Chapter Text
Vacuo’s weather at this time of the year was pleasantly warm but not yet blisteringly hot. Walking in the mild sun was an enjoyable experience rather than a chore, especially when a chance breeze rustled through the streets.
Weiss was just one of many people on the sidewalks in a strange little neighborhood known to be more ‘artsy’ than most others. It was for this reason that tourists gathered here, taking pictures of the colorful murals covering large, sandy walls and the unique architecture born more out of necessity than a desire to impress outsiders.
It was quaint, she must admit. The murals were wonderfully done and worthy of the small crowds they garnered. The buildings were...different...but she’d seen more exceptional designs before.
Not that she was here to judge. She might be a stranger to this place, but she was far from being a tourist. A tourist was a visitor - a temporary traveler who came for the sights and experiences before returning to the place they called home. She had a far more important reason for being here and, if all went well, she had no plans of returning to Atlas - at least, not alone.
Fortunately, the bulk of the crowds fell behind several blocks ago, leaving her passing through the less populated areas of Vacuo. She was grateful for the relative tranquility as it helped her clear her mind and focus on her destination: the small restaurant nestled in the middle of the block.
It was equal parts indoor and outdoor seating, with the patio covered by a generous number of white-and-red striped umbrellas. The shade was less necessary on such a pleasant day but would be a welcome respite over the course of a long meal. There were plenty of empty tables outside, as the lunch rush must have already ended but dinnertime had not yet arrived.
A young hostess stood behind a thin podium at the patio’s entrance, examining her fingernails and looking bored by her current duties. Paying the girl no mind, Weiss searched the rest of the diners and employees visible within the confines of the patio and through the glass windows to the interior of the café.
From the information she’d gathered, this was the right time of day to visit - just before the dinner servers arrived to handle the evening rush. She checked every table, marking them off one-by-one, looking for -
Her feet abruptly stopped, freezing to the sidewalk while her mouth suddenly went dry. Her heart pounded as the unquenchable longing she’d held at bay for so long was unlocked and set free in her chest. All this time, she’d been under the impression that she knew what to expect when the moment finally arrived. But the emotions burgeoning inside of her were powerful in a wonderful, incredible way that she could never get enough of. Most importantly, the waiting and searching were finally over.
Flying out of the restaurant with a plate of food in each hand, a young brunette zipped over to a table and set each meal in front of its respective owner. After exchanging several words and more than a few smiles, the girl dashed across the diner to check on another set of diners.
She was generous with her bright smile, which lifted Weiss’ spirit even from a distance. Her striking silver eyes sparkled with joy. Her movements hardly ceased and a subtle skip found its way into every step, as if there was something truly enjoyable about rushing around a café in the middle of the afternoon.
She was different. Her aura shone far more brilliantly than anyone around her, making it painfully obvious to anyone who bothered looking that she was remarkable in ways that very few were. She was, in a single word, incomparable.
A deep breath did nothing to quell the excitement tingling through her veins, but Weiss spurred her feet over to the hostess regardless. The girl finally looked away from her fingernails and even managed a smile when she noticed Weiss’ approach.
“Hey! Welcome to Stella’s - just one today?” Making an assumption on the answer, she pulled one menu from the stack on her podium.
“Yes, just one,” Weiss replied with a polite smile. “And I’d like to sit in that waitress’ section if possible.”
The hostess turned in the direction Weiss pointed, located the brunette waitress talking to another table of diners, and frowned.
“You want to sit in Ruby’s section?” she clarified, to which Weiss nodded and failed to suppress a smile.
“Yes,” she repeated, her eyes lingering on Ruby as she buzzed past. “I’d like to sit in Ruby’s section.”
The name rolled off her tongue as if she’d been born to say it. She loved the way it sounded. She loved the way it felt on her lips. And today, where a louder voice might be overheard by the name’s very owner, she loved the overwhelming anticipation that came with it.
“Uh, ok,” the hostess said before waving to the patio. “Is outside ok?”
Weiss nodded before being led to a small, two-person table bordering the sidewalk. After setting the menu in front of one of the chairs, the hostess left with a quick, “Your server will be right with you!” and nothing else. There was no inquiry into why Weiss requested a specific server, but there rarely was. If her motives had been questioned, she had already prepared a foolproof explanation: that they were old friends, and she was there as a surprise.
