Formal Arrangements (ch1)

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

This is a new reward from my patron Bjorn Jeppsson! This story follows up their previous reward story Taking Chances. This was a really wonderful piece and I loved writing it! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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															Formal Arrangements

																 Chapter 1.

It had been several years since the first day Weiss had set foot into Blake's university.

They could both still remember it very clearly, how Weiss had turned heads and caused countless rumors to spread around campus, particularly from the Faunus.

How Blake had tripped over her own two feet and ended up in a pile of laundry because she'd been staring.

How Weiss had secluded herself from everyone around her, and how no one else had made any efforts at inviting her in. At least until Blake, Ruby, and Yang had made the offer.

How Blake and Weiss had started to steal shy glances at one another, brush their hands together.

And how they'd eventually started dating, standing up for one another at the restaurant, and comforting one another when they'd gotten back to their dorms.

That night in particular remained as being one of the most significant of their relationship thus far.

There had been many more since then, such as the day they'd graduated university together, the day they'd told their parents about their relationship, and the day they'd moved into their new apartment together.

But now, two years after graduation and one year after they'd moved in together, Weiss was entertaining ideas for the next big unforgettable day of their relationship.

But it was still a long ways off.

She and Blake lived together in a very nice apartment in town, not too far from either of their parents' homes. Ruby and Yang had gotten an apartment together nearby, both pairs helping to financially support each other.

Weiss had naturally gotten a job at her father's local jewelry store, one of the main stores in the chain. Blake had gotten a job at the local library and also wrote and edited a few articles for the newspaper on the side.

They both worked diligently from nine to five every day, sending each other little texts or calling each other during their breaks to check in.

They each loved their jobs, but their favorite part of every day was undoubtedly coming home.

Blake often got back before Weiss did, so she'd start preparing dinner so Weiss didn't have to fret about it. Blake's job was very quiet. All she had to do was help people navigate their way through a library, organize books, and look over a few documents.

Weiss' job, on the other hand, was very different. She had a lot of responsibilities, especially considering she was working right under her father's watchful eye. She had keys to vaults and display cases that contained extremely valuable diamonds and stones, she had to deal with customers who would often argue with her about prices or the legitimacy of the products, and despite the intense security she was always nervous of robbery.

By the time Weiss got home each day she was always exhausted, so Blake did all she could on her part to help lessen her girlfriend's burden.

Presently, she was chopping vegetables for a salad while a pot on the stove boiled water for soup. She was playing cozy music from the little radio in the living room, her ears perked and alert for the sound of Weiss' car pulling in outside.

The second she heard the engine that unmistakably belonged to a very nice car one's wealthy father could afford to pay for, Blake put down her cutting knife and quickly washed and dried her hands. She slid across the hardwood floor in her slippers, hurrying through the little living room area to grab onto the railing of the staircase. She made quick work of scurrying down to reach the door and opened it outward right as Weiss was reaching for her key.

"Oh! Blake!"

"Surprise." Blake opened her arms and Weiss moved right in, squeezing her tightly and releasing a long sigh. Blake did what came naturally upon seeing Weiss and started to purr softly.

"Welcome home. How was your day?"

"I can tell you it's much better now that it's over."

"Oh, no. Here, give me your purse. Tell me what happened."

Blake carried Weiss' purse up the stairs for her as Weiss slipped out of her jacket and hung it on a hook on the wall. She left her formal shoes at the wall and followed Blake up the steps.

"It was just so aggravating. The way some of these people feel the need to fight with me. It's very difficult not to snap."

"I can imagine. But you've always been good with keeping your cool."

"They make it extremely challenging to maintain it."

"Sorry you had a bad day." Blake put her girlfriend's purse down on the couch and turned to bring her into another hug. She undid Weiss' ponytail for her, un-restricting her hair and letting it breathe. Weiss took the hint and did the same.

"It's fine now that it's over. I have you to myself all night."

"Yes you do. And you have dinner waiting."

"Blake Belladonna, you are a blessing."

Weiss strained up to kiss her, and Blake indulged. When she eased back, she urged Weiss to sit on the couch and relax a bit.

"I'll be another minute or two. Just take it easy now."

As Weiss obliged and took a seat on the couch, she kept her gaze on Blake in the kitchen.

"How was your day then?"

"Same old. Quiet. Calm. Uneventful."

