Chapter Text
Weiss grumbled frustratedly to herself, starting to roll the miserable, rickety luggage-cart down the path towards Beacon. Pushing her own baggage was more difficult than she had anticipated.
She sighed. She supposed that she really had no one to blame but herself. If she had done as her father wanted and gone to Atlas Academy, she would have been waited on practically hand and foot; but here at Beacon, she was essentially on her own.
She gasped as one of the loose wheels snapped completely off the luggage cart, sending all of her baggage clattering to the ground as it tipped to one side.
She growled in exasperation, drawing the stares of other passing students, some of which laughed at her expense. Some of them had mean-spirited grins on their faces, they clearly knew who she was and were not admirers by any stretch of the imagination.
‘This was a mistake.’ She thought, looking at the catastrophe, thoroughly embarrassed five minutes into her first day. ‘I never should have come here.’
She was about to bend down and start picking her suitcases up when she became aware of a high pitched squeal, rapidly getting louder.
“-eiiiiiIIIIIIISSSSSS!”
She didn’t even have time to turn her head before a black and red streak slammed into her, nearly knocking her off her feet.
“Oh my gods, Weiss!” A voice cried as she was enveloped in an immensely tight hug. A voice that was hauntingly familiar. A voice that she’d been doing her best not to think too much about. A voice that had no business being at this school at the moment.
“Ruby? Is that you?” Weiss asked in disbelief, wrapping her arms around the other girl’s waist.
“Yeah!” The girl exclaimed, removing her head for Weiss’ shoulder so Weiss could finally see, and sure enough it was the face that she had tried so hard to get out of her head. Ruby was outfitted in a black combat-dress with a bright red cloak draped across her shoulders. It was certainly an eccentric look but it definitely suited her. The girl grinned at her, and Weiss could see excitement and longing on her face. Ruby seemed to come to some kind of decision and leaned in toward Weiss with the clear intent to kiss her.
“Woah, wait…” Weiss said, pulling away from Ruby’s lips, shock and embarrassment surging through her. Ruby’s loud and flashy entrance now had everyone in the immediate vicinity staring at them.
Ruby flinched and looked hurt. “I-I’m sorry…” she stammered, blushing bright red and pulling away from the hug. “I’ve…I’ve been thinking about you all summer and I just…I just got excited…”
“F-fair enough…” Weiss said, still flustered, “But more importantly, what the hell are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at Signal?”
Ruby’s face brightened, “I got admitted to Beacon two years early!” she said excitedly.
Weiss stared at her, completely dumbfounded. It was literally unheard of to be admitted to Huntsmen academies one year early, much less two.
“It’s a long story…” Ruby said sheepishly, noticing her stunned expression, “...involving a shopping trip, a robbery, and fighting the leader of some kind of crime syndicate…”
“…I have several questions.” Weiss said after a moment of stunned silence.
“I’ll tell you all about it later…” Ruby said. Suddenly her face was sad again, “That is if you still want to be seen around me. I get it if you-”
“No.” Weiss said forcefully, “That’s not it…” Ruby didn’t look convinced, she’d probably seen Weiss look around at all the other people a moment ago.
“Ruby…I…” she swallowed nervously, “I thought about you all summer too. I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” she looked into Ruby’s silver eyes, knowing she was blushing bright red but not really caring, “You’re the only person I’ve met that doesn’t care that I’m a Schnee. And I just…I…Ruby?” Ruby’s gaze had zeroed in on her face and a deep concerned frown creased her features.
“How did you get hurt?” the red-clad girl asked, “What happened?”
Right.
The scar.
The scar on her eye that wasn’t there the last time Ruby saw her.
“Um, it was a training exercise organized by my dad that went wrong.” she said shakily, the painful memory replaying itself in her head. “I used up all of my aura fighting a training Grimm.” Ruby’s eyes flared in anger, “It got in a lucky shot before I defeated it.”
