Step By Step (ch9)

2-DAY EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS!

Can they finally enjoy a nice evening together...?

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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													Chapter 9. Sweet Silence

By the time they returned to the room, Weiss was finally starting to feel her appetite kicking in, and her stomach made a small sound. She blushed in embarrassment and hid her face just as she sat down on the floor beside her bed. Yes, there were tables in the room, but she wanted to stick close to Pyrrha, and Weiss wasn't one to dine while sitting where she slept.

She held her salad bowl in her lap and put the cookie aside for now, partially expecting Ruby to appear from behind her to snatch it.

When she looked up, Pyrrha was shifting about a bit uncomfortably, and the heiress silently scolded herself for not having taken her guest's comfort into account.

"Why don't you come sit beside me?" she offered. "I hate to have you sit on the floor, but the desks are covered in Yang's unfinished assignments and Blake's books."

Plus, the little shivers that were running through her body reminded Weiss of her slight sickness; she definitely wouldn't mind a bit of warmth next to her now.

. . .

Pyrrha had smiled so much today that she imagined Weiss must have been getting sick of seeing it, and it happened again at the heiress' suggestion. However, she still felt the need to reassure that it was fine, though she had a feeling that Weiss was only being polite.

"It's not a problem, really. I usually end up on the floor myself when it gets a little too risky to stay on my bed. It's surprising how many objects get thrown when Jaune refuses to admit that Nora is a better cook than him."

There was a brief recollection of Ren and Pyrrha sitting quietly beside her bed, relatively sheltered from the books and impressive variety of items that were being scattered everywhere, the two silently agreeing that Ren was the best cook of them all, and Pyrrha couldn't help but feel her heart tingle a little. Not quite the same tingle she got when around Weiss, but not too different.

She took care to seat herself a few inches apart from Weiss and then shuffled a little closer, opening one packet of candy and placing one of the squishy sweets into her mouth, its deep red color matching the raspberry-flavored pop that tickled her tongue.

Were she not doing her best to keep still and not worry about things such as personal space, Pyrrha may not have noticed the slight trembling at her side. Her eyes glanced that way to make sure, and she immediately considered the possibility that Weiss may have just been cold, or that she was shivering because of something else. Either way, Pyrrha was already debating what she could do to help.

. . .

Weiss perked up instantly the second Pyrrha got up to sit beside her instead, and the heiress felt a slight blush creep onto her cheeks. She scooted over just a bit, partially to to ensure her companion had enough space for herself, and partially because she was still bashful about being so close to her. After all that had transpired between them within the past few hours, she wasn't sure why she was still getting the jitters, but it wasn't something she could control.

Once Pyrrha had settled at a comfortable distance, Weiss relaxed a bit and started on her salad. The atmosphere between them was light and comfortable, despite the chaos the heiress was feeling inside her chest. Weiss did her best not to let her nerves get the better of her, coaching herself to remember to breathe and sit up straight, trying her best not to make the air uncomfortable and risk making Pyrrha uneasy.

She ate slowly, glad to see Pyrrha enjoying her food and candy, and it put Weiss more at ease as well.

Just as she was finishing her salad, however, she coughed a little and put a hand to her chest. Immediately afterward, a jolting shudder ran through her entire body, one she had no hopes of hiding - she wasn't even sure if she'd been successful in concealing the previous ones. Weiss put her food down on the floor and hugged herself briefly, already feeling her cheeks blush again.

The Ice Queen getting cold? Any other student not on her own team would've laughed at that notion, and if Pyrrha did too, Weiss wasn't sure what she'd do with herself.

. . .

It wasn't the shivering that brought Pyrrha to action, and nor was it the cough - she had been tensing ever since she first felt Weiss trembling beside her, and the moment the heiress' body moved uncharacteristically, Pyrrha was in action.

One arm held Weiss' shoulder while the other gently patted and rubbed her back, trying to force every ounce of illness out of her body with smooth motions and reassuring touches. Emerald eyes were filled with concern that bordered worry as Pyrrha murmured the soothing words she hoped worked as well as the movies would have her believe.

Even if it was just a simple "You're okay," or "Let it out, it's fine," or even an, "I'm here if you need me, okay?", she still felt as though her voice and touch weren't quite enough to properly show Weiss just how much she cared.

But that wasn't something to worry herself with now, and Pyrrha knew that. Her focus was on doing her best to help her friend, and hopefully stop her shivers.

. . .

Weiss jolted again as she felt Pyrrha's touch, but it was more from surprise than anything else. She certainly hadn't been expecting it, and yet she felt she shouldn't be surprised. Pyrrha always put everyone else first, and considering what they'd been through together that day, she'd likely be more inclined to tend to Weiss before anyone else.

It didn't take more than a few seconds for her to relax under Pyrrha's soothing touch, her previously-erect posture slumping quickly as she leaned into the other girl's side.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "I don't know why I'm so cold…"

But she knew one thing for sure. Pyrrha was warm.