Both were true, in a sense.
After taking her seat, Weiss pushed the menu away as her anticipation rose. She wasn’t nervous, per se - why would she be when she had a plan? Not just one plan, but innumerable plans she could call upon if needed.
She wasn’t nervous; she was expectant and excited. But, as impatient as she was to move past this introduction, she reminded herself that this wasn’t only about her. There were reasons to proceed slowly and carefully. There were many times when she hadn't been nearly as patient, and those instances often complicated matters or prolonged her wait. Today, she called upon those experiences to keep her eagerness in check. That being said…even though her eagerness was at a reasonable level, her knee bounced beneath the table and her fingers tapped the same rapid tune on top of it.
After delivering another set of plates, Ruby glanced around the patio and caught Weiss’ eye. The casual gaze made Weiss’ heart race, and it quickened as Ruby wove through the tables, managing to trip over an empty chair before steadying herself and making it to Weiss’ side.
The moment had finally arrived, and now Weiss could hardly breathe.
“Hey! How’s it going?” Still blushing from her near tumble, Ruby flashed her signature smile while pulling a pad of paper and a pen out of her black apron. “Is it just you today?”
“For now,” Weiss answered, smiling up at Ruby and wishing beyond wishes that it was socially acceptable to kiss someone she’d just met. But patience was a virtue that she had learned over time. Calling upon every drop of it she had, she put off her own desires in favor of accepting Ruby’s smile, which - on its own - was enough to restore her heart and soul.
“Cool!” Ruby’s smile briefly brightened before settling back into its base state. “Well, I’m Ruby, and I’ll be your server today.”
“Nice to meet you, Ruby,” Weiss replied, dipping her head in greeting. “I’m Weiss.”
It might be unorthodox to provide a name, but Weiss did it anyway. As patient as she was, she wanted Ruby to have her name as soon as possible.
“Weiss,” Ruby repeated, mulling over the name before her smile returned. “That’s a pretty name.”
The first response that popped into Weiss’ head was ‘It’s even prettier when you say it.’ Fortunately, she held her tongue and silently cursed a certain playful blonde for being such a bad influence.
“Thank you,” she replied instead. “Ruby is a very pretty name, too.”
“Eh, I guess.” After shrugging off the compliment, though a modest blush rose on her cheeks, Ruby tapped the menu on the table. “Do you know what you want?”
As another inappropriate response flickered through her head, Weiss tried to turn off that spigot of unfortunate pickup lines for the rest of the day. None of those were useful to her right now. They might be later, but she needed a better feel for Ruby’s personality first.
“I’m actually not sure.” She glanced at the unopened menu before returning Ruby’s gaze. “Do you have any suggestions?”
“Oh, totally! The meatball sub is amazing - I’d recommend that if you’re into sandwiches.” Weiss nearly laughed at the suggestion, which was absolutely something Ruby would enjoy. Thankfully, Ruby quickly realized she was speaking to someone who wasn’t exactly a meatball sub type of girl and stammered on. “O-or, I mean, the tuna salad is really good too.”
Weiss nearly laughed again. Well, first, she nearly stood up, drew Ruby into a kiss, and cooed about how adorable that response was. Then she nearly laughed. Then she suppressed a delighted smile in favor of a reasonably amused one.
Hopefully, Ruby’s nerves suggested what Weiss thought they did. She had put extra time and effort into picking the perfect outfit for today: a nice white blouse with striking black buttons that paired perfectly with a white skirt and boots. She didn’t want to make Ruby nervous, but she wanted Ruby to notice her.
Testing her theory, she crossed her legs and let her skirt ride up higher. The motion caught Ruby’s attention, but she glanced down and almost immediately averted her gaze. Then she blushed, and Weiss smiled.
“Do you mean a tuna salad sandwich?” Weiss asked, feigning ignorance as she enjoyed the blush on Ruby’s cheeks. “Or tuna on a salad?”
“Oh! Uh, right.” Ruby quickly regained her smile and met Weiss’ gaze again. “It’s a tuna salad - I mean! Tuna on a salad.”
