Choice Extra: Valentine's season special

Ruby Rose-Schnee

"Good Morning, Mrs. Schnee." Ruby's world came to her slowly, in dripping bits of paint on a canvas, a crescent of light bouncing through the bottom of her lids as they fluttered, slowly summoning the courage to wake. Touch came to her next, the mild, sour moaning of her feet from pinpoint pressure after a night on heels slow to fade. After that came hands, arms, then a body pressed against her back and grasping across the waist, a slow thumb rubbing her stomach, tickling the curves around her belly button.

"Weiss?" The name came out mumbled and jumbled, a sleepy guess and barely lucid hope. Whomever it was, they were warm, sweet, soft, and smelled like flowers. Ruby liked flowers. Instinctively she turned over in this stranger's arms, coming face to face with a cozy and tattooed chest, breast, and midsection. All warm, best part.

"Wow, cool it. You'll flip us out of this damned thing." The other effect of rolling over was way too much swinging and movement, whole bed turned with her. Hammock bed. That was right, El Vale. The metal band on her finger. Yes, this was Weiss, here in the Long house, and today they were married, or yesterday? "Wake up before you kill us."

"No, warm." Ruby clutched, holding onto the pre-lucid state of sleep. Last night had been long, terribly, amazingly warm. God, it was so impossible for Ruby to pull her eyes closed then, the adrenalin, the drinks, the touch. The two of them went from their wedding party, out on the beach, to the Long home late. Wasn't her idea to rent out a beach bar for the event, but god was it a blast, the festival towers dark, sand white, drinks free, friends everywhere. Tearing away from there at midnight was hard. Tearing away from Weiss at five, even harder.

"I will go upstairs and dump ice on you." Ruby cared not for her girlfriend's empty threats. No, that wasn't right. Wife's. Wife's. Wife's.

"That suggests you're going to escape," the redhead slurred, voice weighed down by evening's worth of liquor and laughter. Their honeymoon flight was tomorrow, the day after Vytal, another sleepless night. Day was all there was, Weiss could sit her butt down, they were going to be vampires for a bit. Ruby made sure of that, rolling on top of Weiss and finding a nice warm headrest against the inked and smooth skin of her chest.

"Fair enough, you've forced my hand." Before Ruby had a moment to even think of the horror about to be visited upon her, it had begun. Weiss, gripping the curved sides of the hammock, in one twisted motion committed her betrayal and turned their world upside down.

"Shit!" Spun over, the hammock fell, along with all its contents: several blankets, multiple pillows, one mattress-like layer, and two supposedly grown women. Of course with Ruby on top, she hit the ground first, complete with a Weiss crashing down on her second. Of all the times Ruby had a naked Weiss on top of her, this was absolutely the most painful. "Weiss," Ruby groaned, "W-why?"

"Should have let me go, I had no other choice." Weiss despite her self-satisfied tone, rolled off, body collapsing onto the remains of Ruby's wedding dress. It had been more than she ever considered wearing in her life, a twisting arrangement of red fabric patterned to transform her into a blooming rose. She loved it so much she kept it on all of the party, and all of five minutes once they got into the bedroom. Ruby wanted to rent it, but Weiss refused, wanting to preserve the relics of their day. They were worth keeping. "Are you hurt?"

"No," Ruby answered, looking up at the still swinging hammock. The midday sun colored everything amber in autumn light. It laminated the room in Ruby's memories. The couch stood in front of a now six year old flatscreen, its arms still stained from the mini-party Yang threw their sophomore year. The punching bag was replaced, Yang still lived here, graduating soon in fitness and health. Posters, art, and memories Ruby collected over the years, waiting for her.

New ones, too. Weiss' white wedding tuxedo, a pure white that could make snow jealous. She looked great in it, with the blue accents pulling out her eyes. She had pretty much taken most of the traditional groom positions in the wedding. She refused to be "given away" by anyone, especially her father. Instead, William was their best man. Ruby remembered how that old man's same Schnee eyes watered when Weiss had asked him. He was afraid he wouldn't be invited. Ruby wondered if either of them understood how much they loved each other. "How does it feel?" Weiss asked.

