Costumes And Confessions (ch3)

It's time for Ruby to (try to?) confess! And just so you know what to imagine them as, everyone dresses as their fairytales/who they're based off of for the party.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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														Chapter 3. The Action

One week later, Ruby found herself getting ready to return to Weiss' house.

But this time, it wouldn't be for a sleepover.

Halloween had fallen on a Saturday this year, which was perfect for everyone.

All day, Ruby was so excited to get into her costume and start having fun. She barely made it until noon before she pulled on her dress and her red cloak.

But that wasn't all she put on.

In addition to her costume, Ruby went to her dresser and pawed through the little jewelry boxes until she'd found the one she wanted. Inside was the little seashell bracelet Pyrrha had made for her back during their summer vacation. Pyrrha had the necklace Ruby had made for her as well.

Ruby didn't wear it often for fear of damaging or losing it, but she felt that tonight she might need it for a good luck charm. So she slipped it onto her wrist before stepping into her dress shoes and completing her outfit.

She gave Zwei a doggie headband with fuzzy, fake ears so he could be her big bad wolf.

Yang put her dress on as well, and tied her hair into long pigtails. She got into character all day long by saying that something was either too big, too small, or just right, and things of that nature.

Once the afternoon rolled around and the youngest of kids started making their rounds for trick-or-treating, the two sisters stood side by side handing out candy with pleasant, playful smiles.

They did so for a few hours, until Yang decided it was time to start getting ready for Weiss' party. She took her leave from the door to shower and put her outfit in the wash at the same time, then changed into a festive orange tank-top and black shorts while she put her outfit in the dryer. She then switched spots with Ruby, who did the same with her costume.

Ruby showered for a few extra minutes, and used a bit more shampoo than usual. After all, she didn't want to be smelly when she confessed to Pyrrha later tonight.

Just thinking about it made her nerves rear their ugly heads. All day, she'd been able to put off thinking about Pyrrha, because she'd been able to distract herself with celebrating Halloween and handing candy out to the kids.

But now, as she realized time was drawing her closer and closer towards her inevitable confession, she was becoming more unsettled.

She put on some casual clothes and ate a quick supper with Yang and their dad, taking turns to leave the table whenever kids called out at the door.

Around 6 o'clock, the sisters put their costumes back on. They put on their dress shoes and prepared to head out, while their dad wished them well.

"Have fun tonight, you two."

"You too, Dad!" Ruby chirped. "The kids are counting on you to hand out the candy now!"

As she gave her dad a hug, Yang was alerted to her phone.

"Oh! Neo's here!" She spun around and gave her dad a hug as well. "Bye, Dad! See ya later!"

"No later than midnight, okay?"

"Got it! Come on, Ruby!" She took her little sister by the wrist and pulled her out the front door.

A car was just driving away, leaving a very charming girl behind. Neo's hair was all loose, waves of brown and pink falling not down her back as usual, but this time she'd pulled it over each of her shoulders to show in the front. She was wearing an adorable dress and carrying a lacy pink parasol over one shoulder. As soon as she saw Yang, however, she put the prop down and opened her arms without a word.

With a squeal, Yang rushed forward and scooped her up into a big hug.

"You look adorable! Like, even more adorable than usual!"

Of course, Neo couldn't respond until her enthusiastic girlfriend let her down. Once she'd gathered her fallen parasol, she tucked it under her arm and signed.

//Thank you! That dress is very becoming on you, too. You look lovely, Yang.// She smiled, then turned to Ruby. //Your dress is very cute, Ruby.//

"Thanks!"

With a blush, she had to wonder if Pyrrha would think the same.

The three girls made their way over to Yang's yellow Porsche and got in. She put on her Halloween playlist right away, and together, the three of them got into the mood on the ride to Weiss' place.

The usually pristine mansion looked very different today. The tall gates that surrounded the property now had cobweb decorations spread all around them, littered with plastic spiders. Fog machines clogged the area in white smoke, and as the sun was setting, it cast shadows over the white mansion, making it look black and eerie. Creepy music was being played from some window on the top floor, giving the place an overall very spooky atmosphere.