This time, Weiss couldn’t help but laugh at the adorable fumbles and fully planned to bring up this conversation again at a much later date. ‘Do you remember repeatedly offering me tuna salad?’ Not at all ashamed to laugh at herself, Ruby chuckled along while running a hand through her short brown hair.
“That sounds good,” Weiss answered, watching Ruby’s hair fall perfectly back into place. “I’ll have the tuna salad.”
“Great!” Ruby nearly wrote down the order before freezing and giving Weiss a second glance. “Wait. Do you want the salad or do you want it as a sandwich?”
None of Weiss’ numerous plans had anything to do with tuna salad, but that was what made this so incredible - Ruby always came up with something that lay outside of Weiss’ realms of planning. After so much time that should be impossible, yet...it continued to happen.
“That’s up to you,” Weiss replied, turning this amusing situation into a little test of what Ruby would do. At first, Ruby looked like she wanted to ask another question, but then she smiled, jotted a note down on her paper, and stuck it back in her apron.
“You got it. Oh! What do you want to drink?”
“Water’s fine.”
“Ok, then I’ll be right back.” While backing away from the table, Ruby nearly collided into another server who was rushing behind her. “Oh - my bad!” she apologized before shooting Weiss an embarrassed smile and hurrying off. Weiss watched Ruby leave, smiling all the while.
Ruby was like a breath of fresh air that swept away all the bad in Weiss’ life. Now that they were together again, it didn’t matter what was happening in Atlas or anywhere else in the world. All that mattered was figuring out what Ruby was like and what she was willing to accept.
Weiss had been pleasantly surprised when she learned that Ruby was working as a waitress in Vacuo. Being in the service industry made it Ruby’s job to speak to people, which made it much easier for Weiss to strike up a conversation out of the blue.
She would come back to this restaurant every day if she had to, starting trivial conversations and ordering tuna salads for as long as it took to win Ruby’s trust. But, based on their initial greeting, she was beginning to think that it wouldn’t be necessary. Ruby was just as adorable as ever, just as prone to smiling, just as prone to laughing, and just as prone to making a slight fool of herself.
There were a million reasons to wait, but there were a million more reasons to see if Ruby was willing to accept the unexpected.
When Ruby reappeared from inside the restaurant carrying a glass of water, Weiss sat up straighter and watched intently. Ruby tripped over her feet while navigating through the maze of tables but managed to catch her balance without spilling anything and made it the rest of the way unscathed.
“Here you go, Weiss!” After setting down the glass, Ruby turned toward another table motioning for her attention. “I’ll bring out your tuna salad as soon as it’s ready.”
Hearing Ruby say her name put Weiss in a temporary state of blissful paralysis, her lips frozen in a smile while her mind replayed the moment over and over again. It may seem silly that such a simple action made her so happy, but she’d accepted long ago that Ruby affected her in ways no one else could.
It was in this enchanted state that she took a sip of water and surveyed what was happening around her. Several other diners - mostly couples - sat on the patio, and a good flow of foot traffic passed by on the sidewalk just outside, but both of those things seemed horribly mundane compared to the bubbly brunette zipping around.
How did so many people miss the radiance shining from Ruby, brighter than anyone around her? She glowed with compassion and kindness. Selflessness fueled her every step. And that smile…Weiss might one day go blind from staring too often at such brilliance, but it would be worth it if Ruby was the last thing she ever saw.
The restaurant was only modestly busy, yet Ruby buzzed from place-to-place with never-ending energy. She had a smile for anyone and everyone, as well as easy laughter that lifted the patio’s atmosphere. Besides doing her own job, she helped the other servers carry trays of food, deliver requested condiments, and clear off tables when customers left.
Weiss stared at Ruby rather openly at the moment, but she didn’t think she could stop. But there wasn’t a reason to stop when Ruby glanced over every few minutes and blushed when their gazes met.
Just when Weiss started feeling antsy - wanting to speak again - Ruby hurried out of the restaurant with a single plate in her hands. As she navigated to Weiss’ table, Weiss smiled out of pure relief and excitement for whatever the impending interaction would bring.
