Chapter 32

A few hours passed. Weiss considered waking Ruby for lunch, but decided against it, instead waiting for dinner. According to a helpful text from Yang, Ruby liked chicken noodle soup when she was sick, so Weiss put in an order with Blake, who headed to the cafeteria. Luckily they kept a variety of soup sachets on hand. It seemed soup was a common request during the colder months, and the college had planned ahead. After thanking Blake, Weiss shooed her away, again.

"Ruby...Ruby, wake up." Weiss gently shook Ruby's shoulder. "Come on, Blake brought dinner."

Ruby produced a muffled groan. Chuckling, Weiss rubbed Ruby's back soothingly, until she began to shift, rolling onto her side and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Hmm...Blakey's here?"

"No Ruby, she just brought your dinner." Weiss corrected. "Now come on, it's chicken noodle."

Ruby smiled widely. "She remembered…"

Weiss almost corrected Ruby, but instead bit down on the impulse. She helped Ruby sit up, arranging the pillows to support her back, before picking up the tray and placing it across Ruby's lap. Just then Ruby dissolved into another coughing fit, stifling it as best she could with her hand. She tried to smile through the pain as Weiss held the tray steady with one hand, and rubbed circles on her back with the other.

"Would you like some water?" Weiss asked.

Ruby nodded. "Please."

Dinner was quiet, apart from a few smaller coughing fits, each handled with the same tenderness and care. Though Blake had brought Weiss her own bowl, it remained largely untouched, with Weiss' attention focused squarely on Ruby. Ruby slowly made her way through the serving, a contrast to her usual ravenous consumption of any and all edible matter within a meter radius.

"Ruby, have you had enough?" Weiss asked. Ruby nodded groggily, humming. Weiss took the tray, moving it to her desk as Ruby sunk into the covers once more. "Don't get comfortable yet Ruby, you have to take your antibiotic." Weiss popped one of the pills from its tab and poured a fresh glass of water, but when she turned to Ruby she found her hidden under the covers. "Ruby, come on, it's just one pill." Ruby remained silent. Weiss sighed, kneeling beside the bed and laying a hand on Ruby's back. "Ruby, I know you're not asleep. Please, I want you to get better. Don't you want to get better? Blake misses you. She was literally scratching at the door this morning."

"Pfft." Ruby giggled.

Weiss was happy to hear Ruby laugh again. "Busted." Weiss chuckled. "Now come on. Up for just a minute, then you can sleep." Ruby groaned but obeyed, slowly rolling onto her back before sitting up. Weiss handed her the pill and the glass, and she painfully swallowed the pill. "There we go. That's all until tomorrow. Would you like anything?"

Ruby shook her head, giving back the glass and sinking back into the covers as Weiss tucked her in. "You make a great nurse." Ruby smiled. "You care too much."

"I prefer to think other people don't care enough." Weiss countered. "But thank you Ruby, I...I will keep that in mind."

Ruby smiled dreamily, nuzzling into the pillows once again. "G'night Weiss, love you."

Weiss smiled, even as her heart ached. She paused, chewing her lip beneath the mask as Ruby's breathing evened out, developing into a light snore, so quick to fall asleep. Weiss could not help herself. She removed her mask, leant down, and planted a small kiss on Ruby's temple. "I love you too Ruby."

The week progressed along the same routine. Ruby grew sicker at first, her coughing fits more frequent, more violent. She barely stayed awake long enough to eat dinner and exchange a few texts with Blake. Weiss worried that perhaps Ruby's incident with Emerald had caused deeper trauma, but then she began to improve, growing livelier and healthier. By the weekend Ruby felt barely more than a tickle in her throat.

Pushing off the covers and stretching, Ruby rubbed her eyes. "Morning Weiss." She yawned. "I'm going for a shower, okay?"

Weiss sat hunched over her desk, hair curtained, gleaming in the morning light. Velvet would have loved to take this picture, Ruby thought. "Mmmm, don't forget a mask." Weiss reminded her. She sounded faint, strained and tired. Weiss opened one of her desk drawers, pulling out a sealed surgical mask. She turned to Ruby, holding it out. She looked deathly.

"Weiss, I got you sick." Ruby groaned.

"I'll be fine." Weiss waved her off.

"You should be-" Ruby started.

"Ruby, shower, now." Weiss cut her off. "I'll worry about me." Ruby pouted and Weiss glared, the battle of the century. Weiss knew she could not win and so shut her eyes, jutting out the mask again. "Stop that."

