Kiss Me With Everyone Watching

by my black crimson rose

It wasn't always about school, or hockey. Most of the time it was about your own stupidity and that little voice in the back of your head that either talks you out of things or talks you into something. [Also known as the kissing cam AU] Full Summary and Couple list inside. Rated M for smut and cursing. (Secondary Pairing changes based on scene time!)

1. Semester One

Prompt that spurred on this monster of a story:: Person A and Person B end up on a kiss cam at a sports game—although they've never met each other before.

Full Summary: It wasn't always about school, or hockey. Most of the time it was about your own stupidity and that little voice in the back of your head that either talks you out of things or talks you into something. It started with Hockey, there's no denying that, and it was a constant in their lives—but it wasn't the only thing. Sometimes it's about grades and money, the other times it was about seduction and romance. A lot of the time it was about having a great friend that had a little dream about kissing a stranger on a big screen. And that needed luck... luck that Blake suddenly seemed to posses.

Casual Authors Note before you begin reading:: Axent Wear is currently not on sale (or wasn't?) on sale when I was writing this, but I wish it was. Oh do I ever wish it was! And I'll try to include links of everything at the end of the story or as hyperlinks (if I remember to).

Also, I started writing this months ago—before Neptune was introduced, and Velvet got a little more screen time. Also, for the record I thought Scarlet was a girl, but I ended going off what the wiki is saying and he's slightly effeminate. And just like that other story that I'm writing for Sage and Fox, their characterizations is slightly similar to that. Fox is just a little less of an asshole 'cause Sage mellows him out? IDK, he still has that fire and it still shines... just burns slightly less 'douche-bag' fuel.

FF also kinda ate me 'texting' format that I have for this. So if you really want to see how it's supposed to look please check out the one on AO3.

Oh, and Happy 20th Birthday me. I promised that I would post this on the fourth, and this is both a gift to myself and to you guys. And I posted this on the third because I couldn't wait anymore and I plan on drinking a lot today (and maybe tomorrow) so I want to make sure this actually get up in time. So... ENJOY!

Pairing list: Adam/Blake, Yang/Neptune, Fox/Sage, Sun/Velvet, Ruby/Wiess. With mentions of Coco/Yatsuhashi.

The worst that you see between this 'side pairings' is mentions of sexual encounters ('cause sometimes people have sex) and maybe some in scene kissing. Maybe

-00000-

It was always about Hockey, always. In senior year of high school Blake had fallen in love with Frost's right-wing Adam Taurus, better known as the Red Bull. He was a goon and Blake found that extremely attractive in a hockey player. It was his first year on the team and already that man was racking up the penalty points.

The Belladonna's were huge Hockey fans. Both her parents were avid East City Shark's fans, and that was passed down to their kids: Fredrick and Blake. But they weren't the only Shark fans in their family, of course not. Their grandparents were as well, and their aunts and uncles. Hockey was really a family thing in this family. And of course they loved Frost; Grammy Morgan and Grandaddy Remold met and fell in love in that hockey rink, and Grandpa Tom used to play goalie on that rink. And then all her family also attended that school, so it was only normal for them to show up to the hockey games and cheer for their team.

Yang used to tease her senseless at all the hockey pictures decorating her locker door. She made it seem that there was only Frost's number 36: Adam Taurus on there or something. Which was completely inaccurate. There were only five pictures of him on her locker, and they all were while he was playing. Okay!? It wasn't like he was shirtless or anything—she didn't even know what he looked like!

And she had pictures of her friends, family and cats mixed in there too!

But, Yang wasn't the only one that teased her. Her boyfriends during senior year did that too; they were obviously jealous that they weren't good enough players. Of course, why else would she think so highly of a guy that she never met? It wasn't like she thought about the guy while she was having sex... oh. Yeah, okay. Well it wasn't like she made one of her boyfriends' leave his hockey helmet on while she blowed him in the locker room and pretended it was Frost's number 36. Um... okay, that may have actually happened once.

Again, Yang had laughed hysterically at her when she told her about it. "You know I'm gonna have to attend Frost with you now, right? Someone's going to have to make sure you don't go all stalker on us."

From there both Blake and Yang graduated with scholarships to Frost University. Weiss had been accepted to every University she had applied to and on-again off-again girlfriend (and Yang's little sister) Ruby couldn't shut up on how proud she was of the white haired heiress. And in the end Weiss didn't go to Frost, well she didn't even apply to it.

The first year of University for both Blake and Yang were filled with boys, homework, coffee/energy drinks, shitty dorm cafeteria food and of course, Hockey. The pair would attend every home game, at times they would dress up in the school colours and Blake would dawn on her number 36 jersey (that her family had given her for Christmas when they found out that she was still very much smitten for the goon). The two young ladies would doll themselves up and yell at the top of their lungs, hugging and jumping around when their team scored and yelling shit down at the ref when he made a shit call.

Blake found it funny that Yang was this involved in the sport now. Originally she had called the game stupid and confusing, but here she was standing beside her calling out the ref from her seat on how he ignored that high-sticking. Funny how time changes things.

The second year of University swept over them quickly, just like how the summer before the first year had come and gone in a blur of drunken nights and waking up in random houses (in beds, on couches, on the floor, in the bathtub, under the kitchen table, on the kitchen table, on the stairs, in the pool on one of those floaty couches, in a tree, under the deck... and the list just goes on). And the summer following the first year of University was spent much like the one before; with Weiss, Ruby and Yang. Again they went partying, drinking, swimming, and prowling the streets at night. Weiss and Ruby were off-again that summer, and both girls tried their hands at getting intimate with both girls and guys.

Because having just one wasn't their kind of thing—too boring. Too mainstream. They were young, hot and looking for fun; at least that's what they say when their speech was slurred and the foursome was laughing and stumbling down the streets.

But for the record, the heiress and Ruby were back together by the end of the summer. Yang had walked in on them one afternoon before calling Blake and informing the black haired girl that she owed Yang ten bucks.

Fredrick Belladonna attended Frost that year as well; a full scholarship. He was there to play hockey and the family couldn't be happier... or prouder. And Blake may have scrawled angrily in her diary that night on how she was jealous of her younger brother. Her family hadn't made that big of a deal when she got accepted to Frost. But, she would sigh; her family was a hockey family. And Blake didn't play hockey.

No, Blake went to Frost for Art.

Her family wasn't all that thrilled to hear that. You could be anything; why be an artist? That was always her favourite. She even made that very quote into a poster and mounted it up on her wall, right above the bed in her dorm room. Right beside the band posters and other print copies of her drawings. Yang never understood why she did it, and Blake didn't really know either. That one saying actually was the only thing that kept her going on those really bad days.

Because she could be anything, and she could study anything that she wanted to. And she chose art—she was the one that made this decision and that's all that really mattered.

Yang's arm linked with hers as they walked down the concrete stairs, she was telling Blake about her latest conquest in between the sheets. A jock: big guy, basketball this time, blond hair, fuchsia eyes (Blake called him a fruit). "He was a terrible kisser... not bad at the sex though. I mean, the things that boy could do with his tongue should be illegal!" the blonde exclaimed, and Blake rewarded her lewd speech with a solid punch to the arm.

"You're depraved!" the Faunus shrieked, the corner of her mouth pulling up into a smile.

Yang clicked her tongue against the back of her teeth shooting her with a finger and winking in all one solid motion. "But seriously, Kitty, you're no better. Weren't you the one that got down on your knees in the locker room in senior year?" she teased knowing that Blake would rather forget about that one memory. But as Blake's best and longest standing friend, she won't allow the girl to forget about it. Nuh-uh! Not this kitty Faunus!

The pair took their seats beside a guy decked out in tats who was gesturing while he spoke to his blond haired companion.

"So you think you'll be able to make it through this game? I mean your favourite player is out on a three game suspension," Yang settled in her seat and Blake visibly shrunk in hers. "At least this is game two out of the three, so the next time they play at home you can dawn on your jersey and scream like the love stuck school-girl that you well and truly are!" Yang even winked at her, making it all the more torturous for Blake as she groaned out a dishearten response.

The game started shortly after that; opening with some good ol' rock 'n roll, the announcement of the teams and the national anthem. And holy shit was tattoo guy ever tall! Blake had casually checked the guy out while she casually (she both stresses and bolds this fact) adjusted the ladies in her corset shirt. It was the nice black one that had this huge gap in between the boob and neck area (y'know the flat part where you want all your bling to settle: too high and it looks like its choking you and too low looks like your trying too hard and/or that your breasts are hungry); the ones with the sleeves!

He had totally checked out her tits afterwards too—yeah, you get your fill honey.

No one gets any on Frost Game Night, not unless you wore a number 36 on your Frost hockey jersey. Nuh-uh. Game nights were her nights dedicated the Frost's Red Bull, and no one else. Not the guy down the hall that Yang promised had a nice package and knew how to handle it, not her booty call Jordan, not that one guy who took her out last week and made an idiot of himself (but he was cute and had a nice smile so Blake may give him another chance), and not even her beloved vibrator (she named it Mathew; after the actor).

No one got any on Game Night.

Capital 'G' and 'N', god damn it!

The game raged on and Blake's little brother skated onto the rink, "look at how tiny he is!" Yang exclaimed as she pointed out the Belladonna 48 jersey. They then spent the whole rotation harping on anyone that tried to take on the little Belladonna. Blake had always known that her little brother could skate fast but she never knew he was that fast. She couldn't help but smile in pride for her sibling as he skated around Laketon's number 50 and fired a shot. The puck tinking against the goal post and the home crowd groaned and oh'ed at the sound.

The horn sounded and the first period was over.

Yang and Blake settled back down in their seats to wait out the break. This would be the time were the cameras would start panning around the arena and the kiss cam heart would make its appearance. Yang loved it; this was one of the reasons why she showed up at these games. "I would love to make out with a stranger on that screen—it's like my dream, okay!" The blonde laid a hand over forehead dramatically as she swooned.

On screen an elderly couple kissed. The camera then moved to two little kids who shied away from each and hid under their jackets. The camera then panned around to two Laketon players, number 13 and 89, they touched tongue tips and the rest of the Laketon team laughed loudly at the pair. The camera then went back up to the stands—two girls kissed, then two guys, then another elderly couple.

Blake shifted in her seat to talk to her companion. She parted her lips just as Yang slapped her boob; her violet eyes staring up at the monitor the whole time. "Dude," she whispered in awe smacking her black haired companion again in the breast with her knuckles. Blake followed the girl's gaze, gripping her wrist in an attempt to save her breasts from anymore damage. That fucking hurt, alright! "Dude, you're living my dream!" Yang hissed out again and Blake's eyes widened on the screen just as the tattooed man beside her turned towards her.

Her head whipped to the side, her cheeks colouring slightly under all her foundation as the auburn haired man grinned at her. He held out a hand to her, "Adam" he smiled. He has a nice smile, she thought as she took his hand in hers.

"Blake," she replied, blinking owlishly. Normally when she went out looking for guys she had to work herself up to the point of... well, actually wanting to leave her dorm room looking somewhat decent on a Friday night. The promise of both sex and alcohol was a nice little push but this wasn't exactly a Friday night. No, this was Game Night. And NO ONE got any on game night, not unless you were Adam Taurus. And while this guy was surely attractive and his name was Adam, that didn't mean anything.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed his lips against hers. And just like that it was over and he was beginning to lean away—no, nuh-uh. Just because this was Game Night and no one got laid on Game Night in her books didn't mean that she couldn't line up a guy for the next day! She wrapped both arms around his neck and sealed their lips together again. Both of their lips parted and their tongues slid against the other.

His head tilted, arm still wrapped around her shoulder and pulling her flush against his chest. His fingers tickling the exposed skin of her hip that her corset exposed. They pulled back, catching a breath and sparing the monitor a glance to see that it had just shifted onto someone else. She leaned away from him at that, "what did you say your name was again?" He was a good kisser; she'd have to add him to the growing list of boys that she liked to get better acquainted with.

He returned to his relaxed form of sitting; legs apart and left knee pointed towards his friend. "Adam," the grin was back on his now stained lips. Her red lipstick had seemed to rubbed off a bit on him. She thought she checked to make sure that it wouldn't before she and Yang had left. "Adam Taurus," he wiped at his lips after his friend made a motion towards them.

Blake stilled, heart suddenly lurching up into her throat. Yang's hands clamped down on her shoulders and she turned towards her friend. Her hands waving in quick aborted movements and flails while Yang's busied with fixing up the dark haired girl's makeup and hair while she gaped and mouthed words at her. The blonde then turned her back to the auburn haired man and blond friend who watched them with amusement. "Adjust your tits," Yang hissed at her before grinning widely at the two guys.

Blake did exactly what Yang told her to do; both guys briefly glancing down before returning their attention on the girls' faces. Good boys. Blake adjusted her beanie covering her cat ears and opened her mouth to say something—but what? Her mouth closed again; she didn't know what to say! She felt like a huge idiot!

Behind her Yang cleared her throat, "so I'm Yang, and you're already acquainted with Blake." The blonde made a sweeping gesture to herself and Blake. "Blake's a huge fan really, so I'm going to apologize for the starstruck appearance. In senior year her locker was filled with pictures of you—"

"Five; there was only five!"

"—and we," Yang paused thinking it over on how she could include Weiss and Ruby when they weren't here; "her friends have officially labelled her Frost's number 36's biggest fan." Blake gaped at her friend, cheeks darkening. Adam's friend was snickering behind his hand and Blake couldn't bring herself to look at the redhead.

"Huh," was what Adam said. And Blake's golden gaze looked with his, "it's very nice to meet you then." His voice was a purr, and a very nice one at that. Trust her, she's a cat Faunus she knew different types of purrs. "Sun, switch places with Blake." Sun laughed loudly at that, monkey tail flicking to smack the hockey player's cheek. Blake and Sun switched places and the two blonds quickly struck up a conversation.

"Yang," she could hear Yang introduce herself. "So do you like hockey or are you just a tag along today?"

"I'm a baseball kinda guy, none of this winter shit for me." Yang laughed, she too enjoyed warmer weathers. It meant more guys out, most of them shirtless, and a lot more parties (which led to Blake making an idiot of herself and spilling tons of secretes and alcohol which was the main reason why Blake spilled all these secretes).

Blake tuned out the rest of the conversation between the two blonds, back to the hockey game that was now continuing on bellow them. "So you're a fan?" the smugness in his voice was clear, she didn't need to turn her attention to the man to tell that he was grinning. She would be too if it wasn't for what Yang had said—it made her seem like such a groupie! Ugh, she felt like hiding in a hole! "Never actually met someone that called themselves a fan—people like me enough, sure, but not how your friend puts it."

She turned to gape at him, "then you really need to check out your tag on Tumblr," and that slipped out.

Oops.

But for the record Adam only laughed at that, "so why are you a fan anyways?" He quoted the word 'fan' as if he was trying to come to terms that someone was actually a fan of him. It boggled her mind a little; made her heart pound a little quicker than it was a while ago. "I know that there's some people who like me, but I haven't met someone who liked me enough to say that they were a fan."

The cat ears under her hat flicked and his gaze jumped from her face to her hat, brows drawn in confusion. Blake slowly removed the hat and her ears flicked at the change in temperature. His eyes darkened and nostrils flared, and for a moment she thought he'd react negatively. Although the connection between Faunus and Human had moved a substantial amounted from the dark days, there were still people who though negatively of the other race. The fear and nerves bubbled in her stomach and Adam smiled, hand reaching up to his hair line and tapping at one of the two dark brown (nearly black) wisps spiking out of his hair line. She had thought they were a part of his hair, but as his finger tapped against it she realized that they were in fact horns. Shaved and maintained in a fashion that could fit his hockey lifestyle.

Blake licked her lips, well then, she wasn't expecting this! "I don't really know; I mean sure you play good. But you're a goon—"

"Enforcer," Adam stressed and for a moment Blake stared at him. Mouth gaped and the corner twitching upwards into a grin.

"Alright, you're an enforcer. I have a... well; I like guys who can handle themselves in a fight. And how you play with them. You make them think that they have a chance, and I find that annoying but so..." she cleared her throat and flushed. "Well, I think it's attractive."

The auburn haired man blinked, forehead creasing in thought. "So you like me because I beat the shit out of people?" she could hear the damn smile. The amusement that he was getting out of this made her just want to strangle him... but kiss him while doing it.

"Shut up! I know it doesn't make sense!" her voice raised into a shrill as she punched his shoulder. His smile grew and her breath caught. How long had she waited for this moment; how long did she dream of it? Too long, far too long to keep up tradition. Too long was the answer. Far... far too long. He leaned forward just as her arms wrapped around his neck, their lips pressed against each other. Sliding and pressing, teeth nipping and pulling, tongues flicking and pressing and sliding together and against the other.

The hockey game passed quickly, between kisses and hands intertwining and fingers digging and tickling her knee. They talked, between the kisses and the featherlight touches. They talked about hockey, because that's what it was always about. For Blake it was always about hockey. For Adam it was always about hockey.

Blake had laughed at the explanation on how Adam's siblings and himself were chosen into certain hockey teams. If they had their mother's Faunus characteristics then they liked the Sharks, and if they looked like their father then they were a Devil's fan. And Adam was a devil's fan, much to Blake's horror. And then there was Adam's sister who took after his grandmother and inherited her ears so she took her team; the Royals.

And both Adam and Blake hissed and winced at that.

Blake had then told him about Fredrick, and much to her amusement Adam only glanced down at the rink then back at her, "no shit." Was the only thing he said, and she laughed. Clutching her stomach as her body shook with her laughter. She had kissed him again after that, after her body stopped rocking and shaking.

The horn had jolted both of them out of their bubble; the end of the game was upon them. Blake didn't even know the score, but it wasn't like she was going to beat herself up over it. Although her brother might; it was his big game tonight. Moved up a string, more ice time, blah blah. It all seemed far away now as she waved goodbye to Yang (who raised her eyebrow at her and opened her mouth to say something) and tagged along with Adam to where ever it was that he was headed.

