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Alone Together

Sometimes, Blake just needed to get away.

Not necessarily from her teammates and her friends, but from the stress and anxiety that came with having people so close to her.

It wasn't that she didn't appreciate them or how much they cared for her. Experience just told her that getting too close to people would end in disaster, either in the form of their betrayal, or of them getting hurt because of Blake's ghosts coming to torment her.

On nights when she couldn't sleep, much like tonight, she'd lie in her bed for a time, until she could discern her teammates were asleep. Yang was often the first one snoring, so she then waited for Ruby to start mumbling little incoherent phrases in her sleep. After that, it was a matter of honing her sharp Faunus hearing in a bit in order to focus and wait for Weiss' softer, deeper breaths.

Once they were all asleep, Blake vacated her bed, got dressed into whatever she could find, and slipped out the door.

These antics were something that had once unnerved her to the point of leaving a note behind in case any of them woke and wondered where she was. But with frequency, this little midnight escape plan of hers had become normal, and she'd stopped worrying about making it home before sunrise.

She loved her teammates. She really did.

Which was why she needed to leave them sometimes, to give them and herself some distance. It was part of her tactics of keeping them safe.

And besides, there was someone else she needed to see tonight.

Stealing through the school at night was easy with her semblance, and within minutes she'd boarded a private airship and made her way to Vale. With the simple explanation that she planned to clear her head on a late-night walk, the pilot would take her anywhere. She didn't know if he kept records of what students asked to be taken where at what hours of the night, but if there hadn't been any issues by now, Blake didn't think she'd have anything to worry about.

She sat in silence in one of the window seats and watched the darkened world pass her by.

She'd used to bring books to read inside the well-lit ship for the travel to and from Beacon. But recently, she'd discovered she was too excited to read on these little trips. Her mind was a whirl of excitement as she tried her best to stop fidgeting.

But she just couldn't stop thinking about who she was going to see again tonight...

It wasn't much longer before her superior vision could discern the shapes of buildings and trees rather than clouds and stars. The ship lowered to the docks below and landed at last.

As Blake headed for the exit doors, she nodded politely to the pilot, who would take her back as soon as she returned.

Once Blake stepped foot off the ship, she started running.

Vale was quiet and bright tonight, streetlights aglow, but with few people to shine upon. Blake dashed like a shadow through the vacant sidewalks, bound for a specific little alleyway.

When she'd first embarked upon these late-night journeys, this was where she'd gone when she'd encountered her secret partner. Therefore, this was the way she'd been coming ever since.

Up ahead, she could already see a familiar, petite figure, standing in the little alleyway opening between two shop buildings. She was standing beside a streetlight, enough to reveal her form, but only to someone like Blake – someone who was looking for her.

The Faunus girl hurried the last few feet to reach her, skidding to a halt just outside of the perimeter of the light. The smile was already forming on her lips even before she spoke.

"Penny!"

The quirky girl spun around at the sound of her name, ginger hair bobbing lightly atop her shoulders as she did so.

"Good evening, Blake!" she greeted her. "You're here! Oh, I've been waiting for you!"

"Sorry. I hope not for too long."

"Oh, not at all! Just for a few minutes! I myself just managed to make it here a short while ago! It sure is a lovely evening!"

"It really is," Blake agreed. Now that she'd come to a halt, she smoothed out her clothes as best she could. "Sorry, I'm a mess..."

"Not at all! Please, allow me me help you!"

Penny reached up above the Faunus girl's head and carefully adjusted her lopsided bow. Instinctively, Blake flinched and took a step back. Penny gasped and brought both hands to her mouth, pulling away instantly.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I hope I didn't hurt you!"

"No. It's fine," Blake's voice lowered a bit into a more private tone. "I'm sorry. They're just really sensitive."

"Oh, I know. You've told me before. I'm the one who's sorry, Blake. I wasn't thinking."

"It's all right." Offering another smile, Blake dropped the conversation and changed the topic. "Where should we go tonight? How much time do we have?"

"Not much," Penny admitted. "How about we go for a stroll around the park? Does that sound okay?"

"Sure."

With the minor incident behind them, the two girls started off down the sidewalk together, bound for the park.

They'd only met up like this a few times so far, the first one being on accident. They'd both discovered the other had snuck out for similar reasons, to clear their heads and to escape from the place where responsibilities hovered over them like dark clouds.

The first time meeting each other had been a coincidence.

But every time after that had been arranged.

They'd decided they both enjoyed their alone time together. Being completely isolated late at night wasn't good for their minds, which only seemed to want to drag them down with darker thoughts.

Having just one other person there beside themselves was just enough to keep them occupied, and their minds off of troubled scenarios. They distracted one another with polite conversation, sharing news about things that had happened since the last time they'd seen one another like this. They reminisced on the good things and shared happier memories, which proved to make them both feel a little better.

It was nice to have someone who would listen, and whom they could help by listening to as well.

Of course, they had friends and teammates who would gladly listen to them during the daytime should they ever feel the need to speak up about certain matters.

