RWBY: Thought and Effort (Valentine's Day Special)

“Hey Weiss.”
Weiss looked up from her textbook to see a confidently smiling Jaune standing in front of her.
Her expression went cold. “I'm busy. What do you want?”
He produced from behind his back, a red heart-shaped box of chocolates. “Happy Valentine's day.”
Weiss shut her textbook with an audible thump and set it on the empty bench space next to her. “Jaune, how many times have you tried to ask me out?”
Jaune scratched his head. “Uhh… I don't really know.”
“Fifty four times.”
“You've been keeping track?” He asked with a raised brow.
She ignored him. “That means I've turned you down fifty four times. I would’ve thought you'd have realized this by now, but I guess I have to spell it out for you.”
“I'm not interested in you.” She stressed every word. “I have never been interested in you, and I never will be. You need to leave me alone.”
Jaune looked hurt, but he also understood. “I’m sorry. I didn't realize I was making you so uncomfortable.” He let out a sigh. “I'll stop asking you, I promise.”
Weiss’ face returned to normal. “Thank you.”
Jaune looked to the box of chocolates. “I'll just give these to Pyrrha, she'll like them, Right?” He started off in the direction of the dorms without waiting for an answer.
Weiss returned to where she left off in her book. “More than you will ever realize.”

“Good day Miss Schnee.”
Weiss again looked up from her textbook at another boy stood in front of her. His red hair was combed to the side, and he had a liberal attitude as to what constituted wearing a coat.
“You’re on Team SSSN.” Weiss recognized. “Scarlet, right?”
“The one and only.” He said with his hands on his hips in a heroic pose. “And might I say love, you look ravishing today.”
“Uh-huh.” She said with a role of her eyes.
“Anyway.” He continued. “I heard there is going to be a festival down in Vale tonight, and I think you and I would look good together. Or if you’d rather see a movie, there’s a new one out about four guys sharing some sort of special armor…”
“No.” Weiss interrupted planely.
“Eh deh, wha?” Scarlet stammered as his mind shifted gears.
“I'm not interested.”
“Oh.” He composed himself. “Well, thank you for your time. Enjoy the rest of your day Miss Schnee.” He gave a kind smile.
Weiss gave one in return. “You too Scarlet.”

After that, Weiss thought She would be able to study in peace. She was gravely mistaken.
It seemed every boy on campus that day wanted to ask her out on this most sacred of candy coated holidays. Every single one had some lame pickup line, an extravagant gift or an insincere emotional confession.
She turned every one of them down. Some of them were understanding.
Most not so much.
This little courtyard bench had gone from her favorite place to study, to the most miserable spot in all of Remnant.
And then Ruby showed up.

“Hey Weiss.” She said with a cheery spring in her step as she approached. “Happy…”
“I hate Valentine's Day!” Weiss snapped.
Ruby froze. Her face went from chipper to horrified.
“Every year it's nothing but a bunch of pretentious guys who want to hawk off some sort of pathetic notion, word or gift for the perks of being involved with me!”
Weiss calmed herself and looked to her partner. “I’m sorry Ruby, it's been a bad day. What did you want?”
“Oh, umm…” Ruby clutched a red rose and a homemade card behind her back. “It can wait.”
“Ruby it's fine.” Weiss reassured her. “What do you need.”
“It’s nothing.” She stuttered keeping her hands behind her back.
“A second ago, ‘it could wait.’ Why is it nothing now?”
Ruby started to turn red. “Well you know what they say, ‘nothing waits for everyone.’ That's a phrase right?”
Weiss shook her head. “No.”
“Well what do you know? Looks like I just coined a phrase. We should call up the newspapers and tell them sometime butrightnowIgottagobye.” Ruby’s words blended together as her semblance propelled her to the dorm room in a flurry of rose petals.
Weiss started off after her, in no hurry to catch up, seeing as she had no chance.
“You insufferable dolt.”

“Well, so much for that.”
Ruby sat on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chest, the gifts she had planned to give to Weiss lying on the blanket in front of her.
Of all the rotten timing.
One would think that a holiday devoted to romance and love would be a good time to tell someone how you feel about them.
Nope.
Weiss hates Valentine's day, and if all those boys couldn't impress her with their extravagant gifts, than what chance did Ruby have with her pathetic ones?
She thought about putting her headphones on and taking a nap. Sleep off the day and begin planning for her next opportunity.
Before she could follow through on that plan though, she heard the door to the room unlock.

Without thinking, she quickly slid her gifts under the blankets just before Weiss entered.
“Do you want to tell me what's wrong?” Weiss half asked, half demanded.
“What?” Ruby squeaked nervously. “What would make you think that something’s wrong?”
“Because you're acting weird, and that's saying something.”
Ruby didn't respond. She had been cornered. She didn't want to tell the truth, but She couldn't lie anymore either.
Weiss climbed up to Ruby’s bunk and took a seat on the edge. “Ruby, we made a promise as a team,” She reminded her. “That whenever something was bothering us, we’d be there for each other, and that promise is twice as important for you and me because we’re partners. If you don't tell me what it is that's bothering you, how am I supposed to be the best teammate ever?”

