May I Have This Dance? (ch1)

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

Quick background: this is still set in the usual RWBY universe, just without them attending Beacon. Pyrrha and Weiss are both seventeen, but have never formally met yet.

Rated T for harassment warning.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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							May I Have This Dance?

								Chapter 1.

No amount of double-checking her reflection in the mirror could ever persuade Weiss to believe her appearance was halfway decent enough to be seen by the public eye.

Eighteen years of ridicule about her figure and poise had caused her to lose faith in whatever natural beauty she might harbor, and the scar never helped.

Her sister Winter was gorgeous as one would expect from a daughter of the Schnee family, however her stunning appearance made up for a lack of wit or open-mindedness. That was where Weiss excelled, and on most days she could prove her worth through exams, lectures, and speeches, through her mind rather than simply her body.

But tonight was a night for appearances, and therefore Weiss wasn't able to hold herself up with her usual confidence.

The white dress that hugged her chest, waist, and hips fanned out into layers of ruffles that fell a bit past her knees. There were no sleeves to it though, and while perhaps her sister could get away with showing off her flawless, bare shoulders, Weiss didn't think she could afford the risk.

The small heels of her white shoes clicked on the tiled floor of her room as she retreated to her closet, pulling a few occupied hangers aside until she found what she sought; a small, blue shawl with a brooch in the front in the shape of the family emblem. She slipped it on over her shoulders and arms, favoring the soft fabrics against her skin over the rush of raw air.

She went back to her mirror to brush through her alabaster ponytail once more, making sure the brush didn't get caught on a single tangle. Running her hand through, Weiss found her tresses cool and smooth, snowy silk slipping through her fingertips easily to cascade down over her right shoulder. She took pride in her hair much more than she did the rest of herself.

She adorned her ears with simple earrings and her collar with a silver necklace her mother had left behind, one she wore daily.

Only then did she deem herself ready.

Due to the sheer size of the Schnee mansion, her family often hosted lavish banquets and parties, sometimes for momentous occasions, and sometimes for no reason other than the fact that her father wanted to flaunt his wealth. The property was certainly intimidating – the looming mansion spoke volumes of her family's power and prestige.

If her father's exquisite entrees and intricate furniture weren't enough, the colossal structure of the mansion overall was certainly enough to pose silent threats to any who dared consider opposing him.

The loss of his wife had made him even more well-known, as did the sheer beauty and intelligence of his two daughters.

On banquet nights, it was Weiss' and Winter's jobs to be the trophies, to not speak unless addressed and to uphold their father's charismatic nature.

It was a guise Weiss had perfected long ago.

Every banquet was the same; stand off to one side of the room, near the front where people could see her, but not near the center where she would draw too much attention. When a suitor asked her to dance, she was required to accept regardless of her personal feelings toward them; she needed to make her father look good above all else, and in order to do that, she often had to sacrifice her own comfort.

She would dance, then sit down and have a drink of ice water to refresh herself, sometimes being forced to keep up a conversation with the young men who followed her around like hungry dogs.

Then, as the night came to an end, she would be forced to accept their farewell kisses. However, years of practice had allowed her to perfect the art of turning her face to protect her lips and give her cheek at the last second.

To this day, her lips remained untainted.

That was the schedule of sorts the banquets usually followed when held at the Schnee mansion.

However, Weiss was a bit on edge tonight, as this would be one of the rare occasions when she and her family would be going elsewhere for the gathering, hence the extreme attention she was presently putting into her outfit.

She'd been to Mistral before for the sake of accompanying her father for meetings or the like – again, just as a trophy.

But tonight would be different. She would have to spend hours in a foreign mansion, one she didn't know like she knew her own. She hadn't the slightest clue where she would be permitted to sit or stand.

The hosting family members always had the greater luxury to deny a dance, even though her own father forbade it for his daughters.

But when visiting, the unspoken conduct was that Weiss could not refuse a single dance requested of her, especially if that dance was requested by the hosting family's members.

Weiss appreciated the art of dance for the captivating ways two people could move their bodies together in tandem, the swaying motions of rapport only the most connected of partners could perfect.

But when she herself was more or less forced against her will, she despised dancing thoroughly. She'd tried time and again to find that covert chemistry between herself and her suitor, but it had never sparked, never surfaced.

She did often dance when she was alone, however, and now, with a bit of time to spare before they were due to depart, she indulged herself in a dance for one.

She was careful not to move too quickly, not wanting to wrinkle her dress or frazzle a single strand of hair. Though she lacked the physical beauty of her sister, Weiss was a singer, one to be heard and not seen when she was on-stage, and just the opposite when at a gathering.

When she was the center of attention at a concert, she need only concentrate on her voice, reaching the octaves, annunciating, supporting her breath and letting it carry...

But alone in her room - where the viewing and listening pleasure was solely her own - she let herself move as she pleased.

Her shoes tapped lightly over the tile, sending small echoes up into the air as she hummed lightly to herself. Her hair spiraled around her body as she spun, dress fluttering.

But she could only afford to content herself in this way for a few minutes before she came to a halt, adjusting her shawl and repositioning the small tiara at the base of her ponytail.

It took a lot more than that to leave her out of breath, but a call from behind her closed door indicated she needed to get ready to depart.

With one last glance in her mirror, Weiss sighed, crossed the room, and opened her door, plastering on the smile that was second nature to her now.

