Bread And Citrus (ch10)

It's time to bring this fic to an end with the year! Thanks for keeping up!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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															Chapter 10.

In the following days, Weiss and Yang formed their own sort of schedule.

Now with a girlfriend to see and a reason not to sleep in as much, Yang woke earlier and would stop by the bakery first every day before kickboxing, and then again after. Sometimes, if Ruby was able to get up, she would tag along with Blake as well, either visiting the bakery in the morning before heading to ceramics class, or in the afternoon coming home.

But even when those two did stop by, they made sure never to linger too long.

After all, while Weiss was working was the only time she and Yang really ever got to be together.

The weekday mornings tended to be a bit busier in the shop, and Yang would sit at her table and play her game or read a small book as she waited for the crowd to die down. Once it had, she'd sneak over to the counter and steal a kiss or two from Weiss.

There had been a few instances where they'd very nearly been walked in on, but by some miracle had managed to avoid being caught. Not that it would've been an issue for anyone else, but Weiss and Yang still weren't entirely sure how to go about telling others.

So they kept it between themselves for a while, keeping their relationship within the shop with only the doilies and cakes as witnesses.

Ruby and Blake knew, but Yang never kissed Weiss in front of them, simply because she knew her girlfriend was still a bit shy about it all.

Therefore, Yang kept their kisses to a minimum during the morning hours. But when Weiss had her lunch break and it was almost guaranteed they wouldn't be interrupted, the couple got to enjoy one another a bit more.

Weiss didn't sit on her chair behind the counter to eat anymore, but instead came out onto the main floor to have a seat at Yang's table. She'd eat her salad as Yang would munch on a snack she'd brought from home, and the two would hold conversations about how business had been that day, and things of that nature.

On the following Wednesday, the two girls were eager to spend as much time together as possible, knowing Weiss would be at college tomorrow. So as soon as Yang walked in that afternoon, she went directly to the side of the counter and lifted the top portion aside. Weiss grabbed her little lunch bag and rushed to her, wrapping Yang in a warm hug.

"It feels like it's been so long since I've last seen you," she mumbled. "And I just saw you this morning."

"Tomorrow's gonna be rough," Yang sighed. "What am I supposed to do all day without you? I got nothin'."

"I could say the same thing," Weiss sighed. "Just make sure you text me in the morning. I'll do the same when I get a break between classes and then when I get home."

"Sounds like a plan."

Yang kept her arms around Weiss' back and got an idea. She dipped down to hook her hand behind the girl's knees and lifted her girlfriend into her arms with ease. With a squeak, Weiss cradled her lunch bag in her hands and looked up at Yang.

"Wh-What do you think you're doing?"

"Well, if I can't see you for a whole day tomorrow, I'm gonna enjoy today as much as possible!" Bending forward, Yang pressed a quick kiss to the girl's nose and then her lips. Weiss huffed a bit.

"If anyone sees like this, so help me-"

"Nobody'll see us! I'm just gonna carry you ten feet to our table, so relax~"

Weiss did her best to do just that, letting her shoulders slump comfortably in Yang's arms.

But the blonde was certainly dragging out the 15-second walk to the table for as long as humanly possible. She kept swaying her arms and giving little spins, humming incorrectly to the music on the radio as she gave Weiss peck after peck on her cheeks and forehead. The white-haired girl stole several nervous glances to the doors before she couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"Yang, just put me down already! Don't jostle me so much that I lose my appetite."

"Alright, alright~"

Upon reaching the table, Yang let her girlfriend down slowly, and with another huff, Weiss took her chair.

They went about their usual lunch routine from there, chatting and laughing together.

At random intervals – sometimes to clear away a bit of lettuce from her lip, and sometimes simply because she could – Yang would lean forward across the table to kiss her girlfriend.

Somehow that day, their tangents of conversation had taken them back to the topic of the daisy, and thus, flowers. Before she even fully realized it herself, Weiss was going off about her extensive knowledge of flowers and their language. She was talking almost nonstop, enough so that she'd forgotten about her food and was simply focusing on sharing her knowledge with someone else who was willing to listen.

