Chapter 9: Only Moving Forward

Ruby Rose

Cold, despite the fact that it was still just early autumn. Chilled, even though Ruby wore a pretty thick white hoodie with red accents above the chest, however her stupid ripped tight jeans made it worse. Crisp, despite the cover, a massive wooden church that had been long since burnt, left side a crumbling facade of wood and rot, beautiful flowers growing where pews once were. Collapsed roofing on one section made a pile into a wall, enough to block the cold air. Only the rightmost corner had roofing left, windows shattered, crucifix pushed back up right by some good citizen despite everything else, the stands, pews, tables, all knocked over, burnt or rotten.

It wasn't cutting though, for of all the things Ruby had ran out of the house with, she took something she hadn't touched in a while: a thick wool hood, bright red, almost like a blanket. Her mother's. When she wrapped it around her shoulders the wind deviated around her. Now it just felt simply like her mother's breath, frosty from a ghost, as she held her. No, now I'm crying again, Ruby thought to herself, knowing her mom wasn't here. She was in the American soil, for whatever reason people did that. What was here instead, just a girl in red, a backpack from school, a desolate burned out church to hide in, roofing providing cover from the rain as it dumped down onto the village, and a little bit of cool blue light that emanated from her smartphone screen. It displayed at the top the marker for about twenty texts, fifteen phone calls, and ten messages. A healthy majority from her dad, a few from Penny, none she could bare to look at besides maybe the York girl, but the only one Ruby was really focused on was Weiss' that replied shortly with just:

"I'm coming."

The white little message blip was still potent to look at, how quick she replied. The string was short, an admission that Ruby had run away from home and a response for where she was, not even asking what happened and suddenly, despite the rain, the dark night, the biting air, Weiss was coming to pick her up. She didn't know where to, but it was better than being here, alone, crying, watching the little power bar shift as Ruby quickly realized her dirty church corner was about to be a pitch black, dirty church corner. She just wanted it to last till another message popped on the screen, tiny picture of Weiss giving some comfort, some reassurance, something, anything.

No message, just the slow whine of tires as a car slowed along the wet pavement that connected the church to the two lane road that acted as their home village mainstreet. Though dark inside, and difficult to look in on, the bright headlights of oncoming cars were blue clouds of illumination that could be seen through the busted walls and front door that hung open oh-so-slightly. This taxi did not leave like the rest, its vibrant light continued to slither through the cracks, the silence interrupted by a shadow and slam of a door.

Ruby was gripped in a bit of girlish fear, scared maybe of whatever crack addicts lived here, if that was like a thing in Spanish villages, but the silhouetted figure that stood in the doorway, cast in blue, was not big or scary, but short and feminine.

"Who's there?!" Ruby shouted back from her distant corner, flipping her brave dying phone around, her own azure light fighting the car's. The shadow was revealed. Weiss. Wearing a one piece, short, dark gray dress with little white patterns across the right shoulder, her hair was tied back into a long offsided ponytail with a red bow. Smarter than Ruby, she brought an umbrella, blue and red, keeping her dry as she moved forward, a crunch from the shattered wood with each step. The wind seemed to dance around her, fluttering the end of the dress but not pushing the rain into her.

"Ruby?" she asked, expression blank, the blue in her eyes looking into the dark. The redhead became instantly self aware, putting her phone back and wiping the tears, snot, and other horrible messes from her face. Joke was on her though, she was still crying and the flow ruined her looks almost immediately.

"Hi Weiss-s, I didn't know... you were re-really coming... It's kind of a mess…" Ruby trailed off, not able to find her words as she hiccuped on every fourth syllable, sobs interrupting her. Now she didn't just act stupid in front of her crush, she looked and sounded it too.

Weiss didn't seem... moved, she just kept walking forward, hard blue eyes looking into her, too deep. Only when they were close, arms reach, Ruby on the floor and Weiss standing above her, did she make another sound. A click of the tongue, so light with her perfect white teeth clenched tight and lips just barely open.

"Look at you," the German girl finally said, getting on a knee despite the dress, "You are a complete mess." She pulled out of her sleeves a proper handkerchief, white with an embroidered W.S. in the corner. Putting the umbrella down, she grasped Ruby's chin with one hand and the other so gently cleaned the weeping girl off.

