss's face to her own, Ruby couldn't help but admire her partner's features. The way it all formed so perfectly was definitely not helping the nervousness that seemed to be at its peak. Opening her mouth, the redhead tried to force some kind of words out of her mouth, "U-h...well...I-um...I just-I mean…" Letting out a huff of air, Ruby tried once more, except this time, she couldn't even bring herself to speak, instead choosing to bury her face in her hands.

Oh, great, now I look like an idiot.

Because she was unable to see, due to the location of her face, Ruby nearly fell off the bed in surprise as a hand fell onto her shoulder. Just barely managing to restrain herself, Ruby's head jerked up to look at her partner, and was shocked at what she found. Weiss had an unusually soft look in her eyes, and Ruby had known her for long enough to know that Weiss rarely enjoyed physical contact, and almost never incited it, yet here she was, doing her best to calm Ruby. She then said, "Ruby, it's alright, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Shaking her head, Ruby did her best to suppress her unease. Weiss's hand was definitely helping, but not by much. Ruby tried to meet Weiss's eyes, but couldn't quite bring herself to. Instead, she focused on her left shoulder, and said "I-It's not that I don't...trust you, Weiss, but...I dunno, I'm just...this isn't something normal, and I'm kinda…" very briefly, Ruby managed to glance up at Weiss's eyes, before looking back down, "...scared that...it might mess up our friendship…?" The ending came off as more of a question than anything, but Weiss seemed to understand her meaning.

The white haired girl let out a sigh, one hand coming up to rub across her own face briefly, before saying, "Look, Ruby, I...I know I don't say it enough, or ever, really, but I really do appreciate your company, and you are my be-b-bes...my friend," despite her inability to to really commit to that final declaration, Weiss pressed forward, "I won't judge you for whatever is bugging you, I promise."

Still, though, Ruby was still too uneasy to tell Weiss about her feelings. Squirming in her seat, Ruby said, "Still, though...it's...kinda big." Her hand ran nervously through her hair, a tight knot of insecurity sitting in the pit of her stomach.

Weiss seemed to struggle with herself for a moment, before reaching over and laying her hand over Ruby's. This immediately caught Ruby's full attention. She could feel the awkwardness radiating off of her white-haired partner at having to instigate what felt like intimate contact. An odd look entered her eye then, one Ruby recognized that Weiss occasionally used during their study sessions, a combination of that steely, determined gaze she frequently wore, but with a layer of softness that she reserved for moments like these somewhere mixed in. Weiss then said, "Ruby, do not worry...You...you are my partner, and I swear, I won't let whatever this is come between us."

Ruby felt that knot inside her begin to unravel, if only slightly. "You promise?" She asked, her voice a near-whisper.

Weiss gave a single firm nod, along with a brief, awkward squeeze of her fingers around Ruby's, and said "I promise."

Alright then, where do I start…

"Ok...Weiss, I...Weiss you are...such a great person," she said, inwardly wincing at the awkward compliment, yet she pushed forward. Her hand pulled out of Weiss's so she could make some obscure hand gestures, unable to look Weiss in the face, and said, "Like, you pretend to be all cold and...mean, but, like, you really, really aren't like that! You just kinda...hide it from most people, but I see how you change around us, how you turn into this…" clenching her hands into fists, trying desperately to control her speech, Ruby pressed onward, "...this wonderful person! You care about people, and you have all these layers to you, and a few...a few you don't even show to Blake and Yang. But you...you show them to me…" Attempting to meet Weiss's eyes, Ruby only succeeded in locking eyes with her crush's cheekbones, "And that make me...so happy that you trust me with that."

Even if she wasn't meeting her eyes, Ruby could see the blush on Weiss's face clear as day, which was only accentuated by the dumb-sounding, "O-oh," given off by Weiss.

"Just...like...I always knew I wanted to be your friend, Weiss, but recently…" the knot that tied her insides together suddenly seem to simultaneously freeze and tighten, almost making the leader want to vomit, but this needed to be said, "...Recently, I've been noticing things I haven't before. I-I mean, it's not like I haven't noticed them before, but I just didn't notice-notice them, ya know?" Not giving her partner any time to respond, she said, "Like...Weiss, you are my best friend. You know that, and the time we've spent has been just awesome, but now...I just, see things I haven't before…" she felt herself trail off involuntarily, and silence ruled.

Weiss didn't like the silence. It didn't suit Ruby. Ruby was all about laughter and happiness, she shouldn't be this nervous wreck she was now. Seeking to get the ball rolling again, Weiss asked "Like what?"

Ruby suddenly threw her arms in the air, frustrated, and said, near yelled, "Just stuff! Like how your hair looks at night, how warm you are when we we've slept together, how you like to cuddle while you're asleep, how pretty you look like, all the time, and just, ugh! I mean, Weiss you're smart, a genius even, you probably put some of this together yourself, and I really, really hope you aren't freaked out by this but…"

Ruby took a deep breath. If she could face down hordes of Grimm without blinking, and fight off trainfulls of terrorists calmly, she could do this. Even so, the cold lump of fear and nerves that she hadn't felt since her first field mission was prevalent.

Ok...moment of truth…

Ruby's voice seemed to be constantly, involuntary raising in pitch the farther she got in her statement as she said, "Weiss, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I...I...I really, really like you," Ruby wrung her hands, and forced her way through, "And not...not as a friend. I really, really want us to be...more?"

