Author's Note #1: About time, huh? Sorry to everyone who's been patiently waiting for this chapter. Between getting sick and writer's block, this chapter fought me as hard as trying to write the first one did. But we're finally here. It's Ruby, Coco and Velvet's big first date together. I hope it's well worth the wait and you all enjoy!

It was the night before her big date and Ruby was in the common room baking a batch of cookies. Her handiwork was baking in the oven so Ruby was sitting on the counter with the mixing bowl and eating the leftover dough. She knew how unhealthy doing that was supposed to be but why would the people who invented cookies make it so delicious then? As Ruby put another spoonful into her mouth, Weiss came storming into the room looking to be in a rotten mood.

"There you are! I've been looking all over this school for you. Although I guess I'm the fool for thinking you'd be somewhere trying to better yourself."

"Oh, hi Weiss," answered Ruby with her mouth full.

"Dear Oum, look at the mess you've made in here, Ruby! I hope you're planning on cleaning up after yourself."

"Duh, why do you think I'm eating this? It's the best way to clean the bowl out. Want some?"

"That…is the most revolting thing I've ever seen in my life," Weiss said in horror as she stared at the spoon Ruby was offering her. "How can you eat that garbage and still claim to be sane?"

"Fine, more for me then." Ruby inserted the spoon in her mouth and Weiss retched as she watched in horror. Ruby laughed to herself as she hopped off the counter and started tidying up. "So Weiss, why are you here, exactly?"

"I'm here because your dunce of a sister was concerned about why you were gone for so long. But of course, she wasn't concerned enough to go try to find you herself. So instead she interrupted my homework and begged me to come find you instead. Now, if you'd hurry up, I'd like to get back to work."

"You know, I'd get out of here faster if you helped me clean," Ruby suggested as she scrubbed out the remainder of the bowl.

"Why should I do that? You're the one who made such a mess. You're the one who should have to clean it."

That did it. Ruby was fed up with Weiss's attitude and had to get to the bottom of it. She threw her washcloth down onto the counter and rounded on the heiress, asking, "Weiss, what is your deal?"

"My deal?" Weiss replied sarcastically. "I don't have any deal with anything, Ruby. I'm just fine."

"You've been treating me like you did when we first met again" accused Ruby. "I thought we were passed that. As team leader, I need to address any conflicts between the four of us to make sure we stay on the same page as a unit. Seriously, what is wrong?"

"The only thing wrong is that I'm trying to actually contribute at this school and not use it as some sort of dating service like everyone else."

"Wait, what? Dating service…" Ruby trailed off in befuddlement but then something clicked in her head. "Weiss, are you mad at me because I'm going on a date?"

"What? No, of course not," Weiss began nervously, realizing she'd said too much. "That's completely preposterous that I would be upset about something so silly. If anything, I'm going to be living it up with all the peace and quiet…all by myself…like before I came here." Weiss trailed off and Ruby could see her defiant attitude deflate. Now all that was left was a very scared and lonely looking girl.

"Do you think I'm abandoning you?" Ruby asked softly as she stepped closer to her partner.

"Why wouldn't you?" Weiss spat bitterly. "I mean, you're on the verge of having two incredibly cool, popular upperclassmen for girlfriends. Why would you possibly want to spend time with me ever again?"

"Weiss, I'm not going to neglect you or our friendship," Ruby tried to reassure her. "But even if I did, what's stopping you from hanging out with other people?"

"Like who, exactly?" Weiss asked wearily. "My closest two confidants in Team CFVY will be preoccupied with you. Team JNPR is always off doing things together and I can't possibly pry Pyrrha away from Jaune or Ren from Nora. I don't fit in with Team SSSN at all and I'd rather gargle bleach than hang around Neptune while he's flirting with anything resembling female anatomy. Hell, Penny can't even spend time with me because she isn't allowed to come socialize with us. Face it Ruby, I'm by myself all over again. You may not think you'll cast me aside but you will. Just like Blake and Yang did when they hooked up last month."

"Wait, I'm sorry, WHAT?! What about Yang and Blake?!"

