Cold Bodies, Warm Hearts (ch4)

2-DAY EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS!!

Is anyone still reading this odd little story? If you are, then thank you! I remember planning these little scenarios with my roleplay partner years ago and it's nice to relive them in editing!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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															Part. 4

When she woke up, Weiss was warm. She decided it was because Penny was resting on top of her as usual, draped over her and using her chest as a pillow. Weiss hugged the sleeping girl gently, smiling and sighing with relief.

But it was strange - Weiss was finding it difficult to breathe, and her heart felt like it was straining. She closed her eyes and tried to calm things down, trying not to think about it all. It was different from the time she'd confessed her feelings to Penny, and Weiss didn't like it now.

. . .

Penny woke up slowly, gently pushing herself up and stretching, finding that she was no longer plagued by pain as she had been the day before.

She quickly noticed, however, that Weiss was not feeling so well. Frowning slightly, she put her head on the girl's chest and listened to her heart, finding it weak and fluttery. Next, she placed her hand on Weiss' forehead. It was warm which was especially unusual for Weiss.

"I told you not to overexert yourself," Penny chided, sliding off the bed.

. . .

Weiss huffed slightly, embarrassed as Penny listened to her heart. She'd honestly believed she wouldn't fall ill, but evidently she'd used too much of her aura at once yesterday. Penny was scolding her gently, but she seemed to be better, and that was the greatest relief to Weiss.

The heiress furrowed her eyebrows before she pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"I'm all right," she mumbled, shaking her head, bangs sticking to her forehead because of the sweat. "Just… help me up?" She reached for Penny's hands, but when Weiss tried to stand, a dizzy spell slammed down on her and she collapsed back into bed with a withering moan. She felt unnaturally weak, and her nervous eyes found Penny's.

. . .

Weiss fell back onto the bed with a groan, and Penny frowned worriedly. Weiss' scared look struck her; this was something Penny couldn't truly protect Weiss from, but she would do what she could.

"You just stay here," she said, helping Weiss back onto the bed and laying her down. "I'll get a cool washcloth for your head and go fetch the doctor."

She quickly went to the bathroom, wet a washcloth, and returned to Weiss to drape it over her warm forehead.

"Just relax. I'll be right back!"

. . .

Weiss willingly laid down onto her back with Penny's help, and she closed her eyes, trying her best to relax as the girl told her to. When her aide returned, she placed a washcloth over the heiress' forehead, and the brief coolness and wetness quelled Weiss' fever for a moment.

But the second the word "doctor" and its implications sunk in, Weiss' eyes flew open, heart leaping into her throat as she sat herself up instantly and cried out.

"W-Wait, P-Penny no, please d-don't… " She reached for Penny helplessly.

The time she had been kidnapped so many years ago, a man who had said he was a doctor had held a needle above her and told her he was going to make her sleep. Thankfully, the authorities had apprehended the kidnappers before any harm could come to Weiss, but she'd had nightmares about that more times than she cared to recount.

But that was before Penny had come into the picture, and she'd never been around for the topic to come up until now. So Weiss needed to tell her herself. She felt hot tears behind her eyes as she looked up at Penny and begged her.

"Please don't call a doctor. I can't… not again…" Weiss shook her head. "When they kidnapped me there was a doctor there… so please don't call anyone…"

. . .

Penny jumped back to Weiss' side as she explained to her what had happened.

"Weiss! I-It's all right. You don't have to say another word!" Penny gently held Weiss close and rubbed circles on the girl's back. She berated herself for not having known about this until now; this was the kind of thing she was supposed to know. She held Weiss close and a new resolve filled her - it was her job to protect Weiss; she didn't need any help.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. I won't call anyone - promise. I'll take care of you."

. . .

Weiss felt so weak as she clung to Penny, sobbing softly into her shoulder, her body jolting with hiccups. Penny's promise not to call anyone else calmed the heiress just a bit, and she tried to stop crying, though she was delirious from her fever and the words kept tumbling out:

"I'm sorry. I should've told you much sooner… I'm sorry for worrying you…" She whimpered apologies for a few minutes until her vice-grip slackened, and Weiss' hands fell back into her lap.