"Consider me jealous."

Weiss leaned herself back against the couch and closed her eyes, letting the tranquil music and the familiar sounds of the apartment wash over her senses.

Of course her job stressed her out sometimes, but lately there'd been something else tacked to the back of her mind that had increased her anxiety. She was thinking about it constantly at work, but even more so at home around Blake. Since it involved Blake.

She had been thinking about it for weeks now, probably an entire month at least, and every day it just took up more and more of her thoughts. She knew she had to do something about it quickly before it started to affect her work-

"Weiss?"

Weiss opened her eyes with a gasp to find Blake looked upside-down at her from over the couch, smiling.

"Dinner's ready. Eat first and then you can rest more."

She leaned down and kissed her girlfriend softly, then skirted around the couch to offer her hand. Weiss brushed off her troubled thoughts and accepted, standing with a grunt before following Blake across the room to the little kitchen table.

Blake had already set out the bowls of soup, one of their warmest meals for the final chilly days of winter.

Naturally with the amount of money at her disposal, Weiss had found them a very nice, spacious, modern apartment. But her only complaint was that the heating never seemed to work all the way. The place was always lukewarm at best, and she often came home to find Blake piled beneath layers of sweaters and robes.

Even now, dressed exactly like that and sipping at hot soup, Blake's arms were shivering a little. Weiss tried to eat quickly but not exactly at a rush.

They talked about their days, but Weiss ended up doing most of the speaking due to how frustratingly eventful hers had been.

Blake listened attentively, ears flattening according to Weiss' stress level as she recounted everything. Rude customers, difficult customers, stupid customers, all of whom Weiss was required to treat with the utmost respect, respect they weren't even the slightest bit deserving of. Just reliving it all was stressing her out again, so Blake stood and gently quieted her with a kiss.

"Tell me the rest after you've had a nice long shower."

Weiss sighed but smiled up at her.

"I will."

So while Weiss was in the bathroom, Blake cleaned the dishes and tidied up the kitchen. She then went into the bedroom and lit a small stick of incense to help soothe the atmosphere.

When Weiss emerged dressed in her long-sleeved nightgown, Blake helped dry her damp hair for her. When it was Blake's turn to shower, Weiss took care of laundry in the meantime and then prepared a pot of green tea.

By the time Blake was finished all of their nightly chores were complete. But even though Blake had put her warm layers back on, she was still shivering due to her wet hair.

Weiss coaxed her to the bed and hurried off to get the hair dryer, then sat down behind her. She turned the device on low, because she knew the sound irritated Blake's ears in spite of her love for the heat. Weiss made sure to use her free hand to cup behind Blake's Faunus ears and not blow on them directly.

She knew exactly how to care for Blake in the perfect manner by now, and Blake was quick to relax and close her eyes. She trusted Weiss with everything, including her sensitive ears.

Weiss continued until Blake's hair was totally dry, then went back to the bathroom to put the hair dryer away and turn off the lights in the other rooms. She went into the kitchen, poured out the tea that was now ready, and retreated to the bedroom once more. As soon as Blake saw the teacups in her hands, another purr rumbled to life.

"You're the best."

They sat side by side and warmed themselves up, sipping at their teacups until they'd finished and put them aside.

From there they crawled into bed, shuddering at the coolness of the sheets and the pillowcase as they laid themselves down. Weiss hadn't even finished stretching her legs out before Blake was pulling her in, hugging her with fervor as she shook the shivers away. Weiss hugged her shoulders, running both hands up and down her back softly.

"You poor thing. I'm sorry it's still this cold."

"It's all right," she purred. "I don't mind it if I have you."

"The feeling's mutual."

Weiss curled herself closer to Blake, resting her chin over her shoulder for a few moments as she closed her eyes. Blake was still purring faintly, but she was still shaking a little too.

So Weiss gave a gentle push and eased her girlfriend down onto her back, then laid down on top of her. She kissed Blake's forehead, then gradually moved down to her lips. Blake exhaled a long gravely purr as the last of the chills finally dwindled.

Weiss watched her fondly, relishing the warmth that being with Blake elicited in her heart. She loved her more and more each day and more and more each night.

Which was why she'd been entertaining thoughts, those thoughts that had been distracting her at work, bubbling up at every given opportunity...

