What Defines Us - Chapter 25 (Patreon)

Who would’ve thought that keeping photos from years ago on her scroll would be a bad idea?  Especially when they weren’t password protected and happened to feature a certain brunette who no longer remembered taking them to begin with?  

A certain brunette who’d almost used that very scroll and could have uncovered said photos?

“Stupid.  Stupid, stupid, stupid...” Weiss muttered to herself while password protecting any trace of Ruby she still carried with her.  Photos, videos, messages...long-lost memories that she'd never dared to look at but had lacked the strength to delete.  Even now she didn’t have the gall to take the painful journey down memory lane - unfocusing her eyes and flying through the files as fast as humanly possible.  

Some images still managed to slip through - flashes of eternally-frozen happiness that made her question why she was going through this trouble.  Why must she keep all of this history?  Why couldn’t she simply buy a new scroll and toss this one in the trash?  Or lock it away in a safe to be opened again far in the future - if at all?

The answers to those questions were simple to find but hard to swallow.

Hints of Ruby lingered upon her...attached to her just as firmly as she clung to their shared past.  After all this time, she still couldn’t let go of what they’d once had.  Which - unfortunately in this instance - meant that she held onto evidence of their relationship far past the expiration date.  Regardless of whether or not she looked at the photos herself, she had them.  Within her grasp, or within arm’s reach at any moment, was proof that it hadn’t been a wonderful, short-lived dream.

The dream had ended.  The world told her that it was time to wake up and move on.  Yet...she still wanted to go back to sleep. 

Only when she was positive that every trace of Ruby had been hidden behind a wall of passwords did Weiss set her scroll down on the kitchen table and sigh in pseudo-relief.  Now if Ruby wanted to use Weiss’ scroll, she was free to do so without accidentally stumbling into pieces of her past self.

Nudging the scroll away from her, Weiss leaned back in her seat and let out another sigh before glancing at the clock hanging above the doorway to the dining room.  It was unusual for her to be away from the office at such a reasonable hour.  Normally, she did everything within her power to stay late into the night - her ultimate motivation being to avoid moments just like this...where her mind was unoccupied and free to wander.

Wander, where else, but to Ruby?

A smile tugged at Weiss’ lips while her fingers calmly tapped against the smooth surface of the wooden table and her mind thought about the night prior.  

Other than a brief moment of consuming panic when Ruby picked up the scroll, last night had actually been...really fun.  It was such an unusual experience to be filled with infectiously lighthearted and carefree energy - to laugh freely and openly - but that’s what last night had been.  

For the first time in over a year, the weight pressing down on her chest had lifted - allowing her to enjoy someone else’s company without the constant threat of thunderstorms hanging over her head.  Of course, Ruby had always been able to convince Weiss to do just that - relax and let go of the responsibilities, the worries, the anxieties.  Relax and enjoy the little things - little things like throwing grapes at Ruby to see if she was fast enough to catch them.  Laughing together whether she was successful or not.  Making a mess and not worrying about who was going to clean it up.

Last night had been classic Ruby - effortlessly sweet and kind, with a good dose of upbeat energy thrown into the mix.  And, for the first time in a very long time, Weiss had felt like...herself.  Or at least, the person she used to be.  For a few hours, she wasn’t the broken huntress who’d nearly gotten her partner killed, but just a girl who loved spending time with her best friend.  It didn’t even matter what they did, as long as they were together.

This meant that, even though Weiss had been initially reluctant to throw eggs at Ruby using her semblance, the two of them ended up having a blast anyway.

Ruby had proven that she was, indeed, fast enough to catch eggs fired (carefully) off of Weiss’ glyphs, but they’d also proven that eggshells were too brittle to survive any secondary impact at that speed.  If the surface of the glyph didn’t crack the egg in midair, Ruby’s palm always did.  

Naturally, the little speedster insisted that she’d be able to cushion the blow - ‘just one more!’ she begged each time, wiping raw egg and bits of shell onto the leg of her pants.  

A dozen eggs later, zero progress had been made towards that objective.  However, the experience had allowed Weiss to view the very literal meaning of the phrase ‘egg on the face’ while listening to a collection of adorable squeals whenever Ruby thought she’d been successful.

Ironically, they spent the next part of their evening doing exactly what Ruby had jokingly suggested - cleaning.  After the eggs and grapes disappeared into the trash can, Ruby had switched on the television to some crime investigation show, but they hadn’t paid any attention to it.  Instead, they talked about whatever popped into Ruby’s magical mind.  The weather, in-depth technical details on upgrades to Thorn, her favorite type of Grimm and why (it had been and had remained the King Taijitu, even though Ruby had not yet learned how easily she could take down the beasts using her semblance and Crescent Rose).

It had been the first time since Weiss returned to Vale that she’d had the chance to spend a significant amount of time doing nothing but holding a conversation with Ruby.  It was the perfect opportunity for her to feel the brunt of their ruined relationship - to crumble under the weight of loss and hardship - yet the memories never resurfaced.  At least, not after the incident with the scroll.

It should have been a challenging evening, which made it all the more incredible how...easy...it had been.  They could’ve stayed up through the night finding random topics to discuss, just like they had at Beacon.  Every time Weiss stumbled trying to think of a new line of conversation, Ruby already had three or four more ideas she wanted to discuss.  And if Weiss ever felt a thread of history tugging her away, Ruby pulled even harder in the opposite direction - preventing Weiss’ attention from waning.

Last night, surprisingly, hadn’t been a revisit to the past.  It had been getting to know Ruby all over again.  It hadn’t been painful; it had been...wonderful.  Weiss would gladly repeat the evening over and over again without changing a single thing.

Although...they’d made it to the end of the night and Ruby had stubbornly kept one very important subject to herself.

What was Weiss’ tell?

How could something like that have gone unnoticed for so long?  Weiss prided herself on recognizing personality quirks that gave away emotions.  And, in her family, the ability to mask emotions and intentions was vital to survival.  However, she had absolutely no idea how she was giving away her lies.  And Ruby - who’d known Weiss best in the world - had never mentioned it before.  

