Chapter 12

There was a knock at the door and Summer answered it. A very excited Raven and an indifferent Glynda stood there. "Hey Summer, how's it going?" Raven asked cheerfully.

"Not great." Summer admitted. She stepped back and gestured for the guests to enter.

"Where's Yang?" Raven asked, looking around the main room. "I figured she'd be over the moon today. Ooh...is she still sleeping it off? Or is the party still underway?"

"She's in her room crying, like she has been all day." Summer sighed.

"She got laid didn't she?" Raven gasped. "Damn, I was sure I picked a winner. She was showing all the signs, she looked like Yang's type, they left together, what the hell went wrong?"

"You took the day off from work to hook up your daughter for a one night stand?!" Glynda yelled.

"Yeah, so?" Raven confirmed.

"She did get laid." Summer said, glaring through teary eyes. "And then the girl left, and now Yang's lonely and sad, and going through shit I can't begin to help her deal with."

"Wha...what do you mean?" Raven asked, taken aback.

"Go see for yourself." Summer sighed, pointing down the hallway toward Yang's room. "Pyrrha's there trying to console her, but she hasn't been having much success. You did this, maybe you can fix it."

"I...sorry, of course." Raven groaned. "I'll do what I can." She walked down the hall, stopping before Yang's closed door. She could hear muffled sobs and hitches, soothing murmurs from Pyrrha and choked responses. She knocked twice and the hitching stopped.

"Come in." Pyrrha said.

Raven opened the door slowly, poking her head in. "H-hey." She said.

"Raven." Pyrrha said coldly, glaring.

"Pyrrha, it's not her fault." Yang said.

Pyrrha sighed and stood. "Just…" She struggled to find the words, trying to hold her angry glare while the overriding helplessness of her situation eroded her resolve. She finally just sighed and pushed past Raven, closing the door to leave mother and daughter alone.

"Yang?" Raven said, trembling.

"M-mom...I screwed up." Yang sobbed.

Raven rushed to Yang's side, sliding onto the bed. Yang clutched at her, meeting the embrace. "No sweetie, I did." Raven shook her head. "I should have known better. I should have talked to you."

"It wouldn't have mattered." Yang groaned. "I was hurting and frustrated, and just wanted to block it out and have fun, like I used to, when I used people."

"You didn't use people…" Raven started.

"I did." Yang cut her off. "I'd go from person to person, playing with them, with their hearts and minds. It felt good. They made me feel good. Because I was beautiful, everyone wanted me, so I gave myself to them." She sighed. "Then I abandoned them, like...like a whore."

"Y-Yang…" Raven stammered.

"I even used Jaune...my friend!" Yang cried. "I took advantage of him when he was in a bad place because I was bored and felt sorry for him. I took his first time. It should have been someone special, someone who actually cared for him, someone who wouldn't treat him like a piece of meat, like...like Pyrrha, o-or even Ruby, good pure people, without a bad bone in their body. Not like me. I'm dirty. I'm a whore." Yang sobbed violently as Raven squeezed her closer, fighting through her own tears.

"You are not a whore Yang!" Raven declared. "You are my daughter. You are beautiful and strong, and you are not a bad person. You were young, learning and growing, trying new things, and yes, had lots of sex, but that's what teenagers do. You didn't mean to hurt anyone. You are not a bad person Yang. Please don't think that."

Yang had fallen silent and still, barring small hitches. "I wish I could believe that mom." She whispered. "But if this is the way I made people feel...I can't lie to myself, and I won't." Raven could form no response beyond continuing to hold Yang close.

Raven emerged from Yang's room half an hour later. She wandered into the lounge in a daze to find Summer and Pyrrha holding each other on one couch and a stern Glynda on the other. Raven ignored the judging look and sat beside her partner. "Well?" Glynda asked.

"I...she...my daughter is not a whore." Raven sobbed. Dissolving into tears, she snatched a couch pillow and curled around it, burying her face to muffle her sobs.

Glynda's expression softened and she pulled Raven into her lap. Glynda looked to Summer and Pyrrha as Raven whimpered, sudden regret on their faces. "Raven, love, what did she tell you?" Glynda asked.

