Step By Step (ch8)

2-DAY EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

This chapter will tone down all the drama and give our girls a bit of peace, thank goodness.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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												Chapter 8. Food For Thought

The first thing Pyrrha should have done when she crossed the hall was gather all the things she could reasonably see herself needing for the night, and then returned to Weiss as quickly as possible.

But the first thing she actually did was close the door in a hurry and practically dive for the closest bed, burying her face in the fabric as she grabbed it with both hands and pushed it against her flustered cheeks, exhaling the breath she had been holding since turning away.

Her heart hammered in her chest and her body trembled again, her hair being pushed above the crumpled sheets by her attempts to cool off. She pulled herself up and sat on the edge of the bed, her cheeks matching the quilt as she held them in her hands.

Pyrrha wasn't entirely sure if the waves of heat washing over her were related to the strange but pleasant feeling in her stomach or just the evening warmth messing with her head, but she needed to get her priorities in check. Weiss came first, herself second.

She had managed to laugh without making a fool of herself, though she felt unsure of the wink - the other reason she wanted to hide her face. Was it too much? Did it seem too unusual? Did Weiss misread it as something else and now expected something different of her?

Her hands slid between her knees and she rubbed them anxiously, blowing a stray strand of hair from her face as she stared at the closed door. Her sleepwear was just behind her against the wall and it wouldn't take more than two minutes to collect everything she'd need, but Pyrrha couldn't help herself. She needed to get her head around this, lest she do something embarrassing in front of the person she cared about the most.

. . .

She'd known for months - possibly even a few years or so - that she admired Pyrrha more than anyone else. But it was only within recent weeks that Weiss realized she was in love with her - no, not just in love. Smitten. Entirely and totally smitten with her, and no one else.

It could never be anyone else.

She dried her face off before fixing her clothes, adjusting her dress so the wrinkles were smoothed out, and fixed her hair shortly afterward.

It was a few moments before she'd gathered her bearings and ventured back out into the room. She glanced at the door to find it loose and still slightly ajar even after Pyrrha had left, and she sighed at the thoughts of having to explain it to the professors how it'd been damaged. But even more unpleasant than that was remembering why it was broken…

The sensations of being suffocated in shadows rose up within her once more, and she felt a slight wave of nausea come over her. She stumbled back to her bed and sat down, putting a hand to her chest to catch her breath, reminding herself that was over and done with.

Thanks to Pyrrha…

Her eyes went back to the door as she waited, calming her breathing and pushing down the unfavorable memories for what pleasant ones were surely to come.

. . .

In the moments that passed, Pyrrha made no progress at all. Her thoughts circled in her head, passing the same things over and over again.

'Nobody else knows. You can have your own secret romance like you always dreamed about.'

She held her forehead in one hand. There was so much to think about that she hadn't even considered before she had let her emotions get the better of her. Any number of things could go wrong, and that was only when she considered their friends, much less the Beacon staff.

Relationships weren't banned per se, but it had been made clear from the first day that they would only ever do more harm than good in such a dangerous career path. Every student understood that they could die quite literally any day and that forming attachments to someone beyond that of teammate or partner was a bad idea.

Professor Goodwitch was very adamant about reinforcing the point, stating that the pain of losing a loved one - not a family member, but someone you grew to love through your time and experiences with them - was like nothing else in the world. Pyrrha had said nothing, and Glynda showed no signs of it, but the meaning behind those words wasn't that of someone who presumed. She had been through it herself.

Falling in love with someone who may not be there the next day was not a good thing to do no matter how you looked at it, yet that's precisely what Pyrrha had done.

But then, two thoughts echoed louder than the rest.

'You love her.'

'She loves you.'

And above everything else, those words brought the smile back to her face. She got up from the bed and set about retrieving her things, making explicitly sure that she wouldn't accidentally lock herself out of the dorm like Jaune had done dozens of times before.

. . .

Pyrrha didn't return as quickly as Weiss assumed she might've, and it didn't take long for the heiress' thoughts to start wandering.

Pyrrha Nikos. As her significant other? Surely they'd make quite the pair in the eye of the public, but… could they even allow as much?

She knew her father wouldn't accept anyone less than Pyrrha's level of charisma, fame, and skill - for either of his daughters, but especially Weiss, the heiress to Schnee Dust. But that didn't change the fact that Pyrrha was also a girl, and that could potentially raise issues here or there. Not that Weiss cared about what her father thought. It was just his power and influence that worried her.

Weiss didn't want that for Pyrrha. She didn't want that pressure on her any more than it already was.

