The boys got similar treatment while they were out trying to get ready.

Neptune said even he got tired of it.

"I mean, it's cool to have people fawning all over you, but sometimes a guy just wants to walk around without people looking at him weird," he said.

"I'm sorry, do you ever walk around a city without people looking at you weird?" Mercury said meanly.

Neptune ignored him.

When they reconvened at Shade, it was long past sunset.

"I am so bushed," Jaune sighed, sinking into a chair. "I'm still recovering from the Grimm lands, and shopping is exhausting. It reminds me of every time my sisters dragged me to town with them to carry stuff."

"That sounds awful," Sun said.

"It was... though sometimes they'd get me something to make up for it," Jaune said. "Sometimes... A lot of the times they didn't."

"Your sisters sound worse than my brother," Neptune said.

"Nah, they're just focused on girly stuff," Jaune said. "At least that's what my dad always said... Guess I'm still worried about my mom and him coming..." He looked nervous. "I mean, they never thought I could be a huntsman."

"So you have a chance to prove them wrong," Ren pointed out.

"Yeah, at least you have parents to prove wrong," Sun said. "Uh... that came out wrong."

"They'll be proud of you," Wally said. "I mean, my mom worried about me becoming a superhero at first, but now she comes to my city day celebration and everything. You just gotta give parents a chance to realize that you're not a kid anymore."

"Do they ever realize that?" Neptune said. "I'm, like, 18, and my Mom still told me to dress warmly the last time I was home."

"Oh, that never goes away, even when you live in Central City and not Nebraska anymore," Wally said.

"Huh?" They didn't get it.

"You're worrying about your parents, but my aunt will kill me if I tell her what happened." Oscar was freaking out. "I just don't know what to do. If I tell her I had a guy in my head, she'll think I'm crazy. But how else do I explain it?"

"Just tell her you helped save the world," Sun said.

"No, she won't believe that either," Oscar groaned.

"We'll vouch for you," Sun offered.

"Do I have to do this?" Oscar sighed.

"Of course you do. You're, like, the guest of honor," Wally said.

"You guys look blue." Shine came in. "And not just Neptune's hair."

"Hey." He frowned.

"They're worried about their parents seeing them," Wally said.

"Tell me about it," Shine said.

"You too?" Sun said.

"I mean, I'm sure they'll be proud of you, but there are many parts of that journey I wouldn't want to tell my parents," Shine winced. "But you don't have to... Just dodge the question."

"From you? I guess that makes sense," Mercury said. "At least I won't have to worry about that."

"Sorry, man," Sun said. "Me neither. It sucks, huh?"

Mercury was surprised at Sun's intuitive comment enough not to deny it.

"Well, how did it go with the ladies?" Wally said. "I know chicks are more into shopping. I bet you took hours."

"Oh... yeah," Shine said. "I had fun until the last hour and a half or so, and then it just got tedious. Did any of you see Meridian while you were out, by the way?"

"No," Sun said. "But I heard from some friends of mine that he's been hanging around the clubs with Hamish and telling people stories about it. I guess the celebrity life has him busy. And now they're going to be even more hyped up for us."

"I guess he's doing his job, then," Jaune said. "I mean... we want people to be happy, right?"

"I don't know, sometimes hype can go a little too far," Wally winced. 

"I've got to go give Cinder this." Shine held up a bag. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess." She kissed Wally and walked away.

Wally caught the younger guys staring at him.

"What?" he said.

"Dude, why are you two so in sync?" Sun whined. "It's not fair."

"Yeah, what's your secret?" Neptune said.

"My... secret?" Wally was baffled.

"Yeah," Jaune said. "You and Shine are so good together. Just like Ren and Nora... but like if they talked more."

Ren just nodded sagely like he agreed.

"Yeah, I feel so stupid around Yang," Neptune said. "I mean... that's probably because she's... Yang. But also it's just so hard to be cool with girls."

"Yeah, they're mysteries," Sun said.

"Uh... guys, I'm not sure I'm an expert." Wally tightened his collar. "I mean, besides Shine I didn't have that many long term relationships, and they kinda fell apart quickly anyway."

