RWBY: Thicker Than Water Volume 1: Ominous Omens

Rent Free Living

Remember me? Well, I'm kinda sort of maybe writing. Can't find a suitable image for this chapter. Looks like it's time to lean into fanart and start crediting people.

Key
(F/N) = First Name
(N/N) = Nickname
(F/C) = Favorite Color
(S/N) = Semblance Name
(W/N) = Weapon Name

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The wooden stairs creaked beneath her careful steps.

Weiss frowned.

This house, Ruby's home, failed to meet expectations. Why would anyone chose to make a home out of something as flimsy as wooden rather than finely cut stone and metal? No sensible answer came to mind. As if the poor choice in material wasn't enough, the house was so small that any notions of privacy were nothing more than delusions. Since coming here she'd never been alone except for these early mornings, but even then -especially then- she had to limit any noise made least the others complain about being woken. The walls weren't thin by any means, but solid yells would be more than enough for people at opposite ends of the house to communicate.

The house was limiting at the best of times and suffocating at the worse.

Finally down the steps without much noise made, Weiss found herself between the living room and kitchen -a row of counters all that separated them- in search of the inviting aroma that brought her down here. Instead of Ruby's father in the midst of preparing breakfast, an odd duo stood before the stove.

Nora, abuzz with energy, bounced in place as (F/N) loaded her plate with an sickening number of fresh pancakes. The moment he was done, Nora zipped to the table, shoveling down food before she even took a seat.

"You can cook? You?" Weiss asked, taking her own seat at the dinner table.

"The old man could use a break here and there." (F/N) said without looking her way. "You want a plate?"

"That depends. Is it any good? Unlike Nora, I have standards."

"You know I don't have to give you anything right?" (F/N) finally paused and turned to her. Normally holding eye contact with someone wasn't something she struggled with or gave a second thought. It was only proper etiquette. That said, Weiss averted her gaze, beating back the heat rising to her cheeks. He had seen everything. A fact that continued to surface to the top of her mind when they were in the same room. "So, want a plate or not?"

Weiss nodded, still looking away.
If the piece of her dignity forever stolen away wasn't bad enough, she now owed him a favor after yesterday's loss.

The chance to have the top performing second year who just so happened to double as her childish leader's older brother owe her a favor? Personal training from professor Goodwitch. Someone to help sway Ruby if the need ever arose. Or maybe, she could've interrogated him about why certain students were so scared of him. So much possibility lost.

Now she could only hope he didn't ask for anything outrageous.

For once Weiss wished he was more like Ruby. Buying the newest and latest parts to outfit that oversized scythe of hers or feeding her sweet tooth would've been enough to satisfy her. (F/N) wasn't such an open book.

If he asked her to buy something there'd be no complaints. Lien was of little consequence to someone like her. Besides that, what else did she have that would be of interest to him?

There was always Yang's vulgar suggestions. Weiss wasn't so blind that she missed out on the questionable intentions that led to their little bet, but she assumed (F/N) would be above such things in the event she actually lost.