Rose, Ruby:

Status: Unknown

Location, objective, and other miscellaneous information lay mockingly behind the recently updated mission status article. Not that any of it mattered anyway. Her sister was most likely dead. The thing she held most dear in life, dead. Not even a body was found.

The all too familiar burning in her throat once again, resurfaced. With alcohol-filled veins, the blonde gestured for her, fifth? Sixth? Seventh? Drink. She couldn't remember. She didn't want to remember. The fiery lump lodged in her pharynx was threatening to croak. Her eyes were shut tight, so tight. Her head was drumming. Drumming was an understatement. It was more akin to being the drum in a fast paced march. The constant pounding and pain was nothing to the piercing sensation of her heart that was there every waking moment. At last, her eighth or so drink slid to her. Without hesitation she downed the concoction of poison with practiced ease. Her eyes hazily showing through the stained shot glass, still bottoms up. Her senses have long since drowned in the burning fluid coursing through her body. Anything to make the tears stop.

Noticing that she was on her ninth class, the bartender decided to make a call for her. For the past year or so, she has been coming by daily, almost without fail. Typically, he didn't meddle with any of his patrons, but she was different. As much as he wanted to ignore this feeling to do good, he couldn't.

"Hello?" sleep was clearly present in the feminine voice.

"She's on her tenth glass." He no longer bothered beating around the bush with formalities or explanations.

A sigh broke the brief silence, "I'll be there in a few. Try not to give her any more."

A click. With a sigh of his own, he caught her lilac gaze. "Sorry blondie, no more for you tonight." She was good buisness, like her Uncle. The two of them could single-handedly keep any liquor store in business. However, they couldn't if they died for alcohol poisoning. That's what he told himself anyway. That's why he wouldn't give her a drop more. Deep down, there was a feeling of… pity? Her lilac eyes burned red. For a moment he thought there was going to be a repeat of their first meeting. Much to his relief, two figures quickly approached.

"It's time to go." Amber eyes met lilac. The latter slowly closed. Salty, warm tears started streaming down the blonde's face. The former dragged her through the dancing crowd of drunks, and into the cool night air.

"Here." A check. "Should cover her bill." Left on the counter was a slip of paper with the famous Shnee logo in the background. The amount was exact, 126.97 lien. This had, unfortunately, become a routine.

The pounding hangover was a welcome pain. It distracted her from the absence in her heart. Opening her leaded eyes, Yang saw she was in her shared apartment. Shared. Since the news of Ruby's disappearance, two of her closest friends forced themselves into her living space, much to the gratitude of her father and Qrow. Admittedly, they were not the best family members, that title belonged to… Ruby. Tears freed themselves from the confinement of her eyes as the tumbled endlessly down her face. Ruby, where are you? Two pairs of arms were suddenly helping her to her feet. One pair of hands were calloused, the other sharply refined. Once standing, the three were in a tight embrace. On each face, tears were found.

"I miss her." Until now, no words had been spoken.

"We all do." Her cat-faunus partner replied. "... We all do."

To each their own. Everyone dealt with grief in their own way. Yang downed glass after glass… after glass… until nothing could be felt. Weiss worked herself to point of not being able to feel. Blake… Blake didn't really do much for her grief. At least not openly or obviously. She would cry in silence. She didn't want to burden anyone else, so she didn't let anyone else know she was hurting. A pill bottle snapped open.

Thanks for reading. Reviews are appreciated. After chapter 4, each chapter gets longer. Have a good one!