I wrote this weeks and weeks ago. Let's not make a bit deal about it, okay? It's not an AU or anything. Just the characters as we know them, only several years older.

Rated T+ or soft M.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

Cherish

The evening light slipped in past the curtains of the hotel room, sunset colors igniting gentle golden flames onto the furniture, cushions, wallpaper, and carpet.

The white blankets and pillows of the bed were turned a soft, pale pastel color, and Ruby thought it was quite something to behold.

But nothing else in the world compared to Weiss.

The white dress she adorned now brought memories of their wedding night flooding back to Ruby's mind.

She and Blake had made a bet about who would cry first, and surprisingly Ruby had failed herself and lost to Yang, but in the end, they had all cried a substantial amount. Just seeing Weiss in her dress had been enough to push Ruby over the edge, let alone hearing the vows, saying them herself, the bouquet toss and the kiss...

They had danced afterward, all into the night, only ever briefly letting go of one another to dance with family members and friends, but ultimately coming back together.

At the end of the evening, Blake and Yang had promised to see things cleaned up, insisting the newlyweds begin their honeymoon early. Bags had been packed in advance, and an Airship had been waiting for them once they had retrieved everything.

They had two weeks in Vacuo by the ocean, paid for in its entirety by Weiss' father.

Their first day had consisted of a day on the town, buying anything and everything for one another, fine dining and walks along the beach at sunset. They had caught a car back to their hotel a short while ago, and once out of view of the public in the lobby, Ruby had taken the liberty upon herself to scoop her wife into her arms and scurry through the hallways to their room with her like that, which brought them to the present.

They entered their room that was painted in beige and yellow from the setting sun, and Ruby kicked the door closed behind her. She gave Weiss another squeeze, twirled her around a few times and ducked her head down to kiss her forehead.

She had been merrily florid for the past two weeks, save from the few hours before the wedding when she was consumed by jitters. But the very second things had been made official with their kiss, Ruby had not ceased to be boundlessly excited for a single second, not even in her sleep last night; Weiss had felt her twitching with giggles several times an hour.

And Weiss felt the very same way - she just showed it differently, particularly her lack of protests when Ruby did such things like she was doing now.

She kissed Ruby in return, still able to taste the excitement their new marital status brought to them.

A few rose petals danced around them as Ruby brought Weiss over to the bed and threw herself down on top of her, nuzzling her affectionately.

"Did you have fun today, Weiss?" she asked happily.

Weiss gave a pat to her wife's shoulder, a silent plea for Ruby to get off of her.

"You already know the answer to that. Of course I did." She pecked the brunette's temple just before Ruby pushed herself up.

"Was it the best day ever?" the younger one asked.

"Second best," Weiss replied. "Only beaten by yesterday. But today was my first full, official day as your wife, so I'd say it was pretty darn close."

Ruby giggled girlishly, making Weiss forget that she was twenty-two years old. Some had been disapproving at first of how early on they had wanted to be wed, but it was clear to every person who glimpsed the two that there would never be anyone else in their lives but the other.

Ruby trailed her left hand up the same side of Weiss' body until their palms overlapped, admiring the sight of their wedding rings glowing together in the dwindling light, hearing the tiny clinking sound they made when pressed together.

Her eyes then traveled to meet her wife's, and there were so many profound emotions there between them in that moment, it was almost impossible.

Weiss easily could have lost herself in those silver pools like ethereal stardust.

Ruby leaned down over her and kissed her slowly then, and it was different from the others, still excited, but in a more subdued way. Weiss swallowed, closing her eyes for a brief moment until Ruby pulled back and spoke again.

"Weiss... do you... want to...?"

The discussion had come up between them several times before, and they were relieved to find they each had similar views on it.

Many people defiled it, or engaged in such activities for fun, but to Ruby and Weiss, it was something much greater, even beyond the point of consummation.

They had talked it over many times, decided together that they would manage things once they were married - and now they were, at long last.