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An hour of her evening was spent on the private family Airship that would take them to Mistral.

Weiss sat on her father's left and Winter at his right, and while the latter of the two spoke casually with him, the former contented herself with reading during the ride.

But once they had arrived, Weiss knew it would be improper to take a book with her inside the hosting mansion, so she left it on her seat on the ship.

She stayed at her father's left side; Weiss believed that had become her designated spot because - should he ever have to look at her - he would not have to see her scar.

They walked slowly, with poise and confidence, though in Weiss' case, it was feigned. Chin high and shoulders back, she did her best to cast a politely condescending gaze to the men and women who greeted them.

That was the family trademark; to be silently threatening, but only slightly so.

Her father was still clearly the master of it though, and Weiss kept her lips pursed as he spoke to the servants and maids who had greeted them.

"So lovely to be at Mr. and Mrs. Nikos' place tonight," he said to them. "Why, I'd say the house is almost the size of my own, just a few feet shy."

He laughed as though what he'd said was merely meant in good spirits, but Weiss knew for a fact it was not. It was her father's way - to always point out every little thing about other people, every imperfection to remind them they had fallen just short of himself.

And he detested nothing more than being reminded of his own flaws, few as they were.

It was why he kept Weiss on his left side.

The sisters kept quiet as they were all led down a cobblestone path, lined with tall outside lamps that gave off a faint, white glow in the gradually-growing shadows of the evening.

Weiss looked ahead to where the path led – a mansion that was indeed lacking in size in comparison to her own, but to her, this seemed like the appropriate size.

With her mother deceased, only three people lived in the Schnee mansion other than the servants; it was mainly accustomed to holding large amounts of people, hence their frequent banquets.

But this mansion was a good size.

Weiss knew a bit about the hosting family, from what she had overheard from her father, and was aware they had several children. The size of their house was out of necessity rather than a needless display of wealth and power like her own family's.

Weiss ran her gaze over the foreign architecture.

In her studies, she had come across building types from all of the countries of the world, and while Atlas was renown for its extravagant structures, Mistral's humble buildings always served to fascinate her.

It was two stories high and appeared to be made of stone, curved corners and windows in contrast to the sharper ones of the Schnee mansion.

But she couldn't admire the craftsmanship behind the mansion for long before they had to go inside.

Preoccupied with observing the building, she made the mistake of verbally thanking the man who held the door for her. Weiss immediately flinched when she heard her father grunt angrily back at her. He had taught her never to show appreciation to lower-ranking people when they performed tasks that were expected of them. It showed weakness.

And to do such a thing to a hosting family's servant...

Weiss had more or less just insulted her own father.

But she wasn't foolish enough to let her nervousness about the ordeal show. She kept her stride stiff and important and continued walking, letting her eyes flash around just a bit at the interior of the mansion.

The walls were a contrast to the lighter colors and whites of her own home. Here, they were painted browns and reds and purples, easygoing colors that were comforting in a way. A speck of dust could go unnoticed here without the constant pressure of needing to mind oneself from staining the Schnee carpets in any manner.

There was a dining room with a long, mahogany table and cushioned chairs, a luxury Weiss' family could easily afford, but never bothered with. Her father strictly believed that there was no need for comfort anywhere other than one's own personal quarters, or else posture could suffer and someone might witness it.

They also passed a large, spacious area that was clearly a banquet hall, but that was vacant for now. In colder months, that was where the celebrations would take place. But on summer nights like tonight, they were held outside.

Weiss and her family were led to an exit that revealed the backyard of the mansion. There was a large patio stretching dozens of yards across, lined with flower bushes that were in full bloom. The guests that had already arrived were seated at tables covered in red cloth, chatting and laughing merrily as they clicked their glasses of wine together.

The tables were placed away from a section of the patio, leaving a large space of smooth stone flooring for dancing. The entire space could host close to two hundred people, and now that Weiss and her family had arrived, they had achieved at least half those numbers.

The servants left them to tend to other party guests, and it was then Weiss' father turned to her with a disapproving glare for what she had done earlier. She dipped her head in silent apology, catching sight of the warning present in his grey eyes just before he turned away again.

He needed to put on his amiable grin again as the hosting couple came up to greet him. The men shook hands and started talking casually, though Weiss caught every little jab her father threw into the conversation. The woman – a beauty with dark chestnut-colored hair to her shoulders adorning a brown dress – looked to both Weiss and Winter before informing them where their family's reserved table was. The two girls simply nodded.

It was only when their father was finished speaking that they made their way over to the table.

"I expect you two know the drill," he grunted amongst the merry noises of the party. "When asked to dance, you accept. No questions asked."

"Yes, Father." Winter's reply was with a genuine smile; she loved dancing with the suitors that came her way.

Weiss tried to mimic her tone despite her displeasure.

"Yes, Father..."

He left them soon after they reached their table to join a table of other wealthy men, likely to discuss economics, business, and other current events affecting the world.

Winter hadn't even gotten the chance to sit down before she was approached by a young man in a suit and asked to dance. They always seemed to chase her in a drunken stupor, attracted to her like flies to honey. She threw a wink over her shoulder at Weiss before walking off with him toward the dance area – she had wished Weiss luck, because she knew her sister would need it.