They went to his dorm; his card swiping to get into the building, her hand holding his as they waited for the elevator. In the elevator her legs wrapped around his waist, his body pressing her's against the wall. Her hands entangling in his hair, pulling at the roots as she kissed his jaw and neck. He carried her to his room, only pausing to fish out his card again. The door slammed open and shut without any added movement and Blake found herself pressed against the bed.

The next morning, the only thing she would be able to tell Yang was his face. The shift of emotions; how his mouth parted, how his eyes gleamed in the limited light, how he tilted his head back then forward. She couldn't believe how little she remembered—or how much of her memory was just of his face. How his kissed, and how firm his shoulders were as she dug her nails into them and arched up against him. How the muscles of his back rolled, and flexed, and shivered under her touch.

She'd tell Yang that she honestly couldn't remember looking at anything other than his face while they fucked. She could feel his hands all over her, and she could feel the arousal within her spiking. But she couldn't remember any awkward moment, or pausing, or bumping or fumbling around. All she could remember was the look in his eyes, the swell in her chest and the tide washing over her.

-00000-

"I'm serious!" Blake exclaimed as she explained to the blonde yet again what happened the night before. Yang continued to look at her with growing scepticism. Her bitch face was levelled painfully high at her best friend. "I am!" Blake tried again, and again Yang levelled her with the bitch face. Blake sighed heavily sticking a fork into the pile of food in front of her, "Guess it means that I have to sleep with him again, right?"

And that got Yang to let off; her fists slamming down on the table, the bottles of pop jumping and Blake's tipped over. Luckily, it was still sealed. "You're damn right you need to fuck him again! I need details, you bitch! You've been dreaming of that night for years and you go and 'forget' all the key moments!" she waved her finger in Blake's face, her glare boring holes into Blake's soul.

The pair dug into the food before them, they had another hour and a bit before their next class and then they'll be free from the boring routine.

"So, you and I are going clubbing tonight." Yang took a sip of Diet Pepsi (the shit's were out of regular Pepsi so she had to settle), twisting the cap back on then taking another bite.

Blake's fork stabbed back into the pile of food, "it's Thursday. We both have class tomorrow," the black haired girl sighed pinching the bridge of her nose.

Yang waved her off, "you don't have class until like 1:30. Just set an alarm tonight before we leave and make sure you throw up everything you can before you go to class!" She grinned, "Plus a friend of mine who's a friend of Adam's said that's where he'd be tonight." Blake could only stare at her; in both horror and appreciation. It was scary just what that girl knew, and Yang grinned sheepishly, "You promised me all the nitty gritty details. And, shit, I'm gonna hear those fucking details—I feel so fucking robbed right now, I... just, holy shit okay?! Just holy shit."

There were times that Blake honestly questioned why she was friends with Yang. These were one of those moments.

And she kept asked herself that question all throughout her lunch with the blonde, then through her lecture that was both painfully boring and long, then the whole time she was walking back to her dorm room that she shared with the blonde. But Yang had a great sense in fashion and makeup and a love of dolling Blake up. So for this time Yang won her little inner battle and Blake threw on the clothes that Yang threw at her.

She had to remove then re-apply makeup that matched her current outfit. Biker boots and jacket, black skintight pants (could she even call them jeans, cause they weren't even that), white Exist This Side band tee with far too many cuts and tears in it to not be purposely done. Her mouth always seemed to part while applied her mascara, and just like that she always had to pucker her lips after applying her lipstick. Winking at her appearance just as Yang's own dolled up face joined her in the mirror.

"Oooh, hello there sexy~" she winked, her shoulders shifting as she jiggled her chest at Blake.

Blake laughed loudly at her friend's face, the wiggling eyebrows and the kissy faces that Yang was making was just too much. "Oh god," her hand shielding her view of her friend, her other was busy smacking the other away from her. "Are we going or are you just going to make cow eyes me?"

"Okay okay! We're goin'," she had replied laughing as she wrapped arm the Faunus and led her out of their dorm. Their ID's, keys and payment cards already on their person. They learned to pocket those things as soon as the finished throwing on their clothes so they don't goof off and forget to grab their things. It had happened more than once.

Yang led her off of campus, towards one of the clubs closer to campus. They flashed the bouncer their ID's and a bright tooth filled smile and the man ushered them into the music and warmth. The temperatures outside would continue to drop, but for some reason no matter how much snow or freezing rain they'd get Frost's campus never truly got as frosty as its name entailed until after Christmas break. It was then that the big parkas and bulky winter gear truly made its appearance.

The bass vibrated in the walls and in their chests and Yang threw Blake a wicked grin. The club scene was always more Yang's thing than Blake—but the Faunus did enjoy partaking in the adventures. Blake liked bars more so than clubs. At bars they had a television that played sports, and even if it wasn't hockey season she still knew a bit about baseball and football (both of them. You know... Soccer and American Football).

The girls crowded against the bar first, downing down a quick shot of straight rum that burn as it went down and settled in their bellies. "This is my jam!" Yang exclaimed when a song started over the speakers and she pulled Blake into the dancing mass. Their bodies bouncing, their arms thrown up in their air and their hips bumping against each others. Blake laughed out as Yang hip-checked her and she had to do the same! They yelled out the lyrics to the song as it played through, bouncing on the balls of their feet as they jumped from one foot to the other.

They did that through four more songs before breaking out of the crowd and back to the bar for another drink. "Hey you!" Yang's open palm slapped the blond man's back and his drink came spraying out of his mouth. His friends turned, eyebrows climbing as they took in the new arrivals. The blue haired boy snorted covering his mouth with the back of his hand.

"You have something dripping out of your nose, bud," his grin pointing to the blond's face. He grabbed the glasses and gestured to the rabbit Faunus beside him. "We'll be at the table, Sun," he nodded towards Sun and the Faunus girl and he left back to the booths found closer to the front of the club.

Sun wiped at his face with his sleeve, eyes watering in the corners. Blake has had alcohol spray from her nostrils before; it burned. And it would continue to do so for awhile afterwards. "Ugh," he groaned tabbing at the bottom of his nose. Checking for blood; it sometime happened when one had alcohol sprouting from one's nose. "Could've warned a guy," he turned to them. His brow cocked and a bitch face almost as potent as Yang's levelled at them (more Yang than anything).

Blake waved down the bartender and ordered their drinks while Yang chatted up the other blond, "aww I'm sorry. How about next time I'll do that but gently, as long as you introduce me to your blue-haired friend." She winked, leaning against the bar beside Sun.

"Neptune?" he was confused, his gaze travelling back to the area that they must be sitting in. His forehead creased in thought before sighing, "Fine." And the girls' drinks were placed right in front of Blake.

"Perfect, lead the way!" Yang grinned grabbing her fruity 'girly' drink. A Mai Tai today, no little umbrella that she loves so much but in its place was a large slice of orange and a cherry. She took a sip of it as she waggled her brows at her partner in crime; just a step behind Sun and his partly consumed beer. What was it with guys and beer? Were they just too embarrassed in ordering something just a little more colourful? Did they think beer was stronger? 'Cause it's not. In one of Blake's hand held a Sex on the Beach (another drink that they both just had to have. It was a rule) and in the other was a Long Island ice tea.

There was a lot more people there than both Yang and she had expected and Sun introduced them all. "Adam, Sage, Neptune, Velvet, Coco, and Fox... This is Yang and Blake—they found and tortured me back at the bar. Make them leave," Sun threw a grin at the blonde at his side and Yang punched him.

"I helped you with your date, you jerk, the least you could do is introduce us to your friends." Yang and Blake pulled up two seats and joined the group, the ears on top of Blake's head gathering a few glances from the members seated around the table.

"You're a Faunus too," the girl that was introduced as Coco grinned, leaning over the table and shaking hands with Blake. "It's always a pleasure to welcome another person to the group," she seemed pleasant and Blake mulled over the situation as she took a sip of her beverage. Adam and Sage stood, swapping seats so that Adam plopped himself beside the cat faunus. "So what brings you girls out tonight?"

"Well, boy hunting naturally!" Yang rolled her eyes dramatically. "Well, actually just one boy, that's unfortunately isn't for me," she threw a pointed look at the dark haired girl beside her. Blake was downing her beverage; she'd need another one if Yang continued to keep up what she was doing. "Always a bridesmaid and never a bride, ain't that right kitty?"

Blake coughed, "just have something else to drink, you drunk." And the funny thing was, Yang did. She grumbled while doing it, but she still did it and Blake turned her attention to the auburn haired Faunus who joined her. "Hi Adam," she smiled suddenly feeling less overwhelmed and surrounded by new things.

Blake liked books, she liked art, and reading, and drawing. She liked being by herself, until she didn't. And that's where Yang came in. From Thursday to Sunday afternoon Blake was Yang's wing-man (well, lady) in a lot of situations. They'd go out and drink and party and dance, they'd go out and get drunk and meet boys and have sex. But Sunday night to Tuesday Blake tended to stay in. To work, to draw, to read—to do whatever it was that she pleased. And on (most) Wednesdays was Game Night.

And we already know about Game Night.

The two friends evened each other out like that. They both liked to do things by themselves but they also liked to be with people, so Blake would remind Yang to slow down and figure herself out and Yang would remind Blake that there was more to living then just her books and art that she tended to sometimes get sucked into.

It was such a small thing that they'd often forgotten that one was a little more quiet then the other, and it was only when times when a lot of new things were introduced that Blake could return to the quiet and observing characteristics that made her up at her core.

The amber liquid in front of Adam had a ring of sweat around the base, soaking the coaster. "Hey Blake," he rested back the booth his tattooed arms settling on the table. He had more all over his torso too, Blake's mind supplied and her ears (the human ones) coloured. He took a drink from the beer in front of him, grinning at her. "So what are you really doing out here?" the crook of his eyebrow told her that he already knew about Sun and Yang's texts. So she shook her head, pressing a finger to her lips. He leaned forward, "so it doesn't have anything to do with that text?"

"That was all Yang, sweetheart." Really? Sweetheart? She finished off the rest of her drink, just that comment alone made her want to drown herself in alcohol. She plucked the Sex on the Beach from Yang's grasp and sucked back a few sips of that before handing it back to her. Ugh, sweet. She cringed a little at the sudden difference in taste.

"Hmm," his brow climbed even further. He didn't believe her. "And why would she do that?" Why would she do that indeed—she almost huffed out the reason, but her heart skipped a beat. Then she'd have to admit that she wanted to sleep with him again; she'd have to admit that she was too busy focusing on his face and how his mouth parted and how he whispered her name. And with everyone else around talking loudly to each other over the bass she wasn't going to admit something like that when anyone could hear.

So she tilted her head and smiled in a 'come hither' fashion. He smirked, leaning forward so she could speak in his ear. He smells good, she thought as her hand touched the skin on his arm. "Because I wasn't able to give her any details on what happened between us last night," her lips brushed against his ear as she spoke.

His hand settling on her high on her leg, fingers tickling the inside of her thigh when he shifted. It sent a wave of longing through her. She wanted him. "And why would she want to know that?" his lips brushed against her jaw, and she shivered. Despite the jacket she was still wearing and the drinks.

It must have been the drinks that loosened her tongue, or just him in general. "Because I've wanted to sleep with you since senior year," it could've been her imagination but she could've sworn that he shivered at that. Just one. "I even blew a guy in the locker rooms and made him keep his helmet on so I could pretend it was you," and she said it. She said the very thing that she swore never to share with anyone ever again. And the worst part was it was about him—the one thing that made her feel like a complete freak and she went and told him.

But the weirdest part was how he sucked in a breath and his fingers gripped her leg slightly harder than before. From the view that she had of the side of his face and ear, she could see a red tint taking to them. Before he turned his head and their lips sealed together—her view was quickly turned to black after that.

-00000-

Yang ignored the couple beside her and turned to talk to the remaining people at the table who was busy conversing amongst themselves. "So Sun, how'd that date go?" she grinned. At the hockey game, or as Blake called it Game Night, she and the blond had talked about relationships while those two sucked each other's tongues. Sun mentioned having a date with his quiet, shy, perfect girlfriend that he wasn't completely sure what to do for.

And Yang, being such a great person, had given him a hand full of ideas. A coffee date, filled with caffeine and going to a bookstore and reading random parts of books with funny voices was what she gave him. It was Blake's ideal date; something that she always wanted to do with a guy that she really liked. And, well, Sun's girlfriend sounded a lot like Blake sometimes. Both of them liked books and art and they were kinda quiet (although Blake wasn't shy around people unless it was Adam Taurus and even that was easily fixed).

"You gave him that idea?" The rabbit Faunus at Sun's other side stared at her in shock. Her gaze moving from Sun and Yang—well she didn't seem so shy! Yang grinned; and then she saw the empty glass and another nearly there in front of her.

Ahh... well still.

"Actually it was," she glanced beside her to the now kissing couple; she turned back to the rest of the group. "It's Blake ideal date and well, some of the things that Sun described just reminded me of her so I figured you may like it too."

-00000-

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her from the ground. Her legs encircling his waist and she clung to him in between kisses. She was drunk, oh god was she ever drunk. But maybe so was he. She didn't care; she wanted him like ten minutes ago. She wanted him back at the bar, she wanted him when they decided to go dance for a bit, she wanted him way before her fourth drink and her motor skills got a little sloppy.

Her feet touched the ground and she pouted. No, no no no, this wasn't what she wanted. She whined deep in her throat as she brought his face back down to hers. She laid wet kisses on the corner of his mouth, she had missed. She leaned away frowning as he took hold of her arms and removed himself from her hold. "What're you doin'?" her speech was slurred and she hated it. She didn't want to talk; she wanted his damn tongue in her mouth... or his dick, whatever.

"With your index finger touch your nose," he took a step away from her and she hated it. So she did what he told her to do... and her finger missed her nose. She scowled down at her hand; she tried again with the same results. "Blake you're drunk," he told her. She felt like ripping her hair out by the handfuls. She knew that she was drunk; it didn't mean that she didn't want to sleep with him any less.

And she said that. With as much control as she could she voiced those thoughts and barely slurred at all.

And Adam sighed, his hands gentle against her arm and back as he led her to the bed. "I think you should sleep this off," he said as he eased her into his bed. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders while the other pawed at his belt. "Blake, you don't know what you're doing." But she did. She knew exactly what she was doing and she could see that he was turned on.

He was at the club; she felt it all night as he pressed up against her. And she could see it now.

He grabbed her hands, holding them against the bed and she arched up against him. Her head tilted back exposing her neck and breasts pressing up against his chest. His nostrils flared and she could see the shift in him then.

She won. Grinning, Blake began to purr in the back of her throat, lips pressing against his pulse. Kissing. Just kissing. "If I finger you, will you stop this?" her heart dropped, skipping a beat. His grip was loose against her arms; she couldn't see his face. But by the tone it was like he gave up—in his own way.

This wasn't what she wanted. She wanted back arching pleasure where she'd dig her nails into his back and she'd cry out his name. She wanted him to kiss her and whisper her name like he did the night before and she wanted to remember every inch of his tattooed body.

She escaped his hold easily enough; he let her up and off the bed without any fight. He only watched her stumble into the bathroom and close the door behind her—she could feel his eyes on her. She flicked the lock behind her like an afterthought, her body sinking to the floor. This was the worst part of drinking she had found. When a big enough sad thought got into your head it stuck and lingered until something else came up that was bigger.

Bigger... in a better or worse way.

She curled into herself, arms wrapping around her knees as she buried her face in them. Her cat ears folded back and she felt a prick of water gathering in the corner of her eyes. She felt like a right ass; who was she to force someone to sleep with her? He must be disgusted with her. And she just had to go and say that she thought about him while she was giving oral those years ago. He must think she was a freak. Just a creepy stalker.

And that hurt, thinking that she was a stalker.

She wasn't; couldn't. She didn't know nearly enough to be a stalker. She didn't even know what he really looked like before yesterday... well, Wednesday. It was past midnight by now. But that didn't matter; she should just go back home and crawl into Yang's bed and cry her little heart out. She fucked up, she fucked up big.

There was a soft knock on the door and she quickly whipped at her eyes, "Blake, come out." And she did; it was how he said it. Her name. She flicked the lock first, and then slowly pulled the door open. He was right there; forehead creased with concern, and led her back into his room. A gentle hand taking her's, guiding her to sit on the bed. He wasn't wearing a shirt or his pants from earlier. In its stead were some black basketball shorts, "let's get you into something more comfortable than that." He helped her out of her shirt, replacing it with one of his, and she shimmied out of her pants.

She shook her head at the offer of shorts or one of his boxers; she was wearing boy-shorts undies today. It wasn't like it showed much off. It wasn't like he hadn't already seen it anyways. Wordlessly she got under the covers and curled up on her side. She still felt like such a creep—she shouldn't have said that stuff at the bar about what she did in High school. He must think she's a slut and that's why he won't sleep with her again—but that's what they were doing now wasn't it?

Just without the sex.

His arm wrapped around her waist, holding her flush against his chest. She remembered going to sleep the day before like this, just with less clothing. "Whatever you're thinking, stop. The only reason why I'm not having sex with you is because I want you to remember every second of it—I don't want whatever happens between us to be fuelled by some fucking drinks." He kissed the back of her head, "sober up. And in the morning, if you're up to it we can make up for tonight."

Blake snorted, "That's one of the most romantic things someone's ever said to me."

The light flicked off and they settled into the bed, her heart felt a lot lighter than before. And that's the thing with alcohol. The moods can come and go suddenly; you just need to find something else to change it to. "Baby, just wait till you see me trying to be romantic," and if that didn't make her stomach do a little flip then nothing could.

-00000-

He woke up when she left the bed; the bathroom light blinding him right before she pushed it mostly closed. The faucet turning on moments later. Adam smirked, leaving the comforts of his bed and joining her in the bathroom. He found her taking large gulps from the glass by the sink before filling it up again. "Thirsty?" he smirked leaning back against the frame.

"Dry mouth," she replied before a yawn escaped her. He moved behind her, kissing her shoulder and hands resting on her hips. He was a tall bastard; Blake was suddenly reminded as their eyes met in the reflection. "Can we have sex now or do I have to wait for another couple of hours? Do you want me to touch my nose?" She touched her nose, "want me to walk in a straight line?"