Her touch cured the tears, or maybe just shocked Ruby's system out of it. Weiss had never touched her face before, barely touched her at all, but with a soft cloth she brushed against every spot that had been graced by tears or her leaky nose, something that almost completely ruined the romantic air to the situation.

She moved so swiftly, gently, hands that had taken the pound of makeup off her own face in under half a minute. Ruby had none, whatever she had had was taken by the beach earlier in the day, but if even a hint of it remained, it was gone now. Weiss' touch purified her.

"Come on," the pale girl started again, slipping her handkerchief into Ruby's jean pocket, "I have a feeling this isn't the end of you crying all over yourself. Wash it and return it when this is over." That made Ruby smile, just a bit, as both of them stood.

"What now?" Ruby asked, knowing not what saving her from the church entailed. The whole running away from home, while childish and probably temporary, did leave her down a domicile. This was probably the end of her hiding and diversion, the moment Ruby would have to go home, or back to America.

"You're coming back to the dorms. You can stay in my room tonight." Ruby's eyes went wide, earning a suspicious glare from Weiss. "What?" she both asked and demanded, picking up her umbrella, holding it between them.

"Thanks Weiss," Ruby mumbled, unable to look at her, grey eyes darting away from those pretty blues, whom rolled at that.

"Come on dolt, holding taxis cost money," Weiss declared, pulling the red girl forward. Into the rain but safely, no more dampness on her mom's hood, she put it away. No more cold, even as they stepped into the wind, out onto the street where it showered against the pavement, and into the back of a yellow taxi where they both sat together in the back, It felt so weird and warm.

"Universidad vámonos," Weiss called out as they shut the door. Heavy downpour turning into distant bumps from outside the car. The driver nodded and his taxi jerked forward without a word more, turning out into the street, distant La Vale over the hills and by the sea. A costly trip, Ruby owed her again.

"So Weiss, I just—"

Ruby was interrupted by the sound of Weiss slapping her own lap twice. A motion that confused her the first time, before the silver girl repeated it again, but this time glaring at her with vengeance on the brain. Suddenly it occurred to her, and Ruby blushed.

"Umm."

"This is the one and only time I will treat you like a child, I suggest you use it." Weiss' voice made it clear this was not option, though Ruby doubted she really understood why her hair was matching her cheeks. Still, with a sigh, she obeyed, laying down in the back of the car, pulling herself into the fetal position, head resting softly on Weiss' lap, which the depression pretty much was the only thing that kept her mind out of the sexy stuff, but soon enough it was clear why Weiss thought this would help. One hand gently rubbed Ruby's arm, the other brushed its thin fingers through Ruby's short, straight hair, so relaxing, so safe, a child like state. That broke the walls. She was crying again.

"It's okay, breath, talk if that helps, or not. Whatever suits you," Weiss whispered, voice detached, but not really. She had an authoritative tone, but it almost made Ruby feel more sure, more safe. Knowing she didn't have to say anything made her have to, opened her up like a rose blooming.

"I shouldn't have skipped, I-I-I thought Yang's mom wouldn't mind, my mom never minded," Ruby was struggling with the words, sobbing harder as she tried to tell the story straight, "but she's not my mom, my mom's dead, I don't have a mom!" Ruby was bawling now, reduced to the same level of thought as a child. The driver looked back to check on what the crying was about, but Weiss glared him right the heck back to the road. Hands gently combed through her hair and despite everything Ruby knew about her, Weiss didn't shout anything back. Of course she was thinking how dumb it was of Ruby to skip courses someone else's mother was paying for, of course it was rude just to expect the same treatment, but it didn't need to be said, so it wasn't. Weiss just watched, her expression still cold, but her actions weren't. They were gentle.

Then the memory of the morning popped into Ruby's mind.

"Weiss... what happened to you last night?" she mumbled into her dress, still audible, literally feeling the German girl groan against her.

"I don't think that exactly fixes this situation, Ruby!" she sounded angry as usual, but this was not going to be let go.

"It does, I wanna know," Ruby couldn't help but sound spoiled, but it was truly the opposite. She wasn't the only one hurting today. She wasn't going to be selfish anymore.