As Yang parked on the side of the road, the three of them admired the place.

"Damn," Yang whistled. "Every year, I'm just amazed by how her family goes all-out."

"I think it's kinda cute that her Dad really likes Halloween!" Ruby giggled.

The brunette got out of the car first, then watched Yang hurry out and around to open Neo's door for her. She took her hand with a bow and helped her out.

Again, Ruby imagined what it might be like to do things like that with Pyrrha.

/No, no, no! I shouldn't think about it! Because if it doesn't happen, I'll be even sadder!/

She shook herself off just as Yang called for her. Ruby scurried over to the others to follow them up the pathway that led to the door. Little cut-out headstones lined the path, making it look like a misty graveyard.

//Spooky,// Neo commented.

"Yeah," said her date. "But you know what? I'll bet every kid in town comes up here. They know the Schnees give good candy."

"Which is funny," Ruby snorted. "You'd think Weiss would just give them apples."

At last, they reached the front door and gave a few knocks. It was only a moment before they heard the familiar call of "Coming!"

Weiss opened the door to greet them, her pretty white fairytale princess dress completely contrasting the feel of the creepy mansion.

"Well, this is a surprise!" She stepped aside to let them in. "Yang, usually you're the last one to arrive."

"Not this time, princess! Gotta give Ruby as much time as possible. Tonight's a big night!"

"Yaaang! Don't just talk about it like that in the open!"

"Whoops!"

Weiss rolled her eyes, but led them through the parlor and to the nearest ballroom to where the party was being held tonight.

Inside, the lights were mostly off, save for a few spooky purple and orange bulbs lining the walls. There were tables pushed off to the sides offering refreshments and snacks, while the appropriate, festive music played from speakers set up high in the corners of the room. There was a bit of fog inside as well, and a large space in the center of the room for people to dance and have fun.

Of course, when Weiss Schnee threw a party, she didn't invite just anyone, but she didn't only invite her closest friends, either. There were already a few of their other, more well-known classmates present, dressed like monsters and princesses alike.

Ruby spotted Weiss' sister Winter as well. She had dressed up in a military outfit, and was quite literally standing guard to oversee things and make sure the night went smoothly for everyone.

She spotted Blake as well, adorned in a beautiful, long golden gown, her dark hair all down and making for a perfect contrast to bring out her pale skin. She caught sight of her friends and hurried over, but just as she reached them, she stumbled a bit in her heels, and her girlfriend had to quickly steady her.

"Oh-!"

"Blake, be careful!" Weiss chided, helping her straighten up. "You're clearly not used to moving around in these kind of shoes."

"Funny," Blake said. "Last time it was you who was wearing the wrong shoes." She briefly reminisced their time together on the boardwalk during summer vacation. Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Not until you stop being so cute when you pout about it."

"Ummm~" Yang cut in. "Hello? Party going on here? Geez, are you two gonna be flirting like this all night?"

"Like you can talk, Yang," Blake chuckled. "You've kissed Neo at least three times within the past minute."

"So what?" Yang defended.

As her friends and sister got to playfully arguing with one another, Ruby started to space out a bit. Pyrrha wasn't here yet, and she didn't know what kind of costume she'd be wearing tonight. Ruby knew she'd look gorgeous in anything at all, but she wasn't sure if she was prepared to confess to her tonight, especially if Pyrrha was wearing some dazzling outfit.

She must've been visibly fretting, because the other four all looked at her now.

"Ruby?" Blake asked. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, totally fine! Tonight's gonna be great!" Her voice trembled, just a little.

Weiss took a step closer and lowered her voice.

"Remember, we'll be around if you need to talk to any of us."

"Right," Yang agreed. "We can give you tips or support or whatever you'll need."

//And even if you decide you can't do it tonight, that's fine,// Neo reminded her.

Ruby took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"You're right. Thanks, you guys. I'll do my best tonight!"