They came again now, and Weiss started to feel the tightness gnarl in her stomach once more. She quickly laid her head down on Blake's shoulder so her girlfriend wouldn't see her expression. She tried to relax against her, but she realized she was breathing manually and everything was jumbling inside of her.

Blake noticed too. Weiss suddenly grew tense in her arms and her breath quickened along with her pulse. Blake put her purr on pause for a moment to concentrate on Weiss instead. She kept her arms locked at the small of her back but soon started to rub them up and down. When she looked up, Weiss had already hidden her face from view.

"Weiss? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, of course."

"Really? Because you seem like you're stressing out again."

"You're imagining things."

"Weiss..." Blake nuzzled the side of her girlfriend's head, running a hand up to the center of her back. "You can't get stressed at home too. This is where you're supposed to relax. There's nothing you need to worry about, okay?"

Weiss wished she could believe that. She had to make Blake believe that she did.

"Right. I know..."

"Then why is your heart pounding so hard?"

Weiss made a withering sound in the back of her throat and still refused to look up. Blake stroked through her hair gently and let her purr resurface.

"Take it easy. You worry too much about every little thing. Just take a deep breath. I'm burning lavender."

Blake demonstrated and inhaled slowly, letting the pleasant scent of the incense fill her lungs.

Weiss followed suit, drawing in a slow, controlled breath, trying not to think about what she kept thinking about. She just wanted to relax and focus on Blake. If she couldn't relax then Blake wouldn't be able to either.

So she thought of it that way, and let it be for her girlfriend's sake instead of her own. That made it much easier. Her heartbeat and breathing slowed and calmed down significantly.

Blake's purring increased as she felt Weiss' condition improving. She eventually rolled the smaller girl off herself and laid them back on their sides facing each other. Weiss finally looked up to her in the darkness, blue eyes shining softly.

"Thank you, Blake."

"Happy to help."

But another shiver ran through her, and this time Weiss took over.

"Come here, you."

She pulled Blake in to her chest, cradling her there and pulling the blankets up to her shoulders. Blake clung to her back and snuggled in, releasing her purr fully now. Weiss planted little kisses between and directly on her Faunus ears, then started to hum a little.

Weiss' song combined with Blake's purr, and they each provided one another with their own lullabies.

"Goodnight," Weiss whispered. "I love you, Blake."

"Love you too, Weiss."

And Weiss knew the thoughts would come back to pester her in the morning.

But for now she could just forget and enjoy and rest.

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About a week later, Weiss was the one who suggested both of them invite their parents out to dinner one upcoming evening. She'd told Blake her reasoning was simple: that they hadn't all dined together in quite a while now.

Blake agreed it would be nice to have everyone get together again for a nice evening, and so she'd made the offer to her parents as soon as possible.

Weiss did the same, calling up her parents and asking when a convenient evening would be for everyone.

Eventually they decided on the following weekend. Which meant Weiss still had a whole entire week of work to fret about what she'd been fretting about all this time.

She did her best not to get distracted at work, but by Friday she was almost despondent with how jumbled her thoughts were. The second her shift was over she all but hurried out the door. She drove home slowly in contrast, mumbling to herself about what she planned to do and how she planned to do it.

They were having dinner with their parents tomorrow evening, so she still had one day left to over-think things. But at least for tonight it meant she could mentally plan it out just one more time.

She prepared a dress in advance for tomorrow and Blake followed suit, each of them excited for the family gathering.

But of course Blake could still notice that Weiss' excitement was more on the side of stress than anything else. She'd noticed her girlfriend had been particularly high-strung – even for Weiss Schnee – in the past few weeks, but recent days had only seen that tension escalating to the brim.

So Blake quite literally caught her girlfriend after dinner, hugging her from behind as she was trying to wash the dishes. Weiss jumped in surprise and paused as she dried her hands off on a towel.

"Blake? Is everything all right?"

"I should be asking you." Blake nuzzled her cheek and then kissed her there. "What's going on, Weiss? Is something happening at work? You seem so... nervous or something."

"What? No, not at all!" Weiss turned around in her arms and hugged Blake's shoulders softly. "Everything's fine. I can promise you."

"Are you sure? You've been acting a bit odd lately."

"It's nothing bad, I assure you. I'm just a little excited for dinner tomorrow."

"Is that all?" Blake checked. She held Weiss close for a moment, letting her heightened senses hone in on her. But although Weiss' pulse was a bit quick, she could tell the energy wafting off of her was more positive than negative. Eustress if anything.