Throughout her discourse, Yang leaned forward onto her elbows and rested her chin in her palm, wearing an admiring smirk as she listened to Weiss' excited talk.

There was a sparkle in her blue eyes – the same one that appeared when she was working, or doing what she loved the most – and her voice filled Yang's ears like a sweet melody. She'd stopped listening to the actual words a few minutes ago, and now was simply focused on the sound of Weiss' tone, the way she articulated certain words and not others, the little idiosyncrasies that were Weiss Schnee's and no one else's.

Weiss hadn't noticed the goofy grin on Yang's face until the moment the blonde leaned in and kissed her mid-sentence. Weiss cut off in surprise, but didn't reject the girl or push her away.

Although slightly miffed, Weiss merely closed her eyes and returned the kiss before Yang pulled back. Weiss paused in her speech about flowers momentarily to demand answers.

"What was that for, if I may inquire?"

Yang continued to grin and hum.

"Nothin'. Just 'cause you're so darn cute when you go off about the stuff you love. I couldn't resist. But by all means, please continue~"

Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Well now, thanks to your distracting lips, I've forgotten where I was exactly. So I'll just have to talk about something else I love instead, now won't I?"

"Ooooh~ like what? Got any other hobbies you do at home?"

"Not particularly," Weiss shrugged. "I don't intend to talk about an activity. But rather... I'd like to talk about this girl I know. She's infuriatingly tall and tells awful jokes far too often, and yet I always find myself laughing nonetheless.

"She's a bit of a klutz – enough to pass out during her very first kiss – but at the same time she's endearing, sweet, and very, very kind. I can't ever stop thinking about her, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

"She keeps me up at night even when she's miles away, but she's also one of the few reasons I get out of bed in the mornings. I don't think I've ever smiled as much until I met her, and my heart's never beat so quickly before. She's strong, gentle, and criminally beautiful. And I can't imagine what tomorrow will be like without being able to do this-"

Leaning forward, it was Weiss' turn to kiss Yang from across the table. She'd effectively rendered her girlfriend speechless, turned her into a blushing mess who couldn't even think to move away – not that she wanted to.

The second she felt Weiss' lips on hers, Yang couldn't stop herself from reaching out to hug her shoulders and bring her closer.

But the table in between them obstructed the contact, so Yang stood promptly with Weiss in her arms, never breaking the kiss as she squeezed the girl to her chest, keeping Weiss' face level with her own for a deeper kiss.

Weiss' hadn't been lying; like this, Yang could feel the girl's heartbeat thrumming against her own, fast and excited. A pair of slender arms wrapped around Yang's shoulders, a silent declaration that Weiss didn't want to be let go of, even if someone were to walk in right now.

Luckily, no one did, and they held their kiss for a full minute or so before Weiss breathlessly pulled away. Yang purred a giggle as she set her down, bringing Weiss back in for another hug.

"No fair," she mumbled. "I didn't get enough time to compliment you, too."

"I don't mind..." Weiss panted softly. "That kiss... said more than enough. Thank you, Yang."

A moment later, Yang released her girlfriend and they retreated to their table to clean things up, pack away their remaining food, and throw out their trash.

Weiss returned to her spot behind the counter as the afternoon crowd of customers started to file in, and Yang retreated to her table.

The afternoon seemed to pass by much more quickly than most others, as if taunting the two girls about missing one another tomorrow.

As Weiss hung up her apron and said farewell to the bakers at the end of the evening, Yang stood and stretched before sauntering over to the girl. She picked Weiss up once again, locking her arms around the small of her back as Weiss braced her palms on Yang's shoulders. The blonde nuzzled into her blue blouse, and Weiss hugged her gently, playing with Yang's golden mane of hair.

For a moment, there was only silence, and past the music, Yang could just barely make out the faint thumping of Weiss' heartbeat. She sighed and mumbled against the girl's chest.

"I don't wanna leave. Can't we both just have a sleepover here?"

Her muffled voice and childish tone caused Weiss to giggle a bit.

