Ruby dug her heels into snow.

Atlas was colder than she expected, and she was nearly ankle deep in a snowbank when Nora cried out from somewhere far behind her, voice muffled by the scarf wrapped from neck to nose.

"Can we stop here for a lil? I think I'm about to turn into an icicle!"

"We can't," Ruby said, gritting her teeth against the chill. "If we stay out here any longer, we might get lost. The blizzard's supposed to hit tonight, and the only we can get to the Schnee Manor by sundown is if we stay on schedule."

She pretended not to hear Nora mutter, "Where even is the sun," and leads the pack.

"Ruby's right," Jaune supplied a few seconds too late. "The faster we move, the faster we'll be inside. Maybe with a fire and a hot shower."

Ruby emerged from the snowy forest first, and when she looked up, she exhaled a cloud of pale fog. The Schnee Manor stood impassive and marbled on the top of a large hill before them. Large snowflakes were emblazoned on each window facing them, serving as a reminder that they still had a few miles left on their trek.

"I have a feeling you can dream a little bigger than that, Jaune." Ren said, looking up at the estate with passive, plaintive eyes.

Ruby laughed, honest-to-God belly laughed, and it felt good. It filled her body the way hunger did, but left her breathless and humming with excitement.

"I thought it would be less intimidating up close," Nora whispered, thumbs hooked in the straps of her knapsack. "Guess I was wrong."

Ruby grinned wide at Nora.

"You know, I thought the same thing about Weiss when I first met her?"

Nora snorted a laugh out; she'd been doing less and less of that lately, and Ren glanced down at her with a look so fond, it made Ruby feel like she was intruding.

Ruby turned to the front gate and pressed the intercom button.

"State your business." An automated voice clipped.

"Uhhhh... Visit?"

"Names?"

"Ruby Rose, Jaune Arc, Nora Valkryie, Lie Ren?"

The machine hummed for a little, then the gate slid open. Ruby wasn't exactly sure what the deciding factor for it to open was, but it was the least of her worries now.

Compared to the snow they'd trudged through, the driveway of the Schnee Manor was clean and flat. It had recently been sprinkled with salt crystals to prevent from slips, which was helpful since Nora started skipping in her ten pound snow boots.

The walk up to the front door was exhausting, but Ruby would never have admitted it. They'd been traveling for five months, cutting paths back and forth Remnant to find answers, clues, anything.

It was pure coincidence that they were in Atlas, following a smoke trail that Cinder had left, on the weekend of Weiss's birthday. Ruby had called to see if she could visit, and Weiss had been apologetic that she couldn't come down to see them instead.

"Father's been a little... Strict on my outings lately," she had explained on the phone. "When can I expect you?"

And now, Ruby was mere steps away from seeing her partner, and she felt dizzy and faint. Through blurred vision, she could see the oak doors ahead, inlaid with protective sigils. Then, one of the doors opened and Weiss was there - her hair was so long now, and the sapphires at her throat and ears were new, and suddenly, Ruby's Aura flared, warm and insistent like a flame at the back of your neck —

And she was holding Weiss, a cloak of rose petals shifting around them. Weiss was half laughing, half crying.

"You dolt," she burst out. "Did you really use your Semblance to come hug me?"

"Weiss," Ruby exhaled. "Weiss, I've missed you."

The rose petals cleared around them, but Weiss clutched Ruby tighter.

"I know, Ruby," Weiss said. "I've missed you too."

They parted reluctantly, and Weiss embraced Nora and Ren, even Jaune.

"Here, come inside. I'm being a terrible hostess." Weiss ushered them in, and let them drop their bags in the foyer, which was almost as big as team RWBY's dorm room back at Beacon.

"I'll have those brought up to your rooms. Are you hungry?"

Ruby swayed on her feet, and Weiss gripped her wrist to steady her, as if by second nature.

Ruby grinned.

"Starved."

"This house is huge, Weiss..." Ruby murmured as she turned the corner to another drawing room. A fire was lit in this one, large and inviting. True to forecast, the blizzard was just beginning outside, and the windows held thick layers of frost.