Weiss helped reassure her further. "That's all, Blake. I'm all right. But you're so sweet to worry." Weiss thanked her with a tender kiss to the lips, smiling fondly as Blake pulled her in close. When they eased back Blake's ears had lifted and the worry had faded from her eyes.

"If you're sure, then. But still, you worried me, so now I have to make sure you're okay."

Without warning she bent down to scoop Weiss up into her arms. Weiss squealed and curled her hands to her chest as she was picked up bridal style.

"B-Blake, the dishes-"

"Can wait. You've been working too hard." Blake leaned down to kiss her again, then turned to carry her into the bedroom. She laid Weiss down on her back gently, then climbed up next to her, nuzzling against her nose and stealing another kiss. She draped an arm across Weiss' chest and pulled her in close, then let out a soft purr.

"You know you don't have to stress about tomorrow," Blake reminded her. "Our parents are on good terms now. I'd even say our fathers are friends, wouldn't you?"

"Of course."

Their families hadn't exactly started out amiable, considering all the nasty rumors that had surrounded the Schnee family's jewelry store business. But after their daughters had started seeing one another, their fathers had gradually started to tolerate each another. And after several months, and then a few years, tensions had softened between everyone. Now their mothers were quite close and their fathers were like old friends. And Winter liked Blake very much, even if Blake had been more than a little intimidated by her for a while.

"I just have to wonder if I'll ever grow on your little brother," she sighed.

"Whitely is as stubborn as we Schnees come. But he'll have to get over himself."

Weiss snuggled into her girlfriend's embrace and hugged her close, closing her eyes as she tried to calm her thoughts once again.

They took it easy for the remainder of that evening, got all of their chores done so they would be able to sleep in as long as they wanted to tomorrow.

And they really slept in.

They didn't start rousing themselves until nearly 11AM the next day. Weiss got up first to shower, but even after she was finished Blake was still curled up in bed fast asleep.

So Weiss made breakfast - omelets and fruit salads - and brought it to her girlfriend in bed. Blake whimpered happily, hugging and kissing Weiss repeatedly as they settled in together to enjoy the meal.

It was a comfortable kind of day where they just stayed inside and cleaned house a bit, watched some TV and cuddled up together.

When evening neared, they started getting ready for tonight. Weiss adorned her pretty blue dress and shawl, while Blake put on a black leggings, a long skirt, and a purple blouse. She took Weiss' hair out of its ponytail and brushed it for her, then tied it back up differently. She left most of Weiss' hair down but gathered just a portion of it into a small ponytail to sit at the center behind her head.

When she was finished, Weiss brushed Blake's hair for her too. She was still excessively jittery, but she just kept telling Blake it was because she was excited for dinner.

"We haven't done this in so long," she told her. "I'm just a bit giddy, that's all."

But inside she was an absolute mess. Her heart was racing a mile a minute long before they even stepped foot out of the apartment. She was stiff and nervous as Blake drove them to the restaurant, and then even more so once they walked in to find their families had just arrived as well.

The only comfort for Weiss then was Winter, who knew exactly what Weiss was planning to do tonight. Weiss had confided in her older sister and no one else.

So when she saw her now, Weiss hurried over to her and threw her arms around Winter, hugging her desperately as she whispered to her frantically.

"Winter! I'm so nervous! I'm not sure I can do this..."

Winter held her sister firmly. Weiss was trembling, and she knew her well enough to know Weiss had been fretting like this for weeks on end. Winter patted her back softly to soothe her.

"You'll be just fine, Weiss. You can do this. I'm going to help you, remember?"

Weiss inhaled shakily, then let it out.

"Right..."

"Take a deep breath." Winter eased back and rested both hands on Weiss' shoulders. "It's going to be fine, Weiss."

"But what if he-"

"Hush now." Winter gave her sister a quick kiss on the forehead, then turned her around. "Go greet Mother and Father first."

So Weiss did as she was told and went to hug her parents first before she could worry even more. She also gave Whitely a pat on the head, to which he snorted.

And then Weiss found herself face to face with Blake's parents. Kali and Ghira were dressed very nicely, and the second Kali was done hugging Blake she couldn't wait to pull Weiss into an exuberant hug as well.

"Weiss, dear, it's so good to see you! You look lovely!"