"But you've been dating for a long time, right?" Jaune pressed.

"Uh... I mean, the time here and time at home, just 6 months maybe," Wally said. "It's not really been that long."

"That's longer than any of us have ever dated anyone," Sun said.

"You don't really know that," Mercury said.

They gave him a look.

"I mean, you don't have to assume it..." he muttered.

"How did you get like that?" Jaune asked.

"I really don't know," Wally said helplessly. "It just happened... I mean, yeah, we've always been able to work well together, I guess. I'm not a psychologist."

They looked disappointed.

"I mean... well, my buddy Batman says that we get along because we share the same values," Wally tried again. "Maybe that's what it is."

"I don't think that's all there is to it." Jaune was skeptical.

"Well, she gets me," Wally said.

"Do you get her?" Neptune asked.

"Uh... once in a long while I think I do," Wally said.

They looked disappointed.

"Oh, I'm just kidding. I know the important stuff," Wally said.

"What's that?" they asked him.

Wally didn't like being put on the spot.

"Well, you know..." he said weakly, "if someone will be focused on the right stuff and be able to deal with the pressures of hero life and stuff. So you guys all have that already. No problem."

"That's not much help," Jaune said.

"I don't know what you think you need help with. All of you seem to be doing well," Wally said.

"Actually I feel like I argued with Pyrrha a lot more than I wanted to since all this..." Jaune said.

"And I feel like I'm still even getting used to this," Neptune said.

"And I usually feel clueless," Sun said.

Ren shrugged.

"I'm fine," Mercury said.

They glared at him.

"Okay, I don't know anything about this kind of thing. It's not like I had a chance to learn," he said. "Em seems okay though."

"You wanna watch that, actually," Wally said. "That's always where they get you in the end--when it seems fine to you. Fine is bad."

"Why is it bad?" Sun said.

"Because you want it to be good, not fine. Good is where it's at," Wally said. "I mean, let me put it this way, if Shine told me we were doing 'fine', I'd be worried because when Shine says 'fine' what she really means is 'status quo' , and what guy wants to be status quo with his girl?"

"I think plenty of guys want that," Sun said.

"But not us," Jaune said. "Right?"

"No, I think we'd like to be cool," Neptune said.

"Well, then you're on the right track," Wally said with confidence. "Right? I mean, if they didn't already like you they wouldn't be dating you."

"Most of us haven't really dated yet," Sun said. "That's why we're tripping, man. What do we do now? It's one thing to be together when you're saving the world and you can't really be romantic anyway. What do girls even like? I don't know. Ties, right?"

"Oh boy, you guys are in worse shape than I thought," Wally said. "I mean, I know more than that. But I'm not good with the ladies anyway. Maybe you should ask them what they like."

[That's actually good advice, for the fellows reading this. As long as you don't date some crazy person who won't answer that question.]

"Just ask them?" Jaune asked.

"Sure, yeah, what's so bad about just asking them?" Wally said. 

"Aren't girls famous for being complicated?" Neptune said.

"Shine would tell you that we just think that's because they're girls," Wally said. "Maybe that's true. She says that guys are complicated too and we just don't know it because we think it's normal to be like that."

"What does that mean? I'm not complicated," Sun said.

"Ask Blake if you are," Wally suggested. "See what she says."

"All right, I will," Sun said unwisely. "I'm not, you'll see."

* * *

"Complicated?" Blake said about 30 minutes later. "I mean, I guess it depends on what we're talking about."

"Yeah, exact--huh?" Sun said.

"I mean, I guess I do have a hard time figuring you out sometimes," Blake mused. "But a lot of the time I think you're easy to talk to... Is that what you're asking?"

"No, it's like... I mean, how to make people happy, it's not that complicated, right?" Sun said. "Boys aren't, I mean. Girls are."

"Are we?" Blake said. "I don't know... That sounds kind of sexist."

"No, it's not, it's just how it is," Sun said.

"Are you for real?" Yang looked out of their dorm room. "Boys are confusing just as much as girls are. They don't tell you what they really think most of the time."