"Ruby…"

"It does! ...just please?" Turning over, Ruby could look up at her, silver eyes damp and red again, but fixed, even childlike, searching Weiss over for the answer. What had really happened? What was happening? Most importantly, could Ruby reach through the walls of ice and stone the girl surrounded her soul with.

"I so hate you," Ruby smiled despite Weiss' aggravated head shake, "My first school I went to was in Austria, a University with a famed music and business department. I was a dual major. I had lots of friends, and a girlfriend," Weiss didn't look at Ruby when she spoke, eyes burning into the back of the empty passenger seat, focused on the picture in her mind, hands still gently combing Ruby's hair. "Her name was Emerald, she had beautiful dark brown skin, grandfather was an American soldier, hair was always colored something stupid, usually green like her name. I loved her, and she loved my money," her hands stopped, "Everyone warned me that she was straight as an arrow, and I kind of knew. She only ever agreed to go out if I took her somewhere extravagant, we only had sex if I bought her some jewelry or nice clothes. I nearly bankrupted myself trying to pay for her love. Eventually I dropped out of my business major without telling my father, using the money he gave me to pay tuition for our lifestyle. I was so stupid," red ringed her eyes, tears that would not come out, the heiress would not cry. This upset Ruby, everyone deserved to cry, and the thought of this was so painful the red girl wrapped around Weiss tight, arms clutching her midsection. She was so skinny, so thin, though there was a faint hint of muscle Ruby could feel putting her face against the warmth of her abs.

"I'm sorry," I would have loved you poor, Ruby kept herself from saying, knowing sadness and jealousy stirred in her. Someone touched, had, kept, all of Weiss, and didn't even care. It was so unfair, this Emerald girl didn't deserve any of it, any of Weiss. Ruby just wished she did.

"It was such an idiotic move, imbecilic even. But I did it. Only took two semesters before my dad could tell I was lying about something. Soon enough he confronted me with proof, he bribed someone and they stole the transcripts from my personal records. Now I'm here, moved to a school with a shitty music department. Emerald broke up with me the day she found out I was leaving." There was more to the story, but Weiss struggled with it, her hands shook with pain, eyes latched out into the rain that blurred the encroaching city scape.

"It's okay, you can tell me... I'm right here." Ruby didn't know what she was saying, she just knew it had to be something, even just a mumble against the soft silk like feel of her dress, still just a baby in a lap, holding her comforter for mutual support.

"She texted me today," Weiss continued to keep herself steady, not crying, but her lip quivered, "she has a boyfriend now, some stupid dance dj named Mercury, said she was sorry. I asked why. She was the one. She took my dad's money, she was the one who sold me away. Worse… she said if I was ever in Vienna... if I had more money then… that Mercury would understand... I would just have to pay her for…" Weiss shook, teeth clenched so hard it was difficult to hear her. Ruby understood regardless. "I have a song. I made it today. I don't know if you can use it, but listen."

Ruby couldn't respond before one ear had a bud forced in it from a pair of headphones. Wasn't long until smooth sounds of a piano poured out from the bud that Weiss tapped her finger to the beat of. It played gentle pattern of tones that quietly built up to a voice, Weiss' voice, but not her's. A singing voice that sounded unique from her's, something that belonged to sound not language.

Mirror, tell me something, tell me who's the loneliest of all, the voice begged a loaded question, before the voice called other instruments, drums, orchestration, a faster beat that played along the lines of the words until... until the soft operatic break that reached places Ruby had never thought Weiss' anger enriched voice could. Once over the music came back again, as well as the singing, the most intense and painful, sharp and barbed as it pushed forward. A taste of musical fury and a healthy dose of lyrical depression, all ending on a profound and deep admission, one Weiss would never make in language, but did in song. I am the loneliest of all. Every instrument had abandoned the words aside from the piano that first brought them, and even that drifted into absence. Leaving only an angry silence.

"I hate her," they both said in unison, though one was muffled the other shouted. The solidarity was nice though, and Weiss' small body stopped shaking, breath turned steady, the pop of her stomach becoming easier. Emerald wasn't here, it was just them, and neither felt like talking. They just remained fixed, Weiss petting and combing Ruby's hair and the red girl holding on, making sure the moment didn't drift away. Despite the heartbreak, the scene, at least to her, seemed nice.

