Archive of Our Own

Perhaps one can say it’s inevitable.

“We shouldn’t do this,” Ruby pants lightly, fingers clutching the other girl’s hips despite her words. They are so close, much closer than they’ve ever been. Worn clothes having been tossed elsewhere in the cave while they went to soak in the pool of water, but one thing led to another, and…

Well, here they are.

With Weiss all but pinned to the wall, the lean but toned body of the wind user pressed against hers. Their lips hover much too close to each other, still grazing, still tempting. Already have stolen one kiss (or many) from each other as the tension snapped and shattered like the ice that she controls.

They gave into growing desire- and to both of their surprise, it’s Ruby who contains herself enough to at least suggest for them to stop.

But she’s right. They should stop. Not only are they in the middle of nowhere and should be looking for a way home instead of distracting themselves with each other, but they are enemies in a war. A war with only a bloody end in sight.

Doing this will be a mistake.

“No…” Weiss licks her lips that tingle from the soft exhale Ruby emits (and something in her chest rushes when that makes the other witch glance down at her mouth to follow the movement). “We really shouldn’t. It’s unwise.”

It’s a stupid, stupid, stupid decision is what it is.

Once they reach known land again, they will part ways. Ruby would return to Vale and Weiss would return to Atlas and they would continue fighting for their sides, forever meeting in battle. And if they tossed feelings into the mix, that’ll only make things exceedingly more complicated than they should be.

And try as she might, she can’t just shut off her feelings. She’s felt more emotions with Ruby than anyone in her entire life and…

Well.

She doesn’t want to push them away.

She doesn’t want to push Ruby away.

“Fuck,” Ruby whispers- and just as she was the first to stop them, she is the first to give in too. A whine comes from the back of her throat, and she is helpless to her desires as she repeats roughly, “Fuck…"

And she leans back in, lips pressing against Weiss’s in a damn near bruising collision that neither of them pay any attention to. It doesn’t help that Weiss practically drags her forward, fingers digging into the back of her neck where the mark of her primary magic brands against her flesh. Like a scar, like a tattoo; curling waves of a flowing breeze. The sensitive spot makes Ruby shudder against her and for just a flash, it brings a hint of a smug smile to her lips.

There’s no stopping what comes next anymore.

Honestly, the effort they put in to stop it is laughable.

Ruby is quite handsy, trailing her fingers wherever she can get away with- plenty, she can get away with plenty because Weiss lets her- as though wanting to commit every part of her to tactile memory. They brush along her spine, following each of her branded markings with enough pressure to make Weiss’s knees shake. Wanting to give out, wanting to collapse into her arms because she has convinced herself that she’ll be safe here.

Of course she will. Look how gently Ruby touches her where it perpetually hurts.

Every witch’s brand comes with constant agony and discomfort. The price they have to pay to signify who they are and what they’re capable of.

But when Ruby touches her marks, (her scars), she can forget they even exist.

Weiss doesn’t quite know what she’s doing- and neither does Ruby, honestly; they’re both kinda fumbling their way through this- but she follows her instincts, and instinct demands for her to find out what the girl’s pulse tastes like. She slips her fingers higher to grab a fistful of short, red-tipped hair, breaking away from their heated kiss to target her neck.

Oh, she is delightful in every way. Her touch, her voice, her taste; another time, Weiss would find it odd to enjoy feeling another person’s pulse beneath her tongue- alive, alive, alive. Who knew life could taste so beautiful?- but for right now, it only makes something within her clench. A yawning chasm of desire unfurling more and more.

It’s going to devour her whole at the rate it’s going, she just knows it.

Not that she’ll try to stop it.

And when Ruby sighs her name, a breathless little, “Weiss,” it makes her dig her nails into her scalp and take that thrumming pulse between her teeth.

Again, sharper like a gasp, Ruby says Weiss like it takes the place of divinity and she is praying to her. Praying for more.

Who is Weiss to deny her worship?

“Weiss-“

“Hush.” Weiss finds too much pleasure in the way Ruby listens immediately, teeth clacking together as she closes her mouth. Not saying anything or putting up any argument as Weiss carefully switches them around, making sure that neither of them slips in the water that comes up to their shins.

She should not have this level of trust. It’s surreal and dangerous and it would be so easy for Weiss to take advantage of it and wipe out one of the more prickly thorns in her side. Ruby is one of her greatest opponents on the battlefield, and if she got rid of her now…

That’s why it surprises her when Ruby lets her push her against the wall. When she lets her keep a palm at the center of her chest- and it would be so easy to let her hand go just a little higher to wrap around her throat. So easy, too easy.

And yet, Weiss cannot find the will to do it.

Because she much rather take her all in instead.

There are a handful of scars on her toned body, inevitable in a world like theirs as a front-line fighter. She is muscle in just the right places and softness in others and Weiss takes as much time as she wants letting her gaze wander. Blue darkened with an intensity unlike any other, even if she took her hand away, Ruby would not attempt to move.

It’s all new to her.

But she likes what she sees.

“Umm…” Her eyes tick to silver that shines with sudden nervousness (finding satisfaction when that alone stops Ruby in her tracks, the muscles in her neck moving with her thick swallow). She squirms a bit, not entirely uncomfortable.

More impatient than anything else, honestly.

Someone really needed to teach this girl some patience.

“Forgive me. I was always told to admire art when I come across it.” She glides her hand higher, her thumb on one side of Ruby’s pulse and the rest of her fingers on the other, making her tilt her head back a bit. Exposing her even more. Weiss finds great joy in the way it brings a shiver through Ruby’s body. “And you are a masterpiece, Ruby Rose.”

Weiss draws close to her, their bodies almost touching once more, leaning in closer still until she can whisper in her ear, these words only for her and her alone. The rest of the world does not have a right to them.

“One I want to ruin.”

Her lips quirk in the start of a smirk as Ruby lets out a needy whine, reaching for her again and turning her head to try and kiss her.

But Weiss pushes against her, her hand like a collar keeping the other girl at bay, and it pulls an annoyed grunt from Ruby. Weiss clicks her tongue in something akin to disappointment, meeting her in the eye with a huff.

“You need to learn to be patient.”

“I want you to keep your word. You say you’ll ruin me,” Ruby, to her surprise, doesn’t back down. Silver gleams like the blades from battle ready to put up a fight and shed blood and leave scars, like the rays of the moon so bright and beautiful. 

There is a beg in the form of a challenge because Weiss doubts her pride will allow her to even whisper the word please tonight (but she’ll make her. She will definitely make her beg, even if it’s the last thing she does). 

“So ruin me, Weiss.”

It’s almost a taunt. Almost goading, almost mocking.

…She hates that it works. That Ruby knows exactly what buttons to press to make her snap.

Weiss exhales harshly, breath misting with the threat of her ice activating, magic feeding off her irritation. Her fingers hook at Ruby’s jawline to hold her steady and lure her forward, venting her frustration against her lips. (She can feel the way Ruby smiles, as though amused.)

It’s becoming much too addicting; kissing this girl. The rest of the world fades away and there is nothing but the taste of her, the smell of her so close, the feel of her beneath the tips of her fingers as Weiss presses into her fully, keeping one hand at her jaw to guide her exactly the way she wants and the other to roam as freely as it wants. She maps her body, the hard planes of muscle at her abdomen that twitch as soon as she touches her. As though unprepared, as though instinctively expecting her to hurt her.

After knowing nothing but pain from each other’s hands for so many years on the battlefield, it would be nice to know some tenderness.

But Weiss is not built for gentleness, she was not raised to be gentle- she was made to be a weapon, and because she’s much too distracted with the feel of Ruby’s lips against her own, it’s no surprise to her that she starts to lose that careful composure she has on her abilities. The ice in her veins rises to the surface, a faint bit of frost dusting her fingertips where they touch Ruby, and the contrast between her warm body and her cold hand makes the other girl suck in a sharp breath.

Weiss lets her- lets her, because she very well could keep her there if she wants- reel back just enough to meet her in the eye. A sense of wariness that may never truly go away, heartbroken as she is to admit that, that wars with the ever present desire and frustration.

She keeps her hand idle against her abs, not making any move in any direction, fingers fanned out. (What would it take to freeze her completely? Less than a heartbeat.)

“Is this okay?” Weiss curls her fingers loosely, indicatively, nails lightly grazing her skin, thin webs of frost left behind in its wake to mark where she has touched her. Leaving a lingering sensation behind.

Blue meets silver and asks another question;

Do you trust me?

(Trust…

Ridiculous. They aren’t allowed to trust each other. 

And yet-)

Silver darkens with sheer want and Weiss has her answer; yes.

Of course, Ruby doesn’t say that out loud. Because she’s insufferable.

“Even if it wasn’t,” she teases; pushing, pushing, pushing, the start of a smirk to her lips as she raises a brow, “would you even be able to control yourself?”

“You forget,” Weiss digs her nails in lightly, a flush of power rushing through her veins as the brand on the back of her neck starts to burn with the activation, “how close I am to your throat. You should learn to hold your tongue and not push me.”

“Oh, but Weiss.” Undeterred by the obvious threat, Ruby leans into her palms invitingly, bringing herself that much closer for their lips to almost touch. From here, she can count every single one of her lashes and Weiss is lost in the sea of lovely silver. In a whisper, she finishes, “I want to see how much you’ll bend for me.”

She pushes more, her own hands against the wall behind her to give herself leverage. With Weiss’s palms flat against her, the chill of the ice climbs higher and brings goosebumps to her skin. Delicious.

Intoxicating.

Ruby lowers her head to kiss her shoulder, her collarbone, the side of her neck as Weiss allows her access by tilting her head aside just so. Weiss’s next exhale comes with a plume of white mist, the temperature surrounding them beginning to lower a degree or two and so much more if Ruby keeps pushing her and-

Against her pulse, straight to her heart; 

“I want to see how much you’ll break for me.”

And her mind or her heart (or both) is a traitor when the passing plea of Break me, you have my permission to break me, be as gentle as you can be brings an uncomfortable and foreign warmth to her cheeks. (A blush. No one’s ever made her blush before.)

She scowls out of habit, “You don’t know when to quit.”

Weiss doesn’t give Ruby the chance to respond, bringing both hands to her torso to explore. She is careful with her ice, knows just how much damage she can cause with it. Knows that this can quickly take a turn if she doesn’t keep herself in check. But she gives into her desire to touch her as much as she wants and Ruby certainly doesn’t stop her, a sigh of relief rolling across the skin of her neck. (Warm, so unbelievably warm. If she stays so close to her, will she steal her warmth?)

When she makes the decision to trail her hands to where she can finally cup her breasts, half of it is by accident and half of it is on purpose. Ruby tries to veer away, perhaps a knee-jerk reaction born from their days on the battlefield- get away, her instincts must warn, get away from the cold- but she doesn’t get very far with the stone at her back. She tips her head back to release a rolling sigh marked with pleasure and it gives Weiss the perfect excuse to start leaving brands in the shape of her lips at so much exposed skin.

When Ruby attempts to wrap her arms around her, to pull her closer and feel her just as much as Weiss is, some part of her snaps as another part panics and she snatches the girl’s wrists at the same time she gives in to the sudden temptation to leave a more permanent mark at her neck. Teeth digging into her throat; somehow gentle, somehow purposeful aggression. (Oh, what it would take to tear it out.)

It pulls quite the lovely sound from the wind user, slightly muffled as though she had attempted to stifle it and failed halfway through, but Weiss hears it. Feels the subtle vibration against her tongue and lips, feels the way it shakes her bones.

More…

She is wise to stop Ruby from attempting to touch her. Because, loath as she is to admit it, Weiss is seriously beginning to doubt her careful composure on her ice could withstand the onslaught of feelings that course through her. Which is entirely new for her and she hates it (and loves it all at the same time.)

She pulls away only when she’s satisfied that she left a mark.

And what a mark indeed. A hickey there that stands out against tan skin, dark and proud and eye-catching.

Her heart swells. Beating too fast and too strong compared to what she’s used to.

Some days she doubts she even has a heart. Forgets that it exists.

But never when she’s with Ruby.