Weiss sat completely still. The news shocked her, more than almost anything ever had. Seeking a reprieve from the overload of information and emotion running through her head, Weiss went to the one and only safe place she had in her head: Logical Thought. Thinking it through, there was only one thing she needed to make a decision in what could be one of the biggest moments of her life. One word was said then, in the tense silence that had filled the room. "Why?"

Ruby blinked dumbly. She expected several reactions, among them disgust, shock, anger, but not this...cold curiosity. Searching deep within herself, Ruby found the answer, or at least part of it, to Weiss simple question, "Well...because...because I know you, Weiss. I know you hurt, I know you cry, and I know you are scared of being alone. I just...I want to be there for you - with you. I want to make you happy Weiss, that's all," Ruby let out a sigh, no small amount of despair pooling in the pit of her stomach, and she continued, "Look, I know this is a long shot, and I know you probably...probably don't like me the same way. You...you're an heiress. You are so smart, and...and confidant...and I'm just me. I know it probably won't work out, Weiss, but…" mustering all her willpower, Ruby brought her eyes up and met the turbulent blues with her own silver, feeling a small measure of determination flowing through her system with her final words, "...but I'd really love to try."

Weiss's face froze over in that way that it did when she was troubled, and silence ruled.

Weiss

Troubled was putting it lightly. Very lightly. So lightly, in fact, it would be the equivalent of saying a Hydrogen Bomb detonating in the center Vale would be a "small incident". Her years of training in poise and etiquette allowed her to hide her emotions. Not locking them away, per say, but just hiding them from Ruby. From the outside (hopefully), Weiss looked completely calm. On the inside, however, there was a war of emotions going on.

Ruby...likes me...oh Oum…

The thought sent a icy spear of fear through her heart. It was impossible. How could she? No, it was some trick, some kind of cruel joke Ruby was playing on her. No, no, Ruby wouldn't do that, and she looked so scared at the moment. Could what she said be true? Even more important, however, was another question:

Do...I feel the same?

It was several minutes of silence in which Ruby continued to shift in discomfort in her spot on the bed, unsure of the situation. She looked to Weiss to be struggling with something, even if she only noticed on the outskirts of her awareness. Her full attention was grabbed, however, when Ruby started talking, saying, "L-look, I...I get it if...if you don't want that. Like I said, I k-knew it probably wasn't gonna work, and if you don't hate me for it...we can still be friends?" Her eyes began to redden, and look puffy.

Is she about to cry?!

With her heartstrings twisted in a knot and somewhat startled by the implications of what was said, Weiss rapidly moved to calm the girl down, "Ruby, I don't hate you! Don't talk like that! It's just...it's a lot to process. I need to...work through it." Ruby would not cry. Not because of Weiss. At least, not if the heiress could help it.

Ruby rubbed one hand across her eye, and said, "Ok. I'm sorry that I k-keep messing up, it's just…" Ruby made an obscure motion with her hands, "You...your so pretty and I don't know what to say half the time and this is like a million times worse and I'm going to stop talking now!" Her voice had gradually raised in pitch until it was practically a squeek by the end. The soft redness that was appearing on her face only accentuated just how flustered the younger girl felt.

Oh lord, she is just adorable.

With Ruby sufficiently calm, and Weiss sporting a healthy redness to her cheeks, the heiress went back to deliberating.

Do I like her back?

She thought back to the past few days, all the little things she's been seeing about Ruby. She certainly noticed that the younger girl was attractive, in a cute sort of way, and Weiss certainly felt some amount of endearment towards her partner's features, but that isn't what matters. Her feeling for the redhead, whether platonic or romantic, ran far deeper than mere looks. It was everything about her. All the little things she does, how sincere she is, the kindness she shows...if it was anyone, absolutely anyone, else, she would've shot the down faster than a Nevermore over an Atlesian Anti-Air emplacement. All her life, the only reason people even considered pretending to like Weiss was for her money, and for her power. She was painfully aware of that. Over the years, the Heiress has developed a healthy amount of cynicism. She wouldn't, and doesn't, let anyone that close to her heart. She would never consider it, like she was doing, with anyone else.

But it wasn't anyone else.

It was Ruby.

And that made all the difference.

In the last few months, and in recent days particularly, Ruby Rose had become synonymous with joy. She brought out a side of Weiss that she had forgotten existed. Even when Weiss pushed her away, brought up those frozen walls around her to keep the redhead out, Ruby kept going. She kept pushing, getting closer and closer to Weiss, until, with that wonderful warmth she held in her heart, she melted her way closer than anyone had ever been. She brought in happiness and purity, the likes of which the white-haired girl had never felt before, and did her best to give those gifts to Weiss. She had become closer than any single person or group of people ever had been in her life. Hell, she willingly shared a bed with Ruby. She couldn't even do that with her own sister! Yet there she was, last night, and the night before, finding not only sleep, but comfort in the arms of her partner.

She then thought back to last night. That horrible, horrible nightmare hurt her. Why? Of course, seeing her friend and partner harmed as such would cause Weiss pain, but that felt like more than just pain. It was torture. She couldn't stand it, and when she was ripped out of her dream and rescued from that pain, Ruby was there. She was there. The redhead chased the nightmare away, chased the cold away, and, at Weiss's request, shared a bed with her again, and was happy about it. That little dolt did her job so well, in fact, the dream hadn't even crossed her mind until now. She couldn't help also recalling, however, that odd feeling she got when she woke up. It felt warm. A pleasant lightness in her chest that she has only ever felt in waking up wrapped in Ruby's embrace.