"You're saying that boys don't do that?" Sun scoffed. "And girls do? Please."

"I do," Weiss said, from behind Yang.

"No, you don't," Sun scoffed. "You say the opposite of what you think."

"Well, if you know that then you know what she really thinks," Ruby pointed out. "What is this about?"

"Just something we all were arguing about with Mr. West," Sun said.

"Hey, I only told you what she said. Don't shoot the messenger," Wally called from the hall.

"Why are you all talking about this?" Yang asked.

"They want to know how to make all of you ladies happy," Wally said before the boys could stop him. "And I was telling them what I've learned, and they said I was wrong."

"You really talked about this?" Weiss said.

"Aww, that's so sweet." Yang was touched. "I didn't think guys did that."

"They don't," Blake said. "Usually."

"That's so cute," Ruby said. "I mean, we never do that. Are we bad friends?"

"No, it's just that we have other things to think about," Weiss said.

"It wouldn't hurt you to ask yourselves that either," Wally muttered.

"Out of curiosity, how do you make guys happy?" Yang asked, leaning in the doorway.

"I don't know, it depends on the guy," Sun said, twitching his tail.

"Well, it's the same for girls," Blake said. "Why are you even asking us like it's something we all just automatically know?"

"See? I told you asking was a bad idea," Sun said.

"I meant asking your girl individually, not asking her what everyone likes," Wally said. "I could have told you not everyone likes the same thing."

"Yeah, duh," Weiss said. "Can you let us rest now? This is stupid."

"What I like is when I can go to sleep after a long day," Blake said. "Can we talk about whatever this is tomorrow?"

"Oh, sure," Sun said. "You're not mad, are you?"

"No," Blake said. "It's cute... I guess. I just have no idea what you want to hear, so... I mean, I guess I have a hard time thinking about it anyway."

"And we're too tired," Weiss said. "So goodnight."

She slammed the door.

"I thought it was sweet," Yang said.

"Yeah," Ruby said. "They're just trying to be nice to you."

"Not me." Weiss huffily sat on her bed.

"Are you still upset about Meridian disappearing?" Blake said. "I heard that he's just been hanging with his friends. I mean, he probably missed them. It's no big deal. Sun disappears for days at a time too. You know that."

"So do you. What's your point?" Weiss shot back.

Blake winced.

"That was a little unnecessarily aggressive," Yang said. "Gee, don't take out your love life troubles on us."

"It's just that your guys are all tripping over themselves thinking about how to make it work now that we're not saving the world," Weiss said saltily. "And I'm sitting here alone."

"We're with you," Ruby said.

"And Ruby's not dating anyone," Yang said. "Yet."

"True, I--what do you mean yet?" Ruby said.

"I'm just saying you didn't put up as much fight over dressing up as before," Yang said. "Who are you trying to impress?"

Ruby looked embarrassed.

"That wasn't her putting up a fight?" Blake said.

"I mean about what would work, but not actually about dressing up," Yang said. "A year ago, Ruby would have rather just worn her cape if I let her."

"I mean, capes can be stylish..." Blake said. "But that's interesting." She smirked. "Ruby? Is there something you want to tell us?"

"No!" Ruby threw a pillow at her. "Besides, this was about Weiss."

"Nevermind, it only makes me more upset to think about it," Weiss sighed. "I'd rather hear about your crush."

"I don't have a crush!" Ruby's face said this was total BS. "I just think it's good to look professional, right?"

"That's total bullcrap," Yang insisted. She started to shake Ruby slightly and pushed her with pillows. "Come on, admit it."

"Stop it!" Ruby covered her head.

"Girls--" Shine opened the door. "Sorry, but Pyrrha, Emerald, and I can hear you from our room. Is everything okay?"

"Make them leave me alone!" Ruby looked up.

"Shine, tell Ruby that we all know she has a crush," Blake said.

Shine gave them a very nonplussed look.

"That's why you're making such a racket?" she said. "Really? I should let Winter come in here and freeze you all."

