Weiss and Ruby were close friends, one had to be blind not to notice it. Although at first, the couple had started on the wrong foot (some would say that was an understatement) time proved to be able to heal even the massive failure of the first impression.
After a year of training, classes, and a lot of unexpected troubles threatening the survival of the human race, the relationship between Ruby and Weiss improved monumentally.
No longer did the so-called Ice Queen avoided her appointed partner like she was carrying the plague. More often than not you could find both girls either studying in the library (or attempting to), training in one the courtyards, or having a nonsensical discussion on a subject the brunette had brought up. One could say Weiss seemed less cold when Ruby was around.
And then, the mission came.
It was supposed to be a 4 days mission clearing and holding a fort until the Guardsman showed up to take over. It sounded simple enough. And to anyone other than firs year students, it was.
Yet…
Blake and Yang were waiting in the Beacon Dock´s waiting for the airship to bring their teammates back.
At first, the ship was 5 minutes late, unusual for the otherwise right on point pilots but not unheard of.
When no airship showed up 30 minutes later, they were sparks of uneasiness in the air for certain. Yang remained uncharacteristically silent.
By the one-hour mark, the docks were still empty and the blonde was on the verge of a panic attack.
Airships were never this late unless they were carrying bad news with them.
Blake tried to keep her girlfriend calm to the best of her abilities, reassuring her that maybe it was just the climate or they had taken more time clearing everything with the guardsmen. Anything as far away as possible from a grim conclusion.
When an hour and a half passed, there was no kidding around the issue anymore. Yang ran, to the headmaster´s office with such a speed and determination Ruby would have been so proud of. Once in front of the office, the brawler knocked with an absurd amount of force, causing the walls around the door rumbled as loud as if a battering ram against them, the fact that the door stayed on its hinges was a clear praise to the quality of the nails holding it.
Ozpin let the girls inside of his office a bit stunned for the knocking, and calmly explained that the mission their teammates were currently in, had been extended for a few more days since the couple had reported more Grimm in the area than expected.
"It will only be a couple of days, I assure you. " Ozpin said soothingly, not entirely calming Blake and Yang´s worries.
Unfortunately, they had been right to doubt.
I took three and a half weeks for Ruby and Weiss to come back. And when they did, Blake was the one to noticed that something had changed drastically in both huntresses. They were tired which was understandable, their clothes were filled with holes, gashes and claw marks, new scars were could be found all around the girl´s arms, legs, and faces. The whole get up made them looked like they had literally been through the seven circles of hell and barely made it back.
However, there was something physically different, mostly with eyes, and their whole expression. And after the huntresses cleaned up, it was clear. Both Ruby and Weiss had the same blank expression the faunus had seen so many times in veteran soldiers. Shell-shocked, hardened, as if they were staring at Death itself prancing around the hallways. Allegedly it was the stare of a noticeable hunter, a look that simply told, that you had seen some stuff out there and somehow, managed to back or at least most of you. The more you got it, the more you showed you were maturing, there would be a point where a hunter had fought so much that he or she would wear that expression most of the time.
Nevertheless, that wasn't the only thing that changed between her partners. There was something odd between Ruby and Weiss, but nobody could really put their fingers on what exactly.
The first thing Blake noticed, was that they spent most of their time together aside from classes they could constantly be seen together during their meals, in the library, even in their dorm they seem to spend an awful lot of time on Weiss´ bunk bed. It seemed like they were looking to be together most of the time they could.
The second was their combat abilities, which had improved exponentially in such a short period of time. Before the mission, both partners were an even match against each other, but now, the balance was harshly tipped on Weiss and Ruby´s favor. Their coordination, fighting style, dust use, strategies and plain skills had been renewed and improved. In the few practices after their return, the red and white duo had annihilated the other half of the team in a matter of seconds. Yang wasn't too happy about this change and was very vocal about it after every defeat.