“Weiss, I-“

It snaps her back to full attention, so distracted by the hickey that it left her unmoving for a few seconds (a few seconds too long for Ruby), and Weiss narrows her eyes.

“I believe I told you to be quiet.” The ice, too. That’s distracting. A mark of their own, naming her as the one who left it behind on Ruby’s body. That it is her who gets to do this and no one else. “The only sound I want out of you is that moan you failed to keep in. Am I clear?”

“I want to touch you,” Ruby pouts, pushing against her wrists, but Weiss pushes back until she has them pressed to the wall too. It draws a huff from her, but though it should be easy for her to fight back even harder and win (because Weiss is not built with the best physical strength), Ruby doesn’t. “I want to feel you.”

How does she explain I might die if you do, and it scares me how much I want it too without using those words?

Weiss struggles to find an alternative, so instead she settles for a measly, “You’ll get your turn later. I promise.”

“Really?”

“After I’m done with you.” She pushes to her tiptoes to get in Ruby’s face without giving her the pleasure of a kiss. Whispering so the other girl will only get the puff of air against her lips and nothing more. Teasing. “And I’ve only just begun to satiate myself.”

“You’re not fair.”

“I never am when you allow me to. Now, be a good girl.” She draws back now, the burn of the brand at her nape fizzling away to allow a different one a little further down her spine near the middle of her back to tingle instead. With only a thought, a fleeting one at that, Weiss feels her connection with earth fill her arteries. Steady and slow, taking away the chill of ice to replace it with something between hot and cold. “And stay still.”

Parts of the rock wall behind Ruby begin to splinter and crack, extending outward until it takes the place of Weiss’s fingers at her wrists. Circling around them, keeping her arms locked in place with shackles of stone.

Not letting her move.

Leaving her completely exposed and vulnerable to Weiss’s disposal.

Instead of the wariness or fear that she expects, there is only a growing hunger and excitement as she gazes back to silver.

Beautiful, my dear.

(Weiss has no idea if she says that out loud, but something in the way Ruby suddenly blushes tells her that she did. Oh well.)

With earth active, she takes in a slow breath. Steadying herself, allowing the fresh air coated with the scent of roses expand her lungs. And she is in no hurry to eject it from its home, but she does and dives back in.

Slowly, of course. Weiss presses the smallest of kisses to the hickey she left behind. As though in sympathy or apology. Sweet.

And as she places her hands at Ruby’s hips- for balance, always for balance- the way she begins to carve a path of nibbles down her neck to her collarbone and to her chest is anything but sweet. It is savory sin that she has the pleasure in devouring in and every little noise she manages to draw out from Ruby only serves to spur her on even more. Like a prickle at her senses, demanding Weiss to make it her mission to get the wind user to make as many sounds for her as possible.

There is no chill from her hands anymore as they languidly, idly trace the veins of frost she left behind earlier like they are carefully carved routes on a map. All for her. She is an explorer of new land- and she wants to leave her mark on every part of it. To conquer it.

To cherish it.

As she slips her hands from toned abs to the small of Ruby’s back, she takes a second to glance up now that her head is lowered. Pressing kissing low to her chest, to the top of her breasts but never quite going further yet.

Ruby is a beautiful mess. Her face is flushed with a pretty pink, lips slightly parted for breath and kiss-worn. There is a smattering of little hickeys she sucked into her collarbone and neck and the underside of her jaw here and there, goosebumps to her skin. Silver dark with desire.

She could stare at her for the rest of time like this and it still wouldn’t be enough for Weiss. Even immortalizing it in painting could never do her justice.

All Weiss has to count on is her memory alone.

A shame.

There’s a silent question she dares not speak because she’s certain language is not an option for her at the moment. Not when the sight of her like this robs her of voice. 

Is this okay? Are you sure?

And Ruby, in her own way, reassures her quickly, “Don’t be shy now.”

Taunting. Of course.

(It works wonders in settling the nerves she didn’t realize were rising.)

Weiss scoffs with a roll of her eyes.

And leans down, following a thin webbing of the frost she left behind to a hardened nipple with her tongue. Taking it into her mouth at the same time her nails rake down Ruby’s back to dig into her ass and pull her close.

The moan she hears this time is quite rewarding. Fuller, louder, accentuated with a curse and a tremble of her name and Weiss hums in satisfaction.

Who knew her name could sound so beautiful coming from her mouth like that?

Her skin buzzes, alive. Heart pounding in her chest almost to a painful degree. She tilts her head just so, biting the side of her breast. Testing to see what responses she’ll get with each action, to figure out what works best for her and what Ruby prefers, to learn this girl’s body like it is her own. There are stretch marks there, and she makes a point of kissing each one of them.

Greedy, that forever scolding tone (sometimes her father, sometimes her own repeating what her father would always tell her, whispers in the back of her head). It draws forth a growl of irritation from her, and she switches to the other breast to give it as much attention as the first. Greedy girl. You can’t take what isn’t yours.

Oh, but this is hers.

This is no one else’s but hers.

Look. These bite marks are in the shape of her teeth. These lines of red, so pretty against tan skin, are made by her nails. These sounds are being made for her, because of her.

It is her name that Ruby utters, a plea without the plea. (Beg for me. I will make you beg.)

You can't take what isn't yours.

I very well can, Weiss huffs in retaliation, pressing her chest against Ruby’s while going back to kissing her neck (she finds the best sounds come from there). Wandering, untamed and without permission, her hands make a journey down to the tight muscles of the other girl’s thighs, gripping them in a way to encourage her to part them more. This is all mine.

“Incredible,” Weiss murmurs by her ear and revels in the way Ruby tilts her head aside to give her more space, a silent invitation. “You would even make the angels envious with that voice of yours.”

“Weiss…” The girl is breathless, body tensing as though tugging against the restraint of the stone, but the only way out is if Weiss allows her to.

And she isn’t quite keen on doing that just yet.

“Ah, ah, ah,” Weiss anchors her hands at her hips, partially leaning into her. “What did I say? The only sound I want out of you-“

Without warning, without anticipation, she fits her leg between Ruby’s until her thigh is pressing right up to her. And with a tug of her nails, she forces Ruby’s hips to move forward at the same time, making her grind against her. Only once, leaving the rest up to the wind user, but Weiss’s intentions are clear when she doesn’t move her leg. Manipulating the stone beneath the water to rise just a bit for her to place her foot on, giving her extra support.

“Fuck!” It comes out like a sob, full of relief. Unintentional, even. Ruby turns her head in the other direction as though to hide and Weiss clicks her tongue in disappointment, cupping the side of her face to angle her back to her.

“Is that,” Weiss finishes in a low mumble, nigh unintelligible. Distracted by all of her. “Be a dear and sing for me some more, Ruby Rose.”

For all her quick wit and comebacks, Ruby bites her lip this time.

And because Weiss would rather be the one to do that, she slides the hand at Ruby’s cheek higher to thread through strands of her hair and pull her in. The moan is muffled- such a shame- but it resonates within her to the same satisfying degree.

She’s slow to start grinding against her, perhaps shy, but the prospect of Weiss’s leg being right there is too much for Ruby to resist. Her movements are experimental at first, distracted even because Weiss is still kissing her, but sure enough, she builds a gradual and steady rhythm. 

Weiss guides her where she can, nails a permanence at her lover’s hip to urge her on with the bite of the sting. She tugs at the roots of short hair, inducing a deep groan that makes her smile in response. When she finally gives her the mercy to pull away, Weiss stares into brilliant silver and finds a home she is in no rush to leave.

The muscles in her leg flexes, pushing further against her. More. Faster.

Ruby, without even needing to be told, obliges with a stifled whimper of pleasure. Her pace starting to grow erratic, her moans more consistent. She ducks her head into the crook of Weiss’s neck as though wanting to hide and Weiss can’t help but coo.

“Come now,” she teases, throwing the words back at her. “Don’t be shy.”

“Fuck,” Ruby pants against her throat, the warmth of her breath there causing Weiss’s lashes to flutter but a second, guttural, “you.”

“Such a foul mouth you have, Ruby Rose.”

“Yeah- and you’re the one kissing it.”

With a surge of strength granted by earth, Weiss stops her hips long enough to remove herself from between them, letting her go afterward and taking a small step away. Ruby whines, something almost heartbroken in it, and she lurches against the restraint of stone as though intending to go after her. But it holds firm and she’s trapped there, leaning heavily into the wall with a curse.

“Weiss,” there’s a hint of a pout in there somewhere, “I was so close.”

Oh, she knows. She can feel the evidence of it against her thigh and Weiss draws every bit of willpower within her not to swipe a finger along it and taste it. (It makes her swallow thickly, a small twitch to her hands that she shakes away.)

“I told you,” Weiss inhales slowly so as to control herself; composure, composure, composure, “you need to learn to hold your tongue.”

“Alright, I’m sorry,” Ruby regains her footing, ignoring the way her legs shake. She shuffles in place, uncomfortable with the level of her own arousal. Desperate for release. “I’m sorry, just…”

“Beg.”

A beat of silence. Incredulous and dumbstruck.

In a croak, “What?”

“I want you to beg for it.” Weiss allows her gaze to roam in this time, perfectly content with watching from a distance. Just the sight of those marks she left are enough to satisfy her. “Just one little please, and I’ll let you finish.”

Ruby’s expressions morph throughout her sentences; from a fierce blush to understanding to annoyance to a smolder that sets her nerves on edge. Her jaw clenches as she blows out a sharp breath through her nose, nostrils flaring.

“I’m not gonna.”

“Then I guess you don’t get to come,” Weiss presses closer, enjoying the way Ruby focuses on the sway of her hips, resting her palm against her chest and pushing her up against the wall lightly. She can feel the pounding of her heartbeat, so strong against her hand. Still rushing from coming so close to a beautiful end, only to be denied it.

Pressing into her, looking her right in the eye, she lets her other hand wander down, down, down. Skimming low at her abdomen, even lower until she coasts against coarse hair. That mystifying heart rate picks up in speed again, from anticipation no doubt, and Ruby’s pupils dilate. So close, so close.

Weiss presses a kiss over her collarbone, smirking to herself as she whispers, “But that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy bringing you to the edge over and over again.”

It’s almost distracting, feeling how wet Ruby is against her fingertip. The little whine it draws from the other girl, the way she immediately bucks her hips in invitation.

One that Weiss accepts wholeheartedly.

Carefully, giving her the chance to adjust, Weiss pushes two fingers into her. Resting her forehead against her shoulder, practically tucking into the crook of Ruby’s neck, she turns her eyes downward to what she’s doing and it makes her throat go dry. Pushing just a little more, just a little more.

A tremble runs through Ruby that nearly makes its way into Weiss as well, but she swallows thickly and continues until she has reached her third knuckle. 

Greedy, greedy girl. Weiss curls her fingers inside Ruby and it draws a sharp breath from her. You can’t have what isn’t yours.

Oh, but she is mine.

Listen to how she says my name.

Perhaps out of spite, perhaps out of greed, perhaps out of a desire to prove herself, Weiss builds up a fast rhythm. One that Ruby clearly isn’t expecting. She bucks her hips, toward her fingers and then away as if trying to flee from the stimulation. Indecisive on what she rather wants more. But Weiss chases after her (or rather, she holds herself still and gives Ruby the chance to come to her and only continues when she does).

It is a marvel to witness. Not only to feel her fingers sinking into Ruby, but also being able to see it happen as well. To hear the way she starts to pant, the moans of her name echoing in her head that Weiss rewards with a tender kiss to her pounding pulse every few thrusts.

“You tell me when you’re close.”

“If I do-“ Ruby exhales sharply, head tilted back like she’s trying to find a source to persevere written in the ceiling, “You’ll stop.”

“And if you don’t, I’ll still stop,” Weiss runs her tongue along her pulse again, the thumping heartbeat sending her own into overdrive. She stops her fingers, buried in her, grinding her palm against her clit in an agonizingly slow manner. “You don’t think I’ll be able to feel how close you are?”

She leaves her hiding place by Ruby’s neck, using her free hand to tilt the girl’s head down to kiss her forehead. Working her fingers into her at a much slower pace than before, drawing them out to the very tips before sinking back in abruptly. 

