Against All Odds (ch3)

EARLY RELEASE FOR HIGHER-PLEDGING PATRONS! THANK YOU!

Now we'll start to see how their families feel about their relationship.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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													Chapter 3. The Call

Despite Weiss' initial fears and Blake's initial uncertainties, they both agreed they weren't about to give each other – or their new relationship – up.

They kept it hidden for about a week, simply trying to act normal in all of their classes and mealtimes, though they still went to the extra length of sitting next to each other whenever they got the chance. And at night, after Ruby and Yang had fallen asleep, Blake would always get out of bed, tip-toe across the room, and kneel beside Weiss' bed for a moment to kiss her goodnight.

But their relationship didn't stay a secret for very much longer. Ruby and Yang started to suspect something was up with their respective partners, and they agreed to talk to them separately.

That day after classes were over, Ruby ushered Weiss over to her and led her out into the hallway to find a private place to talk, while Yang kept Blake behind in the classroom, waiting until it was empty.

Weiss hadn't the slightest clue as to why Ruby was bringing her down an empty hallway, and she wanted answers.

"Ruby, where are we going? We've got homework to do, might I remind you."

"I know!" she said, looking around to check and make sure no one else was around. "But Weiss, I need to talk to you." She upturned silver eyes that were swirling with honest worry. "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but... Yang and I agree that you've been acting... a little weird lately. A-And I just wanted to make sure you were okay. That's all."

Weiss visibly stiffened. She'd hoped it wouldn't come to this, but clearly it was.

And she was compromised. She wouldn't have had a problem with lying to just about anyone else in the world. But she couldn't lie to Ruby, her leader, partner, and friend.

So Weiss ran a hand up through her bangs, heaved a long sigh, and told the truth.

"Well... Blake and I... have gotten a little closer. Actually, a lot closer..."

It took Ruby a second to register her words, but eventually she understood.

"Really?!" she squeaked. "You and Blake are dat-"

"Hush, you dolt!" Weiss covered Ruby's mouth with her palm. "Maybe we'll be able to tell you and Yang, but we can't have the rest of the world knowing. Not yet..."

They way she trailed off made Ruby understand that Weiss and Blake must have thought long and hard about the decision of whether or not to reveal their relationship. And that made sense. Obviously, there were more than a few people who wouldn't be very thrilled with the prospect of the daughter of a high-ranking White Fang member to be romantically involved with the Schnee heiress.

But even so, Ruby couldn't help but be overjoyed for them. So she just squealed again and threw her arms around Weiss in a tight hug.

"That's great! I'm happy for you, Weiss!"

Weiss returned the hug, but was quiet.

You're probably one of the only people who feel that way...

And back in the empty classroom, Yang had just pulled Blake in for a hug as well.

"Blake, that's great! You and Weiss have got mine and Ruby's support all the way! Don't ever doubt that for a second!"

Blake was grateful for the embrace and for the words of encouragement. But she, too, had her doubts about the rest of the world.

/It's nice to have at least a few other people on our side. But will we ever get the people whose opinions matter most in society...?/

When they were ready, the four girls reconvened at their dorm room. They didn't say anything – they all knew what had happened with the other pair. Ruby hurried over to hug Blake, and Yang did the same for Weiss, further silent confirmation that they all supported one another with everything they had.

Eventually, Blake and Weiss went to one another and shared a long, relieved embrace of their own. Ruby and Yang both promised their partners then and there that they wouldn't tell anyone else about Blake and Weiss' relationship.

And they didn't.

But evidently, people were starting to get wise.

There were whispers and murmurs all around campus about how Blake and Weiss had taken an interest in one another. Even though they tried to keep things hidden, people started making assumptions anyway.

And it only got worse when people came up and started asking them directly.

Of course, Blake and Weiss would firmly deny their relationship, but that only made them seem defensive, and as though they were really hiding something.

When the team went to Vale to have dinner or see a movie, Blake and Weiss would naturally hold hands. And even though Ruby and Yang would try to block them from view, their secret eventually got out.

There weren't headlines or news broadcasts about them, but there were certainly tons of rumors going around.

Weiss couldn't help but feel everyone was talking about her and Blake behind their backs. And she knew that eventually, word would get back to Atlas...

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A few nights after their most recent movie night in Vale, Weiss fell into a state of panic.

Blake noticed it that evening as they were all preparing for bed.