Weiss could tell Ruby longed for this, that she had longed for it for a while now, possibly longer than she had let on. And Weiss believed she was the same, though she was clearly significantly less confident about it.

But Ruby had asked her, and Weiss had made a promise long ago that she would try.

Ruby waited calmly for Weiss to answer her, watching as her thoughts seemed to stray elsewhere, deep into her own mind. Ruby brushed their noses together to bring Weiss back to her. "Do you want to?" she murmured again.

Weiss closed her eyes for a moment, then reopened them to find silver.

"Yes," she whispered. "I do, Ruby. I really, really do. For you, and with you, and only you." She had steeled herself long ago, made a promise to the both of them. "Just... let's wash up first? I've still got sand in my toes from the beach."

Ruby knew they could both do with a bit of time to prepare themselves, and she nodded.

"Of course. Lemme go first and you can rest here, okay?" She kissed Weiss' cheek and slowly climbed off of her, then pulled the sheets up over her wife. She gave Weiss a brief squeeze before scurrying across the room to the closet, pulling out a bath robe, and then disappearing into the bathroom.

Ruby would be lying if she were to say she was not both excited and scared out of her wits, and she was unsure of which emotion was more prominent as she started running the water. She assumed the excitement was more on her side, and the fear on Weiss', and she fully intended to get rid of the latter feeling as best as she could.

When Ruby left her, Weiss tried her best to do what her wife had asked of her, closing her eyes and trying to rest. But her mind was torn between trying to both think about and ignore what was to come that evening, and she fought off the apprehension to the best of her abilities.

The hissing of the shower water reached her ears, and she managed to doze lightly for a time.

A while later, Ruby emerged from her shower and slipped into her undergarments, only pulling on her red robe on top, tying it at her waist before walking back into the room.

She found Weiss as she had left her, curled on her side and napping, so Ruby went to her and sat down, running her fingers through her hair. She did not wake Weiss and tell her she could go shower now – no, that would only put pressure on her.

Ruby wanted none of that; she would not allow it. She was entirely fine with simply sitting beside Weiss like this until tomorrow if that was how things played out; if Weiss continued to sleep, Ruby would gladly let her.

But in some subconscious part of her mind, Weiss remembered the promise she had made, the promise to try, both for Ruby and for herself. She blinked open her eyes to find her partner sitting beside her on the bed, petting through her hair and rubbing her shoulders.

When Ruby saw those blue pools revealed, she frowned a little.

"Waah, I'm sorry! Did I wake you?"

"No," Weiss chuckled. "Don't worry."

Ruby's tone of voice, her ginger motions and mellow eyes, they all served to dissipate any tension Weiss felt. Whatever stiffness floated in the air, Weiss had put it there herself; Ruby was not demanding anything of her, nor was she expecting anything.

And Weiss knew it. She knew that even if she said yes all night only to change her mind at the very last second that Ruby would willingly and immediately pause everything.

And that was just one of the many, many, things Weiss loved about her.

All her life, Weiss had been expected, commanded, and pressured to do things.

But there was none of that now, and there never was with Ruby.

The brunette's hair was dyed dark chocolate from her shower, and Ruby curled her fingers at the ends of Weiss' tresses. "Do you still wanna shower? Or do you just wanna go to sleep now?"

Like always, she gave Weiss options, options and choices, letting her say what she wanted.

Weiss sat herself up, wearing a small smile.

"I'll shower," she answered. "I promised I would try to do this, Ruby. So I'm going to try." She cupped the younger girl's cheeks, still round and plump and childish, and kissed her lips. Ruby easily returned it before pulling back a minute later.

"Okay," she said. "But that's all you have to do, you know? Trying is all you have to do. Er, heck, you don't even have to try if you don't want to. You don't have to do anything you don't want to, okay?"

"Hush." Weiss scolded her gently with a light flick to the forehead. "I know, Ruby. I know. Thank you." She stood before her wife and embraced her briefly, tucking Ruby's head beneath her chin. The other girl slid her arms around Weiss' slender waist, humming contentedly as she nuzzled into her dress.