"Weiss is just upset that Meridian isn't here, and she's trying to change the subject," Ruby accused.

"I am not!" Weiss said.

"Oh, that," Shine said. "He's probably just hiding from Winter. Meridian is the kind of guy who's not going to want someone looking over his shoulder constantly. I'm sure he'll turn up when she's not around."

"No, I think he just doesn't actually like me," Weiss said. "Must have just been one of those passing things."

Shine snorted. "That's not what I'd take from watching him... but have it your way. Can you just be quiet about it? Not that I'm not excited that you're arguing about normal stuff for once, but..."

"Yeah, it's kind of embarrassing," Blake said. "The guys came over here to ask us if we thought they were more complicated and how to make us happy... I mean, what's gotten into them?"

"Maybe they're just looking ahead," Shine said. "That's so sweet."

"See?" Yang gestured. "She gets it."

"You two agreeing is weird," Weiss said.

"Well, what is there left to fight over?" Shine said. "Hmm, was Wally with them?"

"Yeah... you guys seem so good together," Balks aid. "How did you get like that?"

Shine paused. "I don't really know," she mused. "I think some people just click. But it's still work. I mean, we fought a lot of times."

"When did you ever fight--other than when Mind Grimm attacked?" Ruby was skeptical.

"Many times when you weren't there to see it. We wouldn't fight in front of you," Shine said. "That's not classy at all. And I won't give you details. We're different people--we have different perspectives. Personally, I don't believe in the whole 'we think exactly alike' kind of couple goals. That's never going to happen. But we agree on what's really important, and I think Wally just cares about trying to make people's lives better and happier, and that goes for me too. So I overlook the things we don't agree on most of the time. That's my best tip to you. High expectations of someone knowing exactly what you like all the time is pretty hard for anyone to meet. Let's be real, life is too distracting anyway. But if aside from that they put in that effort to make you happy, that's what's golden. That's how I see it anyway. I don't make sense to myself half the time, so... all this about who is more complicated is useless. Of course you have to work to understand anyone, even if you're just friends, so much more if you're going to be that close. It's the people who don't try at all who annoy me."

"Hm," Yang said. "Yeah, that actually makes sense. See, Weiss? Maybe you're overthinking this thing."

"How can I try if he's just going to avoid me?" Weiss said.

"He'll turn up at the party, I bet," Ruby said.

"Well, that's not good enough. Of course anyone will show up to get a medal," Weiss said. "It's just that all of you have boyfriends--or crushes--now. Ugh, I can't believe I'm worried about this. We have bigger problems."

"We do?" Blake said. "I can't think of any... except the ones we always have."

"And that's not all the kind of thing that you can just put your life on hold for," Yang said. "I mean, why shouldn't you be worried about it? I think we all can appreciate having something of our own... It was tough out there. It helps..."

"I think it saved our lives," Blake said.

"They're not wrong," Shine noted. "Love is powerful. Don't disregard its importance... and perhaps I see why you're upset. I wouldn't give up just yet, but you could always try to find him instead."

"That seems embarrassing," Weiss said.

"Well, that would also say something about you, wouldn't it?" Shine said. "It's a two-way street, Weiss... Well, I've got to go. I have the quiet people in my room."

She shut the door.

"I guess we should turn in," Yang said. "We've got a big day tomorrow... which is going to be weird. I hope Dad won't cry. I'll be so embarrassed if he cries."

"What about your mom?" Ruby asked, lying down.

"Please, she'd never," Yang said.

Weiss sighed and started to take her hair down. "I wonder if Mother will be all right. Ceremonies do tend to stress her out..."

Before anyone could answer her, something hit the wall next to their window.

"What was that?" Yang said warily.

"A Grimm?" Blake asked.

"It wasn't loud enough for that." Ruby sat up. "I think."

Weiss went to it and opened it.

She reached out and pulled in what appeared to be an arrow with some kind of sticking thing on the end of it.

"Is that from Meridian?" Blake asked.

Weiss held up her scroll light and took something off the end of it.

"Is that note?" Ruby asked.