The third noticeable change was a bit more subtle. Neither Ruby nor Weiss talked about the mission, coming from the heiress was no surprise, she was always more reserved when talking about their field assignments, but it was a surprise coming from Ruby. The young huntress loved to talk and brag of her kill count, a new technique developed on the spot, and how effective Crescent Rose was against the Grim. But for this mission, the partners shared very few details. Anything more of where there were, what Grimm they found and how they managed supplies, were completely covered in mystery. It seemed like they were actively trying to avoid the subject.
And even with that, the most interesting change happened in the team´s own dorm room.
Since the first night, their teammates arrived. After a long overdue hot shower, they went straight to bed. Understandably. Yang and Blake followed them shortly.
It was around midnight when Blake´s cat ears heard rattling in Ruby´s bunk bed, followed by steps going down from it.
Then there was whispering. Surprisingly so low and muffled that Blake wasn't even able to hear what they said clearly. Not for lack of trying.
When the whispering stopped, there was a sound of bed sheets shuffling, more whispering so low that could be confused with a mere gush of wind, and then… silence.
Blake waited expectantly, but as the seconds passed no more events transpire. The ninjas' thoughts raced, jumping to and bringing forth all type of conclusion. While she was curious about what had truly happened, she decided (against her own curiosity) to respect her friend´s privacy and not use her cat eyes in the dark. Although she had an idea what had happened.
By the next morning, she half expected some sort of cover up from the couple across the room as to what had happened last night. So neither she or Yang were expecting to wake up to the image of Weiss and Ruby cuddling in the lower bunk bed. To be honest it was quite an adorable sight.
But of course, it raised some question.
When Yang very loudly asked for an explanation to their teammates, the couple simply and very matter of factly answered; that Ruby was feeling cold and it was simply a way to share warmth.
Yang didn't buy it for even a second. She insisted, poked and interrogated them like a crazed detective to no solid results. Ruby and Weiss simply gave half answers and moved on their day, as if the issue was ordinary routine.
Blake considered investigating further but contemplated that the cuddling may be just a one-time thing.
But as next morning came, the same scene unfolded almost as a Deja Vu.
Ruby and Weiss woke up cuddling in the Ice Queen´s bunk bed.
Yang again questioned and insisted firmly, to the same results, but a new half thought excuse.
And the same scene unfolded next morning.
And the next one.
And the next one.
brunette Taking the chance of the lack of classes, Ruby and Weiss slept until noon and spent the rest of their day somewhere in Vale. Like a couple would. But when confronted with the obvious question about the nature of their relationship, Ruby and Weiss would answer there were friends and partners, nothing more.
While many people didn't buy that, Blake and Yang included, most of the inquirers usually dropped the topic after a few questions.
After the first week, Yang´s interrogations stopped. The older sibling wasn't happy about the results (or lack of) from her interrogations and with no sign of that changing, she stopped altogether.
Blake didn´t ask many questions to the huntresses, mainly because the once she had were often asked by someone else. Besides, a frontal interrogation wasn´t really her style. Observation, stalking and conclusion making, now you are talking.
It was an uncommon situation, and weird behavior but it was clear neither of them wanted to talk about it. They would just have to wait for them to open up.
Fortunately for a very curious faunus, that didn't take long.
It was a late evening in the library. Blake had been reading a new novel she picked up in one of the group tables for a while enjoying the rhythmic sound of the hail raindrops crashing into the window glass and the very deserted book sanctuary.
That is when she noticed a person with a white dress sit down directly in the chair in front of her. Blake looked up from her book to find the Schnee heiress looking straight at her.
"Hello, Blake."
"Hello, Weiss."
"Am I interrupting your reading time?"
"No, I was just finishing up here."
Blake lied, more interested in the conversation than in the book. –Something in your mind?
"I was wondering if you could shed a light on an issue I´m currently having."
"Regarding?"
Weiss didn't answer immediately, she was struggling with finding the right words, and an even harder time finding the courage to tell them.
"Y-your relationship… with Yang."
The blue eyed girl finally said with a blush creeping into her cheeks. That had been a bit unexpected for Blake.
"Ok…"
The other analyzed the proposition
"Um, that is bit personal question, Weiss."