"Oh, and good timing," Weiss noted, pulling her phone from her dress' pocket. "Pyrrha just texted me that those four have arrived. I'll go fetch them."

"I'll come with you." Blake looped her arm through Weiss' and headed out of the ballroom to accompany her to the door.

Ruby whimpered softly to herself and clutched at her dress.

"Yang... I don't know if I can-"

"Ruby, she hasn't even gotten here yet. Don't give up already."

//Yang's right. You've got all night to think about how you're going to do this.//

Ruby swallowed hard, her eyes already trained on the threshold. She rolled down her sleeve to reveal her seashell bracelet, which she gave a small kiss to before concealing it once more.

Yang and Neo stayed nearby as they waited for Weiss and Blake to return. When they did, they weren't alone.

Ren was dressed in a very traditional style, giving off a calming, spiritual look. Jaune was carrying a plastic sword and shield, and wore a costume that looked like it was from the kids' section at the costume store. Nora was dressed in a strange combination of plastic armor and a poofy pink princess dress, and she bounded into the room behind the two boys, shouting out greetings.

"Hello~o~o~o all! Happy Halloween!"

"Hi, Nora!"

As her sister greeted Nora and the others, Ruby didn't even dare to blink as the final person entered the room.

She was also wearing armor, golden plates and bits of red, streaming fabric decorating her shoulders and hips. Her hair matched those, and was tied up into a high ponytail to sway between her shoulder blades when she walked. A small golden crown sat atop her head, and an emerald necklace hung at her collar to match her eyes.

Ruby was speechless, mouth gaping open like a fish out of water. Pyrrha was every inch the warrior princess, and Ruby couldn't take her eyes off of her.

She entered the room wearing a smile brighter than all the lights combined. Her voice rang out like an angel's over all the hellish music being played.

"Happy Halloween, everyone! Oh my goodness, you all look wonderful! This is so grand!" She pulled Weiss and Blake in to each of her sides, giggling merrily. "My two princess! What a perfect match you are! Those dresses are gorgeous on you." Her compliments made both of them flush. Pyrrha squeezed Weiss and Blake into a quick hug, then moved on to Yang and Neo.

"And you two look lovely as well! I don't quite think I've ever seen you both in dresses at the same time!" She pulled that pair into a zealous hug as well, as thanks and compliments were shared between all parties.

Ruby stood there like a deer in headlights, frozen, wondering if Pyrrha would turn to her next. Part of her wasn't expecting her to, so when she really did turn to Ruby, the brunette stiffened.

"And Ruby!" Pyrrha sang. "Look at you! How adorable!"

Ruby scrambled to find her voice.

"Th-Thanks, Pyrrha. Y-You- eep!" She cut off with a squeal when Pyrrha pulled her into an enthusiastic embrace.

But unlike before when she'd hugged two people at once, this embrace was all for Ruby.

The brunette struggled to snap out of her trance, wriggling her arms up and around Pyrrha's shoulders to return the contact timidly. Pyrrha squeezed her tight, and Ruby almost whimpered again with how nice it felt. She didn't want it to end.

However, she knew the others were all probably watching right now, and since most of them knew what she planned to do tonight, Ruby got flustered. She stepped away from Pyrrha, even though she could tell the taller girl would have been fine letting it linger a moment longer.

But Pyrrha didn't keep her there. She let Ruby go willingly, though Ruby thought she witnessed a small flinch, and an even smaller frown on her face, just for a split second.

But another second later, the smile was back, making Ruby wonder if it had ever actually left at all.

"U-Um..." Ruby cleared her throat. "You look really nice, too, Pyrrha."

She wanted to say more. Gosh, she wanted to say so much more.

But she didn't want to overwhelm Pyrrha or have her comments come off as excessive or make her uncomfortable somehow. So she held her tongue and just stuck with what she'd said thus far.

Pyrrha grinned a smile all for her.

"Thank you so much, Ruby! It makes me so happy to hear you say that!"