“Hey Weiss!” Ruby’s continued use of Weiss’ name prompted more butterflies to flutter through Weiss’ chest. “Here you go.”
When Ruby set down the plate, Weiss looked at her lunch and nearly laughed at what she found.
“I had the chef make a sandwich for you,” Ruby explained. “Since it’s not actually on the menu.”
Sitting next to the specially-made tuna salad sandwich was a bowl containing the ahi tuna salad Ruby had originally suggested.
“You’re something else,” Weiss replied, shaking her head in amusement before smiling up at Ruby. “This is lovely. Thank you.”
“Oh, sure. No problem!” Ruby waved a hand and blew out a breath of air, looking casual even though her cheeks were reddening. “It’s no big deal, really. Just doing my job!”
“And doing it well.”
The compliment succeeded in deepening Ruby’s blush.
“Ah, uh, I’m glad you think so,” she got out, slowly backing away from the table and gesturing over her shoulder. “I should probably see if anyone else needs help…but let me know if you need anything?”
“I definitely will,” Weiss said while picking up her fork.
Ruby grinned before rushing off, looking lost for a second before choosing a direction and going to check on another table. Weiss chuckled at the flustered behavior before picking at her salad and watching Ruby get back to work.
Now that they were near each other once again, Weiss felt content in a way she never had before. It was amazing and freeing at the same time. It was a peaceful acceptance that happiness was nearby. That Ruby was nearby.
After cutting the sandwich in half, Weiss took a bite and discovered that it was surprisingly good. At least, it was something she would order again if she had a craving for a tuna salad sandwich.
The thought of someone craving a tuna sandwich brought Blake to mind. This lunch was perfect for Blake, although she would have ordered extra tuna.
Thinking about Blake gnawed at Weiss’ heart and raised her restlessness with the current situation. She would love to be having lunch with Blake right now - the two of them talking about their lives and commiserating over their crazy partners like they so often did.
But patience was a virtue, and Weiss could be patient. She would move at whatever pace Ruby needed. But with Ruby exhibiting signs that she might be open to hearing the truth sooner rather than later…
If there was a chance to skip this introductory phase and move straight into getting to know each other more intimately, Weiss would take it. It wasn’t impatience. It was judicious judgment of Ruby’s acceptance of peculiar happenings.
While nibbling at her lunch, she considered that course of action. From Ruby’s flustered behavior, it seemed that she already had Ruby’s attention. From here, it shouldn’t take much effort to embark upon a traditional relationship - beginning with small talk and working their way up to unconditional love. The process would take time, but they had plenty of time.
Or...Weiss could take a calculated leap of faith and tell Ruby now. They could skip the beginning parts of a relationship and start somewhere in the middle, much closer to the unconditional love side of the equation.
What was the worst that could happen? Ruby could think Weiss was crazy, but Weiss had worked her way back from worse than that before. So…when she said she was willing to be patient, she really meant that she would give Ruby as much time as needed... after explaining the truth about their connection.
Spotting the object of her affection heading over to a nearby table, Weiss pushed her plate several inches away from her to show that she was finished. Almost on cue, Ruby finished speaking with the other diners and came over.
“All done?” she asked with a motion to the partially eaten sandwich and salad.
“Yes. It was marvelous, but quite a lot.”
“Want me to box it up?”
“No, thank you. But feel free -” Weiss trailed off and gestured to the half sandwich, which she cut cleanly with a knife specifically so that she could offer it to the perpetually hungry girl. This was the final test, albeit a small one. Would Ruby accept free food from a relative stranger? If she was willing to do that…
“I’ll totally take you up on that,” Ruby replied with a laugh. “I have like no food at home right now.”
That was the perfect opening for a dinner invitation, but Weiss held her tongue. Instead, she smiled and embraced the excitement rushing through her veins as Ruby reached for the plate. Admittedly, she loved this part - when she finally put the truth out in the open, then guided Ruby through the process of believing it was true.
“How’s your sister?” Weiss asked, and elaborated when Ruby gave her a curious glance. “How’s Yang doing?”
“Oh, she’s doing great!”