"I know, and I understand if you don't want to answer."
The faunus girl saw an opportunity.
"Tell you what, let´s make a deal, I will answer your question to the best of my abilities, but in exchange, I get to ask you a question, with an honest answer. Sounds fair?"
"I can't promise I will answer your question."
"Then neither can I."
Deep blue eyes stared at bright yellow eyes in what felt like a true battle of will.
Who would break first?
"Okay, fine, an answer for an answer."
Blake smiled at her victory.
"Fair enough, I will let you ask first."
Weiss remained silent for a moment. Looking so deep inside of her to find even more courage to ask her questions.
"How… how did you know you like Yang?"
And that was 2 for 2 in unexpected questions from Weiss. The heiress had never really asked anything regarding her relationship with the brawler and Blake simply almost never commented either, mainly because she thought Weiss didn't care.
"Interesting, any specifics for the answer? What are you looking for?"
"I mean… I … I want to know if there was a moment of realization or was I just a feeling you always had and you just had to admit it?"
Blake thought for a moment, while she had an idea while trying to figure out why Weiss of all people was asking for this.
An answer for the question came before the speculation.
"If you are talking about realizing I liked her, it was a couple of weeks after we met for the first time."
"Was there a specific event that led you to that conclusion?"
"Hmm, not really. I think I felt attracted to her since we met, and I think it was just growing over time and while we spent more and more time together."
Weiss sighed she looked defeated; upset clearly she was looking for something else.
"So no revelating event?"
Blake took mercy on the clearly distressed Schnee in front of her and went down her own memory, really trying to come up something more clear. Her mind wondered for a second until she remembered something. An anecdote to be precise.
"Well… there was something like that after."
Weiss regained attention to the faunus.
"It was… I don't know, our third or fourth date. We went down to Vale, had some dinner and fun at an arcade. But when we were about to leave coming it started pouring down. We thought it would just pass, but it stuck around. We had no umbrella and to make matters worst, the last airship to Beacon was leaving in a couple of minutes. I wasn't too fond of the idea of getting soaked in the rain, Yang knew that."
"And just as we were about to leave, she swept me up and started carrying me, she cranked her aura to 110 and started sprinting towards the airship docks. I couldn't even protest, one second I was standing and the next I was being carried through Vale. Her aura was so hot, that the raindrops turned into vapor before they hit her. And surprisingly, that was keeping me dry for the most part."
"I don't know what it was. If the light hit would just right bouncing from the rain drops, but when I looked at her face in that instant, with that giant smile as she sprinted through a hail of rain, I just knew it… I was in love with the big doofus carrying me through the rain."
Blake found herself blushing remembering the story and at her own admission of her love for Yang. Weiss paid attention to every single word of the story. And when it ended, she simply said.
"I see."
A clear indication, she didn't really know what to say.
"Was that a good enough answer?"
"Yes, it… it certainly helped to give me an idea. Thank you."
"You are welcome … Now, if you don't mind, I would like to ask my question."
Weiss stared at Blake.
"Fine, go ahead, ask away."
Blake thought of her question, she only had one shot, but she wanted a lot of answers. She settled down for a question that might include all of her interrogatives.
"Why do you want to know how I fell in love, Weiss?"
Weiss stared at her, as she interclosed her eyes with a suspicious stare.
"Clever girl."
The black ninja smiled at her.
"Why thank you."
"You will be disappointed to learn that I...well ... I was merely recollecting data on … you know… teammates and the way their relationships evolve… is more of a thesis, and experiment sort of ordeal. Merely academic. I´m writing an essay."
Weiss was many things, a great time manager, a refine lady of high class and as recent events indicated a lovely cuddle buddy, but a good liar just wasn`t must certainly not on that list. Blake looked at her with an unamused expression
"Weiss, I was honest with you, I would at least expect the same from you."
Weiss sighed, she knew she couldn't get that lie across the faunus friend, but she had to try. Defeated she started taking.
"To answer it honestly, it is… a bit… complicated."
"Well, I have nowhere to be."
