I had wanted to do a oneshot White Rose fic for post volume 5, and the idea I was prompted with was to let them interact as partners and friends, to notice the little nuances and ways the other has changed in those 6 months they've been apart. No crazy drama, no romance, just a casual piece of friends being reunited after so long.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

Like Old Times

Before the group was to make its way to Atlas, Qrow had mandated a few days of recuperation in a remote safe house of his.

"You kids'll be no good if you end up in Atlas only giving half-assed effort," he'd said.

And so he had brought them all to a house in the heart of the forest, one that was small enough to be easily concealed by the foliage from above and from all sides.

Ruby was certain it typically made for a nice rest spot for a couple of weary huntsmen and huntresses. But their group was relatively large, and things became very cramped very quickly.

Ruby only lasted a day before she was begging to get outside again. She'd slept that entire day away, eaten and drank plenty, and now she was feeling exceptionally better and entirely more energized and ready for action.

She'd had to beg Yang first, hands clasped together and pleading as she implored just to go for a brief walk outside and get some fresh air.

"Pleeeeease please please please!" Ruby is currently still in the midst of her begging. "Yang, I'm all better now, I promise! I just wanna go for a walk!"

They are in the cramped little bedroom that team RWBY had been offered. Yang is on her bed that was barely big enough to fit her, clearly intent on staying indoors. She looks her little sister over. Ruby had already dressed into her fighting clothes, which had since been cleaned.

Ruby notices her sister is eyeing her attire.

"This was all I had to wear, remember? It doesn't mean I'm going out looking for a fight!"

"I know," Yang sighs. "I'm sorry, sis. Even if you're all rested up, I just don't like the idea of you going out there by yourself. We're in unfamiliar territory after all."

"Yang, I am a huntress," Ruby reminds her. "I can take care of myself."

"I know that," she goads back. "But you've only been recuperating for a day. If something were to happen-"

"Yang, I'm literally just going to walk like, ten feet around the cabin. That's all!" Ruby leans closer, eyes wobbling with water. "Pleeeeease?"

Yang puts a hand to her forehead and tries to think it all over. Qrow had mentioned there would be Grimm in these woods, but they haven't seen or heard any signs of the beasts in over a day after their arrival. But still, Ruby had only rested for a day after that massive battle at Haven.

Yang would've offered to go with her, but she herself is still so sore she can barely get out of bed without having to ask Blake for help.

The Faunus girl is presently on her own bed a few feet away, ears perking up as she looks away from the dusty old book she's been entertaining herself with thus far. She turns her head to listen to the sisters' conversation. She would've offered to go with Ruby also, but she feels she needs to stay here and help Yang. Even so, she finds herself silently rooting for her leader.

Ruby is kneeling on the edge of her sister's bed by now, almost whimpering.

"Yang pleeeease."

In spite of her sister's begging, Yang is just about to refuse. For safety's sake.

But before she can get the first word out, a different voice chimes in.

"I could go with her."

All three of them turn their heads to look at Weiss at the farthest corner of the room. Her clothes had also been cleaned and mended, and presently she is brushing her hair. Her three teammates address her by name order.

"Really?!"

"Weiss, are you sure?"

"Don't think that's the best idea, princess."

After hearing the doubt in Blake's and Yang's voices, Ruby suddenly remembers Weiss' injury. A second ago she'd been excited about Weiss' offer, but now she finds herself feeling guilty about trying to accept.

"Actually, maybe Blake and Yang are right. You don't have to come, Weiss. N-Not to say I wouldn't want you to! I just think you should rest more."

"Oh, please." Weiss puts the brush aside and picks up her tiara instead, then slowly begins to paw through her hair in preparations to tie it. "I've told you all time and again. I'm fine now. It doesn't even bother me anymore. If you three would stop mentioning it, I'm certain I'd forget it even existed in the first place."

The others say nothing, but share uneasy glances with one another. Weiss heaves a sigh.

"You three... I'm absolutely fine. Ruby, all you plan to do is go for a walk, right? It doesn't sound very strenuous. If both of us go together, then what's the problem?"

Ruby looks back to Yang and perks up from where she's kneeling beside the bed now groveling. Yang runs a hand back through her hair and slumps back against the headboard.