"Thank you..." Weiss relished the compliment and the support for a second until Kali eased back, looking to her husband. "Darling, doesn't she look lovely?"

Weiss stiffened now as Ghira stepped toward her, towering a solid few feet higher than her. He grinned and laughed a jolly chortle.

"Yes she does! How are you, Weiss?" He offered his burly hand, and when Weiss went to shake it her own hand was only half the size.

"I'm very well sir, thank you..."

"Now now, I've told you before. Call me Ghira, I insist."

Weiss could only dip her head and recoil back to Blake's side. The Faunus girl had just finished shaking hands with Weiss' father, and both of them were a bit relieved to be done with the greetings. Neither man had exactly been thrilled at the idea of his own daughter dating the other's at first, so both girls were still a bit hesitant around them.

Blake turned to Winter who offered her a brief embrace as well.

"Thank you for looking after Weiss. I know she's a bit of a handful."

"Not at all," Blake chuckled.

After that Blake turned to Whitely, who just crossed his arms and huffed. Willow gave him a light shove on the shoulder.

"Whitely, don't be rude."

"But Mother-"

"He's just jealous," Winter smirked, looking back to the Faunus girl. "I told you he doesn't like you solely because of the fact that you took Weiss away from him."

"That isn't true!" he cried. "Mother!"

But Willow only chuckled to herself alongside her eldest daughter. Whitely blushed bright red. Weiss hurried in to hug him.

"You are so precious!"

"Get off of me!"

Everyone had a laugh at the poor boy's expense, but it lightened the mood even further. As the waiter led the group over to their table, Weiss found Blake's hand and squeezed gently. Blake jumped slightly until she realized it was her.

"Sorry. Was I too quiet around your dad?"

"Not at all," Weiss assured her. "He likes you very much, Blake. He may not express it much, but he does."

"Are you sure?"

"Very. As you'd said it's only Whitely, that little scoundrel... I'm still more worried that your father doesn't approve of me..."

"He does," Blake said. "He definitely does. Trust me."

"If you say so..."

They all took their seats, and Weiss made sure to keep Winter on her other side. Conversation struck up naturally as everyone started talking about work and school and business and news.

Weiss almost forgot her nervousness, but it resurfaced every single time her gaze met Ghira's. Her stomach was so knotted she could barely eat her supper. Blake was starting to get concerned.

"Are you feeling all right?" she murmured so only Weiss could hear. "Do you feel sick?"

"No. Still just a bit nervous..."

"Don't be." Blake kissed her forehead briefly.

Weiss appreciated the concern so much. But she wasn't nervous for the reasons Blake thought she was. Only Winter knew the real reason.

Her older sister noticed Weiss' taciturn behavior now and nudged her foot beneath the table. Weiss flashed her a panicked look, trying to communicate without speaking. Winter simply tilted her head and smiled.

Weiss tried to pick up on her sister's confident aura. She managed to eat some more of her food in spread-out intervals, and even joined the conversations a bit.

It was when the bill was delivered that she spiraled all over again, because she knew it was finally time to do what she'd been fretting about for so many weeks now. Once again she met her sister's eyes, and Winter understood her cue. They'd planned this out together casually, but now it was time to put the plan into action.

As everyone was standing from their chairs and putting on their coats, Winter spoke up.

"Before we leave," she said, looking to her parents. "I'd like to observe the statue in the corner. You know the one."

"Ah, yes," her father nodded. "It's a very fine piece. I asked the owner about it once. Said it came all the way from Atlas."

"You don't say?" Winter easily pulled her father on board with her tactic, knowing he'd love to rant and rave about his hometown as much as possible, especially if it meant he could look important in front of the Belladonnas.

So as the group was beginning to shuffle over to the corner of the restaurant, Weiss quickly caught Blake's wrist.

"I'll be along in a moment. I've got to run to the restroom."

Blake couldn't really be sure because of the tightness of Weiss' grip on her, but she almost got the feeling Weiss was shaking.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, fine! Go ahead now, I'll be there soon."

Blake held her gaze for a moment longer, then flicked her ears. She didn't go without leaving Weiss with a quick kiss to her temple. With that she turned around to follow Winter across the restaurant with the rest of Weiss' family.

Ghira and Kali were just about to set in behind their daughter when Weiss made her move. Heart pounding, she reached out to grab Kali's wrist with an almost vice-like grip, her voice so clipped it was nearly a yelp.