Weiss sighed heavily, frustration almost emanating from her body.
Blake sensed she was stepping in some unwanted territory for the heiress, and while she was curious what all this was about, she remembered Weiss was her friend, sort of.
"Weiss, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."
"No, I made a deal with you, and I intend to fulfill it, I am a Schnee after all."
"Yes, but I am your friend, we don't have to talk if you don't want to."
"No, it´s fine, I guess it would help if I talked about it with someone…"
The heiress took a deep breath, bracing herself as to what she was about to tell.
"During our mission, some days, got really intense in the fighting, a lot of Grimm, a lot of action and well, that somehow led to things happening between Ruby and me… things regarding… physical contact and such…"
Blake merely raised and eyebrow getting some conclusions from the confession.
"I mean… not … sex… but other forms of contact, in the romantic side of things."
"But you are not a couple, right?"
"That is the issue… Ruby and I came very close to death on numerous occasions during the mission. This brushes with death I think kind of pushed us towards that sort of behavior… and it is not that I don't like Ruby, but don´t know if I like her in that way. But, I don't know how to explain it, doing those things felt… natural."
"Well, maybe you are a couple after all."
"That is the thing, I thought that too, but when I think about it, I didn´t have any of those feelings before the mission and then... then I remembered an article I read about the effects of the trauma in battle, it is not uncommon for hunters to have this sort of reaction with someone, when they are isolated in a state of constant stress with . It´s some sort of coping mechanism when you spend so many time with one person under a horde of trauma it seemed to be created. But when they come back to reality, that changes, the feelings you thought were there simply vanish as there are no more fights for your survival. And what you thought were real emotions, turned out to be something your mind made up just to keep you alive, making someone else help you keep alive. If you think about it, that is horrible, it can destroy the relationship you have with another person."
"-And well...I brought this issue to Ruby before coming back from the mission, and we agreed that it could be the case, but at the same time it might not. That maybe this is really the way we feel. Not really knowing what to do, we decided to give things some time, let ourselves settle into the real world. See if things feel the same after a couple days. So, no, we wouldn't call us an official couple, in case we realize this is not how we feel, and it was just a way to get us through that mission."
-Wow...ok… that is a lot to process, but I think I kind of see what you were referring.
Blake had indeed heard of what Weiss was talking about. As an avid reader, find herself reading about the psychological effects of battlefield trauma. In one the books, she found exactly what the heiress was talking about: an emotional connection between two hunters fighting together in an overwhelming situation. After the battle, when the survival of both had trauma heiresses, the link simply disappeared, since it had never been real. The problem was when hunters and huntresses acted on that fake connection when they took that make belief link for real and engaged in some intimacy. Just like Ruby and Weiss apparently did. That could hurt a relationship in the long run, especially if one of them had true feeling towards the other.
Yes, Blake could understand why Weiss´ situation was, complicated.
"The last thing I want to do is to hurt Ruby, especially giving her false hope… so I really need to figure this out."
Suddenly, the heiresses question made sense. Blake realized that it was simply Weiss trying to figure out her own feelings, just in the Schnee way, thinking it was data that could be categorized, found or reproduce.
"Weiss, I know you have good intentions, but this sort of things it doesn't happen the same for everyone. Falling in love is hard to describe, you just sort of feel it."
Weiss thought for a second.
"I´ve heard that before, but to be honest, I haven't been in love before, and now that I try to figure out things, I get that same answer. "You just feel it". Well, I´m sorry, if I want to have a practical idea of what "feeling it " means. It´s so frustrating, trying to figure out something that is described as a damned pop song!"
By the end of her sentence, Weiss realized she had raised her voice a bit more than she had intended.
"I´m sorry, I didn't mean to sound angry at you, it´s just, I´m kind of at a lost here."
Blake responded softly
"It´s okay Weiss, I know emotional issues aren't the easiest to deal with."
"That´s an understatement."
"But I have to say, princess, if you really want to figure your whole situation out, I would start, by asking yourself, if you feel that way for Ruby."