"All right. If Weiss is going with you-"

"Yaaaay! Thank you Yang, thank you!" Ruby jumps up and throws her arms around her sister in a tight hug that only lasts a second before she's zooming across the room to Weiss' side. She pulls her partner into a hug as well. "Thanks, Weiss!"

"No need." In the past Weiss would've pried her off, but now she casually wraps an arm around her instead. "I think some fresh air could do me good as well."

Once Ruby lets go of her, Weiss finishes securing her ponytail before following her to the door. Ruby twirls around to face her remaining teammates. Her eyes flick from Blake to Yang and back again.

"Blake, could you-?"

"I've got it covered," she assures. "You two enjoy your walk."

"But hey," Yang cuts in. "Take your weapons, yeah? Better safe than sorry."

"Of course," Weiss agrees.

"We'll be back before ya know it!"

"You'd better be."

With this Blake and Yang see them off. Weiss closes the door behind her leader and follows her down a small staircase.

Down on the ground-level, Jaune Nora Ren and Oscar are sitting together playing some old board game. Qrow is snoring on a couch nearby. As Ruby and Weiss skirt around the lively group on the floor Qrow stirs and rubs his eyes.

"'Sup kiddo?"

"Hi Uncle Qrow! Uh, well, Weiss and I just wanted to go get some fresh air is all. We won't be gone long, promise!"

He grunts and scrutinizes them both, but addresses only Weiss.

"You sure about this, kid? You took a pretty bad hit."

"The concern is appreciated, but unnecessary."

"Tch. You sound just like your sister..." He makes the comment casually, but it still makes Weiss flinch. Ruby notices too and reaches out to take her hand. After a moment Qrow looks to his niece.

"Did you tell your sister?"

"Yes!"

He gurgles a sigh and waves his hand dismissively.

"Take your weapons."

"Yes! Thanks, Uncle Qrow!" Ruby uses her free arm to half-hug him briefly before she spins around and pulls Weiss along with her. Qrow grunts and calls after them.

"You've got one hour tops, ya hear me?"

Ruby hears him, but she just waves and giggles merrily in response.

She keeps ahold of Weiss' hand until they reach the corner where they'd placed their weapons a day earlier. Ruby cradles Crescent Rose lovingly.

"Ahhhh finally~ It's been so long since I've held you in my arms~"

"It's been one day, Ruby."

"That's too long!"

As Ruby secures her weapon at her belt, Weiss has to admit she feels much better when she has Myrtenaster sheathed at her hip. After a long hard battle it's nice to be free of the extra weight. But any other time it only feels natural to have it there.

Once they're both ready, they head for the back door. Ruby unlocks it and steps back, opening the door as sunlight fills the musty old house. She sighs blissfully at the feeling of warm light on her skin and hair and steps out into the grass. Weiss follows, equally as relieved to breathe in fresh air.

"Ahhhh it's so nice~ I'd almost forgotten what sunlight feels like~"

"Again, it's only been one day, Ruby."

"I know but still!"

As the rickety door rattles shut behind them, the two girls step out into the dappled sunlight. If the trees weren't so full and tightly-packed it would've been much warmer and brighter, but they're happy to accept this much for now.

For a moment they simply stay put to enjoy the light breeze and faint sunlight. But it isn't long before Ruby is itching to move. Weiss notices how she's just about vibrating in place, bouncing eagerly on her heels. She clears her throat to prompt her.

"Well? Are we going for a walk or not?"

"Yeah!" Ruby spins around and throws her arms out wide. "Yeah, yeah! Which way should we go?"

Weiss surveys the shaded forest, which is identical on all sides.

"I'm not sure it matters."

"Okay! Then let's go this way!" Ruby darts off several yards in one spurt of energy. Weiss yells after her.

"Ruby, we are going for a walk!"

"Oh, right! Sorry!" Ruby zips back to her side and begins walking at a regular pace beside her partner, though she's clearly still bursting with energy. Weiss heaves a sigh, but a smile comes onto her lips.

"I swear, what am I going to do with you...?"

As they head off into the trees, Ruby is glad to look up at leaves and branches and bits of sky instead of a ceiling. She strolls along beside Weiss, drawing in deep breaths as her eyes occasionally stray over to her partner.

