Formal Arrangements (ch3)

EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

This story is probably one of my least viewed/reviewed in recent times, and I'm not sure if it's because RWBY is 'old news' or people don't read my stuff anymore or what, but I'm so thankful to the few people who are reading and reviewing! I still enjoy writing RWBY romances as much as I did on day one so many years ago~!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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														Chapter 3.

It was the very next day when Weiss began to hear people around town talk about the carnival. The posters promoting it and telling the dates for it had been up on the telephone polls for a little while already, but now they were drawing close enough that people actually started to get excited in anticipation.

When it was only a week away, Weiss knew she should pose a casual invitation to Blake, wanting to go with her on the coming Saturday afternoon.

But to her surprise, Blake actually ended up posing the idea first at dinner one night.

"Say, Weiss?"

"Yes?"

"What would you say about going to the carnival this weekend? We've both been so busy this week, I feel we deserve a little fun."

Weiss smiled, heart racing in excitement.

"That sounds very nice. I would love to."

And so their date was set for Saturday.

And as Weiss went to work every day that week, she was painfully aware of the fact that each day was passing by almost more quickly than she was ready for.

At first it was only five days away. Then four. Then three...

On Thursday she was almost so nervous and enthralled about the coming weekend that she nearly made herself sick on her lunch break.

But at the very least she had a few people she could confide in. Whenever her father was around at the store and she had a moment, she would talk to him, and when he wasn't available or when Weiss was back at the apartment, she would text Ruby. If Blake went to shower, Weiss would call her friend so she could gush out loud. Ruby always did her best to support Weiss and ensure she didn't get cold feet.

Then there was also the stress of fretting about the ring. Every time Blake so much as walked past the bookshelf where Weiss had hidden it, she tensed up, almost expecting Blake to randomly and miraculously pull out the books to reveal her knowledge of the hollowed-out one.

Of course that never happened, but that didn't stop Weiss' mind from worrying about it to the point that it gave her dreams she often confused with reality.

She had a lot of wonderfully terrifying dreams that week. Dreams about Blake finding the ring early, dreams about the proposal. Sometimes it went perfectly right and sometimes it went horribly wrong. Sometimes the ferris wheel got stuck. Sometimes Blake didn't answer. Sometimes she said no.

Whenever Weiss woke from one of those she found herself nearly in tears until she turned over to realize Blake was snoozing comfortably beside her.

Even so, the hyperactivity of Weiss' mind didn't do her much good in the final few days before the carnival date. It was all she could do to keep herself from acting so oddly that Blake took note of it.

That Thursday evening as they sat on their little couch and watched TV together, Weiss was entirely distracted. Whenever Blake commented on the program or asked Weiss' opinion on it, Weiss would give non-committal responses or admit that she hadn't been paying attention. After the fifth time, Blake started getting worried.

"Weiss, are you okay? Maybe we should go to bed."

And Weiss was admittedly thankful for the offer.

"Yes, let's. I don't know what's gotten into me today."

"That's all right. It's been another long week."

Blake stood up and stretched before turning off the TV. Weiss was just about to get up as well when Blake turned back to her and held up a hand for pause. Instead, she scooped Weiss up into her arms, earning a squeal of delight as she carried her girlfriend into the bedroom.

Blake all but flopped down on top of Weiss and began peppering kisses all over her, tickling her a little here and there. Weiss allowed herself to forget about everything else and just enjoyed the moment, playfully swatting at Blake and making feeble attempts at retaliation.

By the time their little scuffle was over, both girls where exhausted enough to lay down for bed in each other's arms. Blake was purring full-force as Weiss cuddled into her collar, resting her ear over Blake's pulse.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

They closed their eyes and invited sleep.

But with the big day only two days away now, Weiss was hardly surprised that she wasn't able to fall asleep. In spite of her exhaustion from the workday and her elation at begin snug in Blake's arms, her mind simply couldn't settle down.

She'd lost count of how many times she'd thought over and imagined the scene of her proposal, over and over and over again. She'd imagined just about every good and bad thing that could possibly happen, and then some that were just downright impossible as well.

Try as she may, she simply couldn't calm down her thoughts, and she ended up reopening her eyes several times in frustration to glare up at the ceiling.

But to her surprise Blake nudged her, and when Weiss looked to her she found her girlfriend hadn't been able to fall asleep either. Blake's golden eyes were wide awake in the darkness.

"You too, huh?"

Weiss nodded. "Unfortunately." She moved in closer to kiss Blake. She earned the beginnings of another purr in response.

"Well I don't mind just laying here with you. Even if we can't sleep."

"I don't mind either."

Weiss looped her arms around Blake's neck and cradled the back of her head. Blake hugged her back and shoulders and pulled Weiss on top of her chest, bumping their noses together. Weiss chuckled softly and nuzzled back, trailing tiny kisses along Blake's temples and forehead. Blake kissed her back whenever she could.