But there was just something about these midnight rendezvous that made opening up so much easier. Perhaps it was the feeling that they weren't obliged to talk, or knowing that the other person wouldn't risk revealing anything.

Blake and Penny were in the same boat, both escaping in the night to try and find a place to rest their heads when sleep wouldn't suffice to calm them.

Since they both knew that the other person was in the same situation as she herself was in, it made it much easier and less stressful to share their problems with each other than it would've been to share them with their teammates.

And besides, Blake and Penny had much bigger secrets of their own.

Blake had known from the start that Penny was different. Perhaps all of them had known something was odd about the ginger-haired girl, but Blake had been able to sense it was on a biological level. She might not have been human, but Blake knew that didn't mean she wasn't a wonderful person.

After all, Blake wasn't exactly human herself.

Penny had also been able to tell right away. Her body came equipped with functions that allowed her to discern whether a person was human, Faunus, or anything else, mainly because it was part of her defense mechanisms – if she knew what she was dealing with, she could quickly decide what kind of combat methods to use against them if necessary.

So it hadn't taken long at all for the two of them to understand that they knew each other's biggest secrets. And as terrifying as it was to know that someone else had figured it out, there was also a strange sense of relief to it as well.

Blake's teammates knew about her Faunus heritage, and Ruby knew about Penny's not being human. But in both of those cases, it only involved someone else knowing their secret.

For Penny and Blake together, not only did the other person know their secret, but they knew each other's secret as well. Blake knew Penny wasn't human, and Penny knew Blake was a Faunus. They'd each let their secrets out, but had been entrusted with another one in its place. That was the aspect of their relationship that made it more unique than any other.

As their walk continued, Blake found herself doing more listening than talking, which was her preferred outcome, considering she was much better at the former than the latter anyway.

And it also didn't hurt that she really enjoyed the sound of Penny's voice. Her tone was so sweet and peppy as she half walked, half skipped beside Blake, recounting somewhere she'd gone together with her father that week. Blake kept one ear turned towards her so she could listen, while the other focused on the quiet stillness of the night.

They didn't have any set destination in mind, but it was nice just to wander and enjoy one another's company.

It wasn't long before they found themselves treading on beaten dirt paths of the park rather than the cobblestone sidewalks of the town. Decorative street lamps provided a calming glow of light to see by, various moths and other insects dancing around each bulb.

Penny was still talking, chittering away like a happy songbird, and Blake had no qualms about listening. It was when Penny addressed her directly when she needed to snap out of her trance.

"Oh! Say, Blake?"

"Huh? Yes?"

"Do you think... I could take you somewhere? Do you have the time tonight?" she inquired with a curious tilt of her head. "I wouldn't want to keep you if you're tired and would rather go back to Beacon."

Blake almost chuckled. It was a little amusing how Penny assumed Blake might've rather been anywhere else but here right now.

"It's fine," she replied. "I'll come with you. Where to?"

"Really? Do you mean it? Then come with me! It isn't far, I promise!"

With that declaration, Penny swiftly grabbed Blake's hand and began leading her off the lamp-lit path. Blake didn't have much time to get over the initial surprise of getting her hand held, because Penny was already guiding her through the grass now, leading her away from the lights, but keeping close enough to them to ward off concern.

But Blake trusted her. After all, she probably had better night vision than Blake herself did.

Still, she was thankful for the cover of darkness now, because she didn't want Penny to see the warmth that Blake was clearly feeling on her face.

Penny didn't take her far. It was just a few comments of "We're almost there!" and "Just a bit further now!" before she brought Blake to a halt with a triumphant declaration. "We're here!"

Even as she pulled Blake up to stand beside her, Penny didn't think to let go of her hand. Truth be told, Blake probably didn't want her to, anyway.

They were standing atop a small hill with a gentle incline. The slope lead down through grass that was painted silver with moonlight, into taller reeds and bushes. Beyond those was a vast pool of sparkling water, shimmering silently beneath the moon. The water glistened, trembling and rippling ever so slightly on the gentle midnight breeze, dancing in time with the reeds as they swayed in a hypnotic fashion.

Blake hadn't noticed that her jaw had dropped a little. Her eyes were already glued to the ethereal scene, her mind erased of any troublesome thoughts as she was drawn into a temporary trance that stemmed from this scene of natural beauty.

Penny was quiet for a few minutes, glancing between Blake and the little pond, eagerly awaiting a reaction. Before long, she gave Blake's hand a little squeeze and asked for one.

"Well? What do you think?" she said softly. "Do you like it, Blake?"

Blake finally closed her mouth, ears flicking at the sound of her voice. She blinked, and that seemed to break the trance a little and help her find her voice.

"It's beautiful, Penny. It's so peaceful here..."

She closed her eyes, letting her ears lift comfortably beneath the bow. With her free hand, she reached up to remove the material, allowing the breeze to slip through her fur for the first time in weeks. She inhaled, deeply and slowly, savoring the fresh, cool scent of the water and air. There was another squeeze on her hand.