"It's huge for no reason." Weiss laughed under her breath. Ruby was walking around the room in her bare feet, gazing wide eyed at the portraits on the walls and the books lining the shelves. She looked like a child.

"Everyone else is asleep?" Weiss asked.

Ruby nodded.

"Just about. It's the first time we haven't had to fight over who gets to shower first. I think breaking routine really tired them out."

Ruby sat cross legged on one of the couches and patted the cushion next to her.

"Come sit."

Weiss felt shy, suddenly, in her long nightgown and thick robe. Ruby had a way of doing this to her, catching her in soft, vulnerable moments.

She walked across the room and sat down, tensing slightly when Ruby draped a blanket over both of them.

"You're cold," Ruby murmured, reaching for one of Weiss's hands. "You'll catch something if you don't warm up."

"I'll be fine," Weiss said. She wasn't sure how she managed to speak around the lump in her throat. "I always am."

Up close, Ruby was so much more self assured than she seemed. And now, she looked leaner, older, hungry for something Weiss couldn't put her finger on.

The red in her hair had grown out, and strands of it were hanging in front of those wise, worldly silver eyes.

Weiss moved them away with the backs of her fingers, tucked them behind Ruby's ear. As she let her hand fall away, Ruby reached up and laced their fingers together. Weiss held back a small noise when the younger girl didn't stop there; she brought Weiss's hand to her lips and kissed her fingertips, again and again, until the shape of her mouth had molded against her skin.

Weiss blinked away fast tears. She wasn't sure why she was crying, but something about the sight of Ruby in front of her, kissing her fingers like they were back at Beacon, sneaking into each other's bunks and making fumbling passes at passion, made her chest swell with warmth.

Ruby looked up, into pale blue eyes.

"What's wrong?" She asked, brow creased. Weiss shook her head, reached up to thumb away the worried line.

"Nothing. I'm just so happy you're here."

Ruby relaxed again, took Weiss's hand again and kissed her palm.

"I'm happy I'm here too."

Weiss took Ruby's face in her hands, smoothed her cheeks with her thumbs. She could see the new scars on her chin and cheeks now that they were face to face.

Ruby's eyes shut at the touch. Her own hands were wrapped around Weiss's wrists, urging her to keep going, to take what was already hers.

Weiss leaned forward and slanted her mouth across Ruby's. Immediately, the younger girl leaned up to meet her touch and give it back tenfold. It felt good, to be touched like this again.

It felt good to have Ruby here, all warm skin and soft, nudging elbows and knees, pressed into Weiss.

"I've thought about this for so long," She mumbled, curling her fingers into Ruby's hair. It was still damp from her shower.

"Y-You have?"

Weiss nodded, lifting her chin a little higher so Ruby could kiss at her neck, nibble at her earlobe and tease the white gold backing of her earring with her tongue.

"I think about you all the time, Ruby Rose. If you're dead or alive, if you're holed up somewhere in Menagerie or doing God knows what, if you're... If you're thinking about me."

Weiss braced her hands on Ruby's shoulders when she reached the small, sensitive spot of neck and shoulder, barely bit back a whimper of pleasure.

"Weiss..."

"All I can think about is the fact that I should be there with you. I know you don't have time to think about me — not when so much is as stake. But could you believe me if I've had dreams about this? About you in front of me?"

Ruby slipped the robe off Weiss's shoulders — it was far too warm now — and ran her hands down pale and slender arms.

"I do," Ruby choked out. "I think about you too. When things get bad. You always know what to say when I can't seem to think straight."

Weiss inched back across the couch, until she was laid flat beneath Ruby, who was flushed up to the ears.

They kissed again, eagerly.

"Come here," Weiss said, eyes bright from the light cast by the fire. "Come here and lie with me for a little."

Ruby obliged, sinking into the couch and curling an arm across the other girl's hips. She leaned up to claim another kiss, gentler this time.

"Let's lie here and think about nothing for a little." Weiss said, tracing Ruby's temples with her fingers.

Ruby buried her face into Weiss's neck and breathed in. The feeling from before was there again, filling her from head to toe until she was warm and kissing Weiss again and again.