They played with each other's hair, quietly kissing and relishing the tranquil midnight moments. It just went to show that even on sleepless nights they were still able to help each other relax in other ways.

Weiss kissed Blake's eyelids closed, coaxing her to at least rest her eyes. And Blake mapped patterns all across Weiss' back, rubbing her palms in slow little circles.

For several hours the two of them merely managed a few consecutive moments of sleep here and there. Only when it was nearly 4 in the morning did both of them actually fall asleep for longer than an hour. And of course they had to wake up just a few hours later.

It was a very slow, quiet morning as they went about their regular routine of getting ready for the day ahead. Being they were both running on so few hours of sleep, they kept conversations to a tired minimum. But the morning wasn't without little brushes of cheeks and lips here and there, quiet displays of affection.

Weiss reminded herself this was the last full day before she'd propose. And yet, in spite of that knowledge, she felt oddly calm. Perhaps it was because she'd finally grown accustomed to the idea. But more than that she believed it was just because she was too tired to be able to feel the nervousness.

Nonetheless, the two of them shared a long sweet kiss as always before they parted ways for work that morning.

Weiss was expecting the nerves to hit her all at once at a random hour of the day. But to her pleasant surprise the crashing wave of panic never reached her. She dealt with her customers as per usual, noticing with a bit of a smirk that some of the regulars who came in had noticed the absence of the black diamond.

It was on her lunch break when Winter called her. Weiss had mentioned to her about the intended date of the proposal as well, so her elder sister called to check and see how she was doing today, about twenty-four hours before the big moment itself occurred.

Weiss reassured her sister, thanked her for calling, and then barely got in a bite of her salad before her phone was buzzing once again. It was Ruby this time, blabbering a mile a minute as she asked Weiss a million and one questions about how she was doing, how Blake was doing, if she still intended to propose tomorrow, if it was all right if she and Yang came to the carnival with them, and so on.

Weiss pacified her friend with contrasting calmness, which still came as a surprise to Weiss herself, but she wasn't about to question her own composure in the face of this life-changing event. After reassuring Ruby about everything, Weiss sent out her usual lunchtime text to Blake, wishing her a good rest of her day.

Then, Weiss finished her food and returned to work for the remainder of the day.

By whatever miraculous forces in the universe, Weiss didn't lose focus or stutter even once that day, and before she knew it she was turning the Open sign on the front door around to Closed. Her father emerged from his office to help her close shop as per usual, but didn't let her leave without a hug.

"Best of luck tomorrow, dear. You know we'll all be on the edge of our seats to know what happens, so let us know as soon as you can."

"I will, Father. And tell Whitley not to be too much of a stick-in-the-mud about it."

"He's warming up to Blake gradually."

"I know." She gave her father a kiss on the cheek before heading for the doors.

Despite her lack of proper sleep last night, Weiss hadn't begun to feel the effects of it until the drive back home. She took her time, playing lively music and reminding herself that Blake was waiting for her.

By the time she parked in her usual spot next to Blake's car at the apartment complex, she was a little later than usual.

Evidently, her lateness had worried her girlfriend, because when Weiss turned off the car and checked her phone she had three new messages from Blake. Weiss' heart swelled with emotion as she hurried out of the car and up to the apartment to reassure her girlfriend face to face. The door was unlocked and she pushed right in.

"Blake? I'm home."

There was a bit of movement from upstairs, followed by a familiar voice.

"Weiss?"

As Weiss began making her way up the steps, Blake hurried around the railing and rushed down to meet her halfway, reaching down to grab her hands.

"Thank goodness. I was getting worried..."

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay."

Blake carefully guided her up the rest of the steps until Weiss was standing on the same level as she was. They came together immediately in a firm kiss and warm embrace. Blake's ears perked and swiveled happily now that Weiss was in her arms again. When the kiss ended, Weiss simply cuddled into her girlfriend's shoulder for a moment, hugging her back softly.

"Another week finished," she sighed, trying to make it sound like any other week. Not the final week they'd be calling each other girlfriends instead of fiancees. "I'm looking forward to that carnival tomorrow evening."

"Me, too. I think it'll be a nice change of pace. Now then, care to join me for dinner?"

"I would love to."

And the evening commenced as any other, with both girls helping one another cook, clean, and take care of other little chores. The nerves didn't come back to haunt Weiss at dinner, nor during their relaxation time on the couch watching movies afterward.

She knew it was only dormant for the time being, and that by tomorrow it would erupt full-force. But for now she enjoyed the lack of nervousness and over-thinking, and merely enjoyed her time with Blake to the fullest.

They cuddled up on the couch together beneath a shared blanket, leaning against each other as their hands stroked lazy patterns across backs.

Only then did they begin to feel the effects of not being able to get much sleep last night. Blake kept yawning, and Weiss could barely keep her eyes open enough to focus on whatever movie was playing.

