Chapter 27

Nope

Weiss had been called many things in her seventeen years of living. Sometimes it was pleasant; compliments paying tribute to her beauty, her skill, her intelligence, her cunning and so on. Other times it was far less civil, and she was quite sure she'd been cursed with every word under the sun at some point in her life. Ranging from prodigy and princess to whore and bitch, she was fairly sure she'd heard almost everything.

Almost everything.

"No need to be shy, Weiss! It isn't so bad, is it~?" Yang sang at her cheerily, a slight, knowing smirk on her face.

And there it is. That preposterous, embarrassing, damnable little word.

Shy.

Weiss had never been called shy. She had at most, perhaps been called quiet or reserved when she was much younger, before she'd been coached into confidence and firmness, before she'd been taught to stand out, stand tall, as a Schnee. If you were to ask anyone that knew Weiss, the word shy was most certainly not the first thing that would come to mind, that much she was completely, unassailably sure of.

And the worst part? The worst part was that Yang was oh so right. Weiss, much to her complete and utter mortification, was being downright skittish. She was so embarrassed and off-kilter that shy was, in fact, a rather mild description of her current behaviour. Her heart was pounding, she was pretty sure she hadn't stopped blushing in the last twenty four hours and she could hardly look Yang in the eye.

How was she supposed to react? She had fallen asleep, totally spent from a day of endurance training courtesy of Rose, and woken up cuddling into Yang's side like some overgrown stuffed toy.

Cuddling. She, Weiss Schnee, Hunter in training, music star in the making, and heiress to the most powerful – admittedly corrupt and awful – corporation in the world, was a cuddler. It was, perhaps, the most embarrassing thing she'd ever done. (Her brain had already summarily buried the image of what looked suspiciously like smudges of her lipgloss on Yang's neck.)

And the worst part was that of everyone she could have cuddled, it had to be Yang! The same Yang who was annoying, brash, lewd, blunt, crass and loud, but also completely kind, caring, gorgeous, empathetic and oh so very warm. If it was anyone else, she'd already have dealt with her embarrassment by denying that it was at all pleasurable and they would not be doing it again, thank you very much! But… but the problem was that she couldn't say that to Yang.

It had been slow going, and Weiss (once she had noticed) had been astounded by her patience, but Yang had been getting her accustomed to physical affection. Part and parcel of her youth had been a distinct lack of loving, caring gestures like holding hands, hair ruffles or even hugs. As much as she would like to deny it, it was touching that Yang had taken her time in getting Weiss used to receiving small gestures of support. She wished to deny that there was something about Yang, about her light touches that would leave her feeling warm for hours afterwards. It was a soft, persistent comfort that had squirmed a way beneath her stoic façade and Weiss was unsure whether to be outright infuriated or joyful.

Weiss really, really wished she could tell Yang that the cuddling, the affection, didn't mean anything to her… but she didn't want her to stop. More than anything, Weiss didn't want Yang to stop, because with everything in her world shifting so rapidly, those soft, warm hugs made her feel grounded and human. Flesh and blood warmth that brought up a feeling of 'We can do this together, I'm right here, lets take this one step at a time, calm'. She didn't want to discourage Yang, to rebuff her in a way that made her think that Weiss didn't want to be touched anymore. If she wasn't so aware that craving touch was very much a sane, ordinary human need, she might have lambasted Yang for unearthing this desire in her.

As it was Weiss couldn't deny that she did need these things, trite as they may seem. Yang's warmth and support seemed to take an edge off the world, making everything softer, easier. It might be selfish, but Weiss couldn't deny that she functioned better because of Yang. She was calmer, her thoughts came more easily, she felt lighter, more perceptive, less angry and a host of other things. In the face of genuine affection her tension seemed to melt away like snow beneath a summer sun, and it made her realise just how crippling her stress really was, just how much it affected her and her actions in everyday life.

So she wouldn't - couldn't, really - tell Yang to stop. Unfortunately for her, she wasn't so much willing to admit this to Yang yet, and this left her feeling rather vulnerable. It also seemed that when Weiss felt vulnerable, so exposed and transparent, she became shy. She was stuck in awkward limbo, unable to tell Yang 'it's fine, actually, I enjoyed it, and I'd be really happy if you continued' but unwilling to lie to her and tell the blonde that she was actually adverse to it.

"Dear Oum, girl, you're going to combust if you don't calm down. And I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that can pull that look off." Yang warned with a light hearted smile, cocking her hip, arms akimbo as she stood across from Weiss.