She hasn't seen her in six months. They've only been together for about a week now, but somehow it feels like they'd never even been separated at all. Though there is one thing that reminds Ruby for sure they'd each had their own time apart to grow.

Weiss' pretty blue eyes are alight with attention as she takes in the scenery, no doubt making mental notes of certain landmarks in order to help mark the path they're taking. The scar over her left eye trails down into her cheek as it always has, only now it is met with the corner of a smile.

Ruby can't help but grin as she admires Weiss' profile. She'd always used to scowl or make some kind of serious, unimpressed expression. But now...

She smiles a lot more easily.

Content with her observation, Ruby directs her attention forward again, though her own smile doesn't fade.

And Weiss glances over to make a few notes of her own.

In the past, she'd used to look down slightly to meet her leader's eyes. But now Weiss is finding she only had to look sideways.

She's gotten taller... And in spite of how she's acting now, she has gotten a bit more serious.

They are very subtle changes, ones she's certain she never would have noticed if they'd stayed together those six months. Of course she absolutely would have preferred staying together over the reality that had transpired, but there is nothing to be done about it now.

They walk in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the small patches of sunlight and the pull of the wind through their hair.

Ruby bounds along with a small spring in her step, though she makes absolutely certain to keep pace beside her partner and not get more than a stride ahead. It's the first time they've really gotten to be alone since they'd come back together, and she has a million and one questions she wants to ask Weiss. But she doesn't know where to start, what she should ask and what she should avoid-

"So," Weiss unexpectedly speaks first and cuts off her train of thought. "What have you been up to without me all this time?"

She doesn't glance over at Ruby as she asks the question, but Ruby doesn't need to see her eyes directly to know the words "without me" are spoken with a hint of pain in her tone.

Biting her lip, Ruby lets her right hand swing over her hip until she manages to softly catch Weiss' left with it. She holds firmly, feeling Weiss' surprise and hesitation for a few seconds before she slowly unfurls her fingers and wraps them around Ruby's hand instead. Just with this alone, Ruby can see the corners of her lips curling up a little.

She really does smile more easily now...

"Well..." she hums. "I mean it was a lot of traveling and moving around and stuff. Jaune, Nora, Ren, and I fought a lot of Grimm, then my uncle found us and started telling us more and more about Salem. And we even fought some of her henchmen as we started to learn more about the Maidens..."

She trails off, her gaze falling down to the shadowy grass in front of her.

"It got kinda overwhelming sometimes. D-Don't get me wrong, I had those guys to talk to and stuff, but... but it just wasn't the same..." Her hand squeezes tighter to Weiss', as if to confirm the reality of her presence, and to refuse to let her go ever again.

When Weiss glances to her, she finds her partner's eyes glued to the ground, her head bowed slightly and posture slack. The heiress frowns as their collective pace slows a little. She moves herself just a bit closer to Ruby, until their shoulders brush. The small contact has Ruby looking up at her again as Weiss finds her voice.

"Well you don't have to fret about that anymore. You finally have us back now."

She proclaims this with all of the confidence she's ever had, with the surety that reality is assuredly on her side.

Ruby stops walking, causing Weiss to pause with her. The heiress tilts her head inquisitively. But before she can ask, Ruby lets go of her hand, only to throw both arms around Weiss, clinging tightly to her neck and shoulders.

"Yeah..." she sniffles. "You're right... thanks, Weiss..."

With a chuckle, Weiss wraps her arms around her partner's waist, admittedly grateful for the embrace.

"You don't need to thank me, you dolt."

For a moment nether of them move. They simply remain standing there together in their little patch of sunlight streaming down through the shadows.

Ruby sniffles a few more times over Weiss' shoulder, but no actual tears fall. Before long a smile has made its way back to her lips.

But oddly enough, she finds she doesn't want to keep walking just yet. She's missed Weiss' warmth far too much, and she wants to stay here a while longer in her arms.

To her relief, Weiss doesn't seem to mind the idea of staying as they are, either.

That's another thing, Ruby muses. She never used to like hugs that much.

It's a change in her partner that's more than welcome.

When she's able to find her voice, Ruby sighs softly into Weiss' hair, resting her chin on her shoulder as she asks her to recount her own journey.