"Oh, come now. Not seeing each other for a single day tomorrow will only make it that much better on Friday when we can. Think of it that way." Weiss pulled back slightly to kiss the taller girl's cheek. "It's not the end of the world, Yang. I'll make it up to you on Friday, alright? I promise."

Yang shrugged her shoulders and sighed.

"Alright. I'll try to survive without ya tomorrow, but no promises." She let Weiss slip from her arms until she was standing on her own two feet once more. The white-haired girl strained up onto her tip-toes as Yang dipped down for one final goodnight kiss. "G'night, Weiss. I'll see you Friday."

"See you on Friday."

They headed home on their separate paths, and exchanged a few more text messages before bed that night.

Yang flopped onto her pillow with a long, unexcited sigh, and could only remind herself that Friday was just a day away.

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When she woke the next morning, Yang instantly remembered she couldn't see Weiss, so she merely closed her eyes and tried to fall back asleep, pouting at the bright morning sunlight that seemed to mock her.

She lazed about in bed for a while, until she heard Ruby get up. That was when Yang reached for her phone and texted Weiss:

//I'm up but I have no motivation to move because I can't see you today :(//

Weiss replied back only a few minutes later:

/Don't be lazy. Get up and go to kickboxing. And by the way, you might want to tell them you can't come tomorrow./

Yang quirked an eyebrow at that text and quickly replied:

//Why's that?//

But the response was simply:

/Sorry, I've got class now. Talk to you later./

The blonde was left staring curiously at her phone's screen, but Weiss' message had been more than enough to motivate her into action.

She ate breakfast and went to kickboxing as per usual, and informed her instructors she'd likely be missing tomorrow's class.

Afterward, in the time she'd usually spend at the bakery, Yang instead passed the shop and went to Ruby and Blake's ceramic class to observe the final several minutes.

The three of them then stopped by the bakery together, requesting their orders to the boy behind the counter before heading out.

On their way back to their neighborhood, Blake nudged her elbow into Yang's ribs.

"Day's almost over," she informed her. "So you can stop pouting now, okay? You'll see her soon."

"Huh? Was I that obvious?"

"Uuuh, yeah!" Ruby laughed.

"Yang, you're more lovesick than a puppy without a bone," Blake said gently, in the manner only a true friend could tease.

The blonde snorted and blushed a bit as they continued on their way. She and Ruby hugged Blake goodbye and headed for home, and all that evening, Yang texted Weiss about her day.

It was nice to discover Weiss had been thinking about her just as often, and even admitted she'd been daydreaming in class enough to get scolded a bit by a professor.

//Oh no, really?// Yang texted her from the living room couch. //You didn't get in trouble, did you?//

/No,/ Weiss replied. /But my pride as a student is a bit wounded. I expect you to take responsibility for that tomorrow and make it up to me./

//I'll do the best I can! Yang promised.//

Several messages and a few little text hearts later, she curled up for bed, eager for whatever tomorrow would have in store for them.

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It was almost uncanny how quickly Yang woke and got changed the next morning.

She wrestled her way into a nice blouse and a pair of shorts, brushed her hair and teeth at the same time, and then doused herself in perfume. She'd packed a lunch in a handbag, said goodbye to her parents, and headed out the door before Ruby had even woken up.

Yang didn't even try to deny that she was skipping down the sidewalk that fine summer morning as she headed for her favorite place and her favorite person. She was humming the tune of the song she'd caught Weiss singing a few days earlier, and before long, the scents of freshly-baked bread danced on the roof of her mouth once more.

A few skips later, and the bakery's open doors were in sight-

-and so was someone else.

A small girl with pure white hair all down her back stood outside, adorning an ice-colored sundress, hands folded behind her back as she appeared to be waiting for someone.

Yang almost shrieked in delight as she rushed down the sidewalk.

"Weiss! Oh my gosh, look at you!"

Her voice alerted the white-haired girl, and Weiss just barely managed to smile and open her arms before Yang crashed gently into her, picking her up and twirling her twice. Their lips met once before Weiss' shoes touched the ground again, and when they parted, Yang had a million things to gush about.