"Oh dust, you weren't supposed to know that." Weiss whispered to herself as her eyes went wide in horror. An uncomfortable silence lingered in the air that was interrupted by the timer for Ruby's cookies going off. Ruby silently removed the tray from the oven and transferred the cookies to a plate to cool. She then braced herself against the counter and stared at the floor as Weiss slowly edged up next to her.

"Ruby? Are you okay?"

"You're going to have to back up here, Weiss. Blake and my sister are dating now?"

"I wouldn't call it dating in the strictest sense," huffed Weiss indignantly. "More like furiously making out and groping each other when they find more than thirty seconds of time alone."

"So…right now they're…"

"Most likely," Weiss confirmed with a grimace. "I woke up one morning after sleeping in a few weeks ago to see the two of them on Blake's bed with Blake's hand up Yang's shirt and her mouth on her neck. I think you had left early to have a pancake eating contest with Nora that morning. Yang begged me to keep it a secret from everyone. Needless to say, I've had better starts to my day than that one."

Ruby whined as her stomach started hurting from the thought of Blake groping her sister and from the memory of how many pancakes she ate that day. "But why would she want to keep it a secret from me?"

"I wish I had an answer for that because I asked her several times but all she did was insist that I tell nobody. I think they both get off on the whole forbidden relationship possibility and how dangerous it seems."

"Well this is just great. My sister and her partner are keeping secrets from me and my partner is mad at me because she thinks I'm going to abandon her. Real great job you've done fostering a positive team environment there, Rose." Ruby began angrily scrubbing away at the cookie sheet to try and burn off some of her frustration.

"Ruby, I'm sorry for getting cross with you," apologized Weiss gently. "You aren't doing anything wrong by going on a date with Velvet and Coco. I'm just really scared that I'll end up all alone again. I've had to deal with that all my life between my parents and my sister. Then I finally came to Vale and found a bunch of new friends I care about deeply but they've all already decided they'd much rather hang out with each other without me. You're the last one I've got."

"It's okay Weiss, I understand," replied Ruby as she finally turned to face Weiss again. "I know how much it sucks to not have a lot of friends and feeling isolated by them. I'll do everything I possibly can to keep myself involved in your life. After all, we're partners so you're stuck with me now."

"I appreciate that Ruby, thank you." Weiss finally smiled as she could tell Ruby meant her vow.

"But there's still the issue of Yang and Blake trying to keep secrets from me. That still bothers me a lot."

"I'm really sorry that you had to find out about it because of my big mouth. Is there any way I can make it up to you?"

"Maybe…" Ruby rubbed the back of her neck as she hesitated to make her suggestion. "Will you help me get ready tomorrow please? I really need some help picking out an outfit and I should probably actually try wearing some makeup to look my best. But I could use some pointers."

"I'd love to help you. Thanks Ruby. You're the best partner I could have asked for here."

"Now you're just sucking up," Ruby replied with a bemused chuckle. "You and I both know you'd have dropped me for Pyrrha in a heartbeat."

"Okay, guilty as charged," admitted Weiss. "But you're unquestionably second. That's still good, right?"

"It's perfect. Come on, let's get back. The longer we chat out here, the more time Blake and Yang are alone together and I really feel like ruining their night." Ruby grabbed a paper bag and started depositing her cookies into it. But as she turned to leave, Weiss stopped her.

"Um, Ruby?"

"Yeah?"

"C-could I please have a cookie?"

"Of course, Weiss." She fished one out of the bag and handed it to her partner. Weiss took a bite and her eyes fluttered closed when she tasted the treat.

"Mmm…thank you Ruby. It's so tasty. Honestly, your cookies will be the death of my diet if I'm not careful."

"Anytime, partner. Now come on, let's get back to the room." The two then set off and Ruby felt so relieved that she had patched things back up with Weiss. But this bombshell about Yang and Blake was really eating away at her now. Why would Yang not want her to know? As they reached the room, Ruby tried to sneak up to the door and catch the two in the act. But when she threw open the door, all she found was Blake sitting in her bed reading while Yang was in the bathroom. Ruby sighed in defeat and prepared for bed, hoping she could manage to sleep knowing what was happening tomorrow.