It was then that she realized, truly realized, that Ruby was precious to her. She was dear to her in a way no one was. She felt an urge then, unlike any she had felt before. She wanted to be wrapped in Ruby's arms again. She wanted to hold the younger girl close. She wanted to protect her, and make her happy, and just be there. She felt it then, a small sprout to a seed that had been planted in her heart long before. She did like Ruby back.

She did want to be with Ruby.

But...does it matter?

She then remember her place in this world. Her seat of power that she was meant to inherit, her responsibilities to her company...her...her…

...her Father.

That man who ruled over her, who controlled her, who met any form of resistance or protest with utter domination. He commanded her life. Did it really matter how she felt about Ruby? At the end of the day...Ruby had no money. She was of little renown. Even if she was male, or had the means to produce an heir, her father would never allow it. It wouldn't further the business. He would never allow Weiss's life, his investment, to go fruitless. There wasn't any way she could rebel against that in any meaningful way. There wasn't any way she could spin the situation to favor Ruby, either. They simply could not be together. It was impossible. The thought almost made her nauseous.

No.

She remembered earlier. Her and Blake's talk in the alcove in the gardens. The things that Blake had said regarding Weiss's life. They came back to her now, all the things that were said, and, maybe for the first time, those words rang true inside her. This life was not her father's to control. It was the only one that Weiss would get. Whatever decision she made now would set the course for her life for who knows how long. Now she had to chose, to live her own life, or to give it to her father to use as he pleases.

No...this is my life!

Her eyes suddenly refocused, meeting Ruby's. She saw how nervous the young girl was, but also saw how sincere she was. She really did like Weiss, but would accept whatever decision Weiss made. She was beautiful like that. Opening her mouth to speak, Weiss broke their long-kept silence, "Ruby...it will be incredibly difficult. I have my own issues with being close to people, and I won't even begin with the plethora of issues with my father regarding relationships, and it may not work out, but…" She saw it then. That little bit of hope shine through Ruby's features, and she tried a facial expression she had never had to put on before. Surprisingly, it formed naturally: a warm, soft smile.

...and I'll be damned if Ruby isn't in it.

"I'd like to try as well."

What happened next, though, Weiss didn't entirely expect. To put it simply…

Ruby exploded.

Ruby

Hearing those words come out of her partner's mouth was...was heaven. It felt like someone had simultaneously shoved an adrenaline shot into her heart and struck her with lighting all in that moment, and that exited, powerful energy burst out of her as she leapt up off of her bed, Weiss also jumping to her feet in surprise, and Ruby threw a single fist into the air with a shout, before taking off running. The excitement and relief all mixed together in one bundle that sent her semblance haywire, and she began prancing and jumping around the room in a whirlwind of excitement, shouting exclamations of joy all the while, headless to the cry of, "Ruby! Calm down!"

Although she did anything but, the cry was enough to grab her attention, and seeing her blushing, flustered, and undeniably gorgeous partner, Ruby was overcome with a sudden urge. Unable to resist, Ruby dived towards her partner, wrapping her arms around her in a hug. What she forgot to account for, however, was the momentum she was carrying, which set her and Weiss flying back onto the bed.

Her head slammed into the headboard, and she fell limp onto the heiress underneath her. Her aura protected her from any real damage, but the squirming beneath her was enough to make her remember the she fell on top of someone. Fumbling to try and push herself up to give Weiss some breathing room, Ruby's hand clasped around something that was decidedly not bed, and pushed herself up and pulled her knees upwards as well.

Then the door opened.

"Hey, Ruby! Forgot my wallet, we had to run ba- DAMN!" was what Yang said as she barged back into the room. Confused at her sister's sudden response, and Blake's dumbfounded look, Ruby only then realized what this situation looked like to the outside observer. Here she was, straddling Weiss, holding her wrists above her head, all while lying on a bed that was covered in the roses created by her semblance, that also coated the room. That, combined with Yang's prior knowledge that Ruby planned on confessing to Weiss, made this situation seem decidedly more...lewd. "When you said you were gonna make your move," Yang began, "I thought you ment like ask her out, not seduce her!"

Blake let out a small chuckle at that, as Yang grabbed her wallet from the bookshelf by the door, and rushed out, leaving a blushing newly formed couple still in the room, heedless to the youngest girl's shout of "YAAAANG I was NOT 'seducing her'!" Rolling sideways and off of Weiss in her sudden panic to insure her partner didn't feel violated, Ruby fell right off the side of the bed, landing on the floor heavily with a grunt.

Rubbing her head, Ruby stared up at the ceiling for a moment, before her vision was filled with something entirely different and hundreds of times more pleasing to look at. Weiss peered over the edge of the bed and said "Are you alright, dolt?" Ruby, however, was completely incapable of speech. The curtains, which had been left open, let in the vivid orange light let off by the setting sun, which filtered through the Heiress's newly messied hair, as her sidetail had been knocked loose when Ruby tackled her. Her silver hair formed a perfect halo around the white-haired girl's head, surrounding the concerned look on that beautiful, beautiful face. If Ruby had hit her head any harder, she would've thought she was looking up at an angel. Her heart felt like it had been replaced with a jackhammer.