The glass was returned to the counter, and Blake joined it shortly afterwards. Hands buried in his hair, gripping at his horns as their lips met and tongues lapped. He carried her back to bed, leaving the light on without a care. Easier to see her this way. She threw the borrowed shirt up and over her head, chucking it back towards the bathroom. His hands pawing at her back while she handled the top layer; fingers quickly finding the clip of her bra and unsnapping it with an ease that only came with practice. Now that her chest was clear of its covering he kissed the tattoos that wrapped around her upper arm, teeth dragging along her skin as he carved a path.

Up her arm then her shoulder where he sucked little marks over her collar bone. From there he went south; with both hands and mouth. The heat of his mouth encasing her nipple and she arched towards him. Back bending off the bed as his hands pushed her panties down her legs. They ended up at her knees, and she couldn't care at this point, his finger caressing the hardening nub and she groaned. She clawed at his shoulder, feeling the movements under her palm as he dipped his finger into her wet heat.

"Adam," she arched again, more a twitch, as her breath hitched and caught in the back of her throat. He kissed her then, her nipples hardened and played with enough for his liking. Blake groaned against his lips; a second finger was added and the movement under her palm quickened. Her breath did hitch and catch then; eyes squeezing shut. "You're such an asshole," her body spasm as he 'flicked her bean'. Which didn't involve any actually flicking; more of a rub and slide than anything else.

He just grinned up at her; eyes searching, studying, her face with every hitch in her breath. She moaned and suddenly his body was no longer against her but searching (for all of three seconds) on his side table for the condoms then tearing open a package and rolling it down his length. She grinned, to both herself and to him, as she welcomed him back to her body. Her kisses slopping and wet as he hitched her legs around his waist and pushed into her heat.

He paused to kiss her back; one sloppy kiss after the other. "I like it rough," she voiced and like that the kissing stopped and his grip on her changed. Hand now tangled in her hair and pulling, oh that was nice, her neck exposed and the headboard slammed against the wall. Both grimaced at the noise; he adjusted their position so he could grab the headboard, her leg thrown over his shoulder. His knuckles now muffling the impact; the bed still squeaked every so often though, but it wasn't something that either care about at this moment.

Blake groaned and panted; cat ears folding down against her hair. She arched up, nails digging and clawing down the flesh of his back and arms. His eyes fluttered closed at that as a shiver ran up his spine.

She pulled at the hair at the back of his neck, pulling his head down so she could nip and suck at his bottom lip. Her breath began to catch as his hand left the headboard. His hands sliding along her skin as his mouth sucked marks near her hair line. She clawed down his back, over the ink markings and muscles that she promised to map out later.

Her voice pitching higher and higher as she neared completion; hand tangling into the hair at his nape, pushing his open mouth against her skin. Drowning out and muffling his groans with both her voice and skin.

"Blake," she felt him more than heard it. Teeth pressing against her neck and hands gripping hard enough to bruise—the bed slamming against the hall without a care to the inhabitants in the next rooms. He shifted his position just so; she saw stars. Tears gathering at the corners of her eyes and she pinched them shut.

She wanted to draw this out—she wanted to do this forever really.

Just the two of them and this bed. The arch of her back, the press of his body against her. His scent everywhere, she'd smell like him all tomorrow—maybe even the whole weekend too.

She was riding the waves of pleasure, kissing him sloppy. With each kiss he'd slow, focusing more on her lips containing her tongue than the southern ones. She would hiss, pulling away her face away when he'd do that. He'd pick up the pace and again she'd reward him with a kiss. And again the same thing would happen—his thrusts would slow, but he'd bottom out deeper within her.

She came just like that; mouth open in a messy kiss. It felt like someone punched her in the stomach and she almost folded in on herself.

Adam continued to kiss her as she fell, eyes spilling. His hand moved to cradle the back of her neck, nose tickling her jaw as he pressed down against her. He continued to kiss her skin as he rocked into her; quick again. Thrust, thrust, grind. He nipped at her shoulder and her arms held onto his shoulders, "come for me," she whispered. Voice soar from overuse, she had to clear it at the end.

Adam came with a pained grunt, teeth digging into her shoulder.

-00000-

They fell back to sleep shortly after their mid-morning romp. Waking up a few hours later when Blake straddled the man's waist and bluntly stated, "I'm going to ride you." Which she did—this round went a lot quicker than the first. Both no longer caring about holding out; it could be that they were tired, or that they knew deep down that this wasn't going to be the last time.

After that Blake made sure to leave two large hickies high on his neck—Adam had only replied with a quick peck to each and every mark decorating his bed partner's neck and shoulders. He winked when she scowled.

They fell back to sleep shortly after that (after Blake smacked his chest and called him an ass). They didn't wake up for breakfast, nor lunch.

Only when Adam's phone started blaring.

Blake groaned, hand sliding over the man's spine and far shoulder. He shifted under her hand; at the movement and the noise coming from his phone on the desk across the room. The bed shifted as Adam moved; she rolled away from his heat and movement. To the safety of cooler edge of the bed where nothing was moving and she could continue her wonderful naked sleep.

She snuggled into the cool sheets and the scent of Adam, and sex, and just a little bit of her. Her arms hugging the pillow under her head, pulling it closer to her chest to make up for the lack of partner. Partner who was now padding nakedly across the room towards the noise.

Adam ripped the charger out of the base of his phone, tossing the cable back to the desk as he answered. "What?" he snapped, clearing his throat after the word. His throat felt dry and pinched, and he eyed the black haired girl snuggling back into his bed.

"Hello Adam," Yang's voice came over the speaker. She sounded far too chipper after a night of drinking and clubbing—what time was it even? "Can you hand the phone to Blake? She has a class in a half an hour and I need to yell at her for forgetting to bring her phone with her."

Adam pinched the bridge of his nose, complying the the blondes wishes. He kicked the bed and Blake groaned, "no," she whined firmly. "Don't wanna talk," she buried her head into the pillow.

"Put me on speaker phone," Yang's voice chirped in his ear and again he complied to her demands. Maybe it was all the sex or maybe even the lack of sleep, but Adam really didn't feel like putting up a fight so he didn't. "Blake Belladonna," and the woman flinched and Adam decided to sit down for this conversation. "As your best friend I'm aware that there are certain obligations that I must fulfil as this roll. But you are currently in the way of me getting laid for the second time this morning, so I will make this very clear... GET YOUR PERKY LITTLE ASS OUT OF THAT GOD DAMN BED OR I SWEAR ON MY HAIR I WILL COME OVER THERE AND GET YOU OUT OF THERE MYSELF!"

Blake shot out of bed at that, diving for her panties (on a lampshade), then her bra (in the windowsill).

"Love ya darling, I'll talk to you after your class," Yang's voice chipped in again before she hung up. Blake shimmied into her pants, cursing the blonde under her breath the whole while. Adam chucked a shirt at the girl's head and she put it on without even looking at him.

"Call me tonight, alright?" Adam grinned pecked the corner of her lips. She nodded mutely, fishing for her jacket that held her keys, student card, and ID. She pecked him again before running out of room. Adam snickered to himself taking her shirt from the floor and holding it up to his nose.

He briefly wondered how long it would take her to notice that she was wearing one of his shirts as he returned to bed—head now pillowed by the one that she had clung to.

-00000-

Blake had to take the stairs—jumping down one flight after the other with ease. Years of practice for just this very moment; also, it helps that she's a cat Faunus. But hush; don't let that take away from all her practice. She shouldered through the exit and jogged along the path towards her own dorm building. She had to cut through the grass to shave off a few minutes.

She wasn't exactly sure what time it was but she wasn't going to mossy around just in case it was close to her lecture time.

Swiping her card to get into the building and ignoring the elevator and going straight to the stairs, Blake took them two at a time up to the tenth floor. Panting heavily once reaching the door leading out of the stairwell. "I'm so out of shape," she hissed to herself, already plotting ways to rope Yang into going to the gym with her every week. See, the blonde already goes to the campus gym—when Blake's in class though. The bitch.

With breath still uneven she left the stairwell and rounded the corner to her room number. Pulling out her keys, stuffing one of the unmarked sliver keys into the lock and twisting. The cat Faunus threw open the door, and sauntering into her shared room with a purpose. To find her bag and grab her phone; the one still sitting on her desk plugged in and ready to go.

Pocketing the device and throwing her messenger bag over her shoulder she left the room again. She patted herself down to make sure that, yes the keys were back in her pocket, and yes she had her student card and her credit card. Pressing the button for the elevator Blake poked at the touch screen of her phone.

Yang:

"The things I do as your friend, I swear!" 1:03PM

Yang:

"Now I have to find Adam's number and call his damn phone." 1:00PM

Yang:

"You forgot your phone... great just great Blake." 12:30PM

Two missed phone calls.

Yang:

"C'mon spill~" 12:01PM

"You promised me details." 12:01PM

Yang:

"Baby gurl, not play coy with me it's not going to work~" 11:35AM

Yang:

"So how'd the night go?" 10:49AM

The elevator arrived just as a new text message sounded on her phone. She glanced up as she entered the metal box, pressing the main floor button and got cozy against the wall.

1-895-901-****

"Forgot to give you my number. This is Adam. 'n B4 you start to think Im some creep Sun gave me this number (on Yang's demands)"

Blake grinned to herself, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. She added the number to her contacts, even going so far as to add a little heart symbol by his name. Like the damn girl that she was. Hey, it's not every day that you get the guy you've been crushing on for almost three years' number.

Today was going to be a good day.

...And that's when she glanced down and realized that this wasn't her shirt, and she flushed darkly as she left the elevator and headed towards the main part of campus. She would have enough time to grab a pita and eat it before class.

-00000-

The feeling extended to the weekend as well.

The phone call led to another one Saturday afternoon, and that one led to plans about dinner and this place down on Main that Adam's been meaning to check out. Which, huh, was funny 'cause he's in his third year and why hasn't he checked it out already? But she went with him anyways; a comic book shop. Just walking into the place gave it away—the smell.

She turned and beamed at him... before dragging him towards the Deadpool section to see what she was missing out of her collection before looking for anything and everything Wonder Woman and Zantana related. Hey, Blake wasn't betraying sides here—she didn't have anything against the two companies.

She was strictly loyal to her two hockey teams and that's it.

She didn't go back to his place that night though—although she did let him walk her back to her building and she kissed him goodnight.

On Sunday Yang and Blake accompanied Adam and company for pizza. It was Sunday and no one wanted to eat anything on campus. Yang had tucked under the blue-haired man's arm and would elbow him when she'd make grabby hands at Blake general direction. The group had joked at the two girls, questioning if they were in fact in a relationship or not.

"If I liked the V then maybe I'll date 'cha," Yang had winked at Blake in reply and all the cat Faunus could do was snort into her drink. Other than that it was almost like a triple date minus the fact that Fox and Sage were sitting right there. And so obviously not in a relationship—or at least that's what Blake thought. And no matter how many times she would stare at them to see if maybe this was a quadruple date she couldn't find anything to actually say that they were in fact together.

One could even argue the closeness was simply because they were friends—which Blake could understand seeing that some people got confused by Yang and her own closeness.

-00000-

Blake and Adam weren't in a relationship.

They... were just causally going out on dates.

And... well, not sleeping with anyone else.

And sometimes, yes they'd just make out on Blake's bed when Yang was in one of her later classes. And maybe even go to the gym after Blake mentioned wanting to run off some energy (he might have waggled his eyebrows at her and suggested a different way to work it off). And sure Yang and Blake scored closer seats to the rink during the home games (and Blake would wear her Taurus 36 jersey and have Yang take a picture of her in it before the game would even start).

And maybe even that time Blake slept over in Adam's dorm without having sex because she was on her period. And okay, he didn't seem bothered by it the slightest. As if sex wasn't what he had in mind when he invited her over. She fell asleep that night with her head pillowed in the crook of his neck and in one of his too big shirts.

But they weren't dating.

Just, y'know, causally seeing each other?

Maybe?

-00000-

"Your sister's hot," one of the guys laughed fist pumping against the black haired male's shoulder pads. The young man in question only flicked his cat ears in annoyance. He was used to this by now—back in high school he's heard all about how attractive and fuckable his sister was (and is 'cause he may be out of high school now but that doesn't mean that people haven't seen his sister). "You should introduce us," the same guy continued, this time his elbow nudging against his ribs.

"No one gets laid on Game Night—" Fredrick Belladonna paused when the door slammed closed behind number 36, Frost's Red Bull, Adam Taurus.

"Unless you're number 36," Adam continued with a large smirk tugging at the corner of his lip, tossing his bag in front of his hook. Fredrick gaped, eyes quickly narrowing at the man's back as he pulled the shirt up and over his head. Were those hickeys?

Fredrick glared at the bull faunus two hooks down from him. He pushed Lindon away from him, "Oi, Taurus," Fredrick snapped. The man nodded in his direction, eyes nor face turning towards him as he undressed. "You sleeping with my sister?" Now that got a response from the auburn haired man.

The defence-man (Rai) stopped arguing with the captain (William) about something science-y related (Fredrick was an English major, alright? He didn't care about that stuff).

Russel glanced up from his book.

The three other defence-men (Roy, Troy, and Mark) stopped doing 'Dad dancing' moves—the sprinkler, the weird butt wiggle thing, throw the dice, and that plug your nose sinking thing.

And.. well,

The goalies (Joseph and Cain) in the top two corners of the room stopped doing pelvic thrusts (at each other) to the music playing in the change room.

"Dude," Lindon and friend (Tommy) whistled when Adam merely winked at Fredrick. The cat faunus snarled, throwing his helmet at the tattooed man. And much to his growing frustration, Adam just caught it with a chuckle and tossed it back.

-00000-

Fredrick fucked up; god did he ever fuck up big.

He groaned as they carried him off the ice; his sister, teammates, and home crowd (maybe even his family was watching this at home) had seen him get his ass flattened. A hit from behind and into the boards wrong sent him into a world of pain.

Coach wanted them to be on the defensive until Adam got out of the penalty box. But Fredrick was just pissy; stir crazy maybe. He wanted to go out there and skate—skate and score. So that's what he set out to do. He was off the bench like a shot when the Coach let him back out (no Adam to plough through the bigger guys), he got the puck and skated. Ducking passed players and jumping over a stick that was totally a possible tripping call waiting to happen.

He wound back and fired, barely even stopped to consider anything else. It was just him and the goalie and the net. He couldn't give a damn about the other players skating towards him.

He scored and his team slapped down on his helmet, patted his back as they hugged him (jostling him around more like it). The boys on the bench slapped their sticks against the boards and whooped loudly. He could even hear Yang, "That's my Lil' Belladonna! That's how you do it!" And he grinned at that.

Growing up he used to have the biggest crush on his sister's best friend—it was embarrassing thinking about it now.

But it only went downhill after that goal.

Like the ball of energy that he was (only on the ice really), he didn't think twice about skating into the corner to go after the puck. Simply pluck it out and go—like he's done so many times before. But he must have angered some players with that goal (which he was totally showing off for), 'cause the next moment he on the ice and there was a sickening pain in his head and he couldn't bring himself to move.

-00000-

A hand slapped against the penalty box and Adam glanced up at the sound, away from scene playing out. "You fuck him up," Blake hissed. Yang still firmly in her spot beside the black haired girl, still staring at the ice in a mixture of anger, pain and sadness.

Adam took to watching the time remaining. On both his penalty and the guy who hit Fredrick—that boy hated anyone who called him anything other than that. No Freddie, no Fred, no Rick. Just Fredrick.

The box opened and Adam skated across the ice towards the bench. "Watch the time," his coach said, eyes not leaving the ice. Adam was already watching the time.

Last game before the winter holidays, and the last thing he was going to do was disappoint his girlfriend and let his team down. He was gonna fuck that little prick up and make sure that the little Belladonna didn't get hurt too badly.

Losing some blood on the ice was natural—it's the sacrifice that's needed to appease the Hockey Gods, or something ridiculous like that. And Adam knew all about that though—he spilt and lost enough to paint the whole fucking rink in it.

Adam stood as Coach began to wave in Tommy; one foot on the ice, sliding and pushing off again. There wasn't much time left in the game, but that's fine. He wasn't going to be playing in it after this—his hand slammed against the glass surrounding the boxed in player. "Knock, Knock," Adam grinned down at the player who snarled up at him. "I have a delivery for you," the numbers shut off for the player's time.

The door opened, and Adam back up to give the player enough room to leave his prison.

"I'll kick yer fuckin' arse," the man snarled. The gloves shot off and the player lunged towards Adam. Hand gripping at the enforcer's jersey, and Adam's lip split at the second hit. The guy's hold was weak and he threw too much into his swings, It made him unbalanced and sloppy and that's what he waited for. After the forth hit and the feeling of blood dripping down his chin, Adam adjusted his hold on the player and the guy stumbled. Adam's arm snapped forward; once, twice, trice, and the guy went down.

The ref's ushered the bull faunus off the ice, he glanced down at his hand as he slid along. He plucked the tooth chip from his flesh, more blood pooling over in its place. Yeah, Adam grinned, he had fucked him up pretty damn good.

-00000-

Fredrick didn't know what came over him, or even why he was visiting his sister (and roomie) when he would be seeing them back at home at the end of the week. But then, the whole thing about planning on a ride to get home and so on came back to mind and it was like dawn had broke. They were going home soon and they (Yang, Blake and yours truly) had no idea how they'd get there.

Their parents currently unavailable to drive all the way out here and pick their asses up.

This is why Fredrick hated not having a car. That and the fact that he couldn't get as much groceries as he'd like when he picks stuff up at the market. Hey, cafeteria food was no way for an athlete to survive solely upon, alright?!

But the man currently lounging on his sister's bed did. He saw the damn thing—and he had a hate on for the older player every time he's seen him with his shiny black Camaro. "Taurus," Fredrick snapped at the taller male in the room. He hated the damn prick—hated him. "What are you doing this weekend and next week?" Okay, so maybe Fredrick didn't hate him, so much that he was jealous—maybe?