"S-she thinks that just because she slept around a little that she's...she's bad." Raven struggled. "That she used people and hurt them and it...she th-thinks…" Raven returned her face to the pillow for more sobbing.

Glynda thought for a moment and sighed. Stroking Raven's hair, she bent down and kissed her temple. "I may be able to help yet." Glynda declared. "Summer, can you take over?"

Summer nodded and stood, replacing Glynda on the couch and pulling Raven's head into her lap. "Summer, I'm so sorry." Raven croaked.

"I know Raven, I know." Summer soothed. "Just relax, let it out."

Glynda squeezed Pyrrha's shoulder as she passed, meeting her gaze with a small smile before heading off down the hallway. On the way to Yang's door she pulled her hair free of its usual bun, letting her hair hang naturally. She took off her glasses and put them away, hoping to present a more comforting than professional vibe. She knocked twice on the door, waiting for a quiet and shaky affirmation before pushing in. Yang sat on her bed, cocooned in her blankets with a pillow hugged to her chest, her face streaked with tears both new and old.

"Yang." Glynda said.

"Uh...hey Glynda." Yang sighed. "What's with the...um...look?"

"Even I have to let my hair down once in a while." Glynda shrugged.

"I suppose...but you're always so…" Yang started.

"Uptight?" Glynda finished for her. "High-strung? Prudish?" She took off her heels and climbed into the bed, sitting before Yang.

"I-I didn't say that." Yang gasped as she forced a smile. "You said it."

Glynda smiled genuinely, happy to see Yang at least embracing a little humor. "So I did." Glynda smirked. "I wasn't always this way you know."

"Hah, I find that hard to believe." Yang scoffed.

"Exactly." Glynda said. "Because over the years I've worked hard to maintain a very respectable and boring public image."

"Why?" Yang asked.

"Because when I was your age, and younger, I was quite the opposite." Glynda replied.

"No way…" Yang trailed off.

"Goodfuck Goodwitch." Glynda winced. Yang's eyebrows rocketed upward. "Yes, I was quite the harlot."

"You...how...what?" Yang struggled. "But you're...I…"

"I was a teenager." Glynda cut her off. "I had rebellion issues and a libido rivalling a Faunus in heat. I know because I fucked two, one of which I still talk to, even now."

"Why are you telling me this?" Yang asked.

"Because I understand Yang." Glynda replied. "And I need you to understand that I understand, so I can help you understand yourself. These things you're feeling, they are not the fault of your past actions."

"But I hurt people Glynda!" Yang protested.

"Did you?" Glynda asked, staring at Yang sternly. "Or do you believe that every teenager you had a fling with is as emotionally mature and fragile as you are right now?"

"Uh…" Yang stalled.

"I went through something similar to what you're going through." Glynda explained. "I began second-guessing myself, looking unto my past actions with scorn, disgust, shame. I said as much to my Faunus friend. She grew confused, she asked why the sudden turn? I always seemed at peace with who I was, and she was correct. I never looked into the deeper meaning of my actions, because I was still just a kid. At that age we do things without thinking about them. We are driven by impulse, and it's dumb luck if things work out for the best. She asked me to look back on the things that troubled me, and look at them from another perspective, a teenage perspective. You know what I realized?"

"What?" Yang asked.

"That the people I fucked as a teenager more than likely had the same attitude I did at the time, and what seemed to significant in retrospect was such a drop in the water of their lives they probably never gave it a second thought." Glynda replied. "Sure, some of them might have been disappointed nothing came of it, but hey, they banged Goodfuck, high five, move on."

"And you're just okay with that?" Yang pressed.

"Of course not." Glynda laughed. "I was an idiot! I could have been seriously hurt, fallen pregnant or caught a disease. I could have banged that one wrong person and had it ruin my life. But I didn't. I got lucky, and here I am today, a completely different person, a better person, because I didn't let my past define who I am, because I put it behind me and learned from it."

Yang was silent for a time and Glynda was happy to wait for her. "I...have a lot to think about." Yang finally said. "I still feel...a lot of things but, thank you Glynda, for trying. Is mom okay?"

