Spring break was over and finals were approaching. Translation, everyone was stressed and on edge. Certain days saw a severe lack of conversation amongst college students. What was once a lively plaza, had now turned into a black hole of joy. That was Ruby's perspective anyway. As for the juniors, Blake & Yang, it was just another year.

"What do you mean, 'don't sweat it'?" Weiss asked slightly furious.

Yang had a book in one hand and an apple in her biological hand. She laid on Weiss' bed in shorts and a t-shirt with nothing else planned for the day. Classes were done and she already had mostly A grades. Passive studying was her current objective.

"You're smart." Yang replied, "You're gonna pass all your tests no problem. So, don't sweat it."

Weiss' laptop was on top of a laptop fan but was still making a noise that could be interpreted as 'let me rest'. Weiss' eyes were a little red. Her posture was hunched and there were four empty energy drink cans at her desk. Her blouse was dishelmed

"I'm fine Miss Long," Weiss argued.

"I know you're fine." Yang pestered, "You got a fine boo—"

"Yang!" she nearly shouted. "Let me study! I can't afford to fail this!"

Yang didn't say much. She went back to her book and left Weiss to her studying.

"Here if you need me," Yang informed. Weiss just let out an 'uh-huh' not looking at her.

The women sat in silence. There was the clock ticking, but that was it. Yang would get up to make some tea after completing two chapters in her book. Weiss would go use the bathroom after three hours. But they didn't say a word to one another for almost four hours.

Eventually, Weiss saw the sunset reflecting against her screen. She was about to get up to close the blinds, but as she looked at the orange glow, she realized just how long she'd been staring at a computer for. The sun gradually descending below the horizon was beautiful and, to be honest, shameful.

"Hey," Weiss said. Yang looked up to see the sophomore standing next to her bed. Yes, Yang was still chilling on Weiss' bed with her health textbook and a smutty romance novel stolen from Blake.

"Sup buttercup?" Yang asked.

"Do you want to do something?"

Yang sprang up, easily picking Weiss off the ground in the process. Weiss found herself being rushed out of the room bridal style. She opened her mouth to protest but got an answer.

"Out of the way!" Yang said to no one. "I'm taking my girlfriend to the movies!"

"Keys!" Weiss shouted.

Yang stopped and set the little woman down. She ran back into the dorm only taking a few seconds to grab the motorcycle keys, jacket, and helmet. Not her jacket, however, as Weiss thought.

"Can you get my," Weiss was cut off as Yang tossed her the bomber jacket with her last name on the breast pocket. "Oh, thanks."

Yang kissed her girlfriend's forehead before scooping her back up in her arms.

"To the theater!" Long cheered.

Weiss chuckled, "You're a bigger dork than Ruby!"

Proudly, "Fool! I'm the one who taught her how to be a dork!"

 

-Meanwhile-

 

The dork in question was more than proving her sister's point. Barging into the dorm with groceries in her hand, Ruby took three comedic big stomps toward Blake. She opened her mouth overly wide to make a declaration.

"I'm bored!" Ruby set the groceries down and crossed her arms, "Entertain me."

Blake didn't look up from her textbook.

"Study for your finals," Blake ordered.

Ruby's head drew back as she walked toward Blake's bed.

"I already did." She protested, "I studied for like...two hours."

Blake continued taking her own notes, "For which class?"

"All of them," Ruby answered.

"Ruby," Blake drew out, "You're riding on a C average. You need to actually study." She watched the young woman plop onto the mattress face down. "That means now."

"I don't want to," Ruby's voice was muffled by the fabric. Luckily, Blake had very acute hearing. "Everyone is stressed and wants to die. I just wanna be happy with my Blakey!"

"Look at me," Blake saw her make eye contact. There was no humor or any sense of joy in her voice. "This time next year, I'll be graduating with Yang and Pyrrha. I won't be here to make you study. Neither will Ren, Weiss, or Jaune when their graduation comes. I'm already rolling the dice by dating a freshman. Understand?" She leaned forward and spoke as clearly as possible, "You need to discipline yourself."

Rose eyed the comforter for a moment. She wasn't too fond of what she had just heard. Even though Blake was right.

"I guess." Ruby pouted.

"Okay." Blake got up and picked up the bags holding fruits, cookies, ramen, and fish. "Get to studying."

She groaned, "Fine." Ruby reluctantly grabbed her trigonometry book and headed toward her desk. As she stared at the cover, what Blake said about 'not being here' struck her. It was a scary thought. Both for her and Yang.

"Hey," Ruby said, "I love you."

"I love you too," Blake said back.

It wasn't a bridge she wanted to cross. But it was one Ruby would get over just fine. That's what Blake was hoping for anyway.

 

-That Morning-

 

Blake woke up determined and focused. She stretched, ate a healthy breakfast, kissed her girlfriend, and made her way to class. Today was an important day. A day that every college student hated. They could fear it, they could dread it, but they couldn't run from it. Finals week!

The eerie silence amongst the students walking to their respective classes was reminiscent of a zombie horde. Like a horror movie, Blake didn't want to pay it any mind. Out came the Scroll Xr with the latest episode of her friend Jaune's podcast. While it wasn't her favorite podcast, if she had one, to begin with, it could take her mind off the freshmen on the verge of tears a few feet away.

'The Character Arc' opened with its regular copyright-free tune before Jaune's voice came in.

"Hello everyone, welcome to 'The Character Arc'. I know I don't usually post on Mondays."

Blake looked at her phone again hearing him say this. Sure enough, it was Monday. Jaune posted on Saturdays. Somehow she forgot about that little detail. As well as the fact that it was pre-recorded audio instead of a live broadcast.