"So... what did you do these past six months...?"

She'd known from the start it was going to be a risky thing to ask. Ruby doesn't know much about Weiss' relationship with her father, but she knew more than enough.

But even now, as soon as the question is out of her mouth, she wishes she could take it back.

She feels Weiss' grip tighten, hears her draw in a sharp breath that she doesn't let go of. Her whole body becomes tense just at the idea of remembering it, and Ruby bites her lip. She's just about to redact her question, inform Weiss she doesn't have to answer when the heiress speaks up.

"It was... probably about as awful as you might imagine..."

This honesty. This lack of effort to even try to conceal the truth behind pretty lies. Just the fact that Weiss is telling her the truth right away says so much.

That she's tired of hiding her emotions.

That she's been wanting to tell someone for so long now.

That she's been waiting for someone to bother to ask.

Ruby tightens her hold on Weiss' shoulders, a silent reminder that she's here, that she's listening, that she won't let those things happen to Weiss ever again.

The quiet reassurance does its job in letting Weiss exhale a little more easily for a second. But as soon as her thoughts bring her back to that mansion, it's like she's trapped all over again.

"He didn't let me hone my skills at all. He wanted to make me forget about being a huntress. He locked me away, made me sing at his banquets, made me keep my mouth shut...

"When I spoke out, I got into even more trouble. He was going to ship me off to Atlas Academy without hearing my thoughts on it.

"But I wasn't as alone as I'd thought. Klein helped me escape onto a cargo ship, and that's where I finally got to demonstrate the skills I'd been practicing in secret. We crashed, Raven took me, and... well I think you know the rest of the story from there."

She falls silent. Ruby feels Weiss tuck her face into her shoulder, not wanting to reveal her expression.

And Ruby had heard fragments here and there from both Weiss herself and from Yang. She'd been able to infer a lot of things as well.

But this is the first time she's actually hearing things directly from Weiss, in more detail than she'd heard before.

And she can't imagine how horrible it must have been for her.

Ruby had had her uncle and the others, Blake had had Sun and her parents, Yang had had Tai. They'd all been with people who had loved them for those six months.

But not Weiss.

She'd lived most of her life in that prison, then only gotten to glimpse freedom for a short while at Beacon. And then she'd been thrown right back into her father's grasp again.

Ruby can only imagine how terrible it must have been. Her own father had always loved her, her own home had always been warm and welcoming. She knows she'll never be able to understand Weiss' pain, her struggle, her fear.

All she can do is hold her now, pulling Weiss tightly to her by means of comfort.

And the fact that they have to go back to Atlas now in only a few more days...

It isn't fair. She hates the idea of taking Weiss right back to the place she'd been so desperate to escape.

But it's okay. Because this time she won't be alone.

Defiantly, she tightens her hold on Weiss, hoping her partner understands the sentiment. But just in case, she voices her thoughts anyway.

"You're not alone anymore, Weiss. We're all here with you. We always will be. Promise."

And Weiss trembles, but as she exhales some of the bad things go with it.

"I know. Thank you, Ruby."

"No need to thank me, silly~"

They stay that way for a short while longer, holding each other close until they both feel well enough to part and stand on their own. And the second Weiss sees Ruby's smile, she feels her own forming once again. Weiss straightens up and turns her face, fearing she might blush if she keeps looking into those brilliant silver eyes of hers.

"Well then... shall we head back?"

"Mmm not yet! Let's just go a little futher! I wanna have a bit more time with just you, Weiss."

Weiss feels her heart flutter, touched by the sentiment. Even so, she tries to act composed.

"Very well."

But Ruby notices the un-erasable smile on her partner's lips and giggles to herself.

Their hands had come apart during the embrace, so now Ruby struts on ahead, marching proudly as if to show off her partner to the many onlookers of the forest. Weiss rolls her eyes as she follows, but her smile remains.

They walk for a while longer, until the sun has shifted slightly overhead. It's mutually understood that they need to be heading back soon.

Ruby is still a few paces ahead, walking toward a line of bushes when Weiss calls for her.

"Ruby, this is far enough."

"Aw okay." Ruby is just about to turn and walk back to her partner when she notices something odd about the bushes in front of herself. They look much... darker somehow.