But before Ruby could fully register the words, or even think to ask Pyrrha what she'd meant by them, the other girl was twirling around to face the rest of their group.

"Well now, shall we go have some fun?"

The response was unanimous.

"Yeah!"

The party was soon underway, with all of its attendees beginning to enjoy themselves.

Weiss and Blake were in and out of the room for a while as they greeted newcomers, but eventually the ballroom was just about filled with guests.

Some people danced in the center and others just chatted at the refreshment tables, while some made up games they could play in the ballroom.

Naturally, Ruby tended to follow her sister around and do whatever Yang was doing at the moment. But most importantly, she tried to avoid being alone with Pyrrha.

But she had to be smart about it. She didn't want to give Pyrrha too much extra attention, but she also didn't want to completely ignore her. Ruby was struggling to find a balance between the two, the amount of attention a good friend would give to another good friend, rather than the attention someone gave to their crush.

/Gosh!/ Ruby thought as she grabbed a glass of water – leave it to Weiss Schnee to put out actual wine glasses instead of plastic cups. /This used to be so easy when I didn't like her this way! I never had to think about this so much!/ She downed the glass to cool herself off a little, then placed it on the "used" side of the table.

She kept one eye on Pyrrha, who was currently dancing merrily with Nora, their armor gleaming in the dim lighting.

The party hadn't even been underway for an hour, and yet Ruby had already witnessed several people come up and ask Pyrrha to dance. Pyrrha had accepted each request, laughing and jumping around as she enjoyed herself.

While the songs playing weren't exactly romantic slow songs, Ruby still couldn't help but feel jealous.

As Pyrrha's friend, Ruby could dance with or beside her whenever she wanted. She didn't really have to ask. If she did, it might put Pyrrha under suspicion, or seem awkward somehow.

Presently, Ruby groaned and slumped down into an empty seat against the wall.

"Why is this so haaard...?"

She spaced out a little bit, thinking about Pyrrha and how and when she was going to confess to her tonight. And of course, Ruby started second-guessing herself, considered holding off on it after all.

Luckily for her, her friends and sister noticed her absence, and spotted her. Before she could plummet into nervousness and despair, Yang, Neo, Weiss, and Blake slipped their way through the dancing people and approached her.

"Ruby." Yang spoke to get her sister's attention.

Ruby lifted her head, biting her lip instantly as she realized she'd been found out.

"O-Oh! Hi, guys! What's up?"

"You know what's up, sis. Why're you doubting yourself about this? You decided you were gonna do it tonight, so just do it!"

"But Yang, it's not that easy!" she wailed against the music. "I want it to be... to be nice. Something she'll remember, even if it doesn't work out in the end."

"I'm sure she'd consider anything you did to be nice," Weiss assured her. "But you've got to do something."

"What's holding you back?" Blake wondered. "Nervous?"

"Yeah..." Ruby admitted. "And I'm... a little scared..."

//Of getting hurt if this isn't what she wants?// Neo guessed.

Ruby hung her head. But her big sister had her back, which she gave a big slap to.

"Well don't act like it's already over! You didn't even do anything yet, Ruby! Where's that positive, optimistic little sister of mine?"

"Yang's absolutely right," Weiss agreed. "Don't count yourself out before the race has even begun, Ruby."

"The... race?" Blake chuckled.

"Never heard that one before," Yang commented.

"Oh, hush! You all know what I mean!"

As they started playfully bickering again, it made Ruby feel better. They were right, about everything. She couldn't just give up before she even tried.

She straightened her back from where she was sitting, curling both hands into fists in her lap.

"Yeah! You guys are right! I just... gotta think of a good time to do it! I could wait for a nicer, sort of slower or quieter song, when there aren't so many people jumping around and stuff. I could either take her to the middle of the dance floor and- No wait, then everyone would see us and she might feel pressured to give an answer. Um... maybe I should just take her aside? Or maybe I could work it into a normal conversation instead of making it its own thing. Or I could-"

"I have an idea," Yang cut in. "Stop over-thinking this."