Weiss took a slow, deep breath - ignoring her aching muscles and, in some places, lightly burned skin - and looked up. Instantly, she was assaulted by the image of Yang, blonde hair and bronze skin, vibrant lilac eyes, a toothy smile and an aura of confidence. Not long after the image was replaced by the image of that luscious blonde hair turned a darkened gold, still damp with water, so much more of that bronze skin showing, trails of water curving down her naked body, her eyes staring at her with equal parts surprise and what she couldn't help but hope was anticipation... And for the umpteenth time since her embarrassing wake up yesterday, Weiss wondered what would have happened if Blake hadn't walked in on them after she had stolen her towel back from Yang and ended up being straddled on the floor. What would she have done with a flustered, dripping wet, naked Yang...

She instantly felt her cheeks warming again, and she cursed her teenage hormones under her breath. Her stomach wrenched and her mouth dried. She could feel her brain knotting all her clever responses together in fits of excitement and anxiety. She hated this! She hated being shy!

And even more than that, she hated having to admit to herself that she had a crush on Yang Xiao Long.

"Why me?" Weiss mumbled forlornly, slapping a palm to her forehead in a futile effort to punish her traitorous brain.

"Oh god I'm so glad that's over." Ruby moaned as she collapsed onto the grass in their basecamp. Her entire body ached like she'd been strung up and used as Yang's personal punching bag. She was also pretty sure she smelt so bad she could class as a low-grade chemical weapon. She stared up at the sky, and working by the position of the sun guessed it was about mid-afternoon.

"You'll be fine." Rose placated her, walking past and putting down her pack with a sigh before plopping down atop a log with an even louder, more satisfied sigh. "Nothing like a training trip to work out the kinks." She said happily.

"You say that like you were the one training." Yang snarked, then falling next to Ruby in the grass with a moan. "Hey sis, how you feeling?" She asked, turning to the battered looking form of her little sister.

"Could be better." Ruby said blandly, turning her head to look at Yang. "Learning ninja-fu isn't nearly as fun as it sounds."

"Course' not, little Rose, or everyone would do it." Rose told her with good cheer, completely unapologetic. Blake stumbled in next, wobbling and cursing every other step, before falling onto a soft patch of grass with a moan that sounded so satisfied it made Ruby and Rose's cheeks flame and Yang chortle merrily.

"Are you sure you don't hate the faunus?" Blake muttered in part from her position, slumped pitifully over a log, gazing at Rose with baleful amber eyes. "Because I'm pretty sure what I just endured was less 'training' and more 'hate crime'."

"Oh suck it up, you pussy."

Yang snorted with laughter, before stifling it when she could feel Blake glaring at her and Rose. "Good one." She snickered at Rose.

"That one gets old really fast." Rose shrugged.

"I most certainly agree." Blake replied in an angry hiss.

"Oh stop moping, Belladonna." Weiss' voice cut in as she strode into the group, her tone perfectly level and controlled. A large white plastic box was tucked underneath her arm. If anyone noticed how badly her legs were shaking, and how quickly she sat down next to Rose, no one mentioned it.

"Ah, good, pass it over." Rose motioned to Weiss with her hands. The white haired girl complied quickly, passing it over to Rose, revealing a large red cross on its face. Rose promptly cracked the field medical kit open, revealing rolls of bandages, compress, stitching thread, medical salve, disinfectant, Aura enhancing Dust compounds and some basic, essential surgery tools. "Now, show me the worst ones first." Rose instructed Weiss.

With a stiff nod Weiss complied. "Here, here," She pointed out a spot on her left arm, shoulder and then finished by pointing at her right calve, "and here." She finished. Rose made a quick inspection of her wounds, noting that none of them seemed dangerous, just painful.

"I'm impressed." Rose admitted, pulling out a small pot of potent, Dust infused burn salve. With a quick shot of her Aura the light blue paste began glowing and the smell of mint and fresh snow filled the air. She dipped her fingers inside the mix, wincing slightly at the intense cold and gelatine-like texture, before she lifted her hand and rubbed small circles on Weiss' hurt arm. Her patient sucked a breath in through her teeth, but before long some tension dropped out of her frame and Rose knew that the mixture was relieving some of the pain.

"Impressed?" Weiss asked thoughtfully, and then after a few seconds her expression grew thunderous. "You were expecting me to be even more injured?" She shot at the older woman hotly.

"Oh yeah." Rose nodded carelessly. "I was expecting some broken ribs or something, at least."

"Hey!" Yang cut in, voice laced with offence. "I wouldn't hurt a teammate like that!"

Weiss shot her a small, grateful smile that caused Yang to blush, which in turn lead to Weiss blushing, which lead to Rose smirking in knowing amusement. "So you learnt some restraint, then?"

"Surprisingly, she has shown marked improvement since we began." Weiss commented. "I just wish that I didn't have to experience her lessons firsthand."

"Firsthand? Actually, how did she train you guys?" Ruby asked in curiosity, moaning piteously as she sat up straight so she could look at her teammates.

"If I see another dumbbell before I die, it'll be too soon." Blake said in lieu of an answer. Ruby winced at that.