Pyrrha was well-known enough across the Kingdoms, but Weiss knew for a fact she didn't necessarily like all the attention. It was dehumanizing at times, if not constantly. The last thing Weiss wanted was for her own status to only increase Pyrrha's uncertainties and pain.

Maybe… this isn't right after all…

She thought as much-

-and yet, she couldn't stop the flutter in her chest, the eager bubbling she felt as she waited for Pyrrha's return. She imagined it was similar to what Zwei felt waiting for Ruby, this excitement, this sheer happiness and joy…

But this wasn't going to be easy - for either of them - and that was for certain. Weiss only hoped she could do something - anything - to help Pyrrha through it, and herself as well.

. . .

The bathroom light clicked off as she left, closing the door behind her and giving the room a once-over to double-check she had everything she needed. Her nightgown was draped over her arm alongside a fresh pair of clothes and underwear on the off-chance it would be needed - the summer nights at Beacon could get incredibly stuffy and uncomfortable if the windows were closed, as they'd need to be to keeping Weiss warm - and she didn't like the idea of showering off the sticky feeling, only to have it come straight back with her old clothes.

Her hand clutched a bottle of water she kept near her person whenever she went out to exercise, and between her fingers was a bag of candy she had 'borrowed' from Nora's stash, just in case Weiss needed something to distract herself with if she couldn't sleep.

Satisfied that she had everything, Pyrrha patted her pocket and closed the door, locking it with her scroll before she eased the busted remnants of team RWBY's own door open. She gave a gentle wave and a polite smile to announce her return and neatly placed her clothes across the bottom of Blake's vacant bed, resting the bottle on the floor for the time being. She would go straight to Professor Goodwitch first thing tomorrow morning to explain the broken door and pay for the damages, but the sun had already dipped below the horizon and night was settling in, so the staff would probably be finishing up their work by now.

Pyrrha paused for a second. "

Weiss? Is there anything I can get you before the cafeteria closes? I'd hate for you to have unexpected cravings during the night, and it would be a good idea to bring some things just in case."

She knew how much fevers messed with the body, and she wanted to do everything she could to lessen the impact on her friend.

. . .

She looked up as Pyrrha re-entered, an assortment of all her necessities in her arms and a beaming smile on her face. That smile eased Weiss' uncertainties and allowed the heiress' lips to curl up a bit as well.

"Welcome back," she greeted.

The mention of food made her think for a moment. She hadn't eaten since the soup Pyrrha had prepared for her earlier, but that had been several hours ago now. Pyrrha was right; the last thing Weiss wanted was to have to inconvenience their rest tonight with a midnight trip to the cafeteria.

"Actually, yes. I think I could do with a little something to eat. I'll come with you, though." She didn't want Pyrrha to keep having to fetch things for her, and Weiss really didn't fancy being alone.

She crouched down beside her bed and reached underneath, pulling out a pair of slippers and sliding her bare feet into them. She then went to her drawers and pulled a few lien from a small pouch she kept in the corner under a few clothes.

Once finished, she walked slowly over to Pyrrha, unsure of what to do with her arms, so she just folded them over her chest. After smoothing out her nightgown and brushing her hair a few minutes ago, she felt decent enough to venture to the cafeteria at this quiet hour. She was still a little dizzy though, so she bit her lip sheepishly.

"Let's take our time."

. . .

The hesitation in Pyrrha's movements only lasted for a second. She didn't entirely agree with the idea of Weiss coming all the way down to the cafeteria in her current state, and she especially didn't like the idea of Weiss paying for anything.

But the heiress certainly wouldn't get back into bed now, so Pyrrha gave a smile and opened the door gently, giving Weiss first passage into the hall.

Closing the door as well as was possible, she slowly eased the two of them down the corridor, holding her arms behind her back so they at least wouldn't get in the way. Their footsteps - well, Pyrrha's footsteps and Weiss' muffled slippers - bounced off the cold walls as the only break in the silence.

She didn't know what to say. She wanted to say something - anything to break the awkwardness - or maybe that was just her and Weiss was content to stay silent? She didn't have any idea, but at their current pace in the pale shafts of light through the windows, the journey would take a while, and staying quiet would only make it seem longer. That, and Pyrrha felt as though she should at least be able to say anything when around Weiss. She had confessed, for Dust's sake. Idle chatter should not have been this difficult.

Pyrrha had never been good at socializing despite her constant attempts to engage in conversation, and as such her people skills didn't go very far beyond faking it. Still, she had to try something, and so she attempted to break the monotony with a thought that was at the forefront of her mind.