The bull Faunus just made everything look so damn easy. Balancing hockey, and classes, and class work, and Blake, and having time for himself, and hanging out with friends (Fredrick hears all about those parties and the drinking, thanks). He has enough trouble with just hockey and classes and all the work that came with it. Fredrick hardly had any room for friends outside of class, or hell, sleep!

"Dicking around the dorms most likely—until have to catch a flight back home," the third-year replied with a large yawn tailing after it.

"Can the three of us bum a ride from you?"

The auburn haired man sat up at that, forehead creasing in thought. Yang smiled as apologetically as she could when his gaze settled on her briefly. Adam's attention turned to Blake who was glaring at her brother in a what the hell fashion. "Do you want that?" his question was directed to Blake and the girl in question jumped and quickly nodded. Cheeks colouring despite how hard she tried to push it back. "Alright, what day are we leaving?"

"Friday?"

-00000-

Yang nearly creamed herself as she got into the back seat, her hands running along the leather seats as she took in that high-end car smell. That last part was totally made up but hush let her believe that there was that expensive car smell. "Are you rich or something?" she inquired finally when they were ten minutes out of campus.

The car had a surprising amount of trunk space. Enough room to be stuffed with both of Yang's large bags, and Blake's monster of a suitcase, and then there was Fredrick's lone carry-on sized bag and Adam's shit. Which Yang assumed was clothes and a pair of skates back there. Both Blake's and Yang's purses were tossed in the back with Yang and Fredrick, the latter grumbled something about assholes and expensive cars and decent grades.

Adam's hand clenched the wheel, "something like that." Biting the corner of his lower lip he tapped along to the tune playing on the radio; he looked to be thinking something over. "I'm surprised you guys haven't put two and two together though," the same lip that he was nipping on pulled up in a smirk. His maroon eyes meeting Yang's violet in the mirror and she narrowed hers in retaliation.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yang snapped punching the driver's arm—she got a laugh from Blake and a grunt from Adam.

"It means I'm surprised you didn't Google me or anything, or y'know, my family name," his thumb began to tap against the wheel almost nervously.

What was he worried about? He obviously had money, and he was making a name out of himself with his hockey. But maybe he had a crazy parent, or maybe he was like... Batman or something. Yang stared at the driver; that has to be the reason. She couldn't wrap her mind around anything else.

Both of his parents must have (maybe?) kicked the bucket and he was raised in luxury by a butler and when he wasn't on the ice... or smexying up her best friend... he was out being a superhero. Y'know, between the clubs and bars that they've seen him and friends at. Read: Neptune. She was noticing the blue hair more often than naught—she could just fan her lady parts now.

But now wasn't the time to think about him and that one morning/afternoon after the whole Blake and Adam club thing.

It wasn't like she was trying to sleep with the blue-haired man again... okay, so that's exactly what she was trying to do. She wanted to sleep with Neptune again—she wanted to fall asleep on his shoulder during some stupid movie and feed each other pizza and other stupid foods like that.

So she pictured doing that during that group outing! So what, sue her!

No wait, don't sue her. She's a student; she ain't got no money for that kinda shit.

And okay, so maybe the whole Batman Adam thought had slip through her fingers and was completely illogical, but she'll rethink her idea after she extensively Google's the ever loving fuck outta him... when she has wifi.

-00000-

Neptune liked girls, alright? And so they liked him back. It wasn't something that people made a big deal—expect those three times in High School and he swore to never date a friend of Sun's again. Three times was enough for Neptune.

But Yang wasn't a friend of a friend—not really.

She was Blake's friend, and Blake was connected with Adam. And even though he and Adam were cool and friends, it wasn't like Neptune had met him first. No no, they met through Sun. 'Cause that's what Sun does—brings people together in the weirdest of fashions. So it could be argued that Yang was a friend of a friend's sorta-kinda girlfriend of Sun's.

That didn't sound quiet right, but it still kinda did. But that doesn't matter; he was losing the main topic here!

Anyways, Neptune didn't have a problem with sleeping with the blonde because of that reason. She was pretty, and sure her puns were horribly bad in a slightly endearing and maybe even funny way, and when she had ground against him at the club she did it with the biggest grin that he'd ever seen.

And if he stayed later, after her phone call with Blake, to get his fill of her... well, so be it. It wasn't like there was anything wrong with that!

And so she tucked herself to his side that Sunday night at the pizza place, and so what if he slung an arm around her shoulder. And so what if he added her number onto his phone before washing off the pen marks on his arm. And so what if he casually shot off a text that night.

She was the one that texted him more though, if that mattered at all.

Yang:

"So I'm almost home. Do you want to skype or something?" 7:30PM

And so they skype too. But that's extremely rare. Only when he's up late writing an essay and she's dicking around on the internet and Blake is out (most likely at Adam's). She'd call him and they'd talk as he typed away—cursing and bitching all the while.

Scarlet was lounging back against his bed, gum popping as he flipped through one of the magazines that he brought with him, Sun's arms and legs spread eagled on the floor much like a starfish. His hand gesturing as he caught the other up on what Sage, Neptune, and he had been up to.

Scarlet had got a scholarship that covered everything; books, classes, room and board. Everything. The only thing was, was that it was across the country and the only time the four of them could see each other was during long breaks such as Winter Holidays and Summer. Most of the time Scarlet wouldn't even come back during reading weeks.

Sage raised a brow as he watched him text out a reply, then delete it with a wince and type it back out... only to repeat the process again. "You texting Yang?" he smirked fingers tapping against Scarlet's ankle.

Neptune:

"I have friends over right now Maybe later 2night" 7:38PM

The blue-haired tossed the phone on the desk behind him, "now I'm not," his lip quirking up into barest form of a grin.

-00000-

Adam helped haul Blake's stuff out of the car and into her house, the woman tailing behind him saying things like, "you don't have to do that."

"Sweetheart," he raised a brow in her direction as the suitcase bounced on the bed. Her parents were fusing over Fredrick in the hallway as the man tried, and failed, to make it to his room quietly and unseen. The black haired male had hoped that with the arrival of Adam his parents' attention would be focused on the auburn haired man and not him.

It was only a little concussion.

Nothing too big, nothing that he hadn't dealt with before.

"Mum," the couple (they weren't a couple, or so Blake insisted with a dark blush on her cheeks) could hear the black haired male fight off his mother's attacks. Fredrick pushed himself through his door across from Blake's with Mrs. Belladonna fussing at his heels.

Blake laughed at her brother's torment, smiling towards Adam as she gestured to the commotion across the hall. "You glad you're not facing the blunt force of that yet?" she kissed the design on his shirt; it was where she could reach.

He was too tall for his own good, well over six feet tall—had to duck through doorways even. She was stood nearly eye level with his collar bone, if that.

His lips pressed against her hair right by the flicking cat ear perched at the top of her head. An off violet in colouring, nearly black. He chuckled at the feeling of the velvet ears brushing against his lips and nose as he brushed against one. "Siblings are worst then the parents," he breathed out. She shuttered under his hands, under the feeling of his breath against the pierced cat ears.

"And why's that?" she sounded breathless to him, to herself even, and she hated that. Hated how something so small can send her heart thundering in her chest and her knees all weak. She felt like some little girl when she sees her first crush. It's gross. She thought she was passed this by now.

He tucked a strand of hair behind the human ear, fingering the piercing that hung from that ear as well with an unfocused look. A grin broke out on his lips, "'cause siblings are evil and they like to fuck with their siblings, that includes their siblings' significant others." He flopped back onto her childhood bed with that huge grin of his.

She quickly glanced around the room for anything embarrassing that she should hide. There was nothing other than the extensive Beanie Baby collection on her selves and dresser, the posters of bands, movies and television shows that she used to like on her walls and two paintings with the signature 'C. Belladonna" in the lower right corner of the piece.

He pulled her down to his lap and snuggled into the junction between her neck and shoulder, "do you want me to leave tonight?" his lips brushed over her skin and she turned towards him, brows drawn and forehead creasing in both confusion and annoyance.

"No, why would you think that?"

The man didn't return her gaze; his was too busy focusing on the section of carpet in front of her dresser. "You didn't exactly say you wanted me to come with you," he quickly glanced at her. He nipped at the broken (and healing) skin of his lip.

Blake huffed and rolled her eyes, "well you're here and I want to spend time with you. Plus, I think Freddy started a rumour amongst my family that you're my boyfriend." Her smile fell with his sudden change in expression. "Oh," her breath caught in the back of her throat and Adam let out a sound of confusion and hurt. Blake cupped his face in both her hands, turning his face towards her, "you haven't exactly asked me go steady with you!"

"Is that what the kids now-a-days call it?"

She could taste the bitter bite that he took, and she glared at him for it. Sure, they've gone dates (read: six), hung out most days, and she did mostly stay at his dorm now. And, sure she would call him her sorta-kinda-boyfriend to people who would ask 'cause she couldn't think of anything else to call him. That didn't exactly mean that they were actually together, like fully. Facebook worthy.

She currently had it as 'it's complicated', which Yang had laughed hysterically at her for it. She told her to just change it to 'in a relationship', like Adam's read.

"Well ask me out properly and I can stop calling you my sorta-kinda-boyfriend," her cheeks coloured. She had made a mistake back in middle school of thinking that she and a boy were dating, but later found out that it wasn't the case. They were 'seeing each other', making out with each other on a regular basis and that was pretty much it. Which was brought to her attention in a highly embarrassing fashion.

She wasn't about to repeat that, not with Adam (not with Frost's Red Bull).

He snorted, "What do you want me to say?" She shrugged as a reply—she didn't know, this was all fucked up. "Let's be Facebook official? Be my girlfriend? Or how about this," he cleared his throat and sat up slightly, "hey baby, how about you c'mer and be ma gurl." The forced leer and eyebrow wiggle killed her.

"That's just horrible!" she exclaimed smacking his chest and sending them both into a fit of laughter.

-00000-

Blake Belladonna is in a relationship with Adam Taurus

-Yang Xiao-Long: would you look at that!

-Ruby Rose: aww~ Pictures pictures pictures!

Adam Taurus is in a relationship with Blake Belladonna

-Elliot Taurus: She's too pretty for your ugly mug

-Julia Taurus: Aww, look at her! You guys are adorable!

-Adam Taurus: Jealous El?

-Dominic Taurus: We all know that he likes the D

-Adam Taurus: I'm the one that told you. And I wasn't talking about that.

-Cinder Fall: I think he was trying to make a jab at the fact that he was still single. And my mother wanted me to tell you that she hosting a party and your family is invited, so there.

-Elliot Taurus: You have such a way with words. I feel so loved and included...

-00000-

The Belladonna's took to Adam like... well, kinda like a fish to water. It felt natural to have him sitting on the couch with Blake either tucked into his side or with her legs thrown over his lap. It felt natural to have another male voice chiming in during the games playing on the television. It felt natural to hear Fredrick, Blake's father, and Adam arguing about their teams (both Belladonna's tag-teamed the bull faunus). It felt natural to see Adam relaxing in her childhood bedroom and sleeping in her purple and slate-grey striped sheets, his tattoos peaking out underneath his worn tank-top. It felt natural to see him kicking her brother's ass (gently) when Fredrick was being a douche; both of them started snapping out insults at the other with huge grins on their faces.

The only thing that was awkward was when Adam ate her out... and showering together.

It felt weird to be having sex in her parents' house again and just being naked together in a place so close to where her parents slept. After months of being able to be as loud as she wanted she suddenly had to bite at her knuckles and hand to keep herself from crying out.

She wasn't about to give up sex though—nuh uh! She'll just have to stuff something in or over her mouth to keep her... quiet.

Blake glared at the doorway, fingers jabbing at the blow-up mattress. It could take some more air, "Mom!" she called out with a whine caked onto the end. The woman poked her head into her daughter's room and raised her thin eyebrow, "why does Fredrick and Scott have to sleep in here?" Blake pouted up at her mother.

"Reese will be sleeping in here too, when she gets here anyways." Blake groaned out another complaint, "now honey, the only reason why you get to keep your room this holiday is because you have your boyfriend over. I can always have you join Granny and Pops, and your two baby cousins in your brother's room." Blake quickly shook her head, "that's what I thought. Now finish blowing that up and go downstairs and say hello to your family."

Blake did what her mother told her, she set the bed sheets on the mattress (the boys could dress the damn thing themselves) before rushing out of her room and down the stairs. The house was packed and the kids gathered in the basement—Blake could hear them from the stairs. Scott and Fredrick were shouting over each other, while Malia and Anna laughed at something or another.

Blake kissed her grandparents' cheeks, hugged her aunts and uncles, voiced a quick hello and hug to any tag-alongs that were there and tucked downstairs, into the war-zone. "Blake!" Anna called out and the attention was now on her as she stepped carefully down the stairs. Adam and Blake's cousin Tyler were leaning against the pool table chatting, while Oliver and Chad rounded up the balls and stuffed them into the triangle.

That's right, Tyler played for Ryserson.

Anna hugged the black haired girl, "so we have some eye candy, huh?" Anna waggled her brows in Adam's direction. "Are you going to formally introduce your family to your new beau?"

Blake patted the girl's hands from her arms, cheeks starting to darken when Adam and Tyler stopped conversing and stared openly at the girls at the foot of the stairs. "Everyone, Adam Taurus," she made a wide sweeping motion around the room. "Adam, this is Anna," Anna tucked a dark brown strand of hair behind her human ear, "and Malia," Malia grinned and waved in reply. "You've met Tyler, and those two behind you are Oliver and Chad," the two sixteen year olds beamed at the call of their names. "And that's Scott, and you're already well aware of my brother Fredrick," Blake then pointed towards the three kids in the corner playing with action figures and dragons, "those three are Lucy, Hunter, and Quinn."

Two other young people began to walk downstairs, pausing halfway down. "Oh, are you introducing everyone?" the shorter of the two males spoke. "I'm Will and this is my boyfriend Xavier," the blond (Xavier) waved when his name was called. "You most likely won't meet my sister Reese for awhile, the poor girl is still stuck at school," Will snickered bounding down the last remaining stairs and wrapping Blake into a bone crushing hug. "Have you seen the baby yet? She has the chubbiest cheeks I've ever eff-ing seen," tucking the black haired girl's head into the crook of his neck.

"Isn't she Nina's kid?" Tyler spoke up just as Chad lifted the pool triangle from the table; Oliver leaned over the table to line up the first shot. "Dad mentioned something about a teen pregnancy in the family and I haven't seen Nina yet. Unless you have something to tell us Blake," the third-year University student winked at her.

"Well it ain't mine, so I don't think its Blake," Adam piped in beside the black haired man.

"We haven't even been together that long," Blake huffed, rolling her eyes at the auburn's words.

"You would've told me if I was going to be a stand-in father figure," he rose a brow in challenge, "I would make a great father."

Fredrick burst out laughing; "you would make a great father?" he doubled over, eyes leaking with tears.

-00000-

The ice was smooth beneath his feet and he knew he wasn't the only one to let out a sigh on contentment. Adam loved getting on smooth ice, loved seeing his blades leave grooves in the ice as he glided across it. The group were influenced, and Adam uses this word loosely, by one of the young ones. Something about a promise of teaching someone how to skate and the next moment the adults were shouting that it was a "great idea" and "here, let me grab your skates".

Somehow Blake had gotten Yang and her sister Ruby to join the Belladonna (well, half of them had the Belladonna surname) horde in their outing. The three girls had crammed into the back seat of his Camero (upon Yang's request, and who was he to deny his girlfriend's best friend) with Scott sitting in the front seat. He mostly sat silently, running his hands over the interior of the vehicle and voiced something under his breath. Adam would bet a high sum of money that it was something dirty—that and mixed with the groping and the lewd looks that the boy was giving his car... yeah, he would say he nailed that guess on the head.

But now he was here, nothing stopping him as he glided along the ice in a practised ease. Fredrick quickly dashed by him, Scott and Chad tearing after him. At the opening in the boards, Tyler was pushing off and freely onto the ice. The content grin matching Adam's own. Yeah, this was nice. The Belladonna man jutted his chin out, eyebrow climbing up on his forehead before gesturing to the younger males tearing up the ice.

Adam grinned a grin that held too many teeth and both men pushed off and forward. "Eat shit Fredrick," Tyler laughed patting the younger cat faunus as he passed. That move lost him a second of momentum and Adam quickly sailed ahead. His teammate shouted insults and relatively G-rated curses at the two older males.

The thing about Fredrick was that he was quick and agile, but he was also injured right now. He wasn't up to his standard, and Adam wasn't holding back. He was nearly a foot taller than all of them, even Tyler, and it wasn't like he was going to body check someone. Plus, he didn't have all that weight on him.

They rounded to the opening again and the rest of group started joining them on the ice as they sailed by. "Why are you never this fast during a game?" Fredrick snarled from behind the auburn haired man just as Tyler cut a corner and passed Adam on the inside.

"I aim to make them bleed, not kill them," Adam replied and he began to slow to a more manageable pace when the little ones stepped onto the ice. They were gripping the boards and the hands of those who were helping them onto the frozen water. "It hurts enough to hit those boards, now just imagine if I did that at those speeds," Adam watched the thought cross his teammate's mind, Fredrick flinched. He would know the feeling of getting laid the fuck out.

Blake smiled up at the pair, Quinn and Lucy holding onto her hands while Hunter attempted to skate in front of them. He had the basics down; just the balance wasn't so great. The boy was doing a lot of stumbling and Adam could tell that the skates weren't tied tight enough. Fredrick grinned down at his cousin, "who tied your skates, little dude?" Hunter pointed at Yang who was just circling back towards them with her sister Ruby in tow. "Well, let me fix that and I'll teach you how to skate. How's that?"

"That's not fair!" Lucy, Hunter's little sister whined from her spot clutching Blake's hand.

"I can teach both of you," it was comical how quick both girl's snapped their heads up to look at Adam—such shocked and overjoyed looks. It warmed his heart, "plus I've been skating a lot longer than him—I'm a lot better," Adam winked down at the two little ladies and they beamed, quickly grabbing his hands when he held them out.