Ruby’s gaze softened, “May I?” she asked, holding up her hand.
Weiss nodded, giving her permission. Ruby reached out and cupped her cheek, gently running a calloused thumb over the still sensitive scar tissue below her eye. Weiss’ heart started to race. She closed her eyes and leaned into Ruby’s hand. Gods, she hadn’t realized just how touch starved she had been at the manor. Eventually she opened her eyes and was startled to see a look of rage on Ruby’s face.
“I’m going to kill your dad if I ever see him.” Ruby growled, her voice low and dark.
“No…You don’t…I…” Weiss swallowed, a little stunned by Ruby’s dark proclamation. “I appreciate the thought, I really do, but it isn’t necessary.” Ruby arched an eyebrow but nodded, dropping her hand back to her side, to Weiss’ disappointment.
“I’m…Uh, I’m sorry I tried to kiss you.” Ruby said quietly, “I presumed too much.”
“No. I’m sorry for flinching away.” Weiss said quickly, “I just…I…” she grunted in frustration, not completely knowing how to voice her feelings. “Look, there’s clearly something between us. I can feel it just as much as you can. And I want to explore it with you…But I want to do it the right way. Getting to know each other more, going on a first date, you know, the classic stuff.”
Ruby’s face brightened and she grinned, “I’d like that a lot.” She said, “I’ve never been on a first date before.”
“Excellent.” Weiss said, trying to suppress the blush Ruby’s smile brought to her cheeks and failing spectacularly, “Neither have I. Not with someone I actually wanted to go on a date with anyway. But we can discuss more on that later, for now I’d greatly appreciate it if you would help me pick up my luggage.”
Ruby looked around at the scattered suitcases as if she just now realized that they were there. “Sure!” she said brightly, “I’d be happy to help you pick up your arctic expedition supplies! Where’s the rest of your crew?” she asked, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
“Oh, har har.” Weiss deadpanned, “Less sarcasm, more carrying.”
“What did you even pack in here anyway?” Ruby asked, opening one of the heavier ones, revealing several SDC branded vials of dust, one of which had apparently cracked in the fall. A small cloud of red dust puffed right into Ruby’s face.
“Be careful with that!” Weiss quickly warned, “You might-”
“ACHOO!”
The fire dust detonated with the force of Ruby’s sneeze, black clouds of smoke billowing around the two girls.
“Sorry!” Ruby said, once the smoke had cleared.
Weiss sighed dramatically and began to brush the soot off of her white combat gear. “Just for that,” she said, putting on a stern voice, “Our first date is on you.” Ordinarily she’d be furious, but there was just something about the way this dolt rubbed the back of her head sheepishly that was ridiculously charming to her.
“Heh-heh…seems fair,” Ruby said, clearly very embarrassed.
They quickly picked up all the luggage, barely having enough hands and arms between the two of them to do it, thankfully Ruby had only brought one small bag with her. They made their way towards the main hall, following the rest of the crowd.
As they passed by the dorms, some Academy employees intercepted them and took the luggage off their hands to be brought to the rooms, leaving them free to walk unencumbered the rest of the way to the main entrance.
“Weiss?” Ruby asked as they walked down the main path, a slight nervous tremor in her voice.
“Hm?”
“I-I know we’re not technically dating yet but, um…can-can we hold hands?”
Weiss looked around, noticing that people were still staring at her and realizing who she was. But for one of the first times in her life, she genuinely didn’t care what they thought, she only cared what the girl next to her thought.
“Well…” she said, making a big show of considering it, “It’s technically skipping a few steps but…I think I can live with that.” Ruby grinned brightly at her. Weiss didn’t think she’d ever get tired of seeing Ruby smile.
Ruby extended her hand to her and Weiss took it, lacing their fingers together as they walked side by side towards the open doors to the Academy.
Ruby’s warm hand in hers Weiss was absolutely certain she’d made the right choice.