Was it possible that she’d developed it recently?  Or maybe Ruby never noticed?  Or...maybe she had, but never said anything?

That was unlikely.  Ruby had never been able to keep a secret for very long, especially from Weiss.  Then again...how long had Ruby kept the secret of the hidden messages on Myrtenaster?

Speaking of which - for the rest of Weiss’ life, any gift from Ruby would be thoroughly examined with a fine tooth comb.  It didn’t matter if it was merely a birthday card - it was going under a microscope for inspection.

It was a mystery what caused Weiss to take a magnifying glass to the ring Ruby made for her, but a lingering suspicion at the back of her mind said that it wouldn’t hurt to double check.  Ruby was clever, after all, and apparently quite sneaky.

That suspicion immediately paid off.

Hidden on the inside of the band, cleverly concealed and nearly microscopic, was a single word - ‘BELIEVE.’  The letters weren’t quite as pristine as the ones etched into Myrtenaster, but they were still well-made for their diminutive size.

The singular word of encouragement had excellent timing, as Weiss wasn’t sure what to believe anymore.  Before she returned to Vale, she’d firmly believed it was in everyone’s best interest that she stay away.  She wasn’t needed or necessary.  She would only get in the way and make it harder for everyone else to recover, especially when being a stranger to Ruby was an insurmountable, unlivable situation.

She never believed she would find the courage to stay.  She never believed Ruby would give her the time of day.  That Blake would ever speak to her again.  That Yang wouldn’t instantly slam the door in her face.  

Now...now she didn’t know if she could believe the subtle feelings she was getting from Ruby.  Was she misreading cues or grasping at straws?  Because at certain moments last night, it almost felt like…

No, she didn’t even want to think about that.  That had been her imagination and nothing more. 

The buzz of her scroll against the table drew her attention back to reality and stopped the spinning of the ring around her finger.  Smiling as she reached to pick it up, she froze when it was Yang’s picture grinning back at her.

That wasn’t a message from Ruby.  

Well, clearly.  But why would Yang send a message?

Weiss’ heart raced as she quickly unlocked the device and read the contents of the message.

‘Hey - can you come over?’

Come over?  Was it urgent?  Had something happened with Ruby?  To Ruby?  Was it her head again?  Or her wrist this time?  Had she fallen or tripped or hurt herself in some way?

Somehow, Yang must have heard the barrage of bad scenarios playing through Weiss’ head, because another message quickly followed.

‘I just want to talk.’

Closing her eyes and putting her head in one hand, Weiss waited for her pulse to slow to a more normal tempo before looking back at her scroll.  Thank goodness it wasn’t a matter involving Ruby’s health, but this might be worse for Weiss’ personal health.  It wasn’t as if the two of them had spoken since their argument in the hospital - nothing more than mere pleasantries, at least.  Well, they hadn’t spoken more than pleasantries since Weiss had returned…

But now Yang wanted to talk?  There was only one subject that the two of them needed to discuss - the one Weiss tried to broach once, only to be succinctly shot down in her attempt.  Did she want to try this again?  Maybe she could ignore the request.  While highly unlikely, it was possible that she was too busy to notice or read the message.  There was also the possibility that it had gotten lost in transit - which happened only once every few years or so, but it had happened before.

It was a coward’s solution and, unfortunately, not an option for her.  If she wanted to see Ruby again, she couldn’t ignore the message.  And she wanted to see Ruby again.  Really, really soon.

“Get it over with,” she mumbled to herself, trying to summon the courage to respond.  It was the band-aid approach - pull it off with one quick yank, shout a few bad words when the wound stung like Grimm, then be done with it.  

Hands hovering over the keypad, she ran through multiple possible replies before settling on a short ‘When?’  Her answer arrived a few seconds later.

‘Now?’

Sucking in a deep breath, she spun her ring rapidly while staring at the timeframe phrased as a question.  

Now.  Was she ready to do this right now?  Or ever?  Most likely not, but she could at least make an attempt.  She could try to believe, like Ruby was always telling her.   Believe in yourself.  Believe that you can do anything.

‘Be right over.’

With the message sent, Weiss stood from the long dining table, but her feet refused to move her an inch towards the door.  She stared towards the front of the house as if willing herself in that direction, while her mind began its rapid process of overanalyzing the situation and trapping her in uncertainty. 

For whatever reason, her mind stuck on the outfit she was wearing.  Was it appropriate?  Did she need a change of clothes?  It would take time to find something perfect to wear, but what she currently had on wasn’t the perfect ‘please forgive me’ ensemble.  This was her work attire, which meant it spoke to power and respect.  It wasn’t soft enough - she needed softer tones -

Or she needed to stop procrastinating over the color of her shirt and get this over with.  Yang wasn’t that oblivious - she would understand what Weiss’ perfectly coordinated outfit and delayed arrival time meant.

Willing one foot to leave the floor, Weiss didn’t dare pause once she was successful.  The next foot followed, then the next.  She found her keys and bag lying on the table right where she’d left them and headed out the door without a second glance back at the safety of the unfamiliar house.  Before she knew it, she was inside of the car and headed down the drive - putting as much distance between herself and dalliance as possible.

Just last night she’d been thrilled that Ruby’s home wasn’t too far away, but today she found herself wishing that the two properties were a little further apart.

But everything would be alright.  Believe, believe, believe…she had to believe that everything would turn out for the best.  And, on the positive side, it was Yang who reached out first.  Could that mean she was finally ready to talk?  Or maybe she was finally done pretending for Ruby’s sake.  Or maybe...or maybe…

Several hundred rapid scenarios later, Weiss parked in front of the quiet house, sat back in the seat, and stared at the front door.  That first night back in Vale, she’d been terrified of what lay beyond that unassuming door.  She’d sat and stared at it for what must’ve been an hour - trying to force herself to go up and knock.

Today, she wasn’t terrified, but she was certainly apprehensive.  It felt as if she was about to walk straight into the lion’s den with a nice steak tied around her neck.  Hopefully, the lion had been fed today…

“Band-aid, band-aid, band-aid…” she muttered while creeping up the front walk, dreading reaching the front step but making it there anyway.  Taking a deep breath and straightening her posture to feign confidence, she knocked twice before lowering her arm to wait.  

