Yang shook her head as they sat down in the little cafe. When Weiss had said they were going out to eat, she'd assumed they were headed to a five-star restaurant, real napkins in your lap and mind your manners kind of place. Instead, the heiress led her to a tiny little cafe, tucked almost out of sight in one of the shopping centers near the airship port. Weiss smiled a tiny little smile, and the sight made Yang stop for a moment. Somehow that barely-there smile made Weiss's whole face light up, probably because even though her lips barely moved, the smile still managed to reach Weiss's eyes. "Not quite what you expected, Yang?"

"Nope. Thought you'd take me somewhere really fancy," Yang answered as the waitress handed them menus and took their drink order.

"This has become one of my favorite places to eat off campus. They have an arrangement where razor crab is flown in fresh from Atlas every day. Which is an expensive treat, but—"the white-haired girl shrugged and gave a small laugh—"it's my father's money, and the fact that he wouldn't approve of it makes it all the sweeter, doesn't it? There are those occasions when dining at somewhere fancier is appropriate, but I didn't feel that today was not one of them. I would have looked decidedly out of place there dressed like this, wouldn't I?"

"Yeah. Looks good on you, though, I mean it." Yang propped her chin on one hand, her eyes fixed on Weiss as she scanned the menu, taking in the fine features of her face, her porcelain complexion, the long, slender fingers that always moved with such speed and precision, no matter what Weiss was doing. She caught herself imagining what Weiss's hands would do to her should the occasion arise, and the blonde brawler found herself blushing as Weiss looked up from the menu.

"Something wrong?"

Yang looked down at her own menu, embarrassed. "Not wrong, really, just, just a thought. Why me? I mean, I can think of a few girls that would probably literally kill to be sitting here with you here right now, and a whole lot of guys, if you're into guys too, we haven't talked about that but, sorry, getting off topic, what made you ask me out? Me, specifically." Inside, Yang was cursing herself. Real smooth, Yang, it'll be a wonder if she doesn't stomp out in a huff.

Weiss set down her menu, picking up the coffee the waitress deposited in front of her in both hands. "When I became aware that I was… attracted to you, I thought about whether it would be a good idea to pursue it or not. Your aesthetic qualities are obvious-"

"My wha?"

"You're gorgeous."

"Oh."

"But beyond that, there were aspects of your personality that were attractive as well. Your cheerfulness, sense of humor, loyalty to those you value, all of those drew me to you."

"So you like my sense of humor, eh?" Yang looked at Weiss, one corner of her mouth turned up.

"You could stand to tone down the puns. Brute," Weiss added, a hint of a smile teasing the corners of her mouth.

"Gotcha, Princess."

"But it was your strength of character that cast the deciding vote. Have I, have I told you about my father?"

"No, not really, just hints. Enough to know that he's not much of a dad."

"Yes, he is very different from your father." Yang nodded, not wanting to interrupt Weiss any more than that. Her father had come to visit Yang and Ruby, and Weiss hadn't quite known how to react to such an obviously loving parent. "He is very distant, very stern, and not likely to approve of anyone that I choose for myself." Her smile vanished and pain crept into Weiss's voice as she continued on. "I need someone that can stand up to his disapproval, someone he can't buy or scare off. I'm sorry to put it that way," she finished, plucking a napkin from the dispenser to wipe at her eyes.

"Hey." Weiss looked up as Yang slid her hand on top of Weiss's. "I get it. Your dad's an asshole, and you don't want to be with somebody who can't stand up to him, because you don't want them getting hurt." Weiss nodded, sniffling, and Yang smiled. "Don't worry, I got 'stubborn as hell' coming from both sides. Even if, even if this thing between you and me doesn't work out, I got your back."

"Thank you, Yang. That means more than you know."

"Don't worry about it. From where I sit, I'm the lucky one. I got asked out by one of the most gorgeous girls at school, how lucky is that?" Yang gave Weiss a wide grin and a wink, to be answered with another of those small smiles. "Now, you mentioned something called 'razor crab,' right? Some sort of Atlas delicacy? Mind if I give it a try?"