With a sigh, Weiss cleared her throat and expelled the last few coughs into her own shoulder, inching closer to her friend, her pride be damned. She didn't want to keep putting up a front when she was with Pyrrha. She felt more than comfortable enough around her, and didn't want to hide things anymore.

The shivers died away before long and Weiss sighed, closing her eyes for a moment as she rested against Pyrrha's side.

"Thank you, Pyrrha," she mumbled. "I owe you so much for all you've done for me today."

. . .

There it was again. The surge of relief washing over her in a wave of warmth, pulling the tension from her body and releasing the breath she didn't know she was holding.

Weiss knew when she was okay, and Pyrrha trusted her not to lie, so her brow rose like the edges of her mouth into another warm smile, half for the heiress and half for herself.

But Weiss apologizing for this was something that Pyrrha would not allow.

She shook her head gently, and carefully pulled the hairs that had fallen over Weiss' eyes aside with her fingers to see the blue beneath, like the most beautiful of glaciers in their color.

"It's fine, really. You don't need to apologize for anything, I promise." She debated adding something else to that sentence, but Weiss would have none of it, and so instead she shifted her position a little to better accommodate the girl leaning against her arm.

Slowly lifting it up and placing it around Weiss' back, Pyrrha gripped her arm loosely enough to allow Weiss movement, yet firm enough to say that she wasn't going anywhere. She didn't have a jacket to share or a blanket to put around them both, but she guessed that getting up was the last thing either of them wanted anyway.

So she remained seated on the floor, with one hand slowly working through what remained of the candy while the other occasionally rubbed her friend's arm, the only words spoken after that being a whispered, "You don't owe me anything."

. . .

She could sense that Pyrrha had relaxed, and Weiss soon followed, releasing a long sigh as she leaned into her. Gentle fingers combed through her bangs, and she looked up to catch Pyrrha's shining emerald eyes, her smile equally as gorgeous and calming.

The arm around her back rubbed softly, and despite the short sleeves of her nightgown and her bare legs, Weiss felt unspeakably warm.

She wanted to be closer.

Slowly, one arm slipped behind the small of Pyrrha's back, her eyes asking silent permission if this was all right. When Pyrrha didn't refuse her, Weiss slid her other arm over the girl's stomach, pulling her into a loose embrace.

Weiss rested her head against the other girl's shoulder and closed her eyes.

At first, she was nervous the sensation of drowning would overcome her again, that her breath would hitch again. For a moment, her inhales and exhales were manual and shaky.

But Pyrrha's breaths were calm and slow, and Weiss could feel each one against her own body.

So she allowed herself to do the same, breathing slowly and deeply until she wasn't scared of drowning anymore.

She was safe with Pyrrha - nothing was clearer than that.

And she just wanted to stay like this for a little while longer.

. . .

For all the times she had dreamt about it, and read about it, and heard it from others, nothing was quite accurate to the real thing.

The arms around her waist were even more comforting and warm than she ever imagined they'd be. The head resting on her shoulder was even more soothing and calming that any words.

And Weiss' face was the most beautiful thing Pyrrha had ever seen.

Her heart was racing in her chest, and her whole body tingled with nerves as her emotions flared up and fought each other inside of her while she tried to wrap her head around exactly what she was feeling. It was confusing and a little scary to have such unknown things inside of herm but being where she was, with the person she was with, made it impossible to be upset.

Her head tilted to rest her cheek on Weiss' hair, and she let out a deep breath, their food forgotten completely in favor of something much more satisfying. Pyrrha smiled again, her cheeks flushed crimson, but her tired eyes full of happiness.

. . .

As heavenly as their positions were, Weiss knew they'd both regret it with sore backs and stiff necks if they fell asleep like this. She only spoiled herself for as long as she dared, until she knew she had to open her eyes, lest she succumb to sleep.

A glance at her remaining salad found it unappetizing, but when she reached for the cookie, she couldn't help but feel rebellious. She sat up just a bit, breaking the treat in half and offering part to Pyrrha.

"I think I'll need help with this. I'm a bit tired, but I don't want it to go to waste."

She fully intended to sleep after a quick brush of her teeth and hair, and with any luck, Pyrrha wouldn't be opposed to taking Weiss' bed with her.

Almost timidly, she took a bite of the sugary treat, her eyes going to Pyrrha's to encourage she do the same.

. . .

Her mouth had opened a little in surprise at the offer, but Pyrrha gratefully accepted it and took the cookie-half in one hand, flashing a thankful smile before she snapped one bite of it into her mouth.

The texture and flavor were not unappealing, though they were set askew by the lingering taste of the candy she had eaten previously. She didn't really care about that, nor the broken door or the impromptu… 'snuggle session' on the floor instead of somewhere much more comfortable, if she could be so bold as to call it that - all Pyrrha cared about were two things.

One: hat Weiss was okay - and despite the occasional shiver and cough, that seemed to be the case, much to her relief.

And two: that Weiss would be comfortable enough to relax and hopefully rest as much as she could - something that Pyrrha still wasn't quite sure of.

Even though they had spent what it would take most people months of bonding to do in one day, more or less - Pyrrha hoped that the events of today would at least strengthen them as friends, if not nothing else - there was still a hovering uncertainty in her gut, as though she was apprehensive of making a mistake.