It was only 9PM when they both decided to call it a night early. Blake shut off the TV and left the apartment in darkness, save for a small nightlight glowing faintly in the bathroom and patches of moonlight coming in through the curtains.

And there was a unanimous agreement not to bother fumbling their way into the bedroom. The couch was large enough for them both to sleep on, and it had been a while since they'd done so.

There was a bit of fussing with the blanket as they laid themselves down together, yawning and sighing at the promise of some well-deserved sleep. They laid on their sides facing one another initially.

Blake brushed the backs of her fingers through Weiss' bangs, planting little kisses on her forehead and her scarred cheek. When it was her turn to reciprocate, Weiss gently pet and kissed her Faunus ears. The nightly rumble of a purr filled Weiss' entire body as she pressed close, nuzzling into Blake's collar.

For a while she listened to her girlfriend's pulse, a sound she'd committed to memory years ago. It was so soothing to her, especially when it was accompanied by the steady purr threaded around her breathing.

It was truly a blessing that she had gotten to fall asleep with Blake like this for the past few years. And with any luck, after tomorrow, it would be confirmed that they could continue doing so for the rest of their lives.

She got giddy at the thought of it and looped her arms around Blake's back, then slowly eased her girlfriend on top of herself. Blake's purr paused in surprise as she was shifted, but then evened out again as she settled her weight on top. She dipped her head to kiss Weiss' lips, and Weiss cradled the back of her head with care, rubbing her thumb over each Faunus ear in turn. They parted with a happy sigh for the night.

"Goodnight."

"Sweet dreams."

Blake rested her head on Weiss' chest and closed her eyes, taking in the soothing sound of her heartbeat. Weiss let Blake's purr lull her to sleep in spite of her heightened excitement for tomorrow.

Tomorrow night at this time, Weiss wouldn't be falling asleep with just her girlfriend. She'd be falling asleep with her fiancee.

By some miracle, she actually managed to get some sleep that night.

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The next time Weiss woke there was sunlight filtering through the living room curtains. Blake was still limp on top of her with her head turned to one side so when Weiss looked down all she saw was black hair and fur.

Weiss drew in a deep breath in preparation to steel herself for what lie ahead today. The eustress was so great she almost felt like she was going to be nauseous in a good way, if that were even possible.

But she kept everything in check for the moment and simply let her hands roam along Blake's back and shoulders, caressing her hair and her cheek and her ears. She closed her eyes, trying to envision the evening, imagine what it would be like when she finally got down on one knee for Blake...

She felt it for herself when her heart rate nearly doubled in only a few seconds, and before she could try to calm herself down Blake shifted on top of her. Roused by the change in Weiss' pulse, she lifted her face and blinked bleary golden eyes up at her.

"You okay?"

Weiss strained up to kiss her cheek.

"Yes, fine. Good morning."

"Morning."

They shared a few lazy morning kisses, rolling themselves over on the limited space of the couch and hugging each other close, petting and pampering.

They enjoyed themselves until stomachs started growling, and the two girls eventually got up and stretched before heading to the kitchen to start on breakfast. They'd slept in a bit, as was natural for them to do on Saturdays, so their breakfast was more like lunch.

After cleaning up and doing chores, Weiss made sure to shower so she would be as prepared as possible for the proposal. She changed into a very nice outfit for their date, a blue sundress with a soft downy white bolero, accented with the usual sapphire jewelry. She left her hair down for now to dry before stepping out, earning a surprised hum from Blake.

"Wow. You're really going all-out for this carnival."

Weiss quickly scrambled for an excuse.

"It's because it's only once a year. It's a special occasion."

"You're right. I should wear something nice, too."

Blake retreated to their bedroom and went through her closet, selecting purple leggings, black shorts and a checkered shirt that was both colors combined. She took her turn in the bathroom, kissing Weiss' cheek as she passed her on the way there.

Weiss waited for the door to close and the water to start before she scurried into the bedroom. She was shaking as she reached for the books on the shelf that hid the ring, half-expecting it to be gone when she opened the hollowed-out tome.

But the little black velvet box was right there as she'd left it. Just to be safe, she opened it to check on the ring, which was also present.

She replaced the books so nothing was out of place, then turned around to let the diamond catch in the sunlight. When it reflected the light like this, it shimmered faintly purple. Considering what Blake would be wearing this evening, Weiss couldn't help but squeal softly at the thought of how perfectly the ring would match.

She only mused for a few minutes before she located her little purse and slipped the box into the secret inside pocket.

After that, she simply cleaned up the bedroom a bit more to give herself something to do as she waited for Blake.

The shower water stopped and Weiss retreated to the living room with her purse, checking one last time to make sure the box was in the pocket and the ring was in the box.

By then her hair was dry, and Weiss tied only a small ponytail in the back, letting the rest of it fall freely. She'd just stepped into her blue dress shoes when the bathroom door opened and Blake emerged in her very fitting outfit.