"Wait! Please..." Her soft shriek gained both of the Faunus' attention. They turned around to give her their full attention. Kali's ears were perked tall while Ghira tilted his head, puzzled.

"Weiss, dear?" Kali said. "Is something the matter?"

"Yes, you look rather pale," Ghira said.

Weiss' heart was in her throat as she looked up at him.

"It's n-nothing," she stuttered. "I-I mean it's not. I... I have to ask you both... something..."

Blake's parents shared confused looks with one another. Ghira shrugged and softened his voice a little.

"You can ask whatever you'd like, Weiss."

"Yes, anything." Kali used her free hand to ease Weiss' grip off her wrist. She picked up both of the girl's hands and held them gently, sensing that her unease was almost crippling.

Weiss knew she didn't have a lot of time. She tried to dig through her mind and recall the speech she'd planned, the exact words she'd wanted to tell them. And though she'd had it memorized weeks ago, now that it was time for the real thing it all went out the window. She just needed to get to the heart of the matter.

"K-Kali..." she said. "Ghira..." She'd never called Blake's father by name before and shot him a nervous look. But he only smiled and nodded approvingly. Weiss drew in a deep breath and continued. "I... as you know, Blake and I have been together for quite some time now... and, well-"

"Ghira-!" Kali gasped, her eyes suddenly filling with tears as she clutched Weiss' hands. "Ghira!"

"Let her finish, darling." But in spite of his words, Weiss could tell he too was getting excited. A big smile was already spreading across his face and he braced a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Go on, Weiss."

Weiss could barely breathe at this point, let alone speak. So she just said what was most essential before she forgot how to form words altogether.

"I... I'd wanted to ask you both... for your blessing..."

She closed her eyes and waited. Waited for the drawn-out silence where both of them debated and thought it through, considered their disapproval-

"Yes!" Kali cried. "Dear, of course you have our blessing!" She didn't waste a second before replying and pulled the heiress into an excited hug so tight it crushed away Weiss' numbness. Which in this case was a good thing, because she'd lost feeling in just about every part of her body by this point.

Kali lifted her up until her shoes were an inch off the ground, and Weiss hung limply in her embrace until she was put down again a second later. She very nearly fell over, and she probably would have if it hadn't been for Ghira lifting her up a split second later.

"Of course!" he bellowed, holding her up by the underarms. He was grinning so widely Weiss thought it must've hurt his face.

She was suspended in the air now at least three feet off the ground, utterly baffled by his reaction. She'd anticipated a warm reaction from Kali, but not from him. She'd thought he'd be disapproving, that he wouldn't accept the idea of his daughter marrying a Schnee, even if their family relationship had been mended.

Weiss' eyes were wide in shock, and she didn't notice she'd already started crying until Kali did.

"Ghira!" she gasped, tugging on his arm. He looked down at her, then back to Weiss to find tears dripping down her face.

"M-My apologies!" He quickly put Weiss down again where Kali rushed in to hold her hands once more, keeping her steady.

"Weiss? Dear, are you all right?" Kali was crying too, tears of excitement and joy, but she frowned now, unsure of why Weiss was so upset.

Weiss was still for a moment, trying to comprehend things. She shook her head slowly, watching the tears drip down in the process.

"I-I-" She lifted her face, looking back and forth between them. Even Ghira was tearing up by now. Weiss couldn't believe this was real. It was almost too good to be true. "You... You both... approve... of me...?"

"What are you saying, dear?" Kali pulled Weiss into another hug. "Of course we do!"

"I'll admit, not at first," Ghira said. "I still remember the day Blake came home from college and told us she'd found herself a girlfriend." He was still smiling, and reached up to rub his knuckles over his eyes. "We were so happy for her. Of course we weren't too thrilled that you were a Schnee-"

"Ghira..."

"But that was my mistake," he continued. "I ended up judging you by your name before I even knew you properly. As it turns out you're the perfect match for my daughter. I've never seen her happier than when she was with you. And even now she often calls to tell us she's the happiest she's ever been."

"She... She does...?" Weiss hadn't known about that. She often had similar calls with Winter and even her own father as well. She felt a few more tears drip down her face. "So then you...?"

"We will gladly give you our blessing, Weiss. Nothing would make us happier than for you to take Blake's hand."