The next morning, Coco was in the common room preparing the supplies for their date later. Velvet was getting dressed in the dorm so Coco was packing the picnic basket with the food Velvet had prepared and was making sure she had all her ammo and gear in case any Grimm came along to spoil their fun. Coco had already gotten ready and had chosen a short sleeved brown top for the day with a black skirt and fishnet stockings along with her usual boots.

"Coco, what do you think? Do I look okay?" Coco looked up to see Velvet standing in the doorway of the common room dressed in a white sundress with matching flats and a large sunhat. Coco's jaw fell open as she raised her sunglasses up and propped them on top of her head.

"Whoa," said Coco in awe. "I think I may have just fallen in love with you all over again."

"You are the sweetest," replied Velvet as she broke into a humongous smile. "Oh gosh, I'm so excited! Today is going to be so wonderful. I can feel it."

"I sure hope so," said Coco uncertainly as she replaced her sunglasses over her eyes

"How are you doing today? Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, I'm alright. Just pre-first date jitters, you know?"

"If they're anything like the ones I had before our first proper date, it's no wonder why you haven't been yourself." Coco then walked over to Velvet and hugged her tightly. Velvet was a bit taken aback by this sudden affection but quickly hugged Coco back.

"I love you Velvet. No matter what happens today or from here on out, please don't forget that, okay?"

"I love you too," responded Velvet with concern. "But what's all this about? Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm really not sure anymore," confessed Coco.

"Do you…want me to call Ruby and cancel?" Velvet asked, dreading Coco's answer.

"Absolutely not," replied Coco immediately and Velvet sighed in relief. "That would devastate her and you. I'm just worried about if I can make Ruby happy. We're her first date ever and I really want to avoid being her first heartbreak if I can."

"Don't fret. You're going to be magnificent like you always are. Today is going to be splendid, you'll see. Now come on, Ruby's probably waiting for us." Velvet picked up the picnic basket and handed Coco a large checkered blanket for her to carry. The two then left for the courtyard where they had agreed to meet. When they arrived, Coco and Velvet were surprised to see that Ruby had not come alone. Her entire team had joined her but by the expressions on everyone's faces except Yang's, she was the only one there willingly.

"Hey Velvet! Hey Coco!" Ruby yelled happily when she saw them as she waved frantically with both her hands.

"Good morning Ruby!" Velvet greeted in response. She then added diplomatically, "And good morning to all of you as well."

"Wow! You look incredible Velvet!" Ruby said in appreciation once she got a closer look at her outfit.

"Yeah, you clean up really nice when you're not in your armor," agreed Blake, nodding in approval.

"You look very lovely as well, Ruby." Velvet replied. Ruby was dressed in a red button down plaid shirt that she had open over a black tanktop and black skinny jeans with red sneakers. Weiss had also done her makeup so her eyes were much more prominent but didn't go too overboard as per Ruby's instructions.

"Thank you," said Ruby as she flashed a thankful smile to Weiss for her help.

"Any particular reason the rest of you are here as well?" Coco asked sourly.

"I'm here to see my sister off before her first date ever," shot back Yang in defiance.

"And we're here to make sure she actually goes through with it," said Weiss coolly as she shot Yang a disapproving look. Yang chose to ignore Weiss's comment and kneeled down in front of Ruby.

"Ruby, be smart out there. Don't let yourself get pressured into doing anything you don't want to."

"I won't, Yang," growled Ruby, refusing to look Yang in the eye. She really hated that Weiss had managed to talk her out of wearing her hood because she couldn't seek refuge in it right now.

"You know that we're standing right here, right?" Coco asked angrily. "If you have something to say to us then actually say it to us."

"Yeah, for real Yang," agreed Blake, "why couldn't you have done this back in the room? You're acting ridiculous."

"Fine, whatever," mumbled Yang dejectedly. "Come home safe, Ruby." She then gave Ruby a hug that was not returned by her little sister.

"And have fun!" Weiss said cheerfully as she elbowed Yang in the ribs.

"Right, yeah, that too. See you later, sis." Before Yang could say anything else, Blake and Weiss each grabbed one of her arms and dragged her away back towards the school. Ruby stared at the ground fuming, her face red with embarrassment and anger.