"I love you, Weiss."

There was no particular reason to say it other than that she wanted to. They had each told one another countless times before, and yet somehow, each time was just as meaningful as the last, if not more so. It was a phrase that never lost meaning with frequency – not between them.

"I love you too, Ruby." Weiss gave her wife's shoulders a squeeze before she stepped back. "I'll be out in a little while."

"Yeah, yeah! Take your time~" Ruby grinned and watched Weiss glide across the room, pulling out a light blue bath robe from the closet before slipping into the bathroom.

Once she was alone, Ruby stood and went about the room, taking care of a few things. She closed the curtains completely, flicking off the main lights and leaving only one lamp near the bathroom on, the glow reaching the bed just enough, but not too much.

She made the bed, knowing full-well that Weiss would be a stickler about neatness, even if they decided to go through with something like this as planned. "I hate to break it to her, but there'll probably be a few wrinkled sheets in the end..." Ruby muttered under her breath.

But Ruby decided to slip underneath the top layer of the covers, sitting up against the headboard as she waited. It was definitely better that she had gone to shower first, because if she had left Weiss to wait out here now, the heiress likely would have gone into a distressed panic.

Ruby lost track of time as she waited, the sun having fully set by the time the water stopped running. There were a few minutes of silence, then a few of loudness as the hair dryer was put to use. Ruby wiggled a bit, like a puppy awaiting her favorite person in the world; aside from the fact that she was not a puppy, the scenario was entirely true.

Eventually, the hair dryer stopped, and a few more moments of silence passed.

Weiss had dressed herself in a similar fashion to Ruby, her undergarments and robe the only things to shield her from the raw air. She stood still for a good few minutes before she could go to the door, simply trying to slow her breathing, fight off the anxiety that was bubbling up.

But again, she realized all of this was only in her head, that it was not a part of the reality that was outside this room.

Ruby was waiting for her.

Suddenly, Weiss was aware that this was the longest amount of time she had been away from her wife since she had become her wife.

She did not want to wait another second.

Her hand went to the door knob and turned it.

Ruby heard the click and perked up, looking across the room that was illuminated only in a faint glow of pale yellow from the one light that had been left on. It gave Weiss a diaphanous glow, and Ruby had to keep her jaw from going slack.

Yes, she had seen Weiss in a similar fashion many nights previously when they lived together. But it was different now, her long, flowing hair reaching all the way down to her hips, her hands not knowing where to go, so they settled for clutching the collar of her robe.

She was clearly nervous, and Ruby did not want that, so she did her best to dissuade such feelings. Her eyes met Weiss' as the older of the two crossed the room, and Ruby opened her arms up from the bed.

"C'mere, gorgeous."

Weiss offered a faint smile as she sat down on the edge of the bed, slipping into Ruby's arms. She was a perfect fit, and Ruby was convinced no one else in the universe fit so well.

Weiss was perfect in every way.

She laid back and pulled Weiss down onto her chest, rubbing the small of her back as she gazed adoringly up into her mist-blue eyes. "Do you still want to?" she wondered.

Weiss responded by slipping her palms between her wife's head and the pillow where it rested, pulling Ruby up into a kiss.

"Yes," she mumbled against her lips. "I want to."

She had come this far, and she was going to do her best not to snatch this away from Ruby at the last second.

Ruby nodded.

"Okay."

They started slow, with simple kisses.

Weiss held her lips against Ruby's for a while, drinking her in, sharing her breath as the younger of the two played with her hair, rubbing circles over the heiress' slim back. Weiss would pull back to admire her captivating silver pools, then kiss along her cheeks and temples, up to her forehead, and Ruby would content herself with nuzzling into whatever part of Weiss she was offered.

The sash of her robe loosened, but she never shed it, unsure of if that was what Weiss wanted or not. She did not want her wife to feel pressured into removing her clothes if she did not feel comfortable with it.