"Yeah that looked... not fun." She commiserated. "Learning ninja-fu was a lot of stretching, sprints and katas." Ruby shrugged slightly. "I feel like a half cooked noodle, but it was mostly just boring, so nothing too hard. What bout you, big sis?"

"I had to try and beat up Weiss."

Ruby blinked slowly. "Come again?" She asked politely.

"I had to try and beat up Weiss." Yang repeated, albeit more slowly.

"...Why?" Ruby asked incredulously.

"Because Weiss is a slippery little minx." Yang replied in utter seriousness.

"...Come again?"

"Because. Weiss. Is. A. Sli-"

"We get it, Yang." Blake interrupted with a chuckle, looking over at Weiss who was blushing furiously and sending a deep, burning scowl at her lap. "What we don't get is how this helped, I think."

"I did sprints until I was out of breath, then I would have to dodge - and dodge only - until Yang managed to clip me. Once she did, I would do as many sprints as I could until I was breathless again. Rinse and repeat. I increased my endurance and Yang learnt how to keep the aggression on high-agility targets." Weiss told them. Blake turned to look at Rose with genuine horror on her face.

"Sadist." She accused.

"Mmm, I think that's more Glynda's thing, deary." Rose told her nonchalantly. "I mean, it's not like she hides it. Her weapon of choice a leather riding crop, so make of that what you will."

"I want to hear more, but at the same time I really, really don't." Yang confessed with a frown.

"Gross." Ruby shuddered. "I do not need to think about that."

Rose rolled her eyes playfully. "You're too young now, but maybe in a few years you can find out. I'm sure Glynda can appreciate a little blast from the past."

"Do we really have to talk about your sexual escapades, Rose, Ruby?" Weiss cut in with a bright blush and a scowl. "Some of us might appreciate a little decorum."

"I haven't even done anything yet!" Ruby replied indignantly. "I don't know anything about this, it's all Rose, all the time! I'm innocent!" She declared hotly, her voice brimming with frustrated exasperation.

Rose paused at her outburst, having finished rubbing the salve into Weiss' shoulder, leaving the younger woman to attend to her own leg. She stood up and looked at Ruby, whom had also jumped to her feet in her short tirade. "You know what, you're right." Rose said slowly.

"I know!" Ruby said in turn, unaware of the strange look that passed over her older self's face. Yang did notice however, picking up on the strange quality of tension now filling in the air.

"You are completely innocent." Rose told her.

"I had my first kiss like a year ago." Ruby confirmed, nodding vigorously.

"You really don't know about these things." She continued, walking slowly toward her.

"Uh yeah, well, except for the class they taught at Signal, and that was all just theory." Ruby exclaimed, before pausing and shuddering slightly. "I mean it would be super gross and awful and weird if they taught us prac-"

"You have no idea what you are doing, no idea what you want." Rose uttered smoothly, ignoring Ruby's tirade. Blake, watching the interaction, felt her eyes go wide as saucers. No way, she thought in uneasy fascination. On the sidelines, Yang was frozen and paling rapidly.

"I uh, well, I guess not?" Ruby replied unsurely, looking at the approaching woman warily.

"You have a lot to learn." Rose purred as she closed the last of the distance, slipping one arm around Ruby and pulling the younger girl close with a soft yelp. The other came up, and Rose tilted Ruby's face up by the chin, her long, calloused fingers trailing almost imperceptibly along Ruby's lower lip.

Ruby looked up at her with completely startled, shocked silver eyes. "I- uh- yo- me- we I d- uh-" She stuttered in a squeaky, weak voice.

"I am going to teach you exactly what you love." Rose said huskily, leaning down, nose to nose with Ruby. A half full tub of salve tumbled out of Weiss' limp fingers.

"What the fuck?" Weiss questioned in numb stupefaction.

Ruby's eyes were blown completely wide in shock, staring up at Rose with statuesque stillness. A few seconds of complete and utter silence followed, before Rose's lip quirked and her shoulders began trembling. Hardly a moment later she looked over at the other silent on lookers and she feel backwards to the ground. Her laughter echoed around the camp, long and loud.

"Oh- oh m-my Oum! Yo-your faces! Pfffffft!" Rose said in between barking laughs, kicking her legs out as she rolled around with tears trailing from her eye, completely overcome by her mirth.

"I think I just died a little inside." Ruby mumbled, holding a hand over her heart.

Yang - currently sporting a rather impressive shade of green - nodded slowly. "No. Just... no." She shuddered violently. "That's weird and wrong on so many levels, I don't even... just no."

"I vote we never speak of this again." A very pale Weiss motioned with a raised hand. Ruby and Yang instantly followed suit.

"Yep." Yang agreed.