“But you’ll tell me,” Weiss presses their foreheads together lightly, noses bumping and Ruby’s rapid breaths fanning against her lips. “You’ll tell me, or I’ll stop this entirely.”

She slows even more, at the risk- the threat of pulling away.

“I’ll tell you,” Ruby concedes with a brief nod. “I’ll tell you, Weiss.”

“Good,” Weiss murmurs before rewarding her with a deep kiss- and a gradual quickening of her pace once more. Ruby moans into her mouth, pressing frantically into it. Damn near overwhelming her with her fervor. But she maintains herself somehow, taking her bottom lip between her teeth and nibbling gently.

Ruby is so warm. She’s so warm and it should make her uncomfortable. Even with her arms restrained by stone, unable to fully touch Weiss in return, even with her pinned to the wall, it takes every ounce of willpower within her not to start shaking. Nerves frayed to an almost painful degree, no matter if it’s just her doing all the touching at the moment.

Weiss has no idea what’ll happen when it’s Ruby’s turn- and it makes her a little bit nervous.

And because of that, she draws her hunger out for longer too. Both of theirs.

When she pulls away from the kiss this time to look Ruby in the face, she angles her hand just slightly more and her next thrust is met with a deeper moan. The wind user’s jaw goes a little slack before she catches herself, biting her lip. A futile attempt to contain her pleasure.

“There,” Ruby mumbles (almost begging, almost pleading), “right there. Don’t-“

She does.

Even before Ruby gets to ask.

Just as she started with no warning, Weiss pulls her fingers away with no warning either and the pure betrayal on Ruby’s face is almost enough to convince her otherwise. To take it all back and give her what she wants.

But she still hasn’t heard the magic word.

“Weiss,” Ruby sounds like she’s just stabbed her in the back and it makes her want to laugh.

So dramatic, my dear.

“Beg,” she demands in a voice as unyielding as the stone that keeps Ruby trapped.

But Ruby, despite the fact her legs are shaking now, sets her jaw and blows out another harsh breath through her nose. Calming herself from her own arousal. Building up her resistances again.

Weiss does not give her the chance to do so completely. Hearing her unsaid answer- No- she steps forward to continue pushing.

She lifts her fingers that are wet with Ruby’s arousal to the girl’s lips, and despite the stubbornness she’s been showing, Ruby is more than willing to open her mouth for her. Dark lashes flutter shut with a hum and Weiss emits an involuntary groan feeling the way she sucks on them.

“Do you enjoy the way you taste?”

Ruby cracks open her eyes to her, cheeks flushed with red and a bit of a daze in silver. Weiss caresses her other hand at her chest, her abdomen, teasing low at her belly but then moving toward her hip. Whatever Ruby answers is muffled, but it matters not to her anyway.

She withdraws her fingers, a small string of saliva momentarily keeping them connected until she lowers it to the other side of her hip. Meeting her in the eye.

“Now, I’m curious.”

She vowed once never to get on her knees for anyone.

But she thinks she can make an exception here.

Ruby stares at her, entirely enraptured, as Weiss lowers herself. Kissing her sternum, her belly, one curve of her hip where irritated skin from her nails remains for her to witness (and worship) on the way down. Though it’s annoying kneeling in water, the gentle lapping of the pond around her does not go very deep overall. The hard stone underneath makes her shift in place, trying to find a more comfortable position, but soon learns that’s no longer a priority when she looks up at the girl.

“This is quite the view,” she remarks almost absentmindedly, grazing her fingers against Ruby’s shaking knees and smiling at the way she jumps at her touch. Any little thing so close to setting her off. “You are a vision artisans fail to duplicate. They must be jealous.”

Jealous of her, of course. Because Weiss is the one who gets to see her like this- and no one else.

It brings a warmth of something akin to triumph in her chest that she enjoys.

A small huff escapes her as she brushes her fingers on the outside of quite the wicked scar on Ruby’s upper thigh, close to her pelvis. From the middle heading inward, a slight diagonal angle. A jagged gash that must have been a clean cut once that didn’t quite heal properly at the beginning.

With a tenderness she didn’t know she could have, without her full awareness, her thumb traces the inside of it. So delicate, as though frightened she’ll open it again if she isn’t careful.

“Who did this?”

For some reason, it makes Ruby snort. But once she answers, Weiss understands why, “You did.”

Blue snaps back toward silver as Ruby nods her head to herself.

“All of these are from you.”

“Surely there must be one-“

“No one else is able to touch me.”

It shouldn’t make her happy to hear that. But oddly, it does.

“No one else?”

She no longer means in battle. Or maybe she does. Maybe fighting on the battlefield and sex are fundamentally the same. There is a dance, an exchange of actions. A response, a reciprocation.

All is fair in love and war, right?

“Only you,” Ruby whispers, her exhale becoming choked as Weiss begins to lean closer. Anticipating a beautiful disaster. “Only you, Weiss.”

Her scent is intoxicating, being this close to her. But somehow, Weiss finds the will not to indulge herself (or Ruby) by diving right in, and instead, draws her tongue along the length of the scar there. From the inside to the outside, causing the wind user to buck her hips forward as though to say You’re going the wrong way.

No, my dear, she keeps her eyes connected to hers as she repositions to do it again, slower this time, I know exactly where I’m going.

Weiss gives a push of her hands above Ruby’s knees to nudge them apart. Not that Ruby needed the direction, she seemed like she was a second away from doing it by herself anyway. Weiss kisses her way on the insides of her thighs, the faint taste of her wetness there because Gods, you’re practically dripping for me.

She felt it on her leg, she felt it on her hand.

And when Weiss decides she’s finally had enough, she feels her on her tongue. Feels her, tastes her, smells her, hears her when Ruby whines and pushes her hips forward for more. She doesn’t get to see her at first, wanting to revel in this with her other senses initially, but the second Weiss opens her eyes again the blissful bombardment on all of her senses makes her press her thighs together for some semblance of relief.

It is an experience like no other and she was terribly wrong for comparing it to battle. Because not even that, with adrenaline in her veins and a life-or-death bout hanging over her head, can make her heart race quite like this. Can have such a full-body effect on her quite like this. Can leave such a brand on her so scalding that she knows she’s going to remember this moment until her very last breath quite like this.

Ruby rocks her hips forward into her mouth and Weiss digs her nails into her ass to encourage her. She moans her name and Weiss groans against her, the subtle vibration of it causing the wind user to whimper. When Weiss starts to suck on her clit, Ruby nearly loses her footing against the stone and she has to steady her despite knowing she can’t fall. Every action is met with a response and they have always been equals; in love and in war.

(Yes. One can say this was truly inevitable.)

As Ruby starts babbling, “I’m close, I can’t- Weiss! I’m close, I-“ Weiss almost feels guilty. Almost wants to give her what she wants. Because she no longer wants to stop at this second.

But she has yet to hear a please.

And above all else, she wants to hear that more.

She tears away from her before she can accidentally give her what she wants, panting and trembling almost as much as Ruby herself is. Weiss has no idea where to even focus anywhere that won’t make her give into temptation, so she settles on closing her eyes to catch her breath, sitting back against her heels. She drags a thumb against her bottom lip, wet with Ruby’s arousal, and it takes everything within her not to lick it off.

Weiss reaches forward, just past Ruby, to place her hands against the stone wall. Calming herself, utilizing her connection to earth to stabilize her. It never fails to steady her and-

“…please…”

Her eyelids fly open as her head snaps up, blinking in nothing but surprise as Ruby meets her gaze head-on. There is a heat like no other in silver, a desperation she has not come across before. A beg written all over her face.

And repeated out loud as Ruby licks her lips and whispers a nigh voiceless, “Please, Weiss.”

Please, Weiss.

Oh.  

Weiss didn’t think she’d actually…

“Please, I want you.” Ruby takes in a deep breath, a rasp in her tone, “I need you.”

It is so much more satisfying than she could have ever dreamed of. Those words, from those lips. From that voice. From this girl. The one with a stubbornness to match her own, unwilling to ever give in to anything or anyone.

But she gives in to her.

She begs for her.

“Please, Weiss,” Ruby bumps her head against the wall behind her, squeezing her eyes shut as if in pain. “Please, I’m so close. Just let me-“

“You want me?” Weiss murmurs, wanting to hear it again, placing a palm against Ruby’s hip to prepare her for her touch again. The reaction is instantaneous, Ruby pressing more into her with a grunt.

“Yes,” silver is completely unguarded and helpless, trusting in her. “Yes, I want you.”

Weiss scoots closer, kissing low at her abdomen and above coarse hair. Dragging her nails at her legs just to make her shiver at the sensation. “You need me?”

“I need you,” Ruby whimpers in anticipation, willing to do anything Weiss asks of her at this moment just to reach that glorious end. “Please, I need you. I need you, Weiss, I-“

“My mouth or my fingers.” Weiss leans her head back to look up at her, a glint in her eye that makes Ruby curse beneath her breath. “You decide how you want me to break you.”

“Both.”

“Beg.”

“Please,” Ruby responds immediately and it sends a satisfying warmth tingling down her spine. Each of her branding marks tickle with the sensation, the rush of power that only ever comes when using them. But here, it is not magic that makes Ruby succumb to her, but just… Weiss. It makes her smile. “Please, please, Weiss, please, pl-“

She gasps, letting out a strangled moan of relief as Weiss presses two fingers against her. Teasing at her entrance, circling against her lightly just to properly lubricate them so as not to hurt her by accident.

“Shh,” she coos as she leans forward again, breath fanning against Ruby’s clit. “I’ll take care of you.”

She has to reward her for following directions, after all.

Weiss has no intention of dragging it out any longer. If Ruby wants release, she’ll give it to her as quickly as she wants it. Her fingers sink into her, that familiar warmth making her stomach clench, at the same time she drags her tongue in one long lick against her clit.

It’s difficult having to multitask, but Weiss is nothing if not eager to prove herself. She builds up a rhythm with her hand first, letting Ruby grow adjusted to that (and growing used to following the grinding of her hips as well) before deciding to add her mouth into the mix.

“Fuck!” Ruby all but sobs and it is music to her ears. “Fuck, please keep going. Please don’t stop, please don’t-“

She doesn’t. She spells her own name with her tongue at her clit, sucking on her afterward. Her fingers curl inside of her, angling her wrist to find that same spot as before. Weiss moans softly against her, a rumble passing through the stone and splintering the rocks in places as she forgets her hold on earth.

There’s no room to stop and compose herself though- Ruby is begging her not to stop and Weiss would be damned if she did now- so she just hopes neither of them get hurt by her magic.

She has a bigger priority than control.

Ruby doesn’t last much longer. She gives a warning in advance, “I’m close, I’m gonna- Weiss, I’m…”

But Weiss hears it and instead of tearing away, she only increases her pace. Giving her full attention to her, giving her unsaid permission to finish.

Come for me, my dear.

Now, Weiss has encountered her fair share of song and music. Dragged along by her father throughout their kingdom of Atlas, forced to participate in the dances and applaud even the lackluster acts. Thoroughly enjoy some of the more stunning ones.

But no song produced by any person in this world could be as beautiful as the sound of Ruby screaming her name as her orgasm hits.

Beautiful doesn’t even begin to describe it.

There is a unique kind of pleasure in knowing she can bring another person to ruination. To work their body in exactly the way they need it to reach their peak and leap off the ledge to paradise. It is a kind of fulfillment that floods her with a triumph she has never felt before in her life on the battlefield.

She has won many battles and conquered many nations single-handedly.

But nothing satisfies her as much as this.

Weiss helps her through it as best as she can; slowing her pace as gradually as she had increased it earlier and eventually taking her mouth away. Ruby completely crumbles against the wall, the only thing keeping her up is the (now fractured) stone at her wrists. Weiss pulls her fingers out carefully, taking a second to soak in the gratification of being the one to make her like this. Admiring her; the way her legs shake as they feebly support her, the slack to her posture and the way she slouches, breathing heavily and attempting to control it.

Yes.

She’s content now.