The wait wasn’t long.  Heavy footsteps crossed the living room, and the door swung open seconds after.

“Hey, come on in,” Yang said simply, gesturing with her head before heading towards the kitchen table without another glance.  It wasn’t exactly the greeting Weiss had been expecting, but it was better than any of the more painful alternatives.  

Stepping hesitantly inside, she closed the door and followed Yang to the table.  As she walked, her eyes roved around the house in search of signs that anyone else was nearby.  Yang must have noticed the action because she spoke up a second later.

“Blake and Ruby went out for groceries.”

“Oh.”

Weiss had expected Ruby to be out of the house, but she hadn’t connected the dots to conclude that Blake would be gone as well.  Of course, thinking through the situation now, it made sense.  How would they get Ruby out of the house unless one of them incentivized her to leave?  And if Yang stayed behind to speak with Weiss...that meant Blake had to go.

But Blake’s absence was mildly unsettling.  Who would calm Yang down if she got heated again?

No, Weiss silently scolded herself while awkwardly resting her hand on the back of one of the kitchen chairs and standing behind it.  She couldn’t constantly rely on Blake or Ruby’s presence to run interference with Yang’s emotions.  Both of them were great mediators, but Weiss and Yang needed to figure this out on their own.  They needed to find a way to be in the same room together and behave civilly. 

Just the two of them...Weiss was now wondering whether or not she should’ve brought Myrtenaster along with her.  Could they resolve this with words only, or would Yang prefer to vent some steam in a more physical sense?  Not that Weiss was in any way opposed to a good fight if it would bring some resolution or relief, but battling an angry Yang Xiao Long hadn’t exactly been in the plans for today.

Sitting down at the table, Yang placed both hands flat on the smooth surface like she wanted to be holding on to something.  When Weiss remained standing and did nothing but expectantly stare, Yang finally motioned to the seat across from her.  Taking that as a cue to sit, Weiss cautiously pulled out the chair and sat down on the very edge - her posture rigid and straight.  

For the first time in who knows how long, the two of them were sitting together, alone.  

It was as uncomfortable as would be expected, made all the more apparent when Yang shifted in her seat and cleared her throat.  On the other side, Weiss didn’t know where to start or if she should say anything at all.  This conversation hadn’t been her idea, and she didn’t want to hijack whatever Yang intended to accomplish.

Thankfully, Yang spoke first.

“I’d like to hear what you have to say…” she said, her voice quiet and constrained while avoiding eye contact.  “If you’re willing to talk.”  

At one point in time, Weiss had been nearly as comfortable speaking to Yang as she had been with Ruby.  Even though they bickered often, it was always playfully intended or quickly resolved.  They’d spent a great deal of time together - just the two of them - discussing their respective partners and relationships.  

That felt like a long time ago...especially considering how their last couple of attempts at real conversations had been explosive, at best - destructive, at worst.

“Where...where should I start?” Weiss finally asked.  Her voice had already lost much of its volume while her heart pounded in anticipation of the upcoming conversation.  

What had Blake’s advice been?  Be honest.  Honesty wasn’t exactly Weiss’ strong suit...or maybe it was showing vulnerability that consistently sent her running for cover behind her self-constructed walls.

“I don’t know...wherever you want, I guess.”

Yang’s small shrug belied the importance of the conversation - as if they were merely trying to decide where to go for dinner and Yang had no preference in the matter.

“Alright…” Weiss mumbled, internally struggling to find a good way to broach the topic.  Opening her mouth and closing it, she briefly shook her head and tried to summon the courage to tell her side of the story.  Hands in her lap, she spun the ring around her finger in an effort to calm herself while her heart began to race.  

This was the subject she’d spent most of the last year avoiding - now she was supposed to spill everything at once?  With no preparation?  Ordinarily, she would have formulated a clear and concise list of points to mention, in order of their importance.  Or have an entire speech typed out.  Or...anything was really better than ‘winging it.’

But this might be her only chance to explain what had gone on in her mind - why she’d done what she did and why she’d seen the decision through nearly to the very end.  

She didn’t feel ready.  The wounds still felt too new and unhealed, but...maybe she should acknowledge their existence, for once.  Maybe instead of hiding behind the idea that she was ‘fine,’ she should admit that sometimes she wasn’t.

And that terrified her...but so did the idea of never being Yang’s friend again.  So, any story should start at the beginning - or the beginning of the end.

“I...I ran into Ruby…” Weiss whispered, her mind recalling that fateful moment in the hospital when everything had so suddenly unraveled into turmoil and uncertainty.  “The morning that I...that I was supposed to meet you.  I got there early, and I...I bumped into her…”

Silver eyes still passed over her in her dreams - not pausing with an ounce of recognition.  The moment still haunted her - filling her with hopelessness and despondency.  To suddenly become a stranger to the one she loved...

“I thought...that I could start from the beginning...but we’d come so far.”  Pausing when her voice wavered with emotion, she sniffed and forced herself to continue, feeling lilac eyes trained upon her.  “It wasn’t until she looked right past me that I realized...just how much had been lost.  And I...I couldn’t...”

Her chest clenched with pain as Weiss risked a glance across the table, trying to gauge if her words were having any impact.  From Yang’s stunned expression, she had no idea that this interaction ever happened.  Of course, how could she have known when Weiss had never told anyone?  

“Ruby meant the world to me…she still does...”  Closing her eyes, Weiss felt the tremors in her hands as memories she’d held at bay for so long surged through her.  The hopefulness, the determination - all dashed to oblivion by a glimpse of silver.  

It hurt.  It hurt in a way that continued burning even to this day.

“I had...only barely been holding myself together,” she admitted, opening her eyes but keeping them fixed on the table.  “When she didn’t recognize me, it destroyed...everything.  My entire purpose...gone...”

The silence in the house was deafening, yet it was the unusual stillness that was as loud as rolling thunder in Weiss’ mind.  Yang sat in her seat without any amount of normal fidgeting.  And Weiss didn’t dare move lest her fragile shell finally break apart.

