A Love Unlike Any Other

Set in/after the incredible Henceforward AU (Ruby and Weiss 23 and 25), this story is dedicated to the master herself, Kumafromtaiwan~ Happy birthday, Kuma!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. Henceforth AU belongs to Kuma.

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							A Love Unlike Any Other

A person couldn't hope to count the amount of things Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee had been through together.

Everyone knew of the rough outlines of their story.

They had been off to a rocky start upon their very first meeting at Beacon almost ten years ago. Prickly attitudes and childish behavior had caused the two to clash on more than one occasion, and yelling hadn't been rare back then.

They'd often squabble on a daily basis about this or that, even after they had established a closer bond as partners.

And once they had made their romantic feelings toward one another known, those little spats and arguments had taken on even more meaning.

It was vital to communicate in a relationship, and Ruby and Weiss never failed to let the other know what she was thinking or what she needed, whether it was some personal space or a tight hug. Having multiple small squabbles throughout the days had allowed them to address issues as soon as they arose, and likely had been what prevented them from ever having explosive tantrums.

No matter how high-strung and stuffy Weiss was being or how childish and unreasonable Ruby was acting, it was never anything they couldn't overcome with a bit of understanding and empathy.

As the years had progressed, so had the hardships.

Blake's apparent betrayal in the past had left Ruby hospitalized for weeks with awful injuries, during which time Weiss subjected herself to brutal Dust experimentation that jeopardized her life every step of the way.

It had felt almost too gracious for the both of them to come out of their respective troubles majorly unharmed.

And every battle they'd fought together after that – no matter how brutal or bloody it had been – always left them both in bearable condition. Even against the talking Grimm, they'd never sustained wounds much worse than exertion or a brief loss of consciousness.

In short, not too many terrible things had befallen the couple throughout their time together.

Looking at Blake's and Yang's relationship made it seem almost unfair how simple their own had been.

Throughout it all, Ruby and Weiss had never lost one another.

They were always beside the other, even if one of them wasn't awake. They were always connected in spirit and in heart, always there to offer warm, reassuring embraces or understanding looks.

They were both so thankful every day. Thankful for the other, thankful that the both of them were still alive and healthy, thankful that nothing had torn them apart even after all these years – not words, not disease, not enemies. Nothing.

Even after all had been said and done about Blake and she'd returned to them, Ruby and Weiss had taken a short break from fighting Grimm.

Everything was good, but it all seemed like an illusion of sorts.

Such thoughts were always nagging in the back of Weiss' mind.

But recently, they had shoved their way to the forefront, pushing aside most everything else to take precedence in her thoughts.

In light of recent events, she had become more anxious about hers and Ruby's relationship than ever before.

Because Ruby was pregnant.

Years of Dust experimentation and research had led scientists to converge paths with doctors. It had gotten to the point where Dust could be used in manufacturing various medicines, and could be distributed to the people without any risk of harm. And it had even made it possible to help with the role of fertilizing eggs without the addition of male donations.

Weiss and Ruby could both be absolutely certain that this child would be no one else's but their own, one-hundred percent.

But those months since Weiss had found out had been nothing but uncertain for her.

The day Ruby had received the call from her doctor at the home she shared with Weiss, the white-haired girl had dropped the lunch she'd been preparing in the kitchen and hurried over to her partner. She coaxed Ruby to sit down as she answered the phone, worried that whatever news it was – good or bad – might cause her to get weak in the knees.

Weiss sat beside her, holding her hand and squeezing it tightly, covering Ruby's marital ring with her own.

After several long, dragging minutes, Ruby had hung up the phone, her face angled away from Weiss, her expression unreadable.

Weiss had counted every striking thud of her heart as she'd waited for Ruby to speak.

When at last her beloved had turned around, her eyes had been shimmering silver, and a wide grin had spread across her face as she'd declared:

"I've got your little hedgehog in my belly, Weiss!"

Weiss had sobbed in the utmost relief and thrown her arms around Ruby, kissing her cheeks and hair and everything else she could get at. Ruby squeezed her back with just as much zeal, squealing about how excited she was.

They'd shared many, many warm kisses that night, wrapped in each other's arms, making profound declarations of love for hours on end until sleep had finally swept over them like a warm blanket.

Those were the kind of nights Weiss was forcing herself to remember at the present, the nights when Ruby had slept easily and comfortably in her arms.

But now, after eight months of spoiling her wife in every possible way, shape and form, Weiss had begun to notice a change in Ruby.

She was eating less dinner on some nights, and more on others. Weiss knew she needed to be eating enough for both herself and the baby, so whenever Ruby put down her fork on her half-finished plate with a weighted sigh, Weiss grew concerned.

