Chapter 69

Returning to their menus, Ruby and Weiss only had a few minutes to look things over before the waitress returned, carrying an ice bucket in one hand and two wine glasses in the other. She set them before the couple, then pulled a wine bottle from the bucket, uncorking it to fill Weiss' glass. Next she filled Ruby's glass from an aluminium can.

"Thanks." Ruby smiled.

"Thank you." Weiss said.

"You are welcome." The waitress responded. "Have you decided on your orders?"

"Yep, I'll have garlic bread as an appetizer, and Weiss will have the...braised beef in oyster sauce." Ruby replied.

"And Ruby will have the sizzling beef stir fry." Weiss added.

The waited smirked, scribbling down their order. "Very well. Tonight isn't very busy, so your orders shouldn't take too long."

"Thank you." Weiss reached over to take Ruby's menu, handing it along with her own to the waitress.

"Would you like me to leave the bottle?" The waitress asked.

"Yes please." Ruby answered before Weiss. The waitress nodded and departed.

"This is an expensive wine Ruby." Weiss warned.

"This is an early Solstice present from Yang." Ruby waved her off. "Besides, maybe I'll want some later." She smirked.

"You, are, underage Ruby Rose." Weiss chastised.

Ruby shrugged, taking a drink from her glass. "Never stopped us before." She giggled.

"Oh shush." Weiss rolled her eyes, sipping from her own. "I'm still trying to sort out how I feel about that."

"Me and Yang?" Ruby asked.

"Yang and I." Weiss corrected.

"Oooh you and Yang?" Ruby teased.

"Oh shut up." Weiss shot back, rolling her eyes again.

"You can ask about it, it's okay to be curious." Ruby offered, taking another sip.

Weiss mulled it over, sipping her wine once more, savoring its taste before speaking. "When...it was all over, what happened. How did you react?"

"We fell asleep, slept in too." Ruby answered. "Luckily mum knew to knock now or we might've been caught." She laughed nervously. "She woke us up for lunch, and we kinda' lay there for a while. We were both scared, but it was just...comfortable, even if it was wrong. It wasn't really, it wasn't because we were naked, it wasn't because we'd had sex, it was because we loved each other, and missed being held by someone we loved." Ruby took another drink, and cupped the glass in her lap. "She asked how I felt, and I told the truth. I was scared, but happy. She said she felt the same, but she wasn't sure what would happen now. It was an accident, we didn't regret it, but we couldn't do it again."

"So you didn't?" Weiss asked.

"Well, we did keep sleeping together, not in the sex way, just sharing a bed, not every night, but if one of us wanted to, the other was always there...but we never really did anything again." Ruby rambled. "There were close calls sure, sometimes a hand would land somewhere sensitive, or a kiss might feel a little heated...but no, no we never did it again."

"But you wanted to." Weiss inferred.

"Yeah." Ruby admitted.

"And...you still do?" Weiss pressed.

Ruby did not answer at first, staring into her glass. Weiss almost rescinded her question. "She's my sister Weiss. She's always been there for me, my guarding angel, my rock, my shoulder to cry on. I'll always love her, just like I do you and Blake, but she's my sister, and we're happy the way we are...even if I do want her to throw me over her shoulder and spank me on the butt." Ruby grinned and Weiss groaned, blushing.

"You're terrible." Weiss scoffed.

"You love me." Ruby smirked.

"Yes, I do." Weiss smiled. "And you love me."

"With all my heart." Ruby declared.

"With all your heart." Weiss repeated.

"Every last bit." Ruby promised.

Weiss leaned forward, head resting on her hand as she lazily circled the edge of her glass with a finger. "Say it." She requested.

"I love you." Ruby obeyed.

"Again." Weiss leaned farther.

"I love you." Ruby followed.

"Again." Weiss whispered, enamored.

"I love you Weiss Schnee." Ruby drawled, closing the distance with a searing kiss, and another, and another, and a fourth before Weiss forced herself to pull back, a dazed grin on her face.

"I love you too Ruby Rose." Weiss declared.

Ruby blushed, biting her lip, then glanced to her side, grinning shyly and ducking down. Weiss followed her gaze to a couple at a nearby table, two women, elderly, yet no less beautiful in their age, smiling at them. One even offered a little wave, which Weiss awkwardly returned, much to the couple's amusement.

"I've never been an exhibitionist before." Ruby joked.

"Well, I suppose everyone starts somewhere." Weiss chuckled.