"Hey, you okay?" Velvet asked softly as she walked up to Ruby.

"I'll be fine," grumbled Ruby. "I've just never been so humiliated in all my life. I get that Yang's just doing it because she cares but she isn't actually my mom. And I hate it when she tries to act like she is."

"Well let's forget about her and go have a fun day, yeah?" Velvet asked hopefully.

"Yes, please," agreed Ruby as she handed her bag of cookies to Velvet who tucked it away in her basket. The trio then set off for the Emerald Forest. As they walked, Ruby and Velvet walked together up front while Coco lagged behind a few feet. Velvet accused her of just wanting to look at their butts but Coco insisted it was strategic so she could keep watch behind them for Grimm. But her real reasoning was because she was still so nervous about the date and wanted some time alone to think. So she let Velvet and Ruby go on ahead and chat with themselves so she could stew.

Coco was already feeling the pressure of making sure things went well before the day started. But after how upset Ruby was at Yang's farewell, it became even worse since they were already starting on a bad note. She tried to remember her talk with Velvet earlier to inspire her to snap out of it but it wasn't working. However Coco's attention did get diverted after Ruby stripped off her plaid shirt and tied it around her waist. Now there was a lot of creamy white skin and muscle on display from her two dates and Coco had to struggle to keep her stride even. But they were both so distracting with how nice they looked.

"Well, here we are, we made it." Velvet called.

"Whoa! Holy cow!" Ruby said in amazement as they entered a clearing. Coco walked through herself and was also struck dumb by the scene they'd found themselves in. The trees has parted into a beautiful lake area where the water was shimmering like diamonds on the surface. And at the far end was a cliff with a magnificent waterfall cascading into the lake below.

"Wow, this place is gorgeous Velvs," Coco said in awe as she looked around. "How'd you find it?"

"Um, well you see," Velvet began nervously, "last year I was being chased by some bullies and I managed to escape them here in the forest. And I just happened to find this place when I was trying to find my way back home. I made sure to remember exactly where it was because I always knew I'd want to come back someday. And I figured this would be perfect for our first date together."

"Ooh, we should take some pictures while we're here!" Ruby said excitedly. "You did bring your camera, right?"

"Just who do you think you're talking to here?" Velvet asked in mock offense as she pulled her camera from her bag. The three then spent some time all taking pictures of the lake and each other. Coco tried to stay off to the side as much as possible but Ruby kept dragging her into shots with her. When they'd had their fun, Velvet set down the picnic basket and laid out the blanket. Ruby's eyes went wide when she saw a bowl of strawberries inside.

"You brought strawberries too?! How'd you know they were my favorite?"

"Let's just say a little bird happened to tell me in Oobleck's class the other day. Would you like some?"

"Yes, please!" Ruby said as she flopped down on the blanket and kicked her shoes off. Velvet handed her a strawberry and Ruby slowly took a bite, savoring every moment it was in her mouth. Both Coco and Velvet couldn't deny how unintentionally sensual Ruby looked as she ate it and quickly busied themselves with setting up the rest of the food so they didn't get caught staring.

A while later, the food had all been eaten and Ruby brought out the cookies she'd made. As she nibbled on hers, Coco stared vacantly at the waterfall, trying to will herself to keep her lunch in her stomach. She hadn't eaten much of her helping to begin with and thankfully Ruby had politely asked if she could have it instead. But the little bit she had managed to eat was wreaking havoc on her stomach thanks to how stressed she still was.

"Hey, would it be okay if I asked you guys something?"

"Sure, go ahead." Velvet replied.

"Shoot." Coco said shortly.

"Why exactly was I the one you picked to take out like this? Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining at all. I'm just curious as to what makes me so special instead of anyone else."

"For me, that's really easy," Velvet began with a smile. "I like you so much because of how unbelievably good you are. Not just to me but to everyone you come across. You always find the good in people no matter who they are. The way you view the world and how you want to impact it is so inspiring. If the world had more Ruby Rose's in it, Remnant would be the most peaceful, loving place in the universe." Ruby grinned once Velvet had finished. She always said she wasn't in this for things like glory or admiration but it sure did feel good to have someone like Velvet give her all those compliments. The two then looked over at Coco to await her response.