"It's really quiet… almost strange, don't you think?"

. . .

Weiss had never been one to be discomforted by silence. People tended to think it was a bad thing, but growing up as she had, she'd found it could be just the opposite. The heiress typically didn't speak unless spoken to, especially when she was around superiors.

While Pyrrha was supposed to be her equal as a student - and perhaps something more than just friends - Weiss couldn't shake the feelings of admiration she harbored toward her.

She was fine with the silence, but wasn't at all opposed when it was broken.

"I think it's nice, actually," she commented. "These halls are usually congested and boisterous." But it was odd how she could hear every click of their feet and slippers, and her voice seemed a bit too loud for her liking, so she dropped her tone a notch. "It is a bit strange, but it's not all that bad. I don't feel scared."

She wasn't sure why she'd said that; Pyrrha hadn't asked. But it was the truth. Weiss wasn't concerned when she had Pyrrha beside her. She felt comfortable - safe.

As they continued to walk, she stepped a bit closer to her classmate, their respective white and red tresses swaying side to side in turn.

Their shoulders might've brushed, but Weiss couldn't be certain.

. . .

Pyrrha glanced left and right as they passed a cross of corridors, their lack of activity making them seem even longer than they were during the day.

Weiss was right - there was nothing scary about Beacon at night, and the crowds were something Pyrrha could do without. Really, she should have kept quiet.

Even in those few sentences, Weiss had sounded nothing but content, so Pyrrha decided against trying to press for more words. Instead, she cast her gaze beyond the windows whenever they passed them, admiring the moonlit sky and the scenery below. It was almost as beautiful as the other image she saw when she looked to her left.

Weiss was always beautiful, even when others wouldn't be - Pyrrha could say for certain that despite all the compliments she got on her appearance, nobody would say a word to her if they saw her first thing in the morning with messy hair and crumpled clothes.

But Weiss? She had basically spent the entire day in pain of all kinds, and yet she still managed to appear breathtaking in spite of that. Her cheeks may have been stained by her tears and her eyes may have carried the exhaustion she was feeling, but they did nothing to diminish her attractiveness.

Pyrrha felt the warming in her face and forced herself to look away, well aware that she had caught herself admiring Weiss without her consent. If the slight quickening of her heart was anything to go by - she was becoming familiar with that feeling - then she was glad they were almost at the cafeteria.

Though the fact that she wanted to hook her own arm around Weiss' didn't really help matters.

. . .

After that, it was quiet between them, and Weiss was fine with that. She kept pace beside Pyrrha, not because she herself was quickening her stride, but because Pyrrha was undoubtedly compensating for her. It might not even have been a conscious decision on her part; Pyrrha was just naturally considerate of others.

Weiss couldn't help but let her eyes wander. She got bored with the empty hallways before very long, and inevitably ended up looking in her companion's direction.

The natural moonlight highlighted her flowing, crimson tresses, and even the artificial hallway lighting could do nothing to hinder Pyrrha's natural beauty. Her cheeks were high, lips curved into a small smile that Weiss couldn't help but reflect.

She looked away when she realized she was staring, and might even have caught Pyrrha's emerald gaze sweeping over her own person as well, but Weiss couldn't be certain.

She'd just been pondering asking Pyrrha if it would be all right to walk a bit closer to her when her slipper stubbed the tiled floor beneath her feet. With a short cry of surprise, Weiss fell forward, her arms reaching for Pyrrha without a second thought as she clung to her arm to prevent herself from falling.

"S-Sorry! I was kind of spacing out…"

For more reasons than one…

. . .

For the second time that day, instincts had proved to be trustworthy. It must have been fewer than a couple of seconds, but in that time Pyrrha had turned, dove into a half-crouch to catch Weiss safely before she hit the floor, and felt her heart leap in her chest all at once.

Even though Weiss had kept her grip on Pyrrha's sleeve and saved herself, making the redhead's actions seem somewhat excessive, any negative thoughts that had started to brew in her head were swept away within seconds as Weiss spoke.

Pyrrha stood back up, reaching over with her free arm to brush the more wild locks of hair from the heiress' face, caressing her warm skin unintentionally as she did so. It was good to feel that her temperature seemed a little more natural, though the fact that Weiss had tripped at all was a little worrying. She flashed a smile nonetheless, still admiring her friend's beauty even in this light and held her arm out fully for Weiss to link her own through the gap.