"Amazing." Ruby didn't understand the context of the question. Didn't really matter. If it was being wed, being with Weiss, being naked on a floor, all of it was still pretty awesome right now.

"Your court of jesters are probably waiting on you," Weiss muttered to the open air, referring of course to Penny, Nora, and Reese, all of whom were crashing on the upstairs couches instead of already booked and way too expensive hotels. With Envida and Yang, the maid of honor, all the bridesmaids were in one house, excluding Blake and Winter. Blake had her own place, or maybe was in Yang's bed, and Winter was probably off in a million dollar condo with her boyfriend.

Ruby turned over to look at Weiss, tempered in the fall yellow light coloring her pale skin in a dim luminescence. Her hair was loose and wild, spilling past her nose over her shoulders and denied any ordered shape, twisted and ruffled, Ruby's handiwork. Tiny red marks trailed down her neck, getting darker as they went lower, again the redhead's work. Her chest rose and fell without a sound, the pink ends matched her natural lips and pronounced the beautiful scar she bore with pride. Below that the tattoo, below that a belly with slightly formed abs, fencer's muscles, and beyond that the hairs and thighs Ruby remembered from the night before. How was this part of her life? This person, with such confidence and intelligence, was now Weiss Rose-Schnee. The world would ignore the Rose part, the Schnee name mattered more, but it was on paper, it was real. "I don't wanna, my wedding, I don't have to."

"We get a whole honeymoon. Penny and Nora only get you today, they did come all the way out here." Weiss tried and did too well at being the voice of reason. Both hated it, Ruby was sure, but their peace was not over, but delayed. Adventure awaited. Today and every day. "I will make you get up, Ruby."

"Bully," Ruby groaned, but a pinch to the ass got her right up. On her feet, Ruby was awake truly. The cold air on her exposed body might have helped with the motivation. A morning rush in midday, each girl poking and prodding one another as they went. Ruby, between the giggles and poke wars, pulled up some leggings, loose shorts, and a lone red sweater. She could be a lazy mess complete with hair in her face and eye crusties if she wanted.

Only person worth impressing didn't mind, even if she put some more effort herself. Blue skirt and white dress shirt, a temporary outfit before they went out proper tonight. Weiss managed to tie her hair up despite Ruby's constant interference. By the end they both looked presentably lazy, ready to walk up the stairs and make their debut. Weiss took the lead, pulling Ruby right with her into the light.

Sound, talking. Several voices went quiet as the echo of climbed steps got louder. Together their instincts curved them towards the kitchen, the familiar sounds of frying batter and a maple smell commanding. Once they turned the corner, an ambush of cheers and whistles commenced. The court jesters were in full force. "Welcome to the living, newlywed nerds!" Reese roared above the rest. Envida in the back, the only one not cheering, rubbed her temples, too damn tired of a house full of twenty-somethings.

"Morning, everyone!" Ruby sang back, happily sliding right onto a kitchen table stool.

"It's four, friend." Penny corrected, spinning in her seat on the other side, an empty plate in front of her and a warm smile to match.

"I know, which is why I'm starved. Dad, what's on the menu?" The smell gave Ruby plenty of clues. Looked like she wasn't the only person waking up so late today.

"Pancakes, how many you want, Rubbles?" Taiyang offered from his natural habitat, a batter soaked apron shielding a yellow sweater and blue jeans.

"I want all the pancakes you have," Ruby declared.

"And you, Weiss?" Taiyang offed, pointing the spatula to his new daughter-in-law.

"Not in my diet, Taiyang, could I perhaps get a fruit cup?" Weiss requested, quick to sit beside Ruby, opposite to Reese. They still had some kinks to work out in their best friend to wife relationship. Father though, he was on point, tossing her a sealed plastic bowl of citrus treats.