Ruby took the mask, along with Weiss' hand. "Don't push yourself, okay?" Ruby implored.

Weiss sighed, nodding. She opened her eyes and offered a small, tired smile. "Go on, I'll get some rest." True to her word, Weiss climbed back into bed as Ruby left. She despised falling ill. It destroyed her productivity, forced others to care for her, and was generally unpleasant. She felt disgusting, looked disgusting, and hated people seeing her in such a state, even people she loved. Regardless, Weiss easily fell asleep. In what felt like no time at all she was nudged awake.

"Wakey, wakey Weissy!" Ruby cheered. Grunting, Weiss cracked her eyes, only to be blinded by brilliant silver. "You never said what you like when you're sick, but Blakey says tea and porridge have always made you feel better."

As Weiss forced herself into a sitting position, a weight settled on her lap. The strong smell of fresh porridge, mixed with that of soothing camomile wafted into her face. She breathed deeply, feeling better already. "Mmmm, thank you, Ruby."

The resulting smile on Ruby's face could have cured cancer.

Sorry Blakey, I gave Weiss my infection.

Blake groaned as she read the text, flopping back onto the grass. The past week had been torture, to say the least. It surprised Blake to realize just how much her life revolved around Weiss and Ruby. Thank God Velvet was good conversation, or she would have died of boredom. It probably helped that these were interesting times for Velvet. Upon the group's return, Velvet had almost strangled Blake and Ruby with hugs, half naked hugs, a similarly dressed Coco waving from their bed. After some babbling, and an exchanging of numbers to prevent any future communication lapses, Velvet had explained what had gone on after the group departed.

The call had been emotional, to say the least. A lot of crying, a lot of apologies, and a lot of declarations of love had occurred, ending with Coco hopping on the next flight back to Atlas. Her parents were not pleased, but Coco could not have cared less, they only wanted to parade her in front of their wealthy friends anyway. Coco's visit home was out of respect for her parents more than genuine affection. She did not hate them, but their lifestyle was tiring to her, and their views of the world disagreeable.

Coco had spent her flight researching everything she could on nymphomania. Not that she had neglected to do research when Velvet first informed her of the condition, but before it was more out of curiosity, to learn the basics, coping methods, potential issues. That had been through the lense of living with it, as Velvet had assured Coco she had accepted her condition, a stance Coco adopted herself. But that was no longer an option, and something had to be done. Coco refused to sit by and let Velvet suffer, no matter how enjoyable the sex was. Velvet deserved so much more than that.

By the time Coco had landed in Atlas, she had located and contacted a local specialist in psycho-sexual disorders. After several discussions with the doctor, with Velvet, and the three of them together, Velvet had agreed to try medication and therapy.

"It's not gone, but it's easier to satisfy, and the flare I had last night wasn't nearly as bad as usual." Velvet had explained. "If they continue the way they are...I might be normal someday…"

The conversation had been emotional for Velvet and Coco, obviously, and also for Blake and Ruby. Velvet was on cloud nine, the usually calm and collected Coco on the verge of tears, and the pair had insisted on doing something to return the favor. After all, it had been Blake and Ruby who convinced Velvet she needed help in the first place. Ruby had insisted it was not needed, they were friends, just shy of family, and they would always be there for each other, without questions or expectation.

Naturally, when Blake had explained Ruby's sickness, Coco and Velvet's first thought was to show up with gifts and cheer. The idea was swiftly vetoed by Blake. Weiss would bite their heads off if they even attempted to open the door and thus break Ruby's quarantine. No, they had to keep their distance and be patient, making due with occasional texts from Ruby when she was awake for meals and bathroom trips.

So Blake found herself hanging out with Coco and Velvet, outside their shared room for once. She ended up on first name terms with Yatsuhashi, a business major, Fox, pre-law, and Coco's roommate Neon, musical theory. Yatsuhashi was a soft spoken, gentle giant of a man, who treated Velvet like a little sister - as strange as that sounded, considering Blake had walked in on them mid foursome. Fox was a smart ass, plain and simple, blind as a bat with no fucks left to give about it - Blake found him amusing. Neon, on the other hand, seemed subdued. From Blake's few previous interactions, she seemed the type to be constantly chipper, hyper and jazzed up on life. But now it seemed a cloud hung over her, and it was tragic to behold.

Despite this, Neon and Blake talked often and at length, about Ruby, about Weiss, Velvet and Coco, and life in general. Neon talked little about her home life, describing her existence as difficult but worthwhile. Blake could sympathize, and did not pry. It was nice, bonding over people they cared for, swapping stories, laughing at each other's quirks. It put the bounce back in Neon's step, and distracted Blake, tiding her over until Ruby recovered.

