searing moonlight
weiss-schnee:
…Wow.
The first word that came to mind when she beheld her sister, even only from behind. It hadn’t been terribly long since their last meeting: just a couple of weeks, if that, but the change in her was palpable, visible.
Almost frightening, in a way, Weiss mused.
“Winter!” Weiss greeted her warmly, matching her heels together to a stop as she entered the auditorium, hands clasped in front of her. “You look well! I…heard about what happened on the news, and honestly? Good for you. I think…that Mother would have been proud that you did what was true to yourself. I-If you don’t mind my saying so. I never knew her as well as you…” Weiss’ voice softened, “…but from what you told me about her, I…presume as much.” She tittered on with formality, a little bird stretching wings, sweetly singing praises.
“I have so much to ask you, if…if you’ve time for coffee after this? We can celebrate and I can thank you properly for keeping Father from breathing down my neck.”
Even though it was a sparring match that they’d arranged, Weiss had taken no half-measures in preparing. Her makeup was detailed carefully, her nails no less-so, and she’d chosen the drop earrings Winter had given her for her birthday to wear: better by far than anything she received for the same day as a Valentine’s gift. Chocolates she wouldn’t partake in, flowers poorly chosen-no, it was Winter that knew her best, knew what suited her, and she dressed around the gift, the great treasure that it was to her.
“I’m rambling, forgive me. I’ll not waste anymore of your time. Where would you like to begin?”
Silence strung between the sisters like a physical cord, winding tighter and tighter as the seconds turned to a minute. Then, in a flash, Winter’s body was turning around; the back of her hand colliding with a soft cheek with enough force to send Weiss to the ground.
Trapped in a cage of her own body, feeling a puppeteer parasite in her soul, Winter screamed.
“What are you blabbering on about, you pampered little fool?” Winter sneered. “I brought you here to train, since you insist on mocking my hard work with slovenly performance, and you come here perfumed, coiffed? Asking for coffee?”
She advanced upon Weiss, statuesque and terrifying. There was no smile on her face, only an expression of contempt.
“And how dare you speak of my mother? You never knew her. You never met her. Who are you to tell me if she’d be proud of me or not?”
Weiss, run! Please! Oh, God, not her, not my baby, no, stop this STOP IT!
“Take out your sword, Snowpea,” Winter’s body spat. “Let me tell you exactly what I think of you.”
It all happened so quickly.
She was on the ground. Reeling.
The urge to cry was, right there, right behind her eyes, but fighting back was in her blood. She clambered to her feet, breathing hard, holding her swelling cheek.
“I did what you asked of me-” Weiss hissed, voice cracking, “-last time we talked.” She had wanted that, right? To speak normally, as sisters. “And believe me, I’m aware. I’m so, very aware-” Weiss almost growled the words, eyes clouding, “-that mother died to have me. What do I know? What do I know? I know what you told me. If that. But maybe I never knew you at all.”
Weiss took a step back, tears blurring her vision.
This...wasn’t right. It couldn’t be.
“...I refuse. You’re clearly not yourself. You know I’d refuse you nothing, so-so just-” The panic that her adrenaline had been keeping at bay began to sink in, fast. “-I, I don’t know what’s wrong with you-don’t know what I did-god, Winter, why-?”
Another step back.
