Weiss scurried over to help run the towel through her hair, padding it dry gently and fluffing it up a bit. She brushed through it until her girlfriend was satisfied. Blake thanked her with another kiss.

As Blake got her boots on, Weiss dug out her cell phone and texted Ruby. Yang was going to be driving to their apartment to pick them up, and the four of them would go to the carnival together to enjoy themselves.

Once Yang and Ruby were on their way, Blake and Weiss headed down the stairs, locked up the apartment, and headed outside hand-in-hand.

It wasn't long before the familiar yellow Porsche pulled into the parking lot. Ruby was in the passenger's seat, so Blake and Weiss took the back seats together.

It was about a five-minute drive to the site of the carnival, which was already bustling with people. The local high school was being used for the fairgrounds, the football field and track now supporting large colorful rides with flashing lights and dozens of food stands. There was screeching and laughing and general chatter filling the air as Yang let the car roll around the parking lot until a spot cleared up.

From there the four of them headed onto a short line, paid a small entrance fee, and got the backs of their hands stamped so they could enjoy the festivities.

Weiss couldn't remember the last time she'd been to an event like this, probably not since she was very young. It was thrilling just to be around so much activity and noise and motion, even without the added pressure in the back of her mind.

She held onto Blake's hand with her right, and with her left ensured that her purse was constantly secure around her shoulder. The last thing she needed was to try and propose only to find she'd dropped the ring. Even just thinking about it made her stomach heave a little, and Weiss forced the thoughts away as she followed the others inside.

There were all sorts of rides here; ones that temporarily suspended gravity, ones that rolled and flipped, ones that spun and launched and bounced and jumped. Mini roller coasters, car races, spinning chairs...

But ultimately, Weiss' eyes came to rest on one ride in particular. The one that towered above the others, the tall ferris wheel decorated with various flashing lights.

Just thinking about what she planned to do later while on that very ride made her knees tremble and made her clutch at her purse tighter. Evidently she must've also started clinging more tightly to Blake's hand as well, because the Faunus girl turned to her with concern in her eyes.

"Weiss? Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yes, fine."

"We don't have to go on any of the rides if you don't want to."

"Nonsense. We're at a carnival, aren't we?"

"Yeah!" Ruby cut in, jumping up and down in her glee. "You've gotta go on at least one ride, Weiss!" There was a bit of a knowing spark in her eyes. Weiss was thankful at least to have Ruby on her side, knowing what she planned to do tonight.

"I will, didn't you hear me, you dolt?" Weiss ruffled her friend's head. Ruby giggled before turning to Yang.

"Okay so which one do you wanna do first?"

"Hmm, good question..." Yang surveyed the area until she made a decision. "How about that one?" She pointed to one with a dozen chairs that spun and moved up and down at the same time. Both Blake and Weiss grimaced a little, but Ruby perked up right away.

"Yeah, yeah! Let's do it! First one to barf tonight loses!"

"You're on!"

The sisters clearly had their own agenda this evening, and it allowed for Blake and Weiss to have some time alone as well. They agreed to meet up again at sunset.

"At the ferris wheel," Ruby said casually. "Cuz we can see it no matter where we are. It'll be the easiest place to meet up."

Even though she'd perfectly justified her choice in location to meet up, it still had Weiss' heart jumping. But she kept her cool and simply agreed to the suggestion, though she didn't miss the little wink Ruby sent her way.

And so the sisters took off through the crowds with cries of "race ya!" and "hey!" to no doubt enjoy a high-speed action-packed evening.

On the other hand, Blake and Weiss set off at a comfortable saunter in the opposite direction.

The sun was still a few hours away from setting, so Weiss tried not to worry herself just yet. It had been a long time since she'd had a proper date with Blake, especially one that wasn't just back at the apartment or at a little cafe for brunch. She wanted them both to enjoy this to the fullest.

"So," she said, clearing her throat. "Are there any rides you particularly want to go on?"

Blake looked around for a moment, her ears swiveling at all the noise.

"Not really. I mean, I know that's kind of what a carnival is about but-"

"That's fine," Weiss said. "We can play a few games."

"That sounds good."

Weiss was a bit relieved Blake wasn't in the mood for rides either. Not only was she herself just not very good with them, but she knew she'd be constantly fretting about the little box in her purse slipping out if it was jostled too much.

So the couple headed for the little game booths where various colorful stuffed animals were on display as prizes.

They first tried their hand at water guns, then at balloon dart tosses, and then at games of chance and probability. Blake succeeded in the former two and Weiss in the latter.

They collected an assortment of little prizes for one another along the way. Weiss won Blake a stuffed black cartoon-looking cat, and Blake won Weiss a rather nice little jewelry set.