She sniffed again until she could open her eyes once more. "Sorry... for being so much trouble all the time…" It may have been the fever talking, but they were things Weiss had always thought, though she only now put them into words.

. . .

Penny held her close until she finally calmed down, mumbling apologies as Penny wiped her tears away, murmuring reassuringly. Penny heard the words that left Weiss' lips, but she refused to believe them.

"Nonsense!" she said very firmly but not harshly. "You're never trouble to me, Weiss! You are the only reason I'm even alive! You will never be trouble to me!" She smiled warmly.

. . .

Those words were what finally quieted the heiress - the thought that she was the reason Penny existed; if one of them hadn't existed, then the other wouldn't either. They were both alive now solely because of the other, and that made them inseparable soulmates.

Weiss nodded, believing what the girl said. She sighed and finally pulled away from her.

"Thank you, Penny…" Weiss sat there in her arms for a moment until she'd regained her composure. "I'm… I'm okay now," she murmured. "I'll stay here and wait for you."

. . .

Penny gently rubbed the girl's back as Weiss finally relaxed.

"Good! I'll just get the nurse. I think you've just over-exerted yourself," Penny replied, standing. "Are you hungry or thirsty? Can I get you something on the way back?" She doted over Weiss as she lay the heiress back, pulling the covers up and re-adjusting the cloth on her forehead.

. . .

The mention of a nurse had her tensing up a bit, but she said nothing; Weiss trusted Penny entirely, and knew for a fact she would never let anyone bring harm to her - the events of the previous days were proof enough.

Weiss let herself be laid back, unable to resist even if she might want to. Penny's tone and smile eased her worries a bit and helped calm her down.

"Perhaps… some water?" she rasped. "My throat's been dry all morning, and my chest feels stifled."

. . .

Penny nodded, smiling.

"Of course! And I've got my scroll if you need anything else. I'll be right back!" With that, she left, walking briskly down the hallways towards the nurse's room; Schnee had a nurse and doctor stationed in a separate section of the mansion.

She had noticed Weiss' reaction to her mention of it even if she'd tried to hide it. Perhaps she would just talk to the nurse rather than bring her to Weiss.

It wasn't long before she was walking back to Weiss' room carrying a large glass of water and a small packet of medicine the nurse had given her after Penny had described Weiss' symptoms. She was glad she wouldn't have to make Weiss uncomfortable by bringing the medical personnel.

. . .

Weiss watched Penny until she disappeared out the door, leaving the heiress alone in silence. She folded her hands over her stomach beneath the blankets and stared up at the ceiling before closing her eyes. She concentrated on her breathing, focused on the coolness of the cloth on her forehead.

She could feel her aura flowing through her veins, but it was slow-moving and felt thinner than usual; she'd done this to herself, so she deserved the punishment.

She must've gotten a bit ahead of herself with relaxing, because a particularly deep inhale left her sputtering and coughing, and after that, the tickling sensation in her throat only got more irritating, and the coughing harsher. She rolled onto her side with a groan, then onto her stomach to try and stifle the bout of coughs.

. . .

Penny heard Weiss coughing and quickened her step, swiftly entering the room. She set down the medicine and brought the water over to Weiss, gently patting her back.

"Here, drink," Penny said, offering the glass. It was killing her to see Weiss like this - she was sick and Penny couldn't help her as much as she would have liked to; she couldn't fight this battle for Weiss.

. . .

Weiss felt a gentle hand on her back and she slowly rolled herself over and pushed herself up. Her shoulders loosened a bit in relief when she saw Penny had returned, and Weiss nodded when she was offered the water.

She reached out with shaking hands, still coughing every few seconds. She ended up spilling a bit of the water onto her lap, and it took her a moment to finally get the rim to her lips and swallow.

She pursed her lips immediately afterward to keep it down as another cough rose up in her throat. Weiss swallowed quickly and inhaled sharply before more coughs raked her lungs. She tried again, taking another sip, and this time it went down a bit more easily.

Weiss grunted and cleared her sore throat as she met Penny's concerned gaze.

"Thank you…"

. . .

Penny smiled reassuringly, still gently rubbing Weiss' back to try and help with her coughing. Moving back over to the table, she grabbed the small packet of medicine and brought it over to Weiss.