"You can not seriously be on a diet, you just got married! I mean, at this point screw it." Nora could bench God, something they had discovered in junior year. The pancakes she was scarfing down doubtedly made up barely an eighth of her consumed calories. The dieting world was alien to her.

"Don't mind my mate, Weiss, your figure is lovely and you'll outlive us all," Penny interjected, punctuating her sentence with a bite of her much more doable flapjack pile. In the twilight of school, the two of them had come to appreciate one another, something deeply meaningful to Ruby.

"You're going to need that energy tonight. I hear this town gets lit," Reese mumbled with her mouth full, another hearty eater. Her metabolism was a molten core running on full power.

"It's quite a show. My lovely wife and I will be enjoying ourselves at dinner, right honey?" father paused for Envida's approval, but she waved him off, eyes locked on her work, "So I expect everyone will be just fine." Taiyang slid Ruby his finest plate, a tower of three, complete with a heart made of strawberries. Best dad ever.

"Well, Taiyang, I am closer to thirty than twenty. At this point, if I can't take care of myself, shoot me," Weiss added with a petite chomp of some sort of mango thing.

"We're going to meet up with Yang at the pub after her tournament," Ruby clarified, unhappy with the whole shooting Weiss prospect. She was enjoying strawberries, not malice, "but first, the burnings of Vale!" Pausing to lower her voice, and take in a mouth full of maple wonder, Ruby swallowed with a smile, "AKA. the coolest light show ever."

"Holy shit." Appropriate. Reese's pace ahead of the rest, having swerved through the crowd on her longboard like the nuisance she was, came to a rolling stop once the cobble path ended at the sea. This year's structure was twice the beast of last time. An armored snowy knight of paper and wood raised a sword high enough to down the clouds, its chest emptied, aside from a fiery heart of gold held by spindles of lumber. The body was supported by metal wires wrapped in fallible cardboard roses. Nightingales, massive and bloated, formed a field base. Two sister pyres made out to be a lotus with lightening bolts and a crescent moon held up by a greek soldier were dwarfed on either side. Reese's first Vytal Festival was bound to delight the senses, if the strung about gold web of lights or the streets ringing of music and sound didn't overwhelm her already.

"They continue to surprise me, though the metal wire is practically cheating." Weiss stared up, despite her chill tone, with a shimmering child's eye, lips fighting to keep their stoic station. The burning always lit something aflame inside, radiating warm giddy excitement Ruby could feel through their latched arms and the heft of Weiss' petite fall coat. At twenty-eight, seeing Weiss be a little girl again was easily the Vytal highlight.

"It's almost a shame to watch it go, the knight looks awesome." Ruby noted, feeling a heavy and wonderful nostalgia. Six years ago now, was it? Six years ago, dropped off at the opposite edge of the Atlantic, scared and alone, they stood together, in the shadows of a colossus, watching the statue collapse with their troubles. Their first date really. It may have seemed simple, but such a pivotal turn. They linked their fates, arm and arm, staring at the edge of the old world.

The perfect place to get wed.

"It's truly a sensation, to think it got here in one day," Penny marveled, face hidden by the heft of her scarf. The strip of beach, pressed right up to the boardwalk last night, was devoid of this spectacle. Their wedding took place two blocks down, feet in the sand, vows shared and witnessed by the sea and the stars. Weddings are shockingly short, and surprisingly straightforward. Lot of walking, lot of standing there in a red dress internally screaming, lot of crying throughout, and just a little bit of saying I do and changing their lives forever. Vytal festival a historic night for two reasons now.

"Penny, you're on Nora duty this year. No one's swimming over to the bonfire," Weiss ordered, quick to remember her propensity for risk taking.

"That was, like, once!" the Dane's remark was largely ignored, Penny quick to salute and accept her fate, team ginger loyal to the end. God, Ruby loved seeing her again. She supposed, from the mail last week, they would be seeing a lot more of each other soon.