Weiss knew it wouldn't belong before she was approached, but for the moment, it seemed she had yet to be noticed. She kept to her chair at her otherwise-vacant table, back straight and knees together.

The sun had yet to set entirely, but the party lights had already been turned on, showering the entire area in rays of soft yellow and white light. The colors of the artificial light did little to hinder the strong reds and oranges cast by the sun, and the air was warm and lively.

Weiss took as long as she could to savor it all, savor her own stillness despite the activity going on around her. Her eyes traveled over the other guests, and she spotted the hosting couple once more.

For whatever reason, she couldn't recall their last name; she knew her father had said it a dozen times tonight, but it had gone in one ear and out the other. She knew it was a familiar name, and spent a moment trying to recall it to no avail. She put a hand to her temple briefly and closed her eyes.

/Come on, now. You've made enough blunders already tonight. Father will have my head if he finds out I'm incapable of remembering the name of the hosts.../

The thought was making her nervous now, and her eyes swept around the patio quickly, as if searching for answers.

All unfamiliar faces...

But then, her eyes met those of another girl, far across the patio. There was a lot of movement between them, so Weiss couldn't see her well, or for very long, but something about that girl seemed... familiar.

But again, she failed to think of why - she didn't have the time to even start.

Seconds later, she was met with her first suitor.

Or rather, her first six, all at once.

"Hiya, babe," one boy said, and Weiss winced.

She hated that word, especially when people who were completely unassociated with her in any way, shape, or form used it on her as if they were intimate enough to deserve its usage.

But she remembered where she was and forced herself to look up with a smile.

"Lovely evening, isn't it?"

"Yeah," the first boy said. "Almost as lovely as you." His friends all made loud "ooh"ing noises, but Weiss wanted nothing more than to be ill right then and there on his pristine shoes. "So let's dance, hun. I can show you a good time."

Weiss sighed as he took her hand and pulled her up from her seat, and the other boys followed along as she was led to the patio to dance.

Every time it was the same thing.

Although there were certainly more of them at once than usual, they still acted the same toward her.

They never asked her to dance – they made her.

And they never offered their hands – they took hers.

They were small things, but they made up basic conduct and courtesy to Weiss. People who ignored such things were undeserving of her attention.

But she didn't have a choice in this matter.

They pulled her onto the wide stone flooring of the dance area, and the boy who already had hold of her hand yanked her forward. Weiss tripped, and she realized he had done this on purpose so that he could catch her quickly and with unnecessarily close proximity. It was revolting, but Weiss had to hold her tongue.

He chuckled as he started to lead her, and while the hand holding hers behaved, his free hand traveled up and down her back much more than necessary. Weiss bit her lip, minding herself not to snap at him. She tried to sound civil instead.

"Pardon me, but I don't believe you've got the placement of your hands correct." She moved herself so that his guilty fingers were shifted to her shoulder instead. But the boy frowned and moved them right back to where they had been.

"Nah, this is fine."

Right. Fine with him. No one cared what was fine with her.

It seemed this would just be another case where she would have to grin and bear it.

She did her best to avoid eye contact, hoping her disinterest would become clear to him. Looking past him, she did vaguely recognize a few of the boy's companions, not enough to put names to faces, but she had definitely seen them here and there at her own family banquets a few times.

And she was beginning to remember a boy would simply couldn't keep his hands to himself, and knew it must have been her present partner. She was too disgusted to commit his face to memory, but her body remembered those straying hands all too well. Her skin was already crawling, and she knew she would've rather been covered in leeches than stay like this another second.

Weiss could only humor him with the dance for so long before his hands started wandering too much, and she abruptly stepped back and broke contact with him.

"I'll have a rest for now."

"Aw, but what about my buds? They've been waiting for turns, too. It'd be rude to refuse them, Ms. Schnee." His voice took on a very slightly threatening tone, just enough to make her stiffen.

Turns. To them she was an object, a game they could "take turns" with until they were satisfied.

But she hated to admit that the boy had a point; it would be more acceptable for her to sit down and rest at her own banquet, because as the daughter of the host, she would have that luxury and it would be viewed as acceptable.

But here... she was more or less trapped.

Even if she insisted on sitting down, the boys would simply follow her like hungry dogs and circle her until they more or less forced her to her feet again.

Weiss didn't make an effort to conceal the cold glare she sent up into each of their gazes.

"Very well," she said. "But only because I can mind my manners, which is more than can be said for some people." She kept her voice low, making sure no one else but the boy in front of her could hear. This ensured no one could attest to her inappropriate rudeness to this wealthy young man.

She left him on the patio and went to another of the boys, one who was admittedly more well-behaved than the first, but no less unpleasant to be pressed up against.

It was the same with the third boy, and the fourth and fifth; Weiss didn't even make an effort to enjoy any of the dances, because none of them were chivalrous enough to give her a shred of personal space.

She needed to break off the current dance when the boy tried to steal a kiss, and Weiss all but threw his hand away from hers.

"That will be enough, gentlemen. I've got to refresh myself."

She made a move to slip away from their predatory circle, to hide amongst the crowd of partygoers. But the first boy grabbed her arm and prevented her from escaping – because now it was a situation she actually needed to escape from.

"Not so fast, babe. I'd like another dance."

Weiss' upper lip curled a bit, a very unladylike gesture, but at this point she hardly cared.