It had happened again tonight, and Weiss stood from her seat and went to her partner, kneeling on the floor so Ruby may look down into her eyes.

"Ruby," Weiss murmured tensely. "Are you feeling alright? This is... this is the sixth time this month and I-"

"Yeah," Ruby smiled. "Don't worry, Weiss. I'm fine. Gosh, you worry way too much, you know that? Even after all this time." She remained in her seat, patting her swollen belly with one hand as she motioned for Weiss to stand with the other.

Slowly, Weiss complied, wrapping her arms gently around Ruby's shoulders.

The brunette hugged her waist, nuzzling her face into Weiss' chest. She could hear Weiss' scared heartbeat that struck hard like a drum, and Ruby pulled her closer.

"Calm down, Weiss. Remember what the doctor said?"

Weiss sighed, fighting back tears.

"She said... that your appetite might change."

"That's right," Ruby affirmed. "So sometimes I'm super hungry, and sometimes I'm not hungry! You already called and asked her about that a billion times, remember? And she said it was normal and to be expected this late in the game. It's normal for me to have these weird food cravings, and to be not-so-eager about other foods. Heck, that night when I said I didn't want a cookie, you almost had a heart-attack! I swear you're the biggest worry-wart in all of Remnant, Weiss. Don't stress yourself out so much."

There was a brief moment of silence, and Ruby listened to her wife's heart until it had slowed a bit.

Weiss sighed again.

"I'm sorry. You know I'm just as excited about all of this as you are. This is... this is a dream come true for me, Ruby. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me – the best I'll ever have. And you're... giving me a son..."

Despite her best efforts to control them, the tears started to overflow, slipping down her cheeks and landing in Ruby's soft hair. Small Dust crystals began to emerge on Weiss' upper arms and shoulders, popping up and putting little holes in her clothing. This always happened when Weiss got highly emotional.

Ruby only squeezed her tighter.

"Don't be sorry, Weiss. I know you're just as happy as I am! But I also know all this puts you under a lot of stress. All these months, you've done such a good job taking care of me. You always do everything, no matter where we go or what we're doing just to make sure I never get flustered or upset or anything. On my last checkup, the doctor said she didn't think I'd experienced even a single little ounce of stress in the past eight months! It's okay to let me make my own meals, you know!" she laughed good-naturedly.

"The point is that... Weiss, you're taking all of my stress onto yourself, in addition to your own. And you can't keep doing that or else you'll get sick. We both had to make sacrifices for this little guy. Not just you," she said, rubbing her belly again.

"It wasn't easy to give up hunting Grimm for this long, but we decided to go through with it. I knew it'd only be a temporary sacrifice I'd have to make," she paused for a moment. "But you... you're starting to sacrifice your health and your mind, Weiss. Don't do this to yourself. Don't do it to me. Please... I can't stand to see you hurting so badly..."

She buried her face back into Weiss' shirt.

The white-haired girl gasped softly, fearing her partner might cry. In the eight months thus far of her pregnancy, Weiss had ensured Ruby hadn't shed a tear other than for the sake of expressing joy. She wasn't about to let her efforts go to waste, and for Ruby to start getting stressed now...

"Ruby..." she whispered. "I'm sorry. I know I'm... overreacting. I'm just nervous. Excited, but nervous. I can't help but worry about every little thing. It's just... who I am. If something is off, then I feel the need to address it to make sure it won't become an issue. You know me.

"I'm a girl who goes by the books, and if something's out of place, then I have to question it, challenge it. In this case, that means flooding your doctor with questions and calls every hour of every day to make sure you're alright. I never meant to make you upset. Please don't cry..."

She felt Ruby nod slightly against her chest.

"I won't," she mumbled. "But you gotta try not to either, okay? Not so much like you keep doing, anyway. It's okay to be scared and nervous about all of this, and I know sometimes it's the only way you can cope with things. Just... don't do it so much that you're gonna get hurt."

Ruby's eyes flashed pointedly to the crystals still poking up on her wife's shoulders.

With a deep breath, Weiss tried to get herself under control, until they had sunk back down and vanished.

Relieved, Ruby nuzzled in closer and kissed the center of her chest, right over her heart. Weiss stroked gentle fingers through her wife's long, smooth hair, placing a tender kiss over her head.

"I won't, Ruby. I can promise you that. Because I know that if that happens, it'll only make you sad. We'll make it through this, and it'll be the best time of our lives."

Keeping one arm around Ruby's shoulders, Weiss' other hand slipped down onto Ruby's belly, rubbing gingerly for a moment before finding her hand and curling their pinkies together.