Of course Weiss then had to fall sick, great. At least Weiss tended to get over illness quicker than most, so she would only have to wait three or four days instead of another whole week. Still, four days were four days. Velvet, Coco and Neon were good company, but she missed everything about Ruby - her hugs, her smell, the way Ruby's fingers massaged Blake's ears just right, and the look in her eyes when she was tied and helpless, begging for claws to be raked down her stomach. For the hundredth time that week, Blake cursed her weak immune system.

"Sup losers!" Sun joked, approaching the group and leaning against a nearby tree.

Oh boy, here we go. Blake thought.

"Heya Sun!" Neon cheered.

"Hey monkey boy, sup?" Coco asked. Blake waved lethargically from her position on the ground.

"Birthday party next weekend." Sun replied. "My place. You guys are invited."

"Awesome!" Neon exclaimed. She could desperately use a party, particularly one of Sun's. "Who's the lucky guy...or gal?"

"Me!" Sun answered. "Hey Blake, how're Ruby and Weiss doin'?"

"Ruby's better, Weiss just got sick." Blake sighed.

"Bummer, well they're invited too." Sun noted.

"Sweet, anything planned?" Blake asked.

"Just chillin', not a huge party, just my friends and housemates." Sun replied.

"Nothing illegal?" Blake pressed.

"Nothing illegal." Sun confirmed. "Though this stuff I made could potentially be illegal someday. But it's completely harmless. We've tested it extensively."

"Pssh, tested, sure." Blake scoffed. "You know what I mean though."

"Yeah, just some weed, catnip, and my Secret Sauce." Sun explained. "I won't even be using, just want everyone to have a good time."

"Alright, I'll pass it along." Blake agreed.

"You gonna' play that Atlesian rave shit again?" Coco asked.

"Hell no, never again." Sun shook his head. "Scarlet isn't going anywhere near the player this time."

Neon, Velvet and Coco let out a sigh of relief.

Pyrrha entered the break room at the end of another day of work. Her body ached, particularly the lower half. Even a visit to the gym showers had not helped. The trouble was, the physical exertion her job required was not the problem. That had never been an issue for her. No, in this case it only exacerbated a problem that already existed. Simply put, the problem was Yang, her libido to be precise. Since their first night of amorous exertion, Yang had been going full throttle. The couple made love daily, usually more than once. Yang was always ready for more, Pyrrha not so much. In addition to leaving her exhausted, it was taking a physical toll.

Pyrrha found just the person she was looking for in the break room. "Hello Ren, how are you?" She asked.

"Good, thank you." Ren replied. "You?"

"Alright, a little achey." Pyrrha admitted.

"I can tell by how you're walking." Ren observed.

"Yes...do you happen to have any of that ointment you gave me that one time we...went overboard?" Pyrrha requested.

"I do, at home, but why is that what you're looking for?" Ren asked.

"Well, the thing is, I'm sore because of Yang." Pyrrha explained. "I don't know how she does it. Is Nora that...insatiable?"

"She can be." Ren confirmed. "Have you communicated your concerns to Yang?"

"I...I can't, I don't want to be a downer." Pyrrha struggled. "I don't think I've ever seen her this happy, certainly not since her accident."

"You need to be happy too." Ren advised. "If she's the only one enjoying herself-"

"It's not that I'm not enjoying myself." Pyrrha cut in. "It's just...it's all a bit much. I'm not used to the pace. With some time I should be alright."

"Mhm." Ren nodded, a skeptical look on his face. "I'll bring the ointment over to the house. I might bring Nora over for a visit as well, if you don't mind."

"That's fine." Pyrrha agreed. "Thank you."

The doorbell rang. Yang was near the door so she answered it, finding Ren and Nora standing outside. "Hey guys!" Yang cheered, hugging Ren and Nora in turn. "What brings you two here?"

"I brought something for Pyrrha." Ren replied, holding up a plain paper bag.

"Come on in." Yang offered. She backed up, allowing Ren and Nora to enter. Nora took the bag from Ren, headed for the couch, and took a seat beside Pyrrha.

Ren remained standing. "Yang, could we talk, in private?" He requested.