There was no more talking, taxi slowing up as they approached Beacon, a castle like institution melded into the walls that curved though the mountains. This was their immediate home. For both of them painful reasons brought them here, but it wasn't so bad. Weiss slipped the driver fifty euros, something Ruby would remember to pay off no matter what. She was not going to be Emerald part two.

Protected by a umbrella, the two kept a comfortable silence as they drifted through the courtyard together, Ruby's backpack in one hand and an umbrella and Weiss' left hand in the other. Inside the rain became muted, their steps the louder sound. It was so dead as they approached the dorms, nothing stirred in the low light. Not till the foreign students dorm opened and a Yorkish bullet rang out.

"Ruby!" Penny cried, tackling the girl near to the floor, her orange hair fluttering back and forth as she rocked the pair in a bear hug. "I was so worried! I would have picked you up, but my piggy bank didn't have enough for a taxi. Oh my goodness, thank you so much, Weiss!" Penny wore her feelings on her sleeve, an earnest and sweet girl. Ruby liked her affectionate friend, and the unadulterated love in her hugs. It was always so easy to return them and smile around her.

"I had the money. It only made sense for me to do it, Penny," Weiss offered in her usual clinical attitude, but the Yorkish girl didn't seem any less enthused. She pulled away with a skip, hopping back in her green, dress overalls and clapping her hands together to call attention.

"Alright, we are having a slumber party, friend. We're going to put you in our dorm room, you can borrow one of my nighties, and tell me all about what in bloody hell happened to you tonight!" Weiss rolled her eyes hands pressed on her hips.

"She can stay in my room, there's enough people with Nora in yours already. Ruby isn't a sardine." Now Penny furrowed her brow for a moment, keeping up her smile, though it hid a deceptive aggravation.

"She's also not your pet," Weiss' eyes went wide as Penny said it with a smile that really pissed her off. "Friend, you can decide. Don't let anyone pick for you!" It was about to go into a full smackdown, the German girl already had her finger out to to wage with her lecture on manners, standing on her tippy toes to look down on Penny.

"No fighting!" Ruby near shouted, cutting off the whole confrontation before it even began, "Look, I don't wanna think about what happened, or what I'm feeling. I wanna kind of be in the present. I also don't really wanna just go to bed," both girls stopped for a moment, turning to listen, Penny with some excitement, Weiss with less. "I say we go on an adventure!"

"Oh no," Weiss mumbled back.

"Shush, it'll be fun!" Most importantly it would be something new, something alive, something not painful. A much needed innocent distraction.

"Alright friend," Penny answered, ready and willing.

"First thing I thought about doing since I've been here that I've yet to do," Ruby turned herself toward the hall, knowing right where to go for her little plot, "It's time to conquer the castle!"

Castles are always so dark and dreary, carpeted in fine furs with armored suits at every turn. They were mazes of loot and monsters one fights, tricks, sneaks, and defeats. Least that's as far as any American had any proof of, Ruby's sole experience with these great European wonders of stone and plaster being from vibrant video games that painted a rather specific and fantastical style to these delightful places. This reality, however, was a little less lively. La Vale's was not that caricature.

"Did you bring a torch?" Penny asked in a hushed whisper as they, the three quickly becoming a single unit, scuttled about with only their phone dash screens for light. Not a bit adequate, there was nothing but dim, yellow dotted floor lights in the narrow hall that illuminated only the narrow walkways.

"This isn't Skyrim. No, I didn't bring a torch," Ruby replied between a laugh and a whisper. Despite the cramped space, the icy cold touch of the tan stone walls, the dripping sound coming from just everywhere, and the eerie way sound whistled around the edges of each tunnel, like a moan escaping the towers themselves, there was still adventure. The castle more a series of walls and short keeps than any glamorous mansion, but Ruby was not, in the least, disappointed.

"She means a flashlight, dunce," Weiss counted directly into Ruby's neck. The frosty air, or creepy atmosphere glued them together. Each clutching onto the other for direction, warmth, and comfort, the redhead's stomach contorted and twisted into shapes that would leave a clown gasping every time she noticed how close the German girl was pressed against her back, even if that was Penny sandwiching them together. Turns out, the York girl was terrified of dark, cramped places, bad move for Ruby on her new be the best bestfriend goal chart.