Fredrick huffed something behind the bull faunus as he towed the two cat faunus' in the middle of the rink. Blake slowly following behind them, just in case. "First things first; it's okay to fall. There's nothing wrong with taking a tumble, and sometimes on some days you'll fall more than others. That's perfectly fine, just try not to do any header's though. Those hurt," Adam had bent down to talk to the two girls standing pin straight on the ice. "Understood?"

The two cat faunus' nodded their helmet covered heads.

"Alright, so now that we have that out of the way let's start skating," the smile that Adam sent Blake's cousins made her heart skip a beat. The helmets made it easier for her brain to picture her and Adam's kids instead of Lucy and Quinn. Those were dangerous thoughts to have, and Blake quickly left Adam and her cousins to join Yang and Ruby.

"So you may have two new love rivals after this," Yang teased elbowing the Faunus. Her golden eyebrows wiggling in way that used to make Blake envious. Growing up she used to hate her friend's perfect eyebrows—before finding out about tweezers and how to properly use them that is.

"I'm more worried about Anna," Blake muttered pointing towards the mentioned girl. Anna was eyeing the trio in the centre with her hand covering her grinning mouth. Blake could see the crinkles in the corners of her eyes from her.

"Talk about keeping it in the family," there was a pause before Yang started snickering to herself earning two unimpressed looks from Ruby and Blake. "What? I know I've done a lot better but I'm working with what I've got!" The trio caught up with Ruby as they skated, their group joining with other members of Blake's family before breaking off from them again and making plans for the rest of the winter break.

There was a party tomorrow night that Yang was telling them about—"invite Adam." That was literally all she was telling Blake, already knowing that Blake would go with Yang (the looks that she was throwing the black haired Faunus was enough for her to cave). Blake spared the centre of the rink a glance; Adam was sitting on the ice, legs stretched out in front of him as he held his hands up for the two girls to pull him up. The grin on his face should be criminal, along with the laugh that followed when the two girls tried to pull him up only to fall on their butts.

Yang followed her gaze and laughed, "aww, and great with kids." She took Blake's arm in her's, "now you're going to be thinking about babies and weddings, aren't cha?" she teased. And Blake could only fluster in reply, 'cause she was already thinking about it. And it'll only get worse as time went on.

-00000-

Five new pictures were added onto Adam's Facebook before they even left the rink. Two of them were with Quinn and Lucy; the first was with them trying to help him off the ice and the other was them pulling him along as they raced passed everyone. They wanted to show everyone how fast they could go—without having to let go of Adam's hands of course.

The other one was with both Blake and him, they were kissing. A quick peck on the lips, nothing more. There were little ones present after all (who seemed to have fallen in love with Adam, much to the man's confusion).

The fourth was embarrassing for him to look at. He had turned around a little too quickly to say something snarky to Blake and Yang and he slipped. The picture was of his epic descent—right in the middle of it. That moment between the feeling of 'oh shit' and 'I just fucked up', one leg in the air and arms out wide in an effort to collect himself. It failed.

The fifth was him just laying on the ice. Blake, Yang, Ruby, Fredrick and Tyler were killing themselves laughing at his fallen form.

"Had a little tumble there Taurus?" Tyler laughed enough to sent himself into a fit of wheezing.

"Enjoying the view?" This one was Fredrick, that little shit couldn't wait for a moment like this. Something he could wipe in the bull Faunus' face to prove that he wasn't perfect.

"Not so much," Adam replied without missing a beat, "but if your sister would stand over my face I would be singing a whole new tune." Both Fredrick and Blake roared something about that; Yang only laughed all the harder.

-00000-

They had gathered a table big enough for most of them to fit around seemingly out of thin air, a bunch of mix-matched chairs gathered from every room from the house to accompany it as well. Monopoly money from six different versions divided up on the table and in front of all the players along with the revolver from the Clue board game. Xavier shuffled the deck and dealt it out again; they were playing pseudo-poker, nothing but Monopoly money being used as payment.

Adam glanced down at the two heads of hair seated in his lap; how did he end up with these two in his lap again? Oh yeah, Yang and his kindness. But Blake wasn't exactly blameless in this whole ordeal; she was the one that giggled (yeah, giggled) when her cousins scrambled into his lap and declared that Adam would teach them about this game.

For the most part he just had them bet for him, "alright go ahead," he told Lucy and she tossed the Monopoly bills into the centre of the table where the other money was. Three cards laid out of the table, flipped over face up.

Tyler checked, head resting on his fist as he watched the rest of the table. Lip turned up into a small smirk. It was slight and how his head rested could easily hide the fact that he was smirking.

Will threw down a yellow bill before crossing his arms over his chest, "it's not like it's real money," he shrugged as he settled back in his seat.

Anna matched the bet; no other changes in her posture were made. No little tick, no slant in her body. Nothing but leaning back in her seat again to her original position.

Yang grinned, "Well now that you put it that way," the blonde purred slapping down another two yellow bills on top of the one that she would originally have to put down. Bet was now three yellow bills.

Ruby groaned, folding. "That's doesn't mean that you should blow all your money!" she replied with a pout as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Blake had Hunter match Yang's amount, she didn't spare a glance at her cards.

Adam turned his cards up so his two partners could see what he had. "Are these good cards?" Quinn asked, causing a few of the people gathered around the table to chuckle. "Those look like sucky cards," the girl continued and Adam winched at that (more laughter sounded around the table).

"They're alright," he told them. He had two three's and there was one already on the table. But there was also two fives on the table as well so he wasn't looking to win this. "Please put four yellows on the table," and Lucy did what was asked with a smile on her face. She was looking over all the fake money in her hand that they had won.

Fredrick matched Adam's bet, a grin pulling at his lips.

Malia folded, expression growing bored.

Scott matched the current bet with a flick of his wrist.

Chad matched the bet as well, a "what the hell," escaping his lips as he did.

Xavier folded.

The next card that was flipped over was an eight.

Tyler put down a light orange bill this time. And everyone but Chad matched it, much to Quinn's horror in Adam's lap. The man only shrugged his shoulders and said, "Already in as it is, may as well see this through."

The last card was a three and Adam felt his heart thud loudly in his chest. It looks like his little handicaps in his lap were keeping his luck in check. Every time they called something out about how much Adam's cards sucked luck would later turn into his favour. He was tempted to start bringing them when he actually gambles.

Tyler put down two dark orange bills on the table and everyone but Adam folded. In fact, Adam raised it another two oranges, one dark and one light. 500 and a 100, if his memory serves him right (he wasn't looking at the paper in Lucy's hand, too busy looking at the player's tells). "I highly doubt you can beat this, Taurus," Tyler grinned, hand no longer supporting his head as he raised the bet.

Adam went all in, "I'm will to bet real money on this hand," and he settled back in his seat. As much as he could with two bodies sitting on his legs.

"How much?" Tyler replied without missing a beat, his Monopoly money joining Adam's on the table. He was all in too.

"My Camaro," the bull Faunus grinned and the look that crossed Tyler's face was hesitant. He was tempted, but they already established that no money would be spent here. No matter what. "But rules are rules," Adam grinned cheekily.

Tyler flipped his hand over and it was a five and an eight, "full house," he grinned and Adam let out a sigh.

Quinn turned over the cards in front of her, "is four three's good?" she asked staring up at the auburn haired man, watching the grin slowly creep and pull his lips up into a grin. His lip pricked at being stretched too far while it was still healing, but Adam couldn't care that moment.

"Hunter, Lucy, Quinn!" a woman called from the top of the stairs, "it's time for bed, say goodnight!" The children kicked up a brief complaint that was quickly shut down with a "you'll see them all tomorrow!" And while they wore pouts on their lips they bid the older kids goodnight (Lucy and Quinn kissed Adam's cheeks before high tailing it out of the basement with cheeks a flamed).

"Do you want me to give you your money back?" Adam waved the stack of Monopoly money towards Tyler and the man grumbled something that he couldn't hear before taking the money back that he had bet in his 'all in moment'. That's what he's calling it. Adam claimed the pot though; his charity only extended so much.

-00000-

"Oh baby brother~~, hey... HEY! Hey shithead, its Cain. Answer the phone you dumbass or I'll blast Madonna whenever I see you next. ADAM! PICK UP YOUR PHONE!" Adam ripped the charger out of the outlet in his haste to grab the device.

"What do you want?" he snarled into the mike. He heard chuckles on the other end of the phone belonging to at least two males. Adam's going to guess its Cain and Dominic—he's going to kill them when he gets home.

"We just wanted to check up on our darling little brother," Cain cooed over the ear piece. Blake blinked up at him from her pillow, eyebrow quirking upwards in question.

Adam mouthed the word 'brothers' and she grinned, chuckling to herself before snuggling into his shoulder. The two boys on the air mattress didn't even stir at the noise; good, 'cause the last thing Adam wanted to deal with on top of his brother's was Blake's brother. "At," Adam's eyes narrowed in the direction of the clock, the light coming from it illuminated the dark room, "6:30 in the morning?" Well, it would be more like eight were his brother's were, but they already knew the time zone here.

"Oh," Cain paused, trying to make it seem like he was actually sorry and that he forgot about the difference in times. "I completely forgot, I'm so sorry," it was how he said it too that made Adam grind his teeth together in annoyance. He was going to kill Cain when he gets home, screw the fact that they were brothers. Hell, he'll kill Elliot and Dominic too. Julia could stay, he actually liked his sister... and she wasn't a hell spawn like the others.

"You're so full of shit," he hissed unplugging the charger from his phone and letting it fall to the floor in a soft thud. Blake's lips kissed up his tattooed covered arms, drawing him back down into the bed where she could run a hand up and down his shirt covered spine.

"Hello Adam's brothers," Blake spoke, tucking in close to the phone so she could press a kiss to his lips. She could hear a commotion on the other end of the phone as it exchanged hands and a lot of harsh words were exchanged.

"I'm so so so sorry that these idiots decided to call right now," a female spoke, a bunch of shouts shouting in the background that sounded a lot like 'I want to talk to the girlfriend too!' Adam huffed in amusement, "but hi Adam, and Blake too."

"Hey sis," Adam yawned, "I'll call you later alright? Just let me get a few more hours of sleep in."

"Yeah, yeah, sure. That sounds great, I'll talk to you in a few hours. Sleep tight!"

"Yeah," Adam pulled the phone away from his face and ended the call. He stared down at the device for a moment before turning it on silent and setting it back on the nightstand. He flopped back into the pillows, Blake quickly kissing his cheek and settling back under his arm. "Sorry," he mumbled against her hair.

"Siblings," she kissed his arm, "I get it."

-00000-

Blake was starting to worry about her cousins and their sudden taking to Adam. She had heard that the three were sent to wake all the older kids, which they did, but the normal energetic greetings were rude and bristled. They had rolled Oliver off the futon, then beat the crap out of everyone else (but Tyler and Oliver) with pillows until they left the bed, and poor Tyler had his mattress kicked and a greeting of "Wake up, we want to go wake Adam up but we can't do that until you wake up!" In which Lucy kicked the hockey player's leg and the man grumbled all the way to the kitchen.

The three children had then ran into Blake's room, launching from the blow up mattress where Scott and Fredrick slept and onto Blake's bed where they started to bounce and chant, "Adam! Wake up Adam!" The man only snuggled into the pillows, as the room around him quickly descent into madness. Scott swore up a storm, voice only slightly muffled by the pillow. Fredrick punched the male beside him before tearing the pillow from under his head and whipping it at Hunter. It pegged the boy in the head and the child tumbled off the bed and started to sniffle.

Blake had jolted awake as soon as the door was thrown open but pinched her eyes shut in an attempt to block out the horrible nightmare that had befallen her. That was, of course, until Hunter fell and the tell tale signs of a wail was about to begin. The whole time Lucy and Quinn still jumped and chanted her boyfriend's name in a weird, demonic...ish-ly child-like way. It made her mind flash to all those demonic or ghost children in movies—she knew she hated them for a reason.

"What did you do?" Blake shouted at her brother as she untangled herself from Adam. She gathered Hunter in her arms and began to check him over for any open wounds or contusions. She couldn't see anything right then, just Fredrick's pillow. She chucked the pillow back towards her brother, "he's six! Be gentle," she snapped, kicking his outstretched leg.

He cursed, "it was only a pillow!" he was quick to shout back at her.

The girls on the bed continued to bounce and command the auburn haired man to wake up while they watched the two siblings argue and throw pillows back and forth as they exchanged words that both Lucy and Quinn weren't allowed to use. Adam's head slowly becoming covered in both a pillow and blanket—if he doesn't see them, they'll just go away. Its the way that he was hoping it'll work.

It didn't, just for the record.

-00000-

Wrapping an arm around his neck, sighing against his lips as he entered her, "its okay." It was stupid on her part, the having sex without a condom, but she wanted him and the only time she could have them was while they were showering. And even then it had to be quick; too many people in the house, too many people with an extra set of ears. Quick and quiet.

Two things Blake wasn't exactly a fan of while having sex.

She loved the build up before sex; the exploring hands and the sliding mouths that part and nip and pull at the other. And while Adam's mouth still did this, much to her relief, it was much too hurried for her liking. She loved it when he could pull her apart with just his lips and a hand sliding down her side, brushing against the side of her breast before tickling the skin of her waist. "Adam," she whispered against his lips before pressing them together in a quick and hard kiss.

He was in deeper then she remembered; she hummed in the back of her throat and the stretched feeling. That burn that seemed to mix perfectly with the other fire pooling within her with each slide and pull. It was awkward in the shower; the constant fear of falling and/or slipping always teased in the back of her mind. Her breath caught, eyes pinching shut as his lips covered her mouth again. His open mouth slowing down her moans, and her's was doing the same.

She could feel it under her hand. He broke away, "shit," he hissed shoulders tensing. His dick left her heat, and she whined in response—to that and her body being set back down. His fingers made quick work of her instead; her back quickly bowing, moans quickly covered by his hand over her mouth. His forehead pressed against the wall, teeth digging into his lip as he beat himself off.

Blake watched the near pain expression cross his face as his climax built, "why did you pull out?" she whispered, chest still heaving despite her wishes. He came, shoulders tensing and the grip his teeth had on lip nearly reopened his lip wound. Her answer was right in front of her and Blake laughed, wrapping an arm around his neck and pulling his face back down to her level. "You didn't want to come first," she teased pecking his nose.

"No," he panted, lips pressing against her cheek bone. "I just didn't want to come in you," he kissed her forehead this time as he adjusted the water temperature. "Now let's actually take a shower."

-00000-

She didn't have to beg or plead to get him to accompany her to the party. In fact all she did was look at him and say, "Yang wants us to go to a party." He immediately agreed no prompting or anything. Just a shrug. "Most, if not all, of my ex-boyfriends will be there," she added, hoping that maybe he'd change his mind.

"Ooh, now I actually want to go," he winked at her. Her stomach rolled; she was nervous. She was actually nervous to show him off to everyone that she used to know and used to go to school with. Back when she was Blake the Slut; she didn't want him to think poorly of the kid that she used to be.

Back when she blew guys without a care, and didn't have nearly enough self confidence that she used to pretend to have. Blake, Yang, Ruby and Adam arrived when the party was in full swing. It made Adam feel extremely old when he took in the stereotypical teen party currently underway. Sure, Adam's been to like two or three of the movie worthy parties, but how the three females were reacting (or, well, not reacting) made him realize that maybe he hadn't been too as much parties as he should've growing up.

"Never been to a party this big?" Yang laughed on his left side, handing him a red solo cup. Huh, stereotypical. So it was true about the cups too—the big parties that Adam went to had open beer bottles and clear plastic glasses. He was from a well off part of town and it tended to show at the parties and gathering he went to.

But then again, he didn't really go to too much parties. He went to bars and clubs—he was gifted with a fucking great fake ID, height and a mature looking face.

The man shrugged, watching as Ruby and Blake went off in search of the alcohol now that Yang was back. "I never really went to parties. I've been going to clubs and bars since I was like... fifteen though," Yang stared up at him star struck. Adam shrugged again, "gifted with a great fake ID and a well timed growth spurt. Didn't help that I befriended the bartender and bouncers after the fifth time visiting."

"I don't know if I should feel proud that you got away with it, or pity that you've never experienced a house party."

He took a sip from the cup, making a face at the taste of cheap beer but swallowing it down anyways. "I've been to house parties... well," he paused. Were mansions considered houses? Someone lives there, and they call it their house. It's a stretch, for sure. "I've been to parties like this held in mansions," he hated the word mansion. Hated anything that gave away just how much money his family has.

Yang's mouth dropped momentarily before closing it quickly and settling into a glare, "do you know the Shnee family?" This must be one of the looks that Blake warned him about; not the bitch face, but certainly a face that meant business.

"My family's been invited to a lot of their parties," Adam could see the gears click into place. The blonde's face shifted into what Adam could only assume was the Bitch Face that he's heard so much about.

"So you're that Taurus," was all she said to him before leaving the man to watch her disappear into the crowd towards the direction that (he assumed) Blake and Ruby went. He shifted awkwardly in place before overhearing mentions of a beer pong tournament going on.

-00000-

"Your boyfriend is fucking loaded," Yang hissed into Blake's (human) ear when she found her talking to Nathan just outside the kitchen. Nathan was the dude that Blake gave that blow job to. You know the one.

"What?" Nathan replied overhearing what she said. Yang noted that he took a slight step backwards and quickly looked over his shoulder.

She ignored Blake's ex, "he's one of those Taurus'." She stressed, Blake stared at her not quiet getting it. "His Dad is Zachary Taurus from the Devil's, and his Mom is Maya Taurus. The warrior goddess, our 'burn it all' Queen of the Raider's."

There it was. There was the recollection and the shock. "No way," she gaped, and Yang couldn't help but nod back at her. Nathan quietly scooted away as the girl's slowly blinked back their shock—sure Yang had broke the news to her bestie, but it wasn't like it had fully sunken in before now.

Y'know how sometimes you can deal with all these things as long as you don't voice it out loud? Yeah, it was one of those things. You would've thought that they were used to being around wealthy people, what with hanging around Weiss growing up. But the Taurus' were different.