"Nothing," Kali agreed. "And we know she'll just be so excited. And surprised!"

Weiss was still trembling, still unable to fully comprehend all of this. That she'd actually gotten their approval. That now she could actually start thinking about a ring...

"P-Please-" she managed. "Don't tell her."

"Of course we won't!" Ghira said, giving a firm pat to Weiss' shoulder. "We'll keep quiet until you're ready."

Weiss exhaled. "Th-Thank you. I really... really love her..." More tears welled up and tumbled down and she couldn't continue.

Ghira and Kali shared another smile.

"We know you do, Weiss," he said. "Thank you for making her so happy. We know you'll only continue to do so."

Weiss nodded into her hands, trying to stifle the sobs. Kali finally got ahold of herself and quickly put an arm around the girl.

"Come with me to the restroom." She saw that the others were coming back, hastily shielded Weiss from view, and managed to guide her to the restroom.

Weiss stood there against the sink for a few moments as Kali fussed over her, handing her tissues and damp paper towels to clean her face with. She used a few tissues for herself as well, and made sure to keep a steadying hand on Weiss' back.

"You poor thing. You were so nervous." Kali leaned in to kiss Weiss' forehead. "Thank you for finding the courage to ask us. Ghira and I couldn't be happier."

Weiss wiped her face one last time before offering a smile.

"I hope I can make Blake half as happy as she makes me."

Kali smiled and just pulled her in for another embrace. Weiss let out a shuddering breath. Her stomach was still knotted in all sorts of ways, and it felt like she might lose her supper at any moment. Kali sensed her dilemma and eased back.

"Don't worry, I'll do the talking." She waited until Weiss was ready, then guided her back out into the restaurant.

Blake had been looking for them since she'd gotten back, but now when she finally spotted them her heart jumped into her throat. The last she'd spoken to Weiss she hadn't seemed well, and now Blake's mother was supporting her as she staggered out of the restroom.

"Mom? Weiss?" Blake rushed forward to them, reaching out to help her mother support her girlfriend. Blake put a hand to Weiss' cheek and looked down into her eyes. "You're so pale. What happened?"

Before Weiss could fret more in trying to think of a response, Kali answered for her.

"Just a bit of food poisoning. Make sure you take good care of her when you get home, Blake."

"Of course." Blake's ears went flat in dismay as she looked back to her girlfriend. "I'm sorry. I knew you weren't feeling that great."

"It's quite all right, Blake. Don't apologize."

The group finally headed out into the lobby to disperse and go their separate ways home. Weiss could tell that Kali and Ghira were trying not to hug Blake too excitedly, lest they make her suspicious.

And when Weiss finally got to throw her arms around Winter she felt dizzy with relief. Winter pulled her close and murmured for only Weiss to hear.

"So I take it went well?"

Weiss nodded.

"Yes. Thank you for the assistance, Winter."

"My pleasure. I'm so happy for you, Weiss." She kissed her younger sister's forehead and gave her a pat on the back. "Be sure to call me with any new developments."

"I will. Thank you so much, Winter."

Weiss gave her one last squeeze before she hugged each of her parents goodbye, and even Whitely gave her a hug that was only half-begrudging.

Blake and Weiss watched as their respective families exited the restaurant, until it was just the two of them in the lobby. Weiss was leaning into Blake's side, weak with relief. But Blake interpreted it as a more concerning form of weakness. She gave her girlfriend a once-over, ears still flat as she sensed the abnormal little pulses wafting off of Weiss.

"How's your stomach?"

"A bit tight," Weiss admitted. "But I'll be fine."

"Are you sure? Should we stop by the pharmacy?"

"There's no need for that." Weiss wrapped her arms around Blake and nestled into her collar. She'd been so caught up in her own emotions she hadn't even realized until now that Blake was quivering too. With a gasp she pulled back, eyes wide with panic. "Blake, you're shaking! What's the matter?"

"It's nothing," she said quickly. "Really."

"Did my father say something to you? Was Whitely rude to you? I'm sorry I-"

"Weiss, calm down," Blake soothed. "I mean yes, I did... talk a bit with your dad, but it wasn't anything bad. I promise."

"Still... being alone with him must've been so nerve-wracking for you."

"It wasn't so bad. Your sister's always been on my side."

Weiss whimpered softly and hugged herself close again, cradling the back of Blake's head gently. She could feel for herself that Blake's pulse was rather fast.