Once they'd finished that game, Blake led her girlfriend over to a bench and invited Weiss to sit. She first went around the bench to stand behind her and fastened the silver heart-shaped necklace at the nape of her neck. The little heart fell a perfect inch lower than the sapphire necklace Weiss was already wearing, making for a pleasant display on her collar.

Weiss glanced down to admire it before she felt Blake's arms wrap lightly around her from behind. Blake leaned forward, letting out a scruffy purr as she rested her chin on Weiss' head. Weiss reached up to hold her forearms, smiling as she leaned back against her.

After a moment, Blake let her go and came around to sit next to her on the bench, where she then put the matching silver bracelet on Weiss' wrist. Weiss thanked her with a sweet little kiss.

Their hands came together in their laps, fingers threading and curling, a quiet moment amongst all the noise. That was when Blake's stomach suddenly growled so loudly it spooked the both of them away from the kiss. As Blake's face flushed red, Weiss started to chuckle.

"Shall we find something to eat?"

"Sure..."

Weiss stood and offered her hand. Blake accepted and kept the stuffed cat in her other.

Together they ventured out in search of a snack. They didn't have to go too far, as every other stand was selling hot dogs or popcorn or ice cream. They opted for a funnel cake and a few bottles of water they could share.

Ultimately they returned with their food to the same bench and enjoyed themselves, pulling off little pieces of the cake and feeding one another.

At one point Blake encouraged Weiss to toss a piece at her to catch in her mouth, but it ended up hitting her between the eyes. Both girls burst out laughing as Weiss picked up a napkin and wiped the crumbs off Blake's forehead.

They finished eating, threw away their garbage, and simply sat together for a while. Weiss leaned into Blake's side and shoulder, and Blake wrapped an arm around her. Weiss hugged her stomach and the little cat plushie in her lap.

They took a rest for a few minutes, winding down after all of the excitement and games. They'd seen Ruby and Yang a few times in-passing, running onto the line for the next ride. But just playing games and walking around had been enough to wear out Weiss and Blake.

But the lively atmosphere was still swirling around them, preventing them from feeling too exhausted just yet.

Besides, there was still one last thing Weiss needed to do.

The lights all around them seemed brighter now that was sun was starting to set, bathing the already-colorful fairgrounds in even warmer hues of yellows and oranges.

The two girls basked in it for a moment. Weiss closed her eyes, willing the sunlight to give her strength to make her offer. She breathed deeply a few times, steeling herself, until she finally straightened up.

"Blake-?"

"Hey, Weiss-?"

Eyes widened as they realized they'd spoken over one another.

"Sorry."

"No, go ahead."

They blushed and chuckled, squeezing each other's hands. Weiss wanted to be sure the ferris wheel was the last thing they did, so she encouraged Blake to make any other suggestions first. But to her surprise, Blake nodded toward the ferris wheel.

"I know you don't like the crazy rides. But what about that one?"

Weiss' heart leapt into her throat, not at fear of the ride itself, but at the implications that the moment she'd been planning for for weeks on end now was truthfully approaching. She felt like she was going to be sick in the best of ways, and she sort of regretted the funnel cake. But she kept herself as composed as humanly possible, and did her best not to let her voice tremble.

"I... I think that would be very nice."

Blake's ears perked up.

"R-Really? Are you sure?"

Weiss turned back to face her and confirmed it with another kiss.

"Yes, I'm quite sure."

"Okay."

They waited one more moment, nuzzling noses together before ultimately taking each other's hands once again.

They headed for the ferris wheel, which was already dyed in the warm colors of the sunset as it made its leisurely rounds. The line was short, but as they were waiting, Weiss dug into her purse for her phone to silence it. The last thing she needed was an unexpected call coming in to ruin the moment as she was trying to propose.

As her hand was in her purse, she checked for the ring box in the hidden pocket, just to confirm it was still there.

In the meantime, Blake had put her little stuffed cat into her blouse's pocket so she could have both hands free to focus on Weiss. She kept ahold of her hand with one and cupped her cheek for a kiss with the other.

The two girls gradually advanced in their place on line, and with every step nearer they took, Weiss felt her heart slamming harder and harder against her ribs. But she did her best not to cling to Blake too tightly, lest the Faunus girl call this off.

Weiss was quiet for a moment as she went over the intangible mental script she'd prepared in advance, going through it in detail as she planned it out exactly.

By then they'd reached the front of the line and it was time to board. The man in charge of the line and ride checked the backs of their hands for stamps, then gladly permitted them entry.

Blake and Weiss walked to their carriage. Thankfully it was the kind that was enclosed with a roof, which would block out most other sounds and give them plenty of privacy.

As they boarded, Weiss was distracted by a million different thoughts and didn't really think about how to sit herself. There were two small benches facing each other, and it would have been ideal for the pose of the proposal if they'd each sat on one side to face each other.

But instead they kept their hands entwined and ended up sitting on the same bench shoulder-to-shoulder. As soon as Weiss realized the issue she cursed herself.

