RWBY Through Worlds (End)

BC22: Wise (Snow Arrow and Co.) --3

"I know it's not," Meridian sobered up. "But if I tell  you how much I really care about Weiss, you'll think me daft or a liar."

"That's good." Qrow looked like he wanted to take notes. "I should use that line."

"Don't." Winter wouldn't be able to unhear Meridian's accent using it.

"What about you?" Meridian asked Qrow.

"I've always liked you." Qrow shrugged. "And you've been respectful all this time and more patient than I'd expect any Vacuo guy to be, no offense. Weiss makes you tow the line."

"Does she?" Meridian asked.

"Well, if she doesn't have to, so much the better," Qrow said. 

"I promise I would never hurt Weiss on purpose," Meridian said. "And if I may say so, is our relationship really any weirder than yours?"

Winter tried to think of a comeback from that.

Qrow was trying not to laugh. He imagined Meridian had wanted to say that for years.

"Be honest, are you actually not going to ask her if I say no?" Winter said.

"Of course I would," Meridian said. "But it would be nice not to have unhappiness about it. Not the tone I'd want to set, if you understand what I mean."

Winter tapped her chin. "I suppose, in that light, there's no point to me not assenting. You had better take excellent care of her. I will be watching, Mr. Wallace."

With a pointed look.

"Of course." Meridian bowed either seriously or in jest, she couldn't tell. "Well, glad that's out of the way. I'll leave you to your 'walk'."

He hurried away.

"Be honest, you were always going to say yes," Qrow said. "You didn't actually dislike him this whole time. You were just giving him a hard time to see if he could handle being with the Schnees."

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." Winter was a terrible liar.

"If you really didn't like him, you'd have killed him or something ages ago," Qrow said. "No one gets close to Weiss without your approval."

"Please, Qrow."

"It's okay. I would have too," Qrow said. "After all, she's family now. But he's a good kid. I'd have told you if he wasn't. You think I didn't check up on him in Vacuo while I was there?"

"I was sure of it," Winter said. "You wouldn't be so careless." She smiled. "Well, there's no getting away from him now. I suppose, at least, he does make Whitley more cheerful."

"Any way we can do that is good," Qrow said drolly. "I'd like to stay out here a while longer but wouldn't want to miss the big moment."

"Oh, no," Winter agreed. "It had better be where I can see it after that."

They hurried towards the house.

* * *

"Did anyone see where Meridian went?" Weiss asked, holding a cup of tea.

Most of the boys already knew what was up and simpered oddly.

"I think he just stepped out to see if Qrow and Winter had come back yet," Sun said.

"Why?" Weiss asked. "I'm sure they're fine."

"I think he had something to ask them," Neptune said.

"What would he ask them and not me about?" Weiss wondered.