"And I've just entertained five dances. So I'm afraid I'll have to refuse."

It was a bit of a challenge not to verbally mutilate him; she kept her speech pattern acceptable for a banquet.

But the boy tapped his shoe and growled down at her.

"And I said I want another dance, girly. Now come with me." He yanked her, much harder than was necessary, and Weiss stumbled after him. The other boys followed, forming a group of sorts; to anyone else, they were simply a group of friends breaking from the party to cool off with a walk around the grass.

There was a slight pain in Weiss' ankle from when she'd twisted it just now, and she limped slightly, hissing through her teeth. When she realized they was leading her away from the party, she was conflicted between raising her voice or attempting to fight them off herself.

But neither would be possible. The boy slipped a rough arm around her shoulders and smashed his palm against her mouth to keep her quiet. "Don't fight me, babe. We won't be long, I promise. This is one of the few times we can sneak away to have a little fun of our own. You'll enjoy it."

Weiss refused to take another step. It was a mixture of anger and fear that caused her to act as she did, lifting her good foot and smashing the heel down on top of the boy's shoe. He howled, and Weiss took the chance to bite his hand and break free.

But a shove to her back from one of his friends sent her falling onto the edge of the stone patio, her head grazing the hard surface as an ache spread throughout her body.

But this was good. She had caused enough of a scene where other people would notice now.

She looked up and sure enough, several concerned adults had risen from their seats to see what the matter was. Weiss was intent to ask one of the older women to take her back to her table to get some water.

But before she could speak, her captors cut her off.

"Oh, we're fine! Just got a bit carried away with the dancing and we tripped. But everything's okay!" The first boy gave the crowd a handsome smile before reaching down to Weiss. She didn't accept the hand he offered, hoping to make the scene seem as off as possible to the onlookers.

But he grabbed her hand forcefully and pulled her to her feet. The boy continued speaking charmingly. "We were just going for a walk. Sorry for the fuss."

And immediately afterward, he had spun Weiss around again and covered her mouth so no one could see it. She felt his rank breath against her ear. "You're gonna pay for that, missy. Maybe it won't be so much fun for you after all."

Weiss could only think to repeat what she had just done; surely, a second bout of commotion from the same group of teenagers wouldn't go unnoticed.

She was forced to limp forward again, but couldn't lift her good foot enough to land a hit on him. He seemed to be making sure she couldn't.

The second they were off the patio and onto the grass, Weiss knew all hope of resistance was lost, at least until they stopped walking again. She was terrified, and part of her threatened to cry, but she fought the tears off. Showing weakness was what they wanted, and it would only make her more helpless to admit defeat. She still wanted to fight as long as she could manage.

And suddenly, a new voice reached her ears.

"Pardon me?"

The group of boys came to a stop at the sound of another voice.

Weiss could instantly tell this person was female. Surely something about what this new arrival was seeing must have been rubbing her the wrong way?

Weiss made another attempt to bite the hand over her mouth, but he somehow evaded it. Her captor addressed the other girl, whom Weiss was unable to see.

"Oh, good evening, miss. You see my date was just feeling a bit unwell, so I was taking her to-"

"Please," the girl said, and Weiss could hear the smile in her voice. "I think we... all know what's going on here." Weiss could see the expressions on the other boys' faces; they were all snickering.

The girl continued. "I'd very much like to join you all. This party is much too dull. You seem like you can show me the action I'm looking for."

Weiss felt her stomach flip; apparently, this girl wasn't on her side after all, but merely looking to have exactly the kind of "fun" Weiss sought to avoid.

She heard her captor chuckle as he spoke to the other girl.

"Of course you can join in, hun. The more the merrier, right?"

"Indeed." Weiss heard footsteps approaching, lighter than the heavy dress shoes of the boys. "I know a very good place where we could do such things without being bothered. But first..." She paused, and Weiss could tell the other girl was right behind her. "I'd like to know the names of all my friends here tonight who are so willing to show me a good time. I'd like to meet up with you at the next banquet and do it all again."

"Oh, sure, babe."

Weiss listened as the first boy gave his full name, repeating it to herself so she would never forget. Then, she listened to the other boys reveal their names as well, and while Weiss wasn't sure if she could remember them all, she had at least three in her mind for certain.

Then, the other girl repeated each name back to them to see if she had them all correctly.

"...Is that right?" she asked. Weiss saw them all nod, still grinning and eager to get going. "Well then," the other girl went on. "That's just grand! Because now I'll be informing my parents of your uncouth and blatantly unacceptable actions and attempts here tonight. I can assure you all you'll be banned from future banquets held in any kingdom for months to come."

Weiss felt just as surprised by the words as all of the dumbfounded boys appeared to be. Not a single one of them so much as budged, but the boy who still had Weiss trapped dared to speak.

"W-What the hell? Who do you think you are?"

"I..." The other girl spoke loudly and clearly above the noise of the party. "Am the eldest daughter of your hosts tonight. And I know my parents will not be pleased to hear about your actions this evening."

Weiss felt another hand grab the boy's arm, pulling it away from her shoulders, freeing her mouth so she could breathe again. Weiss stumbled away from the boy in a fluster, but a gentle arm steadied her and kept her on her feet. The exhausted heiress blinked up to glimpse her savior.