"I promise, Ruby. I won't let anyone or anything take this away from us."

At last, Ruby found her smile once more.

"I know you won't, Weiss. 'Cuz you're the best wife ever! And you've always been the best teammate, and best partner, and best girlfriend! After all these years, you've never left me. Even when Yang ran off, you stayed with me no matter what. I can never thank you enough."

She tugged on Weiss' sleeve, coaxing her to lean down so Ruby may capture her lips briefly.

When they parted, Weiss was smiling again, and the tears had stopped.

"Dolt," she huffed. "You don't need to thank me. Just keep being you – exactly as you are."

The brunette grinned widely, exposing her white teeth.

"Easy enough!"

With Weiss' support, Ruby stood from her chair and left the table. But she paused before stepping out into the living room.

"Um, Weiss? I'm actually... in a cookie mood tonight. Just one!"

Weiss' eyes went a little wide, but she was happy to find that her wife was still smitten with her favorite treat.

"Actually, we just ran out," she reported with regret.

Ruby whimpered pitifully.

"Awww okay then..."

"But if you really want one, I can go out-"

"Weeeiissss, what did we just talk about?" Ruby pouted.

With another sigh, Weiss bowed her head.

"Right. Sorry."

"And no sorries! Gosh, you're too high-strung, Weiss. And I'm the one with the hedgehog rolling around inside me!"

"Then how about tomorrow we bake some cookies together?" Weiss suggested. "We can take a trip to the store for some exercise and then bake the day away. How does that sound?"

Ruby gave a little bounce of excitement.

"Yeah, yeah! Let's do that, Weiss! I can't wait!"

Weiss led Ruby to the bathroom and waited for her to finish washing up. She then led her wife to their bedroom and helped her change out of her clothes, carefully slipping her into her loose, red nightgown instead.

Once Weiss had helped her into bed, she changed into her own sleepwear shirt and pants before going back to the kitchen to clean up their plates.

When she was finally finished, she hurried into the bathroom to brush her teeth and comb her hair, taking Ruby's comb back into the bedroom with her.

Ruby was waiting patiently for her, though she was clearly drowsy and ready for bed.

Under the soft, pale glow of a single lamp on their nightstand, Weiss crawled onto the bed and had her wife lean forward. She brushed through the length of Ruby's silken hair for her, starting at her shoulders and traveling all the way down to where it ended at the small of her back, perhaps even a bit longer than Weiss' own hair by now.

She moved the brush slowly through chocolate-colored tresses, letting the bristles tickle lightly down Ruby's back. She elicited a few giggles from her wife, but overall, she knew the process was methodical and relaxing for Ruby.

Weiss made sure not to tug or tangle, repeating her motions in slow, soothing strokes.

Only after Ruby's eyelids had fallen shut and her posture had started to slump a bit did Weiss put the brush aside. She slipped her arms around Ruby's shoulders and chest before laying her down with care onto her back.

"How are you feeling?" Weiss murmured.

Ruby opened her eyes lethargically, but there was a lazy smile on her lips all the while.

"Well..." she hummed. "I'm being spoiled like a queen every single day, I've married the love of my life, and I'm carrying our first baby. I know this is better than heaven. I feel wonderful Weiss, and that's not even the right word."

She blinked, and two little tears of happiness slipped down her cheeks.

Weiss extended her hand to catch them, clearing them away softly.

"I'm glad, Ruby. I'm so, so glad..." Her heart soared at hearing those words, and all the troubles that had been piling up and weighing her down as of recently had evaporated like morning dew beneath the midday sun.

Ruby had always had that effect on her, the ability to sap away all of her worries and doubts within the course of just a few seconds. It was only one of countless reasons why Weiss had decided to marry her and give Ruby the rest of her life.

For a long moment, neither spoke, but simply breathed.

Weiss looked down with half-lidded crystal-blue eyes, seeking that familiar silver. She leaned forward a little, her ivory hair slipping down over her shoulders and creating a screen of sorts around Ruby and herself, blocking them off from the rest of the world.

Weiss leaned down over her protectively before finding her lips and kissing her deeply. Her hands played through Ruby's long, rosy hair, and she felt a warm pair of hands reach up to rub along her back and arms.

This was how they ended every day, with kisses of soft passions and unspoken words that chased away all the fears and uncertainties.

Once they finally parted, Weiss pulled back and shifted to turn off the lamp. She made sure Ruby's head rested comfortably on the large, soft pillow Weiss had bought for her.