Their money didn't just come from multimillion dollar businesses, but it did start with it. The Johnson's, which used to be Maya's last name, was another huge company as well. So Adam came from two huge names with some serious dough behind it, throw in Zachary the Captain of the Devil's and Maya the A-list actress and there's a power couple that people couldn't believe existed. And on top of that all? All Faunus. Everyone in their family was a Faunus; the family was actively speaking up and pushing forward Faunus movements.

Yang cracked a huge grin, "I always knew you had expensive tastes, but I never thought you would run a bill this high." That earned her a slap to the boob, and another for added measures.

"I blame you," the faunus hissed back turning the blonde around and back into the mess that the party was turning out to be. There were people everywhere, on the stairs, against the walls, in the middle of the room. It was crowded as hell, and both girls had no idea how to find Adam now that they left him. They haven't partied with him before, they didn't know how he partied. Was he a drinker? Was he a dancer? Was he a sexaholic... well, Blake was here so that wasn't looking to be the case. Was he a talker? Was he into the party games?

Ruby was. So they started there; there was a beer pong game going on and 9.5/10 of the times Ruby would be right f-ing there. And lo-and behold, that's exactly where she was... along with Adam. "Drink it!" she shouted tipping the cup back further, the contents of the drink sliding down Adam's throat.

They were familiar with the way that these people, these people as in the former student of their high school, play beer pong. The last row was filled with beer, five cups. The second last were coolers, four cups. Middle row was rum and coke, three cups. Second row was most likely two shots of straight liquor of the opposition's choice, two cups. And the first cup was a cluster-fuck of just about everything. They would then quickly rearrange the cups into whatever order they wanted; a beer could be the first cup, or those shots. Whatever was in the cups stayed in the cups, and the arrangement remained the same after time was called.

It wasn't exactly how you played beer pong, but it was their way and it made things extremely interesting. And funny to watch if someone got the cluster-fuck cup. The look of pure horror on the poor sap's face as they had to down that concoction before continuing. Just beautiful.

Yang covered her mouth, the snort escaping behind her hand. The auburn haired man shook off the affects of whatever he just had and tossed the ball to the other side of the table. It hit the rim of the middle cup and bounced off the table. "Shit," Adam hissed, before reaching out to catch the ball bouncing off course. He lobbed the light ball back to the opposite end of the table, and the crowd gathering around them cheered when the ball sank into the drink.

"Drink, drink, drink!" they yelled, and the man's grimaced growing worse as he lifted the cup closer to his face. Blake knew exactly what cup it was. He shuttered violently as he took the first sip, mistake, pulling a face that caused most of the people around him to laugh hysterically.

"Just drink it!" one of his friends shouted.

Oh, there was one of her ex's. Right there. Blake ground her teeth together, now all she could do was hope that she didn't run into anymore of them and that they wouldn't say shit to Adam.

-00000-

This was the drunkest she's ever seen him—the beer pong game ended with him losing by one cup. Adam's last cup was that cluster-fuck one. And he didn't even blink before downing it down, only saying "that tasted foul." He stuck his tongue out, keeping it out for about a minute. As if the air would help rid the taste from it... or bring the feeling back to it.

He found her after that, beaming wide and eyes crinkling at the corners. Her heart skipped a beat. She wrapped an arm around his neck and kissed his cheek, "sorry for running off on you." He shrugged, and she began to lead him towards another crowded spot in the house. Of course, after stopping for a few shots of... wait, what was that again?

From there was the dancing. Blake enjoyed this about parties, the feeling of having someone press against her and they'd rock along with the music blasting through whatever speakers they had gathered. What was different about Adam was he wasn't behind her. With an arm thrown over his shoulder and his forehead pressed against her's as they moved with a purpose of simple movement. They didn't need anything else at that moment, both content enough to remain like this until Adam decided that the pain in his neck was getting just too much. But that wasn't going to happen quiet yet.

The affects of the earlier consumed drinks were taking a hold on them, and Blake could only guess from the slight over-sway that Adam felt like the room was beginning to spin. She laughed the sound rich but muffled by music and Adam's own drunkness. He couldn't help it, he pouted.

-00000-

He woke up before the kids could make it to Blake's room, hell he was finished puking by the time the kids even came bounding up the stairs. Adam swished the mouthwash around, gargling and spitting the minty freshness out and into the sink. He repeated this two more times before leaving.

He'll brush his teeth after he consumes some food and drinks like... four bottles of water. "You look like shit," Tyler laughed behind a glass of juice.

He was too happy today; everything was just too happy and bright. All Adam wanted was quiet, darkness, and just misery. But that was just the hangover talking; just give him two hours, four bottles of water, two capsules of Tylenol and maybe even a few nibbles of food and he'll be his normal self again. Well, should be. "I feel like it," he bit back, taking out two bottles of water from the fridge. He downed the first one in record time, followed by the second almost as quickly. He grimaced at the feeling of it hitting and filling his stomach.

Tyler pulled out another bottle, setting it in front of the bull faunus with a small smile. "Drink up," he chuckled at the look Adam gave him. The look of a man whose been told that a lot the night before.

Adam was going to be leaving tonight, just after dinner. The Belladonna's (and Roberts, which were Janis' side of the family. Janis is Blake's mother) were going to fill him up with a nice home cooked meal before ushering him off the airport.

The rest of the brood trickled in, the three little ones pouting before spotting Adam against the counter. "Adam!" they grinned, bounding over to the two quiet males relaxing against the counters. Tyler quickly covered his junk, eyes wary as they stopped just short of them. "You weren't in bed today, where were you?" Lucy pouted, grabbing onto his free hand and tugging on it.

"Bathroom," it was too early for this. His head was still pounding; slightly less, but still just at the point of unbearable. "Excuse me, I need to make a phone call," he was going home today. His flight was later this evening, but he had to drive all the way back to the airport where his damn ticket was issued and get on a flight that'll take him halfway across the damn country. He wasn't looking forward to it—seeing his family though, well... mixed reactions. It would be great to see his parents, grandparents and sister again... not his brothers though. He could go without those assholes ruining his holiday break.

He flipped through his contacts until he found his Mother, pressing the call symbol and held it against his ear just as it began to ring. Four times, four rings rang through before his Mother answered the phone. "Please don't send one of my brothers to pick me up," he ducked into the downstairs bathroom, just a little room with a toilet and sink, closing the door behind him.

"Well too bad honey, Cain has already agreed to get you. In fact, they were all shouting at each other just this morning to figure out who was going to get you and why it should be them," he could hear her holding her laughter in check. So maybe he'll just go home to visit his sister then, at least she wasn't a hellion.

-00000-

The only people who cried when Adam was leaving was Lucy and Quinn—they really didn't want him to leave. The Belladonna's and the Robert's sent him off with far too many hugs to count, a bruising shoulder from all the shoulder pats ('cause they were men, damn it!), two lipstick marks on his left cheek and the taste of a home cooked meal on his tongue.

It was heart warming to say the least, being included like this—so easily accepted into Blake's familiar circle. Even though he wasn't able to meet the Shnee heiress, although it wasn't like he didn't already know her though. Oh wait, he did.

The drive to the airport was long; having to drive back in the direction of campus and what-not with nothing but the radio blaring and his phone buzzing in the passenger seat. He would bet a large sum of money that it was his brothers... all of them. All three of the annoying bastards.

Adam reversed into the parking spot, killing the engine shortly afterwards. Checking his phone, his assumptions were correct, as he pulled his luggage out and began locking up. He checked everything over exactly three times—call him paranoid, but this car was nice and as much as he trusting this airport it still ate at the back of his mind every time he left his car here. It was like his baby. No, it was his baby.

Patting the hood, "stay safe baby, Papa will be back soon enough," he whispered under his breath before grabbing his baggage.

-00000-

Adam's plane landed without any complications... it was just everything afterwards that made a peaceful evening no longer that. The hangover from the morning had long since dissipated and that couldn't be the reason why he feels sick as soon as he see's Cain wicked grin and that stupid bushy tail of his flicking with uncontrolled glee.

He was already planning a way out of this situation. Namely a purchase of another plane ticket and throwing his phone out a moving vehicle's window. And as if sensing his brother's line of thought Cain wrapped an arm around Adam's middle and grinned, "there is no escaping, brother."

The recovery of his baggage was tense; Adam was waiting for a shoe to drop. His brother was a jerk and he knew that Cain masterminded anything that would happen to him at home. He's calling it now.

The drive home wasn't anything special; nothing was really spoken. Just Cain grinning wickedly at him, and Adam knew that dick was just fucking with him now. He was on edge, and Cain could see that—so what better way than to poke and prod him some more without doing either of those actions?

He really did love being the eldest Taurus child—he had all the other ones on the ropes growing up. Submit to his will or suffer the consequences. Most of them submitted and assisted him in his reign of terror over the kids in the schoolyard (and in the house). I mean, what else is a kid supposed to do with a small army at his whim? The car turned up their long winding road, both boys waving at the guard watching the gate as they passed. "Welcome back to hell, brother," Cain cackled from his seat now that Adam had nowhere to run off it.

The auburn haired man grimaced, he knew it. He knew it all along.

-00000-

Adam's Facebook lit up as soon as he got home. The pictures pouring in from his family, the videos that they took, the comments that they were posting. Blake (and even Yang 'cause she was just there) would have something new to read, watch or see every hour.

It started with the arrival, Adam's lips pulled down into a frown and eyes crinkling up into a squint as he regarded the man at his side. His brown hair slicked back neatly, only to flick up slightly in the back. This was Cain, the eldest brother, or so the tag on the picture read. His sister was the next sibling to arrive; her auburn hair curled and long, cascading down like a waterfall to her waist. Her large pointed (matching) wolf (Blake was making a guess here) ears suiting her.

Blake already hated this family; how could they all be so damn beautiful? How could beautiful people at this magnitude exist? She constantly asked herself this when she was around Yang, then Adam and now the whole Taurus family.

There was a before and after picture of the children lined up in front a large stone fireplace in tuxedos and Julia was in a beautiful puffed up dress... for a child. Cain had his arms crossed over his little chest as he beamed at the camera, pointed teeth indenting his lips. Elliot's lighter brown hair was slicked back, eyes closed as he beamed up at the camera while throwing it a peace sign. Dominic looked like a buffer Cain, even at that age, all dark hair and sharp eyebrows. Dominic was caught in the middle of snapping at his little brother to his left. Adam was pouting while Julia clung to his hand. Her own lip pouted and eyes slightly watered as the brother's fought.

In the newest one Cain and Elliot were in the same position. Still smiling their toothy and goofy grins. Although Elliot's hair was a sandy colour and swept up and bangs gelled back into a slight poof fashion. He was the homosexual, if Blake could remember correctly. And as much as Blake hated to label people in their stereotypes... well, Elliot was a flaming homosexual. It was just oozing. That and the whole Adam saying straight out that he was gay (with a far off look of horror in his eyes, like one child might do if they caught their parents in the act). The last three Taurus children were different than before. Dominic was glaring at Adam this time, looking up at the auburn haired hockey player. And Adam was just grinning, arms wrapped around Dominic and Julia's shoulders. And Julia, well, Julia was just laughing. Happy to see her family back together and not shouting at each other... yet.

The one thing that Blake noticed more than anything was that Adam was now about half a foot taller than his brothers. His sister looked extremely tiny beside him, tucked under his arm.

She smiled before scrolling down and clicking on the video—was it a Vine? Well, it was a short video that opened with Cain grinning that canine grin of his, the one with too much pointed teeth and a light in his eyes that just screamed trouble.

"This is Waking the Beast with-"

"Dominic," the man peeked out from beside his brother as the camera panned around to him.

"Elliot," the sandy haired man smirked resting his chin on Cain's shoulder.

"-and the wickedly handsome Cain, that's me."The man grinned before the Dominic took hold of the camera and the other two brothers moved towards the door. "For today, we'll keep it nice and sane. We're just gonna snuggle with him a bit. Show Adam just how much we missed him, ain't that right brother?"

"Of course we missed our little baby brother, poor thing is off playing sports and doing who-knows what," the sandy haired male tsked and they both quickly quieted down. The pair pushed the door open slowly and quickly crept into the room.

"Ssh," the voice closest to the camera whispered, Dominic, as the two men pulled back the covers and slowly slid into bed with the auburn haired man. "Observe the adult male bull Faunus in his sleeping state—but oh look, it seems that the wolves had decided to adopt him into their pack," Cain and Elliot snuggled into him kissing his exposed arm and forehead and cheeks.

Adam stirred slowly, batting them away with a grumble. The two brothers continued in their affectionate torment. "What the hell are you two doing?" Adam's voice cracked as he pushed Cain out of his face. The two brothers grinned, continuing the attack. Adam growled deep in his throat, kicking forward and pushing the older men off and away from him. "Get off me you damn leaches!"

The video cut off after that.

-00000-

Sun came from a single parent household; his mother raised him on her own without help from anyone but from his grandmother. The very grandmother that he was helping to the car, matching grins on both of their faces. Sun never really admitted this, but he missed his Grandmummy, as well as his Mum. His mother always had the habit of taking too much stuff on at once; two jobs, him and that hamster that one time.

It died a few months after they got it—Sun was heartbroken. He found it dangling from the top of the cage by its foot. He didn't stop crying for two hours. After his mom finished making dinner and removing the now-dead critter from the cage and dealing with the enclosure.

He doesn't talk about that childhood memory. Actually, he never really told many people about his family life. Only Sage, Neptune and Scarlet knew anything pertaining to his childhood. Although he was slowing edging Velvet into his past—the funny, cushy stuff.

Not the poor, sad story that made up a good chunk of his childhood. None of that—way, way, way too early in the relationship to drop the P bomb. Y'know... poor, single income, living with his grandmother... hardly has any money for school (actually, he was surprised he was even able to get into school), but hey, that's what sports gets you though.

Holding the door open for his sweetheart of a grandmother, Sun smiled as he softly closed the door after she was all tucked into the seat. He quickly pulled open the trunk and began to pile the groceries into the trunk; there was supper to be made when they get back. And Sun was starving.

-00000-

Fox hated his step-brother; the little shit was... well, a little shit. Sixteen and believed that he was entitled to everything and that he was right (constantly right; except for when he gets his test back, then it was the teacher's fault). Fox really hoped that he was never like that at that age—he just remembered being angry a lot as a kid, although he was still kinda angry. Less anger more snark and sass than anything else, or so Sage would describe him as.

The orange haired man smiled to himself as he took another selfie, this one shirtless. He had written some cute little bullshit just under his collar bone a little while ago in a sudden spell of loneliness and longing. It was stupid, just really stupid. It was just one word repeated. Kiss, Kiss, and that was it. But the thing that made it stupid was his shitty attempt to mimic Sage's neck tattoo ('cause the ones on his chest were just too much).

The lines were just really really bad, alright?

His phone vibrated on his bed, exactly where he threw it so he could quickly throw his shirt back on—screw what his family thought about his pseudo-tattoo on his neck. Fox quickly dived for his bed, clinging to the device as he bounced. He rolled off the furniture, catching himself with a hand before righting himself with a brush of his pants.

Sage:

"Wouldn't you like that," 7:46PM

Fox:

"Well, I did draw it on my chest. So yes, yes I would like some kisses" 7:47PM

Fox thundered down the stairs, smacking the back of his step-brother's head as he rounded the corner. "Don't ruin my hair!" the teen snarled stomping forward as he lurched to stab the orange haired man in the ribs.

"Don't ruin my hair," Fox mimicked in a high-pitched and whiny tone. His phone vibrated in his back pocket just as his step-brother made another attempt at jabbing his finger in between his bones. Fox smacked him away and kicked at his shins. The teen snarled diving towards him, and Fox quickly darted away from his outstretched arms. The young man took off down the hall and around the bend into the kitchen-dining room area where their parents were gathering the goodies together for their annual Winter Break Movie Marathon.

Tonight was Transformers.

Tomorrow would be Star Wars. And the other nights were still undecided—maybe Marvel, or maybe even some DC thrown in there. The Batman series wasn't bad. "What's that all over your neck?" his Mother's voice made him stop right before he was about to loop around the corner leading to the basement stairs.

His hand flew up to the markings, "Umm," his brain stuttered, grinding and shifting in an attempt to reboot. It continued to grind together as his phone vibrated again in his pocket and continued to stall as his Mother pulled back his shirt to access the damage that he had delivered to his neck and collar. His Mother (Step-brother, and Step-father) were all made aware of his bisexuality last year... actually around this time as well, believe it or not.

But the details on his relationship was not yet known to them... or, well, anyone else for that matter.

Fox was a third-year student at Frost; he wasn't there because of a sport or a full scholarship. Sure, he got a bit of one that helped lessen the load that his parents, and grandparents (and himself too) had to pay for him to go to school. Studying Business—one of the most boring, soul sucking majors there could possibly be. But it was how he met Sage; first year Calculus.

That big brute sat right in front of him—he couldn't see alright—and so Fox did the only thing he could think of. He kicked the back of his seat... then told him he had one of two choices, move or duck down so he could see. Sage did neither and before Fox even knew what he was doing, he had taken the seat right beside the darker skinned man and glared at him for the ten remaining minutes before class started without saying anything.

Sage had only laughed.

His brain jumped out of the memory just as his Mother opened her mouth again, "do you have something to tell me?" Her tone level and caring, and all the panic that he had felt pricking at the back of his mind for the passed two years—exactly two weeks after he had met Sage and they started this relationship of theirs.

"I'm dating someone," he whispered. He wasn't scared, he wasn't. He wasn't scared to tell his friends, it was just too much fun watching them try to wrap their heads around it. Having them guess and all that. He wasn't scared of what they thought... just what his family thought. Mostly his step-father. His mother was more than helpful and supportive of his bisexuality; his step-family gave him an odd look when he dropped the bomb though.

They didn't treat him differently, but it was that split second where that look crossed both his step-father's and step-brother's face was enough to keep him quiet for another year. Now well on their way to their third year in this relationship and he was only just starting to tell his parents and family about it.