She was taller than Weiss, and even matched a few of the boys in terms of height. She wore a long crimson dress lined with gold embroidery, and golden earrings dangled from her ears, along with a matching necklace at her collar, complete with an emerald gem. She had long hair tied into a ponytail that matched her dress in color, smooth and straight and all the way to her hips.

Weiss failed to glimpse her eyes though; those were trained on the boys as she spoke in a pleasant and yet subtly terrifying voice.

"Now then, you all may enjoy the rest of your final banquet here on my family's property, as I'll be seeing to it that you aren't invited back. Have a good evening."

With that, the girl turned away, leaving them to their own stupefied devices. She kept an arm around Weiss and moved slowly with her, guiding her back toward the patio. But Weiss didn't make it more than a few steps before she needed to pause for breath.

"My apologies. I just... need a moment, please..."

"Oh, of course!" the crimson-haired girl said. "And no, no, please don't apologize! I'm the one who's sorry! I shouldn't have made you move so much so quickly. Take as long as you need. I'll stay right here with you."

Weiss nodded, though she didn't lift her head, fearing she might let the tears slip free if she did. She was still for a few moments, and all the while, the supporting hand never left her shoulders. The other girl spoke again softly to her.

"I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Pyrrha."

Weiss instantly recognized the name. She had felt the girl was familiar somehow, even when she had briefly seen her from across the patio earlier.

And now she knew why.

The Pyrrha Nikos, winner of the Mistral Regional Tournament for four consecutive years. Weiss had no idea why the hosting family's name had yet to click within her mind until now. She admired Pyrrha immensely, and had never formally met her before.

For their first meeting to be like this...

Weiss began to sob softly now, from sheer embarrassment – humiliation at having this be the state she was in when Pyrrha first interacted with her.

But Pyrrha interpreted the tears as pain, trauma from what had just transpired, and she might not have been entirely wrong.

"Oh, goodness," she gasped. "I'm so sorry. That must have been really frightening for you. I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner." She ran her hand lightly up and down Weiss' back.

She had known of the Schnees all her life, and this was the first time the renown family was visiting. Pyrrha had been excited for weeks to finally meet the famous heiress.

But presently, Pyrrha was both appalled and mortified that she had allowed such an awful thing to happen to this girl tonight at her own family's banquet.

Pyrrha was silent as she continued to pat the girl's back for her, fingers slipping through the soft fabrics of her shawl. She could see Weiss' tears catching light as they fell into the grass, and a heavy weight seemed to settle on her chest.

"Weiss..." It was the first time she had ever spoken the girl's name so she could hear it, and her voice was laden with remorse. "I'm so sorry..." Pyrrha stepped in front of the girl and carefully wrapped her in a hug.

It was certainly one of the last things Weiss had been expecting, on her list right next to 'being saved by Pyrrha Nikos', and now she was being hugged by her. She felt she might faint.

She went stiff at first, but the other girl's embrace was not stifling or suffocating. It was loose and gentle and allowed Weiss to breathe.

And after all she had been through this evening... it was very much appreciated.

She dipped her head and hid her face in Pyrrha's shoulder, doing her very best to get control over the tears and prevent them from ruining her stunning red dress.

But Pyrrha didn't mind. She could feel Weiss still trembling, and the girl's heart was thumping hard enough for her to feel as well. Pyrrha ran a hand down the length of her white ponytail, then settled her palm against Weiss' back, keeping her close.

"It's alright now. You're going to be just fine, Weiss." She spoke with reassurance, directly from her heart.

And Weiss felt she could believe those words.

After a moment, the tears had stopped altogether, and she inhaled one last breath before letting it out shakily. It was only then Pyrrha stepped back.

"Oh, I'm... I'm sorry," she fretted. "I didn't ask if you were okay with that. It's just- in my family, we're very open when it comes to physical contact and hugs and the like, so when I saw you upset, it was just my natural response to... I'm very sorry."

She took a respectful step back, though she kept her hand on Weiss' back solely because she felt the girl still needed the support.

It was then Weiss finally got to look up at her face.

Pyrrha was clearly remorseful for how she had acted just now, her stunning emerald eyes downcast in repentance. Weiss would have liked to see them shining happily instead.

"Not at all," she said a little quietly. "You saved me from something horrible. And I... I've been wanting to meet you properly for so long. I'm mortified that our meeting had to be like that..." Her eyes flashed guiltily up to meet Pyrrha's. "But... But I'm so grateful that you came to save me, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

She had given many baseless, empty words of gratitude before, but the words she spoke now were heartfelt.

Pyrrha could sense as much, and her lips curled up into a smile.

"Oh, but I wasn't saving you! I was only helping. I could tell by the way you made that one whimper that you could have taken them on your own."

The words gave Weiss a bit of confidence in herself, and she cracked the tiniest smile.

Pyrrha's smile remained for a moment longer before fading just a bit. "I've heard a lot about you, and I know you're a talented, skillful girl. I know you could have handled them. But I'm sure that might have hindered you a bit..." Her eyes traveled down, scanning over Weiss' left foot, which even now was suspended off the ground. "I saw him pull you like that. I was so angry I wanted to... But my parents called me for something else and I went with them. I'm sorry. I should have helped you sooner than I did..."

Weiss shook her head.

"It's fine. Really, Pyrrha."