She then moved down to kiss the bump of Ruby's belly, as was also routine, before at last going back to her wife's lips for one final peck.

"Goodnight, Ruby," she breathed. "I love you more than anything."

"I love you too, Weiss," Ruby returned. "More than anything."

She opened her arms invitingly, and Weiss laid herself down at her wife's side, draping one arm above the swell of Ruby's stomach and resting her head on her beloved's shoulder.

They drifted off to sleep together, know that tomorrow would bring them another day closer to the best day of their lives thus far.

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The next morning, they did just as they'd planned.

Weiss had woken up first, as she often did ever since Ruby's pregnancy had began. Ruby tended to sleep in a bit more nowadays, but if she didn't have work and could afford to linger, Weiss did just that.

Due to Ruby's begging, Weiss had allowed herself to take off an entire month's worth of work. It hadn't been a simply feat to convince her, but her friends and coworkers had reassured Weiss that they were already far ahead of schedule due to Weiss' constant diligence about the workplace.

Ruby had pleaded and the others had encouraged her to take some time off to enjoy the biggest and most important event of her life.

Only after her coworkers had given her an official presentation to prove how ahead they were in their work did Weiss finally agree.

So now, she was spending the final month of Ruby's pregnancy with her, day in and day out.

And she was allowed to sleep in with her wife if she so desired it.

She did this morning, just for an hour or so, still half-conscious as she lazily ran her fingers through Ruby's hair to smooth it out. She curled up into her side to share warmth beneath the blankets, rubbing circles over Ruby's belly.

When Ruby began to stir, Weiss kissed her wife awake with little pecks of her lips and nuzzles of her nose. Ruby blinked her eyes open with a smile.

"Mornin' gorgeous~" she hummed sleepily.

"Good morning, Ruby." Weiss hugged her gently. "Would you like breakfast?"

"Mmmm yes, please~"

Weiss kissed her forehead before slipping out of bed and heading toward the kitchen. Weiss prepared food for them both, bringing the plates back into the bedroom and handing Ruby hers.

"Yaaay!" she cheered, sitting up and leaning back against the headboard. "I love breakfast in bed~"

"I know you do," Weiss said, handing her a few napkins.

"Heehee, you spoil me so much, Weiss~"

"Get used to it," she said, smirking playfully.

Weiss took her spot beside Ruby, and together they ate breakfast, Ruby moaning happily and making comments about how good it was all the while. Her compliments caused Weiss to blush light pink, and a few crystals popped out again.

They finished their meal, got dressed, and headed out into the warm, sunny day.

It was about a twenty-minute walk from their residence to the nearest marketplace, and Weiss always offered to call for a car. Ruby knew that it wouldn't be long now before she had to accept the offer, as she'd be too bloated to walk that far and back home again.

But this morning, she refused Weiss one more time.

"After today we can take the car," she promised. "But let's have today be our last day for walking!"

Satisfied with the answer, Weiss nodded and took her hand.

They walked at a leisurely pace, occasionally pausing when they passed a dog walker so Ruby could pet the animal – even after all these years, she truly hadn't changed.

Once they reached the grocery store, Weiss grabbed a basket in her free hand and told Ruby to list off whatever other things they might need to purchase.

They got all the necessary ingredients for baking cookies, as well as a few other things for the house.

After paying for it all and walking home, Weiss led her wife into the kitchen and tied an apron around her neck and waist before doing the same for herself. She tied Ruby's hair back into a low ponytail for her and then did the same for her own hair, draping it over one shoulder as she put a large bowl on the counter.

Weiss didn't need directions. After all these years of living with Ruby Rose, she knew how to bake chocolate chip cookies even better than she knew her own name.

She pre-heated the oven before getting to work, asking Ruby to handle the hard ingredients as Weiss herself dealt with the liquids.

They combined their bowls and began to mix the batter, and inevitably, bits of flour puffed up and powdered their faces. Weiss cleaned Ruby off with a napkin, but the huntress leaned forward to kiss the batter off of Weiss' face, sticking her tongue out playfully. Weiss blushed madly and flicked a chocolate chip at her.

At last, they'd mixed everything together and began forming the cookies, placing them on trays for the oven.

During that time, Ruby's hair was already dusted with flour, and Weiss was in the middle of cleaning her off when she felt her wife jolt a little. Instantly, Weiss pulled away.

"Ruby?"

"Oh!" Ruby giggled. "Again, huh?"

"What's going on? Is he kicking again?"

"Haha nope, not this time!" she reported. "Though he is a prickly little kicker. But this time it's... heehee, he's got the hiccups I think! He keeps bouncing around!"