The person she’d once been was lost on that day.  She’d struggled to recreate herself, with little success.  This was the best she’d been able to do on her own - a fraction of who she once was, a partial shadow that faded or solidified based on the time of day.  

“It’s all my fault - all of it,” she continued, her voice gaining emotion as her eyes stung with the beginnings of tears.  “I wasn’t good enough.  Or fast enough.  Strong enough.  If I were, none of this would have happened.  I ran because I didn’t deserve another chance.  I nearly got Ruby killed - what if we weren’t so lucky next time?  She’d be better off without me.  You all would.  I never deserved any of you to begin with…”

It looked like Yang wanted to interrupt, but she closed her mouth and shook her head instead.  Remaining quiet, she frowned towards the table with an air of unhappiness.  It was uncharacteristic for Yang to hold her tongue unless someone (and there was only one person this could be) had instructed her not to speak until Weiss had said everything she needed to say.

Taking the lack of response as tacit agreement to her own condemnation of her actions, Weiss continued while her voice was still able to create full words.

“Being away wasn’t any easier.  I knew you’d get Ruby back on her feet, but me...I thought that maybe I could salvage some...some type of normal life, but...”

Feeling tears grow at the corners of her eyes, Weiss stopped and tried to rub them away, but more immediately sprang into existence and wet her fingers when she pulled them away.  A weight was pressing into her chest, making it more and more difficult to breathe while she struggled to push forward.

“I couldn’t...move on.  I tried.  I tried so hard...to forget….but...”  

Feeling a lump grow in her throat, she paused and tried to swallow around it.  Don’t cry, she ordered herself as her breathing grew deeper and more erratic.  She needed to hold it together for just a little longer.

“I was on my own...and I was failing…”

Clenching her fingers into fists, the next breath she took hitched in the middle with an unmistakable sob.  She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, but when she blinked another fell to the table.  Staring down at the small wet splotch, she watched through increasingly blurry vision as another one appeared beside it.

She didn’t want to say anything more.  She didn’t want to admit how weak she was.  She didn’t want to leave herself completely defenseless...but she’d made it this far.  She could press a little further - for Yang, for Blake, for Ruby.

“I only came back because I...I almost died..and I...a-almost let it happen, but Coco and Velvet - that’s when I realized I d-didn’t want to leave without...s-saying goodbye.  Without...s-saying sorry...”

Giving up trying to speak and covering her eyes with one hand, Weiss waited for more tears to escape while her shoulders shook with quiet sobs and the reality of her admission sunk in.  All this time she’d kept these thoughts to herself, never to be spoken out loud.  It was the lowest of her low points - the moment when she’d given up, when she’d run out of the will to survive.  Now, its existence was out in the open where it could be used against her.

At least, that’s what she thought.  Instead, there was nothing but more silence as she struggled to slow her tears.  There was no scoff of disbelief.  No huff of refusal.  Her darkest moment was lingering in the air, yet it was fading away without anyone grasping onto it.

“I’m sorry...” she whispered, risking a glance across the table and finding open sadness in Yang’s eyes.  “I’m so...s-so sorry, Yang...”

It looked like Yang wanted to respond to the apology, but, instead of words, she reached across the table and clasped her hand around Weiss.’  More tears immediately started flowing, quickly forming a small pattern of droplets on the smooth surface of the table while Yang’s warm hand wrapped reassuringly around hers.

She didn’t know how she found the courage to stay in Vale after that first night.  Where had the fortitude come from?  It certainly didn’t feel like she possessed any of her own anymore.  The only explanation that seemed remotely plausible was that it was from her teammates - that they’d loaned her strength as they’d always done, giving freely when needed.

Struggling to pull herself back together, Weiss took two deep breaths that broke in the middle with tears.  Yang gave her hand a soft squeeze of encouragement with each one, while patiently waiting for the tears to slow.  And each small show of support made Weiss want to cry even harder, filled with gratitude for the strength her teammate was willing to provide even after all that had happened between them.

“Can I talk now?” Yang asked only after the sniffles quieted, her voice soft and devoid of any anger.  

Thankful that her time to speak had ended, Weiss nodded and wiped her eyes when Yang released her hand.  Leaning back in her chair, Yang let out a sigh - one that sounded like it had been held in for a very long time.

“I talked with Blake about...everything,” she began gently, as if speaking too loudly might disturb the moment they were in.  “I cried - a lot.  She pointed out a lot of things that I...honestly, I never thought about.  Like how it feels to regret a decision, but not see a way to fix it.  Or feel stuck...trapped in that decision.  She doesn’t feel like she deserved…like she deserves...” 

Frowning, Yang gripped the edge of the table while the sentence trailed off.  Her mouth opened and closed as she struggled with her thoughts, until she finally spoke.  

“You know...when she was gone, I was angry, but I missed her so much.  When we found each other again, she apologized and I loved her too much to do anything but forget it ever happened.  I just...I guess I figured that if I forgot about it, so had she.  I never thought…” as Yang’s words trailed off, her expression unfocused in memory of the conversation that had taken place.  When she shook her head and concentrated on Weiss again, her eyes glistened with tears.  

“I don’t want her to feel that way...” Yang whispered, her voice wavering in sadness.  Turning away when a tear spilled over, she cleared her throat and wiped the back of her hand across her eyes.

The display of emotion made Weiss want to say something - anything - to comfort Yang.  Regardless of their current friendship, the last thing she wanted was to see Yang upset or sad like this.  But the opportunity passed when Yang took a few deep breaths to collect herself and turned back to Weiss with a determined expression.

“And Ruby wouldn’t want you to feel that way either.”

Taken aback by the response, Weiss felt her mouth open, but no words come out.  Yang wasn’t done speaking though - and she continued with more certainty in every word.

“If you feel an ounce of what Blake does, that’s punishment enough.  And if you swear you’ll never do it again, I’ll believe you - just like I believe Blake.  I won't ever forget what you did, but I think I can forgive you.  I can forgive you.  And Ruby would’ve forgiven you - you know that.”

Pausing, Yang stared directly across the table to meet Weiss’ eyes - not a drop of red in the purest lilac she’d seen in quite some time.