"Yes." Ruby nodded. An expectant pause passed as they ignored the still laughing Rose, and they turned to look at their remaning teammate. Blake was sitting down with a glazed, unfocused expression in her eyes. Her face was cherry red, and her hands were fisted with white knuckled intensity in her lap, just between her tightly squeezed thighs.

"Oh my god, Blake, you freaky little pervert." Yang frowned heavily, but her voice and eyes with alight with laughter.

"Blake!" Ruby shouted, mortified to be included in any sort of lewd daydream. Blake started at the loud calling of her name, looking up at each of her teammates, all of whom were staring at her. Ruby looked totally embarrassed, Yang looked like she sort of wanted to choke her, and sort of like she wanted to laugh at her and Weiss was pinching the bridge of her nose, taking deep, steady breaths.

"Scoundrels and perverts, each and every one of you." Weiss muttered, gesturing to the people around her. "How will I ever escape unscathed?"

Blake took a moment at that, doing her best to shrug off her embarrassment at being caught in some sort of pseudo-incestuous daydream. She coughed into her fist, and gave them all her best sheepish look. "If you can't beat them, join them?" She offered weakly.

Rose started laughing even harder. "Kinky!" She commented.

"I hate you all." Weiss mumbled into her hands.

"Why yes, Weiss, you can carry all the gear back today as the last of your training, how kind of you to offer!" Rose sang cheerily, still chuckling heartily.

"One day, people will look back at my history and say 'this is the day it all began, the day she took the first step on the path of vengeance'. When they look up pain in the dictionary, you and I will picture in them prominently. When people huddle around campfires and tell ghost stories, the tale of your agonising, prolonged death will send shivers down their spine. I will peel the flesh off your bones, before I freeze your miserable carcass and hang it above my bed, a trophy that will become synonymous with regret. Your pain will be legendary." Weiss hissed darkly.

Rose blinked slowly, walked up to Weiss, and then ruffled her hair. "Aren't you just a bundle of sunshine?"

"I will stab you."

"Not with your level of endurance, you won't."

Weiss' once again muffled frustrated scream into her hands.

Tai-Yang met his eldest daughter, and the younger's full team at the entrance hall early that evening. He couldn't help a small snort escaping at their appearance. The Schnee, Weiss, looked like she was two steps away from an aneurism. Yang looked a tad ill, but couldn't stop sending small, furtive glances at her white haired companion. It also seemed like she was just noticing her small glances were being returned in kind. Ruby was pale as a ghost and looked like she could use a long, long nap. The last teammate, Blake, had a very noticeable tint to her cheeks. And of course, having no doubt served as the instigator for all the odd states of her students, Rose looked amused and stunningly smug.

"What did you do?" Tai-Yang asked curiously, looking between Rose and the others.

Rose gave him a small, crooked grin. "I seduced your daughter." She told him simply.

Tai-Yang froze. He looked between Yang and Ruby. Yang, older, more experienced and far less innocent. Ruby, sweet, kind and naive but technically the same person. He couldn't decide which one made him feel less horrified.

Nope.

Nope, he thought.

"Nope." He said, turning on his heel and leaving promptly. "Nope, nope, nopity, nope, nope, nope..." His voice trailed off as he walked down the corridor.

"That's going to be fun to explain to Glynda." Rose mused.

"What's going to be fun to explain to Glynda? And what's up with Tai?" Qrow questioned, walking out of nearby hallway and staring at the retreating form his friend, a series of 'nopes' following behind him.

"I seduced his daughter."

Qrow twitched violently. His gaze slowly turned between Yang and Ruby. He nodded firmly. "Nope!" He agreed, turning and fleeing down the hallway he had just left. "Nope, nope, nope, nope..."

"If I wasn't so disturbed, I'd probably be impressed at how easy you just psyched out dad and uncle Qrow. Especially uncle Qrow." Yang said slowly.

"It's all in the wrist." Rose said absentmindedly, obviously not paying attention.

"Nope." Team RWBY decided in unison, walking away and leaving their obviously unhinged mentor and friend behind, heading to their dorm for the new day tomorrow, their first with Rose as the school's combat instructor.

The last few days hand been peaceful, but not one of them could deny the feeling they had.

It was, they felt, the calm before the storm.

FAVOURITE~REVIEW~FOLLOW!

I'M ALLLIIIIVVVVEEE! So, sorry about not updating the story in ages. Some technical issues and a busy schedule, and suddenly, boom, a month has passed. Insanity.

For those who were worried, I'm not dead, dying or depressed. Just busy, busy, busy. My bad.

In other news, this story has somehow become the second most favourited/followed RWBY story on the site.

How?

Why?

You're obviously all nutters, but I love you for it. Thank you so, so much for your support! I'm astounded and elated you all seem to enjoy my story so much. Also a little bemused, not gonna lie. But eh, I'm not complaining. It's good to be back, baby.

Cheers!