Weiss stands up from the water, so close to Ruby that the wind user instinctively seeks her out for an embrace of sorts. She leans her head into Weiss’s shoulder and Weiss, not knowing why, scoots closer to properly hold her up. Once she’s certain Ruby won’t fall, she lets the connection to earth trickle away like the water droplets running down her legs.

With another crack, the stone cuffs break and fall. Two splashes in the water causes the pond to ripple more than before, but it is quick to settle.

Weiss places her hands at Ruby’s hips without even realizing it. Like they’ve always belonged there. (She tries not to think about it too hard.)

Ruby’s breathing is steadier now, but she still doesn’t leave from where she hides against her shoulder. As though taking in her scent, her warmth, her presence.

“You begged.”

She doesn’t know why, out of all things, that’s what she chooses to focus on and say. But in complete honesty, it is astounding to her. The stubborn wind user, her enemy in war- begging for Weiss to give her release. 

Maybe it means nothing to Ruby, but to Weiss, it means everything.

Ruby pulls away from her, just enough to meet her in the eye. Searching her soul for… something. She doesn’t know. Perhaps arrogance. Perhaps a taunting expression.

But she finds nothing but awe.

“Yeah,” Ruby murmurs, voice rough from her earlier volume, and her lips tick into the start of a smile. “I guess I did.”

I want you.

I need you.

Weiss swallows thickly. The concept is so large it chokes her. Suffocates her. For someone to want her. For someone to need her. As something more than just a weapon 

As Weiss.

I want you, Weiss.

I need you, Weiss.

Cautiously, nervous now for some reason, she lifts one of her hands toward Ruby’s cheek. Hesitating on touching her. Expecting her to recoil, expecting her to deny it. After all, it is with these hands that Weiss has caused her so many scars. So much pain, no doubt. (But it is with these hands, too, that she has worshiped her.)

Ruby doesn’t stop her. Silver holds blue without wavering. Waiting.

Weiss cups her cheek like this is the first time she’s doing it. Experimental and delicate, brushing a thumb at the tiniest of scars there.

I want you.

I need you.

Ruby smiles. So soft. So loving. (Too soft. Too loving. This is not meant to be an act of love, it is meant to be an act of lust and nothing more. But, but… well. Neither of them can stop their hearts from making that choice.)

In the back of her mind, the sentences change.

I want you, Ruby.

I need you, Ruby.

(I love you, Ruby.)

Weiss leans in slowly to kiss her and Ruby meets her halfway, their eyes closing. A pleased hum comes from Ruby and it urges Weiss to deepen it, pressing their bodies together more. A tremble passes through her at the feel of her skin, linking her fingers on the back of her neck where her witch’s brand is.

And she practically jumps when she feels the subtle bump of Ruby’s fingers at her hips. A fleeting thing, almost as if by accident.

But then Ruby stops, lips still brushing against her, and asks in a whisper; “Can I touch you?”

And Weiss knows it was not an accident. No, Ruby did it on purpose- and stopped to ask her.

Weiss inhales deeply- roses, roses, so many roses- to soothe the nerves that have risen up again at even the smallest of touches. It doesn’t help much. The brands along her spine prickle and pull and she is a second from jumping out of the way.

But…

“I… did promise that you would get your turn.”

To her surprise, Ruby only shakes her head. “But do you want me to?”

“Pardon?” Weiss furrows her brow. Confused. Thrown off by the question.

“Do you want me to?” Ruby repeats, adding for clarification, “Because I don’t want you to force yourself to let me just because you want to keep your word. I want you to be comfortable.” She pauses a beat, softening. “I want you to enjoy it.”

“And if I say I’m not comfortable with it?”

“Then I guess we stop here. Or you know, just continue with what you’re okay with. That works for me too.”

…Weiss doesn’t know how to respond to that. To the consideration of her consent. It’s never mattered before; she’s never gotten a say in what she does. She is the weapon; her father points her toward the enemy and it is up to her to shield her bleeding heart and do what must be done for the “good of the kingdom.” She’s had to dance and play nice with people she couldn’t care less about (and who couldn’t care less about her in return). There have been countless suitors that have taken her on dates and kissed her without permission and she’s never been allowed to deny them.

It was always up to Jacques. Whatever he wanted out of her, whatever he needed her to be or do.

But here is Ruby.

Putting Weiss’s needs and wants before her own. Willing to sacrifice the chance of touching Weiss in return.

Her hands don’t stray from where they hover by her hips but Weiss can feel them as though they are burning into her skin. Will they leave behind a fresh new brand in the shape of the other girl’s fingerprints?

Gods, she hopes so. And it’s… rather scary for her, honestly. Just how much she wants Ruby’s touch. How much she wants her to leave her mark.

She’s been branded ten times down her spine, one for each form of magic she is capable of wielding. She’s suffered through the curse her father put upon her, locking all but her ice magic away for so long to keep her in check (making the pain she experienced getting the brands pointless) and every day she lived with the constant discomfort of the sensation of lacerations down her back in the shape of Jacques’s claws. Ruby herself has been able to get one or two (lucky) hits in when she let her guard down the slightest bit; one at the back of her left shoulder- like something had pierced through her- and the other a gash by her ribs.

And yet…

Yet, Weiss wants this. She wants Ruby to explore to her heart’s content. She wants to feel her everywhere, anywhere. Everywhere, anywhere.

She wants this, that much she knows.

…But can she actually handle it is the bigger concern.

Only one way to find out.

Making her decision, Weiss swallows thickly before allowing her fingers to wrap around Ruby’s wrists. Guiding her hands- somehow soft, even with the callouses there- up to her cheeks, kissing the back of her knuckles before nestling into her palms. Ruby cups her face delicately, the thumb close to the scar by her eye tracing the very bottom of it.

She draws in a breath.

Roses, roses, roses.

She wants to drown in her scent forever.

And with her heart in her throat, nervousness sending an uncomfortable chill through her that she so hopelessly wants to chase away with the warmth that only Ruby can bring her, Weiss meets silver dead-on and whispers, “Touch me.”

She lowers one of Ruby’s hands from her cheek to her chest, over her rapid heartbeat. It sends a tingle down her spine, magic fluctuating as though failing to decide which one to use to defend her should things go wrong (like they always do).

“Are you sure?” Ruby surprises her yet again, double-checking like that, and for some reason, it makes Weiss want to cry as much as it makes her want to smile.

How sweet you are.

I don’t deserve this.

I don’t deserve you.

But, she is greedy by design. And though she may not deserve this girl, this gentleness, (this love), the fact of the matter is that Weiss has it now and the very Gods themselves will have to fight her to make her let go. (Selfish, selfish girl.)

“Yes,” she chooses to ignore the barest quiver in her tone and hopes that Ruby doesn’t catch it (she does, if the slightest tick of a frown is any indication). Weiss tilts her head enough to coyly kiss the inside of her wrist, that thrumming pulse. “I want you to touch me.”

Ruby doesn’t respond or react right away, a contemplative and focused expression on her features. As though trying to figure Weiss out. Staring straight through her defenses, diving deep into her very soul that Weiss unknowingly (or perhaps purposefully) allows her entry to by not turning away.

I want you to touch me.

I want you to touch me so much, it’s terrifying.

This level of desire. Never before has she experienced something like it.

It makes her feel so vulnerable. She is relying on Ruby to give her what she wants- and she certainly doesn’t have to. She can tease, she can withhold, she can reject her.

(She’s suddenly starting to regret her teasing earlier. Because now all the power is in Ruby’s court and Weiss has no idea what to prepare for.)

(How thrilling.)

Ruby must find whatever it is she’s looking for. A smile curls at her lips; not entirely smug, but not entirely shy either. Somewhere in between. 

“Alright,” her hand moves from Weiss’s cheek to her hair, fingers threading through long strands of white, while the other goes from her chest down to her hip and toward the small of her back. Such small actions that bring catastrophic trembles through her (more, more, more). “I’ll be gentle.”

“You don’t have to be,” Weiss decides to prepare herself for the inevitable hurricane by digging her nails into the other girl’s hips to anchor herself. “I can take it.”

She doubts anything Ruby does that she considers rough would hurt her anyway.

And she trusts her.

She trusts her to break her as gently as possible.

“How about I start gentle,” Ruby tilts her head up to her, about to lean in to kiss her but waiting, “and you tell me when you want more, yeah?”

“Okay,” she mouths the word more than she speaks it, her voice failing her, but Ruby nods nonetheless.

“Good.”

And without further preamble, she presses her lips to Weiss’s. This, she can handle. This she knows how to react to. She closes her eyes and focuses on nothing else but kissing her back and it’s soothing. A balm to the flaring nerve, a rush of comfort and familiarity in the midst of so much uncertainty.

Ruby clutches at her hair, pulling her closer. Angling her head just so as to deepen the kiss in a way that makes a longing heat coil within her.

And then Weiss feels it again.

Her palm, passing over the brand at the very bottom of her lower back, the curling flames of fire having taken the longest for Weiss to learn and use. It is arguably the one that brings the worst pain to her compared to the others. And there is Ruby’s hand, committing the raised skin of the marking to memory. The way it fits on Weiss’s body.

But she does not linger more than necessary, more than what Weiss is comfortable with. She moves upward to the next one, the matching brand of wind they share. And the next (steel), and the next (lightning), and the next (earth). One after another, the warmth of her palm going by each and freeing her of some of the perpetual aches that comes with them.

Weiss fits her head underneath Ruby’s chin, so close to her heartbeat as she keeps her eyes closed. Muscles stiffening and relaxing with each of her inhales and exhales.

“You’re very sensitive, huh?” Ruby remarks, more so in observation than in genuine curiosity. Because Weiss doesn’t need to verbally respond to receive her answer, it’s written in the way she practically grimaces as Ruby finally finishes her journey at the back of her neck, fingers brushing against the snowflake marking of ice. “Have you never had anybody massage you? It’s practically routine in Vale.”

“I never let anyone touch me. Least of all there.” She can’t even fathom the idea of a stranger or a friend or, hell, even her own sister touching her brands. Especially to apply pressure to them for a massage. Even if it’ll help in the long run, the sheer thought of it makes her stomach churn.

“You’re letting me.”

“You’re…” Weiss struggles to find a good answer, only ending in a feeble, “…a special exception.”

“Am I now?” There is definitely smugness in her tone now and it sends a spike of irritation lancing through her.

“Don’t let it get to your head.”

“Hmm, too late.”

“You insufferable little-“

She’s cut off by her own sharp inhale as Ruby, irritating devil that she is, lowers her hand once more and presses down on the brand of fire. Starting a tender but firm massage there, fingers making small circles that slowly grow bigger to reach the full radius of the mark. Weiss groans, digging her nails in more, instinctively trying to get away from the pressure- but that only serves to push herself up against Ruby even more.

It’s not exactly agonizing like she is expecting. Yes, there is a jolt of what could be pain, but it is quick to turn to something on the cusp of pleasure. Relief from the never-ending torture.

It makes her want to cry (and she’s pretty sure a tiny sob does escape her) but she can do nothing more but bury her face in the crook of Ruby’s neck to hide. To fall further into her embrace.

“I’m sorry,” Ruby drawls by her ear, not stopping with the massage, steadily making her way up toward the next brand. “Were you saying something, princess?”

Oh, she’s going to kill this girl.

Weiss emits a growl from the back of her throat, hands shooting up now to grab the sides of her face and pull her in for a fierce kiss that definitely catches Ruby off-guard. But the wind user chuckles- the audacity she has- and is quick to follow her pace, never letting up. Those heavenly fingers drift higher, now reaching the middle of her back, and Weiss can’t quite catch the groan that rumbles through her.

As if she wasn’t distracting enough with the massage, Ruby trails her other hand down to grab at her ass, pulling her closer, closer, closer. There’s no space left between them but it still doesn’t feel like enough. 

A little higher and Weiss feels her knees buckle a little, the pain sending white stars across her vision but the relief sending trembles through her. Ruby pauses long enough to speak, breathless and low but calming.

