En Garde! A RWBY White Rose Fanfiction

Chapter 54: Opening Up

"You all want me to say it so badly?! Fine! I like you, okay?!"

Ruby's jaw dropped slightly, but no words left her mouth. Weiss scowled at her for a second before realizing what she had just said and instantly fled from the room.

Ruby snapped out of it when the door slammed. "Weiss!" she called out, pulling off her socks. She'd need some traction to catch up if this was going to turn into a game of tag. And based on her past experiences with Weiss, it would be.

Ruby flung the front door open and ran outside. She slipped turning the corner of the soaking wet pathway and would have collided with Weiss if she hadn't fallen short. "Oof!" she grunted, the wind knocked out of her.

When she could breathe again, she glanced up. Weiss' expression of worry fluctuated to one of renewed fear, and she ran from the shelter of the roof. "Stop!" Ruby groaned, pushing herself up. Dealing with the pajamas clinging to her with dampness would have to wait.

And so they ran, out into the rain, Weiss' adrenaline kicking into gear and Ruby still recovering from her fall. The distance between them lengthened slightly.

The fleeting heiress looked over her shoulder to see Ruby still in pursuit. "Leave me alone!" she cried out, willing herself to go faster.

"No!" the persistent brunette yelled back. "I don't get it! Every time something like this happens, you run away! Am I... really that scary?"

Weiss had slowed down at her words, then stopped completely and whirled around. The two girls stood facing each other a few yards apart, in the pouring rain.

"N-no," Weiss stammered. "It's... not your fault. But I-"

Ruby gave Weiss a sincere smile that would have melted even the coldest heart. "Being honest is hard sometimes. I know."

"Why do you even bother?" the ivory-haired girl sobbed. This wasn't just about her confession anymore. "I hated you, and you knew it! How could you not?! And yet, here you are, out here in the pouring rain, for no reason other than to torment me! If you had done this seven months ago, I would have called you insane!" She paused. "Apparently, I'm used to it now, but why?"

The brunette took a brave step forward. "I'll tell you, but you have to promise me you won't run."

Weiss hesitated, but nodded in the end.

Ruby covered the distance between them, took Weiss' hands in hers, and sighed heavily. She looked directly at Weiss until those icy blue eyes met hers. "You have to rely on others sometimes, even if you don't want to! Nobody is supposed to live alone. I know you don't wanna believe it, but it's true. It's not how life works."

A combination of tears and raindrops ran down Weiss' cheeks. She didn't trust her voice to answer clearly and remained silent.

"It's okay to be sad, or angry, or scared around someone else," Ruby continued. "It's normal. Trust me, I live with one of the most emotional sisters you'll ever meet."

"But that doesn't explain any of this," the heiress choked, pulling herself away. "What could you possibly hope to gain from all this? From me?"

"A deal is a deal. Didn't you want to know who I liked?"

"What does that have anything to d-"