"Okay, so when does this thing explode?" Reese asked, clearing the green hair from her face, the last words before the crowd began to rise, a uniform voice calling for El Vale's most famous moment. The first fire.

"Cinco, cuatro!" Voices from the firefighters began the official count.

"Tres!" Others followed, Ruby first among them.

"Dos!" Weiss, hopping just a bit, a vibration Ruby could feel through their tightly linked arms and into her ring bound finger, joined last, unable to hold it in, stoicism unwelcome tonight, burned with the worries.

"Uno!"

Fireworks burst from the gold heart, the igniter sending sparks out to fire up the ice knight's core. Lightning traveled the paper rose tightened wire, chains of fire torching the structure it held in place. The nightengals below blossomed into blaze and colored streams of light. Snowflake runes formed along the sword, fire bursting from the cracks. Each piece of this amalgamation burned its own color of light. Red, yellow, blue, and a gray fire Ruby had never seen before.

"Holy fucking shit!" Reese screeched with the crowd, shadows evaporating by the sheer intensity of the colossal knight of flames. Body consumed completely in a fire that radiated so intense it cooked Ruby's face, drying her eyes and leaving her parched at near a half block away. Smoke was heavy in the air, the sister statues lighting up with them. The center heart cracked and broke off on the right side, only the left shell remained, inside a solid, wooden white rose ignited with it.

"The burnings might be the most beautiful thing in the world," Weiss whispered, just loud enough for Ruby's ears to pick up. Her cheeks colored by the heat burned, cute like a schoolgirl.

"Nah, the most beautiful thing in the world flipped me out of my bed this morning." Her smartass reply earned Ruby an elbow to the rips. Her red hoodie took the blow, the pressure only forcing out a giggle.

The flames went on, some people sang the La Marcha Real while the pair just stood and watched in awe, the smoke smell and the colored heat taking over their senses. Ruby intertwined her fingers with Weiss', spurring the older girl to rest her head on the younger's shoulder. Weiss swayed with her partner, the song notes pulling their bodies back and forth like a two person metronome.

The paper flowers spread into ash petals and danced towards the crowd during the knight's final moments. The mâché skin burned off, and fragments of wood cooked, a bright fiery skeleton all that remained. "Are you prepared to ditch the rest of these losers and run with me?" Weiss offered her wife, a yearly tradition born from excitement that still tugged at them every year. Reese was in awe, Penny and Nora shoving each other for better spots, playfully of course. They were good.

"On three?" Ruby confirmed, tightening the grip she held on Weiss' hand. Now was special, Weiss grinned fully, a marvelous and mischievous pull on her lips. Not enough to flash her teeth, but it was bright enough with the fire in her eyes.

"How about, on now?" Ruby didn't resist the pull on her hand, ready this time for the race. "Nora, Penny, make sure Reese doesn't die!" A final order as they slithered passed the mixing crowds, unwilling to wait for them to disperse. More sites around the city were bright and burning, plenty of smoke pyres darkening the stars and luminescent cross stitch of lights.

"Penny, the pub at midnight!" They didn't wait for confirmation, though Ruby swore she could hear the distant sounds of a punk girl cursing. "What happened to the 'it's their only day with you' Weiss from this morning?" the redhead asked as soon as they were clear from any intruding forces.

"Six years with you has completely corrupted my senses, Ruby. I'm a mad woman now, dangerous and illogical," Weiss joked as they kicked their way down a back alley and farther from the boardwalk, deeper into the city's core. The pathway to Mistral Street was no longer a simple expedition. Through the low archways of an ancient town, more and more of El Vale was consumed by dance floors between etched stone work, and makeshift bars stretching from one red tilted roof to the other. Nowhere was without people, but Weiss and Ruby could move, they knew the native paths, the hidden spaces, and quick crosswalks through churches, apartments, and open shops. So long as they kept tied by an arm, the pair could swim through any crowd and hit each and every burning one could see in a single night.