"It's fine. You're okay, right? Don't worry about it. We can take it as slowly as you want, as long as you're happy."

. . .

She was stiff as Pyrrha brushed her fingers over her frazzled bangs, and Weiss felt the blood rush to her cheeks for a few seconds as the taller girl helped her find her balance again. Weiss righted herself and placed her feet carefully, eyes flashing from Pyrrha's face to the ground and back again.

As soon as she realized Pyrrha's arm was being offered to her, Weiss, slowly slipped her elbow around hers for a bit of added support.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you." Weiss offered a tiny smile of reassurance. "We're just about there now."

They continued on toward the cafeteria, and all the while, Weiss kept close to Pyrrha, trying not to think too much about the warmth at her side where Pyrrha's arm linked with her own.

When at last they arrived, they found the cafeteria vacant, save from a few chefs and people behind the register.

"At least we won't have to wait in line," Weiss noted. "And we get first choice on whatever we want."

. . .

Pyrrha gave a cheery smile and nod, happy that despite their slow pace they had made it before the staff left for the night and restricted their catering choices to the 'easy to use' options. Soup and sandwiches were fine for satisfying late-night cravings, but Weiss needed something more substantial and certainly more filling. If the two of them could make whatever food Weiss chose to cover the entire night, they wouldn't have a problem.

She moved across the selections in display cases, her eyes traveling from chocolate muffins and cookies to exquisitely-decorated cakes. The desserts didn't appear to be the kind of thing you would eat alone, as most students tended to buy for the entire team.

But still, the choices were here, and so Pyrrha was content to move as and when the heiress did, allowing her friend the luxury of time to browse everything in the cafeteria's kitchen without pressure.

Pyrrha returned one of the chef's smiles as he passed the two girls and waited patiently for Weiss, debating on taking something for herself just in case she felt like eating in the night.

. . .

It was already quite late, and Weiss intended to sleep after eating, so she didn't want to have so much that she was unable to rest comfortably; especially if Pyrrha was going to be staying the night with her. Weiss knew that if she herself didn't rest well, then Pyrrha wouldn't either, and that was the last thing she wanted from all of this.

Therefore, she requested a salad from one of the women behind the counter, fresh lettuce and vegetables, drizzled with dressing, all placed expertly into a small bowl. The assortment was very colorful, a great contrast to Weiss' typical appearance.

Back at the Schnee mansion, the chefs would always prepare fancy meals morning, noon, and night. But Weiss rather liked the simpler choices as well. Besides, here at Beacon - where she could make requests as to what she would like added and what she would prefer be left out - she was allowed to be a bit picky; a luxury she didn't have at home.

Once her salad was finished and given to her, Weiss halted the cashier for a moment. She scooted over next to Pyrrha and pulled out a small cookie from the selection.

"Ruby's started to rub off on me lately…" she muttered.

She paid for both things before stepping away, turning to her companion and nodding that she was finished.

. . .

It was a tiny notion at the most, but Pyrrha's smile grew a little wider at the remark. It reminded her that ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time, life for Weiss at Beacon was comparatively normal - or at least, what passed for normal at the academy.

She had the loud, blunt exuberance and crazy schemes of Yang to deal with, being at ends that were ingrained into both girls' very lives with Blake, and partnered with the ball of supercharged rose petals and bubbliness that was Ruby Rose to contend with.

By comparison, Pyrrha had it easy.

Sure, Nora could be a handful and Jaune was exhaustively uncooperative from time to time, but Ren was Pyrrha's bastion of sanity should she ever need it - and she wondered how on earth Weiss managed to keep her wits with her teammates being the people they were. Pyrrha supposed it just went to show how much patience and willpower Weiss had.

With a mental smile matching her physical one, the two girls turned around to leave with their food choices in-hand.

The return journey was much the same as the first, though thankfully nobody tripped and the door was exactly as they had left it. Pyrrha guessed it must have been almost ten 'o clock by the time they returned. From the sun going down and the fact that it was a relatively cloudless night, a glance at the clock proved her right.

She gently placed her things down on the bottom of Blake's bed beside her nightgown and clean clothes, still a little unsure of what to do even now. Going down to the cafeteria had reminded them of the reality still around them, outside of the events that had transpired in the dorm. Coming back to it now made everything come rushing back, the good more so than the bad.

A shy glance at Weiss had Pyrrha's heart backflipping into giddy nervousness once again.

Just from this much alone, she could tell it was going to be an awkward but wonderful night.

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A/N: Okay, time for nice things now! Yay!