"Raven will be." Glynda answered. "It's just hard for her. She feels responsible."

"She isn't." Yang protested. "This was my choice. I knew she wouldn't get in my way so I went to her. She just wanted to spend time with me, help me. It's my fault."

"I think today everyone is at fault in some way." Glynda encouraged. "But assigning blame doesn't help, feeling guilty doesn't help. Learning from our mistakes, big and small, does." Glynda pulled Yang into a soft hug. "I'll be there for you if you ever need someone to talk to, okay?"

"Okay." Yang nodded.

Glynda pulled away and stood back up. She tied her hair back into a bun and replaced her glasses. "It's always nice to let my hair down, but it's so strange nowadays." Glynda smiled. "I prefer to keep it up."

"Is that an analogy?" Yang asked.

"Maybe." Glynda winked, receiving a genuine smile in return. She headed back to the longue. Pyrrha sat alone across from Summer who had a dozing Raven in her lap.

"How did it go?" Summer asked.

"Very well." Glynda replied. "She just needs some time to think about things."

"She mentioned Jaune…" Pyrrha started.

"Hisfirsttime…" Raven groaned. Everyone looked to her as she groggily sat up. "Yang...she gave Jaune his first time. She seemed cut up about him most of all. Maybe he can help?"

"Another family lunch then?" Glynda suggested.

"I'll need to go shopping again." Summer said.

"My shout." Raven offered, patting Summer on the back. "Least I can do."

Pyrrha dialed Jaune on her scroll, holding the device to her ear as she waited for his answer. "Hello?" Jaune answered after a few rings. He sounded a bit anxious.

"Is this a bad time?" Pyrrha asked.

"Oh, Pyrrha, no." Jaune said. "Well, sort of. Nora tried to cook while Ren and I were out and the mess is apocalyptic. She didn't start a fire this time though."

"What did she try to make?" Pyrrha asked.

"A cookie/brownie/cheesecake." Jaune groaned.

"Let me guess, she got the idea from Ruby." Pyrrha said.

"How did you know?" Jaune asked.

"Just a hunch." Pyrrha answered.

"So what's up?" Jaune asked. "You usually don't call me up out of the blue."

"It's Yang…" Pyrrha sighed.

"Yang?" Jaune gasped. "What happened?"

"She's really down and...having a very rough time." Pyrrha replied. "It has to do with her...sexual escapades."

"Uh...I'm not sure how I fit in here." Jaune said.

"Jaune, I've never really understood what you and Yang have." Pyrrha declared.

"Neither have I to be honest." Jaune admitted.

"But she's fixating on you right now." Pyrrha continued. "You might be the only person who can really help her."

"I mean...I'll do what I can...but I'm not sure…" Jaune struggled.

"Just come over for lunch tomorrow." Pyrrha said. "Probably leave Ren and Nora at home. I'll explain everything when you get here."

"Sure, of course." Jaune agreed. "If there's anything I can do to help, I'll do it."

A slightly flushed Weiss and a smirking Blake approached Winter and Ruby. Without stopping, Blake looped her arm around Ruby's, dragging her off before the girl could even protest. "Am I missing something?" A slightly confused Winter asked.

"She doesn't want you teasing Ruby." Weiss explained.

"About?" Winter asked.

"Going to the toy store." Weiss replied.

"You know, you could mean that literally and I wouldn't be surprised." Winter laughed.

"Solstice shopping will be easy for sure." Weiss said.

"If I bought Ruby one of those giant teddy bears, do you think she would sleep with it?" Winter asked.

"Every night." Weiss confirmed.

"I'll place an order." Winter said.

"Barely a day and you're already doting on her." Weiss sighed.

"She's adorable." Winter declared. "Can we keep her?"

"No Winter." Weiss groaned. "She has a family, and friends."

"Maybe if we fake her death…" Winter joked.

Weiss slapped her sister on the arm and Winter burst out laughing. "But we can take her home for the night." Weiss suggested. "Blake and I would like to show her the house."

"I suppose that's close enough." Winter sighed with faux disappointment.

"I also have something rather important to ask." Weiss added. "Blake too. It's for Ruby."

"Oh?" Winter asked.