"Here, the nurse gave me this. It should help." Penny set the medicine down next to Weiss. She removed the washcloth and refreshed it, as well as opening one of the windows to let in some fresh air.

. . .

Weiss dipped her head as she accepted the medicine, putting her water aside for the moment to let her fingers fumble with tearing open the plastic corner. There were a few pills inside, all of which needed to be swallowed whole, and Weiss felt a prickle in her stomach at the thought.

She made sure her coughing had paused for the moment before steeling herself. Pouring the three pills into her palm, she quickly tilted her head back to swallow them before following up with another gulp of water. By some miracle, everything went down before her next bout of coughing started.

Weiss took another sip of water, but another cough interrupted her. The combination of disturbed air and water in her stomach resulted a small hiccup working its way past her lips.

"Hic!" Weiss quickly pressed a palm to her lips, but evidently she'd given herself a full case of the hiccups. "Oh. -hic!- goodness…"

She hoped it wouldn't be one of those spats that didn't go away for hours.

. . .

Penny straightened up as Weiss hiccuped. Turning, she cocked her head to the side curiously.

Penny herself was susceptible to sudden bouts of hiccuping, something Weiss would tease her for, but right now Weiss was sick and the hiccups could give her trouble, disrupt her breathing or cause her to cough more. Sitting next to the heiress, Penny again started rubbing her back.

"Are you all right?" she asked, a slightly bemused, but concerned, smile on her face.

. . .

Weiss' hiccups kept jolting her, and Penny's soft hand on her back provided a bit of comfort. Penny often got a case of the pesky things as well, but only on the rare occasions when she lied about something; the bond of trust between her and Weiss a strong one, and it had been a long while since the last time Penny had lied to her.

"-hic!- ahh.. yes I'm -hic!- fine…" she mumbled unconvincingly. But with every spasm of her diaphragm came an ache in her stomach and a pain in her lungs.

She waited a couple moments, trying to focus on Penny's cajoling motions, but every time she'd thought they were finished, another would sneak up on her.

After a particularly hard jolt, she met Penny's eyes. "It… hurts a little…" she confessed. "P-Perhaps if you could -hic!- kiss me, it would help me hold my breath?"

With her water gone now, it was the only method she could think of.

. . .

Penny worried over Weiss as her hiccups continued, obviously hurting her a few times in her weakened state. She racked her brain trying to think of a way to help when Weiss thought of it first.

Penny smiled. Leaning in slowly, she pressed her lips to Weiss', wrapping her arms around her midsection to hold her close as she melted into the kiss.

. . .

Before another hiccup could send a wave of discomfort through her, Weiss was pleasantly distracted by the gentle warmth of Penny's lips against hers. The other girl pressed close to her chest, holding her tightly to steady her.

Weiss sighed as she breathed Penny in, letting her take her breath. But the next hiccup had her accidentally biting Penny's lip, and Weiss pulled back to mumble an apology.

"S-Sorry…"

Embarrassed due to her blunder now, Weiss' face turned redder than the fever had it previously, and she simply ducked her head onto the other girl's shoulder to hide it. She hiccuped again and whimpered afterward as it sent a pang through her stomach. She wanted to kiss her again for more reasons than to just forget the pain.

. . .

Penny flinched as Weiss' hiccup caused the bite on lip, stifling her pained gasp. Weiss mumbled out an apology and buried her head in Penny's neck. Licking her lip, Penny found that Weiss hadn't bitten her very hard, no blood anyway.

Another hiccup shook Weiss' frame against her - she needed to help her deal with those…

Penny smiled as an idea formed.

"Why don't you make it up to me and kiss it better?" She smiled slyly; if life was going to hand Penny ways to get the heiress to kiss her, who was she to complain?

. . .

At first, she'd truly thought Penny was upset with her, and Weiss was about to apologize again. She lifted her head and met the girl's eyes. But before she could let any guilt surface, she caught Penny's eye and realized her words had been light-hearted.

Relaxing, Weiss sighed and tried a tiny smile.

"Of course."

She honestly couldn't think of a better way to apologize.