"Huh..." She turns away from Weiss and takes another step forward.

"Ruby, what are you doing?"

"Just gimme a sec-"

"Ruby!"

Just as Weiss cries out her name, Ruby feels the ground falling away from beneath her boot. She yelps as gravity tries to suck her straight down into a massive crack in the ground.

But Weiss is beside her in a heartbeat, grabbing her hood and yanking her back from over the edge. She doesn't let go until Ruby has stumbled back a safe distance, sputtering.

"Ghek!"

"You dunce! You've got to be more careful!"

"Sorry..."

Now they both look ahead, peering through the line of bushes.

Sure enough, just inches behind the shrubbery the ground falls away into a deep wide hole, as if the earth itself had been split by a minor earthquake. The darkness of the forest makes it impossible to see down into the crevice more than a few feet. The rest is utter shadow.

Ruby leans forward just a little, tilting her head curiously.

"What the heck is that?"

After a few more seconds of assessment, Weiss gives a reply.

"A trap. One you nearly fell for."

"Literally!"

Weiss gives her a glare so furious it shuts her up on the spot. As her eyes trail back to the bushes, she gives her theory about the strange hole.

"It's a trap for prey," she says. "Any creature walking by won't be able to see the hole hidden directly behind the bushes, so they'd easily fall right in. The ground slopes down sharply, so there's little chance of anything being able to get a grip in the soil to crawl its way back up. Whatever falls in goes right to the homemaker."

Ruby leans in over Weiss' shoulder a little, clinging to her arm. She gulps.

"Whoa... b-but what kind of animal is big enough to make a hole like that?"

"I think we both already know the answer to that..."

A gust of wind makes the branches rattle, and both girls stiffen. They hadn't noticed at which point in their walk the birdsong had ceased.

For a moment their hearts shudder and beat loudly enough where they fear whatever made the pit will be able to hear. Weiss takes a sharp step back and pulls Ruby with her.

"We should go back."

"Wait. Do you hear that?"

It sounds like something heavy scuttling underneath them, making the ground tremble.

The huntresses turn to face the line of bushes just as a harrowing screech shatters the air.

The bushes explode and are sent flying as a massive Death Stalker scorpion bursts from the ditch, its huge armored pincers clanking loudly as its legs rattle together like bones. It reaches for the girls with its claws to snap them in two.

But Ruby and Weiss are seasoned huntresses by this point, and no Grimm can surprise them anymore. They react even more quickly than the beast can attack.

Weiss forms a glyph beneath their boots as Ruby uses it to propel them both back a dozen feet with a burst of her semblance. The second they're out of range they draw their weapons.

The Death Stalker screeches again and begins charging, its deadly tail and stinger standing as tall as some of the trees.

"Welp!" Ruby calls out. "Wouldn't be a walk in the woods without a Grimm attack, right?"

"Just be quiet and fight, you dolt!"

As the Grimm thunders toward them, they both jump back on either side, forcing it to choose a target.

As it turns to snap at Ruby, Weiss creates a string of glyphs beneath a few of its legs. With a swing of her rapier she fires a round of Dust, freezing it in place for a split second. When the weight of the rest of its body keeps moving, the frozen legs snap and shatter, and the Grimm staggers.

It provides the perfect opening for Ruby to swoop down and arc her scythe into a graceful yet powerful swing, locking it on one of the claws and cutting cleanly through it.

At the same time Weiss is already using her Air Step to get above the beast, shooting bullets at its back to enrage it and take its attention away from her partner. She leaps high and aims for the tail, but it strikes a second too early.

But Weiss is already prepared with a glyph beneath Ruby, and she pulls her back several feet out of range of the stinger as it impales itself in the ground exactly where she'd been standing seconds earlier. With the stinger embedded in the dirt, Ruby darts forward and lops it cleanly off the tail.

Weiss jumps down from her glyph and lands on the hissing scorpion's head, using the gravity of her descent to bury Myrtenaster in its hide. The beast shrieks and shudders, writhing as it flails its remaining claw.