"Later." Weiss demurred.

Blake and Ruby caught up with the sisters at the foodcourt, bringing two blank, opaque bags along with them. Ruby blushed as Winter gave her a knowing smirk. After a quick meal they did a little more shopping, browsing through dozens of stores. Winter took joy in buying anything that caught Ruby's interest, at least until Weiss and Blake decided she had spoiled Ruby enough, finally forcing an end to the excursion. It was rather late anyway, time to head home. The drive was a bit of a long one, following the highway out of the city and past the densest suburbs, then winding along b-roads into the hills that overlooked the city.

Finally Winter pulled up to a metal gate that was flanked on either side by tall hedges. She lowered her window, pulled a key-card from her purse and swiped it in front of a pylon. The gate swung open, closing behind the SUV as it wound its way past some trees and up a long paved driveway. A large two-story house sat at the crest of the hill. It had a log-cabin sort of vibe, upscale but not extravagantly so. Past it was an open field that sloped down the other side of the hill, the city skyline filling the horizon beyond.

"This place is beautiful." Ruby gasped as she took it all in.

"It is." Winter agreed. "Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, but not so far that it's inconvenient. And it's private."

"I noticed." Ruby said.

"When we first moved here our family name made us celebrities." Winter explained. "I just wanted us to have some privacy, and this house can't be seen from the road. After selling the company and with the passage of time, the paparazzi forgot about us. We could have moved somewhere less remote, but the view is just amazing."

"And there are plenty of trees to climb." Blake added.

"Blake, no." Winter admonished.

"Blake yes!" Ruby encouraged.

"Tomorrow." Weiss said. "For now let's just unpack from our shopping binge."

"It was a special occasion." Winter laughed.

"No more spending til Solstice." Weiss declared.

"Spoilsport." Winter sighed. "Blake, Weiss and I can handle this. Why don't you show Ruby around?" She tossed Blake the keys.

Blake caught the keys and took Ruby's hand, leading her in as she unlocked the door. Blake pointed out the living room, dining area and kitchen as Ruby took it all in. The aesthetic was clean and orderly, with hardwood floors in the kitchen, white carpet everywhere else. White tile lined the kitchen walls with marble kitchen surfaces. The rest was wallpapered with black and white. All the furniture was white or black, all in a modern and minimalistic style.

"It's so neat." Ruby observed.

"Winter and Weiss like to keep things orderly." Blake explained.

"And you?" Ruby asked.

"I like a little organized chaos." Blake replied. "Keeps things from getting too stale." She lead Ruby upstairs, pointing out the main bathroom, Winter's bedroom and study, and finally the master bedroom. "When I first moved in I wasn't very stable. I hated to be alone. Usually I shared a bed with Winter, sometimes Weiss. Eventually Winter decided to just switch the rooms around. She took Weiss' room, my room became the study, and Weiss and I moved into the master bedroom. We all got to have our own beds and I didn't have to be alone."

Blake opened the bedroom door, gesturing for Ruby to enter. "Very...monochrome." Ruby observed as she looked around. Twin beds were positioned against either wall with more black and white furniture filling the space.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Weiss asked as she arrived, carrying many bags hooked on her arms. She stood beside Blake who began pulling bags off of her. "Such a simple style to decorate in. Everything comes in black and white."

"Though, in retrospect, a hint of red wouldn't hurt." Blake allowed.

"Maybe some curtains, or a rug!" Ruby cheered. She sat on Blake's bed as Blake began dumping their bags on it, digging through several of them.

"Or we could just string you up on the wall." Weiss joked.

"I quite like the sound of that." Blake smirked.

"Is that your way of asking me to hang around more often?" Ruby laughed. She leered at Blake, eliciting a fit of laughter.

Blake tossed a set of pajamas in Ruby's face. "Go shower." Blake ordered.

"Alone?" Ruby asked.

"Yes alone." Blake confirmed. "Noise carries too easily in this house, so unless you want to put on a show for Winter…"

"Alone is fine." Ruby agreed. She kissed Blake and headed out.

Blake and Weiss waited for the sound of running water before turning to each other. "Now?" Weiss asked.

"Now." Blake confirmed.