First of every year, Plaza de Mistral, then Vacuo bridge, last Plaza del Vale.

"You know, I thought I would get bored of this display," Weiss kept her voice in the barely audible range, cheering threatening to overcome it, but Ruby managed, her ears trained to that specific pitch. "We picked a good date." Ruby nodded as the display began to ignite. A paper clockwork bird, cardboard gears turning in its eyes.

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty good at picking up chicks during the festival, lots of experience." Weiss cracked at the line, giggling maybe a little too much into her hands. "Hey, I am an adorable cutie pie, don't deny you fell for my charms!" Thank god.

"Like a dead venus fly trap," Weiss compared, eyes shimmering from the orange light, "I went right for it, got stuck, and nothing happend. You were so oblivious."

"You are so pretty, I couldn't help it," Ruby pouted, tugging away from her wife, whom, having none of it, pulled right back.

"I quite literally asked you on a date, and you brought your friends like a dunce," Weiss explained, "I could have come to you naked in the night with a rose in my mouth and the first thing you'd do is hand me coat."

"No!" Ruby shouted, laughing at the ridiculous accusation, "First thing I would'a done is die!" The pop of an off brand bottle rocket punctuated Ruby, the city dwellers taking a bit of the show into their own hands. Amazing the town never burned down.

"Hey nerds!" Reese kept glued to her longboard, the heart and soul of her existence despite the packed populous. Years of skill let her navigate with little trouble, leaving a cracked trail between citizens stepping out of the way for Nora and Penny to track. "I've been looking for you all over town, this place is crazy."

"Funny, I was not looking for you," Weiss mumbled, a few degrees from friends with someone who officially made half their living riding a wood plank on wheels. "Oh well, all that is beauty is temporary." Ruby delivered the lightest of elbows at that comment. No need for salty spitfire.

"Friends!" Penny caught up, red curly hair a little wilder than usual, frayed with a few drops of sweat. The longboard gave her quite a bit of trouble it seemed. Actually, Ruby noted, where the hell is Nora?

"Where's the little one?" Weiss vocalised a unified worry, the two sharing a snapshot look of confirmed concern.

"Oh, around, I think, us getting to Plaza de Vacuo, Nora decided her tiny legs weren't for running and went to the pub for a few," Penny answered, clutching her knees and wheezing out breath she couldn't seem to latch onto. So face first in a pint by now.

"Did you seriously go all the way to Vacuo? That's literally the other side of town!" Weiss' free hand held her waist, like the news itself was going to trip her face first in the cobblestone. Ruby could feel sympathy pains in her legs just from the thought.

"Yeah," Penny paused to loudly suck in some air, "Reese is fast."

"You didn't have to run after me," Reese groaned, completing another revolution around them on her board.

"Party moving early?" Ruby asked, mostly to Weiss. The fires were burning, but low, heat real, music reverberating a little lighter between every bump. Mostly she wanted to see Yang. The Vytal festival tournament was over. Yang had lost two years in a row, but as a senior, this was the final shot before she moved onto the adult world; Ruby postponed this with grad school. Again, she kept the family out, but she would be there with Blake. Whatever the outcome, Ruby wanted to be there to say congrats, give Yang love. Waiting sucked.

"Want out?" Weiss asked, turning her eyes over to Ruby. She loved the night, the smoke, the flames, and flickering lights. A bad trade for her. Yet she smiled, hand holding Ruby's clenching with a gentle pulse. "I could use a drink." A sweet sacrifice, the embers left as they parted for the finest Irish establishment in all of Spain.

"Yang, what happened to your face?!"

"Victory!" Yang's lion roar moved the masses, the college pub packed with patriots. She lifted her hands high, turning her fingers to Vs, or trying. The right limb was constricted by a first aid fabric cast. She smiled with full teeth, despite the busted lip held shut by butterfly stitches. Her lilac eyes matched the black and blue swelling around the right one. All along the tan, muscle tight skin there were equally discolored marks, visible thanks to her yellow tank and spandex shorts. Yet, despite and because of all of this, Ruby had never seen her happier.