"Like we said before," Blake told her. "Just... be yourself, Ruby. You don't need to plan out anything elaborate."

//That just presents more opportunities for things to go wrong,// Neo reasoned.

Ruby took their words to heart and realized everything they were saying made sense. She started to mentally erase all of her plans.

"Okay... Okay... So then, maybe-"

But she didn't get to finish thinking out loud to them. From the center of the room came three of their friends – Jaune, Nora, and Ren – who headed straight for them.

"Hey!" Jaune grinned. "What're you guys doing over here? There's like... kind of a party going on, you know."

"Right you are, sir!" Nora declared. "Parties are meant for movin' and groovin', not sitting on the sidelines like a bunch of wallflowers! It's time to shake what your mammas gave you! Let's go, you slowpokes!"

Nora grabbed, a flustered Weiss with one hand and a blushing Blake with the other, while Jaune ushered Yang, and Ren followed behind them with Neo. Ruby was left in her chair as the others paraded off. She quickly fixed her hair a bit and smoothed out her dress, and was about to get up to follow them.

But someone stopped her.

Pyrrha glided her way through the crowds of dancers, pausing only briefly to apologize to someone who bumped into her.

Ruby froze, unsure of what to do. The others were all off dancing now, and no one was really paying attention. Could this be her chance?

She shook herself off as Pyrrha finally reached her, smiling enthusiastically at her friend.

"Phew! I made it! How are you doing on this wonderful evening, Ruby?"

Ruby gave her best grin in return.

"I'm good! It's a lot of fun!"

"It is, isn't it? I think I've had a little too much fun, though. I need a drink!" Pyrrha passed by in front of Ruby for a moment and got herself a clean wine glass from the refreshments table. She lifted up the pitcher of ice water and poured some for herself, then picked up her glass and took a seat.

Right beside Ruby.

Pyrrha let out a slightly breathless sigh before she began drinking. Ruby could tell she'd been enjoying herself all this time.

/And what have I been doing? Worrying. Freaking out. Ugh.../

Pyrrha finished her drink with a satisfied sigh. She wiped her forehead, shifting her crown accessory aside for a moment to cool herself off a bit. Ruby waited stiffly, debating whether or not she should speak up now, or maybe wait just one second longer-

"Well that was refreshing!" Pyrrha said, getting to her feet. "I think I'm ready for more dancing now. Care to join me?" She turned to Ruby, wearing an expectant smile and offering her hand.

It took Ruby a minute to realize this was actually happening.

"H-Huh? What? Me?"

"Of course! I've gotten to dance with just about everyone else in the room tonight except for you! You don't have to, of course. I just-"

"N-No, no!" Ruby gasped. "I want to! Let's go!" She reached out and slipped her hand into Pyrrha's, squeezing gently. Pyrrha smiled gleefully and gave a gentle tug to help her up.

From there, the warrior princess and fairytale girl made their way to the center of the room. There was some upbeat Halloween song playing, with all kinds of monster-like sound effects and fun lyrics. Everyone around them was singing along and having a good time.

So that's what Ruby tried to do as well. She tried not to think about how much she liked Pyrrha and about confessing to her. For now, she just wanted to have fun with her.

And she did.

Sometimes, they faced each other and danced without thinking, just letting their bodies move however felt best.

And sometimes, they came together, if only briefly, hands holding wrists or hips as they twirled one another, laughing merrily. They moved in circles or back and forth, sometimes they jumped, sometimes they swayed.

There were no rules here tonight; they just wanted to enjoy themselves and each other.

They must've danced for hours. At least, that was what it felt like. Ruby didn't keep track of the time or count how many songs came and went.

But once her feet started to ache a little and her skin started getting warm, she knew it was time to take a break.

Pyrrha must've felt the same way, because she started to slow down in her dancing, and though her smile remained, she was breathless again. She met Ruby's gaze and offered out her arm.

"Well... this was certainly exciting... would you like to join me for another drink?"

Ruby looped her arm through Pyrrha's.

"Yes, please!"

