Semblances come with… drawbacks. I'd heard somewhere- probably in class- that your brain is always working, even while you're asleep. Guess that explains why I'm always hot when I wake up, and I don't just mean in the attractive kind of way.
I felt around in the dark for my Scroll, before flipping it open to check the time. The way too bright screen told me it was already three in the morning. Honestly, I really didn't want to get up, but I needed a cold shower, now. Groaning under my breath, I rolled out of bed and stuck the landing, making sure to keep my fall as quiet as possible. I was just barely awake, but I instinctively checked on Ruby, just to make sure she was okay. She was sound asleep, muttering something about 'french toast' under her breath. I smirked and headed towards our bathroom. As my grogginess started to wear off, I slowly became more and more aware of my surroundings.
"Is that the shower running?"
Quiet as a mouse, I pushed open the door to the bathroom and looked over to my left. Blake was barely visible through the frosted glass shower door. I could just make out the shadows of her hands as they raised to cover the pair of feline ears on top of her head. The reflex probably came from habit, and she lowered them again after a few seconds, most likely realizing that we put this whole 'I've secretly been a Faunus' thing behind us like three episodes ago.
I was a little too tired to talk though, and I was sure she was too tired to listen. We'd both had long days at class and it was obvious she really didn't want to be awake this late either. I undressed, slipping out of my tank-top and shorts and exhaustedly climbed into the empty shower on the right. Steam poured off my skin in waves as the cold water rushed over me. I leaned against the cold tiles of the wall for support and looked over to Blake as she turned to scrub her side under the water. She looked like a dark shadow, warped by the frosting of the glass. Now that I think about it, this was probably the first time I'd ever been in the bathroom at the same time as her. Rubbles and I have probably showered at the same time more often than not, and I've caught the ice queen finishing up about twice in the couple of months we've been roommates. But Blake? I guess I knew why now.
"Hey, Blake?" I wiped some of the fog off of the glass of my shower to try and see her better. It took me almost a second before I realized that might be just a little awkward and invasive.
"… Yang?" She asked curiously, the blob behind the glass turned to look at me, head cocked curiously to the side.
"You know, you don't have to shower so late to avoid us anymore. We're all okay with it, you know. Even Weiss..." Just the thought that Blake had built her entire schedule around avoiding us, even in her own room… It was kind of shitty of us not to try and help her break down these barriers she'd constructed to hide herself. We'd never made her feel comfortable enough to be herself.
"… thanks." She answered awkwardly. I hoped she smiled.
I hummed to myself as I moved back to stand directly under the shower. The water rushed down my back and shoulders, and turned to steam even faster as it soaked my burning scalp. I looked up at the ceiling, watching the clouds of hot air collect to form an even larger cloud at the ceiling. I'd been so distracted and exhausted by the late hour I'd entirely forgotten-
"The fire alarm!"
I almost sprinted to turn it off before remembering I'd punched a hole in it last week after it went off for about the 83rd time. Blake finished her shower a few minutes before I did. She left the room with a quick 'goodnight' and shut the door behind her.
A fast rinse and new pair of pajamas later, I was glad to get back to sleep. I assumed Blake had already passed out in the few minutes it took for me to leave the bathroom, and was kinda surprised when I saw her bright, amber eyes open just as I was getting ready to jump into my bunk. She caught my eyes and I just kinda smiled, unsure of how to react.
"Yang?" Her voice was soft and wavered slightly, but I couldn't tell why.
"Yeah," I asked curiously. I had to whisper under my breath- waking up Weiss was a mistake I'd never make again- but I knew she'd be able to hear me. Faunus are pretty cool like that.
"Thank you." I could see her face in the dim light coming from our window. It was hard to read her emotions, but she looked really, really thankful. Her eyes were wide and she blinked slowly as she watched me.
"Go to bed, Blake." I smiled and jumped up onto my bunk, hoping she understood she didn't have to thank me. I fell asleep fast, I was still exhausted and the shower only made me want to sleep more.