"Actually, I've been dating him for over two years," his gaze dropped to his mother's socked feet. Lime green poka-dots. Fox really only started to like the colour green these passed years—like, it was alright before, but now it's just like... Damn. Her hand smoothed back his bangs and his gaze quickly snapped up to her smiling face, "You're not mad? Disgusted?"

"Why would I?" her hand fell back down to his cheek, swiping the pad of her thumb against his cheek bone. "You obviously care for this boy a lot, and I'm happy that you've found that. I'm happy that you've decided to tell me this too." She pecked the opposite cheek, "now I would like to meet this boy, if it isn't too much with you? Possibly sometime during the break, if he lives close enough that is."

-00000-

Weiss' plane touched down with only one slight bump that jostled her. She had to ride in a commercial flight, no private planes for her this Winter Break, and for once she didn't mind riding first class in a too busy plane. If it meant that she could get home sooner rather than later. The white haired heiress smiled to herself as she stepped off the plane, ice blue eyes searching for familiar heads of hair.

Her smile grew as she spotted the head of black and red hair holding up a sign reading, "My Darling ICE QUEEN, how I've missed thee." And she couldn't help but cover her smile with her hand as her shoulders shook. It was one of the worst signs that Ruby has ever made, it wasn't exactly creative, but the colours and glitter more than made up for it.

Ruby's face cracked open into a beaming grin, "Weiss! My love!" she called handing off the sign to Winter and breaking off into a run towards her. The heiress wrapped her arms around the younger girl's shoulders as their bodies collided. "I missed you," Ruby whispered against her cheek, between pecks and her nose nuzzling against her jaw. "You missed so much. Blake brought home a boy, and you wouldn't believe who he really is," the younger girl continued to natter against Weiss' skin.

The white haired girl could be bothered to care though; it felt nice to be held like this again. It felt nice to hear Ruby's voice against her skin, her lips ghosting over her cheek and jaw and neck. She missed this more than anything else. The comfort of holding onto Ruby and being held by her in return.

"Shut up," Weiss finally whispered, arms tightening around her shoulders.

"I love you too," Ruby whispered back, pecking the corner of the other female's lips.

-00000-

The next video came out two days later. The day after Weiss' arrived back home actually; the girls had spent the night catching up and making a giant fort in Weiss' bedroom before retiring for the night with a movie and ignoring the kissing going on between the heiress and the youngest member of their group. Yang rolling her eyes and whispering, "Children these days," to the Faunus.

"This is Waking the Beast part two," the video opened with Cain grinning at the camera. "Here today we have—"

"Elliot—" the second eldest Taurus child beamed holding up his Nerf gun. A medium sized gun with an extended cartage—it was bright green with yellow add on pieces.

"Dominic—" a huge Nerf gun in his hand. Too many rounds to count in that short amount of time, but Yang had whispered that he just be compensating for something. Blake did not laugh at that... not even a little bit. And she wasn't lying, alright?!

"—and Cain~. Today we have something a little more fun planned," the man held up his own bright red gun, "I would introduce our new camera man, but I won't. I'm not completely sure if he'd survive after today." The wolf Faunus grinned something wicked before pushing open the door and all three brothers crept into the dark room. A soft chorus of 3, 2... 1 was heard before the men open fired.

Each one pegging the sleeping man on his exposed flesh. His tattooed torso not covered in a blanket, the said blanket was gathered around his waist, and face not completely buried in the pillow like it tending to be. The first seven shots didn't even cause him to stir, but the next couple landed higher up.

Blake couldn't see him opening his eyes, but the roar of anger that escaped signalled that he was up. "What the fuck!?" Adam shouted body moving as quickly as it could just after waking up—caught up in covers and in the middle of a queen size mattress. "I'm going to kill you!" and the camera man and three oldest Taurus children took off down that hall.

-00000-

Velvet's Winter Break wasn't going to be anything special. She'd go to her grandparents for Christmas Dinner and call and text her boyfriend whenever she wouldn't be surrounded by her family. She'd post pictures of her bunny and keep tabs on her friends on social media devices. She may even hang out with Coco for a bit before they'd return to campus. That is, between Coco's Boyfriend Time.

See, Coco was in a long distance relationship with a guy named Yatsuhashi and he attended school in Haven. Actually, thinking about it now Sun did mention that his friend Scarlet attended that school as well. Huh, small world. But anyways, because of Yatsuhashi's attendance in Haven Coco and he never really get to spend much time together except for during breaks such as this one and during summer.

And Velvet really didn't wish to be a bother—she was more than willing to spend her break communicating with Sun over their personal choice of technological devices, and helping out the animal shelter, and maybe even babysitting her neighbour's kids. They were cute—and still very much adored her.

She twisted her hair and it quickly uncurled after she let go. There was something about children and babies and just the family life that appealed to her more so than ever before. Maybe it was the fact that she had Sun in her life—before him she had that fear of never finding someone for herself, it was a dark time in her mind. Constantly fearing that she'd grow up to be an old lady all by herself, maybe with a few rabbits, but never having children of her own with a person that she loved.

But here she was in a real, awesome, and healthy relationship with a boy arguably way out of her league. He he liked her! He took her on dates! He showed her off and could proudly state, "yeah, dude, she's my girlfriend. Isn't she awesome?" and every time it would send her heart beating wildly until she could escape back to her dorm.

And his kisses—oh god his kisses!—those where just something else completely. Like, how could someone learn how to do that sort of things with his tongue? And how did he always know where to put his hands? It was during the moments that she wasn't with him that her fears tended to creep back in. The what-ifs that gnawed on the corners of her mind. It was exhausting... and heartbreaking.

She wished she had a way to launch these horrible thoughts from her mind.

Sun:

"So when do you want to talk tonight" 3:28PM

She stared down at the text that came in roughly twenty minutes ago, before she had gotten sucked into her thoughts and it went spiralling out of control. She loved him, she realized—fully grasping onto this thing that she already kinda knew but never actually said.

Velvet:

"Are you free right now?" 3:57PM

Sun:

"For you? Always 3" 3:58PM

-00000-

Adam's Facebook was suddenly flooded with hot tub pictures and videos. One video was of Dominic tripping into the tub and for the rest of the video he was being teased for it mercilessly.

A few more tuxedo pictures and one picture of him stuffing a stack of pancakes in his mouth. How endearing.

-00000-

Fox had to share the bathroom counter with his Mum that morning, both getting ready for their day. It was his Mum's last day of work before her holiday break—it was Christmas Eve after all. And Fox was honestly surprised that the mall was still open today—even if it was only for a few hours. You must be wondering, where's Fox going?

Well, Fox was taking a bus to the opposite side of town to visit Sage. It was one of those lovely coincidences that never seemed to happened outside of storybooks and those rare stories that your friends tell you about. But as small of a chance that it was, it happened. And during huge breaks like these Fox liked taking that fact into hand and use it to the very fullest.

"Will you be home for dinner?" his Mum inquired just as he pushed the door open. His Mom had offered to drive him to the closest bus station on her way into work today—and, if it meant saving him some time he was more than willing to bum a ride from her.

Pulled the strap over his head, "I should be," he replied smiling back at his mom as he left the car, slamming the door behind him. He mocked saluted the woman before jogging over to the bus station, out of the breeze and nose nipping chill. He didn't have to wait for very long, both the 98 and 94 arrive three times an hour (and this is the holiday schedule) and with that he was on his way towards Sage's house. An hour and a half later, two more bus transfers and the playlist still on repeat, Fox finally stepped off the bus for the last time.

Fox:

"So I'm almost here" 8:38AM

Stuffing his phone back in his jacket pocket, Fox quickly began his shuffle down towards Sage's house. Cutting through the park and bounding through the snow similar to the animal in which he shares a name with. A shiver cut up his spine as he shook and stomped the snow off—only a parking lot separating him from the welcoming image of Sage's place of residence. With a skip in his step, Fox quickly crossed the parking lot and up the three stairs leading to the front door.

He was raising his hand to knock when the door swung open and Sage's casual smirk greeted him. For once his boyfriend was wearing a shirt that had a decent sleeve length—finally! How many times does a guy need to hound someone before they started wearing clothes meant for the season? Two and a half years is the correct answer.

He didn't understand how Sage could stay warm in tank tops and t-shirts in negative thirty degree Celsius weather. The guy hardly owned any sweaters either! And sure, Fox understands that his arms and chest looks awesome and he'd want to show it off (he has an extremely personal relationship with that chest and those arms after all), but wait until warmer weather.

Ducking under Sage's arm, Fox quickly scurried his way into the cozy little house. "Fox!" Sage's younger siblings called out to him from the couch. They waved wildly at the new arrival, drawing quite a few of Sage's other family members attention. Sage didn't tell him he was entertaining family; he felt bad for intruding in on his family time.

Sage's mother popped out of the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn (most likely for the kids gathered on the couch), and a pitcher of mimosa's in the other. Her smile grew when she saw him, "all my boys are home," closing the short distance between Fox and herself with a kiss on the cheek. "It's been far too long, how have you been sweetheart?"

Fox's heart swelled, it always came as a surprised on how easily this family welcomed him in. He did the only thing he could do in this situation though, he smiled as he began to pull off his outerwear and began to catch the woman up on everything that she's missed since the summer. Sure, Fox would talk to her sometimes on the phone when Sage would pass it to him, but that was nothing like talking to her in person.

Sage led him towards the rest of his family with a firm hand pressed against the small of his back, "I'm sure most of you remember Fox from last year, but for those that haven't—this is Fox. He's Sage's boyfriend..." she paused turning back to the boys standing in between the living room and dining room area. "How long have you two been together?"

"Two years, three months and eight days," Sage replied without missing a beat. Fox snickered between his teeth, pushing the other man away from him. Sage had actually saved him from blurting out the very same thing... although, Fox was going to correct him and say that it wasn't up to eight days yet. That's right, he remembered the exact time that they started going out. It was kinda hard to forget though, he had literally just said fuck it, yeah lets date when the prof started his lecture at 10:05AM.

Drink glasses were being filled with the alcohol, like it was nothing. Fox will bring that up later when he wasn't being studied by the family. "Well you're practically family then!" the lone man at the table chuckled loudly, taking a gulp of the drink. "Let me formally welcome you to the family!" the man stood, took four medium sized strides and gathered Fox into a tight hug. The pats on his back knocking the air from his lungs.

"Thanks," the orange haired man wheezed out, quickly tucking back into Sage's side. Away from heavy pats and unfamiliar muscles. Sage nodded towards the kitchen, and Fox lead the way. Sage was all about hospitality; need a drink? Some food? Anything? Sage was your guy, something about his Grandmammy teaching him right or whatnot. Fox couldn't careless; it meant one less thing that he had to do when he was here. It felt great being treated like a guest while knowing where everything was. "So why are we drinking liquor early in the morning?" he voiced the only important question swimming in his head.

Not where did you put my bag? 'Cause he had Sage's gifts in there, along with the two siblings as well. But those weren't the important ones. And not the question of how did Sage know down to the very day since they've started dating? 'Cause then Fox would have to admit that he remembered and was counting from the very minute. And that was just lame.

"Kate is coming at eleven," and Fox winced at the name. He remembered her from last year. She went on and on about some guy and then how the world was against her and everything sucked. Not the best conversationalist for a Christmas gathering. He could understand why they were bringing out the booze at, Fox eyed the clock over the door to the kitchen, let's just call it nine... yeah, nine. He could understand why they were cracking open the drinks at nine if Kate was arriving in two hours.

Hell, he might even need to take a shot of something.

-00000-

Christmas Eve was never anything big in the Rose household. They put up the tree—a real one and everything—that Yang and Ruby cut themselves the day before (dragging Blake away from her huge family to help), and decked it all out in gold, red and silver. Uncle Qrow and their Dad shooting the shit in the living room with a giant cup of eggnog—because it's festive and they deserved a little booze now and again. And anyways, it was like three in the afternoon. A reasonable time for bev's if Yang does say so herself.

"I think tonight we should blast the most Christmas-y music we can find and sing our jolly hearts out," Ruby yawned from the recliner. Yang's University sweater making her seem far tinier than she really was—with heart boxers and chicken like legs. She didn't shave for the past week, Yang could tell from where she was sitting, and she couldn't help but squish her nose up in disgust.

It wasn't the fact that she had unshaven legs, no, Yang got that shaving your bits was annoying. And by bits she meant legs and pits, she'd rather not think about other areas that require shaving if one decided to shave those parts. This was her sister for damn's sake. It was the fact that she had let it go for that long; her legs looked like the beginnings of a jungle. She could knot it! Hell, she could braid it even!

At least it kept her warm in the winter though.

"Ugh, can't we just listen to Trans Siberian Orchestra or something? Their take is so much better—plus, no need to sing to it. We can all just quietly listen to it, rock out a bit, and maybe you can go shave those legs. Or... y'know, trim them a bit 'cause that look that you have going on?" Yang gestured to her sister's legs with barred teeth, "Yeah, that's just gross."

Ruby jumped up from her seat and sprang towards her sister, "do my hairy legs disgust you sister?" A violent and competitive wrestling commenced where Ruby was trying to rub the blonde's face against her legs and Yang was trying to detach the younger girl from her. "It's so soft! Come on, don't you want to feel? I've been conditioning it with your conditioner. It's been doing them wonders!"

Yang screeched, "You've been using my products for your filthy leg hair!?" And suddenly Yang was no longer holding back her attempts to remove the girl from her being—in fact she wasn't trying to remove her at all. She wanted to throttle the high school student.

No one uses Yang's hair products! No one!

-00000-

They quickly escaped upstairs to the room that Sage and one of Sage's siblings shared (Fox thinks it was Michael, the next oldest). Avoiding another one of Kate's rants—it was four now, and Fox could only stand hearing about that woman's life so much. He stopped caring after the half hour mark after she arrived. That woman just wouldn't stop. So with a sigh, nod and a wave towards the stairs from Sage's mother both of them went tearing up the stairs and away from another one of Kate's woe-is-me stories.

"I got you something," Sage smiled as he closed the door behind him watching Fox dive into the bottom bunk. Bunk beds were practical; they made things easier with having four kids and only having a three bedroom house. Sage didn't mind much, he wasn't here all that much to begin with.

Plus? He got the bottom bunk when he was home. It was a futon, big enough for him to stretch his arms out and if (read: when) Fox slept over he didn't have to cram into a twin like at the dorm. Which Fox did at least twice a week—how could Neptune not know that they were dating by now? And the reason behind Fox's stay was simple: he had a class in the building connected to Sage's dorm at ass-o'clock in the morning and it was easier for him to just roll out of bed, get dressed (if that), and walk down a few flights of stairs/take an elevator down.

"Awesome," Fox grinned, "I got you something too but it's in my bag." That's when Sage held up his backpack just out of his reach with a lopsided smile on his lips. "Well look at you, all planned and ready—so responsible," Fox rolled his eyes at his own wording but decided to ignore his own stupidity and blame it on listening to the woman ramble about all her problems (trivial and exaggerated) for... however long it was. He sat up, taking the bag from his boyfriend's grasp. He watched with narrow eyes as Sage moved towards the closet and pull a box out of the depths.

"Here," Sage set the gift beside the orange haired man before taking a seat in front of him on the floor. Fox never really understood why he would do this—sit on the floor when there was more than enough room on the bed, or couch (if they were in a place that had one). Sure, it was very different in public, but that was public, but Fox still didn't get it.

And sure, Sage wouldn't do it all the time. But it was still a rarity to see him use furniture that was meant to be sat on in a private environment... unless he was laying down. Laying down was a different story—that included Fox more often than naught, or sleeping, or just being lazy. Normally things that Fox was more than willing to partake in. 'Cause, y'know, sexual reasons and all that. All three of the list that he mentioned could lead to sex in some shape or form. From a BJ, or a handjob, rimming, or some good ol' fashion sex between consenting male adults.

And know Fox has sex on the brain—Gggrreat!

Instead of reacting to his sudden urge to tackle the man sitting on the floor right in front of him, Fox pulled out the gift(s) from his bag and tossed it to the man, "don't expect anything glittery or anything too expense," he worried at the inside of his lips. He should've gotten something better than what he got Sage, but he knew the idiot needed these things and he would find use for everything. And that's what matters right?

"Open yours first," Sage gestured at the box shaped present with unhidden glee. He was excited for this—has been saving up for this thing since he found out that Fox was looking them up for years, following their development and whatnot. It was safe to say that this was the gift that he's been wanting to give the orange haired male since the first Christmas together.

Fox scoffed but did what he was told for once. Fingers making quick work tearing the confines off and as soon as Fox saw the box he froze. Mouth falling open and fingers trembling, "when did these even go on sale?" he voiced in awe as he took in the Axent Wear headphones. He doubled over, a noise building in the back of his throat as he began to shake and wiggle with glee.

Sage laughed at the image in front of him—he could hardly believe it, it had to be a picture. Actually, he paused his thoughts as he pulled his phone out and quickly snapped a few pictures before Fox could move. The sound on the device was on, and Fox tried to force a pout at the man with no luck. He was still grinning far too broadly. So Fox did the next thing, he tackled the bastard. Arms wrapping around Sage's neck and their foreheads smacking together as they fell backwards.

"Fuck!" Fox cursed loudly, rolling off the other to clutch at his head. His vision wavering as tears gathered at the edge of his eyes, oh that hurt something fierce. The laugh that tumbled out of Sage's lips was contagious, even in both of their pain. This wasn't the first time this happened either—a handful of these times happened during sexual encounters and it was safe to say that it put a slight damp on the mood (until it didn't matter after three minutes where they'd break out laughing then start making out again).

They well into a silence, one that Fox took to staring at Sage with. He never seemed to study the other man all that much at school, here at his place was a completely different story. Here they had all the time in the world and no appearances to keep up—well, appearances that Fox had established. He did feel guilty about that sometimes, but if Sage was well and truly bothered by it he would say something right? It wasn't like they were hiding it, or doing anything differently. They just weren't kissing or making out in public... well, that was incorrect. They did in fact kiss and make-out in public. They just didn't do it around their friends all that much.