"I feel as though I needed to say something to anyone who may need to hear it. You're gonna be okay."

Blake didn't come to a complete stop, but she did start to slow down. She didn't notice the people now walking around her instead of along with her. Right now, all she could focus on was what Jaune was saying.

He continued, "Even if things seem bad or dark or, hell, even hopeless. Pardon my language. You're stronger than you think even if you don't see it. You're smarter than you realize, even if others say otherwise. You're gonna do great. Even if it's not today, you're gonna grow. You're gonna emerge from the darkness to do some amazing things. And if no one tells you this, I'll tell you this. I believe in you. Now, good luck."

The podcast ended. Blake took her earbuds out approaching her classroom's door. What was once an entryway concocting foreboding feelings, was now a minor annoyance. Her girlfriend believed in her. Her friend Jaune believed in her. And after studying profusely for weeks, she believed in herself.

Blake took a deep breath. The doors swung open. It was test time.

 

-Later-

 

Yang was the first one in class and the last one out. A few students thought to themselves that it was because she was a 'dumb blonde'. Being nosey was never a good idea and this was no exception. It wound up costing two people their diplomas. Yang, on the other hand, was being thorough.

Answering every question she instantly knew and coming back to the tricky ones never failed her. Oddly phrased sentences were always a pain but she deciphered them after taking a moment. Then, when every answer was complete, she'd go back, and check her answers.

Like a teacher proofreading her own work, Yang made sure everything made sense. Any slight misunderstanding was taken into account. Now was the time to be a perfectionist. That's what Weiss told her anyway.

While her girlfriend was a sophomore, she was holding a perfect 4.0-grade average. So it wasn't a surprise when Weiss was waiting outside Yang's class when she was finished.

"How'd you think you did?" Weiss asked, holding Yang's hand.

"I passed," Yang said without seeing the results.

Arrogantly, "Of course you passed." Her nose stuck in the air, "You weren't going to fail with my techniques."

"Yeah," Yang kisses her cheek. "Thanks, baby."

No one was watching the two. The people facing their direction weren't paying attention to them. But to Weiss, she just got kisses in front of people and now had to deal with that.

Weiss took a deep breath. She exhaled, her eyes wide open. Then, a quick shake. All before the blush could set in.

"Problem no, Long Miss." Weiss stopped upon hearing herself, "I mean: No problem, Miss Long."

She tried to continue walking as if there was no flounder. But oh boy, Yang heard it. And all the way back to the dorm, she let Weiss know she heard it.

 

-Meanwhile-

 

Nora sat outside of a classroom with a pizza box on her lap. Her feet kicked to the beat of the catchy pop song playing on her phone. The fountain behind her had some salmon swimming around that she occasionally turned to make faces at. This was relevant because, well, Ren wanted to know who Valkyrie was going 'ka-bleh' to.

"I don't think the fish can talk," Ren said. When Nora looked at Ren, she instantly got upset. Putting the box aside and shoving Ren back toward the building entrance. "What?"

"No!" She ordered, "You go back inside and come out when I'm ready!"

Ren didn't put up much resistance as his girlfriend continuously pushed him toward the door. He just opened it and stepped right in.

"Tell me when," Ren said through the door.

Thirty seconds later, "When!"

Ren opened the door and saw the young woman laying on her side. The fountain and blossoming trees were a nice background visual. The pizza box didn't help the aesthetic, however. But, that didn't matter. What mattered was what Nora had written on the inside of the box.

In bright pink with an outlined black sharpie, four words were written for Ren. It was a simple question. One that many couples might have to ask at some point in their relationship. A show of vulnerability from one in the form of an offer.

'Move In With Me?'

Neither of them had summer classes and Nora had recently acquired a studio apartment close to the school. So, Ren's answer didn't take much thought. Or much dialogue since he only nodded. This was enough to get Nora to pounce several feet onto him giving his cheek a big kiss.

"Yay!" she shouted in his ear.

Now on the ground, "Ow."

 

-That Night-

 

Ruby Rose: a college freshman, and a stressed-out lesbian. Her head lay against her table using an open textbook as a pillow. She just needed to rest for a minute.

Finals meant last-minute changes and the woman was dead exhausted from triple checking if she met every requirement for her history essay due tomorrow. If she missed anything, Professor Goodwitch would have her head. There couldn't be any mistakes.

She stared at her laptop. The file was uploaded and the only thing she needed to do was to hit 'send'. All week, she had this anxiety. This fear of a mistake being made on her trigonometry test. This dread of a missed requirement on her creative writing story. A misspelling on her Spanish test. The knowledge that the finals were worth so much of her grade suddenly turned this ball of energy into an emotional wreck.

Ruby was alone in the dorm. Blake was out at the moment buying groceries. The lack of interaction was killing her. But she needed to check one last time before clicking 'submit'.

One more turned into four more. Four more turned into a top to bottom rechecking of her sources. Now, she sat at her desk contemplating this feeling. This silence around her. This dead air reminded Ruby of what Blake had told her.

Their relationship had an age gap. Ruby would be able to call Yang, Blake & Pyrrha after graduation. But not being able to hug her girlfriend after a long lecture had become, haunting. Her sister missing out on a funny altercation due to a job was depressing. Being alone was the worst thing Ruby could imagine. Unfortunately, times like these made it seem inescapable.

With a quick press of a button and Ruby's second-to-last final was complete. In a few weeks, Ruby's days as a freshman would be complete as well. What a wild year it had been.

At least Rose had a whiskey bottle under her bed.

End