/Idiot! How am I supposed to do this now?/

Her next dilemma was now figuring out a way to sit on the opposite bench without making Blake wonder why she'd moved. Her mind was a mess and her heart was in turmoil as the ride began to move, but only a little.

For now it just moved a few feet at a time so other passengers could board. Weiss and Blake's carriage climbed higher and higher by the minute with pauses in between, a much slower version of the continuous ride they'd soon experience. It gave Weiss just a little bit of time to think-

"It's so pretty."

Blake's offhand comment snapped Weiss out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yes. Yes it is."

She'd hardly looked out the window at all until now. But when she did she saw the treetops and the roofs of the buildings highlighted in gold and orange, the pink clouds of the evening sky lined with warm summery hues...

She got lost in the sight for a moment and remembered how to breathe.

It was then the ride began to move, bringing them up to the highest point. Weiss used that as her excuse to move seats. She let go of Blake's hand and quickly switched sides, keeping her eyes fixated out the window, implying her only reason for moving was to get a better glimpse of the view outside. Blake didn't seem to mind all that much, as her own gaze was transfixed in much the same manner.

As Weiss settled down on the opposite bench, she took a moment to admire Blake's profile. The setting sunlight made her skin glow a creamy peach color, and it accented the dark curls of her hair with a bit of a purplish lining. Her lips, curved up into an ever-present smile, were softly pink to match the slight blush on her cheeks. And her eyes were deep gold, more precious and valuable than any gem.

Weiss felt her heart swell in such a profound manner it brought tears to her eyes.

Blake Belladonna. The love of her life.

And she was going to propose to her. After all this time.

Since that first day of college when Weiss had transferred in, sitting alone at the lunch table, crying in the bathroom.

To those clumsy first dates, the comfort after the panic attacks, the gradual opening up and sharing of feelings.

To the day they'd moved in together, gotten jobs and started working, living out their dreams of being together...

It all crashed over her at once, and her hand trembled as it reached for the little box inside her purse. She'd already forgotten the speech and whatever words she'd planned on saying. She just had to speak from her heart.

The ride brought them down slowly, then began to ascend once more. Blake was still staring out the window as Weiss subtly pulled the box into her lap, hiding it behind her hand and the creases of her dress. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, trying to keep the tears at bay...

"This is so nice..." Blake's voice served to ease her nerves a little. When Weiss next looked up, Blake was looking at her. But whatever smile she'd been wearing faded and her ears went flat the second she noticed the tears.

"Weiss? What's wrong?" Blake made a move to get up, to switch seats and sit beside her again, prepared to stop the ride. But Weiss quickly put out her free hand to stop her, keeping the other curled around the box concealed behind her knee.

"No... no," Weiss half-chuckled. "It's all right. I just... got a bit overwhelmed... thinking about how beautiful you are, Blake..." She smiled. A little sob slipped free and she had to wipe her eyes.

Blake's tension slowly dissipated as she began to understand.

"Oh... gosh, Weiss... don't do that to me..."

"I'm sorry."

Blake reached over and rested a hand on Weiss' knee for support. Weiss laid her free hand on top, rubbing her thumb gently over the back. Her eyes traveled up to find Blake's once more, shimmering in the sunlight.

"Blake... I love you so much..."

Blake turned her hand over beneath Weiss' so they were palm-to-palm.

"I love you, too."

The Faunus girl leaned forward, coaxing Weiss as well. Eyes closed, they came together for a kiss at the top of the ferris wheel just as a warm ray of light slipped in, filling the air with tender warmth.

It was a kiss that made Weiss confident, confident enough that she didn't need to recite the lengthy speech she'd had planned. Because everything she'd ever wanted to tell Blake and more was already being said without words.

The kiss lasted for a long moment, breath quivering on lips as tears dripped down from both girls. Weiss' grip on the ring box tightened, and as they parted from the kiss she let herself slide off the bench, down onto one knee-

"Blake Belladonna-"

"Weiss Schnee-"

A gasp.

A pause.

Weiss' eyes flew open.

She found Blake there before her, also kneeling on the floor of the carriage with a little white box perched in her palm. Blake's eyes were wide in shock as she looked at the same scene of Weiss reflected before her.

Both down on one knee.

Both with a velvet ring box in-hand.

The ferris wheel continued turning, but it felt like time had stopped.

Weiss couldn't believe what she was seeing. When she blinked, she felt two more tears dribble down her cheeks.

After several moments of feeling like her heart was going to burst, it now seemed to stop altogether.

"W... What-"

"You-"

They spoke at the same time, then clammed up to let the other speak, resulting in more stunned silence.

"B-Blake... you-"

"Weiss-"

Again they stopped talking, hands shaking as they came together, clutching onto one another and the little ring boxes balanced on their knees. Weiss shook her head, voice clipped with emotion.