"No, Ruby, it's a tissue," Yang said dryly.

"Well, well." Blake folded her arms. "I guess you were worried for nothing."

"What is this?" Weiss said, pointing to the note. "'Meet me outside'? Does he think he's just going to shoot an arrow at my window and I'm just going to go down there like some lapdog? No way."

"I think it's kind of romantic," Yang said.

"He shot an arrow at a window," Weiss said.

"Points for style at least," Blake said. "I mean, you're really just gonna leave him down there?"

"I should." Weiss sat down huffily again. 

About 2 seconds passed.

"But it'd be more effective to tell him in person," Weiss said after a moment.

"Take your sword," Yang suggested. "Might be Grimm or thieves. You know... Vacuo... so..."

Weiss picked up her sword saltily and left the room.

The girls all burst out laughing.

"This is too weird," Yang said. "Is this our lives now?"

"I don't know, but at least as far as Weiss is concerned, I think this is going to be a bit more interesting than I thought," Blake said. "Is that bad?"

"Did you see the look on her face?" Ruby snickered. "She looked so embarrassed and happy at the same time! Oh gosh."

"So are we going to follow her?" Yang asked.

"Oh, no, we can't do that. It'd be too mean." Blake had a better idea of privacy than Raven, apparently.

"No, we should sit in here in case someone comes looking for her and we have to cover," Yang mused.

"She'll be safe out there, right?" Ruby said.

"I mean... it's not like it's the first time she's been in Vacuo at night..." Yang said. "I'm sure she'll be fine."

* * *

Meridian was waiting on the school wall.

"What are you doing?" Weiss hissed when she got there.

"Oh, good, you got my note. I was thinking I might have to try another one." Meridian had another arrow ready. "Nice, right? I got these made for line shooting across gaps, but they come in handy for other things."

"Why did you send me a note?" Weiss shoved the arrow back at him. "Where have you been all day?"

"Missed me, eh?" Meridian was maddening. "I thought about stopping by to check on you all, but then people keep saying you were around town, so Hamish and I hid out. The life of a celebrity is just the pits, ain't it? Can't even go to the bathhouse without someone cornering ya."

"And that's why you haven't been around? Do you know what you missed?" Weiss said. "A lot!"

"Sorry. I'm here now. Doesn't that count?" Meridian said. "Want to go for a walk?"

"A walk... where?" Weiss said.

"There's something you should see," Meridian said. "As long as your sister doesn't catch us, that is... I was hoping she'd be turned in by now."

"Well, she is..." Weiss hesitated.

"Oh, good, come on then."

"You think I'm just going to agree just like that?" Weiss said.

"I mean... I kind of did... Did you lose your spirit of adventure already?" Meridian said. "After just a few days in comfort again? That's disappointing."

"My spirit of adventure is fine!" Weiss said. "It's just I..." She paused. "You know what? Fine, let's go. I can tell you what you missed. Then you'll be sorry."

"I'm sure I will," Meridian said dryly.

He had a car with him--apparently walking wasn't going to be all night.

But of course Weiss had to tell him about Ozma and Salem.

And he was sorry to have missed that, which gave Weiss way more satisfaction when it should have.

"I told you," she said.

"I'm right sorry about it," Meridian said. "It's not like I knew so many important things would happen. Ya all were supposed to be resting."

"That's why you should've checked in," Weiss insisted. "What are you doing anyway? Partying?"

"Mostly just checking in with my friends here," Meridian said. "Better now than at the party. Too many guests there. I figure if I tell them all the best parts already, less of them will ask to hear it again."

Weiss huffed--that actually wasn't a bad strategy.

"To be honest, I tell you I got right sick of only talking to people who weren't there," Meridian said. "I don't suppose I'll ever quite fit in properly with them now. You see those kinds of things and it changes you. I found I couldn't explain most of it at all, either. They thought it was looney."

"I know..." Weiss sombered. "It was the same for us. No one really wants to hear that part. I think because they can't understand it."

"Nonsense sounds better than the things you can't explain," Meridian said. "I never thought to notice it before. You ever think we're in a bubble too, even if we've had it rough?"