Completely in a daze, Ruby barely managed to say anything in response. A simple 'yes' would've sufficed. Her mouth seemed to have a mind of its own, however, as what she really said was, "Oum, you're beautiful...oh wait!" Her face felt almost on fire as she attempted to hide her shame in her hands.

She expected an awkward silence, for Weiss to simply ignore what was said. What actually happened, however, surprised Ruby, as she felt a soft, cool hand grab her own, and softly pulled it away. Looking up, wide eyed, at her partner, a soft noise of confusion slipped from her mouth. Weiss smiled then, actually smiled, and said simply, "Thank you, Ruby."

Maybe it was just her, but Ruby felt she was thanking her for something more than the complement.

Later: Fluid Perspective

The air in the room had quickly grown awkward, and Weiss eventually excused herself, going back to the book she had been reading earlier, and Ruby settled down on her own bed with her scroll and a notebook, and began working on one of Port's homework assignments. It went like this for roughly an hour and a half, and even though the two partners were holding up the illusion of being occupied, neither were really paying attention to what they were doing. Several times, one of them tried to bring up the courage to broach the topic of what had been discussed earlier, yet there was a mutual feeling of unease and awkwardness between the two that acted like a wall between them. Even the few words that has been exchanged felt forced and odd.

Eventually, Weiss decided to give up on reading once she had read the same paragraph four times in a row, and still couldn't comprehend its meaning. She looked over to her partner, noting that Ruby hadn't written anything for several minutes. Trying to come up with something to hopefully spark a conversation, the heiress said, "I don't suppose Yang or Blake told you when they would be getting back?"

Ruby pulled herself out of her thoughts in order to answer her partner and said, "No, she didn't. It's getting late, though. You wanna wait for them before we go to sleep?" The mood was awkward, and Ruby's words sounded forced, but it was better than the silence that was there before.

Weiss thought for a moment, and said, "Well, if we don't, they will just wake us up when they barge in. Blake may be quiet, but your sister is about as stealthy as a pregnant walrus." The jab at Yang did its job, bringing some light laughter from the younger girl. Weiss couldn't help but smile at that sound. It seemed to fill her with warmth. Like the tinkling of bells. Speaking of bells, their joy was quickly cut off by the chime of Ruby's scroll.

Ruby glanced over to where she had left it. An image of her sister was flashing on the screen, with the "One New Message" alert underneath. Grabbing her scroll, the fifteen year old tapped the icon, and read the message that now dominated her screen.

Yang: Hey, me and Blakey aren't gonna be coming back to the dorm tonight. We're gonna stay at a hotel and do UNSPEAKABLE things to each other. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!

Ruby's faced scrunched up in disgust, and she typed out a quick, "Ew, TMI," and put up her scroll, and turned to her partner. "Yang and Blake aren't coming back tonight. Also, Yang is gross," Ruby said to her partner.

Weiss made a small sound of acknowledgment, and said, "So I guess we have the room all to ourselves tonight." Ruby didn't say anything, and the room fell into silence once more. Weiss fidgeted in her spot unintentionally. She knew they needed to talk, but she just couldn't bring herself to bring it up. It felt almost wrong to talk about

Come on, Ruby, bring it up. Please. Don't make me start this...

Ruby was having similar thoughts. She knew something needed to be said, but it felt so weird to talk about this. Even more so, however, was that fear that if she didn't say anything, Weiss would change her mind. Technically, they never finalized what their relationship was, and the redhead was deathly afraid that Weiss didn't actually want to be with her. She used that fear as a fuel to for the word that needed to be said, saying, "Weiss...what are we?"

Weiss's head snapped towards her partner. Had Ruby read her mind? Weiss immediately shot down that line of thinking, and responded, "What do you mean?" Weiss knew what Ruby was alluding to, of course, buts he needed to hear her say it.

Ruby shrugged and said, "Like, earlier you said...I said that I like you more than, like, a f-friend, and that I want," they both were red to the face at this point, unused to the emotions they were currently experiencing, "to be...together...with you, a-and then you said you wanted to try, too, but…" Ruby made a vague confused motion with her hands, and continued, "We never actually, ya know, said what we...what we were now. Like, we were friends before, but now we're more than that, I...think?" She then locked eyes with Weiss, unsure silver meeting conflicted blue, and finished with, "I know w-what I want, but it's...it's up to you." Ruby could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for her crush to say her peace.

Weiss was silent for a minute. She thought over everything again, making sure that this was what she thought was best, and truly, truly, it was. She reconsidered the potential consequences, both positive and negative, for her chosen course of action, the image of her Father flashing briefly through her mind, and came to the same conclusion. Surely, Ruby would allow her to back out, she was always so kind and considerate. Coming to a decision, the heiress thought out her words, but was overcome with an odd urge. Praying it was appropriate, she rose up out of her seat, and walked the short distance to Ruby's bed while the younger girl watched on in confusion. Seating herself next to Ruby, Weiss looked her in the eyes for a moment and then leaned over, wrapping her arms around the younger girl. Ruby stiffened and froze for several seconds. Weiss's heart was pounding in her chest so hard she feared that Ruby could feel it all while erant thoughts rushed through her head.