Slipping her arms around Penny's waist, she pulled her in again, closing her eyes as she pressed their lips together a second time. She managed to hold back on nipping this time as she hiccuped into Penny's mouth a few times, her breath hitching a little.

But eventually, she melted into the contact and forgot about the nuisances in her chest, focusing entirely on Penny now. Her hiccups were stifled, and after a few moments of soft, prolonged kisses, they vanished completely.

Relieved, Weiss pulled away and rested her head on the girl's shoulder again a she caught her breath, feeling warm for different reasons now.

. . .

Weiss hiccuped a few more times during their kiss, but managed not to bite her this time, and they were able to continue until her hiccups subsided. Finally breaking the kiss, Penny smiled as she held Weiss close, nuzzling into her neck.

"How are you feeling now?" Penny mumbled into soft white hair.

. . .

Weiss sighed over the girl's shoulder, relieved that the hiccups had stopped, but evidently, the rest of her symptoms weren't about to allow her to relax just yet. A sharp shiver ran through her, and yet her entire body felt hot.

Her stomach growled, but she immediately dismissed it. "I don't want to risk eating anything. I'm not sure if it'd stay down," she confessed. "I'm sorry. I wish I could heal as quickly as you can so I don't have to trouble you." She squeezed Penny again, breathing thickly.

. . .

Penny felt Weiss shiver but could still tell her body was hot and she was sweating. She rubbed Weiss' shoulders, squeezing comfortingly.

"Okay. But I should get you something more to drink. Maybe you could try eating some toast or crackers in a little while?" Penny offered. "And the only trouble you're giving me is that I have to keep telling you it's no trouble."

. . .

Her words made Weiss feel better; Penny was a professional at that. The heiress smiled and nodded.

"Okay. I'll try…"

But she didn't let Penny go just yet, wanting to feel more contact from her. Weiss held her there for a moment more, also being held by her. Her body continued to shiver against her will, almost convulsing, and Weiss clung to the ginger-haired girl until it subsided.

When she felt she would be all right for a few moments without her, she let Penny go reluctantly.

"Okay. I'll… try to rest until you get back."

. . .

Penny smiled, not letting go of Weiss as the girl shivered in her embrace. She held her until it subsided, gently rubbing her back and mumbling encouragement into her ear. Penny nodded, slowly getting up.

"All right! I'll be a quick as can be!" With that, she got up and left immediately, striding through the halls of the Schnee manor.

. . .

Weiss watched her go again before lying down on her side. She located the damp wash cloth that had fallen aside and slipped it back into place on her forehead. The shivers continued, and Weiss curled herself up in her blankets, imagining Penny was still there beside her.

Now that she was alone again, she was aware of her rapid pulse, and she flipped onto her stomach in hopes to stifle it. It didn't take long for her mind to start to slip, and she lost the battle to keep her eyelids up. She dozed uneasily, losing consciousness after the heat rose to her face.

. . .

Penny returned to the room as quickly as she could. Upon returning she found Weiss in an uneasy sleep. Setting down the water, she gently sat down on the bed.

Weiss was sweating and her skin was flush and warm. Penny frowned; seeing her like this was tearing her up inside. She gently brushed a strand of hair out of Weiss' face, feeling how hot she was. Penny decided to ready a cool bath for her; as much as she wanted Weiss to rest she was burning up.

. . .

Weiss moaned softly as she heard the door open, being roused back into the waking world by the sound. She longed to welcome Penny back, but she lacked the strength to push herself up.

All she could manage was to open her eyes and blink blearily up at her, blue eyes glazed over from fatigue. She dipped her head to wipe some of the perspiration onto her arm before letting out a withering sigh.

Penny caressed her cheek briefly before slipping away to Weiss' personal bathroom, and the heiress let her eyelids fall shut once more.

. . .

After filling the tub with slightly cool water, Penny walked back out into the room, moving back to Weiss. The heiress was sweating and panting, dizzily looking up at her as she stirred from her fitful rest.

"All right, I'm going to get you in a nice bath. Come on."

Penny gently slipped her arms beneath Weiss, lifting her up bridal style and carrying her to the bathroom. She set her down to help her undress piece by piece. Penny blushed but steeled herself; Weiss needed her right now. She wouldn't let her bashfulness get in the way.