"Flashlights aren't powered by fire, Weiss. Duh." There were rare few moments where Ruby could show her knowledgeable chops were of equal measure to Weiss, and she was not some useless bimbo. Groan as she might, it was all to earn a better opinion. Plus what kind of best friend slash maybe-sort-of-please-girlfriend would let her equivalent run around saying torches like an idiot.

"It's what we call them, friend." Now Ruby just felt stupid, that was hardly fair. Least laughing at her brought the two bickering friends of her's together. All for the greater good, Rubes, she could almost hear her sister saying. Actually, thinking about it, Ruby noted something that did suspiciously sound like a voice. Penny, a perfect little ginger infused warning beacon jumped at it, alerting all to the danger.

"Someone's here! We have to go!" she shouted, a echo reverberating along the walls and down the stone pathways. No way whatever was making the human sounding speech, an out of tune song and distant steps, did not hear them.

"Stop being a baby! It's just a janitor or something!" Weiss shot back with too much gusto for a sneaking mission where no one was supposed to be. Ruby might have called torches flashlights, which they were, but at least she wasn't this stupid.

"If I'm a baby why did you bring a sword!?" Penny raised her soft voice again in complaint, pointing a somewhat well deserved figner. The German girl had brought her prized rapier and clung to it like life itself. Both of them were so silly.

"It's for our protection!" Weiss was beat red of embarrassment, the cellphone light bright enough to show her shame. Cute.

"Our protection? How are you going to beat castle ghosts with a sword! Might as well stab it with a dinner f—"

"Guys, you are way too loud!" Light beamed down the wall fort passage, the flashlight they so needed now was aimed at the three of them, petrified souls awaiting immediate expulsion. This was such a terrible idea. How the hell had Weiss not talked her out of this? "Guys?"

That voice! It was familiar.

"Jaune?" Penny landed it, and as Ruby's eyes adjusted to the harshness of the blaring beam, she could see his perpetually awkward form come into view. A sort of handsome boy, though the redhead was a poor judge of that, with messy blonde hair and a personality whose primary virtue was earnestness, something that was meant in the best and worst ways equally. Plus word had it he was a king at dancing, but that was just a rumor.

"Hey, so what are you doing, you know, screaming in a castle?" Jaune asked, filling the silence with his thin french accent and chilled demeanor.

"Uh, what are you doing here?!" Ruby replied, pointing a finger at their captor, no one was innocent, she would take him down with her if need be, but no way was she going down without a fight. Weiss was depending on her! And Penny! And herself!

"I'm an intern here." Shit.

"We are doing, stuff," Ruby stuttered trying to strike a comeback, but there was nothing. Doom was barreling towards her, again, this was a terrible idea. Jaune was unmoved and after a eye rolled Weiss, the prince charming of Ruby's dreams was here to save them all, taking a step forward, into the somber light.

"Ruby had a bad day. We wanted to go exploring to cheer her up. It's completely her fault," traitor, "Mr. Arc, what does a hundred euros say about us being here?"

"Are you trying to bribe me?"

"Admitting that would be a crime." Ruby was consistently impressed by Weiss' ability to say the craziest things stone faced serious. She was born to be a dangerous woman and it made Ruby's heart tumble all over itself like a penguin down stairs.

"How about for a date?" Jaune asked with a childish gusto, proving his famed earnestness. Ruby might have been jealous if Weiss had not confided to her that she was gayer than Ellen wrapped in rainbows. Fact was, the German girl would face prison time before Saturday dinner with him.

"No, ask again and I'll sue you," Weiss replied, arms crossed with indignation.

"Worth a try," Jaune muttered with a sigh, but quickly snapped back to a boyish smile, "I wasn't even going to get you in trouble, but if you wanted to look around we have guided tours during, you know, the day."

"I'm kind of low on cash, and this was a big spur of the moment deal. Sorry Jaune," Ruby admitted, feeling bad now. She had really risked getting the whole gang of them in trouble, only saved by the good graces of a French boy in ripped jeans.

"Well, I was going to head to the dorms, but Pyrrha is out so I don't have much to do… I could show you around now? It's just really not safe without a torch," Jaune offered with a kind word. She just wished he could have avoided mentioning torches, a simple request.