Ruby was already curled up and hidden away behind the curtains surrounding her bunk, and Yang was taking Blake's previous place in the bathroom to shower.

As Blake emerged and ran a towel through her hair, she noticed Weiss sitting on her bed with her knees drawn up to her chest and her face hidden from view. She'd probably avoided suspicion from Yang by simply telling her she was resting her eyes. But Blake could tell right away that her shoulders were trembling. She tossed her towel onto her own bed and hurried over to sit beside Weiss, wrapping her arms around her softly.

"Hey, what's the matter? Talk to me."

Weiss sniffled and turned to Blake, hiccuping into her shoulder.

"What if... what if my father finds out, Blake? What will we do...?"

Blake sighed, having suspected that was what had been troubling her girlfriend. She hugged Weiss a little closer and let out a sigh.

"We'll just have to tell him the truth."

She stayed with Weiss that night, lying down in the heiress' bed and hugging her close. Blake shared many quiet kisses with her, helping Weiss calm down enough to fall asleep. Blake followed shortly afterward, but she couldn't get rid of the sinking feeling in her stomach.

As fate would have it, they didn't need to wait for very much longer.

The next day, after they'd just gotten back from their classes, Weiss' scroll went off. Her demeanor changed drastically into a mix of nervousness and fear.

But Blake was determined to see this through. She grasped Weiss' hand and promised to stay with her through it all. And she asked Ruby and Yang to give them some privacy when answering the call. The sisters wished them luck and offered heartfelt hugs before respectfully taking their leave of the room.

Blake walked with Weiss to her bed and sat beside her. The scroll was still buzzing in her girlfriend's lap, and Weiss reached out for it. But Blake stopped her for a second, coaxing Weiss to look into her eyes.

"Weiss, breathe first." She leaned in and kissed her softly, reminding her that no matter what her father said, Blake wasn't going to leave her.

Weiss swallowed down a whimper, but drew in a breath as suggested. Blake held onto her girlfriend's right hand, and Weiss used her left to swipe the screen of her scroll to answer her father's call. Blake watched as the live video screen loaded the image of a very angry man. Weiss straightened up as she tried to greet him.

"Hello, Father-"

"How dare you?" he shouted. "Young lady, how dare you be such an imbecile? How dare you shame the family name like this? It is an outrage! My daughter, seeing a Faunus! It's bad enough you had one of them on your team! Vale has always been full of fools who like to believe we're equal. But to be involved with one of them? Have you gone completely mad?"

He bombarded her with accusations without giving her so much as a second to defend herself. Blake's ears were flattened against her head at all the harsh yelling, and Weiss was already wavering, too.

"Father, let me explain-"

"No, no. You've done enough already. Going off to join that flimsy little school that will never land you a proper job. And now you're fooling around with Faunus? No, you've done quite enough. As your father, I know what's best for you, so I'll be taking control of things from here. I've already made a few arrangements."

Weiss tensed and choked out a response.

"Arrangements...?"

Her father nodded.

"Indeed. I've gotten into contact with the Marigold family. Their eldest son has been interested in finding a fiancee, and so I've offered you. The entire family is thrilled. You and Henry are to be betrothed.

"I'll be sending a ship to come collect you from that Academy. You're to pack up your things and come back to Atlas tomorrow. You're going to marry Henry and find a proper job here. It's decided. And since your sister refuses to get settled, it will be your responsibility to give me a grandson one day. Keep that in mind as well."

When he'd finished speaking, the room fell into a horrified silence.

Blake couldn't even fathom what she'd just heard.

This man... blatantly disregarding Weiss' free will and personal decisions, labeling her self-worth solely by her ability to marry and give him grandchildren, arranging to have her taken home and married off against her will...

He was supposed to be a father?

Blake was in shock. She'd never – never – not even during her time in the corrupt White Fang, met someone quite as horrible as this man.

She didn't know what to say. She didn't even know what she could say.

She turned a hollow look onto the girl trembling beside her. Weiss was absolutely petrified. Her father had essentially just planned out the rest of her life for her without regard for a single one of her wishes or ambitions, and told her there was nothing she could do to change it. Blake could see the tears in her eyes just seconds before they started dripping down.

"F-Father, please-"

"Enough. I said it's decided."

Weiss lifted a hand up to cover her mouth, stifling the sobs behind her palm.

Blake watched all of this unfold with a crushing sense of dread filling her stomach. It felt like acid in the back of her throat, burning and angry...

Angry. She was angry.