Once again, they returned to the refreshments table. Pyrrha poured some water for Ruby first and then some for herself.

As they drank, Ruby didn't notice when her sleeve rolled up a bit. Pyrrha paused for a moment with a little gasp.

"Oh! Ruby, is that the bracelet I made you?"

The brunette looked sheepishly down at her wrist and nodded.

"Y-Yeah. I'd just felt like wearing it tonight."

"What a coincidence!" Pyrrha moved aside her fake armor and reached down to her neckline. From beneath her shirt, she pulled out a seashell necklace. "I just so happen to be wearing the piece you made for me as well!"

That surprised Ruby a little bit, but she smiled.

"We match!"

"We do!" Pyrrha agreed.

For a moment, they both cooled down a little, sitting side by side as they watched the party from a distance. The din of chatter was becoming background noise now, blending in with the music.

A sense of nervousness and one of excitement spread through Ruby simultaneously.

This was her chance. It just felt like the time to say something.

Her heart was pounding, but she had to do it. There'd be no better chance-

"Ruby?"

"H-Huh? Yeah?"

Stammering, she blinked and focused her eyes on Pyrrha's beautiful green ones.

The taller girl was smiling, but it wasn't as big as usual. Rather, it was softer somehow, shyer. She held Ruby's gaze for only a few seconds before looking away.

"You know... there's something I wanted to talk to you about. Would... now be a good time for you to hear me out?"

Ruby clamped her mouth shut and bit her lip, swallowing hard.

"Uh... yeah, sure. Of course. What's... what's up...?"

She was already dreading to imagine what Pyrrha might tell her now.

/I'm too late. She's already dating someone else, or she likes somebody else. I was too late, I was too late-!/

"Ruby... I really like you."

/I've missed my chance and ruined everyth- ...what?/

"W...What?" She voiced her confusion with shocked eyes and a slack jaw. Clearly, she'd heard wrong, or she was misinterpreting things-

"I... I just really like you, Ruby. As more than a friend. And I've been wanting to tell you for a long time now..." Pyrrha's voice was soft, private, and very earnest.

Ruby didn't believe what she was hearing.

Was this some kind of dream? A vision of some fantasy she'd mentally imposed herself into? Was she in an alternate universe?

All she could do was mumble and stutter.

"Wh... What...?"

Pyrrha shook her head, sighing as the smile fell away.

"I'm sorry it's so sudden. Like I said, I'd been... wanting to say something for a long time now. But I just didn't know when I should do it or how. I didn't know how to explain it to you properly. Jaune and the others have been trying to help me for weeks, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it... until now. Because it just felt right."

Here, she turned her distraught eyes on her friend. "But, Ruby, I'm so sorry if... if this hurts you in some way. I never meant to make you upset or risk jeopardizing our friendship by telling you how I feel. If you'd rather just stay as friends, then that's fine! I just wanted to tell you. Please don't be upset..."

Ruby was at a loss, still staring blankly at her, trying to comprehend what was happening.

/Th-This is real? I'm not just imagining it? Wh-What's going on, oh my god!/

She was an absolute mess. She didn't know what to say or how to say it, so her only response for a long moment was shellshocked silence.

Pyrrha must've thought she'd upset Ruby, judging by her lack of response. She shook her head slowly, and Ruby saw a single tear fall down her cheek.

"Look what I've done..." she whimpered. "I've ruined it... I'm so sorry, Ruby. I didn't mean to-"

"Pyrrha!"

At last, Ruby snapped out of her dumbfounded trance and forced herself to reply.

This was real. This was happening. And Pyrrha was crying for no reason.

Ruby didn't waste another second. She threw both arms around Pyrrha's shoulders and squeezed her tighter than ever before, clinging to her as she buried her face into the side of her neck and babbled a confession of her own.

"Pyrrha, Pyrrha, please don't cry, oh my gosh! It's okay! It's really, really okay! Because it's the same for me! I've felt the same way all this time and I just never knew what to say or how to say it or when to say it, but I've always liked you so so so much!