Ruby let out a distressed sigh. “Promise me you won't get mad.”
“Why would I…”
“Weiss, promise me.”
Leave it to Ruby to make a conversation feel like pulling teeth. “I promise.”
Ruby’s face went red again as she reached under her blanket and pulled out the rose and the card that she made and presented them to her partner. “I wanted to give these to you,” Weiss took both the gifts in each hand. “But you didn't seem in the mood for gifts.”

Weiss held the rose in a loose grip by the stem. It was in full bloom, and its color was so deep it was almost burgundy.
The card, upon closer inspection, was a pink sheet of construction paper that had been very poorly cut into the shape of a heart. The two curves on top were actually more like the horns of a devil creature from a children's fairy tale, and drawn in the middle in crayon was a crude picture of the two of them together (though Weiss could only tell the two stick figures were supposed to be them because “Ruby” had her cape and was drawn in red, and “Weiss” had her signature ponytail and was drawn in white). Above the drawing, written once again in white crayon was the phrase, “Will you be mine?”

Ruby covered her eyes with her hands and was visibly perspiring. Her face clenched up as she waited for the tirade Weiss was no doubt about to send her way.
Weiss wasn't angry though. She was feeling a lot of things, surprised, flattered, amused by the shoddy craftsmanship.
But angry?

“You made this?” Weiss knew nobody would have bought the card even if they could, but She felt like engaging her friend would be a good way to calm her down.
Sure enough, Ruby peeked out from behind her palms. “Yes.” She confirmed as her face relaxed. “The card, not the flower.” She clarified with a shaky voice. “I didn't make that.”
Weiss let out a small laugh which sent Ruby back into hiding. “You hate it, don't you?”
“Would you stop!” Weiss snapped as she grabbed Ruby’s arms to remove her hands from her face. “Honestly, you need to stop acting so childish!”
Ruby did not attempt to cover her eyes again, but her expression was still one of fright. Weiss took a moment to cool down. “I think it's really sweet.”
Ruby’s face relaxed and her silver eyes widened. Weiss turned her head away as she felt blood rush to her cheeks.
“Really?” Ruby slid over to join Weiss on the edge of the bed, who gave a nod while keeping her face out of Ruby's sight.

“Ruby, I didn't know any of those guys.” She explained. “But I could tell most of them were stuck up jerks who thought I’d lower my standards just because they bought me something flashy for Valentine's day.” She paused for a moment of consideration. “And Jaune, but I’m pretty sure he's starting to get the picture.”
She turned back to Ruby, who for the first time saw how pink Weiss’ face had become. “My point is, you put effort and thought into it.”
Ruby’s heart skipped As she felt Weiss’ hand rest on top of hers. “It’s the kind of gift I know Ruby Rose would give.”

Ruby stuttered and stumbled over her words. “I-I’m glad you like it.” She eventually got out. Now it was her turn to turn her head away from her partner.
Weiss couldn't blame her. There was an undeniable tension hanging over both of them, and she herself could feel the heat from her blush rising in her face. Combine that with Ruby’s well known awkwardness in any social situation and her fearless leader didn't stand a chance.

Weiss hopped down from Ruby’s bunk and set her leader’s gifts on her own bed. She held her hand out, up toward her partner. “Ruby, would you accompany me to the festival in Vale this evening?”
Ruby could hardly believe it. This whole ordeal started in disaster, yet it had turned around in the best way possible.
She accepted Weiss’ hand and dropped down from her bed. “I would love to.”
The two shared a coy smile and started off, hand-in-hand to the city.

***

The moon cast light into Team RWBY's dorm as Yang walked in, still pumped from her evening’s workout. She punched the air and weaved around an imaginary opponent as she gathered up all the essentials for a shower.
Once that had been accomplished she threw one last haymaker at the phantom fighter, sending him crashing to the floor.
She pumped her fist in the air and began to imitate the sounds of a crowd going wild, even going as far to throw a few, "We love you Yang!"'s in with the simulated cheering.

On her way out of the dorm, a splash of red on Weiss' pristinely white sheets grabbed Yang's attention from the the corner of her eye.
She looked to see a red rose, and a sheet of construction paper cut into a crappy heart-shape sitting out in full view to all those who walked by.
"Awww." Yang thought aloud. "Someone's won over our little ice queen's cold heart."

Yang wanted to take a peek at the card to find out who thawed out her friend, but forced herself to stop to consider the moral implications of snooping on her teammate.
After a thought filled five seconds she decided, "Eh, why not?"

She picked up Weiss' card and flipped it over to see if she could find any evidence as to who made Weiss Schnee melt.
Her giddy demeanor was soon replaced with anger and rage when she found precisely what she was looking for.
"Son of a..."