"Told you," Weiss butt in. This was just going to be another thing that noone would ever let the stupid American kid just escape.

"Really? Thanks Jaune, that's actually super nice of you," Ruby answered, ignoring Weiss completely. Optimism and forward thinking, that's all she needed to defeat her own embarrassment.

"What can I say, you remind me of one of my sisters," Jaune was alright in the end, a sweet person underneath his over eagerness, maybe something the two of them had in common. Another friend gained, Ruby was convinced, a strong start to their late night adventure. "This way to the haunted prison!"

"Can we please, please not," Penny squeaked. It was too late, no turning back. Only moving forward, never backwards.

Under Jaune's guidance and Weiss' zealous protection, the great mystery of La Vale Castle was surrendered onto Ruby. She got to consume every facility, faculty, and facite of the connected structures, whether through the tan stone tunnels inside, the sopping wet wall-walk with dents and divides where puddles formed that she couldn't keep from kicking into whomever was closest, musty dungeons and rusted gatehouses, storage rooms to barracks halls. She got it all, and with the same whimsy and wonder the redhead experienced reading fantasy novels she felt sliding between the worn barrel towers that popped up wherever the city wall could be found.

The smell of the rain and dust, the feel of beaten rock against her fingertips, none of it disenchanted this place to Ruby, despite perhaps its attempts to seem like nothing more than a tourist trap with its gaudy plaques and little exhibits. The knowledge that this was real made the fantastical more vivid, and their own twisted adventures. The moment Jaune swung around back to sneak up and scare Ruby, how Weiss struck down a ghost that attacked Penny made no less valiant when it turned out to be an old potato sack she had squared. That, she did pay Jaune a few euros for.

What was really a short little break from reality felt like an hours long journey together that for once brought the pair together. Penny and Weiss stopped fighting and started joking, Jaune and Ruby exchanged numbers and stories, both had turned out to share a mixed interest in fantasy games. He had even gone to the same PAX as her. Perhaps they had met even. It was a great night, the cold rain dried out and everything felt fresh again.

"Why would old stuff scare you? Old stuff is harmless...it's, you know, old," Jaune asked Penny about her fears. The Yorkish girl just shrugged.

"I don't know, too bloody old," the young ginger answered, earning a sigh from from their history student.

"So guys, no more sneaking around here. You're lucky I was the one on flag duty," Jaune lectured light heartedly as they all nodded in agreement. Weiss even seemed to take part in his chastising of their group, like she had tried to stop them.

"Yes, I promise, no sneaking." Their little night time excursion was over, cut short by Weiss receiving a nasty call. Yang, least it sounded like it. Ruby's fault she knew, her phone died sometime between the ride from the village and Beacon. Yang was rightfully livid.

As they walked the halls, Penny chatted Ruby up a bit more, Jaune said aloud his mental internship checklist as he locked the Castle doors behind him, Weiss seemed however a little lost, like something was on her mind, but not quite. Ruby drifted from her friend's conversation to the blue eyes that seemed to scan her own thoughts, not really aware of the room around them. Neither of them snapped too till the final bit of Penny's ramblings hit the Vytal festival.

"The what? Isn't that Yang's tournament?" Ruby asked, admitting in slight to her day dreaming. This event had come up once or twice by Yang though she put a lot of distance between her kick boxing hobby and her family, no one was suppose to see her fight. She said it made her soft.

"Not just that, it's the biggest local celebration, sports all day and night, until around eight, then these giant paper mache statues get burned all over the city, big parties happen, everyone celebrates," Weiss explained with an oddly nervous cool, "I heard it's lovely," she was putting a lot of distance between her and her voice, and for as cool as she was, no one could say Weiss spoke dispassionately as judgemental as she was, "I was wondering if we could go together? Seems odd to check it out alone." No way.

"I—"

"Sounds like a great idea! A good night out, then pub afterwards! We should hangout together more often!" Penny cut them off, wrapping both of them in a tight hug. Though irritated by the embrace, Weiss didn't correct her and Ruby's tumbling heart returned to a steady rhythm though disappointed.

"Yeah, I'd love that." Not so dissapointed as to refuse.