“Learning to forgive yourself...that could be something you struggle with for a long time.”  The truthful words hadn’t yet settled before Yang mournfully shook her head.  “You and Blake...you’re both so hard on yourselves…”

Even though Weiss remained silent, she knew the reason why both she and Blake expected more of themselves - they wanted to feel worthy of the amazing sisters they were blessed with having in their lives.  Yang and Ruby were both too humble to see it...they would never understand how remarkable they were in a world filled with malevolence, corruption, and hate.

“The past year I was so upset I could hardly even talk about you,” Yang continued, her brow furrowing in memory.  “If I tried, I’d get...just so angry and sad.  Blake listened, but never said much - just tried to distract me, ya know.  I should’ve known she was worried.  And when we heard from Velvet…”  Yang’s voice drifted off, and she looked back to Weiss.

“Blake doesn’t know I know this, but she was going to go get you.”

That statement got Weiss’ full attention.

“What?” 

“Yeah, it was an accident I found out.  She asked me to look something up, so I grabbed her scroll because it was closest.  She was in the other room so she never saw, but it opened up to her most recent search -  airship timetables.”  Pausing, Yang gave Weiss a small smile.  “I’ll give you one guess where she was headed.”

The only response Weiss could give was to stare at Yang in shock.  Blake had planned to fly to Atlas?  How would Weiss have reacted to that?  After what happened in the forest with Coco and Velvet, she had to believe she might’ve burst into tears at the sight of her teammate.  That, or she would’ve steadfastly insisted that her life was perfectly fine.

“But then you showed up and saved her the trip,” Yang added more casually.  “Also saved me from having to worry about you.  I just got to remember how pissed I was.”  Sighing again, she sadly shook her head, looking disappointed in herself.  The expression was apologetic - as were the sorrowful eyes directed Weiss’ way.

“I’m sorry...for what I did in the hospital.”

“It’s alright -” Weiss began to respond, but Yang shook her head, her eyes filled with unmistakable regret.

“It’s not.  I never wanted to hurt you…” she whispered as her gaze dropped to the table.

“Hey.”  Weiss very nearly reached out to comfort her teammate but stopped herself at the last second in uncertainty.  “Yang,” she said instead.  “I understand.  And I’m the one who’s sorry.  I...I never wanted to hurt you either…”

Clearing her throat, Yang looked up with misty eyes.

“That doesn't make it ok, Weiss,” she said quietly.  “I never should’ve done that.  And I never should’ve said half the stuff I did.  I was just...angry.  I know that’s not a good excuse, but…just know that I don't want you to leave.  I don’t think that’d be better for anyone - not for Ruby and definitely not for you.  Ok?”

When Yang waited for a response, Weiss numbly nodded her head, and Yang nodded as well.

“Good.  Want to make sure you know that,” she muttered to herself before turning her gaze back to Weiss.  “You know...I remember how the two of you were together.  You were good for her, Weiss.  Better than I ever thought you’d be.  If...if she feels that way about you again, I’ll support that choice - I’ll support you.  Because I should only be worried about if you make Ruby happy.  And you do.  You make her happy.  For some dumb reason, she loves being around you.  So...I can't be anything but grateful that my little sister is happy again.”

Leaning against the back of the chair, Yang looked infinitely more relaxed now that the air had finally been cleared - relaxed enough to give Weiss an easygoing smile.

“When Blake came back, I can still remember Ruby’s reaction…” Yang said, whimsically recalling the moment.  “She looked at me, and I smiled back at her.  So she burst into this huge smile and gave Blake a giant hug in a swirl of petals.  Ruby never held a grudge or said another word about it.  If she had, I would’ve told her to cut it out.”  Yang paused then, her expression turning thoughtful.  “Jeez...I’m lucky Ruby doesn’t remember anything.  She’d yell at me for sure.”

“Oh, yelling Ruby is a little scary,” Weiss replied.

“Isn’t it??  Like, she’s always so happy!  When she’s yelling, something’s really wrong.  And she knows how to deal a ton of damage in a few words.  But come on, Ruby’s never yelled at you,” Yang remarked, slapping Weiss’ hand jokingly.

“Well, no…” Weiss conceded after failing to come up with an example to the contrary.  “She’s yelled around me though.”  

For as easygoing as Ruby was, she could be every bit as protective as Yang if provoked in the wrong way.  One time while they were at lunch, a rather insolent young man had...impolitely...brought up a personal issue he had with Weiss’ family.  Without raising her voice, Ruby reduced him into a sniffling mess of tears before he ran off with a meek ‘sorry.’

The reply made Yang chuckle, seemingly amused at Ruby’s hidden talent.

“Consider yourself lucky then.  When I was ten, I borrowed one of her favorite Grimm toys without asking and accidentally broke it.  She was maaaaad…”

Weiss couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of tiny Ruby yelling at her older sister for breaking some precious piece of plastic shaped like a Beowolf.  After her laughter faded, the two of them lapsed into a moment of silence before Yang finally smiled - a real smile that reached her eyes.

“I think we’ve been through enough.  Maybe it’s time we put all of this behind us and moved on.”

The words nearly made Weiss cry again - this time as a giant wave of relief swept over her.  If someone asked her months ago to imagine this moment, she wouldn’t have been able to.  To have a path to forgiveness...even forgiveness that she still needed to earn...was an incredible, remarkable feeling.  

It was almost as if, maybe, she still had a chance of redeeming herself.

“I’d like that,” she managed to choke out with a flimsy smile of her own.  

“Good,” Yang answered with a grin before standing up and stretching her back.  “Come on, let’s hug it out.”

Hearing the phrase had never made Weiss happier.  Obediently standing, she hardly had the opportunity to move before Yang walked around the table and pulled her into a firm, warm hug.  It wasn’t strained; it wasn’t uncomfortable.  It was like...being welcomed home after a very long trip.  

Wrapping her arms around Yang and pulling her best friend close, Weiss felt the deep breath Yang sucked in as it expanded through her rib cage and released a moment later in a warm gust of air.  