No, this is bad, I shouldn't have hugged her, this is probably really weird and awkward and...oh…

Her worry disappeared as Ruby suddenly returned the embrace, leaning into the white-haired girl and wrapping her arms around her. A soft fluttering feeling tumbled through Weiss's stomach as she felt Ruby's warmth, which was only enhanced as Ruby tucked her face into Weiss's shoulder. It was indescribable, and no matter how hard she tried, Weiss couldn't figure out why she loved holding, and being held by, her partner, but she knew she did. As much as Weiss knew she would enjoy just staying like this all night, there were things that needed to be said. Turning her head slightly so her words wouldn't be muffled by Ruby's shoulder, she said, "Well...I think I like you, Ruby, as m-more than a friend, I mean. So, if you do too, I think...I'd like for us to be...together." Pulling back enough to look her partner in the eyes, resting her hands on Ruby's shoulders, and asked, "You do want that too, right?" She winced internally as how awkward that sounded, but it was too late now.

It was only a second before Ruby smiled a small, awkward smile and said, "I'd like that. I'd like that alot, Weiss…" Hearing that, Weiss felt those butterflies in her stomach go into a frenzy, filling her up to the point that it was touching more than her stomach, seemingly flowing through all of her body.

Well, I guess we should make it official then.

Weiss couldn't help the uneasy smile that formed on her face, and said, "Ok then...so, earlier, you told me why you wanted to be with me, but I never got a chance to tell you my side,"she began, her heart pounding in he chest and a blush reaching her neck, "Please stop me if I sound strange, because I really have no experience here." Weiss sighed, and mustered up the courage to continue with her side of the confession, "You are...such a kind an sweet girl, Ruby. You bring out parts of me that I had forgotten I had. I just...Ruby, for the longest time, I had no one," she then looked into her partner's eyes, "But then...you quite litterally stumbled into my life" that got a small laugh from Ruby, "For so long, all I knew was loneliness, but you chased that away. These past few months have been the best in my life. You are my b-best friend, Ruby, and now...we can be more. I like you, Ruby, as in, romantically, although I suppose that's a bit redundant at this point." Weiss then sighed, giving what she hoped was an earnest look to her red-haired partner, and said, "And, with that said, I guess I have one last question for you." The heiress moved her hands from her partners shoulders and took Ruby's hands in hers. Even through at this point, it was merely a formality, the act she was about to commit to, and the words she was about to say was almost too much to bear. The heiress found herself at a loss for words, and found her eyes locked onto their linked hands. She was unable to speak, no matter how hard she tried, but the she felt both the hands she was holding squeeze hers. Looking up to the owner of those hands, she met Ruby's eyes. The younger girl showed a small, reassuring smile that sent Weiss's heart fluttering.

I shouldn't be nervous. This is Ruby the same kind, sweet, adorable girl that I've known for so long now. I can do this.

Suddenly empowered by the support being given by Ruby, all seemed right in the world. That roaring fluttering in her stomach calmed significantly, and Weiss knew what she had to say. Feeling a smile tugging at the corners of her lips once again, she said that only thing that came to mind, "Ruby Rose," she began, giving Ruby's hands another squeeze, "will you be my Girlfriend?"

Ruby's heart skipped a beat at the word 'girlfriend', and she couldn't fight that ear-to-ear grin that came with the question asked to her. Knowing that she had to say something, and with Weiss's recent confession empowering her, Ruby answered, "I...I would love to, Weiss." The two girls had matching gentle blushes, and the redhead knew what she had to do. Leaning forward, she wrapped Weiss in a hug once more, loving the feeling of having her new girlfriend in her arms.

They would stay like that for several minutes, reveling in the joy of being together, before pulling away. It was odd, but Weiss immediately felt like hugging the younger girl again. It was like all those feeling she had been suppressing over the past few days suddenly multiplied to unmanageable amounts, yet no matter how hard she tried, Weiss could not begin to see these feelings of wanting to be close to Ruby in a negative light. She was pulled from her thoughts, however, when Ruby gave a delighted hum, and said simply, "Girlfriends. I like the sound of that."

Weiss couldn't help the honest smile that came across her face. Surely, if she wanted to, she could suppress it and hold her face behind an invisible mask like she frequently did, but, she realized, she really didn't want to. "I like it, too," Weiss said. The silence quickly grew awkward, and Ruby began looking around the room. Her wandering eyes stilled for a moment before widening. "Woah," she began, "It's getting late!" Confused, Weiss followed the redhead's gaze, which was pointed at the small digital clock on the bookshelf against the far wall.

Surely enough, it was approaching nine o'clock. Weiss gave a thoughtful hum, and said, "Yes, it is. I don't know about you, but after the...eventful day we've had, I think I need some sleep." She stood up from her seat on the bed, and Ruby followed suit.

Ruby gave an exaggerated yawn and stretched upward. Her words sounded strained as she talked through her yawn, "Yeah, me too," dropping her arms down, she continued, "Usually I'd try and get you to stay up later, but after today...I'm pooped."

They made short work of getting changed, Weiss moving to the bathroom and Ruby just changing in the empty dorm. As Weiss finished putting all her clothes in the hamper, her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of all that had occurred today, from her conversation with Blake, to Ruby's confession, to her acceptance of said confession, her own confession, to thoughts of the future, and what it would mean for her in the long run. Her mind was so preoccupied, in fact, that she thoughtlessly opened the bathroom door and stepped into the dorm without checking to see if Ruby had finished changing. As she stepped out of the bathroom, Ruby was still pulling her shirt over her head, and Weiss got an eyeful of Ruby's front. Thankfully, Ruby had not taken off her bra yet, but still, Weiss couldn't help her eyes darting up and down her partner, taking in all the slender, toned muscles that the redhead had formed from years of training with Crescent Rose within the span of a second, and only one thought came through her head that wasn't immediately vulgar or decidedly homosexual as she bolted back into the bathroom.