Regardless of their past difficulties, Weiss was glad to hear that Yang was doing well. While an eternity with Ruby was an absolute blessing, the ever-present addition of Yang might be a curse - or so Weiss liked to claim. In actuality, Yang was like a sister to her...as annoying and frustrating as that may sometimes be.
“Has she found Blake yet?” she added, and her heart lifted when Ruby chuckled.
“They’ve been together since like...high school. Yang’s going to propose soon!” As soon as the words slipped out, Ruby cringed and added, “Shoot. I was supposed to keep that a secret...”
While Ruby glanced around to see if anyone overheard, Weiss smiled. Dealing with Yang was much easier when she found Blake early in life, almost as if Blake’s influence somehow calmed her. She could still be a handful at times, but she had far more restraint when Blake was nearby.
“Don't worry,” Weiss replied with a reassuring wink. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
Ruby beamed at the reply, but then her brow furrowed as she realized something important.
“Wait…how do you know Yang?”
If time could slow down, it would have after that question.
This was it. The moment of truth.
“I know her through you,” Weiss replied honestly, knowing it would make the story much easier to remember later on. “Since she’s your sister, I inevitably end up spending lots of time with her.”
For an instant, Ruby looked ready to nod as if the explanation made sense, seeing as how she and Yang were practically attached at the hip. But she froze in the midst of that nod and her confusion doubled.
“But...we’ve never met before.”
“Are you sure about that?”
The question came out teasing and coy, which was a bit of a mistake on Weiss’ part since Ruby took it seriously and searched for an answer.
“I mean, yeah. I’m positive I’d remember someone as prett - uh, I mean, nice as you.”
The slip-up released another group of butterflies in Weiss’ chest while she silently congratulated herself on a successful outfit. This was precisely why she always took extra time to pick out something perfect. She loved catching Ruby’s eye.
“You’re right, in a way,” she replied, watching intently as she prepared to deliver the truth. “I haven't met you in this life - that doesn’t mean I haven’t met you in others.”
With the revelation out in the open, Ruby stared, her mouth slightly open and her silver eyes wide. Weiss smiled in an attempt to alleviate some of the disbelief, but only after several moments of stunned silence did Ruby shake her head and try to respond.
“Uh, what? What do you mean ‘past lives?’”
The tone suggested that Ruby was on the verge of thinking Weiss was crazy, but she was fully prepared to deal with that label if she had to.
“Exactly how it sounds,” she explained. “We’ve met in past lives - many, many past lives. I know you don’t remember them, but I do. I remember all of them - and I remember that we’re together in each one.”
The response hung in the air while Ruby stared, but her lack of immediate response was actually a good sign. It confirmed Weiss’ decision to forgo patience and opt for honesty. If Ruby was unwilling to believe, she would have scoffed and written off the idea as ludicrous. If she didn’t want to believe, she would have played it off as a joke.
Instead, Ruby stared, and Weiss smiled. She really did love this part. Actually, she loved everything after the searching ended. As long as they were near each other in some capacity - even if it was only as friends - she felt whole again.
“Ruby?”
The voice tore Ruby’s attention to another waitress - the same waitress Ruby had helped multiple times this afternoon.
“Can you help me?”
“Uh, yeah, sure,” Ruby mumbled, glancing at Weiss with surprise still swimming in her eyes. “So, uh…”
“I’ll explain later if you’d like,” Weiss offered. And Ruby considered the offer for only a second before nodding.
“I’m off in fifteen minutes.” She almost walked away before stopping and picking up Weiss’ plate. “I’ll, uh...I’ll be back.”
With that said, Ruby hurried into the restaurant and flew out several seconds later with the plate no longer in her hands. With a big smile, she accompanied the other server - who, based on her general uncertainty around people, must be relatively new - to a new table of customers. Ruby led the conversation for the first few seconds, got the entire table to laugh about something, then handed the duties over to the other waitress.
As soon as that was done, Ruby glanced at Weiss, blushed, and finished up the tables she had left. Another waitress soon joined the rotation of servers buzzing in and out of the restaurant, and this new server took over Ruby’s remaining tables once Ruby disappeared inside.