"Good morning! Oh wow, gosh look at your hair! I mean, I knew it was long, but I never knew you had this much of it! I've never seen you with it down before – it's absolutely gorgeous! But why are you out here? Shouldn't you be inside? The shop's already open, isn't it?"

Before Yang could give herself a hernia, Weiss reached up and pressed her index finger to her excited girlfriend's lips to silence her.

"First of all," Weiss said calmly. "Good morning to you as well. Secondly, thank you. I'm glad you like my hair this way. And thirdly, I won't be needing my apron today."

She nodded sideways into the shop, and Yang followed her gaze. The same boy who substituted for Weiss on Thursdays was standing there behind the counter once more, already busy with the first wave of customers.

Yang returned her puzzled lavender gaze to Weiss' confident blue ones, and the shorter girl explained herself.

"I finally broke the news to my father a few nights ago. I thought he might be a bit indecisive about how he felt about it, but actually, he was so happy that he hugged me.

"Evidently, he'd been waiting for me to find someone to date for years now, and was worried I was too focused on work and school to think about romance.

"So when I asked for today off... he decided to give me not only today, but every Friday off for the remainder of the summer. He said after working a full five days at the shop and then going to school all day, the day after, I should have some time to myself."

Yang listened in silence as Weiss explained everything, unable to wipe the wide grin off her face the entire time.

"Really? You got today off? And every Friday from now on? That's great! You deserve it, Weiss! You really do work too hard. Take a breather every once in a while, yeah?"

"That would be preferable, yes," she agreed. "He'd tried to persuade me to get some time off in the past, but I never had a reason to say yes. But now..." Her eyes flashed happily up to Yang's. "Now I have you. Which is why I hereby declare Fridays to be the days for our weekly dates."

Yang felt her jaw drop, though her heart was soaring within seconds.

"Really?!" she gasped. "S-So like, every Friday from now on, I can have you all to myself?"

"I hope this won't interfere with your kickboxing," Weiss fretted. "I'd like to come by and watch you in the following weeks, and then we can get to our dates afterward. But at least for today, I... I wanted us to have some time together."

Yang was so enthralled she couldn't even speak at the moment. So instead, she just squealed and hugged Weiss again, jumping up and down and taking the smaller girl with her.

"I can't believe it!" she cried. "I get to go on my first date with you today!" She stopped jumping and kissed Weiss' temple. "I mean but... I didn't really have anything planned, but we could like... I don't know-"

"You oaf," Weiss chuckled with a playful smile. "Of course I didn't expect you to have anything planned. You only just found out two minutes ago. So today, I hope it'll be alright if our first date is just something simple, like a walk around town or to the park or something. Would that be alright?"

"You kiddin'? That's be perfect!" Yang picked her girlfriend up once more and kissed her again before setting her back down. "C'mon, then! I'll show ya around town! There's not much to see, but I think it'll be fun if we go together!"

"I think so, too," Weiss agreed.

Only then did Yang notice a bag Weiss had on the ground nearby, and she instantly offered to carry it for her. Weiss agreed, but promised to hold it for the second half of the walk.

Before they headed out, Yang offered her palm to Weiss; of all the kisses and embraces they'd shared, she'd yet to hold her girlfriend's hand.

Weiss was eager for it as well, and she slipped her fingers into place, entwining them with Yang's as their palms pressed together.

Yang maintained a firm grip on that delicate hand as she began leading the way.

She reminded herself that Weiss was fairly new to these parts, and other than the family bakery, hadn't really seen too much of the town.

So she took the liberty of bringing her to all the different little shops. Yang went in the direction opposite the flower shop, intending to save that for last.

They passed a few thrift shops and stores that sold clothes and knick-knacks, children's toys and school supplies. Even in such a childish, commonplace store, they both managed to have fun, reminiscing about the toys they'd often played with in their younger years.

They entered several small jewelry stores as well, and Yang only let go of Weiss' hand briefly to slip away down an aisle and sneak to the register to purchase a small bracelet covered in little blue gemstones. She placed the box into her shorts pocket before hurrying back into the aisles in search of Weiss.

They met up a few minutes later by the door, and their hands came together again as they stepped outside.