Oh what fresh hell is this?!

Ruby, on the other hand, wasn't sure exactly what was happening, as her eyes were currently covered by the shirt she was pulling on. All she knew was that a door had opened, followed shortly by an "Eep!" that sounded suspiciously like her girlfriend, and then the slamming of the bathroom door. Quickly tugging the shirt down the rest of the way, Ruby could see nothing wrong with the rest of the room. At least, until a voice rang out from inside the bathroom, sounding about as panicked as Ruby had ever heard the heiress, "I am so sorry, Ruby, I was not thinking and I just walked in and I didn't mean to see you like that and-"

The redhead decided, however cute it was to see her girlfriend as flustered as she was now, she should probably calm her down. Ruby cut her off with, "Hey, hey, hey, it's okay, it was an accident, Weiss, it's fine, really!" There was silence on the other side of the door for a moment, and then slowly, the door opened. Weiss stepped out, still clearly embarrassed, as her pale skin clearly telegraphed the blush that looked almost neon on her cheeks. Ruby felt her heart flutter at the sight.

Oum, she can be cute when she wants to...or, doesn't want to, now that I think of it.

Weiss cleared her throat awkwardly and said, "We...should be getting to bed."

Ruby nodded, and said, "Yeah. Get the lights?" Weiss, eager to get out of the odd and embarrassing situation, walked over to the light switch and waited for Ruby to get under her covers. After a few seconds, Weiss flicked off the lights, plunging the room into darkness. She waited a moment for her eyes to adjust to the change before fumbling through the dark to her bed. She climbed under her own covers, wincing as the cold sheets came in contact with the bare skin of her legs and arms. She rolled around in discomfort for a few moments, her mind flashing back to the previous night. She had felt this same cold, and it lead to a horrible nightmare that she had suffered through until Ruby had awoken her, and chased the cold and the fear away. She felt a small amount of dread clench in her gut as she thought of the potential of having another nightmare.

Wait...what if...no, no, that's stupid. I shouldn't inconvenience her.

They were...girlfriends now. It wouldn't be that odd of a request, right? She wouldn't be asking for much, just a place next to the redhead for the night. She couldn't help feeling dumb for considering asking Ruby to sleep together, but she didn't see any other option other than suffering through the night. No, it wouldn't be right, especially after walking in on the younger girl changing. She didn't need someone else to help her sleep, though that want was still there. Weiss felt terrible at the moment for a variety of reasons, chief of which were how uncomfortable her bed felt and the weakness she felt in her indecision. She was pulled from this mental war by a quiet voice from her left, "Weiss?"

There was quiet for a moment before Weiss turned over to look at her partner. She could see almost nothing but the silver of her eyes. "What?" she said, attempting to chase whatever weakness there was in her from her voice. She winced at how harsh she sounded, not intending to sound so rude. "Sorry, I'm just...sorry. You are my...girlfriend...now, and I should try to be nicer to you, so, sorry." It sounded painfully awkward, and her chest fluttered when she said 'girlfriend', but it seemed to get the message across.

Ruby was quiet for a moment, then said, "Nah, it's fine Weiss. I like you for you, you don't need to change for me. Anyway, that's not what I wanted to say." Ruby sat up and twisted herself to face her partner as Weiss looked on in confusion. The redhead then said, "You're just, like, shuffling around a lot, and you don't seem very comfortable."

Curse this girl's observation skills.

Weiss remained reclined on her own bed and, after a beat of silence, said, "What of it?"

Ruby rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly as she worked out her next words in her head. She then said, "Well, yesterday you had that nightmare, and it shook you up pretty bad, but you s-seemed a lot more comfortable when I was o-over there, ans we are gir-girlfriends now, so…"

The room was silent for several seconds as Weiss pondered the roundabout question. After a moment, Weiss said, "Are you asking if you can sleep with me?"

Ruby couldn't help but shiver at that. The way Weiss had said that was so cold that it felt as if the room had actually dropped in temperature, and left Ruby feeling guilty as if she had done something wrong. This feeling was only accentuated as Ruby replied, "I-I mean...kinda, yeah." Weiss's only response was to stare blankly at the redhead before wordlessly turning over to face away from Ruby.

Oh, crap, she's mad at me now. Oh no, no, no, don't be mad, Weiss it was only a question!

However, after a few moments of Ruby being terrified, Weiss scooted to the edge of her bed and wordlessly lifted one end of her covers invitingly. Ruby would've been a fool to turn down an invitation like that, and she practically dove into the offered spot.

Weiss almost sighed when Ruby joined her in bed. The cold she had feared, both inside herself and under the blankets, seemed to be chased away by the warmth of the other girl. Only because she was facing away from Ruby and knew the younger girl couldn't see her face, Weiss allowed a small, honest smile to come across her face. She felt at peace.

At least, until she put together that she had just openly invited Ruby Rose into her bed. She felt those urges she had been suppressing all week rush back to her in a flood. That powerful urge to take the other girl in her arms, to shove her face into Ruby's neck, to intertwine their legs...

Holy crap, this isn't happening. Oh my dust this is so embarrassing. She probably thinks I'm a little girl now, oh no. I can't do any of that, this is horrible.