. . .

She felt the blankets being pulled away from her and she shivered against the cold air that met her. But when Penny lifted her up carefully, she felt warmer - just a bit. She was still amazed at how effortless it was for the girl to lift her and carry her.

Penny brought Weiss to her personal bathroom and sat her down on the sink, helping slide her clothing off. Weiss shuddered again and reached for a towel, quickly wrapping it around herself for decency's sake and to keep herself a bit warmer in the water.

But before Penny could help her into the bath, Weiss placed an appreciative kiss on her cheek, nuzzling lightly into her neck.

. . .

It was a bit awkward helping Weiss out of her clothing, but Weiss' sickness was forefront in her mind; she wasn't here to gawk, as much as she would have liked to, she was here to help Weiss get better.

Penny smiled as Weiss nuzzled into her. She carried her over to the tub full of cool water.

"This is going to be chilly, but we have to keep you from overheating." She gently lowered Weiss into the tub. The poor girl hissed from the temperature as she slipped in.

. . .

Weiss braced herself as Penny lifted her again, holding her over the tub; she could feel the coolness wafting up from the water. Then, she was lowered in slowly, and Weiss all but yelped, clinging to Penny's natural warmth for as long as she could before gradually easing her grip.

After a moment, she let her arms slip away from the girl's shoulders, and Weiss submerged herself into the water. Her body had been flushed red from fever, sweat coating her skin, but now the contrasting water temperature fought off the stifling feeling. She closed her eyes, shivering as she adjusted, letting the water take away some of the heat.

Slowly, the heiress cupped some of the water in her palms and pressed it to her face, rinsing off the sweat that had beaded there. She sighed, running her fingers through her hair briefly before hugging herself, her breath still coming heavily through parted lips. But she did her best to send Penny a tiny smile.

"Th-Thank you. I think I feel a bit better."

. . .

Penny smiled, leaning on the edge of the tub as Weiss relaxed into the cool bath.

"I know it must feel cold, but you're burning up." Penny reached over and felt Weiss' forehead again - still hot but better. "I'll be right here if you need me! So just try and relax." She squeezed her charge's shoulder before taking to running her hands gently through Weiss' hair.

. . .

Weiss nodded and let her posture slump just a bit, leaning back against the edge of the tub. She let Penny's touch soothe her, trying to focus on her gentle motions rather than the chilly water.

She readjusted her towel a bit underwater, letting her eyelids fall shut as she let the water work its magic on her flushed skin. Heat still wafted off of her, and she murmured a sigh to the girl behind her.

"I'm just… going to nap a moment… like this…"

It was hardly an option though. She was so worn out from her sickness that she was unconscious within seconds, her eyebrows still furrowed slightly.

. . .

Penny smiled fondly as the heiress drifting off, even as she spoke. She leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to her flushed cheek.

"Rest well, my Weiss!" she whispered.

She was content to sit by and run her hands through Weiss' hair soothingly until she awoke and needed her help again. Penny would be here for her.

. . .

Weiss slept rather nicely then, but she woke not long afterward to find her skin tingling a little. The water was cooler now, and she shivered again, hugging herself a little tighter. She blinked her eyes open and met Penny's.

"I think… my fever's gone down…" she murmured. "But I fear I've got the chills now. If it's not one thing, it's another…"

Her chest did feel less clogged however, and her breath came a bit more easily, though it still trembled with every inhale. She reached her arms up toward the other girl.

"Would you h-help me up, please?"

. . .

Penny popped her head up as Weiss moved. Smiling crookedly, Penny placed her hand on Weiss' forehead, finding her fever had indeed gone down.

"Good! The fever's down." Penny moved to help Weiss up. "Besides, I can help you get rid of those chills!" she winked.

She helped Weiss out and sat her down on a stool as she brought over a fresh dry towel and clean nightwear, figuring Weiss would want to be comfortable. Draping the dry towel over Weiss' shoulders, she grabbed another and allowed Weiss to swap it with the wet one.

"We'll get you dry and in some fresh clothes, and then I'll help you warm right up!"

. . .