"I hope Blake is having as much fun as we are." Ruby said.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "With Yang for company, I'd be surprised if she wasn't."

"So Yang…" Blake slurred, wobbling a bit in her seat. She had gone drink for drink with Pyrrha, which had proven too much for her.

"What's up?" Yang asked flatly. Sobriety was boring, particularly when her drunk friends were having so much fun. "Want me to touch your ears too?" Pyrrha had asked about the fur on Blake's ears, and Blake responded by allowing her to touch them. Giggling and blushing, Pyrrha had done so. It annoyed Yang a bit. Ruby had been over the moon when Blake allowed her to touch her ears, but put a few drinks in Blake and suddenly it did not seem like such a special thing to her.

"No, no...unless you want to." Blake winked. Yang rolled her eyes. "Ruby...Ruby told me you asked if my tongue is rough like a cat's tongue."

"Damnit Ruby." Yang grumbled under her breath.

"Wanna' find out?" Blake smirked.

"Uh…" Yang failed to respond in time.

Undeterred, Blake grabbed Yang's hand and licked the back. "Well, what do ya' think?"

"Is it Yang?" Pyrrha asked, legitimately curious.

"You don't have to ask her." Blake grabbed Pyrrha's hand and licked it too. Pyrrha giggled and blushed again.

"I think you've both had a little too much to drink." Yang observed.

"That's okay, I'm done drinking." Blake declared. "It's time to dance!"

"What?" Yang asked.

"Let's dance!" Blake exclaimed. She grabbed both Pyrrha and Yang, attempting to pull them from their seats. Pyrrha stood but Yang remained firmly seated. Blake's hand slipped from Yang's, but if she noticed it did not show. She just dragged Pyrrha out onto the dancefloor. Yang sighed and followed. Pyrrha seemed unsure of what to do, rocking back and forth like anyone incapable of dancing would do in such a situation. Blake, on the other hand, was very much into it, spinning, jumping and wildly gesticulating. If only she were even a little in step with the music.

"Blake, take it easy." Yang advised as other dancers backed away, fearful of the flailing Faunus. Yang was concerned that Blake's possibly dangerous display would attract unwanted attention from the bouncers.

"Oh, fine." Blake huffed. She dialed back her dancing a few notches, though she was no less enthusiastic, nor any closer to matching the music.

"Ruby, you sure know how to pick 'em." Yang whispered to herself.

After a song and a half, as suddenly as the insanity had started, it was over. Blake slowed, finally coming to a wobbly stop. "I don't…" She fell forward, limply flopping into Yang's waiting arms, out before she made contact.

"Well, that happened." Yang groaned.

"That was fun." Pyrrha giggled.

"Is this what you've been dealing with all these years, hanging around with me and Nora?" Yang asked.

"You two are way worse." Pyrrha smiled, seemingly unaware that her statement could be construed as an insult.

"Let's just get Blake back to our table." Yang suggested. She shifted Blake to carry her under one arm, and Pyrrha took her by the other. On arriving at the booth, Yang slid in first, gently pulling Blake in beside her. Before Yang could stop her, Blake laid her head in Yang's lap and curled up. "Well shit."

"She's so cute." Pyrrha cheered.

Yang looked down at the inebriated Faunus resting in her lap. "Yeah, I guess she is."

Mercifully, the garlic bread was brought out in short order, and Ruby was able to stuff her face with something that was not Weiss' lips. Weiss herself had a single slice, being better fed and wishing to preserve her appetite. The menu, strangely enough considering the Gothic Valesian aesthetic of the restaurant, seemed to be composed mainly of Easter Mistrali cuisine. Winter and Weiss had frequently indulged in such food before Blake began assisting in the kitchen, but usually they had simply ordered fried rice, soup and noodles, and they had never dined in, always take out. For dining in they preferred more traditional Atlesian restaurants. This meant Weiss had never enjoyed truly fresh served meals, and never once seen a sizzling stir fry before, though it had always sounded interesting.

When a loud sizzling became audible, Weiss immediately tracked its source to their waitress, carrying a wooden tray in one hand and a plate in the other. The latter was placed in front of Weiss, and the former in front of Ruby. "Thank you." Weiss said.

"Thanks!" Ruby cheered.

"You're very welcome." The waitress responded. "I will return with your rice." The waitress bowed and left.

"Ooh, I've never tried this before." Ruby almost drooled over her tray, which was actually an insulator from the heat of the metal plate in its center. On the plate was sliced beef, peppers, onions and mushrooms, cooked in a lovely sauce, loudly sizzling and steaming. Its strong scent was alluring and mouth watering.