The way Weiss spoke her name... it was so warm, and it made Pyrrha's smile return faster than anything else ever had.

"Alright. But silly me, why do I still have you out here like this? Come inside with me and I'll tend to you."

Weiss nodded and started hobbling forward. Pyrrha kept one hand on her back, and used the other hand to take one of Weiss' for extra support. She made sure to match Weiss' pace, and once they got amidst the crowds again, Pyrrha cleared her throat and raised her voice.

"Pardon us! We've got a minor injury here, so please let us through. I'm sorry!"

The people willingly let them pass, and Weiss knew she was in good hands for once. She failed to spot her father or sister, but then again, didn't particularly want to; she would much rather stay with Pyrrha for a bit longer.

The sun had set not long ago, and now the main sources of light were the lamp posts around the patio and tables.

But once they neared the mansion itself, Weiss got her first proper look at Pyrrha in brighter lighting.

The deep red of her hair gave off a gorgeous sheen, her perfect skin soft and smooth, her green eyes bright and determined, fixated on her task. When they reached the doors, Pyrrha opened one and held it open with her foot and shoulder, going slowly as she helped Weiss limp through.

The mansion was empty aside from the two of them, and Pyrrha led her to a cushioned chair just outside one of the bathrooms. She eased Weiss down into it, worry still clear on her face.

"Are you alright? We didn't aggravate it more on the way here, did we?"

"Not at all," Weiss reassured her. "My aura has been working at it for a while now. If I just rest for a moment, it should be alright before very long."

"Then allow me to help." Pyrrha gathered her dress and adjusted it as she knelt down in front of the heiress. Such an action was unexpected of the hosting family's daughter, and Weiss couldn't stop herself from gasping aloud.

"Oh, no! You don't have to-"

"But you'e my guest!" Pyrrha insisted. "And although we met under circumstances that were far less than favorable... I'd still like to be your friend, if it's at all possible."

"O-Of course!" Weiss blurted instantly, so quickly that she put a hand to her lips in a bashful manner. Pyrrha chuckled softly.

"I'm glad you're as intent on it as I am!" she smiled. "Then please, let me help you heal more quickly."

She reached up and placed her hands around Weiss' sprained ankle, gingerly so as not to cause her more pain. Pyrrha took a slow breath and activated her aura, channeling a bit of it onto Weiss.

She sensed the heiress' aura immediately, and let her own join the mix, flowing into the knotted muscles to loosen them and battle against the unsavory prickling.

Weiss tried to relax herself, closing her eyes as she concentrated on healing herself, allowing Pyrrha to assist her. She could still hear the faint sounds of the party outside, but here inside the mansion it was calmly quiet.

After only a moment, Weiss could feel the last of her pain dissipating. At that point, she opened her eyes and spoke up.

"It's healed now. Thank you so much, Pyrrha."

It was still strangely satisfying to be able to call the girl by her first name; Weiss had admired her from a distance for years, but now she could admire her in-person.

Pyrrha let her aura linger a moment longer just to be certain before she gently set Weiss' foot back down onto the tile and deactivated her aura.

"I'm glad you're not in pain anymore," she said with a smile.

Weiss couldn't hold her stunning emerald gaze for more than a few seconds before she needed to look to the side.

Pyrrha got to her feet, smoothing out the wrinkles of her dress and running a hand through her thick hair. She wasn't going to leave Weiss alone so quickly; she wanted to make sure she was alright.

"Is there anything I can get you? Perhaps some water?"

Weiss was silent for a few seconds, her mist-blue eyes flashing uncertainly up at the other girl. It would be borderline rude to refuse a host's offer of anything.

"Then, if it wouldn't be too much trouble..."

Pyrrha smiled at her response.

"Alright then! But first, let me help you to the bathroom. You can wash off your face after all that distasteful dancing. I think it'll help."

She offered her hand to the heiress, and for a moment, Weiss didn't move. She soon realized she had been expecting Pyrrha to take her hand, which was the common action Weiss was used to by now.

But the crimson-haired girl was doing what no one else had ever done for Weiss before; giving her the option to take her hand or not.

She waited with a patient smile on her face, letting the heiress take her time. They both knew Weiss was quite capable of standing up on her own, and if she refused Pyrrha's help, it wouldn't be a big deal.

But the small gesture of kindness Pyrrha gave her would not go unappreciated.

Weiss slowly lifted her hand and slid her palm over Pyrrha's. The taller girl smiled and curled her fingers around Weiss' gently. With a step back and a gentle, encouraging tug, she helped Weiss to her feet, though she didn't let go of the girl's hand right away. She made sure Weiss could stand fine on her own, that her ankle was no longer bothering her.

But even then, Pyrrha didn't let go of her hand. She kept a hold of it as she led Weiss toward a small bathroom, and Weiss didn't protest to any of that either. Only once they had reached the small marble sink did Pyrrha let go of Weiss' hand and take a step back.

"Thank you," the heiress murmured as she turned on the water.

"It's my pleasure. And here, you can use this." Pyrrha placed a small, clean towel on the edge of the sink for her. "I'll go get you that glass of water. I'll be back in a second."

She slipped out the door, and past the sounds of rushing water, Weiss could hear the soft clicking of her shoes as she walked away. The heiress then slipped her hands beneath the flow of lukewarm water, cupping her hands to catch it in her palms.