"I love talking to you and being with you and making seashell jewelry with you! And I was so scared you wouldn't feel that way about me or that you might already have someone else you liked and I didn't wanna mess that up for you or make things awkward between us!

"But I talked to Yang and the others and they all said I should tell you how I felt and I decided I'd do it tonight but I just didn't get the chance yet until now and please don't cry! You don't have to cry Pyrrha, because I feel the same way about you and I always have!"

She seemed to say it all in one breath, and as soon as she was finished, she only clung to Pyrrha tighter and nuzzled into her collar.

Now, it was Pyrrha's turn to be shocked beyond words. She'd toiled away hours upon days upon weeks thinking about this moment, and most of her had been expecting it to end with the two of them parting as just friends. She'd barely considered the better outcome, but now it was playing out right before her, quite literally in her very arms.

Slowly, she lifted her arms up around Ruby's sides and pressed her hands over her back, pulling her close.

"Ruby..." She blinked, and more tears dripped down. "Do... Do you really... m-mean all of that? Is it true...?"

Ruby nodded vigorously before pulling back a little. She was crying now too, but there was a big, toothy smile spread across her lips as she looked up into Pyrrha's watery emerald eyes.

"Yes! Of course I mean it, Pyrrha! Like I said, I've been wanting to do this for... for longer than I can remember! Yang and Neo and Weiss and Blake have been trying to help me, but I just didn't know what to do or how to do it and I'm repeating myself now but... but yes! I like you too, Pyrrha! Gosh, I like you so much!"

She gazed adoringly up into Pyrrha's eyes, putting every shred of affection into it as possible.

Pyrrha gasped softly, and a wobbly smile made its way onto her lips. She blinked and dipped her head as more tears fell, making a sound somewhere between a chuckle and a whimper.

"Oh goodness..." she sniffled. "Oh my goodness... I'm sorry I-I'm such a mess. I just... didn't think-" She closed her eyes and brought a hand to her face, wiping her eyes.

Ruby giggled and hugged her again.

"It's okay, Pyrrha. You don't have to be sorry! We both agree on this, after all!"

Pyrrha nodded once more, returning the hug.

"You're... you're absolutely right!" Pyrrha tightened her embrace on Ruby, allowing her excitement to manifest itself as the uncertainties faded away.

Ruby could feel as the tension left Pyrrha's body, and her little sobs turned into hiccups of laughter. Ruby sniffled a bit as well, but was glad to know that Pyrrha's tears and her own were happy ones now.

And she realized how ironic it all was. Pyrrha had felt the same way all along. She'd been nervous and scared about telling Ruby, too, enough to seek advice from Jaune, Ren, and Nora, just as Ruby had consulted with the others.

They'd both been so worried, so anxious, tried to act normal around one another.

And now...

Now they were here.

"Oh my gosh!" Ruby still couldn't believe it. She squealed into Pyrrha's collar and hugged her like her life depended on it.

Pyrrha laughed and did the same, running her fingers through Ruby's hair.

"I... Oh, I'm so glad..." she whispered. "Ruby, I'm so happy..."

"Me too, Pyrrha," she murmured. "Me, too."

They stayed like that for a few long minutes, relishing the relief and joy of having their bottled-up feelings revealed, and reciprocated.

Ruby was ecstatic, as one could only be after they'd just spent hours worrying about something that ended up turning out better than ever could've been expected.

Pyrrha was still trying to compose herself. She was taking deep breaths to try and stop the tears, and Ruby could still feel her shaking a little.

It both flattered and amazed her to know that Pyrrha Nikos, the girl who was usually so confident and composed, had been reduced to a stuttering, sobbing mess because of her delicate feelings for Ruby. She'd been so scared about hurting her or potentially losing their friendship. It made Ruby realize just how much she meant to Pyrrha, and that made her want to cry all over again.