"B-Blake... i-is this-?"

"A proposal...?" Blake finished. "Yeah... I-I mean... I was hoping to surprise you, but..."

"W-Well you did!"

"A-And so did you!"

Again they both fell silent, jaws dropping, hearts stopping.

And then all at once they burst into laughter and threw their arms around each other.

The ring boxes settled into their laps as the two girls pulled each other into a fervent embrace, so tight and happy and joyful it almost hurt, but in the best of ways. Their hearts were racing, pulses rushing through their entire bodies as the adrenaline fluctuated and then drained out all at once.

They sobbed into each other's shoulders, gasping with little giggles of delight and disbelief.

It took Weiss a moment to actually comprehend what was happening. As soon as she did, she quickly eased herself back, only to pull Blake in for another breathless kiss. Blake kissed back, breaking the contact for air, then going back in.

They kissed over and over in between sobs and laughter, until both girls were trembling too hard and were too short on breath to continue. Weiss managed to find her voice first.

"Blake, h-how did you-?"

Blake eased back as well, both arms still loosely looped around her girlfriend.

"W-Well I... r-remember that time we went out to dinner... with our parents...?"

"That was when I asked your mother and father-"

"What?" Blake gasped. "Th-That's what you were doing over there?"

"Y-Yes!" Weiss confessed. "That's why I... came out of the bathroom looking like such a mess. D-Don't tell me at the time you were-"

"I was asking your mom and dad... for your hand..."

"You... You wh..."

But as Weiss' mind rushed back to thoughts of that evening, she did recall Blake had been a little shaky as well. Weiss had assumed her father had said something insensitive to Blake to make her upset. But this explained everything perfectly.

"S-So then... Winter-"

"She knew," Blake mumbled. "And I'm guessing she was the one who helped you get my parents alone so you could talk to them...?"

"Yes..."

Another pause. The ferris wheel brought them to the top again, then began going back down. Weiss sniffled, and Blake reached out to wipe a tear, gently caressing her scarred cheek in the process.

"So then," the Faunus girl went on. "That evening when you had to stay late at work-"

"I lied about that," Weiss admitted. "I'd gone to see Ruby. To talk to her about... what I should do... She'd said Yang was gone that evening to see a friend-"

"Since you said you were working late, I knew you wouldn't be home," Blake confirmed. "I invited Yang over to our place so we could talk about... how I'd propose..."

Another beat of silence. Weiss shook her head slowly.

"Those two-"

"They planned this-"

The ferris wheel brought them low, then began lifting them up once more. Weiss and Blake burst out laughing again.

"I don't believe it-"

"And yet I'm not surprised..."

They came together in another tight hug, still shaking from all the excitement. Weiss just clung to Blake for a moment, trying to absorb it all. Blake pulled her close, feeling the hard beat of Weiss' heart in her own chest.

"No wonder you'd been so stressed lately..."

"I'm sorry," Weiss murmured. "I was so caught up in it all I didn't even recognize how stressed you were..."

"Of course you did. You made me breakfast in bed and helped me relax for bed every night, Weiss."

"And you were always checking to make sure I was all right."

Another kiss, and they helped put each other's worries to rest. When they parted they simply pressed their foreheads together, still hiccuping softly.

Even in spite of the fact that Blake had just provided her with the best surprise of her life, Weiss still needed to finish what she'd come here to do. She found the box in her lap and coaxed Blake to look down. Blake mirrored the motion and presented Weiss with her own box.

They opened them at the same time, revealing Weiss' beautiful black diamond and Blake's contrasting pure white one. They were dazzling gems, so lovely the sight of them drew both girls into deeper silence once more. Weiss felt more tears rushing down her face, but the smile on her lips never faded.

"Blake... I love you... with all my heart..." Her breath hitched and she choked, but in spite of how terrible she must've sounded, she kept going. "W-Would you... do me the h-highest honor... and marry me...?"

She barely got the words out before she burst into tears again, pressing her palm to her mouth to stifle it. She watched the tears tumble down Blake's cheeks as well, passing a heartfelt smile on the way down.

"Yes. Yes, Weiss, I will marry you..." She leaned forward and hugged her close, sobbing into Weiss' shoulder. "I-I love you too... I love you so much... I want to spend... the rest of my life with you... Will you marry me, too...?"

"Of course I will... Of course I'll marry you, Blake..." Weiss squeezed her back, and the air was once again filled with sobs and chuckles.

The two girls held tightly to one another, crying and laughing their hearts out in the purest display of affection.

After all that, they couldn't get many more words out, other than mumbles of each other's names and repeated whispers of "I love you."

They didn't know what to do with themselves. They just hugged more, kissed more. Cried more, laughed more.

The ferris wheel brought them up and down again a few more times before they managed to wipe each other's tears enough to see clearly.

That was when they each removed the respective rings from their boxes.