“Am I hurting you?” The pressure at her back lessens the slightest margin and it draws a pitiful whimper from her that she will pretend doesn’t exist. Don’t leave, don’t stop, please-

“No,” she finds the strength to talk, never having felt so grounded to the here and now but also so… floaty. Like she is on another plane of existence. Just the two of them, no one else belongs in this world. “Keep going.”

Ruby is not one to let her down.

Higher now, to the final mark of ice once more, and Weiss whines, tilting her head back to lean into her touch. Ruby takes full advantage of the position, diving in until she can brush her lips at her neck. A faint kiss, almost as if asking for permission. And when Weiss does nothing more but tug at the roots of her hair, inviting her in more, Ruby starts growing more assured. One, two, three down the column of her throat; she emits a shuddering exhale that trickles with a cloud of fine mist.

A hiss from between Ruby’s teeth captures her attention, drawing her to where her own fingers are on either side of the girl’s neck, hooking at her nape. The tiny veins of speckled frost have returned, like rivers splitting her skin or scars marring the earth. It makes her curse beneath her breath, wanting to pull away (but yearning even more to stay).

Even as she tries, Ruby holds her in place. Her grip loosens so it wouldn’t be too difficult breaking free from her, but this is an incentive. A reminder. A plea. She will leave it up to Weiss if she truly wants to flee, she will not force her to stay, but she is asking kindly.

Please, stay. I promise you’re safe here. I promise you won’t get hurt. (I promise to love you as gently as you deserve.)

How can Weiss ever say no to her?

“Sorry,” she mumbles, a hint of shame coloring her voice, “It’s hard to control it when I’m… distracted.”

Distracted, and not using half of her mental capacity to keep her magic in check. The curse of the prodigy, being able to use so many forms of magic means things can get a little chaotic and difficult to control. If she didn’t keep her composure at all times, her ice often activated without her knowing. Whether from fear or anger or… excitement, apparently.

The more you know.

“Don’t be,” Ruby nips at her collarbone in a way that makes her jump, nails digging in as the frost glistens. And against her skin, Weiss swears she feels her smile. “I like it.”

“You like it?” Weiss raises a brow, nonplussed. Because surely it mustn’t be pleasant being the target of her ice. (But if anyone is used to it, it has to be Ruby.)

“Mhm.” Her fingers tighten at the back of her neck, making Weiss’s lashes flutter, as her other palm skims even lower to press against the underside of her thigh. Lifting her leg to hook it around her waist, spinning them in place at the same time to swap their positions so it’s Weiss against the wall now. 

Ruby all but pins her there with her body, quick to grab Weiss’s other leg so now she has her off the ground and against the wall. Fitting so nicely between her legs, like she’s always belonged there, and Weiss guides her in even more by loosely wrapping her arms around her neck and hooking her legs to get behind her.

“I like it when you lose control because of me, Weiss.”

It is dangerous. Too dangerous of a thought to even consider. Ruby has felt the extent of the damage Weiss can cause- and that was with control. With composure to her abilities. So for her to be okay with this level of risk…

“You don’t need to keep it together anymore,” Ruby leaves a few pecks along the curve of her shoulder, trailing inward toward her neck and collarbone. Against her own wishes, her body is a traitor and Weiss finds herself tilting her head enough to provide her more space. 

It’s almost ticklish, the gentle kisses. The most fleeting of touches. Where Ruby’s hands are a warm, steady, strong presence holding her up against the wall, her lips are soft. Shy. Patient.

Warm, warm, warm.

Her eyelids flutter shut as those lips pass by a spot below her ear she didn’t even know was sensitive, a flash of heat spearing through her. Almost painful, definitely addicting. She’s about to tell her to do it again when Ruby does so without even needing to be asked.

A hint of teeth to that same spot has her digging her nails lightly into Ruby’s shoulders. To push her away? To bring her closer? To defend herself or to accept more? Weiss doesn’t have the answers either.

It’s just on the cusp of uncomfortable and comfortable, that careful, hairsbreadth line between the two that Ruby somehow finds immediately and navigates it with no issue. Like she knows exactly what to push and what not to, what’s allowed and what isn’t, what she wants and what she can’t bring herself to ask for.

“Let go, Weiss,” a whisper by her ear, Ruby nudges the side of her jaw with her nose as she inhales. “Let go. I got you.”

A promise. A vow. A prayer.

A fact of nature. A declaration of war. A confession of love.

A cloak to keep her warm. A dagger to make her bleed.

Frightening.

Beautiful.

Weiss exhales slowly through her nose, keeping her eyes closed. Imagining the chain, the multiple chains actually, she holds in her clutch to keep control of her ice. Her most rambunctious, volatile, dangerous magic. Like a raging beast, always seeking release. Always seeking its next target, its next victim, its next meal.

Ruby starts carving a path of tender affection down from her neck, to her collarbone, to the flat of her chest. Lower, lower, lower. She ducks her head, adjusts her hold to make it more comfortable overall, and Weiss lets her. She lets her.

She pauses before those lips can reach her breasts though. Awaiting permission. Awaiting judgment. (Awaiting rejection.)

Let go, Weiss.

I got you.

Weiss sighs. Her fingers find their way to Ruby’s hair and she lowers her head to kiss her crown. (The beast of ice lurches against its chains and every instinct within her urges her to hold fast, hold tighter, pull it back. Restraint, restraint, restraint. Compose yourself, Weiss. Do not make a fool of our name.)

Not once since she learned the meaning of composure has she ever allowed her magic to run as freely through her veins as it wants.

But here with Ruby…

Here with Ruby, she lets it.

She lets go.

Pulling Ruby forward, guiding her to where she wants her, her hold on the chains releases (and she prays for the other girl).

Ruby is not one to waste time, as she knows. As soon as Weiss draws her forth, she takes the permission for what it’s worth. The first drag of her tongue at her nipple, admittedly, makes Weiss jolt in something akin to surprise. Not having prepared for it despite inviting the act. A startled sound catches in her throat, choking her.

But the second drags it out of her in a quiet moan.

An uncomfortable warmth burns at her cheeks. A vulnerable sound, an intimate sound, not meant to be shared with anybody. Her first instinct is to close up, to get away, but both of those are rather impossible to do; what with Ruby between her legs and the wall at her back.

So she can do nothing as Ruby begins sucking at her breast, teeth teasing at skin to leave marks of their own if she’ll allow it (she’ll allow it. Fuck she’ll allow it).

Nothing but accept it.

Nothing but welcome it, gripping Ruby’s hair tightly to keep her from straying far (not that she has any inclination on leaving).

Nothing but revel in it. The unbridled desire, the unrelenting attention, (the unbidden affection).

Weiss has experienced nothing like it before. Has never even entertained the thought of being touched, so she could not even imagine what it would be like if she tried. But now she wonders why because the pleasure that tingles through her body is quick to become an addicting one.

As Ruby switches to the other side, she adjusts her hold so she can free one of her hands and palm at the breast she just left. There is a distinct bit of roughness that comes from the calluses there but they are not uncomfortable by any means. If anything, it only makes her present herself more, another quiet moan slipping free against her wishes. 

She is torn between wanting to feel Ruby’s lips at her nipple or her mouth instead, indecision and frustration building within her alongside arousal. There is a tremble that does not quite leave her fingers that leave speckles of ice in Ruby’s hair, causing the wayward strands to spike up in places. Messing it up even more. (And Gods does she love it much more than she’s expecting to when she glances down.)

“Ruby,” she whispers, partially unintentional and marked with pleasure.

And for whatever reason, it causes Ruby to stop, reeling back to meet her in the eye (earning a grunt of annoyance from her because she stopped).

There is something like downright awe that glistens in silver, mystified, “Oh… Can you say my name again?”

Weiss furrows her brow, linking her fingers at the nape of her neck. Covering her witch’s brand of wind, the chill of her magic causes Ruby to shiver but otherwise ignore it.

“Ruby.”

“No. No, like you did earlier,” she shakes her head, hand lowering from Weiss’s breast down to her abdomen. The touch makes her muscles twitch, flexing (get away, get away, get closer), but she is much quicker to grow used to it this time as Ruby leaves it though. “It was so pretty. Please, can you say it again like that?”

“I don’t understand what you-“ Weiss chokes on her own words as Ruby adjusts her weight, providing herself just enough room to slide her hand lower, lower, lower to where she aches for her. Gentle, calloused fingers tease against her. Perhaps on purpose, perhaps unintentional. Either way, effective. A ragged breath leaves her as her head bumps into the wall behind her lightly, eyes squeezing shut as she pushes her hips forward (more, more, more), “Gods…”

“My name, Weiss,” Ruby targets her neck again, mouthing the words against her skin, and it’s taking everything within her not to ask her to bite. “I don’t want you praying to the da,m Gods, I want you saying my name.”

Her final word, her growl, is punctuated by the push of one of her fingers into Weiss. Slow and purposeful.

“Fuck,” Weiss curses aloud, nails digging into her nape as her back arches toward her, pinned as she is, and in a moan higher pitched than before, “Ruby!”

“Hmm,” Ruby hums victoriously, satisfied, and she can feel her smiling against her skin, “Just like that, Weiss. Exactly like that.”

Her teeth graze against her pulse and Weiss just about falls apart then and there. The sensations, the warmth, the touch; it’s all too much for her. For someone whose only ever experience and allowed the bare minimum of contact to be touched like this. She bites her lip just for the spark of pain to ground herself to her body because otherwise, she’s afraid she might float away.

It’s too much. She’s too close, too warm, too soft, too loving, too-

“Again,” Ruby whispers after soothing what’s no doubt a fresh hickey with her tongue, finger curling within Weiss as she slowly starts to pull out. Only a little bit before pushing back in, again and again, causing her to let out quite the pathetic little (pleadful) whimper. “Can you say it again, Weiss?”

The idea of being indignant doesn’t even cross her mind, too preoccupied with focusing on not falling apart so soon. That’d be embarrassing, and then it would be over and she doesn’t want this to end.

“Ruby,” she manages to form her name upon her tongue, guttural and trembling and wanting. And because she’s rewarded with another thrust, faster than the last, Weiss prays like a beggar at a shrine, “Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, Ru-“

She’s interrupted by a crash of lips, moaning into her mouth as her pace starts to increase. Her other hand is a steady support underneath her, fingers digging into her ass and guiding her along with her movement. Weiss would never admit it out loud, but she greatly enjoys how effortlessly the wind user carries her like this. Muscles flexed and rigid, appearing as though she could hold her up against the wall for hours without breaking a sweat (and she certainly wouldn’t say no to that).

Weiss lowers one of her hands to Ruby’s arm to feel at her bicep, nails leaving a faint path behind that glistens with traces of ice. As they part for air, both of their panting breaths are visible as the temperature of their surroundings begins to lower. But neither of them pay any mind.

They are plenty warm enough to make up for it.

And that heat is only rising between them.

She cups her jaw with her other hand, no longer bothered or concerned by the frost she leaves behind on her skin. She’ll kiss it away in a minute anyway, just as soon as she asks for;

“More.”

Silver shines more beautifully than starlight, (oh the very universe itself must be jealous of this girl; must be jealous of Weiss for being the one who has the fortune of having her), sheer hunger for worship shimmering on the surface. A simmering smolder.

But regardless of her own desire, Ruby- sweet, gentle Ruby- holds off from diving right in even as she teases a second finger at her entrance. Waiting, waiting, waiting.

“Are you sure?” Her voice is shaking too and it settles something within her knowing that this is affecting Ruby just as much as it is her. 

She’s not the only one falling apart. How comforting.

The check-in is appreciated. Heartwarming and touching.

But ultimately unnecessary.

Because Weiss has now experienced what being touched by her feels like- tender instead of harsh, pleasurable instead of painful, pleading instead of demanding- and it has destroyed her. Come tomorrow, she has no idea what she’ll do now once they go back to being enemies and find their way back to their respective, opposing kingdoms to fight in an ongoing war.

Foolish, foolish girl.

Now you’ll never be able to look at her the same way again.

Ruby has ruined her forever.

(But is that such a bad thing?)

“Yes. I want more,” Weiss presses a kiss to the freckles of ice at her jaw, dispelling them with each small peck. And at her most vulnerable, she whispers, “I want you, Ruby.”