Ruby let her set the pace, returning every kiss and every touch for a long while before Weiss met her gaze again, slightly breathless.

"How did I ever get so lucky?" She leaned in for another kiss, and when it ended, Ruby stuck her tongue out playfully.

"That's my line," she pouted.

It earned a chuckle from Weiss, the mood growing lighter before anything else.

Weiss moved down to kiss the side of Ruby's neck, her hands straying down to her taut stomach. She massaged the hard muscles of her abdomen, then up over her ribs, chuckling into every kiss with the sounds Ruby made.

"Uuugh, god, Weeiiiiss~" It was more childish and whiny than anything as she squirmed beneath her partner's cool touch. She went limp, letting Weiss do whatever she pleased, enjoying every second of it.

Weiss' hands went up Ruby's sides and down to her hips, circling her stomach and chest, cautious and experimental. Only when it elicited a particularly loud sound from Ruby would Weiss apply a bit more pressure in any certain spot.

It went on for a while, and it almost made Ruby forget that they still had more to do, as she was so elated already.

After a time, Weiss' hands stopped massaging and returned to cup her wife's cheeks, pulling her in for another warm kiss. When they parted, both were flushed and panting slightly.

But Weiss was hesitant, not exactly sure of where to go from here.

Ruby smiled and pulled her down into a hug.

"Thank you, Weiss. That felt reeeaally good," she purred, kissing the shell of her ear. "Now let me take care of you."

She switched their positions slowly, turning Weiss over to lie on her back, her luscious white hair fanning out into an alabaster pool beneath her. Ruby made sure her head rested on the pillow, eyes scanning every inch of the bed and Weiss to make sure she was comfortable. Weiss sighed a bit and rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine, Ruby."

"Okay," she murmured. "I know, I just- I want this to be perfect. As perfect as you. Or at least somewhere close to that, because nothing could ever be as perfect as you," she grinned.

"Dunce."

Weiss wrapped her arms behind her wife's head and pulled her down for another kiss.

Ruby trailed them up her cheek, peppered them with featherlike touches all over her face before coming to a halt over her scar. She pressed that one a little harder, making sure Weiss could feel it and know just how perfect she was.

Weiss whispered gratitude into her ear, knowing it would never be enough in turn for the warmth Ruby's words ignited within her. Ruby was the only person who accepted her fully, and whom Weiss accepted in turn, in all aspects – spiritual, emotional, physical, and otherwise.

When at last Ruby pulled away, she was aware that her own robe had come loose, exposing her bare chest just a little from the vertical line of her collar down to her stomach. She liked the feeling of the air slipping along her skin, liked the looseness of it. But Weiss' robe stayed on, and it would continue to do so unless the heiress herself expressed wishes of removing it.

Ruby ran a hand through her partner's bangs, catching a bit of sweat on her fingertips. She could tell Weiss was still a bit flushed, and knew the nerves were catching up with her. Ruby frowned, concern instantly prominent in her eyes as she propped herself up onto her elbows, taking a bit of her weight off of her wife.

"Weiss? Are you okay?"

The heiress cursed silently, clearly miffed that Ruby had noticed her hesitance, though it really should not have surprised her; Ruby was incredibly perceptive when it came to her alone, after all.

"Yes," she said. "I'm fine. We can keep going."

"Weiss-" She could tell something was amiss. "Don't you lie to me." Her voice softened, and her facial features did as well. "Tell me what you need."

Again, Ruby was giving her the option to back down. She would never blame Weiss for it, and the heiress knew full-well that was the case. But she was still intent to try.

She sighed, and Ruby did not miss how shaky the breath had been.

"Just... come here for a moment..." Weiss opened her arms, inviting Ruby in.

The taller girl eased into the embrace, lowering herself down gently. Weiss had grown a bit over the years, but so had Ruby, so their bodies were still the same ratio to one another's as they had been back at Beacon. Weiss was still petite and slim, and Ruby had more weight and muscle. She knew firsthand how tough Weiss was, yet she was still scared about hurting her in any way.