"Well good then," Weiss mumbled, stepping out of the group hug and out in front, right into a very wet, very angry looking, and it seemed partially intoxicated, Yang guarding the dorm door.

"You!" she shouted, violet eyes boiling with rage, anger that honestly was wrongly pointed.

"My name is Weiss Schnee, thank you!"

"Yeah, we all know your name princess." Blake was flanking Yang, arms crossed, not so soaked but just as annoyed.

"Where is Ruby!? What have you done with her?" Yang stood a head taller than Weiss, but the German girl did not flinch, even as the much bigger and stronger woman got within a fingers distance from her.

"Nothing, I'm right here! Please, no fighting!" The anger drained from Yang's face and she sobered enough to forget all about her grudge and tackle the redhead hard enough it felt like a rib check was in order.

"Rubes, what the hell! We were so worried!" Yang was not letting go, not for a million dollars, and struggling against her mass Ruby did her best to breath. She loved Yang for this, despite how much it kind of physically hurt, the emotional love was there, even if her spine wasn't going to be in a minute.

"Sorry, my phone died, Weiss picked me up at the church," Ruby whispered between gasps.

"We've been chasing you all around the city. Look I don't know what happened between you and Miss Long, but just apologize to her so you can go home, you don't want to be a run away over something that can be solved so quickly," Blake cut in, trying both to get to the heart of this and save Ruby from being crushed. She seemed tired, exhaustion palpable in her expression. This stupid stunt wasn't meant to affect anyone else, but her. This was all a mistake.

"Ruby doesn't have to apologize if she didn't do anything wrong. I have plenty of room for a time, till your mother gets sense enough to drop this," Weiss interjected, disrupting the peace. If Weiss said one thing, Blake said the other, but the inversed was also true, something that made peace between them so annoying.

"That's stupid, Ruby you're coming home, now!" Yang let go, but with the same angry look a mom gives a child they love, but will not tolerate the insolence of. With a sigh Ruby shook her head, knowing this was not going away, she could not let others decide for her, she had to accept the leadership position in her life.

"No Yang, not tonight, and not because I don't wanna apologize. I do, I messed up. Miss Long isn't mom, she's not... she shouldn't have to pay my way through college for me to do it at my pace. She shouldn't have to take me fighting back and," the thing that truly created the divide, what made Ruby leave wasn't miss Long, but herself, knowing how foolish her words had been, "Shouldn't have me telling her that my mom treated you better than she does me... it's not true. I mean it's not the same, but they aren't supposed to be, and she doesn't owe me that. I want to write a real apology, hand deliver it and even wait as she reads it, but I want a day to figure out the words. Please call dad, and tell him I'm sorry and I will be back tomorrow and I'll fix everything. I'm going to stay here with Weiss, if that's okay?"

"Of course, I won't go back on my word," Weiss replied with a slight smile. Being half right was good enough for her.

"Rubes, please just never do that again. I'm going to stay in the dorms, too. Blake's room. Just knock, I don't care what, I'll help!" Yang looked at a loss, but also earnestly wanting to do something of use. There was nothing to do, big sister couldn't save Ruby from facing her own music, so instead of giving her orders, the redhead gave her sibling a hug.

"It's okay. Good night, you are my favorite person and I am so sorry."

"Night Rubes."

"You sure this is okay?" Ruby asked a little awkward in her own corner of Weiss' bed. The whole thing was too much, the covers smelled like her, the pillows had that winter flower scent too, even the PJs Ruby was dressed in, a borrowed pair that fit a little too tightly around the chest for night wear, all blue, were drowning her in Weissness. This was too much for her soul.

"I'll be busy," the songwriter declared like it was an answer, "I want to remix that sound, make it cleaner, I don't know if you'll use it. It's a stupid song anyway." Weiss dressed in similar lose dress like nighties and sat at her computer desk, headphones on, one cup off, the other blaring her music at her for her to carve apart like a butcher.

"It's beautiful," Ruby mumbled, speaking her mind.

"It's weak," Weiss answered, ignoring her compliment.

"I think that's why it's beautiful, it sounds...full features, weak, but strong. That sounds dumb I'm sorry," Ruby laughed nervously, clutching the sheets for all its wonderful scent.