Yang looked to Pyrrha who sighed and buried her face in her hands. "Uh...sure." Yang agreed. "Why don't we go for a walk? Nora can keep Pyrrha company." Ren nodded. Yang hesitated for a moment before tossing on a jacket and leading Ren outside. The sun was rapidly setting, the sky a mix of reds and yellows. "Ren, what's going on?" Yang asked once they were sufficiently clear of the house.

"Pyrrha tells me you've been making love very frequently." Ren answered.

"Well, yeah." Yang confirmed. "So?"

"I think you're pushing her too hard." Ren advised. "Pyrrha's not like Nora."

"She hasn't said anything." Yang noted.

"As is her nature." Ren said. "She wants to make you happy, whatever discomfort that may cause her."

"Discomfort?" Yang asked.

"Apparently she's quite sore, and exhausted, physically and mentally I suspect." Ren nodded.

"Am I...I need to apologize." Yang declared. "I was just…"

"Let me guess, the first time you made love, you did so repeatedly." Ren suggested.

"Yep." Yang said.

"You've been judging based on that, assuming her libido is naturally high." Ren continued. Yang nodded. "Unfortunately, that's not the case. In that case you were both pent up, riding the high of your new relationship. But for her, most of the time even once a day is probably too much."

"Damnit, I wish she would have said something." Yang groaned. "I don't want this to-"

"She won't hold it against you." Ren cut in. "She probably blames herself, at least in part. This isn't the first time…" Yang raised a curious eyebrow. "When we were dating, we went on a trip for Spring Maiden's Day. We rented a fancy hotel room in Vale for the weekend, saw the sights, went to fancy restaurants, the whole nine yards. When we weren't out, we were...how should I put this…"

"Fucking constantly?" Yang suggested.

"As much as possible." Ren confirmed. "She was pushing just as hard as I was. By the time we returned home she was in terrible pain. After that I was much more careful. She's never going to say 'no.' She loves you too much. That's why you need to be cautious."

"I will." Yang declared. "Thanks for the heads up. I wish she would have just told me though. I never meant to push. I just wanted her to be satisfied."

"Communication is key." Ren smiled. "Unfortunately it seems you're both very bad at it."

"Given that we managed to live together for a few months without saying how we felt about each other, that definitely appears to be the case." Yang chuckled. "I'll be sure to be more considerate."

"And after the talk Nora's giving her, she'll probably be more assertive." Ren added.

"Unless Nora decided to try to convince her to have a foursome instead." Yang warned.

Ren paused, then sighed. "I can't rule out that possibility."

"...and that's why it would be awesome if we had a foursome." Nora finished her pitch.

"Maybe one day, but I don't think I'm ready for that." Pyrrha blushed.

"It was worth a shot." Nora shrugged. "Anyway, that's not what I really wanted to talk about."

"Ren told you, didn't he?" Pyrrha sighed.

"Yep, Yang's been bangin' you so much you can't walk straight." Nora laughed. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I just want her to be happy." Pyrrha replied. "I'm sure you know how happy she is when...yeah…"

"Of course, but the thing that makes her happiest is making her partner happy." Nora advised. "She's not a sub, but she's a giver for sure. She wants to enjoy herself, but she really wants you to get off. How often does she let you return the favor?"

"Only when I insist really." Pyrrha replied. "That's not really a problem."

"Well, Ren's told me all about you-" Nora started.

"How much?" Pyrrha cut her off.

"Everything." Nora smirked. Pyrrha shivered. "He once joked that his time with you was like a sexual vacation. Me and Yang, we're ready to go all day, everyday. You like to take it slower. There's nothing wrong with that, and I'm sure Yang doesn't have a problem with that. I definitely don't have a problem slowing down for Ren."

"I don't want to disappoint her." Pyrrha protested.

"You could never disappoint her." Nora insisted. "Have you seen the way she looks at you? She'd be celibate if it made you happy. Well, she'd still masturbate a lot, but my point stands."

"I don't know…" Pyrrha trailed off.

"You have to communicate!" Nora exclaimed. "If you're not feeling it, you're not feeling it. You don't have to feel obligated. Crack the whip! Trust me, if you take charge and assert yourself a bit, your whole relationship will improve."

"Are you sure?" Pyrrha pressed.

"Absolutely." Nora nodded.

"Thank you Nora." Pyrrha smiled. "I assume Ren's giving Yang a similar talking to?"

"Yep." Nora answered. "I mean, without the foursome part, probably."

"Oh, and I have to thank you for one more thing." Pyrrha declared. Nora tilted her head. "The tip about running my nails along her back, it totally works."

Nora grinned. "I know a few more tricks if you're interested."