They each held out their left hands, and simultaneously slid the rings on with their right.

Weiss' black diamond with its faint purple accents looked gorgeous on Blake's pale skin, matching beautifully with the clothes and colors she was wearing.

And Blake's white diamond shimmered faintly blue against Weiss' perfect pallor, glowing with a subtle brilliance that compared only to Weiss' own beauty.

Both girls stared in awe at their own rings and then at each other's. The sunlight caught on the diamonds simultaneously, creating tiny little rays of rainbow light dancing through the space between them.

The ferris wheel was bringing them down for the last time.

Weiss and Blake locked eyes, sky blue with sunset gold.

Their hands came together, fingers interlocking as they leaned forward into one another.

Their lips bumped softly, then pressed together with a gentle firmness.

Their first kiss now officially as each other's fiancees.

Their hands and hearts trembled with emotion, tears still falling down quietly as they eased back. Still smiling, they pulled each other close in a desperate embrace, hearts beating as one as their carriage was finally lowered to the ground.

From there, the two girls grabbed hands and staggered to their feet together. They both nearly collapsed again with how much they were shaking, but by leaning on one another they managed to stay up.

Their carriage door was opened, and together they limped out step by step into the evening light.

There was a crowd gathered around for the next round of the ride, but at the head of it were three very familiar faces. Blake and Weiss perked up in shock.

"Ruby? Yang?"

"Winter?"

The three waiting girls spoke in turn.

"So? So?!" Ruby cried.

"How was the ride?" Yang smirked.

"Do tell," Winter agreed.

Blake and Weiss shared a glance, but the smiles returned to their faces instantly, accompanied by bright pink blushes. Maintaining their grip on one another with their free hands, they each lifted their left to reveal the rings that sparkled in the sunlight.

There was a gasp through the crowds, loudest of all from Ruby and Yang.

"Does-"

"Does that mean...?"

Blake and Weiss smiled and nodded as a few more tears of joy slipped free. They spoke their answer in unison.

"She said yes."

Not a second after the words had left their mouths, Ruby, Yang, Winter and even several strangers started squealing and clapping and cheering.

"Oh my gosh!" Ruby squeaked. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gooossh! It's really happening!"

"Congrats you two!" Yang clapped. "Hey everyone! We got ourselves a newly-engaged couple here!"

It didn't take long to get the attention of everyone in the general vicinity, and dozens more were rushing over to see what was going on. In only seconds, a crowd of at least a hundred people had gathered to clap and cheer and congratulate Weiss and Blake.

Winter was sure to take photos, though once she started tearing up she handed that duty over to Yang so she could try to compose herself. Ruby was already blubbering and clinging onto her older sister, and even Yang was crying.

It was almost surreal for Blake and Weiss to comprehend everything that was happening. All of this excitement and cheering on the behalf of total strangers, these congratulations and well wishes, and the overall atmosphere of joy and delight...

All of this was for them.

But it wasn't long before the two girls only had eyes for each other once again. Weiss reached up to brush her thumb over a tear on Blake's cheek. At the same time, Blake leaned down a little to bump their foreheads together.

Weiss could hear her purring even more loudly than the cheering crowds. She threw her arms around Blake and squeezed her for everything she was worth. Blake hugged her back, purring so hard Weiss could feel it.

Blake lifted her clean off the ground and gave her a twirl, causing an even louder cheer to sweep through the crowds. Weiss laughed, and in that moment she knew she'd finally understood the feeling of true bliss.

Blake set her down again, her golden eyes shimmering with the fondest affection. Weiss kept her arms looped around her neck, pulling herself up as she coaxed Blake down.

"I love you, Blake. I love you so much..."

Blake purred and pulled her closer by the small of her back.

"I love you too, Weiss."

And they hardly needed Yang's little cheering squad chanting "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" to encourage them.

Weiss and Blake kissed right there in the middle of the fairgrounds for all to see. Cheers and shouts rose up even louder than before as cameras flashed and people cried. It felt like the whole world had paused for a moment just to shine its warm evening light on them.

They kissed for as long as they could, somewhere between the soft chasteness of the first kiss to the hard-earned passion built up over the years to the most recent one.

It was tender and warm, fiery and soft.

It was the parts of their love they couldn't find words for, but could still understand perfectly deep inside their hearts.

They parted at last, purring and smiling and crying, their monochrome rings catching in the light.

When they finally turned back to their friends and family, Ruby Yang and Winter came rushing at them for a massive group hug.

Weiss and Blake welcomed them with open arms, and held onto one another at the center of it all.

And so the next chapter of their lives together would begin.

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A/N: Ahh yes a few of you did call it and predict things exactly, but I hope you still enjoyed it nonetheless! Thanks again to Bjorn for the adorable patron request that birthed this! No matter how many times I've written proposals between the RWBY girls, especially Monochrome, it never gets old for me!

I hope you enjoyed!