Weiss' own meal was somewhat less impressive, but no less delicious in smell, also composed mainly of sliced pieces of beef, with a mixture of corn spears, broccoli, carrots and adorable baby mushrooms, one of which Weiss immediately speared and ate. "Mnn, God that's good." Weiss moaned.

"Usually that's what I get." Ruby noted. "Dad used to get this all the time but I never bothered to try it."

"Me neither, always wanted to though." Weiss nodded.

"You can pick off of mine if I can pick off of yours." Ruby offered.

"Hmm, maybe with your help I'll actually finish all this." Weiss thought aloud.

"Gimmie' one of the mushies." Ruby immediately demanded, reaching over with her fork.

"You leave my mushies alone." Weiss hurriedly attempted to shield her meal.

"Nnn!" Ruby stabbed towards one of the little fungi, Weiss failing to stop the intruding implement from spearing it's prize.

"Ruby…" Weiss pouted.

"Say ahh." Ruby smirked.

"Hu-ahmngh." Weiss nearly choked as Ruby suddenly popped the fork into her open mouth, but she bit down to take the mushroom anyway.

Ruby giggled all the while. "I've always wanted to do that.

Weiss levelled a blank stare at the grinning Ruby before rolling her eyes. "Well, I hope it's out of your system.

"Not in the slightest." Ruby snarked, holding up her fork, another mini mushroom speared on its end.

"Hey!" Weiss complained.

Yang pulled the car to a stop in front of the house, heaving a heavy sigh and leaning her head on the steering wheel for a moment. After the passenger's door opened and shut she took a deep breath and got out of the car. After handing the keys to Pyrrha, Yang returned to the car, heading to the back seat where Blake dozed. She opened the door shook Blake gently by the shoulder.

"Buh...what happened?" Blake jerked.

"We're home, and you're drunk." Yang replied.

"Oh…" Blake leaned toward Yang, allowing her to pull her from the car.

Yang guided Blake into the house, pointing her toward the couches in the lounge. "Just take it easy. Pyrrha, make sure she doesn't hurt herself." Already seated, Pyrrha nodded, though whether she really heard Yang was questionable. She was already falling asleep. Yang headed back outside, closing the car door and locking it before returning to the house. She surveyed the lounge, but there was something missing. "Pyrrha, where did Blake go?"

Pyrrha shook herself awake. "Um...oh…" She pointed down the hallway toward the bedrooms.

Yang sighed and headed into the hallway. She opened Ruby's door and peeked inside, only to find the bed empty. "Well shit."

"Gah!" Summer cried out from her room. "Blake...what…"

"Double shit." Yang groaned. She headed into Summer's room to find Blake curled up in the bed between a rather frazzled Summer and Winter.

"Looks like you had a big night." Winter smiled.

"Sorry guys, I looked away for a second...I'll get her to her bed…" Yang started.

"That's okay." Winter waved her off. "If she's comfortable here, it's fine. Right Summer?"

"Uh...sure." Summer agreed. "She can spend the night here. How was it?"

"Blake's a totally different person when she's drunk." Yang replied. "She's like a sober Nora."

"You should probably get some rest then." Summer suggested.

"We'll take care of Blake." Winter assured Yang.

"Good." Yang huffed. She backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. Blake was in for a rude awakening. Judging by the pajamas on the floor, Summer and Winter were wearing very little beneath the covers. In the lounge, Yang found Pyrrha asleep on the couch. Yang decided it was not worth the effort to move her, just retrieving and tossing a blanket over her before retreating to her room to go to bed. It only took one night of wrangling drunks to give her a whole new appreciation of what Pyrrha had gone through over the years.

The rest of the dinner was no less amusing, between stealing each other's plates, feeding one another, and one unlucky incident when a cackling Ruby dropped a hot piece of beef into her boob window. They found themselves well fed and in high spirits, and to Weiss' surprise, skipping dessert. Ruby reasoned that for once she might try and cut down on her sweets. Weiss could only bite her lip. She could not wait until Ruby saw the cookies she had helped bake. Ruby paid for the meal, or rather, Yang did. Weiss made a mental note to thank her too, and after giving the elderly couple another, less embarrassing wave, they took their leave, bundling back up and rushing to the car.

"I've just gotta' stop by the gym on the way." Ruby announced. "Raven asked me to drop off a package."

"That's fine." Weiss nodded.

"And I can show you around while we're there!" Ruby cheered.