Only when she had settled her full weight against Weiss could she feel the workings of her partner's body.

Weiss was breathing fast, her heart pounding hard, and Ruby instantly understood what she needed to do right now. She needed to pause things, wait for Weiss to catch up and calm down, and she would gladly do that without a second thought.

Weiss held tightly to her wife's shoulders, keeping Ruby where she was. The pressure and weight of her body over hers did not make Weiss feel trapped in the slightest.

In fact, Ruby was like a pillar supporting her, holding her together when she felt she might fall apart. Her chest pressed to Weiss' and her steady pulse kept the heiress' frantic heart from bursting out of her ribcage. She closed her eyes and focused on Ruby, letting her own heartbeat match that of her partner's.

Ruby waited patiently, as long as Weiss needed her to. She trailed more lazy kisses up the side of her neck and to her cheeks, waiting until she could feel Weiss' heartbeat begin to slow. She whispered soothing words to her, hands moving up the undersides of Weiss' forearms to squeeze her hands.

"You're so pretty, Weiss. This isn't fair. You're so beautiful." She placed a kiss between her collarbones, directly over her pulse before resting her head there, listening. The beats gradually decreased in intensity and speed, and when she felt Weiss' hands start to move over her shoulders again, her fingertips curling through her hair, Ruby knew she was feeling better.

Still, she needed to be sure, so she pulled back and found her eyes before asking:

"Are you okay?"

Weiss inhaled, slowly and deeply, and Ruby could feel it against her chest. It was less shaky now, more certain.

"Yes," she replied again.

"Do you wanna stop?" Ruby asked. "If this is too much- I mean we already tried – more than tried – so if you wanna stop-"

"Ruby, please," Weiss cut her off in a gentle lecturing tone. "We're going to do this. Tonight. Please, let's keep going."

Ruby swallowed.

"A-Are you sure?"

"Ruby..." Weiss pulled her down for another long, soulful kiss. "I love you. I want to do this. And I know you do, too. So please..."

She was set on this – mind, body, heart, and soul – and Ruby could tell.

So she nodded, then pressed another kiss to her lips.

"Okay," she murmured. "But, god, Weiss if... if at any time – any time at all – i-if you wanna stop, just tell me. If I'm hurting you, please tell me. If you even for a second don't want to do this anymore, please tell me." Her eyebrows were furrowed deeply, and Weiss was beyond moved at the pure care and concern for her in those silver eyes.

"I will, Ruby," she said clearly, her hands angling themselves beneath Ruby's until she could curl all four pinkies together. "I promise."

Ruby nodded, feeling suddenly overwhelmed with emotions. She dove in lightly to hug Weiss again, sniffling a little.

"God, I'm so lucky. I love you, Weiss."

"I love you, Ruby."

The whisper lingered on her ear, and it gave Ruby the last bit of encouragement she needed to continue.

She propped herself up once more, sliding her hands away from Weiss', moving one to the side of her partner's head to brace some of her weight as the other traveled southbound to her stomach. She untied the sash there, just a little, just enough to make it easier for Weiss to breathe. She pulled the blankets up over herself and Weiss, just halfway to her back, wanting to maintain some level of modesty for Weiss' sake.

She started massaging Weiss' shoulders, and the heiress welcomed the contact, letting slip a few short squeaks. Ruby giggled and nuzzled into her neck, kissing her lips at every precious sound.

But Weiss had always been stiff all her life, and now was certainly no different. Ruby paused only for a second as she met blue eyes.

"Relax, Weiss," she willed her, kissing another breath of air into her lungs. "Just relax. I'm not gonna hurt you."

Weiss nodded.

"I know you won't. You never would."

She tried her best to do as Ruby had instructed and loosen herself up, trying not to be so tense despite the gravity of the situation. Ruby's palms moved down her sides, beneath her ribs and lightly over her chest, melting the nervousness away.