"Um," started Coco uncertainty as she fidgeted around in her seat. "I dunno. I guess it's a lot of the same reasons as Velvet said. You know, you're really nice and you help people and stuff. Wait, that sucked, let me try again. Ruby, I really like you because you…um…I'm sorry, I can't do this right now." Coco stood up and walked away towards the edge of the water with her head in her hands. Velvet and Ruby shared a concerned look before getting to their feet and walking over to join her.

"Coco? What's the matter?" Ruby asked timidly, not wanting to make things any worse.

"I'm sorry Ruby. I'm so sorry," choked out Coco as she fought to keep tears back." Please don't be upset with me."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No!" Coco said in alarm. "Dust no, Ruby, not at all. It's me who's screwed up."

"Are you feeling sick again? Did some of the food spoil?" Velvet questioned.

"No, that's not it. I mean, I don't feel great but it's not because I caught something."

"Well, what is it then?" Ruby asked.

"I can trust you, right?" Coco asked in desperation.

"Of course," Ruby nodded vigorously. "You can tell me anything."

"I'm scared, Ruby," Coco finally said as she hung her head. "I'm really, really scared."

"How come?"

"Because I don't want to hurt you. And I'm terrified that once you really get to know me that you won't like what you find."

"Sweetheart, what brought all this on?" Velvet asked as she put her arm around Coco's shoulders. "You never worried about things like this when we started going out."

"This is different, Velvs. You and I were roommates for almost a whole school year before your asked me out. You got to see every side of me day after day so there was nothing really left to surprise you with. But with you, Ruby, we haven't really spent a lot of time together before now. What you know about me, the shades, the beret, the swagger, that's only part of who I am. But it's not all of me. And I don't want you to be hurt by any of those parts you haven't seen yet."

"I guess I'm still a little confused, Coco. Why is it so scary?"

"Your sister came to confront me after Velvet asked you out. And she told me about your mom and how devastated you were after she passed. I know that we're your first relationship and I know how terrible it can feel if it goes wrong. I just really don't want us to be responsible for you having to suffer through that. You don't deserve pain like that."

"I swear to dust, one of these days I'm going to staple Yang's big mouth shut. Industrial size." Ruby hissed under her breath. "I really appreciate that you're worried about that, Coco. But I'm not, okay? Right now, all I want is for us to have a good time together. So what can I do to try and make that happen?"

"Could you maybe hug me? And tell me I'm not a screwup? I think I can believe it if I hear you tell me." Ruby was quick to oblige and snaked her arms around Coco's waist, holding her tightly. Velvet also joined as she hugged Coco over her shoulders from behind. Coco closed her eyes and tried to enjoy her current state as much as she could to chase away all the uncertainty she felt.

"You're not a screwup, Coco," said Ruby softly but with total conviction. "I've seen you with Velvet and I know how much you care for her. You have such a big heart and you work so hard to keep her happy and safe. If you care for me like that too, then I'll become just as crazy about you as Velvet is. I know Yang meant well but she didn't have the right to scare you like that. If I was that worried about being hurt, I wouldn't have come out here with you. But I did because I believe in you and I believe in Velvet and I want to have a part of what you two had before me."

"You're one of the strongest and bravest women I know," chimed in Velvet. "You don't back down from anything no matter how big or tough or scary it is. You stand up to it and you fight. When we stated dating, you weren't scared of how it would look to everyone if you dated someone like me. You were willing to fight all of them because you think I'm worth it. Now I'm willing to fight for Ruby because she's worth it. And we're worth fighting for to her. But we need you to help us too. We can't do this without you."

"I know. Thank you both so much. I think I can do this now," said Coco confidently, feeling reaffirmed.

"Good. I love you." Velvet turned Coco's chin towards her and kissed her tenderly. Ruby looked up at them and felt her knees go weak like they usually did when she saw a new weapon or mech. That kiss looked like the most amazing thing in the world and she found herself wanting some of that as well. Velvet pulled away from Coco and noticed how enthralled Ruby looked.

"I love you too, Velvet," mumbled Coco serenely with her eyes still closed.

"Ruby, would you like to kiss Coco as well?" Velvet asked the smaller girl.