Those words seem to be as important to Ruby as they had been to her earlier. She can’t help the smallest smile that curls at her lips, fingers tracing one of the hickey marks she left behind almost proudly. Where she outlines it, white specklings sprout at tan skin, causing the wind user to swallow thickly. 

“Okay,” Ruby mumbles, head turning slightly to glance at her properly. Her fingers press against her more and Weiss trembles with anticipation, exhaling shakily. “Tell me if it ever becomes too much.”

She highly doubts it will.

All Weiss wants is more.

And more, she gets as Ruby gives her what she wants. The stretch of two fingers instead of one has her jerking her hips forward, greedy. Her hands are bigger than Weiss’s and the fullness is not something she’s used to, but Gods does she love it. She’s half-certain she lets out some sort of curse or another, finding balance with the wall at her back as she leans more into it for better leverage. Her breaths struggle to remain even and the battle to get them to that point is summarily lost as Ruby pulls her fingers out a little before pushing back in.

“Ruby!” Weiss moans her name, satisfaction unraveling in her chest when that alone makes the wind user increase her pace. She lets out a high-pitched whine as she starts to roll her hips, following her movement as best as she can against her fingers.

“You’re so beautiful, Weiss,” the words wisp past her ear in a whisper, a secret only for her alone to bear witness to and just the sincerity and the tenderness in it causes her to grind against her faster. Clawing at Ruby’s back for purchase; something, anything to hang onto as she speeds toward the cliff side. 

Disaster is inevitable. As inevitable as tonight has been. Survival instincts mandate her to escape while she still has a chance, however slim it may be. 

Trust no one, Weiss. In the end, everyone is always trying to stab you in the back.

Give yourself to no one and nobody can take anything from you.

But here she is.

Giving herself to Ruby. Trusting Ruby. The wind user from Vale, her mortal enemy on the battlefield. The one who, arguably, has it out for her the most. They have crossed paths and clashed magic with each other more times than she can count and the only reason Weiss claimed to save her from those strange creatures of Grimm was because Weiss wanted to be the one to kill her.

Perhaps in some twisted, morbid way, Ruby has always been hers and Weiss has always been Ruby’s. To fight, to conquer, to kill.

To cherish, to worship, to love.

The pleasure has reached its highest (torturous) peak and though Weiss has come to the edge of the cliff of rapture, she can’t quite find the will to jump. She holds on by the skin of her teeth, less than that even, and it’s so fucking frustrating because she just wants to let go.

But she’s afraid. Letting go of the control of her magic is one thing, but letting go of herself?

How can she trust just anybody with all that she is? (You can’t. You can’t, you can’t. Trust no one, Weiss, trust-)

“Weiss.” Ruby. Right. Ruby is here. Ruby is holding her. Ruby has her. (You’re safe, you’re safe. She’s got you, you’re safe.) “Will you come for me, princess?”

The press of her thumb at her clit has Weiss groaning, leaning forward blindly since her eyes are permanently squeezed shut until she can leave one, two, three kisses along the curve of Ruby’s shoulder. Reaching the nook of her neck, Weiss inhales her scent deeply and lets the roses shroud her. Addictive and comforting, soothing her flaring nerves like a warm embrace.

It’s okay, Ruby kisses her temple tenderly and Weiss can’t stop the sting of tears in her eyes. You’re okay. You’re safe.

“Ruby,” she whispers shakily, burying herself more against her neck. “I’m…”

“I know,” the wind user hums, a gentle tune. A lullaby, an enchantment. “I got you, Weiss. Just let go.”

You’re safe.

Ruby is safe. She will not harm her here. She will not take advantage of her. She will not use this against her. (Why would she, when Ruby has already given herself to Weiss first?)

Trust no one.

But-

I trust her.

As such, when she finally crests over the edge with a scream that’s cut short as she bites down at her shoulder, Weiss is no longer afraid. She pushes all her anxieties aside and focuses on nothing else but the pleasure that courses through her, mind going blissfully blank for seconds that stretch to minutes that stretch to eternity.

Time does not exist. The world does not exist. The war they are a part of does not exist.

There is nothing but the ecstasy of release. The euphoria of freedom.

The warmth of being held in Ruby’s arms throughout it all.

She comes down slowly from her high. It’s less a down-spiraling fall and more a gentle, floaty feeling as sensation returns to her. The first thing she registers is the subtle ache in her jaw and Weiss carefully loosens her grip, sighing peacefully. 

The next thing she realizes is the fact that Ruby’s fingers are no longer inside of her and it almost makes her pout (she doesn’t but the thought is there). A huff escapes her instead, moderately disappointed but also relieved.

If she felt sensitive to everything before, who knows what she’ll be like now?

Her fingers brush against the streaks of ice she left on Ruby’s back and it’s with more effort than she expects it to be to dispel it with a wave of her hand. A mark of heat from her brand of fire emitting from her palm and fingertips, producing a quiet hiss from Ruby.

“Are you okay?”

So much concern, it makes her positively melt. She’s not used to someone checking in with her, and while it probably won’t last past tonight, Weiss will revel in it while she can.

She comes out of hiding slowly. Indecisively. Half of her not wanting to leave the safety of the crook of Ruby’s neck while the other half really wants to see her face. Those lovely silver eyes.

The latter wins.

Oh, what a sight she is to behold. Weiss doubts she will ever come across someone quite like this again. (Who in this broken world could compare?)

And to think it’s Ruby who looks at her like she is the most special person in this universe…

Outrageous.

“More than okay,” Weiss manages to say, a hint of a rasp to her tone that brings a faint blush to her cheeks (and a victorious grin to Ruby). She clears her throat awkwardly, keeping her arms wrapped loosely around her neck. “Are you?”

“I’m the happiest I’ve been in a very long time.”

Right through the heart. How she doesn’t outwardly wince is beyond her.

This won’t last. Weiss brushes her thumbs along Ruby’s jawline. Framing her face, admiring her. Surely you know this won’t last, Ruby.

Maybe Ruby does and she’s choosing to ignore what tomorrow will bring. Enjoying it while it’s here.

Or maybe she doesn’t and she is merely soaking it all in. Distracted by all the emotions and sensations.

Who will be the one to tell her if it’s the second option? Surely it won’t be Weiss.

She refuses to be the reason that smile disappears from her.

Weiss swallows lightly as Ruby, none the wiser to her internal turmoil, tilts her head enough to kiss the center of her palm. Nuzzling downward to the heel of it, to her wrist. She allows the gentle ministrations. Wondering if Ruby kisses her pulse to slow it down, help it settle, help her relax. (It works. There is something akin to gratitude in her action that has Weiss gushing.)

“But do you know what will make me even happier?”

There is a touch of teeth as Ruby nips at her skin now that almost makes her jump, that steadying pulse skipping its next beat and starting to race as silver eyes shift over to her. And she recognizes that glint there now. Not quite teasing, not quite challenging. Desiring.

Ravenous.

Suddenly all Weiss can think about is the fact that, in order to hold her up of course, Ruby’s hands are on her ass and she gives a small squeeze. She keeps herself still as the wind user continues her journey up her arm, leaving behind a kiss that is deceptively sweet for such a look she gave and the intentions behind it. Weiss prepares herself for any possibility, inviting Ruby in with a tilt of her head to grant her permission to finish her journey to her neck.

And there, at her thrumming pulse, she whispers, “If I can hear you scream my name like that again.”

The uncomfortable heat of a blush returns to her face and Weiss can’t even respond in any way as Ruby steals language from her with a slow drag of her tongue at her pulse. (Alive, alive, alive.) Weiss clutches at her, uncertain herself on what she plans to do with that except hold her in place.

Ah, so that’s what she screamed when she came.

How embarrassing.

But also-

Weiss steels her nerves as she sweeps one of her hands from Ruby’s back, over her shoulder, until she can press loosely at her neck. Applying the faintest pressure that brings the vibration of a pleased hum from the wind user and guiding her back to meet her eye again. Though there’s no doubt that there is pink to her cheeks, Weiss does not back down as she angles Ruby’s head up to her.

“Then I guess you’ll have to work for it, darling.”

Ruby chuckles, a husky thing. Amused. Fond.

As if just waiting for permission- always waiting for her consent- Ruby abruptly pulls them away from the wall. Without it behind her, Weiss clings onto Ruby more so she doesn’t fall. Not that there was ever a risk of it, the wind user carries her like it’s no trouble to her at all. Even goes so far as to distractedly nibble at her collarbone, blindly wandering through the small pool of water in the cave toward dry land.

It dawns on her what her plans are exactly and Weiss wrinkles her nose, “You better not be planning on putting me on the dirty floor or I will be very cross with you, Ruby Rose, so help me-”

And in a matter of seconds, the world spins as Ruby uses a burst of wind to get them from the pool to the cave floor in a matter of seconds (because apparently walking there would’ve taken too long for her) and Weiss instinctively closes her eyes when she feels the world spin on its axis. In a moment, her back meets…

Softness?

Weiss blinks to herself in confusion, tilting her head aside… and an array of rose petals and plush moss brushes against her cheek. She furrows her brow, gradually releasing her death grip from Ruby now that there is no danger of her falling, reaching for one of the scarlet petals to examine it closer.

It’s no ordinary petal, that’s for sure. There is a thrum of undeniable magic laced within it that makes her skin tingle where she is in contact with the vegetation. Vibrant and warm.

“Is this suitable,” Ruby snickers from where she leans over her, hands on either side of Weiss’s head as she grins down at her, taunting, “your highness?”

Ah. Nature magic. Ruby’s second and only other element she can control.

The timing of switching between wind and nature as quickly as she did is no easy feat to scoff at, but Weiss knows it runs deeper than that. (And that is what’s impressive about her.)

The human body can only handle so much magical output. It’s why no witch is capable of utilizing two or more magics at one time; even Weiss- labeled as a Prodigy; one of a few dozen humans in the world capable of mastering all elements- can never activate two of her brands at once. She has learned to quickly switch between them to make it seem like she’s using two at the same time, but that is never the case.

Nobody can use two at once.

Except for what are known as Anomalies.

Like Ruby.

It’s evident in the way the playful wind she stirred up continues dancing around them, causing a few of the petals to drift upward, while more rose blossoms bloom at the perimeter of the moss. A bed of roses, just for her.

How cliche.

How beautiful.

“It’s adequate,” she sniffs, only half-feigning her haughtiness, (trying not to smile at the way it makes Ruby giggle with a roll of her eyes). Weiss reaches up to her, fingers brushing down the length of her spine to her brands. Only two; one at the nape of her neck and the other a few inches below it. Ruby doesn’t have much of a reaction to it, used to her brands being touched. Both of them give off the faintest of heat, signifying them being in use. Weiss whispers with a touch of awe, “You are a wonder.”

“More like a freak,” Ruby mutters, glancing away for half a second. A mote of vulnerability that Weiss detects so easily.

She doesn’t like it. The resignation. The self-deprecation.

(It’s not surprising, she supposed. She’s heard the rumors. Just as much as Prodigies are honored and feared, Anomalies are the same- with the scale leaning more toward feared than honored. There is a reason that Ruby may be the only one left; all the others killed or ostracized for their abilities. 

Nobody trusts someone with power.)

Her hand shoots toward her cheek, angling Ruby’s face back to her, “You are beyond compare and incredible for what you’re able to do. And anybody who refuses to see that is a fool, a coward, or blind. Perhaps even all three.”

Ruby softens at that and Weiss feels like she’s said too much. Too much, too far. Comforting her should not be her priority, but she can’t bear to stand that look of sadness on the wind user’s face- and Weiss only ever speaks in truth.

Honesty is the one language she knows how to wield.

Ruby leans down wordlessly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. (Too tender, too emotional, too loving. You’re not supposed to be like this with each other, Weiss, this love won’t survive. You won’t survive.)

“Thanks, Weiss.”

She doesn’t give her a chance to respond, moving over to leave another kiss.

This time over the scar on her eye.

And Weiss…

Weiss doesn’t know why she flinches and freezes simultaneously. Why the entire world crumbles and falls away. Why she stops breathing.