"I'd appreciate that." Weiss agreed. "Given how fitness oriented this family is, I feel as if we'll be going there often during our visits."

"That's the spirit!" Ruby enthused. It did not take long to drive to the gym, Ruby chirping happily in her usual excitement for anything in life. She grabbed a backpack from the trunk before leading the way onward, pulling a key from the pack to open the front door, and rushing to deactivate the security system. "Now that we're not breaking in, let there beeeee…" Ruby searched in the dark until her hand found its target. "...light!"

Slowly, the hanging lights throughout the gym blinked on...most of them. Ruby made a mental note to tell Glynda about that one. Weiss took in the sight before her, not the most sizable gym she had seen, the university's put it to shame both aesthetically and in variety, but she would expect no less of Atlas' premier academy. This place did have personality though, obviously well used, some of the equipment notably older than the rest, the carpet stained from years of spilled protein shakes and sweat, to the point where even professional cleaning could only lessen the impact. Even the foam padding was mismatched in places, the black puzzle pieces giving way to grey, and at one point yellow and pink, odd but endearing.

"It's a bit beat up, but there's a lot of memories here...like the reception desk!" Ruby waved to the large desk on her left. "When I was young I'd come here with Yang, sometimes Glynda would let me play games on the computer. They were mostly shovelware that came bundled with it, but I loved it anyway." She took Weiss' hand and led her onward. "Most of the casual equipment is in the carpeted area, and all the weights and strength training stuff is over in the back. Yang and Nora once had an endurance challenge there, and Yang threw up at the end of it."

"That's lovely Ruby." Weiss grimaced.

"Yeah, it was gross, but Yang still won!" Ruby exclaimed. "Nora passed out before she did." Ruby pointed to the doors ahead. "The pool is through there. It's heated in the winter so we can still use it, and there's a hot tub too!"

"I've never been much of a swimmer, but I do enjoy hot tubs." Weiss noted.

"I put bubble bath in there once." Ruby giggled. "Glynda wasn't happy but there were so many bubbles, it was awesome!" Ruby took hold of Weiss once more and led her past reception, pointing to a large one way mirrored window beside it. "That's Glynda's office. Nora and Ren got caught banging in there by Raven, and through here…" Ruby led Weiss to a second door near the window, opening it. "...leads to the break room, and the locker room. The break room has a bathroom too, Nora and Ren banged in there as well!"

"That's lovely Ruby." Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Oh, wait here, I'll be just a moment." Ruby jogged back to the entrance, locking the door and flipping off the lights before returning. "The dojo is actually next door. Glynda wants to join the buildings someday, but until then we just have to go through here." Ruby led Weiss around the corner, past another door to Glynda's office, to a side entrance, which she locked behind them, again, leading Weiss to another side entrance opposite. Ruby pushed inside, bumping into a desk, presumably Raven's, before locating a lightswitch. "And here is...the Dojo!" Ruby swung out her hands. "This is...this is where-"

"Raven broke Winter's arm." Weiss interrupted. Scanning the area, the majority of the floor was covered by a red foam pad. It was fairly unremarkable, some boxing bags, a rack of training swords, some wallhangings, but again, it felt lived in.

"Heh, yeah, Raven didn't really sound proud when I asked about it." Ruby noted. "Winter just laughed it off."

"Has your aunt ever done something like that before?" Weiss asked.

"Nope, Raven can get a little rowdy, especially if she's drunk, but she's never hurt anyone like that on purpose." Ruby replied. "She must have had a lot on her mind and...well she got careless."

"Hmm." Weiss hummed.

"I think she likes Winter." Ruby declared.

"What?" Weiss was taken aback.

"Yeah, you know, pull a girl's hair because you like her?" Ruby suggested.

"Snap a girl's arm because you love them?" Weiss scoffed.

"Well, nobody's perfect." Ruby led Weiss across the room, to one of the two doors on the other side.

"You're not going to leave the bag on Raven's desk?" Weiss tilted her head back toward the entrance.

Ruby grinned leaning back against the door. "Well, I wanted to give you the full tour, and this room, it's really special."

"Oh, did Ren and Nora defile this one too?" Weiss teased.

Ruby merely giggled and shook her head, pulling Weiss close. "Nope, this is the room where I shared a very special time with a very special girl."

"Oh, Penny?" Weiss asked.

"Nope." Ruby drew Weiss into a short, gentle kiss. "You."

Ruby opened the door, and Weiss felt breathless as the sight before her. "Oh, Ruby."