"Not at all. My treat, even. And it's not really a delicacy, it's actually fairly common in Atlas, but here in Vale, it's usually been frozen instead of being fresh. And, well, it just doesn't taste the same then." Yang could literally see Weiss relaxing as the conversation turned away from her father, and she could find herself having mixed feelings about the idea of ever meeting Jacques Schnee. On the one hand, she really wanted to tell the guy off for being such a shit dad. But on the other hand, she wasn't sure she'd trust herself not to beat the man senseless. She shook her head as Weiss continued. "They have several dishes that feature razor crab here, but I prefer the crab legs."

"Think I'll have the same, then. Actually, I don't think I've ever had seafood in the shell, so extra new thing." They chatted while they waited for the waitress to bring heir food, and Yang was surprised to find how much Weiss changed, once you got her to relax a bit. She resolved to try and keep Weiss that way, at least a little, when they were back at school. If nothing else, it'd make things easier for their team all around.

Their food arrived, and Yang grinned as Weiss showed her how to crack open the crab legs to get the meat inside. It was flaky, sweet yet sour, and definitely worth the effort it took to extract it. At one point, Yang's grip slipped and a chunk of crab flew into the air, bopping Weiss on the nose. Weiss sat there with an absolutely perplexed look on her face, making Yang burst out in laughter. Weiss scowled at Yang before laughing herself. It was just the perfect moment of ridiculousness they needed.

"So what now?" Yang asked as the waitress refilled their drinks.

"Now," Weiss answered as she checked her scroll, "it's about time for us to head for the concert. Traffic near the arena is likely to be heavy, and while we have good seats, it's still wise to be there early." Yang nodded, and they stepped outside, where Weiss called a cab using an app on her scroll.

Sitting in the back seat of the cab, Yang started fidgeting. How close should see sit to Weiss? Should she wrap an arm around Weiss, hold her hand, something else? What was Yang comfortable with? She sat there, staring at her hands in her lap until Weiss spoke. "Are you okay, Yang? We can still call this off and go back."

"No, I'm cool, just nerves. Best date I've ever had, actually."

Weiss nodded but resolved that, no matter what, if Yang got too nervous (by Weiss's definition, if not Yang's), she'd call the evening off. As much as she was interested in Yang, she knew she'd rather keep the blonde as a friend than risk that trying to turn their relationship into something it couldn't be.

Yang couldn't believe the crowd as their cab pulled up to the arena. Thousands of people, more than she would have thought could fit into one building, filled the sidewalks, making her whistle. "I think it's a good thing you wore boots instead of those wedges of yours, Weiss. We're gonna be standing in line for a while."

"I take it you've never been to a concert like this before, Yang?" Weiss answered with a laugh. "Trust me, the people who operate venues like this are very skilled at handling crowds this large. But we won't be standing in line at all. I've got… connections." Weiss walked up to a burly man wearing an earpiece and a shirt that said 'STAFF,' saying something that Yang couldn't hear over the noise of the crowd. The man nodded, stepped away for a moment, then came back over. "Right this way, Miss Schnee, we've been expecting you." He led them past the crowds, through a door with a keypad, and into the arena."

Yang whistled as she looked around the inside of the arena. "Holy crap. I think you could fit Beacon in here."

"Not quite. Some of the training areas are quite large," Weiss answered as they found their seats near the stage. "We've still got some time before the show starts. And if you think this I large, you should see the Grand Arena in Atlas."

"Even bigger, huh?"

"Very much so. Its construction was a massive act of ego by Atlas's council the year I was born. No event has ever come close to filling its capacity. If it wasn't owned by the government, it probably would have gone bankrupt years ago."

They chatted amiably for a while, Weiss deliberately keeping the conversation light and friendly, doing her best to make Yang less nervous. Dammit, for once she really wanted this to work. There was just something that drew her to Yang like a moth to a flame, an especially apt metaphor, given the brawler's semblance.

Finally, the lights in the arena dimmed, and Yang could make out shadowy shapes moving around on stage. A spotlight came up, shining down on someone that looked like the woman in the black dress from Weiss's shirt, the screens on either side of the stage showing her at three times life size. "Good evening Vale," and Yang winced at the force of the sound from the speakers on stage. It was like being inside the speaker, which she supposed she was; the architects of the arena would have been idiots if they hadn't done their best to give this place awesome acoustics. "Our thanks to each and every one of you for coming out to hear us tonight, for without you, our fans we are nothing. We all begin as nothing and end as nothing, but it is what we do with our days between that defines us. Tonight, ladies, gentlemen, whatever else may be lurking in the dark corners of this arena, we have a special guest among us. She's a huge fan, but that's not what makes her special to us. She's special because she's a student at Beacon Academy—" Yang could see Weiss dipping her head a blush on the heiress's cheeks— "and is training to become a Huntress. She's putting her life on the line to hold back the Grimm that would so gladly tear down everything we hold dear. So let's have a round of applause for her, and all the other Huntsmen across Remnant, and then, let's be about the business of the evening!"