Her father made that scar. She remembers the day well. Vividly. Another sparring session, fresh out of getting her final brand of fire. Her weakest magic, undoubtedly- and of course, Jacques would not stand by it.

You’re a Schnee, he stared down at her, and not for the first time did she hate her own height because of it, A Schnee does not have weaknesses.

So, his logical solution was to train her.

Or rather, beat the weakness out of her.

Day after day after day. She was meant to use fire and only fire to fend off against his daggers of ice and shrapnel shards of steel. To give off so much heat that she’d melt them before they could touch her.

Clearly, it didn’t work.

Pitiful, she remembers kneeling on the ground, both hands covering her freshly bleeding wound, crying from the pain as he scoffed at her, Is this all you’re capable of? You’re supposed to be a Prodigy. But all I see is a spineless little girl.

“You’re so strong, Weiss.”

What?

That scar was not a sign of strength, it was a sign of-

“And brave.” Ruby moves lower now, kissing her jaw and down her neck to her chest. Another over her heart. “You don’t even realize it, do you?”

“I…” Weiss mumbles, suddenly unable to find the right words. 

She reaches for Ruby because she has greatly lost her balance here and she needs to get them on equal footing- but the wind user snatches her hands before she can touch her. Ruby leaves a peck on each fingertip, as though they weren’t the cause of so much of her pain in the past.

“Do you trust me?”

The answer should be an instant no. Especially when she has no idea what Ruby plans on doing. 

But instead what comes out of her mouth is an immediate, breathless, “Yes.”

It’s worth it for the smile Ruby gives her.

And the kiss as well.

Weiss closes her eyes as she reciprocates it, a shiver passing through her at the briefest graze of Ruby’s body against hers as the wind user adjusts herself. (Oh, she’s dying to feel her weight on her.) The kiss is slow and gentle and it works wonders at helping her relax. Not realizing she had steadily been tensing up once more.

With her hands still captured by the other girl, Weiss puts up no fight- to her own surprise- as Ruby starts to lower her arms. Inch by inch. Little by little. Until she has them pinned above her head against the moss and rose petals.

“Is this okay?” Ruby draws away from her to speak, leaning back (and Weiss has half a mind to chase her).

There’s a glint in silver. An undeniable spark of magic, and within seconds, Weiss feels vines start to wrap around her wrists and arms. Ticklish, almost. At each of her palms, a complete rose blossom appears that she curls her fingers over. Delicate, not wanting to crush it. Not wanting to destroy it.

Giving a small tug to test the durability, it’s easy to tell they are not at full strength. They can more than easily rip apart then and there, should Weiss say no. But she knows firsthand just how sturdy they can be, if their brief appearances on the battlefield is any indication. Able to take any slice of a sword or blast of fire (or chill from her ice) if Ruby made them that way.

You won’t be able to defend yourself. You’ll be trapped.

Unable to move. Vulnerable. Completely at Ruby’s mercy.

“Yes.”

How exciting.

Again, Ruby smiles at her- and again, Weiss feels like she’s discovered the greatest treasure in the world being able to see it. Fondness unfurls in her chest when Ruby pecks her on the nose sweetly, playfully almost, and Weiss tips her head back invitingly (here, here, I want you here, I need you here-) as those lips start to create a path downward. Scorching marks that tingle at her skin are left in their wake as a constant reminder of where she’s been and Weiss wants, wishes, yearns for her to explore the rest of her.

There’s a scar near the center of her chest. Like a blade of ragged, spiked steel had pierced through her but didn’t quite make it all the way through.

And it wouldn’t be far from the truth.

Those who know light, her father flicked his crude dagger clean of her blood after a surprise attack, uncaring of the red that stained the carpet, Should be able to heal themselves from any wound. 

Needless to say, he was right in some regard. It took a while, but Weiss figured out how to do it.

Mostly because she didn’t have another choice.

She remembers it well. The sensation of it being healed. The warmth of the light that somehow came from her cold hands.

It’s the same as the feeling of Ruby’s kiss there. Sensitive and comforting and healing.

(Darling, I wanted you to break me- not fix me.)

“Weiss.” It’s not quite a growl, not quite a tender whisper. It is an entity of its own; a huskiness of desire, a gravelly undertone of restraint, a hoarseness of deep appreciation. Another open-mouth kiss, a swipe of her tongue drawing lower, lower, almost between her breasts. “Can I touch you? I want to- Please, can I-“

And again, with no ounce of hesitation; “Yes.”

Her fingers curl tighter around the roses at her palms- surprisingly durable; they don’t crush beneath her strength like a normal flower would and Weiss no longer has to worry about ruining them- for something to hang onto as Ruby lets go of her own restraint. The control shown previously to only give soft, cautious touches vanishes like her petals on the wild wayward breeze. 

She grows bolder. More direct. Confident. With Weiss’s permission, only ever with her permission, Ruby sets out on her mission to feel every inch of her body open to her. With her hands, with her lips, with her teeth. Blunt nails drag at the small of her back and it has Weiss bucking her hips forward, toward her at the same time she arches her back as Ruby takes one breast in her mouth. All the while, palming at the other with calloused fingers in a way that makes her voice break with pleasure.

It is everything her touch-starved self has longed for and everything her touch-averse self rebels against. Fears, almost. For someone to want her, to need her this badly. This openly. This greedily.

(It seems Weiss is not the only one selfish. Possessive. Hungry.

I will take what I want, Ruby bites with just enough pressure at the underside of her breast to stand on the line between pain and pleasure and it has Weiss trembling in response, fingers tightening on the roses until a thin stream of mist from her ice starts to seep off her fingers. I will take what I want and you’ll give me more, won’t you?)

(I will, she wants to whine, whimper, wail, I will, I will. Take what you want and so much more. It’s all yours, I’m all yours.)

By the time Ruby is low at her abdomen- oh she knows where this is going and it makes her mouth water- Weiss’s head spins pleasantly as she pants for air, not enough, never enough, but she doesn’t care she will gladly sacrifice oxygen for this. The vines binding her arms above her head have all but frozen solid to her (unintentional) outflux of ice, but they remain unharmed otherwise. The petals of the rose have been rimmed with frost, the red steadily bleeding into white.

“Gods, look at you.” It’s her only warning before a single finger swipes against her aching core, jolting her to attention. Snapping her back into focus after the haze of pleasure has caused her to drift away to the sensations. She doesn’t even get the chance to enjoy it before Ruby has already pulled her hand away from her. “You’re so wet, Weiss.”

She licks her dry lips, attempting to hide and close her legs. Turn away. But with Ruby literally right between them, it’s kind of impossible as the wind user is swift to stop her from doing so, pushing against one of her knees and glancing up at her. Weiss clears her throat, regathering herself, refusing to look away first.

“Now you see,” her arms flex in a feeble attempt to break free but that does nothing but draw Ruby’s attention up to it, satisfaction darkening in her eyes, (exactly what Weiss wanted), “what you’ve done to me.” She waits until she meets her gaze before adding, “What you do to me.”

“I did this?” It’s beyond her why Ruby is surprised by how much of an effect she has on her. Especially in this way.

The hand at her knee starts to glide inward and Weiss does everything in her power to maintain composure, even as that simple touch alone has her nerves going haywire with anticipation. (Right there, right there, darling, I want you there. Just a little more.)

“Yes,” Weiss spreads her legs a little bit as Ruby starts to lower herself between them, kissing where her hand trailed at the inside of her thigh. “It’s all for you, because of you.”

She is caught between wanting to watch and wanting to turn away as Ruby casually lifts one of Weiss’s legs to throw over her shoulder. Doing the same with the other and grabbing at her thighs to keep her there. To keep her from moving. To keep her.

“Just for me, Weiss?” Ruby is so hard to hear over the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears.

And Weiss hardly gets the word out- “Yes.”- when Ruby’s impatience gets the better of her.

It’s the greatest mystery to her how she doesn’t fall apart at the first swipe of her tongue, but perhaps it’s Weiss’s desire to experience this for longer that keeps her from falling over the edge. A ragged cry escapes her that she has no plans on withholding and the ice that has covered the vines grows more stems of their own. Completing the lovely, gifted roses with prickly thorns.

Eagerness has taken the place of caution and it’s as though Ruby has set out to make her come as fast as possible. Like she’s challenging her to hold on for as long as possible. The pleasure is searing, burning at her senses to wash away the rest of the world. All that exists is Ruby’s fingers digging into her thighs, no doubt with enough pressure to leave bruises behind once she lets go (just another mark of her; just another mark Weiss will cherish), Ruby’s tongue in her, on her, lips sucking at her clit relentlessly. 

Her legs loop around Ruby’s back, pulling her closer, forcing her mouth harder against her in a way that draws a moan from the wind user. The vibration of it resonates through her, stars filling her vision. As she closes her eyes to better ride out the waves, everything else just becomes that much more prominent. That much more intense.

She tries to arch away, if only for a second to calm herself before the pleasure of it all can shatter her to pieces- but Ruby is intent on breaking her, it seems. From the moss around her waist curl a few more vines procured from the other girl’s magic, tying her to the ground so she can no longer buck her hips. Like steady arms refusing to let go. It draws a rough whine from her, toes curling.

“Ruby,” Weiss is only partially aware of the words coming out of her mouth, the muscles in her thighs aching, “Ruby, please!”

There is a string of broken sentences that follow but there is mainly just “Ruby” on repeat. Which works well considering it only serves to spurn Ruby on more, bringing her that much closer and closer to the end.

The fall comes so quickly, so suddenly, there is no room or time for doubts and false teachings of trust no one, give yourself to no one to even make an appearance. There is a crash, a lance of heat up her spine like she’s been shocked by her own electricity, a broad stroke of Ruby’s tongue at her throbbing clit.

She breaks (and reforms) beneath Ruby’s mouth and Weiss has been made anew.

Damn the branding ceremony, damn her father’s tests, damn the day she unlocked magic within herself. This moment is what reshapes her. Recreates her down to the very last atom. She is free of earthly expectations that come with being the heiress to the throne, the living weapon of Atlas. There is Weiss Schnee and then there is Weiss and at this moment, she is only the latter.

(Weiss Schnee is the enemy, but Weiss is someone that Ruby can love.)

When she comes back to her senses, she almost laments it. The free-floating feeling of the high from release is not something she is privy to often, (When is she ever allowed freedom except now when the rest of the world thinks the two of them are most likely dead? Both armies saw them fall, and these valleys were not made for anything to live in), and Weiss wants to hang onto it for as long as possible.

But when she comes to, it’s to the adoring affection of Ruby kissing her way back up her body. How could she possibly not want to be present for it?

She stops at the scar by her chest, leaving a lingering touch there as though she wished she knew light magic to further heal it, before leaning back now. Hands flat against the ground as she stares down at her. There is a faint glistening of wetness at her lips, her chin, and Weiss hums in gratification seeing the evidence of herself on Ruby.

The vines around her hips start to fade back into the moss itself, but aside from that, Ruby does nothing else but continue to gaze at her. Contemplative. Caring. Compassionate.

“What?” She asks in a breathless tone when it becomes too much (being looked at like she matters, like she’s special, like she’s something worth staring at to memorize every feature of her).

“You’re so beautiful.” The sincerity in her voice, just…

Weiss has received plenty of compliments in her life. Most of them, empty words just to get on her good side or make it seem like the person giving it cares about her. She grew quick to prefer ones that centered around her strength and skills rather than physical beauty, an affirmation of just how far she’s come.

After all, it was power that would win this war. Not beauty. Not love.

But when Ruby says that with nothing but honesty?

For the first time ever, Weiss allows herself to believe that maybe it’s true, maybe I am beautiful.

“I have an idea,” Ruby abruptly sits back against her heels now like she’s come to some sort of decision. Determination brimming in silver as silver flicks to the space above where they are and back to Weiss. She points, “Can you make a wall of ice right here?”

“Why?” Weiss eyes her warily, clutching the roses in her hands. A constant reassurance.