A few tears snuck out and traveled down her cheeks, seeping into the materials of Pyrrha's shirt. Ruby could feel a damp spot on her own shoulder from Pyrrha's tears as the taller girl tried to calm herself down. Ruby nestled in closer, tucking her head beneath Pyrrha's chin and pressing close to her collar.

"Thank you..." she whispered to her. "Thank you, Pyrrha."

Pyrrha shook her head, once more half-laughing, half-sobbing.

"No... thank you, Ruby... I've always... always wanted this..."

Ruby sighed, closing her eyes.

"Same for me."

All the while, people in the room glanced over and noticed something was going on, but no one interfered. Their friends all observed from afar, cheering softly for Pyrrha and Ruby.

Jaune and Ren high-fived one another in celebration of Pyrrha's success, while Nora clasped her hands together and gave a dreamy sigh.

Weiss ended up shedding a few tears, and Blake wiped them away for her, replacing them with kisses. Neo leaned into Yang's side, and the blonde let out a huge sigh as she watched her little sister and her best friend confess.

"Way to go, you guys. You did it."

But Ruby and Pyrrha didn't look to their circle of friends just yet. For now, they were only focused on one another.

Ruby reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Pyrrha's ear, and Pyrrha bent down to nuzzle her cheek. It was then Ruby let out a small whistle.

"Wow... I can't even believe this just happened..."

Pyrrha's eyes were full of mirth as she got to her feet.

"Well it did! Care to join me for another dance?"

Ruby hopped up after her.

"You bet'cha!"

She accepted Pyrrha's hand, and together they made their way back out into the crowds to have some fun.

This time, they could dance without having to worry about their feelings getting in the way.

Because this time, they both knew for certain that their feelings were reciprocated.

For the remainder of the night, until the clock struck twelve, they enjoyed the magic with their friends and each other.

Once midnight came around, Weiss and Winter politely declared the party to be over, and the guests started to depart. Everyone thanked the hostesses before saying goodbye, and Ruby made sure to do the same.

She scurried over to not only Weiss, but to Blake, Neo, and Yang as well. She threw her arms around each of them in turn, squealing.

"Thank you, thank you, thank yooou guys!"

She didn't need to say why she was thanking them. They all knew. And they returned her hugs with words of congratulations.

At the same time, Pyrrha was thanking Jaune, Nora, and Ren for their support. Ren returned her embrace proudly, Nora returned it with friendly force, and Jaune tried to return it, but Pyrrha just ended up picking him up off the floor a bit.

Once they'd thanked their friends, Ruby and Pyrrha slipped away again to find one another. Pyrrha opened her arms, and Ruby ran forward into them with a happy sigh.

"I had so much fun tonight with you, Pyrrha. I'm so happy!"

"As am I," she agreed. "I'm so happy, Ruby!"

"M-Maybe sometime next week we can um, like... go to a movie or something? Just the two of us?"

"That sounds grand! I would love to!"

They hugged and giggled and twirled around a little bit, merrily soaking in the feeling of finally being able to be with the person they liked the most.

But once the jitters had ebbed away, something more tender replaced them.

Pyrrha leaned down, her eyes asking a different question. Even without words Ruby understood, and she wasn't sure about her response. But she closed her eyes and lifted her chin, because she trusted Pyrrha.

Pyrrha knew that, and she didn't want to move too quickly.

So when she pressed her lips onto Ruby's skin, it was on the side of her cheek, sweetly.

Ruby let out a content little noise, feeling the heat boiling all over her face. But she did her best to return the contact, clumsily bumping her lips against the side of Pyrrha's face briefly.

When they pulled back, both realized they'd managed to make the other blush. Pyrrha put a hand to her mouth, her eyes looking bashfully down into silver.

"W-Well then... goodnight, Ruby."

Ruby gulped, but smiled.

"Yeah... g'night, Pyrrha."

At the doorway, they went their separate ways, but the warmth and the kisses would linger for some time to come.

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A/N: Finally, Ruby and Pyrrha complete the lovebird quartet within their group of friends! And boy, do they deserve it! But never fear, I wouldn't just end it here. There will be a small epilogue~