Ruby, who was pressed side-to-side with Weiss thanks to the size of the twin bed, noticed immediately when the heiress suddenly stiffened up. The redhead was unsure of what to do, and simply continued to lie there, hoping beyond hope that Weiss would stop being a wooden plank soon. After nearly five minutes of the new couple lying side by side unmoving, Ruby forced herself to say something, "Hey, uh, Weiss, if you aren't really...ya know...comfortable sleeping together I can go ba-"

At the thought of having to spend the night alone again, a jolt of adrenaline shot into Weiss's system, and, to her own mortification, she suddenly rolled over and almost shouted, "No!" cutting off her partner. Her cheeks glowing red, Weiss palmed her face, groaning in embarrassment, and said, "I mean, Ruby it's not that...just…" She made several vague hand motions as she searched for words to convey the complex emotions currently affecting her.

Ruby rested a hand on Weiss's shoulder, something she remembered Yang doing whenever she was upset, and said, "Hey, hey, Weiss, it's okay. Take your time. We are g-girlfriends now, right? That means we support each other, ok? I'm here, so just say it when you're ready."

The heiress looked into her girlfriend's eyes, searching for any sign of misdirection, but finding only comfort. Finally finding her words, she said, "I just...I keep having all these odd urges whenever I'm around you, and now we are in bed together and they just got so much stronger and...I don't know how to deal with them." Weiss said this earnestly, doing her best to convey her issue to Ruby.

Sadly, her girlfriend took the confession in a completely different manner.

Wait, she's having weird urges that get a lot stronger when she's in bed with me?! Oh no! Does she mean like…

With a crimson blush on her cheeks that was almost visible in the dim lighting, Ruby asked, "W-wait, do you mean like," her voice dropped to a whisper, despite them being alone in the room, and said the next part in the only way she could think of that didn't sound too indecent, "baby-making stuff?"

An undignified sputtering sound came from Weiss's mouth at that, and blood rushed to her face. Now that she thought about it, her confession did sound suspiciously sexual, but that certainly didn't stop her from smacking her hand into the top of her girlfriend's head and saying, "Dolt! Of course that's not what I meant!"

Ruby frowned and rubbed the crown of her head, saying, "Hey, it's not my fault, you were the one who said you were having weird urges about me in bed!" Her pout was almost audible in the dark room.

"You know that's not what I meant!"

"Evidently not!"

Blushing and incredibly embarrassed, Weiss acted on a whim and placed her hand onto her girlfriend's shoulder, and said, "Ruby, that isn't what I meant. I don't think I'll be ready for that for a long time. What I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted by your lewd mind, was…" she trailed off, at a loss for words.

They had been partners for a long time now, long enough for Ruby to feel that the heiress was distressed. "Hey, hey, look," Ruby began, "You don't need to tell me if you don't want to, but I'm your girlfriend now, so I'm here if you want to tell me." The redhead felt unnecessarily pleased with herself it saying 'girlfriend' without a stutter.

Weiss was touched. Ruby was just so earnest and accepting, such a far cry from what she had been subjected to all her life, but, she supposed, she shouldn't be surprised. Ruby seemed to have a knack for showing Weiss the better side of the world. Weiss shook her head, both clearing the warm thoughts that were fogging up her mind and denying Ruby's offer of privacy, saying, "No, no, I need to say this. Get it off my chest. I just...I have these urges to do all these odd things with you that I don't understand. It...it feels like…" she groaned then, burying her face in her hands, then said, "I don't even know."

Ruby frowned. Weiss wasn't supposed to be stressed. The heiress that Ruby knew was beautiful, both on the outside, and underneath that icy shell she buried herself in. Ruby couldn't in good conscience allow her to be this uncomfortable "Hey," she began, fear clenching in her gut as she tried something that felt significantly more bold than anything she'd done with Weiss before. Reaching forward, Ruby softly brushed one of her hands against her girlfriend's cheek, pulling the heiress's eyes up so meet hers, and continued, "I'm in bed with you because of you, Weiss. I came over here because I wanted you to be comfortable. If you can't tell me what's the matter," Ruby scooted forward some, getting slightly into Weiss's personal space, "then show me."

Weiss felt her breath hitch at the offer. It was heartwarming to know that Ruby really cared about her comfort that much. Her attention was pulled away from her thoughts, though, when Ruby awkwardly coughed and said, "Just...hands above the waist." The heiress blushed and punched the younger girl in the shoulder, knowing the comment was in jest.

Ruby smiled.

Even in the darkness of the room, Weiss could see Ruby's smile, and what she could not see, she could feel. Those urges seemed to multiply, but dull at the same time, like they were fading into the back of her mind for a moment.

Gosh, I really do like this dolt, don't I.

Weiss took Ruby's hand in hers, and said, "I just...I really...the past two nights, when we've slept together, we always seem to wake up all tangled up, and I just get this really warm feeling inside me whenever that happens. I guess...I want that, maybe? I just don't know…" Her face felt hot as she stumbled her way through her confession. It all just seemed to weird to say, and Weiss wasn't even sure if what she wanted came across through the roundabout request.

Ruby raised an eyebrow as she pondered what Weiss had said. She thought she understood what Weiss wanted, but didn't feel sure enough to directly act on it. "Here, Weiss, how about this," she said, finding a good middle ground, "I'm here, okay. Just do whatever feels comfortable. I think I get what you're saying, but I need you to start it." Ruby then squeezed Weiss's hand tightly, and tugged her closer.