Weiss felt guilty for going off and leaving Blake alone with her family without warning her first. Her father had probably said something insensitive without even realizing it. Weiss sighed over Blake's shoulder before easing back again.

"Are you all right?"

"Weiss, I'm fine. You're the one who has food poisoning."

"Your mother made it sound worse than it is. She was just being cautious."

"Still, let's get you home." Blake wrapped an arm around her and led her to the door, then out into the cool evening. Weiss rubbed her hand up and down her girlfriend's back.

"Are you sure you're all right to drive?"

"Absolutely."

They spent several more minutes fretting about each other in the parking lot, then continued all the way home until they'd climbed up the stairs to their apartment, taken off their shoes, and changed into their sleepwear.

Blake insisted on making tea while Weiss sat in bed. The only reason Weiss had agreed to that was because she knew Blake would prepare a cup for herself, and Weiss wanted her to have a calming drink before bed. She wished she could've prepared the tea instead, but Blake didn't let her.

So Weiss simply sat up in bed against the pillows and replayed the conversation she'd had with the Belladonna's this evening. She still couldn't believe they'd given their approval. This meant she could start looking for a ring, start planning a proposal...

But thinking that far ahead right now only made her stomach flip again. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Blake's footsteps nearing the bedroom, and a moment later she appeared with a tray balancing two teacups in her hands.

"It's done," she said as she made her way to the bed. She sat down slowly and placed the tray in her lap in case of any spills. She picked up Weiss' cup and offered it to her.

"Thank you."

Both of them still trembled a little as they held their cups to their lips and sipped slowly. And then they both got to worrying about each other again, and then reassuring each other again.

By the time they'd finished their tea and Blake and put everything aside, both girls seemed equally exhausted.

"Goodness..." Weiss sighed. "It seems all we've done tonight is fret..."

"I can't help it," Blake mumbled. "Back at the restaurant, you looked like you were about to faint."

"And you were shaking like a leaf in a storm."

They both leaned into each other and sighed. Their hands soon found their way around each other's backs and sides as they laid down together.

"But you know," Weiss continued. "I would say tonight was a fairly successful night, all things considered." A trill of excitement went through her unbeknownst to Blake.

"You're right," her girlfriend agreed. "Our parents had a great time seeing each other and getting to talk again. I'd say it was a good night."

"A very good night."

Weiss knew her own supposed 'sickness' wasn't actually as bad as Blake might've thought it was. But she was still worried about what had been said between Blake and her own father in Weiss' absence.

Whatever it was Blake hadn't mentioned it since, and Weiss didn't want to press her. But she still felt awful to think her father might've said something insensitive.

She felt she needed to compensate for it now, so she curled her arms around Blake and coaxed her close. She cradled the back of her head and let Blake rest against her chest, then used her free hand to pull the blankets up over her back.

"I apologize again if my family did anything to upset you..."

Blake wasn't surprised that Weiss was still worrying about that. She brushed her cheek against Weiss' collar and let herself get comfortable.

"I told you, it was nothing. How're you feeling?" She slipped a hand across Weiss' nightgown and started to trace her stomach in slow circles. She felt Weiss draw in a deep, controlled breath before letting it back out.

"I'm all right. I promise."

Blake felt a kiss being placed between her ears, and she reciprocated by pressing her lips to the hollow of Weiss' throat. Her own jitters had finally calmed down, though when she listened to Weiss' pulse she still found it jumpy. So Blake let out the purr once again, sharing the soothing vibrations and the comforting pressure.

"Rest," she murmured. "But if you need anything just wake me up, okay?"

"The same goes for you, Blake."

"All right."

"All right."

So they both closed their eyes, curling up together in the quiet of their bedroom.

For a while they simply lay there, each of their minds swarming with their own private thoughts.

Eventually, the pulse shared between them began to even out. Blake's purr slowed in time with her breathing, and Weiss matched her own breath to the pace.

Finally their hearts calmed down and their thoughts eased into more tranquil avenues.

At last the two girls left all their worries for tomorrow and fell asleep together.

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A/N: I wrote Taking Chances so long ago, it was such a pleasure to come back to give it an epilogue! It's always nice to revisit and extend older stories and revive them a bit! This one in particular was fun to write because of the specific style, which will make sense in the coming chapters.