Penny lifted her up again, and Weiss held onto her shoulders lightly, shivering harder as she left the water. The sound of falling droplets trickling echoed around the tiled walls for a moment before the heiress was lowered down again.

Weiss slowly peeled the damp towel away from her form and accepted the dry one Penny had offered her. She padded herself dry as best she could with her aide's help, and then slipped into a fresh nightgown. The fabric was soft and dry - much appreciated after the cold bath. But her hair was still dripping, and she did her best to wring it out.

Another shudder ran through her and she leaned closer toward Penny. "I th-think I'm ready to get warmed up now," she confessed a bit sheepishly. Her heart was still fluttering, and she hoped Penny's close company could calm it.

. ..

Penny grinned, picking the heiress up bridal style once again.

"Of course! Let's get you nice and warm and comfortable again!"

She sauntered back into the bedroom, gently laying Weiss down on the bed before snuggling up next to her. Wrapping her arms around the shivering girl, she tucked Weiss' head under her chin and held her close.

"There! Does that feel better?" She kissed the top of Weiss' head and pulled the blankets up over her.

. . .

The second she was lain down onto the soft comforters of her bed once more, Weiss let out a long sigh. She pulled a few of the blankets up to cover Penny and herself before huddling close to her. She shuddered again, making a chilled sound as she adjusted to the other girl's body heat.

She quickly ducked her face into her elbow when she felt a sneeze coming on. "Ah-! Ah-chii!" She sniffled once and gave a short moan before focusing on Penny again.

"This feels… much better…" she breathed. "Thank you again, Penny." She wrapped her arms around the girl's waist, burrowing into her collar, listening to the tiny ticking noises and the workings of her body that had become so familiar to her over the years.

. . .

Penny held Weiss close. Thankfully the shivering died down as she warmed.

"It was my pleasure, as always! Now get some rest. You'll feel better when you wake up." She nuzzled Weiss' hair with fondness.

Penny closed her eyes, focusing on Weiss' breathing as she gradually relaxed.

"Just rest. I'll be right here if you need me!"

It was a promise.

. . .

Weiss did her best to obey and let her eyelids fall shut as she pressed herself closer to Penny. She wasn't as hot as she'd been before due to her fever, and the chills were gradually lessening with each passing moment until only a gentle warmth remained.

Her breathing slowed as she drifted off into a light sleep, comfortable in Penny's arms.

When she next woke, it was dark in the room, and the silver light coating the blankets suggested it was nighttime. Weiss peeked up at Penny slowly, in case she was in sleep mode, murmuring softly to her.

"Penny? I feel much better now, but… I can't be sure myself."

. . .

Penny looked down as Weiss spoke, her bright green eyes alight in the darkened room. She hadn't really slept much, spending most of her time listening to Weiss' gentle breathing, much better than how labored it had been earlier. Penny leaned down and pressed her lips to Weiss' forehead, smiling when she detected no fever.

"Stupendous! The fever hasn't come back." Shifting herself down further, she placed her head against Weiss' chest. "Your heart sounds better again as well! Are you hungry now? I can get you something if you are." Seeing Weiss was better made her immensely more peppy.

. . .

Weiss was still as Penny went about giving her diagnosis. The kiss to her forehead was welcomed, and she savored the contact for as long as it lasted. When Penny dipped herself down to press an ear to Weiss' chest, the heiress tried to slow her breathing, waiting until the other girl spoke.

"That's good," she sighed. "But as for something to eat, that won't be necessary. It's the middle of the night, after all. I'll last until morning, I promise."

She held Penny a bit closer and kissed the top of her head. "For now, we should rest. And I mean you as well. You've been rushing around taking care of me today even when you're still recovering yourself. Get some rest…"

She closed her eyes as her voice faded into a thin wisp of air, placing one more kiss on the crown of Penny's head.

. . .

Penny sighed, relaxing back down into the sheets with Weiss snuggling close to her as she prepared to get some, admittedly much-needed, rest.

"I'll always be there when you need me, no matter what." Penny snuggled into Weiss and closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift off to sleep with her.

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A/N: I remember we'd really wanted to do the hiccups idea just so they could kiss each other haha. Hope you enjoyed! One part left to go!