They walked a circle around the town, passing several restaurants they considered trying out together in future weeks.

And then there was the pet store, where Weiss surprised her girlfriend by remembering a certain tidbit from weeks past.

"Is this the place with your 'rolling kitten'?" she wondered. "The one you were so distracted by that you got punched in the face?"

Yang chuckled sheepishly.

"Actually, there aren't any kittens here," she confessed. "Just birds and gerbils and stuff. I made the kitten up. When I got hit in the face, it was actually 'cause I was thinkin' about you."

She revealed this information as though Weiss hadn't already known. The white-haired girl laughed out loud and nuzzled her cheek to Yang's.

"I know that, you idiot," she said with a kiss.

They soon passed the kickboxing building where the lessons Yang was missing were going on at present.

"Next week is gonna be awesome," she mused. "I'll show up for class with the prettiest girl ever on my arm and all my buddies are gonna drop to the floor in shock. You're gonna love them, trust me."

"I'm sure I will."

They passed by the tailor shop, a few more restaurants and thrift shops, an ice cream shop, and an antique store. Somewhere along the lines, Weiss politely insisted she take her bag back and carry it herself. Yang slipped it onto her shoulder for her and then kissed her temple.

The sidewalk soon brought them back around town to the flower shop, a place familiar to the both of them due to its proximity to the bakery. The old woman who owned it was standing in the outdoor portion watering plants when the couple walked by, her cat sun-bathing nearby.

"Oh!" the woman said. "I know you two! You're the nice girl who works at the bakery," she said to Weiss. "And you're the one who came by and bought that daisy. Is this the lucky girl, then?"

"You bet'cha!" Yang grinned. "Thanks to you, I got myself a girlfriend!"

"Well now, isn't that just precious? Congratulations."

They thanked the old woman and wished her a good day before heading off again.

Before long, they could smell the bakery, but Yang didn't take them back to it just yet. It had been two hours since they'd set out, and it was almost noon by now.

"Let's head to the park," she decided.

"Perfect," Weiss smiled. "I've packed a bit of lunch in advance," she said, nodding to the bag on her arm.

Yang's eyes went wide in delight.

"No way! My first date and you actually made a homemade lunch? Oh man, you're the best, you know that?" Again, she kissed her girlfriend's cheek.

Weiss ran a hand through her hair and smiled.

"Flatterer."

Weiss had rarely been to the local park before, so she kept her hand in Yang's as she walked alongside her toward it.

The town was a bit warmer due to lack of trees, but there were plenty to go around in the park. Shade was a much-welcomed sanctuary for the two girls now, and their shoes treaded on soft grass rather than hard cement.

They passed groups of children playing and even several other couples going for a stroll.

Yang led them to the first empty picnic table in sight and released Weiss' hand.

"Havin' fun so far?" she wondered. "I mean it's not much for a first date, but..."

"You hush," Weiss said. "It's the most fun I've had in ages."

"Then I can't wait till next week when I can take you to all different kinds of places. We can go to the movies or out to dinner, and I've got some other places in mind, too~"

"And I look forward to all of that," Weiss promised. "But for now, I'll enjoy our first date to the fullest."

They each sat at one side of the table as Weiss reached into her handbag. She'd packed two bottles of water and two sandwiches, as well as two brownies from the bakery. Weiss handed Yang her portion of things and a few napkins, and was thanked with another kiss.

They enjoyed the snack in peace, and rather than passing cars and ringing registers, the sounds of birdsong and children's laughter filled the air now.

At one point, Yang ended up dropping her water bottle and it spilled all over the bench. Weiss sighed at her hopelessly before offering her own bottle.

Yang thanked her and chuckled comments about "indirect kisses" for a moment until Weiss had her clean up the spilled water and toss the empty bottle into the trash.

Once they'd both finished their meal, Yang slung the bag's strap over her shoulder again and stood, coaxing Weiss to do the same.

She led her to a nearby bench, where they could sit down beside one another rather than across. Yang deposited Weiss' bag on the ground and leaned into her a bit.

It was then she reached into her pocket to retrieve the little box and handed it to Weiss.