Eventually, her hands slipped beneath Weiss' robe, fingertips running along the smooth, flawless skin that had remained untouched for twenty-four years.

Ruby rested against her wife, face buried into the junction between her neck and shoulder, kissing the exposed skin there as her hands moved elsewhere. Her skin was so soft and smooth and perfect, and Ruby almost cried about how lucky she was to have Weiss as her own.

But she was cautious with her touch; being with Weiss like this was a privilege, not a right. Marriage papers be damned, Ruby was not entitled to her.

She had held Weiss before, many hours of many nights, but never as intimately as this.

She went slowly, taking note of every slight hitch in Weiss' breath, every small twitch of her body. Ruby eased away from those areas, or slowed her pace until the tension in Weiss' body eased.

Ruby continued to kiss her, starting at the bridge of her nose then going down to her lips, her hands continuing to run lightly along the heiress' ribs soothingly. The kisses went down her neck, between her collarbones, to the center of her chest and followed the line of skin her robe graciously exposed.

She went all the way to Weiss' stomach, feeling the girl's body naturally dip inward beneath the contact. Ruby nosed the ends of her robe to the sides just a little and contented herself with holding Weiss' hips loosely as she kissed all along her naval.

Weiss tried to keep her breathing steady, feeling her heart rate already picking up. She was thinking about this all too much; if only she could stop fretting about it and just let it happen.

That was always her problem – thinking too damn much.

So she tried her best now not to think, trying instead to feel, and to exist and not question or challenge it.

And when she stopped to feel everything instead of think about it, she could sense a warm flicker, just above her core where her aura dwelled strongest. She could feel Ruby's aura as well, bubbling and alive, reaching out to hers, connecting very briefly as their pulses overlapped.

It was profound and indescribable.

Weiss trembled, and Ruby knew she felt it too, this sacred closeness that only they could share with one another. Her left hand stayed at Weiss' hip, and Ruby moved up a bit to hold Weiss' dominant hand with her right.

"Do you feel it?" Ruby whispered, holding another kiss to Weiss' chest.

"Yes..." She kissed the top of the brunette's head in turn.

They stayed there for a moment, savoring that feeling.

To Weiss, it was like lying in a field of roses on a warm, summer's day.

She felt safe, protected, loved.

To Ruby, it was like lying in a valley of cottony snow without the chill.

And after years of sleepless nights, she felt she could finally rest.

Their lips found each other's again, and this kiss was different somehow, but it could not be explained.

When Ruby finally pulled back, there was something in her eyes Weiss never thought she would see – fear.

It was her turn to show concern, and she immediately squeezed Ruby's hand where it rested in hers, her free hand going to the small of her back.

"What is it? Tell me, Ruby."

Ruby blinked, and tears fell down her cheeks and then off of her chin, landing on Weiss' chest.

"I-It's just..." She gasped a few open-mouthed sobs, and Weiss tried to push down the trepidation in her own heart as she focused on her partner entirely.

"It's okay, Ruby. Whatever it is, just tell me." She gave her hand another reassuring squeeze.

Ruby gulped, ducking her face into her shoulder in an effort to clear her face a bit. She looked down into Weiss' eyes, her own vision blurred by tears.

"It's just... I love you... so much, Weiss. So, so much. I don't wanna hurt you..."

Weiss finally let out the breath she had been holding in. She should have known it would be something like this that troubled her wife; this was Ruby Rose, after all. She was almost incapable of worrying about herself and what she wanted or needed, especially when Weiss was involved.

"You dunce..." Weiss sighed, letting a smile curl her lips. "Don't cry. My god, what did I ever do to deserve you?" She pulled Ruby down again, letting the brunette cry freely into her shoulder for a moment. "I love you, Ruby. You're not going to hurt me. I trust you, and I love you."

She felt Ruby nod vigorously against her.

"Mmhm, me too, Weiss. I love you, I love you-!"

"I know you do." The heiress kissed her wife's temple. "Just take your time."