The worry that had been brimming in Weiss' eyes faded and was replaced with a gentle fondness.

"How precious..." she smiled.

She wrapped her arms around Ruby from behind, briefly burying her face into the side of her wife's neck and shoulder. She could feel the very faint movement of her wife's belly as their son hiccuped every now and again, causing Ruby to laugh as well. Weiss kissed her cheek once more before they continued with their baking.

"It won't be much longer now," she promised. "He'll be out of you soon enough!"

"Yup! I wonder when his birthday's gonna be~"

They'd been given an estimated date, but still wouldn't be sure until their baby was ready to greet the world.

The couple slipped the trays of cookies into the oven and let them bake. Weiss was sure to keep her eye on the clock to ensure the cookies didn't burn.

The sweet, intoxicating aroma of warm chocolate was already drifting about the room, irresistible and tempting. Ruby waited excitedly, peeking in through the oven door to watch them form.

When at last Weiss opened the door, she revealed two full trays of flawless cookies, golden and still a bit gooey. Ruby grabbed the milk from the refrigerator and poured two glasses as the treats cooled, and only when Weiss gave her say-so did they both begin to eat.

Ruby hummed and purred blissfully at the taste of the freshly-baked cookies.

"Weiss~ They're sooooo good! I'm gonna cry!"

"You're going to give our son your sweet tooth," Weiss chuckled.

"He's gonna love you cookies, too!" Ruby declared. "I know you put a lot of love into them! That's the secret ingredient that makes them so yummy!"

They ate what they could before Weiss packed away the extras into a container.

The rest of the day was spent on the couch, watching movies together during the afternoon, and reading books in the evening.

And at night they went about their usual routine of kisses and whispering affection before lying down for bed.

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And thus, they were another day closer...

And before they knew it, the day had come.

Weiss had been at home with Ruby the moment her contractions had started.

Ruby had been helping her wife clean up the kitchen a little bit when she'd suddenly hunched over to clutch her belly, leaning against the counter heavily. Weiss had felt her heart seize, and she'd run to her lover, holding her up fretfully as panic overtook her and she called for a car.

Ruby found Weiss' reaction rather adorable. She'd been expecting Weiss to handle everything professionally and with practiced calmness when it happened.

But here she was flustered and jittery with excitement and nervousness, her shoulders already covered in Dust crystals.

"Ruby? Ruby, are you alright?" she'd asked a million times within one minute. "Does it hurt?"

The brunette had only chuckled dryly and given her a cracked smile.

"Yeah... a bit..." she wheezed. "This... little hedgehog of yours is ah-! He's really rolling now!"

Once the car had arrived just minutes later, Weiss helped Ruby inside and demanded to be taken to the hospital at once. She was too preoccupied with Ruby to be able to call Yang, so she asked the driver to do that as well.

They reached the hospital in seconds, and there were already medical personnel outside to help walk Ruby to the doors and get her to a room.

Weiss made certain to stay beside her wife, nervously informing everyone "I'm her wife" as though it needed to be said. The media had been swarming with news of the renown Weiss Schnee's and Ruby Ruby's firstborn for nearly a year now, and everyone knew who they were.

Weiss was so anxious she ended up snapping a little at a few of the staff, but immediately broke down into apologies seconds later. The nurses found it all quite amusing; no one had ever seen Weiss like this before. It was peculiar, and yet not in the least unexpected.

They led Ruby to a room and got her a bed, helping her into some hospital robes and blankets. Weiss paced around the room all the while like an anxious wolf, flashing her gaze up every three seconds to glimpse her wife's face.

Ruby was sweating a bit and was being swarmed by nurses. Weiss had half a mind to lash out at them all and demand they give her wife some space, but she bit her tongue, realizing the nerves were controlling her thoughts.

After a few minutes, the nurses and doctors had finished administering whatever painkillers Ruby had requested, and when they finally stepped back a bit, Weiss rushed in.

She fumbled for Ruby's hand with shaking ones, trembling so severely she dropped her wife's hand back down onto the bed a few times first.

Ruby looked up at her with concern.

"Weiss? Hey..."

"Ruby..." she gasped. "I'm sorry, I-I'm trying to be calm, but- I'm sorry, I know it's not helping you for me to be like this. I'm trying to be calm, but I-"

"Weiss, it's okay!" she soothed, placing her free hand over Weiss' to steady them. "We both knew this was how it was going to work out. We're both pretty panicky right now, and that's okay! It doesn't change the fact that everything's going to be fine."