“Trust me.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

Ruby gives her a fondly exasperated look, ducking her head to place another kiss on her body. Over her heartbeat. And merely repeats, “Trust me, Weiss.”

It’s not fair.

It’s not fair how effective that is. She, who only ever does anything when she knows every single little detail- being okay with knowing nothing of what’s about to happen or where this is going.

“I can’t do as you ask,” Weiss pointedly moves her arms a little, “until you let me go.”

And for whatever reason…

Ruby grins. Wide and amused and fond and playful and-

“Weiss,” she clicks her tongue, “I’m not holding you anymore. Didn’t you notice?”

What?

It’s true. As she goes to test the strength of the frozen-over vines, she discovers that there is no restraint there anymore. They dissipate into tiny particles as she raises her arms, cupping the rose blossoms in her palms as she brings them to her face.

The red has turned to white. Specks of ice rimming each petal, glittering in a light of their own. Weiss blinks in surprise, once, twice, and on the third, the roses start to vanish as well until she is empty-handed.

“When did you…?” Weiss murmurs, staring at her open fingers.

“When you let me touch you.” Ruby runs her palm against her abdomen, coasting over thin scars scattered about that neither of them brings up (they are in the shape of crescents- created by razor winds summoned by Ruby). “I figured… I don’t know. If it ever became too much, I should let you be able to push me away if you needed to.” A pause, long enough to meet her in the eye. “I didn’t want to deprive you of that choice completely.”

But Weiss didn’t. She didn’t push her away.

Sure, she didn’t know that she was able to, but she could’ve. She could’ve tried.

Instead, all she did was open herself up for more. Letting her in more.

“Will you make the ice wall now?”

“Why?” Again, she asks despite knowing she won’t get her answer.

“Please?”

She sighs like this is more effort than it’s worth- It’s not, she’s not; she is worth everything and so much more- and rolls onto her side. Groaning softly to herself at the sensitivity between her legs. Still caged in the space of Ruby’s arms on either side of her, there’s not much room for her to move away entirely but it’s not like she wants to leave here anyway. Weiss tilts her head up, stretching one of her arms until she can reach the stone floor a few centimeters above the moss bed.

Ruby, ever the distraction she is, kisses her bare shoulder while also tracing her fingers at each of the brands along her spine. Weiss has to concentrate very hard just to be able to manage such a simple task. Little by little, a reflective wall of ice uproots itself from the ground. Piecing itself together from out of her fingertips.

“That’s good,” Ruby directs once it’s a few feet high. “It doesn’t need to be very tall.”

“Will you tell me now why you wanted me to make this?”

“Because,” another kiss, this time to the side of her temple, a hint of shyness present now, “I want you to see how beautiful you are too.”

Weiss snaps back in her direction, a tightening to her chest. Her magic grows somewhat chaotic before she can shut it off, the ice splintering out in the space behind the wall. Jagged and ugly. But the front of it facing them is as pristine as ever.

Like a mirror.

“Oh…” A nigh silent mumble. Goosebumps rising to the surface of her skin.

Ruby holds a hand between them, offering it to her. They both ignore the slight shaking of her fingers, nervous but hopeful. “Will you let me?”

“Let you what?”

“Weiss,” just hearing her name in that voice, in that tone alone is enough to make her give in already, “Will you let me show you how beautiful you are?”

How can she ever deny that?

With equally shaking fingers, Weiss reaches up to accept her hand. Once she has a sure hold, Ruby pulls her up until she’s sitting, leaving kisses wherever she can but notably not on her lips. For a second, they face each other; Weiss sitting with Ruby kneeling in front of her.

“Turn around.”

Look at yourself.

Weiss does, letting go of her to do so despite how much it scares her. Because she’s done this before, countless times. Stared at herself in a mirror, and when her father took her mirrors away from her (in a further attempt to take away her own identity by removing her reflection), she would create walls of reflective ice similar to this in the privacy of her own room. At first, every single day. And then once a week. Once a month. Once a year. Once every other year. 

Until one day, she just… stopped. No longer interested in seeing herself.

Honestly, until now, she’s damn near forgotten what she looked like.

There are no clothes or combat gear to hide her skin. Her scars. Here, she is bare in both body and mind.

With Ruby right behind her.

There is but a second for her to react- in which she does not react at all- before the wind user wraps her arms around her midsection and pulls her closer. Adjusting them until Weiss is pressed against her, sitting between her legs with her back to her chest. Ruby rests her chin against her shoulder. Hugging her. (Protecting her. Cherishing her.)

“Do you see how pretty you are?”

She doesn’t focus on herself like Ruby no doubt wants her to.

Instead, she has other things in mind.

“I see all the marks you’ve left on me,” she meets silver in the reflection, smirking. “Such a greedy girl you are.”

(Not that she is any better.)

The arms around her tighten for a second- possessive, possessive; you are mine, tonight you are mine, Weiss- and Ruby emits a throaty chuckle, turning her head to brush her nose against the side of her neck. Inhaling deeply, taking her in. Weiss, in turn, tips her own head to the side to give her more room.

“I guess when I finally get what I’ve always wanted,” her touch goes from innocent to amorous as one of her hands so easily slides upward to grab at her breast and it catches Weiss off-guard, a gasp escaping her as she grabs at Ruby’s arms, nails digging into the muscles of her forearm, encouraging and biting, “I can be a little selfish.”

“You’ve-” Her voice fails her as Ruby’s thumb circles her nipple and she leans back more into the girl behind her. “You’ve always wanted this?”

“Look at yourself.” She complies despite how difficult it is and seeing Ruby touching her like this makes something within her ache at the sight of it. A quiet moan escapes her in response, clenching around nothing. Yearning for her again, the anticipation burning her alive as Ruby lowers her other hand more and more to where she wants her. “How can I not?”

“Ruby…”

Weiss chokes on a whimper as Ruby presses two fingers against her, still sensitive from before, and her first instinct is to turn her head to hide in the crook of the wind user’s neck.

“No, Weiss,” a soft coo, a gentle reprimand, her fingers sliding from her entrance to her clit and back again but not doing much more than that, “I want you to watch.”

“Ruby-”

“Watch, Weiss.”

It’s a struggle to do as she’s told, but somehow she manages. Still mostly turned away from herself, but angling her head just enough to peek at the ice mirror. Blue finds silver for a second in the ice until she forces her gaze lower to her body where Ruby is touching her. It makes her quiver.

And she’s immediately rewarded for her obedience by Ruby pushing her fingers into her.

It is a revelation in itself, watching and simultaneously feeling those fingers go inside of her. Curling deliciously at just the right angle that Ruby remembers works for her. (Only once has she touched her and already it’s as though Ruby knows everything about her.) She moans from deep within her chest, from the depths of her very soul no doubt, but she makes a valiant effort to keep her eyes open.

“Look at how breathtaking you are,” Ruby murmurs by her ear, lazily leaving nibbles and pecks along her shoulder and neck. Her thrusts are slow but purposeful, driving her toward that familiar edge with alarming precision. She keeps her other hand at her breast, massaging it in such a way that it causes Weiss to arch her back to present herself more, pushing herself more against her. “Look at how well you take my fingers.”

“Fuck!” Weiss curses, nails pricking at her skin in such a way she fears she might draw blood. More veins of ice make an appearance, climbing along the wind user’s forearms, but if it bothers Ruby, she doesn’t show it. “Fuck- Ruby, I…”

“Touch yourself.” She nips at her ear and it causes Weiss to slacken against her. “Worship yourself like I am. You deserve to be loved.”

I don’t. I don’t, I don’t-

A harsher bite to her shoulder, punishing and grounding, until Ruby smooths it with a gentle lick as she whispers, “You do,” so she must have said it out loud. Her pace slows, threatening to stop, and because Weiss doesn’t want it to end so soon, she does as she’s told.

With one shuddering hand, keeping the other at the other girl’s arm to keep herself somewhat anchored here, Weiss reaches down to touch her own clit that has sorely been lacking attention. She bites her lip until it hurts, keeping her sight on the mirror, setting a slow tempo to match Ruby’s.

“There you go, Weiss,” Ruby’s voice washes over her, rooting itself in her heart and finding a home there (and she will never leave, she will never leave and Weiss is in no rush to push her out now). “You’re gorgeous."

She won’t last long. She can’t. Between the rhythmic thrusts that always hit just the right spot and her ever-increasing frantic circling of her clit and Ruby’s hand at her breast and lips at her neck and the never-ending string of praise…

She can’t hold on.

Oh, she certainly tries. Because if she can get this to last for just a moment longer, then the night doesn’t need to end. They don’t have to go to sleep, the sun doesn’t need to rise, and they don’t have to go back to being witches on opposite sides of a bloody war.

(But she should know by now, no matter how powerful they may be, they cannot slow or stop time.)

(So as inevitably as this started, it’s bound to have an ending too.)

“Ruby,” Weiss is barely able to get the words out, breaths heavy, “I-I can’t, I can’t-“

The final push comes when Ruby noses her hair aside, just enough to reveal the brand at the back of her neck. She kisses it at first before the sting of teeth makes itself known.

It is everything Weiss needs to fall apart.

She does her best to keep her eyes open but it is an involuntary act when her orgasm hits. The last thing she sees is the pleasure written across her own face as it reaches its peak.

In some ways, the world does end and disaster has never been so beautiful.

(For just this moment, it does feel like time stops so maybe she was wrong.)

There is the distant sound of ice cracking that she pays no attention to, static filling her ears. In this bubble of warmth, she longs to stay but knows she can’t.

It is not meant to be hers forever. Only this once.

And honestly, some part of Weiss is okay with that. (And the large majority, however, is not.)

She comes back exactly how she broke- in pieces. One by one, bit by bit, her body becomes her own again and the first thing she is aware of is how much her fingers ache from curling so tightly against Ruby’s arm. Her throat is sore, as is the rest of her body, but it is a delicious kind of tenderness. Worn-out and satisfied.

It is not the first time Ruby Rose has left her exhausted, but it is the first time it’s because of this instead of fighting.

“Beautiful.”

Her eyes open slowly. And indeed, the ice wall has been splintered in various places. Arcing lines stretching this way and that, seconds from falling apart.

But there is just enough of an untouched surface left for her to see the look Ruby is sending her.

Her. Not their reflections, but her. 

Weiss is almost afraid to look up at her in return but something internal compels her to do so. She’s so close and Weiss revels in it, absorbing every minute detail of her expression to slot it to the back of her mind for safekeeping. There, she will treasure it for the rest of time.

Snug in the embrace of her arms, Weiss doesn’t want to leave. She shifts just enough to a better position to lay against her, ear by her chest so she can listen to her heartbeat. Tucking herself beneath her chin.

“Tired?”

“What do you think?”

“A shame,” Ruby chuckles softly, wiping her fingers clean off her wetness against the moss around them before absentmindedly beginning to brush through her hair. To the top of her head, she murmurs, “And here I thought you’d want me to touch you more.”

“As tempting as that is,” Weiss inhales slowly, deeply, (roses, roses, roses), “I just want you to hold me now.”

Hold me- before morning comes.

Hold me before it’s over.

Hold me before we have to say goodbye to this.

She will never get a chance like this again. So Weiss will do the one thing she’s great at.

Be selfish.

Ruby carefully lays them on their sides, better adjusting them in a comfortable position. Their legs intertwine and Weiss places her hands on her hips to keep her from going far. Not that Ruby has shown any inclinations to do so.

“Wonderful,” Ruby whispers to the top of her head, a note of something somber and heavy now entering her tone. Weighing it down. “I want to hold you too.”

Neither of them points out that Weiss is shaking. Nor how tightly Ruby holds onto her like she’s afraid they’ll both vanish then and there.

Talking will wait till morning (or won’t come at all and they’ll bury tonight under ash and dust and spilled blood and pretend it never happened).

(For their own sakes, neither of them knows what’s the better option.)

But no matter what comes, Weiss knows one thing to be true deep within her heart.

Tonight may have been a mistake in the grand scheme of things…

But she does not regret it.

And if this was the only chance she got to do so, she is glad she was able to cherish Ruby (and be cherished in return) like she deserves to be.

She is glad she was able to love her. If only once.