EPILOGUE


"Weiss!" Ruby hums as she wraps her arms around the taller girl's frame.

"Mh?"

"We need to get going!"

The heiress glances at the clock, only to notice that indeed, Ruby is right. It is soon time for them to head to the music room, where her leader can take the role of teacher – a role that both of them have come to appreciate.

Truthfully, Weiss is eager. Over time, she has grown more comfortable during these sessions. Less afraid of judgment and more willing to merely enjoy the time she can spend with her partner – partner in more ways than one.

She sighs.

"I know, but I have to finish this assignment first…"

"Buh…"

Sitting at her desk, a pen in hand, she frowns at her paper. It is due tomorrow and she can't believe she let herself neglect her priorities to this extent.

Ruby shifts slightly behind her, tightening her arms around her girlfriend's shoulders, and the heiress lets herself lean into the touch. She notices with a smile that her partner is wearing the sweater she had bought for her. The realization awakens the butterflies in her stomach, that somehow never truly went away.

"What's this?"

Weiss perks her head up, glancing at Ruby who has suddenly taken an interest in her pencil case. She is, in fact, pointing at a creased piece of paper. Without much thinking, Weiss grabs it, not quite sure what to expect.

"Oh."

She conceals it within her first as soon as her eyes could see its content. This, unsurprisingly, only further increases Ruby's curiosity.

"What? What is it?"

"It's- err- nothing important."

"It definitely is. Let me see!"

She ponders for a second. Should I? It is a silly question. She is perfectly aware that she has nothing to lose. They can rely on each other, that much she knows, Ruby had made it her personal duty to hammer it into her head until it got through – and Weiss could be stubborn.

"Promise you won't make fun of me?"

"I promise."

"Promise you won't think too much of it?"

"Yes, Weiss, I promise."

"Promise you-"

"Holy cookie Weiss, yes, I promise, and I promise to give you tons of cuddles later, no matter what that paper is. Just 'cause. I wanna."

Weiss sighs, a smile adorning her lips. Somehow, Ruby knows how to set her at ease, in the strangest way possible.

"Alright."

She hands the sheet over, her fingers shaking ever so lightly in the process. She forgets how to breathe the moment Ruby takes a grasp of it.

'Mirror, tell me something, tell me who's the loneliest of all?

Mirror, what's inside me? Tell me can a heart be turned to stone?

Mirror, mirror, what's behind you? Save me from the things I see

I can keep it from the world, why won't you let me hide from me?

Mirror, mirror, tell me something, who's the loneliest of all?

I'm the loneliest of all'

A few seconds of uncomfortable silence settles in, causing the heiress to shift in her seat.

"It's, um… It's something I wrote a few months ago when… things were a bit awkward between us."

"It's…"

But Ruby doesn't finish her sentence. She nuzzles her neck and releases an odd high-pitched whine.

"What's wrong?" Weiss asks.

"I just- I just don't want you to be sad. Especially not lonely. No. You don't have the right to. I've decided. As a leader, and girlfriend, you cannot."

The heiress giggles slightly, a sense of relief overtaking her.

"If only feelings responded to 'can' and 'cannot'. But it's not the case, Ruby."

"Don't care. If I have to, I'll make it so that you never have to feel lonely again."

Just that easily, the butterflies fly back in. Weiss feels her skin tingle at the sudden warmth spreading from her chest.

"Can you give me a second?" she asks.

"What for?"

"I need to get ready. For the music lesson."

"What about the assignment?"

"It can wait till we get back."

Surprised yet pleased, the leader doesn't protest. She quite obviously realizes 'getting ready' is only an excuse to snatch some alone time, to process their conversation. She gets used to it – Weiss always needs that time with herself after opening up.

So Weiss finds herself alone. Alone, but not lonely.

But she knows she has to hurry. Holding her pencil tightly in her hand, she scribbles, erases a bit, scribbles again, until she eventually feels satisfied.

Stuffing the paper inside her purse, she makes her way out of the room where she finds Ruby, a content yet nervous smile on her face.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, don't worry about me." She replies while running a hand through Ruby's hair, purposely making it messier.

"Hey!"

She giggles. "Let's go now."

They wait until they are far enough from the school to finally intertwine their fingers. It has become a habit by now, a gesture so natural to them that they wouldn't even notice it, were it not for the fluttering feeling it provided them with.

Weiss is the one to open the door to the music room. While she usually feels the tension fly away from her body as soon as she enters, this time it clings to her, added to it a familiar sense of apprehension.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I just…"

How to phrase it?

"What is it?"

"You know, that thing I wrote… that you read…"

Ruby simply nods her head, urging her on.

Weiss has never requested anything during their lessons. She has always accepted whatever Ruby had in store for her, despite how many times they argued – amidst loving words and tender embraces – about it. She would sometimes whine about her teacher's ways, or turn excessively defensive when missing a note.

But never has she ever made a request.

Until now.

"Would you… perhaps, consider helping me sing it?"

And Ruby beams at her.

The lyrics may be painful, but not only does Ruby accept it – she agrees to help her, to sit by her side and work with her as they try to make the best out of this story Weiss wants to tell.

I'll make it so that you never have to feel lonely again.

Clutching her purse, Weiss takes a few more breath before finally fumbling through it to retrieve the sheet.

"Here it is."

Ruby glances at it, blissfully ignorant, when her gaze immediately takes notice of the ink that definitely was not there the first time she read it.

"Did you-"

But the words her eyes see are more important than the ones in her mind.

'Some believe in fairy stories and the ghosts that they can't see

I know that I could do so much if I could just believe in me

Mirror, mirror, I'll tell you something

I think I might change it all'

Her gaze once reaching the bottom of the paper, Ruby immediately reads it once again, or twice, perhaps five times, just to make sure.

Only then does she look up, staring quizzically at the heiress who can only manage a clumsy smile.

"You don't have to worry about me being lonely."

It is the only explanation she gives, and the only one Ruby needs.

It is only a wish. A wish for her to never feel that way again. A promise to be there, for each other, together, to sweep away any darkness the future holds for them. And while it is a promise neither of them can be sure of keeping, she appreciates the feeling. She doesn't reject it, doesn't fear it – but grabs it tightly, claims it hers.

She could sputter lies with a smile, hold her girlfriend only away from the prying eyes, conceal their relationships behind euphemisms - but she would never dare to be dishonest with herself again.

Neither with herself nor with Ruby.

Not in this room.

In the privacy of this room, her feelings have bloomed, her laugh has echoed, kisses were shared, loving words were sung.

And in this room, she will write about it. She will tell her story, in a melody.

And they will hold hand through it all.


A/N: This is it! The end! c:
I'm sorry this took so long to finish. It turns out that I'm not really good at writing fluff, but I still hope that you enjoyed it.
Thank you so much for reading!