Still, mistakes could be fixed later.

Right now, the important thing was huddling in to her side as she held Weiss close, their bodies more comforting than the warmest of blankets, and she knew to remember that.

. . .

Weiss munched slowly on her treat, wanting an excuse to stay there at Pyrrha's side for as long as possible. But it was only a few minutes later before she had finished eating, and a yawn forced its way out. It was getting late.

Absently, she leaned her head sideways onto Pyrrha's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek on the warm fabrics of her friend's shirt. Pyrrha was so soft…

Her mind traveled back to everything Pyrrha had done for her today, more than anyone else in her life ever had. Weiss wanted to at least provide a comfortable environment for the other girl to sleep tonight without the rest of her team present.

Almost apologetically, the heiress moved away from Pyrrha, instantly missing her warmth.

"I'm going to brush my teeth," she explained. "I'll be back soon."

She stood and hurried off to the bathroom before she could change her mind and linger too much longer.

. . .

The touch against her shoulder had stoked the tiny fire inside her a little more, sending new tingles of warmth tickling her chest from her heart outwards, but even though the heat from Weiss evaporated as the heiress rose to her feet, Pyrrha's mood remained the way it was.

She gave an affirming nod and flashed another smile, watching as Weiss made her way to the bathroom, snowy hair flowing behind her as she vanished from sight. Pyrrha held her gaze at the doorway for a moment longer, still taking in the beauty she had been graced with seeing before her eyes fell back into her lap.

One third of the cookie remained, and the sight of it poked at her stomach, reminding her that she had unfinished business to take care of. Not even a minute later, and all traces of it were gone. Pyrrha gently scooped the crumbs into the empty packet of candy and scrunched it into a ball before she lightly tossed it into the trashcan placed beside the 'closed' door.

With that out of the way and the light from the bathroom melding with the soft glow of the moon pouring through the window, Pyrrha's thoughts and body both turned to the matter which they had been suppressing for as long as possible - fatigue.

With a light sigh, she picked up her jacket from the floor and folded it over her arm, glancing around for a spare space to put her clothes for the night. The dim light was enough to see by and gave the room a curious, almost ethereal quality were the gold not streaming from the open door, and Pyrrha wondered what it would be like when the night hit its peak.

She was tired in every possible way, and now that Weiss wasn't sitting beside her there was no running away from it. Her muscles ached and her head almost felt as though it was pounding, but the tingling in her heart refused to leave her alone - and so did the smile on her face.

. . .

Weiss did as she'd said and began brushing her teeth. With all the unexpected events that had occurred within the past several hours, the mechanical, clockwork process of brushing and flossing was a welcome familiarity. She wasn't opposed to changes - especially ones that involved Pyrrha's presence and affection. But there was something to be said about appreciating the solidarity of her daily schedule.

Weiss rinsed her mouth out until the aftertaste of mint was absent from her tongue, and then proceeded to splash soapy water onto her face. She didn't want to keep away from Pyrrha for long at the risk of either of them feeling too uncomfortable at being left alone.

Therefore, Weiss re-emerged a few moments later, leaving the bathroom light on for the sake of seeing a bit better; she planned to turn off the main light once Pyrrha was ready.

She found her friend standing near the beds, looking understandably drowsy. Weiss went to her and touched her arm lightly to rouse her.

"Would you like to change now?" she asked softly. "I'll clean things up here. Take your time."

. . .

The touch was so light and gentle, just enough to draw Pyrrha's attention from the mists of sleep. She blinked away the tiredness in her eyes and took a moment to process what her friend was saying, giving a small smile and a nod in agreement.

"Of course. I'll try not to take too long."

As much as Pyrrha wanted to apologize and to insist that Weiss didn't need to do anything besides rest, she knew the heiress simply wouldn't accept Pyrrha doing everything for her, and stressing Weiss with any more than what she had already been through was the last thing Pyrrha wanted to do.

She quietly gathered her nightgown and gave another nod of thanks to Weiss as she passed, deliberately leaving the bathroom door open so they could both see what they were doing.

RWBY's mirror had an amusing variety of bottles lined up on the edge of the sink, from Weiss' expensive perfume to the seven hair products that obviously belonged to Yang. The smile on Pyrrha's face grew a little wider at seeing her friends' ways of living, giving her a little glimpse into their daily lives that she honestly felt privileged to be a part of.

Still, her body ached and her mind was tired, so she began the act of undressing in a hasty manner, willing to expend a little more energy to rest a little faster, especially with Weiss.

She hadn't ever been so brash as to dream of such a thing.

So now, knowing it would actually happen, was much more incredible than a dream come true.

She really couldn't wait.

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A/N: I remember for this part we deliberately didn't write in a lot of dialogue because we wanted to portray that scenario of being comfortable around another person in silence. Even if it's a little bit awkward, it's still more cozy than anything. I think these two would have that kind of relationship. And the 'sweet' doubled for that, and also for the deserts haha

We'll be wrapping it up soon.