There was no immediate answer.
"I don't know, the fact that I don't say "no", just makes everything more complicated. That is why I wanted to understand the concept a little more with some empirical data."
"Weiss…"
"I know, I know, it wasn't the brightest idea, but I don't want to wake up one day realizing I had true feelings for someone and just passed on them because I couldn´t figure them out."
"But, you cannot force this sort of things. If you do, it would be worse than giving Ruby false hope. And well, if you don't feel it now, that doesn't mean you will never feel it, maybe right now is just not meant to be."
"I… I am aware of that. It's just that even if I don't like her right now, it would hurt Ruby."
"If you don't have feelings and she does, she will get better, and hopefully move on. She is a strong girl. Plus, you are getting ahead of yourself, you don't even know if Ruby does like you."
The heiress made a grimace that suggested otherwise.
"Oh?"
"I don't know for a fact, but I am pretty certain that her feelings towards me are genuine."
"How?"
"When we were on the mission, it would usually be me or her who would start… things."
Now Blake was curious to what "things" meant.
"…Since we came back, she has been the one starting everything contact related and is different from before we left. It´s more, intimate in some way"
"Huh. That is suspicious, but not conclusive"
"I know, and I never said I was 100% certain. Yet I feel she is the one looking for the contact, and just with me. Haven´t you noticed that she doesn´t just hug anyone at random like she used to?"
Actually, Blake had noticed the exact same thing. Since Ruby came back, she had indeed shown less physical contact with anyone but Weiss. She was noticed mostly with Yang, the once very contact filled duo, seemed distant now.
In fact, since the day Yang had hugged her sister right out of the airship, the action hadn´t been repeated since.
The argument by the Ice Queen seemed more and more believable.
"Ok.. so what if Ruby does have feelings for you? Do you hate them?"
"No, I´m flattered for the feelings, but I´m afraid if I can't reciprocate them… this emotional stuff… I'm just at a loss."
Blake observed the Schnee heiress in front. And for the first time since she knew her, she did seem in real distress.
"Weiss, maybe I can share with you an advice."
Weiss looked straight as her.
"Please do."
Weiss sounded defeated.
"I know you may not like how this sound, but you just have to let things flow, patience is important here and worrying too much about it will lead you to force things and that won't end well. If you feel something, that´s good and if you don't, well that it is okay too. But the important thing is that you need, to be honest with yourself and with Ruby, with or without feelings towards her."
Weiss sighed, and Blake was ready for some disagreement.
"You are right, believe me, I know"
The Schnee heiress was just unstoppable with the unexpected questions and answers today.
" I just can´t get rid of the feeling that I could be actually doing something to move things faster."
"This isn´t a dust formula Weiss. You shouldn't force things to happen. If you truly have feelings towards Ruby, believe me, you will know. You just have to be patient."
"You are actually a really wise person."
"I am, you are very lucky I am your friend."
Weiss smiled, but after a second of consideration, the smile disappeared.
"Are you going to tell Yang about this conversation?"
Blake hadn't actually considered that part. Surely the older sister would have serious things to say if she found what was truly going on. Then again, "if" she found out.
"I don't know, you tell me."
Blake decided to leave it up to the duo to decide if they wanted to deal with that right now.
"I would really prefer if this stayed between you and me."
A wise choice really.
"So shall be it. Yang, nor anyone will hear it from me."
Weiss smiled again, this time it stayed on.
"I really appreciate your help Blake, you are a good friend."
"You are welcome, Weiss. Just remember, that even though we may not be the closest friends, we can talk if you ever need to."
"Likewise."
Both girls smiled at each other, sure that although of its rocky start, their friendship had certainly come a long way to find themselves helping each other.
"Well, I believe I have taken enough of your time. Thank you again."
"You are welcome again. Good luck Weiss."
Weiss stood up and started walking away. Meanwhile, Blake continued to process their conversation. While she had promised to be quiet about the whole issue, she was curious about how the whole situation would turn out. Of course, she had a theory about it, and she looked forward to figuring out if it would turn out into reality.