“And you know,” Yang whispered.  “I really missed you, Weiss.”

Tears sprang into Weiss’ eyes as she pulled Yang even closer, resting her chin on Yang’s shoulder and savoring the best kind of almost-too-tight hug that only Yang could give.  

She’d missed Yang too.  So much.  Their playful bickering, their comradery...Yang had been one of her first friends.  Yang had taught her how to stand up for those you loved and not be ashamed of it.  Yang had taught her what it was like to have someone you alternatively couldn’t stand but wouldn’t give up for anything in the world.

“I -” Weiss attempted to say before managing a feeble smile and tilting her head.  “Me too.”

When the hug finally ended and Yang pulled away, her own eyes shimmered more than usual.  Clearing her throat and giving Weiss a gentle pat on the arm, Yang found one last smile that warmed right through Weiss’ heart.

“Who said we can’t be alone in the same room, huh?” Yang joked, playfully tapping Weiss on the shoulder while she smiled and shook her head.

This wasn’t a cure-all for their issues, but it was a start - a much better start than what they’d had so far.  And Weiss was determined to make the most of the second chance she’d been given.  The last thing she wanted to do was let her team - or Yang - down again.

The nearby sound of car doors closing drew their attention towards the front door, where voices in the yard approached the house.  The door opened a few seconds later, and Blake poked her head inside.  Quickly surveying the situation, she smiled upon seeing the two of them.  

“Hey Yang, can you help with the bags?”

Grinning at the request, Yang patted Weiss on the arm again before walking towards Blake.

“She got you to buy everything in the store, didn’t she,” Yang commented amusedly.

“No.  But it was a lot…”

The admission made Yang chuckle before she placed a quick kiss on Blake’s cheek.  “I swear, you spoil her more than I do.”

“I didn’t want her to be disappointed!”

“Because that’d be a horrible thing, wouldn’t it?”

When Blake playfully pouted, Yang smiled and reached out to squeeze her partner’s shoulder.  It was easy to see by the sparkle in her eye that she loved how Blake treated Ruby like her own little sister.  But Yang also loved to tease Blake about how Ruby managed to weasel her way through Blake’s stout exterior defenses.

“Woah there!” Yang suddenly yelped, holding up both hands and using them to stop Ruby after she careened through the doorway with a bag of groceries in her hands.  “There’s a speed limit around here, remember?”

“I wasn’t running!” Ruby whined before hastily searching the room and letting out a cute gasp when she found Weiss.  “You are here!  I thought it looked like your car, but Blake said it wasn’t!”

When Ruby shot Blake a look, Blake shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

“My mistake,” she replied nonchalantly as Yang took ahold of her hand and the two of them headed outside together.  Unperturbed by Blake’s thinly veiled misrepresentation, Ruby quickly dumped the bag of groceries onto the table and hopped over - her expression growing more concerned when she noticed the residual tears in Weiss’ eyes.

“Are you ok?” Ruby asked, glancing out the door towards the sound of Yang’s voice.  “She wasn’t mean to you, was she?  I’m sorry - I didn’t know you were coming over, otherwise -”

“No no,” Weiss quickly interrupted with a shake of her head.  “No, we...we had a good talk.”  Drawing in a deep breath, she smiled, which made Ruby visibly relax and grin once again.

“Really?”

Nodding, Weiss found an even bigger smile as she replied, “Yes.”

“That’s great!  Right?  Like, you’ll be friends again?”

“I think so, eventually,” Weiss answered, the truth behind that statement spreading like a soothing balm through her veins.  A huge weight had lifted from her shoulders - one she hadn’t realized she’d been carrying this entire time.  

Knowing that this was what relief would feel like, she wished she’d spoken to Yang much sooner.  But, realistically, neither of them had been ready to go through that conversation until now.  Yang had needed to vent some steam first, and Weiss had needed to scrounge together whatever courage she had in order to be open and honest.

“Do you need a hug?”

“What?” Weiss asked, turning her full attention back to Ruby right as she was pulled into a firm, comforting hug.  

Caught off guard for only an instant, Weiss quickly gave in and wrapped her arms around Ruby’s waist as she rested her chin on the girl’s shoulder.  Closing her eyes and letting out a sigh, she turned her head burrowed into Ruby’s neck.

Ruby had always given the best hugs.  The stress melters - that’s what Weiss called them.  No matter how difficult or stressful the day had been, one of Ruby’s hugs would have her feeling better in no time.  Just like now, the strain of her talk with Yang was loosening and disappearing into thin air.  It was replaced by the scent of roses, the sensation of Ruby’s chest rising and falling with each breath, and the feeling of strong, capable arms creating a barrier that would keep the rest of the world at bay.

It was only when heavy footsteps thumped on the porch that Ruby finally let go, and Weiss blushed when Yang and Blake walked back into the house carrying more groceries.

“You gonna stick around, Weiss?” Yang asked while carefully setting three big bags down on the table.

“Oh, I - I think I have plans,” Weiss replied on instinct, her mind scrambling to come up with what those plans might be.

“Blake and I are gonna make dinner,” Yang continued, meeting Weiss’ eyes with an assuring expression.  “You should stay.”

Sparing one glance at Ruby, who nodded enthusiastically, Weiss smiled.

“Alright - yes, I can stay for dinner.”

“Yes!” Ruby immediately celebrated, raising one fist in victory.  On the other side of the table, Blake squeezed Yang’s shoulder before both girls began pulling groceries out of the bags.

“And I don’t want to know what you two did with a dozen eggs,” Yang commented while taking out a new carton from the bag.  “But at least you remembered to get some more.”

“We cleaned up!” Ruby said, making Yang playfully scrunch her nose.

“I don’t wanna know…” she repeated, taking the eggs and several different types of juices to the fridge.

Turning to Weiss, Ruby grinned and shrugged her shoulders.  Knowing how good Blake’s nose could be, they’d been really thorough cleaning up.  It took them quite a long time, but if Blake hadn’t complained at least they’d been moderately successful.  Except the sudden lack of eggs hadn’t gone unnoticed by Yang.