As she brought the liquid to her face and started washing off her skin, she couldn't help but notice the dire contrast between what she had felt outside at the banquet compared to what she felt inside the mansion now.

Outside, in the lively party atmosphere, it was akin to being a lone deer among dogs. Not all of them meant harm, but there was always the possibility that some would, and she had experienced that firsthand tonight. Weiss knew it would take her a few days to get the images out of her mind, but at the very least, she could confidently know that her next banquet would have much less of such a threat.

And that was all thanks to Pyrrha, as was the calm that washed over Weiss now.

Inside, it was quieter, and she could focus on one voice – Pyrrha's – easily. Neither of them needed to compete over other voices and sounds, and Weiss rather enjoyed the feeling of not having to constantly watch her own back.

Once she had finished washing off a bit, Weiss stopped the water and picked up the towel Pyrrha had left for her, pressing the material against her face and beneath her bangs with a sigh. She heard a soft knock on the open door and looked up to find Pyrrha had returned with a glass in both hands.

"Do you feel better? I always like washing my face a bit after a long evening like this." She handed Weiss one of the glasses of water with a nod, setting the other down on the sink. She turned on the water quickly and scooped a handful of it up onto her face, letting a few stray drops soar. Pyrrha laughed a bit as she turned the faucet off again. "Ah, it just feels so grand. I love it!" She picked up her glass and took a delighted sip.

Weiss watched the entire thing with unbridled admiration. She had always known Pyrrha was an incredible person – her winnings in the Regional Tournament as well as several beauty pageants proved as much.

And seeing her now - so organic and heartfelt, so true to and sure of herself...

It only made her admiration for Pyrrha even stronger. And that beautiful smile did wonders as well.

Weiss quickly took a drink from her glass, realizing she had been staring a bit. It was only now she realized she had to think of something to say to her, thank Pyrrha once again for all she had done.

She had just finished steeling herself to do as much when the sound of a grandfather clock stopped her. Both she and Pyrrha listened to the chimes, counting them, and Weiss lost the words she had been about to say.

"It's eleven," she murmured. "My father said we would leave at eleven, being as it takes an hour to get home." Weiss put her glass down on the sink and slipped out of the bathroom. "I've got to find him. If I make him wait-"

"Weiss!"

The sound of her name in Pyrrha Nikos' voice was still new to her, and the heiress paused in her tracks, savoring the sound of it. Pyrrha walked up beside her.

Weiss half expected Pyrrha to call her out on being so rude and brushing her off. But Pyrrha's actual words made Weiss feel foolish for even thinking such things.

The other girl's voice was soft and caring as she spoke.

"Don't walk too quickly, alright? We need to make sure your ankle is really healed. I'll help you. Just take your time."

Once more, she offered Weiss her hand, and though she was a bit hesitant, the heiress didn't refuse.

Pyrrha led her toward the doors which they had entered from, where the banquet was gradually dying down outside. She could tell Weiss was trying to walk more quickly than she could manage in her exhausted state, and Pyrrha made sure to put her mind at ease.

"Your father won't be upset if he finds you with the host's daughter. In fact, it's a good thing for both of our families that we're with one another rather than anyone else."

When Weiss absorbed Pyrrha's words and allowed them to sink it, she realized the truth in what her friend said. So she moved more slowly across the parlor, savoring her last few minutes of silence alone with Pyrrha.

They came to a halt, and from where she stood, Pyrrha caught her mother's eye from outside. She gave a small wave to indicate she was with Weiss, and her mother passed on that information to the heiress' father.

"There," Pyrrha smiled. "Everything's alright. But just to make sure..." She looked to her side, eyes angling downward a bit to find Weiss'. "Are you?"

A lot had happened to Weiss that night, and Pyrrha had seen the majority of it all from a distance. She still felt guilty for letting Weiss endure more of that than she would've had to if Pyrrha herself had acted sooner.

But Weiss' pretty blue eyes were shining as she spoke truthfully now.

"Yes. I'm fine, Pyrrha."

"That's good," she nodded. "And like I said, I remembered all of those fellows' names. I'll be reporting them to my parents, and they'll pass them along to your father and all of the other families who typically host. But don't worry! I won't give your name, I'll simply say they were inappropriately harassing a fellow honored guest. I don't want to get you into trouble. But I can promise you that you won't see any of them again for a long while."

Her hand slowly let go of Weiss' to instead travel up to the girl's shoulder, over her soft, white shawl. Amiable emerald pools met with confident blue as Pyrrha continued:

"And if you'd like to talk a bit more or anything, just give me a call. I'm almost always available, and I'll do my best to answer for you at all costs."

The offer of being permitted to communicate with Pyrrha personally was a shock for Weiss; she had never been granted such a privilege before. Pyrrha could tell she was clearly flustered about it now, and needed to hold back a small chuckle as the heiress tried to find words.

"I... I don't want to refuse your offer, but... I don't think I'd know how or when to contact you, or why. I wouldn't want to be an inconvenience-"

"Weiss, you silly girl!" Pyrrha wrapped her arm around the heiress' shoulders. "You don't have to worry about any of that! We're not arranging appointments! I'm simply offering you my number so we can talk casually. As friends. You could never be anything but a pleasure to hear from!"

Weiss curled her toes inside of her shoes, confused and happy beyond explanation.