"Alright...whatever is comfortable…" Weiss said unsurely. As uncomfortable she felt taking the lead now, she knew one thing above all else.

Ruby would never judge me unfairly. She's too kind for that.

"Well, then...I'm not too sure about this so if this is strange, just...just stop me, okay?" after receiving a nod from the younger girl, Weiss hesitantly closed the distance between them. She could feel the warmth radiating off of the redhead, and it made her heart pound, but she found it was a rather pleasant sensation. Releasing Ruby's hand, Weiss then moved her arms to the other girl's shoulders, draping them oddly around Ruby's neck. She found herself at a dead end, unsure of what to do next as she simply lie still on the bed, and looked into Ruby's eyes. Feeling rather dumb for not knowing what to do next, Weiss couldn't help the blush that came to her cheeks in a combination of warmth and embarrassment. She simply had no experience with this type of contact, and the lack of knowledge was incredibly frustrating for the seventeen year old. They were so close, that when Ruby laughed, Weiss could feel in bubbling through her chest even before the redhead's laugh was audible.

Ruby couldn't help but laugh, even if it was at her partner's expense. She understood, of course. With what Weiss had told her of her past, she knew that all Weiss knew was formalities and loneliness before Beacon, so she couldn't blame her. She could see the heiress's glare even in the darkness of the room, so she suppressed the laughter, which quickly died into slight giggles. Yes, even if it was due to some decidedly negative reasons, Weiss's lack of experience here was undeniably cute.

Good thing for both of us, Weiss, but I have lots of knowledge about this, thanks to Yang.

Just a few hours beforehand, Ruby could barely talk to the white-haired girl about being anything more than friends, but now that things were sealed, Ruby found a strange confidence in being with Weiss. This was finally her chance to make all those hopes and dreams a reality. She was determined to make this perfect. Speaking through her chuckles, Ruby said, "Aw, Weiss, you only had to say so if you just wanted to cuddle."

Weiss gave an indignant scoff at that and said, "Ruby Rose, I do not cuddle. I am not some child. I simply enjoy being held by...my...girlfriend...wow, that does not sound much better, does it?" Weiss's embarrassment and unsurity slowly began to fade as she felt Ruby take control.

"Well, lucky for the both of us, I know just how to do this," Ruby said. Within moment, she had pulled the heiress close to her, wrapping her arms around her hips and intertwining their legs. Ruby smiled, feeling an odd security holding Weiss that she had never felt elsewhere. She decided then and there, this was now her new favourite thing.

Weiss smiled. It's was an honest smile, the kind you only held when there was no one around to see. She felt nice. She could feel Ruby's hands on her back, pulling her close and that secure grip that she had been silently craving for the past two days. She then realized something then, the origins of that warmth spreading throughout her body. She could finally tell what it was. That feeling that she hadn't truly felt since her early childhood.

Home.

She felt safe here. She felt secure, appreciated, happy, and, dare she say, careless here. Not at Beacon, not quite in Team RWBY, but here, in Ruby's arms. She knew then, for sure, that she had made the right choice in accepting Ruby's confession. Ruby Rose was her best friend, her partner, and now, her Girlfriend. This girl had brought out parts of her she had forgotten existed. Whatever hardships may come, she knew she could weather any storm, perhaps even her Father's judgment, so long as she had this girl next to her.

Ruby Rose was home.

Weiss smiled once more, and finally let her inhibitions go. Earnestly. She squeezed Ruby's neck. Leaning forward, she acted on instinct and vague memories of something her mother used to do for her as a child. With her heart hammering in her chest so hard she was sure Ruby could feel it, Weiss leaned forward, and planted a single, chaste kiss to Ruby's cheek. She felt the smooth skin of the younger girl against her lips, and her heart skipped a beat. She made a commitment then and there to herself that she would never allow harm to come to Ruby. She would protect her, and stand by her. She was just as beautiful as the gem she was named after, and a thousand times more precious, and Weiss could feel that. Pulling her lips away from the girl, Weiss said simply, "Good night, Ruby."

Ruby froze instantly when she felt Weiss kiss her cheek, but as soon as she felt the heiress pull back, and heard those words spoken with so much emotion hidden behind them, she couldn't help the grin that split her face then, accompanied by a giddy lightness in her chest. Allowing that joy to take hold of her, Ruby leaned in, closing the distance between them and kissing her partner's smooth, cool cheek. Squeezing her close and curling around her, Ruby then responded, "Good night, Weiss."

Feeling one another's warmth and joy, the two made some slight adjustments, and then slowly faded into blissful sleep in each other's arms. In that moment, loneliness seemed but a distant memory to Weiss, and Ruby was the one responsible.

And the two slept peacefully through the night

Unbeknownst to either of them, the seeds were planted in that night that would grow and flourish through the next year's of their life, guiding the pair through hardships and joys alike. Maybe one day, they would even dare to call it Love. Only time will tell.

And, to think, it was all started thanks to Fate, Frayed Rope, and (Gay) Feelings.

A/N

Well, that is the end of this story, my faithful readers. I completely plan on writing a sequel, even if it is only a one-shot. If all goes to plan, I want to completely explore these two's relationship. If this is something you are interested in, keep me in mind. I already have plenty of ideas for future installments, so strap in, it's gonna be wild.

Also, remember, a review is worth a thousand Favourites.

This is your friendly neighborhood Cultist, signing out for now,

Metimesthree/RWBY_Order_Of_The_OTP out.