Ruby nodded again, kissing the hollow of Weiss' throat, squeezing the pulse in her wrist with her right hand as her left rubbed over her wife's stomach. Weiss was so soft, and it comforted Ruby to no end. She loved this girl – this woman – with all her heart and soul. She had proved it countless times before – they both had – but tonight would be different.

She laughed lightly as she remembered something, finally getting her tears under control.

"Back at Beacon, we'd call you 'princess' sometimes," she recounted. "But tonight... from now on, you're the queen. My queen."

A healthy pink blush spread across Weiss' face as she muttered "dunce" and looked briefly to the side to hide her embarrassment.

Ruby giggled and leaned in, kissing her cheek fondly.

"I love you, Weiss. I love you." She said it again and again, feeling Weiss' hand holding hers, her other hand at her back, moving up her torso to her shoulders.

Ruby kept whispering those three words, all the while kissing her partner's face and neck as her free hand slid down Weiss' stomach. She paused when she felt the material at Weiss' hip, and looked to her eyes.

Weiss' expression was borderline shouting "get on with it before I change my mind, you dolt!" and it almost made Ruby chuckle again.

But the words Weiss spoke aloud made Ruby all but melt.

"Go on. I trust you, Ruby. I love you."

Ruby kissed her full on the lips as her hand slipped down, her unoccupied fingers leaving Weiss' so she may caress her bangs and face.

Ruby took a deep breath as she met resistance, checking Weiss' eyes one last time before she steeled herself. She distracted Weiss with more kisses as she pushed through, quickly murmuring over and over again:

"I love you, I love you, Weiss..."

She felt Weiss go tense, felt and heard the sharp little gasp fly from her lungs and out her lips. Ruby looked up to her face and kissed her long and slow in contrast to Weiss' thumping heartbeat.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I love you..." She whispered to her again and again, waiting for what seemed like an eon before Weiss' body gradually began to relax once more. She kissed her again gently before pulling back to glimpse her face. There were tears there, clinging to her eyes and running down her cheeks, and Ruby choked.

"Oh no, no, Weiss- ...Weiss, god, please don't cry, no, no, no, pleeease no..." she begged. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry it-it hurt you..."

Weiss blinked her eyes open to find Ruby was right, and that she was indeed crying.

"No, Ruby..." she murmured. "It's okay. It doesn't hurt. I'm just... so happy..."

"Weiss..." Her left hand stayed still, her right continuing to comb through Weiss' hair and over her cheek, down to her shoulder and back up again. "I'm sorry..." The only words on her mind right now were apologies.

"Don't be," Weiss pleaded. "Ruby, I'm glad to give this to you. I'm so happy. Thank you..."

And it sunk in for Ruby then what she meant. Weiss had given her what no one else could ever have, something she could never give again for as long as she lived. Ruby was going to treasure that, treasure her.

She wanted Weiss to have hers as well, but right now, Weiss mattered above all else.

"Thank you, Weiss," Ruby breathed into her. "I'll cherish it forever. I love you..."

There was a moment when they both cried softly, holding one another, feeling their heartbeats and their auras resonate.

Then Ruby kissed her again, wiping Weiss' tears away and then her own. She paid attention to Weiss' body, what she was saying and how she was moving, and Ruby worked with her, setting the pace at something Weiss was comfortable with.

Ruby worshipped every part of her, kissing wherever she could, offering constant verbal reminders of just how deeply she loved her.

Weiss pushed her thoughts away and focused on Ruby, focused on the feelings that coursed through her veins. She was hardly aware of the coil in her stomach until Ruby melted it, and Weiss all but sobbed her name as she got lost in the sensations that followed.

Ruby waited, holding her and kissing her again and again.

"You're so beautiful. You're gorgeous, Weiss." She held Weiss close, waiting for her breathing to slow and ease out, waiting for her heartbeat to stabilize. She cuddled Weiss into the sheets, nestling and nuzzling everything she could reach. "I looove yooou!" she hummed, feeling happier than ever before. She was ecstatic, accomplished that she could let Weiss feel so good.