Her last word had Weiss crying already, her face contorting as she bent forward and buried her expression into Ruby's shoulder. Her heart thumped quickly against her ribs, out of both fear and joy at the same time. She felt a soft, reassuring hand caress her hair, and Ruby's familiar voice was in her ear.

"It's okay, Weiss. We've got this! Today's the day, Weiss! Today's... gonna be his birthday."

Weiss sobbed again and nodded, curling up and leaning her wobbling weight against the bed. She slipped an arm around Ruby's shoulders and enveloped her in a partial embrace.

Ruby breathed in her wife's scent, cool and calming, and it served to relax her a bit more.

When Weiss had finally gotten control over her emotions – or at least as much control as she was going to get today – she leaned down and kissed Ruby's lips gently.

"I love you..." she murmured. "I love you, Ruby Schnee-Rose, and don't you ever forget that."

"I won't. You'd never let me forget, Weiss!" she chuckled softly. "Thank you. I love you too, Weiss."

They savored a few moments of silence, ignoring the doctors flitting about the room and instead choosing to focus on each other.

Ruby clutched Weiss' left hand with both of hers, keeping their martial rings together. Weiss used her free hand to pet through Ruby's hair gently.

A moment later, Ruby jolted again.

"Ah-! Ahaha geez! This little hedgehog is getting feisty! Just like his mommy!" she said with a playful grin at Weiss. The older girl huffed and pouted a bit. Ruby laughed. "I hope he gets your adorable pout too!"

After that, the contractions really began. They shook Ruby from the inside out in powerful shockwaves, and she had to force herself to listen to Weiss as she instructed her on how to breathe.

It had taken this long, but Weiss was finally reverting back to her reserved, professional self.

"Remember the classes, Ruby," she instructed. "Just breathe and push. I'm here for you. I'm staying right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Ruby squeezed her eyes shut and nodded, her body shuddering again.

The nurses and doctors were giving instructions as well, but the most prominent voice in her ears was Weiss', and she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Her wife was calmer now despite the crystals on her shoulders, firm and yet still gentle, and entirely supportive.

Ruby could hear many things in Weiss' voice; her concern, her anxiety, her determination, and her unconditional love she harbored for Ruby. That gave her strength, and the brunette continued to push at the swell in her belly when she could.

When the shockwaves increased with intensity and frequency, Ruby had to cry out a bit more.

"Ow ow ow ow!" she hissed. "Aaaahhhh owww gosh-" Her hand squeezed Weiss' until both their knuckles were stark white.

But Weiss didn't mind her own pain, as she knew it was nothing compared to Ruby's right now. She was just glad she could help alleviate some of it, even if that was just a small fraction.

"It's okay, Ruby," she soothed. "You're doing wonderfully. Just breathe."

Leaning over her wife, Weiss kissed her forehead, and then each of her cheeks to pacify her a little.

It clearly worked, and Ruby was able to get her breath back easier.

Weiss continued to caress her wife's hair and face, all in between constant reminders and reassurances of affection.

The first hour passed by in this manner, and then the second and the third.

It was agonizing for Ruby; she was used to a different kind of pain, after all.

But Weiss could tell she wasn't about to give up any time soon, if ever.

Ruby was also a bit of an impatient young woman, as was clearly demonstrated by the time she'd reached her hand into a burning oven to retrieve a cookie before they were finished baking, or the time she'd once skipped to read the last chapter of the book because she was too bored and didn't want to read the first nine chapters.

But there were unfortunately no shortcuts with giving birth.

Ruby moaned and groaned repeatedly.

"He's so stubborn," she complained. "Just like you, Weiss..."

The white-haired girl snorted and lightly flicked her forehead before covering it with a kiss.

"You can do it," she said. "Just think of how badly you want to see his little face and use that desire to push. He'll be here soon enough."

As the fourth hour passed, Weiss continued to hold her wife, squeezing her hand again and again whenever the contractions became more severe. She sang to her a bit to help ease her stress, nuzzling affectionate kisses onto her face.

Weiss had reflected upon how grateful she was for Ruby to be a part of her life every day.

But today... she felt she couldn't reflect enough.

To distract her wife from the pain, Weiss reminded her of old memories.

The first time they'd met at Beacon and how they'd started off fighting every chance they got.

The time they had met in the Emerald Forest, their first mission together, their graduation...

How they'd eventually fallen in love after facing so many trials.

That was when Weiss paused her storytelling for a moment to lean down and hold a long kiss to Ruby's shirt over the center of her chest, where the scar was located.

She then went on to recap Ruby's proposal, and finally their wedding day.

She didn't even realize it when new Dust crystals had started to form on her, lining her back and shoulders in just about every color imaginable.