“Ok Super Chopper - get over here and cut up some onions!” Yang called out before launching an onion across the room while quickly shouting, “Onion test!”

Raising one hand, Ruby easily caught the onion before proudly tossing it up in the air and smiling at Weiss.  “See?  All that practice helped!  Now I can show you how the expert sous chefs dice an onion!”

“No cutting up produce with Crescent Rose,” Blake declared from the sink.  Ruby immediately pouted at the directive, but obediently left Weiss’ side to fetch a cutting board and regular kitchen knife to complete her task.

“Can I help?” Weiss offered, stepping closer to the table. 

“You’re our guest, Weiss,” Blake answered.  “You can sit and relax - this time.”

“Yeah - make Ruby wait on you hand and foot!” Yang added with an evil grin thrown her sister’s way.  “Ruby!  Get Weiss some water, jeez!  What a terrible host!”

With an adorable salute, Ruby quickly filled up a glass and set it on the table in front of Weiss.  Next, she pulled out the chair and gestured for Weiss to sit down.  Obliging the display of manners, Weiss sat down and allowed Ruby to scoot in the chair before she leaned down and whispered into Weiss’ ear.

“Do you need anything else?” 

“No, thank you.  I’m good,” Weiss answered, blushing at the proximity as Ruby grinned and took the seat to Weiss’ left.  While her blush faded away, her teammates settled into a comfortable rhythm of preparing a meal together.  Ruby diced the onions - close enough that Weiss’ eyes began to sting as a steady chop, chop, chop filled the air.  Yang put away groceries and folded up the used bags while Blake pulled boxes from the cupboards and measured out ingredients for whatever they’d be eating.

Watching them work together filled Weiss with a sense of warmth that had been missing from her life for quite some time.  She’d missed this.  The simple things - like making dinner together, racing through a list of chores together, or merely spending time together.  As they’d grown closer, anything they’d set out to do followed a cadence that was all their own.  They operated on the same wavelength, even if it was on something as mundane as heading out to dinner downtown. 

Glancing at Ruby, who caught the look and smiled while still dashing through the pile of onions, Weiss wanted to turn away but found herself caught in that cheerful silver gaze.  

“You haven’t been over for dinner in a long time!” Ruby commented, slicing the knife worryingly close to the tips of her fingers before expertly sliding them away.  “We should do this more often!”

“If you’d like to,” Weiss quickly agreed, her eyes flitting to the cutting board before back to Ruby’s cheerful expression.

“Maybe next time I’ll make dinner!”

Ruby’s comment made Blake and Yang laugh from the other side of the kitchen.

“You’re going to cook something?” Yang asked in disbelief.

“I could try,” Ruby whined, finally setting the knife down on the board and allowing Weiss to breathe again.  

Refocusing on the conversation, she smiled politely at Ruby’s offer.  Unfortunately, unless a miracle had happened while Weiss was away, Ruby was a horrible cook.  Even though she followed directions and had the best of intentions, something inevitably went wrong.

“How about we go out to dinner instead?” Weiss offered, giving Ruby a smile that would hopefully encourage her to choose the easier and more edible option.  “My treat.”

“Like...just the two of us?”

Suddenly understanding how the invitation sounded, Weiss attempted to backpedal away from the implication.

“I mean, Yang and Blake are absolutely invited as well,” she added quickly, glancing towards the kitchen in hopes that one of her other teammates would bail her out of this situation.  Of course, Yang shook her head and tapped Blake’s side.

“Thanks but no thanks!  If you ‘n Ruby are going out to dinner, Blake and I are totally taking advantage of having the house to ourselves.”  Yang’s grin only widened after she dodged the dish towel Blake whipped her way.

Briefly scrunching her nose at her sister, Ruby then turned to Weiss with a smile that sent a flurry of butterflies soaring through her chest.

“I’d love to go out with you!  Out to dinner, I mean.  Not, like - that sounds like fun!”

The blush on Ruby’s cheeks was surely reflected on Weiss’ as the two of them avoided eye contact and waited for the moment of embarrassment to pass.  Of course, the moment wouldn’t have ended if Yang had her way, but the instant she opened her mouth it was covered by Blake’s hand - much to Weiss’ relief.

The invitation had been ill-considered before Weiss made it, but her original intention hadn’t been to ask Ruby out on a date.  It wasn’t a date.  It was just a dinner between friends.  That was how Ruby saw it.  Or, at least, that’s how Weiss was pretty sure Ruby saw it...

When Ruby cleared her throat and began scooping the tiny diced onions into a bowl, Weiss was able to glance across the table once more.

“Uh, so maybe we could go tomorrow night?” Ruby asked, shooting Weiss a hopeful smile.  Moderately taken aback by the short timeline but unwilling to allow such an opportunity to pass her by, Weiss managed a nod that made Ruby beam while she turned back to her task.

Even if it was just dinner, it was another chance for Weiss to spend time with Ruby - and that was worthy of being excited about.  

Excited and...Weiss needed to figure out where they would go.  Any of their favorite spots were likely off limits because there could be an employee still working that would remember the two of them.  It needed to be someplace new but magnificent.  And not too fancy, unless Ruby had developed a taste for the ‘complicated’ foods she’d never enjoyed...

A small gasp suddenly jerked Weiss out of her thoughts.  Searching for the source of the noise, she found Yang standing close to Ruby’s side.

‘Do you hear that?’ Yang mouthed towards Ruby and Weiss before pointing to Blake.  Momentarily confused, it took a couple of seconds for Weiss to realize that Blake was humming a song to herself while preparing a pan by the stove.  The tune wasn’t at all recognizable -

“That’s one of the Achievemen’s greatest hits!” Yang called out gleefully, running over and pulling Blake into a hug before nuzzling affectionately into her hair.  “And Blake’s singing it!”

“I wasn’t singing it,” Blake denied, earning a disbelieving look from Yang.  “...I was humming it.”

“Admit it - you had fun!”

“They have a certain...theatrical...skillset that was amusing to watch...”

The answer made Yang laughed joyfully, finally releasing her grasp and allowing Blake to slink away with an air of chagrin for being caught doing something she hadn’t been aware of. 