"Is that okay?"

"I don't have any problems with it. Do you, Coco?"

"No, I guess not. Are you sure though Ruby? Have you ever kissed anyone before?"

"No, I haven't. But I would really like it if you would be my first."

"It would mean a lot to me if I was, too." Velvet let go of Coco and stepped away to let Ruby and Coco have their moment. Coco wet her lips and went to move in but Ruby stopped her. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"There's something I'd like to do first." Ruby reached up and gently removed Coco's sunglasses. Coco froze and looked around nervously as Ruby also removed her beret. She set the glasses inside the beret and placed them on the blanket."

"W-What are you doing?"

"You said the glasses and beret weren't all you are, right? Then I want to properly meet the you that isn't them. I like that Coco a lot but this is the one I really want to see."

Ruby stood right in front of Coco and looked up into her dark brown eyes. She looked so vulnerable without her glasses. Ruby reached up and took Coco's signature long lock of hair between her fingers and slowly brushed down the length of it until she reached the caramel colored tip at the end. Coco shivered as she reached out and gently stroked her finger down Ruby's cheek. Ruby closed her eyes and nuzzled against Coco's hand. When she opened her eyes, Coco silently asked if it was okay to continue and Ruby gave a small nod.

Coco craned down and moved in towards Ruby's lips. They made contact and Coco noted that Ruby hadn't been smartened up to wet her lips as her lips were still dry and rough. Coco gave Ruby a few small pecks before darting her tongue out and swiping it quickly across Ruby's lips. Ruby's eyes flew open and she sharply inhaled through her nose at how that felt. But soon she let out a soft little whimper as her eyes fluttered closed again.

"Was that okay?" Coco whispered once she felt Ruby react.

"Dust yes," gasped Ruby. "Please do that again?"

Once again, she ran her tongue over Ruby's lips and this time they parted and allowed Coco access to her mouth. Their tongues met and lightly brushed against each other, sending goosebumps rocketing down Ruby's back. Ruby couldn't hold back a moan as she put her hand on the back of Coco's head and pushed her in closer to try and make the kiss even deeper. Coco reacted positively as she gently nibbled on Ruby's bottom lip. Suddenly there was a loud clicking noise and Ruby's eyes flew open, ready to defend against any intrusion. But after a quick scan around without breaking their kiss, both girls glanced over at Velvet and saw she had her camera out with a mesmerized look on her face.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't resist it," whispered Velvet. "This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life."

Coco rolled her eyes but Ruby giggled and jumped up onto Coco. Coco was surprised but managed to maintain her balance as Ruby wrapped her legs around Coco's torso and locked her heels. Now she was face to face with the taller girl and Ruby gave her a small smile to reassure her. Coco returned the smile and leaned in to kiss Ruby again. Ruby's hands found their way into Coco's hair and she traced her fingers across Coco's scalp. Coco held onto Ruby by the small of her back but reached down with her other hand to give Ruby's butt a squeeze. As they continued to make out, Velvet was frantically taking pictures, trying to make sure she got both girls in frame with the waterfall but her shaking hands were making it difficult.

Finally, Ruby broke apart from Coco and nuzzled her forehead against Coco's neck as she whispered, "Wow…"

"Yeah, wow," agreed Coco as she set Ruby back down on the ground. She then looked over and saw Velvet trembling as she struggled to put her camera back away. Coco smiled in bemusement and called over to her, "Hey Velvet, you wanna get in on this too?"

"Yes!" Velvet yelped instantly but then realized how rude that must have sounded. She cleared her throat and said more evenly, "I mean, if Ruby would like to, of course."

"I absolutely would," said Ruby as she strode over to Velvet. She reached up and brushed Velvet's hair away from her face and Velvet felt her cheeks get warm from Ruby's touch. Ruby then stood on her tiptoes and brought her lips to Velvet's. There wasn't as much lust and intensity from Velvet as there had been from Coco but Ruby could still feel an equal amount of passion from the Faunus in her kiss. Coco took it upon herself to take Velvet's camera and snap a few pictures of her own. She had to admit that Velvet was right about how incredibly beautiful it looked to see Ruby kissing her girlfriend. As much as she had enjoyed her own kisses with Ruby, Coco would have been content to watch this forever. She then got a brilliant idea and put Velvet's camera away before walking up next to Ruby.