Ruby opened her eyes and glimpsed her lifelong partner with a smile.

"My rainbow hedgehog..." she mumbled.

Weiss wiped the tears from her own eyes, and then from Ruby's.

"My beautiful rose."

Ruby grinned up at her.

Weiss continued humming, all the while wiping sweat from Ruby's forehead and emitting a soft, cooling flow of her aura onto her. She kept one ear open to the words the nurses were exchanging, and soon Weiss knew the baby would be coming.

She braced herself, and Ruby did, too.

"Hey... Weiss?" she asked with a small voice.

It wasn't like Ruby to speak like that, so Weiss grew faintly concerned as she leaned down to listen better.

"What is it? Do you need anything?"

Ruby shook her head.

"No, I'm fine. I've got you~" she hummed. "But... do you think..." She sighed, smile fading. "Do you think Mom's watching?"

And Weiss suddenly understood her wife's change in tone.

Gently, she kissed Ruby's lips and breathed into her.

"I'm sure she is," Weiss murmured. "Summer's watching right now. She's watching the birth of her grandson, and she's watching you give life to him. I know she's so proud of you, Ruby."

More tears spilled down her cheeks, and more crystals popped up on her arms. "I am too..." she sniffled. "I'm so proud of you, Ruby. I love you so much..."

Ruby reached up to hold her as best she could from her position. Weiss felt her sigh deeply, as though releasing some great burden along with it.

"Thank you, Weiss. Thank you..."

Another long moment passed, and Weiss pulled away, her tears dripping down onto Ruby's cheeks as she kissed her nose.

As if on cue, their son had finally decided to meet the world.

Ruby's contractions turned wildly fast and she sucked in a tight breath, biting her lip as she squeezed her eyes shut. Weiss hovered at her side, clutching her hands. Her eyes flashed repeatedly between Ruby and the wet nurse, but ultimately settled on her wife's face.

"Uugh!" Ruby screamed. "Come on you- st-stubborn little hedgehog! Your Mommies wanna... see you!"

With one final almighty push, Ruby went limp, panting in Weiss' arms. There was a cry of triumph from the nurses as they let up a congratulatory cheer.

And then, a new sound filled the room.

It was tiny, but oh so loud.

A blubbering cry, vivacious and full of life.

Weiss forgot how to breathe.

The world slowed down and seemed to freeze in that moment.

Every heartbeat was in her throat, one hand still in Ruby's as she glanced down at her exhausted partner of nearly ten years.

She just... needed a moment.

A moment to thank the gods if they existed, to thank the universe if it could hear her, thank Summer Rose or whomever else had blessed her with this miracle.

All her life, Weiss never thought she'd find love.

She was always too focused on work and her father's company.

Ruby Rose was truly a blessing for her, and had changed her life in every way possible for the better.

Ruby was her most beloved treasure.

More tears spilled in rivulets off Weiss' face as she sent out a silent prayer to whomever or whatever was listening.

Thank you... for granting me a second treasure in this world...

The lively cry filled her ears as the nurse walked toward her, a blue blanket in her arms. Weiss couldn't tear her gaze away from the little pink head peeking out.

Ruby opened her eyes quickly, and Weiss helped her sit up just as the nurse presented them with their bundle of joy.

"Congratulations," she said. "You've got yourselves a very healthy baby boy."

She handed the blanket to Weiss, and Ruby reached out to hold it as well, each new mother keeping one hand around their son, and one hand in each other's.

They brought him down onto the bed, cradled in Ruby's lap as they gazed into his precious little face.

It was only seconds before they were both sobbing once again.

They brought their son close, wrapping their arms around him and each other as the three of them cried together. As a family.

Weiss felt even more crystals pop up, but they didn't hurt at all.

Ruby rubbed her wife's back slowly before pulling away a bit. She buried her face in Weiss' sleeve to dry her eyes, then gazed up at her beautiful partner.

"He's here!" she said joyously.

Weiss blinked away more tears and nodded.

"Yes. Yes he is."

They leaned their foreheads together for a long moment, laughing softly in between the sobs.

"He's got your lungs!" Ruby noted. "So loud and full of air! Just like his singer of a Mommy!"

"And he's got your hair," Weiss added. "It's even a bit rosy, too. And would you look at that little red nose?" She looked down at him with fond eyes.

It was that comment from Weiss that got Ruby thinking. The next word slipped past her lips with a smile.

"Rudolph," she said.

Weiss looked up at her curiously.

Ruby met her eyes and grinned. "I dunno! That's just what came to mind! But I think..." She trailed off, and Weiss understood.

The white-haired girl nodded lovingly.