“Sounds like you two had fun,” Weiss commented in an attempt to spare Blake from further embarrassment.  “Were you able to have them sign something for you?”

“Yup!” Yang replied proudly - so proudly that Weiss’ small smile immediately fell.  

“It wasn’t your bra, was it?”

“Nope!” Yang answered with an even bigger grin.  “Blake wouldn’t let me, but they signed something even better!”

“Like what?” Ruby asked, setting her bowl by the stove and heading to the sink to wash her hands.

Reaching out, Yang grabbed ahold of Blake’s arm before pulling her forward and pushing up the sleeve on her shirt.

“I had them sign Blake!” Yang proclaimed, dissolving into giggles as Weiss and Ruby stared at the scrawled signatures on Blake’s upper forearm.  While they did so, Blake very consciously avoided eye contact with either of them, her cheeks rampantly flushing.

“You let them sign you??” Weiss asked in disbelief, tearing her eyes away from the proof to find Blake staring pointedly towards the wall.  Instead of answering, Blake rolled her sleeve down and turned to Yang. 

“You realize it’s going to wash off.”

“Yup!  But I’ll always have the memory of the Achievemen signing my girlfriend,” Yang responded with a dreamy expression.

“I wouldn’t count on that!” Ruby quipped with a grin.

Weiss let out a startled laugh at the joke, with Blake and Yang soon joining in while Ruby beamed with success.  

It was refreshing how Ruby could make fun of what had happened.  To Weiss, it was this monumental moment that had changed the course of her life.  It wasn’t spoken about, ever.  But to Ruby...it was also a monumental moment that had changed her life, but she’d gotten past that.  Now it was merely something that had happened - something they could laugh about and move on from.

“You’re right, Ruby,” Yang commented before pointing to Blake’s arm.  “I’m gonna need a picture of that…”

“Good luck,” Blake replied with a smirk while lighting the stove and setting a pan on top of the flames. 

“I’m going to have to beg, aren’t I?” Yang asked before letting out an exaggerated sigh and leaning on the counter beside Blake.  “You know how much I’ll totally beg for that.”

Making a soft “shhh” sound, Blake placed one finger against Yang’s lips to keep her from saying anything more.  Shaking her head and letting out a chuckle at the antics, Weiss returned her attention to Ruby - who was watching her sister in amusement before opening her mouth to speak.

“Maybe after dinner, we could like...watch a movie?”  When Ruby turned to Weiss, her eyes were shining with hope.  “You’ll stay for a movie, right?”

“I...yes, I can,” Weiss replied, surprised by the continued requests for her presence and Ruby’s whoops of happiness. 

“Perfect!” Yang remarked.  “Because it’s my turn to pick.  I hope you’re all ready for some blood ‘n guts!”

“Yanggg!” Ruby whined.  “Why do you always pick those movies?”

“Simple!  Because they scare Blake.”

Blake scoffed at the grin thrown her way.  “They do not scare me.”

“Then why do you cuddle into me so much during them?”

“Because!  I...happen to like doing that.  Shouldn’t Weiss get to choose anyway?  She’s our guest tonight,” Blake pointed out.

When both girls turned to Weiss, the twinkle in Yang’s eye said she already knew what Weiss would decide.  Of course she already knew - they’d come to an agreement on this matter while still at Beacon.

“No, no,” Weiss answered with a shake of her head.  “I don’t want you to go out of order for my sake.  I’m fine with whatever Yang chooses.”

“Blood n’ guts!” Yang said, patting Blake consolingly on the back.  “Next time Weiss picks!”

‘Next time’...the words were like a warm ray of sunshine that made Weiss smile.

“We should really find a new place for our mail...” Yang commented absentmindedly, picking up the stack from in front of Weiss and tossing it haphazardly onto the sofa.  While Yang did that, Ruby leaned closer to Weiss.

“If you get scared, you can always hold my hand,” she offered, making Weiss’ heart do a little flip in anticipation.  Overhearing, Yang grinned.

“Oh don’t worry - it’ll be plenty scary,” she remarked, sending a wink Weiss’ way.

Years ago, they’d made a pact - Yang would pick scary movies when it was her turn and Weiss wouldn’t complain.  It was a silent concession to Yang’s goal of having Blake lean into her side - and self-serving in that it gave Weiss the same excuse to be near Ruby.  Through years and years of horror movies, their partners had been none the wiser...unless they secretly enjoyed it too…

“Yang, can you bring me a plate?” 

“Of course!”  With one more grin at Weiss, Yang went over to the cabinets to find a plate as Blake requested.  

Watching the two finish making dinner together, Weiss felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards the both of them.  There was still so much that needed to be made right - so much guilt that Weiss still carried with her - but knowing that forgiveness was possible gave her hope unlike anything she’d felt in a long time.

Could it be that all this time she’d needed to expose her wounds, not hide them away?  It was extremely difficult for her to be vulnerable, but by opening up to Yang - by finally being honest and sincere - Weiss had found something she hadn’t realized she was searching for.  

It wasn’t pity - Yang’s eyes didn’t hold pity for her.  It was understanding.  They’d all been there - they’d all been through trials and tribulations.  They’d all reached a point in their lives where they were forced to question if this day, this moment, would be their last.  Somewhere along the way, Weiss had forgotten that they understood each other.  They always had.

“Here you go, Weiss!”

Turning, Weiss accepted the set of silverware Ruby held out to her.

“Thank you,” she replied while setting the items on the table.  Grinning, Ruby happily buzzed around and dropped the other sets in their proper places before Yang handed over a stack of plates that also needed to be set out.  When Yang caught Weiss’ eye, she smiled before walking back to help Blake.

Leaning back in her seat, Weiss smiled with ease she hadn’t felt in a long time.

It was difficult and scary - terrifying, even - to expose weaknesses to others, but she’d forgotten how rewarding it was when her barriers were lowered for the right people.  Because she didn’t have to feel alone.  Even though her horrible mistakes were entirely her own, they were relatable.  They were understandable.  

She wasn’t isolated - she wasn't out on an island by herself.  She had help.  She had support.  That’s what teammates were for.