Ch 77: Mirror, Mirror (3)

"We're here." Ray announced as he released his arm from around Weiss's shoulders to hold open the door for her to a quaint little cafe far from any major streets.

Still swimming in the sea of her thoughts, Weiss walked through the opened door without thinking and blinked as her eyes refocused on the present, looking around the shop. A few steps in front of her was a waist-high puppy security gate leading into an open green and brown tiled room with a floor-to-ceiling mural of a field of sunflowers under a bright blue sky dotted with scattered puffy white clouds wrapping around the walls. Six simple white tables with four matching chairs each were evenly spaced throughout the room, and dozens of puppy toys littered the floor.

"Hey, Granny!" Ray called out in greeting as he entered the cozy shop behind her.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite little boy blue." The elderly lady inside teased back. Sitting behind the wood counter at the back of the shop with various pastries displayed under glass and a sign with graceful cursive handwriting listing the menu on top of it beside a door leading further in, the elegantly aged woman smiled at her guests. Her face was heavily wrinkled from decades of smiles and laughter, and her snowy white hair was done up in a short perm. She wore a simple pastel lavender-pink dress under a flowery yellow and green apron, rimless silver spectacles, and had a string of pearls around her neck. She projected a refined and dignified aura that made Weiss instinctively stand a bit straighter and put her heiress face on.

"And who might this snow-white beauty be?" Elizabeth asked, looking at Weiss.

"This is Weiss. Ruby's partner at Beacon and a good friend of mine." Ray replied with an embarrassed smile at the old nickname. He hadn't worn the blue hood that had earned him the moniker since he was seven.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am." Weiss greeted the dignified senior with a small curtsy before opening the gate in front of her. As soon as she did, Ray casually placed a hand on the small of her back to urge her forward more quickly. Weiss wanted to turn around and glare at him for it but soon understood the reason for his haste.

As soon as she had opened the gate, a variable flood of fluff had burst through the doggy door that took up the entirety of the bottom of the door beside the counter. Ray just barely got the gate closed behind him before they were upon them. Over a dozen adorable, tiny bundles of brown, black, and white fur were pawing at Weiss's boots and jumping for her attention. There cute pink tongues dangling out of their grinning mouths.

"Sooo Cuuuuttteee~!" Weiss squealed as she dropped to her knees and buried herself in the flood of fluff. Any semblance of the dignity belonging to the Schnee family heiress disappearing as the cute loving Weiss took over.

"Oh. Aren't you just the most adorable little thing~ Yes you are~ Yes you are~" Weiss cooed as she rubbed noses with one of the pups, which proceeded to give her a face bath with its tongue.

*Ahahahahaha* Weiss smile and laughter as she showered the puppies with affection and was showered by them in kisses in turn was infectious and brought a similar smile to Ray and Elizabeth's faces.

"One sweet and one savory set, please." Ray placed an order for them both before diving headfirst into the flood to try and stea*cough* save the giggling Weiss from the slobbering puppies.

"Coming right up." Elizabeth replied, her smile growing at the two teen's antics as they competed to see who could get more of the puppies to faun over them. The menu for her cafe was fairly simple. She offered a savory, sweet, tart, bitter, and sour set that each came with an appropriate cup of tea and pastry to match their desired flavor.

The two teenagers spent the rest of the evening laughing and playing with the puppies while drinking delicious tea and snacking on scrumptious pastries. Weiss had a wonderful time and couldn't remember the last time she had smiled or laughed so much in her life or when she had been so unwilling to take her eyes off someone.

"Thank you for the tea, Elizabeth." Weiss said goodbye to the elderly woman she had become friends with as she and Ray left the shop late in the evening. Leaving themselves just enough time to comfortably make the last bus back to Beacon.

"Come back any time, deary." Elizabeth called back as the door closed behind them. Feeling exceptionally generous tonight, Weiss reached out and grabbed hold of Ray's hand as he walked beside her. Ray glanced over at the glowing ice fairy beside him and gave her hand a squeeze.

However, instead of going straight to the bus station, Ray pulled her down a slight detour. Curious, Weiss let him lead her along. They had some time after all. Soon they reached the harbor just in time to catch the end of the sunset as it bathed the water in a rosy hue.