"She took a pounding," Blake explained, coming from behind the bar with an ice pack. Yang swung around, arms open to receive her, lips puckered for a kiss. The Italian gave her an ice pack to the face instead, walking right past her. "Idiot just let herself run into the punch over and over, even took a kick to the head. I swear she has a concussion."

"But I won!" Yang grinned, face full of ice and belly full of fire. Ruby didn't have words for her idiot sister. All she could do was give the doof a hug and accept her just as she was.

"Please, stop getting yourself almost killed," Ruby begged, clutching her sister. She remained solid, after everything, after quite a few scares. After what, twenty-something years? Yang Xiao Long remained a fire spitting dragon and a rock in the sea.

"Hey, as long as it's almost, you two love my spontaneity!"

"I try not to," Blake quipped, leaning over to land a peck on her girlfriend's battered face. Yang, with her injured hand, snatched the girl's chin, taking a bigger kiss for a champion's reward. Blake lightly shoved off her partner, eliciting a giggle from Yang. "You want to get hit in the head, again?"

"No, but speaking of headaches!" Yang reached for Ruby and Weiss, snatching both their hands and letting the ice pack fall to the floor like an idiot. "Weiss, my beloved sister-in-law, Ruby, it's time for you to meet the new students, my lovely support team!"

Port's Pub remained a home for the foreign students of Beacon. The upper level packed with a new generation of bright faces from foreign lands, sitting as an awkward family in their special cherry wood seats, unaware of the mantle of memories they now held. A cute group of mostly freshmen, May from Hong Kong, Octavia from Romania, Ciel from Algeria sat together huddling for warmth. Included in the program were girls Dew from Ireland and Gwen from Wales, both second years. Roy, a third year from France, and the last a fourth year, an American named Nolan, still respected Yang's control as a super super senior. Not half bad in terms of replacements.

Yang introduced Ruby and Weiss, told the group the pair's marriage gave her the power to strike down her enemies and win the day. They seemed excited within varying degrees of shyness. Nora broke down the walls with a shout for "Tequila!" She seemed already integrated, easing the party of older woman back into their thrones.

Wasn't long before the booze started flowing again, especially after May had perhaps insisted that Nora couldn't handle much at her size. Soon enough a game of graduates versus students commenced. Penny, Nora, Blake, and Reese (she lied about going to Beacon for the cheap drinks) went head to head with May, Nolan, Octavia, Dew, and Gwen. Yang wanted to defend Nora's honor with the old ladies, but Blake nearly threw her back into her seat, at one point even considering duct taping her to the chair. Yang quickly accepted her role as cheerleader.

Ruby of course stayed on the sidelines, leaning against the back wall, as the first round began. Everyone kept score with bullshit numbers and skipping counts in various languages. Even though she kept herself from the battle, there with Weiss it felt like being a kid again. Though, she supposed it never stopped. "Hey, Ruby, I got your milk," Coco's voice was a rare once a year melody, "It's on the house, newlywed." She hadn't changed, not even a little, besides maybe getting her own place with Velvet. She worked on the wedding, not a major deal. Honestly, tonight seemed like a bigger celebration. Ruby took her glass, set it down, and gave her old friend a hug.

The night kept up its festivities, even as the crowds died down. Patrons left and the affair became more and more a private party. Port closed the kitchen down, old mustachioed man off to bed. The alcohol surge did leave everyone a few decibels louder and several levels sillier. The new kids all circled around Penny's advice corner, the redhead relying on Ruby's skill as a translator for drunken York into standard English. Nora slept under Velvet and Coco's watch, and Weiss went out for a breather, choking on the bar air.

Blake forced sobriety on the wounded Vytal champion, but failed to do so for herself. This late in the night, Blake was effectively wasted. She curled up on Yang, holding the blonde's head like a careful possession, as if it could fall off. Yang didn't care in the least, body breathing heavy and tired, fury and adrenaline could only run the motor for so long. Content was the best way to describe her. "Heya, sis."