"Ruby," Coco whispered in her ear, "Velvet loves it when she gets kissed on her neck. You should try it." Ruby nodded and broke free from Velvet's lips. She then kissed her way down Velvet's cheek and jaw before finding the soft flesh of her neck and peppering it with kisses. Velvet let out a whimper as her breathing became labored. Coco didn't help the situation at all as she stood beside Velvet and started kissing the other side of her neck as well. Velvet emitted a moan that was borderline pornographic as she struggled to keep herself standing.

"Okay, okay, that's too much! I need a break!" Velvet squeaked. Coco and Ruby both obliged and backed away to allow Velvet a chance to regain her breath.

"Did that not feel good?" Coco asked, worried that her plan had backfired.

"No, it was exhilarating," sighed Velvet in bliss. "But it was just a little too much to handle while I was standing up. I nearly fainted."

"Ruby, would you be okay if we kissed you like that too?"

"I think that sounds awesome."

"I think you should sit down on the blanket first," Velvet said as she fanned herself with her hand. "It will be easier to get at you this way. Let us know right away if it doesn't feel good and you want to stop, okay?"

"You got it." Ruby grabbed her plaid shirt and sat down on the blanket. She then placed the shirt behind her head to form a makeshift pillow and laid down on it. Coco and Velvet took spots laying down next to her and kept themselves busy for a moment by stroking Ruby's face and hair. Coco then leaned down and softly sucked on Ruby's neck, making the younger girl squirm. She made sure she was being gentle enough to not leave a hickey since she'd probably get punched into the sun for that. Velvet soon began mimicking Coco's actions on the other side of Ruby's neck. Ruby let out a small whine as she writhed on the ground from the efforts of the two older girls.

"Are you okay? Should we stop?" Velvet asked worriedly.

"No, please don't," gasped Ruby raggedly. "That felt so incredible." Velvet nodded in confirmation and returned her mouth to what she was doing. She started getting sloppy as she added her tongue to the mix and traced it all along Ruby's neck. Meanwhile, Coco had slid back up Ruby's face and was now kissing her ear. She knew how much Velvet enjoyed that as well and decided to test if Ruby would feel the same. The happy hums coming from Ruby definitely seemed to indicate success for Coco.

"You are so beautiful and amazing, Ruby," whispered Coco in her ear. "There's nothing more I want than to make you and Velvet feel like this all the time. Thank you so much for giving me a chance and being patient with me."

"Sweetheart, shut up and keep kissing her," mumbled Velvet. Coco chuckled and followed her girlfriend's advice as she lightly gnawed on Ruby's neck. Without thinking, Coco's hand found its way onto Ruby's breast and gave it a soft squeeze.

"Whoa, I think that's a little too far right now," Ruby said as her eyes flew open.

"Oops, sorry. Yeah, that was uncalled for," Coco replied in shame.

"I think we should probably stop now before we get too carried away," suggested Velvet as she sat back up. "We have plenty of time to get more physical with each other some other time."

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea," replied Ruby. Her tone indicated a hint of disappointment but she knew that this was the smart thing to do.

"So, now what should we do?" Coco asked as she also rose to a sitting position. "The food's all gone but I don't feel like hiking all the way back home yet."

"How about we go swimming?" Ruby asked as her eyes lit up. "It's getting hot out and I could use a chance to cool off."

"Great idea. Except I don't think any of us packed swimsuits." Coco said with disappointment. Ruby did have a point at how hot it was getting now. And a refreshing dip would have been nice.

"Well…" began Ruby hesitantly, unsure if she should say the idea she just got, "we are all alone out here and we're all super comfortable with each other. Do you wanna just go in our underwear?"

"I guess I don't see anything wrong with that," Velvet said slowly as she tried to contain a blush at how scandalous the idea sounded.

"Great! Race you into the water!" Before either Velvet or Coco could react, Ruby had torn off her tanktop and was shimmying out of her pants. Once she was down to her bra and boyshorts, Ruby scampered off and leaped from the edge of the shore into the water. She soon reemerged and yelled out, "Holy dust, that is cold!"