Coming to a stop beside the railing overlooking the water, Weiss leaned her head against Ray's shoulder as she savored the view and the presence of the man she was enjoying sharing it with. All too soon, however, it was over, and the last of the sun's rays vanished below the horizon, giving way to a starry night.

Weiss wanted to just stay like this for a bit longer, but feeling Ray move beneath her, she took a half step to the side and turned her head to face him. Ray's silver eyes were glistening with barely contained emotions, and his face was stiff with apprehension as he turned to face her fully and abruptly dropped to one knee.

Weiss's eyes turned misty, and her mouth opened slightly in shock. [Is this really happening!] Weiss's thoughts raced in excitement and fear, [Sure, Ray is a great guy, probably the best. But isn't it too soon? I mean, sure, I liked the guy. I wouldn't mind being his girlfriend, especially after today. But we are still in school! Isn't it way too soon for stuff like marriage and engagements? And... But...]

"Weiss Schnee," Ray's affectionate whisper pulled her out of her endlessly looping thoughts as he carefully took her hands and cupped them in his own, "I am falling in love with you. Would you grant me, Rajeev Rose, the honor of being permitted to court you with the intention of wooing your heart despite the fact that I am a selfish and shameless man who will not be satisfied with one woman?"

"Excuse me!" Weiss snapped. The lovey-dovey pink atmosphere clouding her mind instantly blown away by her indignation. To think this... this... philanderer! Would want not only her but other women as well. Polygamy might be accepted in Remnant, but that didn't mean that she, Weiss Schnee, was ok with sharing her man with another woman.

"You think that just because you are a little handsome and a little talented that I'm just going to throw myself at your feet! And not only me! You want other girls as well! Do you have any idea how many boys would do anything to be a part of MY harem?!" Weiss shouted in his face before throwing down his hands and storming off, only to whirl around and come marching back again. Not yet satisfied with the tongue-lashing she had given him.

"Who else do you have your lecherous eyes on anyways?"

"Well, Blake a-" Ray started, but Weiss's scream cut him off again.

"Blake! You want Blake too! I don't care if you are Ruby's brother. If you hurt my teammate, I will end you, Rajeev Rose! Y-"

"I would never hurt you or Blake!" Ray snapped back, rising sharply to his feet.

"No! You just want to have your way with two of the most gorgeous, talented, and intelligent huntresses at Beacon!" Weiss stepped angrily into his space, not at all intimidated by the taller man.

"Who else would be worthy of being your sister?" Ray argued back indignantly, leaning down slightly to get right in the angry girl's face.

"Oh, no. Don't you try to turn this back on me, mister! This is about you and your oversized ego!" Weiss jabbed her finger up into Ray's face. Weiss opened her mouth to continue her rant, but Ray had had enough. His right hand shot out and grabbed the back of Weiss's head, pulling her the last couple of inches forward.

Her pale pink lips were warm, as soft as freshly fallen snow and as smooth as ice. They tasted slightly sweet from the tea she had been drinking, but beneath that was the slightest refreshing taste of mint from her lip gloss. When she didn't fight him, Ray wrapped his other arm around her slender waist as he pulled her in closer, deepening the kiss.

The deep kiss had silenced whatever further protests Weiss had intended to make and sent her mind spinning once again in a confused spiral. After a couple of seconds that stretch to eternity, Ray pulled back from their kiss, leaving a thin trail of saliva connecting their lips.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned other women when I was asking for you to be my girlfriend. But know, I do like you, Weiss Schnee. So prepare yourself because I will convince you to accept me and your future sisters." Ray whispered to the dazed, blushing girl.

"You… You..." Weiss started to whisper as her brain restarted and her eyes cleared. "YOU INSUFFERABLE ROGUE!!!" *PA* Weiss's shrill scream and the resounding slap of her palm across Ray's face echoed across the waterfront as Weiss half fled and half stormed away from the man that had stolen her first kiss.

Ray stood there for a minute, rubbing his cheek where a bright red handprint was clearly visible. "Well. I definitely deserved that." Ray murmured to himself before turning to look up at the moon. "But... It could have gone worse. She didn't say no." *haaaaaaaa* With a tired sigh and a small smile, the shameless casanova lowered his head and started following after Weiss, whistling softly to himself. With only one bus back to Beacon remaining, it was going to be an 'interesting' ride back, to say the least.