"I'm very glad you like it! Why don't we have a seat?"

Another tug, and Penny led her a few paces back, to where a bench sat atop the hill. She and Blake sat down side by side, their finger still curled comfortably together. Penny leaned herself against Blake, shoulders brushing as she looked out across the shining silver water.

"Not a lot of people come here at this time," she explained. "Since it's away from the main path, it isn't well-lit. So this spot is perfect for people like us! Don't you think?"

Blake dipped her head slightly.

"You're right. We may be the only people who can really appreciate this place at this hour."

"My thoughts exactly! I'm so very glad you like it, Blake!"

Blake nodded. Something told her she probably wouldn't have liked it quite so much if she'd been alone, or with anyone else.

After that, silence took its hold on the two of them as they allowed themselves to enjoy the tranquility of the night.

Penny leaned her head on Blake's shoulder. She reached across to bring her far hand into Blake's lap, laying it lightly over the Faunus girl's knuckles. The hand that was closest to Blake was then slipped across the small of her back, so innocently and gently that Blake didn't even realize when she'd done it.

Likewise, she wasn't fully aware of when her hands had mirrored themselves to Penny's. One was in her lap, holding loosely to Penny's, while the other found its way to her back, pulling her closer.

Blake couldn't help but be on-edge for some reason. Perhaps it was the fact that she was out at night when she technically wasn't supposed to be, or perhaps it was the innate fear her past had embedded within her mind. She was constantly nervous, fidgeting slightly, exposed ears swiveling.

Apparently, she wasn't being subtle about her unease, because Penny soon lifted her head and blinked up at her.

"Blake? Are you all right? I can hear your heart beating very quickly."

Blake's ears flattened from a mixture of embarrassment and guilt.

"Sorry. Even though I really like being here with you... I can't calm down."

Penny gave another squeeze to her hand.

"You're thinking too much. Try to close your eyes and just focus on the good things, not the bad!"

It was certainly easier said than done. Blake knew she wasn't going to be cured in just a few minutes. But she was willing enough to try, for both their sakes.

So she closed her eyes and tried to relax, leaning her weight back against the bench as she was meant to. She tried to focus on the soothing sounds of the breeze, the little ripples of the water, the sway of the cattails...

She couldn't recognize a specific point in time when she started to relax, but perhaps that was for the better. Instead of worrying and trying to think about things, she instead let her mind be at ease, as much as possible.

And Penny did her best to help. Blake could feel the girl's small hand stroking softly up and down her back. Sometimes, she would turn her hand a bit and comb her fingers through Blake's hair, but she never tugged even a tiny bit. She was very careful and very tentative, and Blake knew she'd stop if she asked her to. But she never did.

It took some time, but eventually, Blake's posture went slack against the bench and the calming touch of Penny's hand.

And for Penny, knowing that she was helping Blake feel better was the ultimate reward. She smiled to herself as she continued stroking through Blake's hair, her other hand curling protectively over the one in her lap.

From her position, she could very clearly hear the steady pulse of Blake's heart. She got used to the sound, so much so that the idea of pulling away seemed more and more unpleasant by the second. Since Blake didn't seem to mind, Penny felt inclined to stay put for as long as possible.

For a while, they stayed there, two figures silhouetted against the silvery light of the moon. Penny could hear the wind and the water, and she could hear Blake's heart as well.

But as the minutes ticked on, she could hear something else as well.

This was a new sound, even to her. It sounded like a motor whirring somewhere nearby, but she knew for a fact there was no one else around.

Perplexed, Penny shifted just a little bit, pulling her ear away from Blake's collar for the moment. The sound dwindled away, and that was when she realized it was coming from Blake. With a smile, she nuzzled herself against Blake's neck, coaxing the Faunus girl to open her eyes.

"Say, Blake? Would it be all right if I tried something?" Her hand was already moving its way up Blake's back, through her hair.

Blake's ears twitched, as if they knew what was coming. But she dipped her head in consent before bashfully looking away.

"Sure."

With a giggle, Penny let her fingers travel up to Blake's ears.

She was careful - very, very careful – when she touched them. She kept the contact light and slow, ready to stop at the first hint of Blake's discomfort.

But thankfully, she only received the opposite.

Instead of a flinch or a whimper, she received a stronger, heartier purr. It wasn't long before Blake's entire chest was alive with the sound, and Penny nestled close to listen.

And for the first time for as long as she could remember, Blake didn't feel scared.

There was still a certain form of nervousness about the situation, but it wasn't the bad kind. Rather, it was the kind that made her heart skip and her cheeks flush.

The moon shifted positions overhead, and all too soon, it was time for them to part ways and go back to where they needed to be.

But a hug and a small, secret kiss promised they'd soon return to where they wanted to be.

A/N: Only the second time I've written something exclusively Blake and Penny, but the first time it's ever been so fluffy and romantic! I hope you enjoyed!

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