"I guess everyone is," Weiss said. 

"Are you still mad?"

"I... no, I guess not," Weiss sighed. "It's just been a lot to deal with. Maybe someone who wasn't as stressed out about it would have been nice to have around."

"Oh, so just my Semblance, then," Meridian said.

"No, no..." Weiss said. "You just have a way of making thing sound smaller and less overwhelming."

"I think my idea might be just the thing for you then."

"Where are we going?" Weiss asked.

"Nowhere you haven't been before," Meridian said, suddenly stopping the car. "But have you been to the Oasis at night?"

"No..."

"Then you are in for it. Come on." Meridian took her arm and led her along.

At night a lot of people tended to sleep in the town. There tended to be more animals, Grimm and otherwise, tended to coming to drink from the Oasis.

But for the brave, the cool water and trees and more animal life could be the more rich side of Vacuo wilderness.

From here you could see millions of stars--that Atlas light pollution would have blocked out and even Beacon's.

Remnant's constellations were also visible on all sides.

After a few minutes of quiet and looking around, Weiss did begin to feel better.

Meridian didn't speak for a while. Perhaps he felt like you didn't need to. Nature spoke for itself.

Finally Weiss said, "This is pretty..."

"Yeah," Meridian said. "I like to come here at night after a long day. Might be a bit sentimental, but it's nice to be around something that won't care about your semblance or your weapons or anything else, really."

"At home," Weiss said slowly, "my house was always quiet, because it was empty. But it wasn't a nice, peaceful quiet. It was like a quiet when you're waiting to hear an alarm go off all the time. No one liked it. And if anyone spoke to me, it's like they thought they'd get in trouble if they did. Except for Klein..." She smiled weakly. "It seems far away now..."

"So much for it being easier to be rich," Meridian said.

"It's not easy anywhere," Weiss said. "But the freedom to even take a minute and not have to do anything... even that's kind of new. I've kind of forgotten what that's like."

"I feel sorry for you now," Meridian said.

"Hey! I was just saying it was nice."

"I know, but I take it for granted," Meridian said. "On the other hand, having someone to worry about me would be nice."

"Maybe you have more people worried than you think," Weiss said. "Maybe that's why they asked you what happened."

"Well, that's a nice thought." Meridian rubbed his head. "So we both have to get used to it... Still, if you were so concerned, why not just come looking yourself?"

Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Well, I won't go on," Meridian changed the subject. "Excited about tomorrow?"

"Oh... I don't know," Weiss said. "I hope it'll be nice, but I'm worried that people might be expecting something different. Theo is worried about making a good impression... I mean, we spent hours shopping today for it."

"Theo isn't one to worry about that," Meridian said. "Must be pressure from the visitors. There's been talk all day about them."

"Yeah." Weiss tossed a pebble into the oasis, and it rippled. "I guess there's always going to be some fly in the ointment."

"Well, no reason to let it bother you," Meridian suggested. "I won't be putting on any airs. And if you need a getaway, I say we ditch the party halfway through and just do something else. Maybe come out here.

"You'd be okay with that?" Weiss said.

"Once you've been to one, you've been to all of em'," Meridian said. "And this will be my first event, really, since I graduated, and that wasn't much of a party. So once I've been to it, I'll be good for life. And I'm not sure I'm really that excited to meet Mistral and Vale council members again."

"Tell me about it," Weiss said. "I mean, that sounds like a good backup plan if people get too bothersome. My father would die if I ever left one of his parties early, but he's not going to be there... at least he better not be."

"Well, then it's settled," Meridian said. "As long as Winter doesn't kill us."

"She'll be busy," Weiss said. "And if this Qrow thing doesn't distract her, what is it good for?"

"So you're coming around to him?"

"I guess..." Weiss said. "More like it'd be nice to be family with Ruby and Yang, so I guess if this is the way..."

"Is that all?" Meridian said.

"Do I need to like him?" Weiss said. "It's not up to me."

"I just don't know why you don't." Meridian thought Qrow was awesome... as really most younger guys seemed to with Qrow.