Velvet giggled at Ruby's antics before yelling back, "I'll be there in a minute to help warm you up!" She then unzipped her dress and let it fall to the ground before stepping out into the water herself. Ruby wasn't kidding about how chilly it was and Velvet took her time in walking out. Ruby grew impatient and began splashing water at Velvet, causing the Faunus to shriek. Seeking revenge, Velvet dove in and swam out to Ruby to return fire.

Coco simply chuckled at their display as she carefully stripped out of her clothes. They were expensive so she made sure to take extra care to fold them neatly and place them away from any dirt on the ground. Once she'd finally gotten her stockings off, Coco watched Ruby and Velvet's roughhousing and noticed the shade being cast over them from a tree branch hanging over the lake. Coco got an idea and snuck away behind the tree to avoid detection from the other too.

"Coco, are you coming or not?" Ruby yelled as Velvet tried to dunk her head under the water.

"Hey, where is she?" Velvet asked in befuddlement as she looked to the shore and didn't see her girlfriend anywhere. She and Ruby both stopped their horsing around and scanned the area for Coco but didn't see her anywhere.

"Look out below!" Coco shouted triumphantly. Ruby and Velvet looked up to see Coco jumping out of the tree branch above them and on a direct path to where they were wading. They scrambled to get out of the way as Coco hit the water with a tremendous splash that soaked them even more. Immediately, Coco sprang out of the water screaming, "COLD! DEAR OUM IN HEAVEN, THAT IS COLD!"

Ruby and Velvet laughed before teaming up to pay Coco back for her sneak attack. The three spent several minutes splashing each other and laughing happily. But when they all ran out of breath, they huddled together to try and keep warm from the cool temperature of the water. Ruby took a hand each from Velvet and Coco and locked them together. She then placed both of her hands around theirs and held them all together in a new bond.

"This has been the best day ever," said Ruby contently.

"You have no idea how much it means to hear you say that," sighed Coco in relief. All of the stress she had been feeling for the past few days was finally gone. She hadn't screwed everything up. She could make Ruby happy. She could do this.

"It has been pretty amazing, hasn't it?" Velvet said serenely.

"And I was wondering something." Both the other girls looked expectantly at Ruby as she paused before saying, "I don't want this to be the only day like this. I want to have a lot more. So, will you be my girlfriend, Coco and Velvet?"

"Absolutely, Ruby," replied Velvet instantly.

"It would be an honor to be your girlfriend," answered Coco as well. The three then moved in together to share a tight hug. Having had enough of the water, they all then swam back to shore and laid out on the blanket to let the sun dry their underwear before getting dressed again. They stayed like that for several hours, snuggling amongst each other and enjoying the time together, all of them ecstatic that this was going to be the first day of many more to come.

To be continued…

Author's note #2: First and foremost, I have a need to thank all of you for the absolutely humbling reception this has gotten so far. When I started thinking about this story, I could not have dreamed that it would get the reaction it's gotten so far. But to date, this is already my most reviewed story ever, my second most favorited ever and has already become my fourth most viewed story after only a few weeks. That is staggering to me since most of the stories it's already eclipsed have had years of time to accumulate views. Seriously, I can't thank you enough for liking this as much as you have.

Secondly, if you read Chapter 5 when it was posted, you may have noticed that it ended saying "To be concluded…" This was originally intended to be the finale but due to the reception and getting some fresh ideas, I've decided to continue this story! I originally thought about capping this here and just uploading everything in the future as separate stories but I figured it would be easier to just keep everything blanketed under this story alone. So be on the lookout in the future for further updates! I have some ideas for things I'm going to do but if you have any ideas about things you'd like to see happen, leave a comment in a review. If I think I can work with it, I'll try to add it in.

Finally, a disclaimer for anyone who saw the mention of Blake and Yang hooking up and got excited or nervous about it. This is not going to become a Bumbleby story in any way. This will likely be the only mention of it and it's purely to set up what eventually will happen in a different story long down the road. So if you ship them, I'm sorry to get your hopes up but that pairing is something you will not get from this story beyond what you just read.