"Hi Ruby, how's the married life?" Yang could barely manage to be audible over Penny's loud explanation on the merits of traditional mechanical physics. Blake still kept that ice pack on her eye and somehow, despite the partying, the champion looked a little less like shit.

"Weird, but like, a good fuzzy sort of weird, not a bad sort of weird," Ruby replied with a master's level English education. The question of how the heck did she manage to write novels fresh on her mind. "How about you, hurting at all? I really miss you, Yang."

"Same, every day Rubes. I really want you to know, I'm so proud of the person you are today. I know Summer is so proud," Yang shared, a slight rasp in her voice, thirsty or desperate, "but yeah, honestly all of me hurts like hell right now, but I got the world's best nurse." Yang's casted arm fumbled its way through Blake's hair.

"Blake's a really good girl, you deserve her, Yang," Ruby declared, sipping the last bit from her now lukewarm milk. Her sister's lips curled up, too content to act embarrassed. Honestly, she could be blushing, but with a face this black and blue, it really didn't matter.

"I don't know if I deserve anything, but I am really grateful I have a chance to not totally fuck this up." Every cynical word Yang ever said came with a chuckle and grin, impossible to take seriously. Ruby knew well enough that was the mask, shaking her head in disagreement. "Don't fight me, especially when you're being a bad wife. Go entertain my sister-and-law."

"You sure?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, now go," Yang demanded, "I love you, and I'm proud of you, now get out of my face."

"Love you, too," Ruby finished, sucking in the last bit of air before she escaped into the outside world. Port's Pub, despite her general preference for sobriety, will always be a perfect place.

Past the door the temperature dropped in the terribly early morn. It had drizzled just a bit, easing a lot of work and washing some of the smoke and ash smell out of their fair city. Best thing it did was give the street a shine, the cobble rocks each reflecting the lamps and festival lights. The tan paint had a darker tinge, and puddles filled the cracks between stones, splintering the light even more and giving the night a glow. Weiss wasn't far from the entrance.

She stood watch, waiting for Ruby perhaps. Her blue eyes certainly noted Ruby before shooting off towards the crescent moon. She clung to herself for warmth, her preferred coat failing to match up to the north Spain autumn. Her partner was happy to provide that heat for her.

Coming up from behind, Weiss offered no resistance as Ruby slid her arms around her waist, and pulled her close from the back. Together they better battled the wind current that charged down the narrow streets, blowing cool air from right off the Atlantic. It gave the atmosphere a slightly salty taste, mixed unevenly with the flavor of ash and rain. "What'cha doing out here, Weiss?"

"It's not that I don't like the pub, but bars aren't my thing, and I felt like breathing something other than cigarettes and ethanol," Weiss admitted, her tone flat and factual, untainted. Ruby tucked her chin into the girl's neck, finding a comfortable position.

"Next time, we'll bring a guitar. I know you're a sucker for musical attention."

"I'm a sucker for music."

"Two guitars, gotcha," Ruby joked, receiving no punishment for her teasing, "So I got some news."

"Yes?" Weiss asked. If she was truly curious she masked it with a tone of indifference. Ruby kept herself pretty shut on the email she had received a few days ago. Not meaning to hide it, but between the varying papers, planning, preparation, and pomp, their wedding consumed everything. Including her big news.

"I got an email from King's College. I've been accepted into the doctorate program." Weiss didn't jump in surprise, but Ruby could feel her release a breath by the pressure on her back, a happy hum following the exhale. "I figured you already knew since I can smell your dad's involvement all over this." King's College was one of the best humanities schools in all of England. Ruby wouldn't have even bothered applying if it wasn't for Dr. Autumn's insistence.