It took Weiss a few moments to get her bearings back. She clutched at Ruby's shoulders and kissed her multiple times.

"Ruby..." she sighed. "Ruby..."

She kissed her more times than she could count, already crying again. Ruby knew they were good tears, so she let them stay a while before clearing them away.

"Are you okay?" she asked, brushing her cheek against hers.

Weiss huffed.

"What kind of a question is that, you dolt? Of course I am. How could I not be when I have you?"

Ruby wiggled happily into her embrace.

"I'm glad. I'm really, really glad, Weiss."

They stayed like that for a while, until they had both calmed down a bit more, until Weiss felt the blush leave her cheeks. But she could not shake away a certain thought, and spoke up shortly afterward.

"What about you?"

Ruby's eyes opened wide in surprise, and she looked down at Weiss.

"I'm okay. I'm fine just letting you feel good. That's all I want, Weiss."

"No," the heiress grunted. "It's not fair. I want the same thing, Ruby. I want to... let you feel it, too."

Ruby felt a spark of anticipation flare to life in her belly, but she pushed it down.

"It's okay, Weiss. It doesn't have to be tonight. Whenever you're ready." She leaned in with a smug smile. "We've got the rest of our lives, after all."

"True," Weiss agreed. "But would you be opposed to it now?"

"Weiss..." If the heiress kept offering like that, Ruby would not be able to refuse. "Y-You don't have to-"

"But I want to, Ruby. Please. You did wonderfully. So let me take care of you now."

It was hard for Ruby not to squeal in excitement.

Weiss rolled her over, keeping them both beneath the sheets from the waists down. She kept her eyes trained on Ruby's face, kept kissing her as she mimicked the motions Ruby had gone through for her.

It was a bit clumsy, a bit uncertain, but Ruby loved every second of it. She did not want to be greedy, so she let Weiss work at her own pace.

But Weiss wanted her to be greedy, so she leaned down and kissed her ear.

"It's okay, Ruby. Tell me what you want me to do."

Ruby beamed a wide smile up at her, despite the fact that her face was as red as her namesake, but Weiss' was, too. She instructed Weiss in whispers, and the heiress obliged, using her free hand to rub her partner's side, using her lips to swallow her squeaks and squeals.

She could feel Ruby's body shift and tense up, and Weiss followed the silent directions, step by step. She held Ruby close and murmured her name, just as Ruby cried out hers on a sob of the utmost relief. Ruby crushed Weiss to her for all she was worth, and Weiss kissed her chest, holding it.

"I love you."

A few minutes later, Ruby reopened her eyes, and Weiss placed kisses over her forehead.

"You're lovely, Ruby."

"Not... nearly as lovely as you~" she sang.

She locked her arms around Weiss and rolled them over onto their sides to face one another. She pulled the sheets up over them both before burrowing into Weiss' collar, nestling into her neck. Weiss dipped her head down to share another passionate kiss with her wife before resting her chin atop Ruby's head.

The warmth between them was incomparable, their auras flicking and bubbling, though the rings on their fingers provided a bit of cool.

Weiss kissed the top of her head, playing with her hair. Likewise, Ruby ran her fingers through silken tresses, listening to Weiss' heartbeat. They continued exchanging words on every breath.

"You're lovely."

"You're beautiful."

"You're gorgeous."

"You're perfect."

Every whisper was heartfelt and nothing but the truth.

The events of the past few days started to catch up with them at last, and eyelids began to close slowly, breathing deepening, pulses slowing to match.

But before they could sleep, before their consciousnesses could slip into a realm of peaceful slumber, there was one more thing that needed to be said again.

"Ruby-"

"Weiss-"

"I love you."

They held tightly to one another, and would never have to let go again for as long as they lived.

A/N: I once said if I ever wrote this kind of thing that it'd be adorable :'3 Don't get used to this kind of thing from me though, haha. I only did it especially for this pairing I love so much.



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