Her girlfriend gave her a surprised glance, but she opened it nonetheless. Weiss' eyes lit up and shimmered like tiny pools of water as she discovered the bracelet inside.

"Yang..." she gasped. "It's lovely."

"I wanted it to match your eyes," she said. "Though nothing could ever be as pretty as those~"

"You're too much."

Yang took the bracelet and carefully fastened it around Weiss' wrist for her – a perfect fit.

"Thank you so much," Weiss murmured, kissing her cheek. "You didn't have to."

"But I wanted to!"

"Then..." Weiss reached into her dress' pocket as well. "I was going to wait until later, but I suppose now is as good a time as any to give you this."

She presented Yang with a small box of her own. Yang noticed it was from the same store where she'd purchased Weiss' gift.

She laughed when she realized they'd both snuck around behind the other's back to buy each other a present.

The blonde humbly accepted the gift and opened the box to reveal a necklace of thin wire. The main piece was a shimmering purple gemstone.

"I wanted it to match your eyes, too," Weiss said. "But you've already beaten me to the cliché lines I'd wanted to say."

Yang laughed again and hugged her.

"Thanks, Weiss. I love it! Help me put it on?"

Weiss motioned for her to turn around, and Yang gathered her hair over one shoulder. She felt Weiss' cool hands brushing softly against the nape of her neck as she clipped the necklace into place. Once finished, she turned Yang back around to admire the results.

"You're even more beautiful than usual, if I do say so myself."

"But not as beautiful as you~" Yang purred.

"That's up for debate."

"No it's not."

They bickered briefly and playfully for a few minutes, until they found their hands in the other's hair, running up and down backs and sides. Their lips came together again and again, melting into each and every breath.

Weiss tangled her fingers lightly through Yang's hair, massaging her shoulders in slow, meticulous motions.

Yang kept one hand on her girlfriend's cheek, and the other rested on her side, where she could feel Weiss' heart thrumming beneath her ribcage.

They didn't have to hold back here, as there was little risk of being found out.

They lost themselves in one another, ankles crossing and curling around calves. Lips pressed over cheeks and foreheads, along hairlines and earlobes, passing noses and chins to flutter along the sides of necks.

Weiss tended to stick to kissing Yang's face, but the blonde couldn't help but stray down to Weiss' collar, kissing over her heart before tucking her head beneath the girl's chin.

Weiss held her close for a while, breathing in her citrusy scent, savoring her warmth and her closeness.

And Yang nestled closer, listening to Weiss' heartbeat once more, until the rhythm became a tune in her ears.

Weiss closed her eyes as well and rested for a while with Yang's arms wrapped around her waist and back, keeping her perfectly warm.

They stayed on their bench for about an hour and dozed lightly beneath the shelter of a tree, a familiar scene of two lovers enjoying one another's presence, easy to miss, but nonetheless pleasant to observe.

A while later, Yang shifted and roused herself, straightening up to kiss Weiss' cheek and wake her as well. The taller girl stood and offered her hand to the other, helping Weiss to her feet once she'd gathered her bag.

"Shall we continue on our way?" Yang wondered. "We've still got the entire afternoon to spare."

Weiss nodded.

"Let's. And we can plan out next week's date, and the week after."

"You got it," Yang agreed. "But even before then, I'll get to see you at the bakery all the time. I wonder how many times I can kiss you in a week?"

"I guess we'll just have to find out," Weiss shrugged. She strained up and kissed her girlfriend's cheek again. "But let's start counting tomorrow, shall we? I fear there's already been too many today."

"Too many," Yang repeated. "Buuut still not enough."

"I wholeheartedly agree."

The two girls shared a knowing look, their respective pieces of jewelry catching in the sunlight.

They closed their eyes and shared yet another long kiss - warm, gentle, and firm.

Weiss smelled of bread and cookies, and Yang smelled of sweat and citrus.

When the kiss ended, their hands came together once again.

Together, the two girls headed off through the park to continue their first date of many more to come.

A/N: Again, thank you all so much for reading Bakery AU! Onto the next fic!

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