"But I-"

"I'll give you a call tomorrow. My family has your father's number and from there we can get yours. It'd be good for the two of us to become a little closer, don't you think? And surely your father wouldn't be opposed to it."

Weiss knew it was quite the opposite; he was always encouraging her to talk more with the children of other significant families.

But Weiss would make sure not to do so for any inappropriate reasons; she knew her father could be sneaky if he wanted to.

So right then and there, Weiss vowed to herself that she would never take advantage of Pyrrha's kindness tonight.

She took a deep breath and let it out.

"Alright. If it's fine with you, Pyrrha."

Clearly, it was more than fine. Pyrrha clapped her hands together and let out a delighted laugh.

"Oh, thank you, Weiss!" She wrapped her arms around the unsuspecting heiress a second time that evening. The sounds of her joyful laughter had Weiss smiling a bit as well, and she managed to return the hug for a moment, hesitant as it might have been. Pyrrha stepped back a minute later, but put a hand to her mouth. "Oh, no! I'm so sorry, I did it again! I'm sorry! In my family it's just so common to hug, but I didn't ask-"

"Pyrrha," Weiss smiled up at her. "It's more than fine. Thank you."

Pyrrha let out a relieved breath. This time, she opened her arms and invited Weiss in.

The heiress froze; she had never been offered something like this before, to willingly initiate physical contact with someone she had only just formally met – and her most-admired person, for that matter.

But it would be rude not to accept something offered by the hosting family's eldest daughter.

And besides, Weiss wanted to accept this.

Two steps forward, and she reached her arms up around Pyrrha's shoulders. The taller of the two chuckled softly and hugged Weiss' back.

Pyrrha didn't seem willing to let go just yet, and Weiss was more than happy to stay as she was for a moment longer. Her voice was soft and grateful as she murmured into Pyrrha's ear.

"Thank you for all you did for me tonight. And it was very nice to meet you, Pyrrha."

"Think nothing of it," Pyrrha replied. "And it was very nice to finally meet you too, Weiss. I've been wanting to for quite some time."

Surprised, Weiss was about to ask what she meant, but Pyrrha stepped back just then and let her go, though not entirely.

"Before you go, Weiss..." She slid her hands up to rest on Weiss' shawl, over her shoulders. "I remembered to ask first this time, but... in my family, it's customary that... when we're greeting friends or seeing them off, we give them a kiss on the cheek. So I was wondering..."

It took Weiss a second to understand what Pyrrha was asking her. She felt her heart skip at least once at the thought of it, and Weiss was certain a blush now covered her face. But her voice tumbled out nonetheless.

"O-Of course. I wouldn't want to have you... break tradition, after all." She smiled a bit nervously, noticing Pyrrha did just the same.

It was strange for Weiss.

Typically at the end of a banquet, she was seeing off suitors. They would try to steal a kiss from her lips, but she always evaded them, giving them her right cheek instead, the one her father liked best. Her left was where the scar was, and she was very insecure and sensitive about that side of her face.

But presently, that was the side Pyrrha bent down to press her soft lips against, without an ounce of hesitation.

A sudden swell of emotion overcame Weiss in that instant, and she needed to fight to keep it in check. They weren't bad emotions, just the opposite. She closed her eyes, engraving the feeling of Pyrrha's lips on her skin to memory; breathing the same air as her was a dream come true, let alone being hugged and kissed by her.

When Pyrrha pulled back slightly, she made a small sound, and Weiss reopened her eyes. Pyrrha's eyes flashed to hers, then bashfully away.

"You may do the same for me, if you'd like."

Weiss quickly snapped out of the little trance she had been in; the last thing she wanted to do was fail to uphold her own part in Pyrrha's traditions.

So she leaned forward and closed her eyes, holding a small, sweet kiss to her smooth cheek.

It was almost too easy to pull back when the sudden sounds of the doors opening made her jolt. But Pyrrha only smiled, and hugged her one last time.

"It seems it's time for you to go," she said, stepping away.

Pyrrha's parents and Weiss' father and sister had just entered the foyer. Pyrrha offered her hand, and Weiss quietly accepted, and together they walked toward them.

Pyrrha passed a few more whispers to Weiss over her shoulder.

"And like I said, don't worry about those boys. They won't bother you anymore. I'll call you tomorrow, if that's okay?"

Here, she paused, turning to Weiss and looking fully into her eyes. "And I'll see you again at the next banquet, okay?"

Weiss curled her fingers a bit into Pyrrha's, a silent indication that she didn't want to leave her.

Pyrrha understood.

"Yes," Weiss said softly. "I'd love for you to call me. And I'll see you next time for certain. Thank you again, Pyrrha."

And with that, their hands slipped from one another's and each girl stepped beside her respective family.

They all said their final goodbyes for the night.

Then, Weiss headed off with her family, with one last shared glance with a smiling Pyrrha.

A few hours later, after Weiss had arrived home and the banquet at Pyrrha's had ended, the two girls lie in bed that night.

It took them both a bit longer to fall asleep than usual due to fluttering stomachs and unshakable smiles.

But when sleep finally did come to them, it was kind, and ridden with excitement for a special call that would be made and answered tomorrow.

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A/N: This will be a two-shot, so see you guys next Sunday! (Also, if you noticed any mistakes, please let me know in a PM!)