"Yes, our father now. He only wanted to make sure you got a shot. Your master's thesis is what convinced them, not us. We just made sure they looked at it. Please, understand—"

"I do," Ruby cut her off, feeling the tensing of Weiss' shoulders against her chin. The cold air blew through and encouraged a tightening hug. She wasn't thrilled about it, but the love was there, it was okay. "I just want to know I deserve it. I can stand on my own two feet. I want to be part of what supports us."

"Ruby," Weiss began, turning around to face her wife without breaking the seal of her arms. Important enough to be face to face, Weiss' blue eyes didn't falter at all, keeping locked on the silver disks within their view. Cold absolutism stared Ruby down. "I don't bother with lies. I believe your writing is astounding. I believe that nothing me or my father could say would convince Dr. Autumn to be so interested in you if she didn't like your master's thesis. Trust me. Please."

"I believe, thank you," Ruby whispered, no competing sound out in the street, the city resting from a night of amazement. In their new position, Ruby pressed her cheek against Weiss', perfectly locked. Her ears were cold, chilled by wind and waiting.

"Good," Weiss replied, flatly, dangerously, "Then you won't be mad that after our honeymoon I've already scheduled for us to look for apartments in London." Ruby spat out a laugh, earning an annoyed growl from Weiss.

"Didn't even ask," Ruby complained, not meaning it. The subject of what to do after marriage, how to build a proper life not separated by a sea, had be previously up in the air, labeled and sorted in the 'to figure out later' category of life. "Can you do that? Pick up the company and move with me?"

"My dad's not dead, so the SDC is fine," Weiss answered in directness that would have shocked an eighteen year old Ruby, "and my record label would perform better located in London, more acts pile in there. I'll have offices in both locations, but this is a smart move. I promise."

"Not holding you back?"

"I refuse," Weiss declared, adding her own arms to their embrace. It felt reminiscent of their first dance, right on the beach, just a night ago. A formal affair with their shoes kicked off and the Atlantic licking the girls' feet. Both of them giggled then, now silent, but happy. "Your mother told us to fly. So let's do it. Together. Travel, and live, and do everything there is to be done."

"It's all I want."

"So, Ruby Rose, do you still do?" Weiss asked, pulling away just enough to be face to face, nose to nose, forehead to forehead. Her eyes focused on the answer, asking for a repeat of yesterday.

"Yes," Ruby answered, "I do." Kissing her bride outside a pub, freezing alive in an autumn morning, their vows were reaffirmed.

***Hey everyone, assuming the site doesn't crash, I actually finished a holiday special, ON THE HOLIDAY IT'S MADE FOR, which is Ironic in this case, as it has nothing to with Valentines day and actually takes place in fall, but fuck it. Wanted an excuse to write about the wedding and specifically the day after, which to me, is more interesting. Wedding's themselves are very expensive and surprisingly short and simple. Lot of tweaking for an hour long thing. Felt like this was better. Who knows maybe you all will hate me.

Originally choice was suppose to end before volume 3, but I feel happy ending it with it. Though thematically they are super different. RWBY is an astoundingly creative fun house that has breed a community of creativity to such a degree I've never seen something like it per capita of the viewership. RWBY may not be perfect but that's astounding and much more important than a better script. It inspires people to make, people like me included. Thanks RWBY, and thanks Monty, I feel confident that was your favorite part too.

I want to say thanks as well to all of you who read and supported me. This is the last planned extra, I've thought of maybe doing a distant domestic AU, maybe with kids, but if I did that it would probably be separate fic. LEt me know what you think, but I'm most focused on Summer's Vale which chapter one should finish soon. I hope to hear what you all have thought, it's amazing the amount of messages I've gotten about the feelings this fic has given. People who don't know where to go, people afraid to follow their dreams, and many who have suffered losses like Ruby. I'm honored by the messages and I love you all. Thank you for the time.

Thanks again to LazyKatze, she's astounding, really, she rushed to get this done before her Valentine's date, nearly throwing up last night to make sure it came out on time. I love her to death, thank you cat.

See you all later, I hope to get the same support for the other fics moving forward. Goodbye everyone!