/How dare he do this to Weiss? To his own daughter?/

Before she could think to stop herself, Blake was the one giving the man an answer.

"No."

Weiss gasped softly as she looked to her, and the man on the screen seemed to notice Blake for the first time.

"Oh," he scoffed. "Oh, is this the one?" He turned his attention to Blake and spoke dismissively. "I regret to be the one to inform you, but you simply don't qualify for the position of dating my daughter."

And Blake snapped.

"Qualify?" she snarled back. "Your daughter's life isn't some kind of game show. You don't get to make the rules. As much as you might like to think you own her, you don't."

She didn't know where this boldness was coming from, but she could assume it was linked to that courage she'd conjured up from dating Weiss. Now, it was manifesting itself in a manner that would help protect her from her father.

The man was clearly shocked and outraged by Blake's accusations, and he didn't try to hide it.

"Unfortunately, you are mistaken," he shouted. "She is my daughter, and I will do as I see fit with her!"

"Then why don't you just call her your puppet instead?"

"Blake-" Weiss grasped her hand tightly, pleading for her to stop. But Blake refused.

"No! He needs to understand how outrageous he's being. As a Faunus, I've witnessed inhumanity many times, but never as badly as this!" She turned her attention back to Weiss' father and didn't hold back.

"You say you know what's best for Weiss. Look at her. Is this what's best for her? Planning out a future where she has no say in her own life, no say in who she marries? A future where all she does is cry? Is this what's best for her, or what's best for you and your precious image?"

The vehemence in her voice had shocked him into silence, and Blake didn't stop there.

"You need to understand that just because you were partially responsible for her birth, that doesn't mean she belongs to you. She didn't ask to be born. That was your decision. You can't expect her to obey you for the duration of a life she never even asked for!"

By now, Weiss had buried her face into Blake's shoulder, clinging to her desperately.

"Blake... p-please... he'll only get angrier... he'll only hate Faunus more..."

"I don't care," Blake growled. "I don't care if he hates us if it means he starts treating you right." Blake kissed Weiss' forehead right there in front of her father, then returned her fierce gaze unto him. "Weiss isn't your property. She isn't your doll. You can't just do whatever you want with her or her life. And until you understand that, you don't deserve to call yourself her father."

At that point, she noted his outrage was beginning to melt into something else. It wasn't quite repentance or understanding, but it was a less hurtful kind of shock, one that allowed Blake to lower her tone now.

"No matter what you do, I'm not going to leave Weiss. So you can try to take her, but you never will."

And without letting him get in so much as another word, Blake ended the call. She put Weiss' scroll aside and gave her full attention back to her distraught girlfriend.

Weiss sobbed heavily into her collar, her entire body shuddering with how hard the emotions were racking through her. Blake cried more softly, rubbing her hands up and down Weiss' trembling back.

"I'm sorry... I probably only made things worse, but... but I couldn't just let him do that to you... I at least needed to try and stop him." She felt Weiss nod a little bit, and her ears flicked at the sound of her rasping voice.

"I know... and thank you for that, Blake. Thank you..."

Blake laid down with her again, without even bothering to change out of their uniforms this time. They curled up together, crying softly in contrast to how tightly they were holding onto one another.

Blake could feel Weiss' heart thudding thickly against her chest, each beat reverberating with dread and fear. Blake held her close, kissing through her hair and over her cheeks, until her lips ultimately found their way to her scarred eye.

"I won't let him take you," she murmured. "Even if you go, I'm going with you."

That evening, reassuring Weiss was all she could do. The future seemed unsteady for certain, but Blake made sure Weiss knew she'd be with her through it.

Gradually, Weiss' pulse became less painful as Blake surrounded her in softer, warmer feelings. She kissed Weiss one last time just before the heiress lost consciousness from the immense emotional toll all of this had taken on her.

Blake stayed awake long afterward, pulling the blankets up and around Weiss to keep her warm.

When Ruby and Yang eventually crept back in, they didn't say anything, but Blake knew they'd heard everything, or at least had an idea of what had happened. She'd explain things to them tomorrow.

But for tonight, she simply stayed by Weiss' side once more, and fell asleep beside her, hoping at least their dreams would be kind.

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A/N: This kind of idea may have been done to death in the RWBY fandom, especially with Weiss and Blake's dynamic. But there were a few tidbits I wanted to throw in here in order to make it more dramatic/poignant, and hopefully a little different.