A thunderous round of applause filled the arena, and then the music began. Three hours later, after the band had bid the audience goodnight, Weiss looked at Yang. Yang had obviously been enjoying herself during the concert, cheering and yelling along with Weiss and the rest of the audience, but now the blonde was leaned back in her seat, jaw open. Weiss giggled and reached out with one delicate finger to gently close Yang's mouth. "I take it you enjoyed yourself?"

"That was… that was… that was amazing! I've never heard anything like that before. It was like classical and rock had a kid or something. They even had a freaking piano on stage!"

"The genre they perform is called 'symphonic metal, and yes, it is something else, isn't it?" A smile crept across Weiss's lips. "I have all their music, of course, if you'd like to listen?"

"Absolutely! Hey, do you actually know them? I mean, was that dedication at the beginning for you?"

"I do. Would you like to meet them? I hadn't made arrangements for it, but I can try." Yang nodded and Weiss busied herself with her scroll for a moment. After a few minutes, another man wearing a STAFF shirt led them backstage.

"Weiss!" the band's singer called out as the staff member opened the door for them. "I know you said you wouldn't be able to visit tonight, that's why I was surprised to get your request. You know you're always welcome. And who's this new friend?"

"Sharon, this is Yang, one of my teammates from Beacon. Yang this is Sharon, the glorious voice around which this whole ensemble revolves."

"You flatter me. I sometimes wonder if I should be singing in some dive bar somewhere. Good to meet you, Yang. Always a pleasure to meet one of Weiss's friends. Are you a fan as well?"

"I hadn't heard of you before tonight, but now, you've got another convert!" Yang answered, grinning from ear to ear.

"Weiss, Weiss, Weiss, shame on you, not letting this poor girl know what she was getting herself into. Now, please, say hello and introduce yourself to everyone else. Verde said he was sorry you wouldn't be visiting us tonight, I still think he's sweet on you," Sharon added, making Weiss blush.

In the end, they had to rush to make the last airship back to Beacon. As they wandered their way back to their dorm, neither one of them feeling anything resembling urgency to return to their dorm, Yang cleared her throat. "So, uh, I had a great time."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. I did as well."

"So, do you want to do this again?"

"Yes." Weiss's voice was soft but firm, despite the fact that she was blushing. "Although it will be tough to come up with something this… good again."

"Okay, stop. First things first, Weiss. Yeah, you're rich, I get that. If you weren't, we wouldn't have gotten seats that good or met the band. But you're not my friend because of your money, and I'm not dating you because of it either. I'm dating you because of you, alright?"

"Are we, are we dating, then? Officially, that is."

Yang hesitated then said Fuck it resoundingly loudly in her head. "Yeah, I think I'm okay with calling it that. I, I don't think I'm ready for other words yet if you know what I mean."

Weiss nodded. No calling Yang her girlfriend, check. "Acceptable. Then there is one other matter we should discuss. What do we tell your sister and Blake? What are you comfortable with?"

"Well..." Yang hesitated; she'd been so busy sorting out her and Weiss that she hadn't even thought about what to tell anyone. "Ruby's into girls, so she should be okay with us. Blake, I dunno, maybe tell Ruby and see what she thinks? But I don't think it's a good idea to tell anyone other than them, yet."

Weiss took a deep breath as they reached their dorm. Yang nodded and tilted her head toward the door, one of her trademark devil-may-care grins spread wide on her face. Weiss nodded and returned the grin with a smile of her own. Say what you will, Yang made Weiss smile. The brute. She opened the door, fully expecting to find the room dark and Ruby asleep in her bed, though Blake might still be awake, reading.

Instead, they found the lights still on, Blake's bed empty, and a suspiciously large lump in Ruby's.

Weiss found her voice first. "Well, I thought we had something to tell our teammates, but it would seem we've been upstaged."

A/N: If you want an idea of what I think Quoth the Nevermore sounds like, listen to Within Temptation, especially 'Stand my Ground. You're welcome. :D