Only when Ruby was out of sight did Weiss lean back in her seat and tap her fingers on the table, lost in thought. Based on previous experiences, that went really well. There was no freakout, no rapid questions, no instant disbelief - there was nothing, really. And nothing was a great sign. Nothing meant that Ruby was willing to listen, and Weiss was more than willing to talk. She was willing to explain as much of their story as Ruby was willing to hear.
Ruby exited the restaurant several minutes later, this time without her apron and wearing a casual red zip-up. Upon seeing her, Weiss’ heart beat faster in anticipation.
For a split second, she worried that Ruby might decide to leave - to categorize Weiss as crazy and leave both her and the restaurant behind - but then Ruby altered her course, walked over to the table, and sat down across from Weiss. Weiss was instantly drawn into other memories just like this - sitting at a café together, enjoying a morning or afternoon or evening together - but focused on this particular one, wishing to savor as much of it as possible.
“So...were you just messing with me earlier?” Ruby asked, tugging at her sleeve before meeting Weiss’ gaze.
“No.” Weiss shook her head but found it impossible not to smile at the conversation. “I’m completely serious. We’re destined to be together in every universe.”
Ruby nodded and opened her mouth, but left it open for quite a long time while rapid thoughts flitted through expressive silver eyes that Weiss had spent years dreaming about. Eventually, the emotions Ruby settled upon were...miffed and confused, but not upset.
“I mean, isn’t that something you tell someone after you’ve known each other for a while?” she finally asked, her voice rising with a bit of a whine. The response only made Weiss chuckle. This was turning out better than she could have hoped for, and she couldn’t wait to tell Ruby more.
“I don’t always tell you right away,” she replied, resisting the urge to reach across the table and hold Ruby’s hand. “Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes you believe me, sometimes you don’t. That doesn’t change our relationship in the end.”
Savoring the furrowed brow and perplexed gaze, she waited for Ruby to digest those words.
“How do you decide then? Why tell me now? Was it the tuna salad thing?”
“No. Although, that was super adorable.” Smiling when Ruby’s cheeks turned a satisfying shade of pink, Weiss carried on. “I normally decide based on the clues you give me -”
“What kind of clues?” Ruby quickly asked.
“You’re open, honest, and receptive. I think you’ll believe me - or at least, you won’t run away.”
Ruby nodded as if that was what she expected.
“Yang says I’m too trusting,” she even admitted.
“You usually are,” Weiss agreed, not minding that fact one bit. Ruby’s faith in the world was one of the traits that set her apart from everyone else. Sometimes, it got her into trouble, but often it was what made her incredible.
“So...you remember every time we’ve met,” Ruby added. “Theoretically.”
“I do.”
“How many times are we talking about? Like ten? A hundred? A thousand?”
As the numbers grew, so did Weiss’ smile. “More than you can imagine,” she answered, her smile brightening when Ruby’s mouth formed a nearly perfect ‘o.’
“A lot then?”
Sometimes, Weiss wished she was better at hiding her emotions when Ruby was around. But it was impossible, and at this moment she didn’t care. Instead, she beamed while thinking about how many lives ‘a lot’ added up to.
“Yes. A lot.”
Blowing a breath through her lips, Ruby looked like she was going to collapse back into her seat but leaned closer instead.
“Ok, sorry, but like...how is that even possible??”
“I don’t have the answer to that,” Weiss answered honestly. As much as she’d searched for the cause of this situation, she was also perfectly fine not knowing. She had been granted a magnificent gift, so why question it? Why not accept that she was blessed and spend her eternity enjoying Ruby’s company?
“I can only tell you what I know,” she added, “So feel free to ask me anything.”
“Uh…ok…” Ruby looked around the patio as if clues were written around them. “I guess, like, how did this start?”
“What do you mean?” Weiss asked in return.
“When’s the first time we met? There has to be a beginning, right? I mean, assuming it’s true.”
Weiss grinned at the brilliantly on-point question. Every story was best told from the beginning, and this story was no different.
“Are you asking about the first time we fell in love?” she asked, watching Ruby’s cheeks flush and her gaze lower to the table.
“I mean, I guess…”
“I’ll tell you,” Weiss said, her excitement building at the prospect of revisiting this memory together. “But it was in a world far different from this one…”