"I think it's the perfect name for our perfect baby boy."

"Yeah!" Ruby agreed. "He really is perfect. Just like his Mommy." She looked up to Weiss again, and Weiss returned her gaze.

"Just like her," she repeated.

"Hey, I meant you!" Ruby chuckled.

"And I meant you," Weiss returned.

They both shared little smirks before coming together in a gentle, passionate kiss.

It was all the love they had for one another channeled into a single action. It couldn't be explained, but it was everything they were, everything the other had made her to be.

When they parted, they took turns bending down to kiss their son.

The nurse only came to take him for a moment to go over the usual procedures for newborns.

During that time, Weiss sat on the hospital bed beside her wife and hugged her tightly, kissing her over and over again as she wiped Ruby's sweat.

It was then the nurses announced they had visitors, and the doors burst open as Yang rushed in with Blake on her heels.

"Ruby!" the blonde cried. "Weiss! Ahhhh c'mere you two!" Yang rushed forward and all but plowed into them, wrapping them up into a tight embrace.

Ruby laughed.

"Yang! Or should I say Auntie Yang?"

Blake pried her partner off of the other two, needing to support the blonde as she swayed.

"A-Auntie...?" she repeated. "S-So that means you really... you guys had a...?"

"No," Weiss joked. "We've just been lying these past nine months about having a baby." She looked up at Yang with a smirk. "Of course we did, you oaf. And you're his aunt now."

Yang's hands flew to her mouth as she swayed again, and Blake helped her sit at the foot of the bed.

"Gosh," the Faunus girl said. "Yang, I didn't expect you start crying so soon."

"But Blake!" she wailed. "I-I'm-! I'm-!"

"An Aunt," her partner finished for her. "I know. Congratulations." She leaned down and kissed Yang's cheek before going to Weiss and Ruby.

She hugged Weiss first, as she was closest, noticing the crystals on her shoulders. Blake understood this had been a highly emotional time for all of them.

She then leaned over to embrace Ruby as best she could, offering congratulations to them both and kissing their cheeks as well.

"Thanks, Blake," Ruby sighed. "He's just... he's so perfect... I can't believe it..."

"He?" Yang parroted. "S-So I... I've got a nephew...?"

"Indeed you do," Weiss confirmed, rubbing her eyes again as the crystals finally started to sink back down. "They'll bring him back in any minute now."

Blake sat beside Yang as they awaited the nurse's return, and during the meantime, Ruby and Weiss conversed privately behind them.

"Are you alright?" Weiss fretted, just to be sure.

"Weiss..." Ruby hugged her gently. "I just... I just gave birth to our son. Our son, Weiss! The son you and me had together! The son I had together with the love of my life! I don't think I've... ever been better!"

"Alright... I'm so glad." Weiss released a long breath, her heartbeat finally slowing.

Ruby felt her relax and finally breathe easy again.

"Yeah. I'm fine, Weiss. You don't have to worry anymore, okay?" Ruby nuzzled into her wife's neck before pecking her lips. "But next time, you're gonna be the one carrying my little hedgehog!"

Weiss' eyes went wide with surprise, but she saw Ruby's silver pools were shimmering again. Weiss smiled back and nodded.

"Sure, you dolt."

The nurses brought Rudolph back in, and Yang burst into more tears the second she saw him, blubbering louder than the newborn had just minutes ago. Blake held her and tried to shush her to the best of her abilities.

Ruby and Weiss took their son back into their arms once more, and couldn't take their eyes off of him.

"We'll stay here a while longer," Weiss informed her wife. "Just to make sure you're alright and to do everything we need to for him. And then we'll go back home. I think we should take these two back with us as well," she mused, nodding to Blake and Yang. "Your sister's a mess, Ruby."

"She's a big goof!" Ruby laughed. "But yeah, they gotta come home with us to help us finish those leftover cookies!"

Weiss smiled and pecked her cheek.

"Sounds like a plan."

The two of them shared another warm kiss, the first of many more to come to start off this new chapter of their lives.

Rudolph opened his eyes a tiny crack to see his mothers, and they cooed to him and took turns kissing him tenderly.

What Ruby and Weiss had never thought they'd find, they had found in each other.

They'd found someone to cry with.

Someone to laugh with.

Someone to fight alongside.

Someone to love.

And it was a love unlike any other.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! I know I've already written White Rose babies in the past, but I really love Kuma's version and her comics of it! I also love the idea of Yang being a mushy, happily-crying auntie, haha.

This story is based off Kuma's beautiful comic, which can be found here: kumafromtaiwan,tumblr,com/post/105439067491