"Thanks. I am glad you like it," Weiss answered, hands paused on her mixer, perhaps thinking on what to do, or on what Ruby had said, "If you need anything ask." Right back to work she went, the silver strains of her hair turned blue from the light of her dual LEDs.

Ruby couldn't have thought of why she did it, perhaps the memory of how mother cared more about others than the self, maybe wanting just to do something sweet back, or maybe connect them, she took out the hood of Summer Rose, a item that comforted her for so long, a representation of her mother's love, and, without a word, draped it over Weiss' shoulders.

"Ruby, what the hell is—"

"It's my mom's, it's warm and soft, so you can feel comfy while you work. If you, uh, need anything too, I'm right here I promise. No matter what. 'Kay partner?" Ruby had the dumbest smile that made her stupid remark seem even more silly, after all who calls the girl they like partner? She was not frigging John Wayne. Yet, Ruby could almost see a smile on her lips. Perhaps the feelings could be felt through a blanket.

"You are so dumb, Ruby. Go to sleep alright? We have a physics quiz tomorrow," there was a touch of giddiness in Weiss' voice, perhaps holding in a happy laugh, or maybe Ruby was imagining it, but either way she just nodded and agreed. Sliding into the far side of Weiss' bed, closing her eyes. The girl felt comfort in the warmth of Weissness around her, the clacking of her fingers against keys and the clicking of her mouse as she incessantly adjusted mixers. The young redhead never got to sleep though, simply a constant state of joy and relaxation, until the the sounds stopped, a flick of the bathroom light, and shifting of sheets as the silver woman crawled right into the bed, body brushing against Ruby's false sleeping one. That did it. Despite the pounding in her chest, she could sleep.

Night, lonely girl.

*** Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in forever, been busy with my birthday, personal drama, nanowrimo which I will talk more about in a minute and then finals. But! all that is over and I'm happy to get to the cute warm and fuzzy White Rose stuff! We are going back to the monthly release schedule for my fics, though I'm doubling down this winter break like I finished this same week as MV! (Then stuff happened ;~;) Thank you to everyone still reading and I hope to see you soon again and thank you to Lazykatze for her endless time and help, she is amazing guys check out her story Layers of Ice and our Collab The Snow White Knight. Two last things though, one about two guest reviews the other about nanowrimo.

About nanowrimo, it's a competition to write a novel in a month, I uhh got about 2/7 the way through my novel at 35k cause I need an editor armed with a god damn bush knife, anyways I've gone in between releasing chapter by chapter on fictionpress or as a free ebook when it's finished and edited. A, do any of you care and B if you do what would you prefer?

RANT ALERT: To the Guest reviewer who wrote not one, but two reviews about the number of non-heterosexual characters in Choice, I have a lot of responses, but to be pragmatic I thought I would clear a few things up, namely certain character's sexualies.

Ruby is a lesbian, but inexperienced.

Weiss is also a lesbian and very experienced.

Yang is pan and Blake is bi. Both have had more sexual experiences with men than women, in Yang's case a decent chunk of both.

Both Ren and Nora are straight. Just cause you kiss the same gender as you and don't throw up doesn't make you gay. Clearly guest reviewer you never went to the kind of slumber parties I did as a kid. She simply is comfortable enough and wanted to check Ruby's reaction for Penny, her friend, and noted that it wasn't that bad.

Both Penny and Velvet don't really fully know where they are, Penny doesn't like to define herself so mechanically and Velvet's world is constantly rocking between what she is and isn't, just like a lot of kids are and it's confusing.

Jaune is straight and Pyrrha, yeah you notice how no one's asked her? And Yang just assumes it will work out in her favor, like you know a rash person who doesn't think of the consequence of assumptions? It's like I'm showing personality and not just saying it, huh? No, this does not make Pyrrha anything, thats one of the unknowns of Choice.

This sexually varied a cast is not a common thing in our world, neither is having a Chinese dad who lives in Spain and a dead American mom who was a security contractor for shady groups. Just you going about your day exactly as you did is mathematically more uncertain than a lot of gay kids in one group yet you're fixated on this one thing, not the others. Fiction is a game of the improbable, sometimes impossible. If this is too much don't read my story, it's not for you, I'm sorry.