"Oh... I guess I just don't know him that well," Weiss said. "I mean, he was leading us for a short time, but he spent most of that with Ruby or Yang and the rest of it drunk or... upset about Ozpin. Since we expanded the team, I've hardly spoken to Qrow directly, just in Mistral for a short time looking for Winter... He does seem to care about her. And that's important. I just worry about his... maturity."

Meridian privately thought that the Schnee sisters weren't as mature as they thought--which didn't bother him but made their opinion of others rather amusing.

"Give him half a chance," he suggested. "You could always just try to get to know him better. Ruby and Yang seem to like him."

"Well, what difference will it make to you?" Weiss was a bit sour about being told what to do.

"None, I suppose," Meridian said. "But if your sister likes him and your best friends are his family, don't you think it'd be wiser to try to get along?"

That was just pure common sense, and Weiss knew it.

"Well, maybe," she said huffily. "Do we have to talk about it right now?"

"Of course not. What do you want to talk about?"

Weiss had no better subject.

"I don't know," she said aloud.

"You know, I was talking to some of my mates," Meridian changed the subject readily enough, "and they're going to be having some right old fashioned music and group dances at the celebration after the ceremony. Care to join us? The songs are lively and colorful--and so are the persons, usually--a little too much sometimes--but we could always use some other strong vocalists."

"Vocalists?" Weiss said. "You want me to sing?"

"Only if you want to, but frankly there's not as much musical talent in our stretch of Vacuo as I'd like," Meridian admitted ruefully. "The sand's a bit hard on your vocal cords, I suppose. And our instruments."

"I don't know..." Weiss hesitated. "Mostly I sang in public because my father made me. I like it, but..."

"Well, it was just a thought." Meridian brushed it off. "But you'll still join us anyway, right? They want to hear all about the adventure. I was telling them how gutsy you all were."

"You know we're trying to get away from the hype, right?" Weiss raised an eyebrow.

"No one told me that. I think it's fun," Meridian said.

"Maybe if you'd been around to talk to us, we'd have told you," snippily.

"Well, if you want to be like that, I can just tell them I was exaggerating and you're not that special." Meridian got her back so hard.

"Don't tell them that!" Weiss was caught.

She knew he was laughing at her and frowned.

"I can't win here," Meridian said.

Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Just don't tell anyone anymore about it."

"So you get to determine what I say now?"

"No! I just meant... I mean... please don't..." Weiss wasn't sure what else to say.

Maybe she was bossy.

[I saw this shirt I think Weiss should wear that said "I'm not bossy, I just know what you should be doing." I want to get it, but my sisters seem to think it's advertising too much of my personality.]

"I'll tell you what--for a kiss, I won't say a word," Meridian offered generously.

"What? No!" Weiss said.

"I thought it was reasonable."

"No, no, and you got me in trouble with that already. Winter saw that, you know, I think... and Yang." Weiss was all embarrassed now. "Besides, you can't just make me bribe you like that."

"And you can't just order me around. Seems like we're at some kind of impasse, love," Meridian pointed out.

Weiss could think of no way around that. "That's ridiculous."

"I'm just messing with you." Meridian regretted, perhaps, trying her patience. "Mum's the word, they say."

Though it might be too late, he thought to himself, but oh well. He wasn't one to let the past bother him too much.

Weiss sighed. "Well, thanks."

Not that it will do much good, she added mentally.

Since she couldn't risk being gone that much longer, Meridian took her back after that.

Despite what Winter might have thought, he was a perfect gentleman the entire time, and Weiss only worried that Winter would kill her if she knew she snuck out after dark in this kingdom.

"Well, see you tomorrow," Meridian said, dropping her at the entrance.

"Yeah..." Weiss hesitated, then kissed his cheek. "Thanks for the break... It was nice..."

She rushed inside, embarrassed.

[It may not be canon, but I love this ship... Also apparently it's a thing to ship Weiss with slightly older guys... but not 20 years older, you sickos in the canon show.]

https://youtu.be/s6VslPcxhs4

["Try"--P!nk]