Ruby jumps back to avoid a blow, firing a round at its face to weaken it before it can try to throw Weiss off. The heiress pulls out her rapier and jumps back at her leisure, turning around to face the tail. The stinger might be gone, but the rest of it is still swinging wildly, splintering trees and gouging holes in the ground. She prepares her stance and aims her sword, then propels herself to shoot through the slashing tail. The beast howls again, and Weiss jumps up and over the tail as it slumps uselessly into the dust.

Ruby has just locked Crescent Rose with the remaining claw, pushing the weight of her blade against the force of the Grimm's body. With the monster temporarily suspended, Weiss takes her chance to dart in and slice at the forearm. At the same time, Ruby wrenches her scythe free, and the combined force of their blows severs the limb entirely.

Now the poor beast is left hissing and wriggling with only a few legs left and nothing more than its weight to throw around. Ruby catches Weiss' eyes briefly.

"I wanna try something."

Weiss shrugs.

"Anything."

With a squeal of delight Ruby unleashes her semblance and begins to run, darting around the area at a joyous speed. Within seconds the air is filled with rose petals.

Weiss catches on. Using the natural moisture in the air, she raises her rapier and turns the chamber to ice. When she fires, each and every petal freezes on contact, turning them into a million deadly shards.

Ruby continues running, creating more blades, more tiny weapons. At the same time Weiss conjures up a few glyphs to keep the petals contained in a specific area. Ruby begins to run circles around that spot, until a miniature ice-flower petal tornado has formed.

She guides it forward toward the Grimm, then lets it loose.

It's a terrifyingly beautiful display. The icy-red winds swirl in a sharp, tight formation, guiding the hardened rose petals into a deadly dance.

Ruby steps back to stand at her partner's side as they watch the tornado cut through the Grimm, decimating the culmination of despair and fear. The monster begins to disintegrate as its final cries die away.

The girls share a glance and a nod before taking up a familiar position. Ruby drops to one knee and folds her scythe away in favor of the sniper rifle. Weiss stands firmly at her side, aiming Myrtenaster over her leader's shoulder. Ruby fires a single bullet, and Weiss encrusts it with ice on its way out.

The single shot plows into the Grimm, giving it a final push over the edge of its own den. The carcass falls straight downward into the darkness and disappears into a plume of black smoke.

Weiss flicks her rapier clean before sheathing it, then offers her hand. Ruby accepts and jumps to her feet.

"Well, that was a nice warm-up! Just like old times!"

"Yes, your brazen, reckless tactics are quite nostalgic."

"Hey, I wasn't that reckless! ...I think." Ruby folds up her weapon and clips it back onto her belt. Weiss dusts off her own dress and then does the same for Ruby's clothes.

"You barely spared a glance at that thing's tail. You're lucky I was there the first time we encountered one of those or else, you wouldn't have been here now to face this one."

"I was watching!" Ruby whines and grumbles as Weiss gives her a light scolding. It feels like they haven't done this sort of thing in years. It's so nostalgic and so natural for them both that before long they're both chuckling.

Once both of them have cleaned themselves off a bit, Ruby looks skyward to assess the sun.

"Yeah guess we should head back now."

"Exactly what I'd said earlier before you'd gone and nearly stepped into the center of the earth."

"Weeiissss!"

Ruby paws at her partner and Weiss playfully swats her away.

And somehow their hands end up together once again as they make their way back through the forest.

A/N: First of all, I really wanted to have Ruby and Weiss face off against the first Grimm they ever fought together; the Death Stalker. I wanted to show the contrast from how they dealt with one another back in volume one, versus how they would most likely deal with each other now in the current canon. And what better way to do that than use the Grimm that let Weiss save Ruby's life the first time?

Second of all, I can't tell you for how long I've had the idea of an ice-rose petal tornado. I'd had that concept of an attack written down for probably close to a year, but never got the right idea to use it for. But I think this was a good place to put it, in the reunion fic to show how they've improved themselves over those 6 months apart from each other, and can still get back into the groove with each other as easily as if they'd never been apart at all.

Either way, I hope volume 6 gives us more actual Ruby/Weiss moments, because if you think about it, how many have we actually even had this far? Scenes of just them in serious situations that aren't just jokes and encroached upon by other characters?

Hope you enjoyed! Might use my frozen-tornado rose petal idea again sometime.

Please review!