It was rude, alright?!

Coco had a boyfriend that she hardly saw, so Fox didn't want to rub anything in or nothing. And Velvet and Sun didn't do it either, well, a few pecks on the cheek and the rare ones on the lips. But honestly, that was it. Adam and Blake where the ones necking out in the open! But, that was under the influence of alcohol and even while sober they kept touching and kissing to a respectable amount.

If anything it was Neptune and Yang that didn't conform to the whole PDA limiting (unmentioned) rule. The two of them were all hands, all hands. And the looks, Fox would at times gag at the sex eyes they would oogle the other with. Worst part? Worst part was that they had a thing for each other but Neptune was an idiot.

That about sums the blue-haired man up; he was great at reading people for casual hook-ups and the works. But as soon as that boy sniffs out a possibility of a serious relationship something stalls in his head and he's completely and utterly useless. And, that's why the couple hasn't been outed yet. 'Cause Neptune was an idiot when it came to serious relationships.

"So do you want me to open my stuff or are you going to just stare at me for the rest of the day?" Sage propped himself up, neck cracking as he rolled it lazily. Fox scoffed, sitting up settling the wrapped gift back into Sage's lap. "You sure now?" Sage teased, still high on the feeling of witnessing something so magical. It was what he believed Fox's laugh was—the one that didn't have a bite or a punch hidden in it, no slight barring of teeth nor squint in his eyes. Just bliss—so extremely rare.

"Just fucking open in," the orange haired man snapped pointedly looking away from the other, crossing his arms almost as an afterthought. He acted like a temperamental child a lot of the times—all huffy and puffy. Sage shook his head, a sigh passing his lips as he pulled the paper off almost neatly.

What Sage was greeted with was an Assassins Creed styled sweater, two actually. A white one and the gray one. Sage smiled as he held the white one up, he had seen these awhile ago while shooting the breeze and killing time online. It was extremely thoughtful of Fox—he needed as much sweater as he could get. And those weren't the only things that were gathered together. Two beanies, black and green, and a scarf were all bundled up in the wrapping as well—along with a gift card from the coffee place one campus that he loved.

"Just so you know, I'm going to be wearing those sweaters too so I had to make sure you had a backup from the one I go to my early class in." He was trying to save face, it was cute and oh-so obvious. Sage reached over, pulling him forwards by the back of his neck.

"Thank you," he whispered against his lips right before sealing them together. Sage wasn't a guy who cared much about material goods, the only thing that he had ever really treated himself with was an Xbox360 many years ago (and then the games that went along with it). So this, the sweaters and the hats and the scarf? This was better than perfect, this was exactly what he needed and wanted at the same time. "Love you," he slurred between kisses.

"Love you too, and thank you."

-00000-

Adam:

"my sister wants to know Blake's measurements" 5:24PM

Yang:

"What for?" 5:24PM

Adam:

"Dresses—she's been going through Blake's pictures and she wants to get a bunch of clothes for her as a Christmas present from the Taurus family." 5:24PM

"I'll make sure you get something out of it too." 5:25PM

Yang:

"Duuuudddee! Really? Holy shit Batman!" 5:25PM

"Wait, what kind of clothes are these going to be?" 5:25PM

Adam:

"Honestly? I don't fucking know. Julia makes it seem like she's going to shower her in dresses, skirts and maybe a few shirts? IDK." 5:26PM

Yang:

"You're hopeless!" 5:26PM

"But I'm game for pretty fancy FREE clothes, dude. I'll love you forever—Blake might have to start beating me in an attempt to keep me from marrying you myself, LOL" 5:27PM

Adam:

"Should I start calling you babe or princess?" 5:27PM

"In all seriousness though, I'll have to pass. Maybe knock some of Neptune's teeth out if he doesn't pick up his shit soon enough? I can do that." 5:28PM

Yang:

"Oh you're no fun! Haven't you heard: 'what you don't know can't hurt you?' Yeah, that'll totally work! But I'm kidding! You're a great guy and I'm happy that Blake is happy with you." 5:29PM

"Oh, and call me Mister Sir, or your Royal Hotness. None of this babe or princess bullshit." 5:29PM

Adam:

"Holes... really? You went there? Shit, I haven't seen all that much about that in awhile." 5:30PM

Yang:

"I know! A shame really, I'm so insulted!" 5:30PM

Adam:

"About those sizes..." 5:31PM

-00000-

Sage walked Fox to the door—he couldn't tell you why he did it, it was something about today that made him just want to scream fuck it and do whatever he pleased. It could be because he had Fox all to himself for that hour that they stole when they were upstairs just being stupid, and romantic, and just living. Breathing the other's air, feeling the prick of the hair on his arms as they raised with every feather light touch.

The door opened and Fox gestured the other in, almost unknowingly. Like the very action was so ingrained within him, and maybe even with this neighbourhood. Everything was open, welcoming, it was weird. Weird not having to watch over your shoulder and keep your head up, and not wearing a hood late at night. This neighbourhood here was white picket fences, and Christmas lights strung up on anything and everything.

Sage closed the door behind him, taking in as much as he could in the short amount of time that he had. This was the first time he had ever stepped foot in this house—outside he was familiar with the surrounding area and the neighbours pool. Oh, he and Fox were extremely familiar with that (typically at four AM).

He tucked his hands in his new sweater's pockets, nodding his head at the overall layout of the home—it was nice. It was really nice. "Cozy," he stared slipping of his shoes and taking a quick peak around the large curved staircase, "big." He pursed his lips, nodding again for more himself than anything.

"Oh, is this him?" a woman's voice called from the other room. Feet thumping loudly on the wooden floors as she moved from the back of the house to the front. And Sage could see just where Fox got his looks from—the hair more than anything. The woman had a long waterfall of burnt orange hair cascading down her back and floating behind her as she glided over the polished floors. Her smile grew when her brown eyes landed on man, "hello! Sage, right?" she held a hand out towards him and he took it without a thought.

"It's nice to meet you," Sage smiled back at the tiny woman.

She launched into a story—about Fox, and how she was just so happy to see him so happy and that she could obviously tell it was because of him. She went on and on and on about her son—one thing bleeding into the other; how she's been waiting for so long to be able to tell his (Fox's) significant other all his embarrassing childhood stories. Like how he so badly wanted to wear dresses everyday for a week in grade one, 'cause a girl that he liked was doing it and he wanted to do it too. But Nell, Fox's mother, didn't have any dresses his size on hand so they had to go out and buy skirts instead and Fox got sooo upset.

Behind Sage, Fox slid into the closest and slowly pulled it closed as the story went on. And Sage wouldn't deny the thought that lingered in the back of his mind as Nell went on with the story, but the leap took him to women's underwear. Lace—so much lace.

"Would you like to join us for dinner sometime this week?" The question cut through the inappropriate thoughts. The woman finally noticed her son's disappearance, and the closet door not closing properly, "sweetheart, get out of the closet. I thought you came out already," she rolled her eyes as Fox's head slowly appeared in the gap. "Get out of there," she waved her hand towards herself and Sage.

Sage covered his mouth with the back of his hand, and Fox glared venomously when he spotted it. He knew, of course he knew. "Yeah, I'll love to," at his reply Nell turned her attention back to her—dimples, she had dimples when she smiled. Just another thing that Fox gained from his mother, it seems.

She gripped his arm, patting it as she left, "sorry for talking your ear off, but supper should be just about ready—you can stay if you wish," she paused at the beginning of the hallway leading to the back of the house. Most likely where the kitchen and the dining room was.

Sage shook his head, stepping back towards the front door, "I'm escaping my family right now. Need to get back before Mum goes insane." He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck shyly. Nell smiled, waving the comment off with a smile.

"Merry Christmas, hope you have a great holiday, and behave," the woman winked.

"Merry Christmas," he replied quickly, before she ducked around the corner and out of view again. With the departure of his mother, Fox quickly returned to his spot beside the man. "So," a smile began to pull at the corner of his lips as he turned the orange haired man.

"Don't start," Fox snapped pointedly looking away from Sage and towards the door. He turned back to glare at the taller man, eyebrow rising before looking back at the door.

"Oh, you're kicking me out now?" Sage rolled his eyes, stepping back into his shoes and zipping the sweater up a tad bit more. He leaned over to the smaller male, pecking the corner of his lips. Fox pulled the door open him, still pointedly not looking at him. Even with his face slowly glowing brighter.

"Damn fucking right I am, and don't be cute with me," he snapped, pulling the all the wider.

"Not being cute." Sage rolled his eyes setting out into the cold and down the steps to the driveway. The light from the house illuminating his way—that reminded him. "Oh yeah, you should really invest in some lacy panties," he turned back towards his boyfriend, a huge shit eating grin—one of the ones that Fox himself would throw at him—painted on his lips and crinkling the corners of his eyes.

The orange haired man's brain stuttered, "Fuck you!" he shouted most likely gathering attention from the people in the house.

Sage was just in the greatest of moods. First he got to spend the day with the man that he loves, the next part was that he got the most thoughtful of gifts, and two awesome sweaters (also thoughtful but mostly just fantastic). Then he got to snuggle with said love of his life for much longer than he thought he would've, although it was on the floor but honestly it was better than nothing. Then! Then he got to meet Nell, who then told him one of the best stories that he'd heard of Fox's life. And now? Now he got to be the one that dished the sass out. "We've already established that I fuck you, you were very adamant about that," he added in a pause for affect, "something about spoiling you rotten? Or was it that you're lazy?"

Oh this was fun! No wonder why Fox was such an asshole.

The orange haired man gaped, eyebrows wavering between shock and anger. "Go—go fall in a hole!" It seemed anger won out, just a little. His face was still pinched and eyebrow twitching in growing annoyance.

"Can't, I'll just fall in snow."

"Then slip on some ice!" This was familiar... normal. This bantering—a day in and out kinda thing—warmed something deep within him. Like fighting without any of the harsh words... well, with less of the harsh words and no venomous spewing of rage and discontent. Bantering, with all its harsh edges, and rolling eyes, and creased noses. It was all done in second nature, simple and thoughtless now. So normal and constant that they never though anything else of it.

Sage shrugged, finally reaching his car parked in the drive way and pulling the door open, "then I'll have to sue you." He already had one foot in the car and most of his weight resting against the body. The tension and back of forth conversation rooting him half way into the pavement.

"And what would you do with the money, huh?" Fox was wearing one of Sage's sweaters that he had brought home with him. The sleeves worn and ragged on the ends and over all fit far too loose for his body type. It couldn't be doing much to keep the chill out of his bones—even the sweater that Sage was wearing wasn't able to do that.

But it was the end of December and he wasn't wearing a jacket—like an idiot and stubborn bastard that he was.

"Buy you a ring."

He didn't even know that he said it until it was out lingering in the open. His throat went tight and his palms grew sweaty, clammy and gross. He didn't mean for that to come out—he meant it, sure, but he didn't mean for it be actually come out though. There was a difference between wanting something, planning something and planning on telling the person that it pertained to the opportune time. This? This was a spur in the moment, slip of the tongue, fuck me sideways and with a chainsaw this wasn't meant to be said right then kinda moment.

"...wha?" his voice was far softer than Sage had ever heard before. Almost going unheard—if the wind had decided to pick up at that very moment it would have carried the sound off without Sage being any the wiser. But that wasn't the case, and Fox only continued on "what did you just say?!"

Sage was at a loss—thoughts, words, you name it and it was gone. He licked his lips, before biting down on the flesh of his cheek. Should he play it off as nothing or own up to it? Own up to it. Fox would see through it any other way, and he was eventually going to bring it up... y'know, eventually. "You heard me." Yeah, that was a great response—like him over think things and figure it out.

That excuse was poor even in Sage's head.

-00000-

"This is Waking the Beast part three," the video opened with Cain grinning at the camera. "Here today we have—"

"Elliot—" the second eldest Taurus child beamed, holding up a bucket of melted snow.

"Dominic—" another bucket of melted (and still melting) snow.

"—and Cain~." Another bucket and another wicked toothy grin. How did she know that it was melted snow? 'Cause the brothers posted pictures of them gathering the frozen white cloud semen (Yang's wording, not hers) right before they uploaded this... and another two videos (one of them was not in fact a Waking the Beast part though). "So remember back in the summer and all those ice bucket nominations that we got? We'll, we donated, but never actually made a video. So now, don't get snippy with us and go off saying that 'this isn't like this at all'. I get that, its not. This is Waking the Beast, but I will make note that this was stemmed from that idea." The door was pushed open and the two youngest Taurus children went creeping in. "Oh and the camera man is still alive, but again I can't say for how long," he shrugged half-heartedly back at the camera before following the other two in.

The dumping of the slush, snow and water in a wave. Each man throwing it just slightly after the other. And the scream that pierced through her ear buds made her throw them out of her ear as fast as she could. Even with them out of her ears she could hear the screaming, and thundering laughter.

The video ended like that. With Adam pebbled nipples and Dominic twisting them as Adam tried to punch all of them in the closest body part available.

Blake clicked on the next video, and it opened much like how the rest of them did.

"This is Waking the Beast part four," the video opened with Cain grinning at the camera. Exactly like the three others before. Blake was tempted to overlay each one and test if he was in the exact same spot too. Did they have the damn thing marked on the floor? Actually, there was something different about this video. "Here today we have—"

"Elliot—" the sandy blond haired man waved, Santa hat covering his eyebrows and jingled when he moved.

"Dominic—" another hat, this one fluffy without any bells.

"—and Cain~." Yup, this was filmed Christmas morning. Of course it was filmed Christmas morning! "Happy holidays everyone! It's currently the 25th and we're extremely excited to be filming this for you. Although, I won't be surprised if this doesn't get posted until after today." He waved the camera in after him. He paused right before turning the handle of the door though and turned to his partners in crime, "Should we get Julia for this?"

The camera cut in and out then, when the picture returned there was a pretty auburn haired teen in an overly large red sweater with fur trim along the hood—her auburn wolf ears poking out through the top of the hood. "So this is Julia—say hi," Cain wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulder, eyes still focused on the camera.

"Hi everyone," and wasn't she just the cutest?! Blake wanted to gather that girl in her arms and just hug her! Protect her from the cruel world that was her three eldest brothers (and she was biased on the situation with Adam). "We're not going to do anything too bad—after much conversations with Mum and Dad—this is Christmas after all," She threw a pointed look at the man hanging off her shoulder.

"Enough chit-chat, time to get to work!" The four Taurus children made quick work of pushing through the door and rushed the bed. And what came afterwards was taking from every sibling textbook known to siblings and children everywhere. That's right, they started jumping on the bed. Much like how Quinn, Lucy, and Hunter did those many days ago (and did that very morning when they made their rounds).

"Adam, big brother wake up! It's time to get up!" even her chanting and laughter was adorable. Even after Adam woke up, grumbling, but not violent like he was the last few episodes Blake concluded that she liked this girl. She was very fond of his younger sister and wished to meet her—at least talk to her—just once (the bare minimum) this New Year.

That would be her New Year's resolution.

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Yang should feel slightly bad about it, but it really wasn't like anything was going on. Or, for that matter, there would never be anything going on. She was currently attempting to handle this whole problem with Neptune, while having a shit ton of fun with her best friend's boyfriend. And sure, she should also feel a little bad for spending so much time on her phone texting or phoning those two idiots... but, well... it was too much fun!

Adam had this dark, sick sense of humour that would strike at the oddest of times. And Yang ate that shit up like candy! And of course, Yang being Yang, she would snap back with some witty pun or something equally as bad as what he sent.

Best part? The best part was the nicknames on their phones. Adam had the two: Mr. Sir and Your Royal Hotness, which he'd alternate between depending on what they were using to communicate with. And Yang had a really bad one that she'd use for him (and one that wasn't bad): Monsieur Smexy and Horny Brute.

And ohh how Blake steamed about that one. Yang got the glare and everything for that one after she showed the cat Faunus something funny Adam sent to her one evening. At this point Blake already knew that they were talking to each other, but it wasn't fully grasped just how much the two of them were talking. And by much, Yang well and truly means A LOT. Snapchat, Tumblr (Adam did find his little following on the site too, he was extremely happy about that. Even when he found the gay porn, fanfictions and horrible assumptions as to what he looks like. He posted a lot of selfies and pictures of himself that day), texting, Facebook, and anything and everything under the sun.

And when she wasn't texting Adam or hanging out with her friends she was texting, skyping, or talking to Neptune via phone calls. And it was great, really great. Yeah, Neptune was a bit of an idiot like all guys tended to be, but he was funny and clever and just enough of a dweeb to make Yang not as conscientious on what was escaping her mouth.

Speaking of talking to Neptune...

"Tell me, what's it like to have a sibling who's like... ten years young than you?" Yang kicked her feet up, staring at her newly painted toenails. Blue; just like this idiots' hair and eyes. She was such a fuckin' sap.

Neptune groaned on the other end of the phone, "I liked her better when she just wanted to play dress up all the time." Yang laughed at the idea of the male in a 'pretty pretty' dress and having tea parties with some un-faced little girl. "I have no problem admitting that dressing in drag was awesome—those heels made me appreciate them a little more. Plus they made my legs look fabulous," the way his voice pitched upwards made Yang break out the laugh she oh so desperately tried to keep in.

There was a smile hidden in his voice as he spoke—about his two Dads, his little sister, and even his two cats. She could feel her heart clench in a pleasant way; how he easily shared all this, the stories of his youth but brushing passed the questions that Yang would ask about any ex-girlfriends. She didn't know why she asked, not for sure anyways. She had the growing assumption that someone (or more than one someone) had hurt him in passed relationships—he acted a little off when she brought up hints about something more between them. Like he was scared of the possibility, so she would drop it and continue on with whatever they were talking about before then.

Luckily, this phone call wasn't one of those times. Only smiles in their voices, talk of dressing up in pink poofy dresses and bright red pumps, and talk about a child-hood Yang wasn't sure she should laugh or coo at. She learned that Sun, Sage and Neptune (along with this person named Scarlet) grew up together—going to the same public, middle and high school. She also learned that Fox lived in the same city.

Not that she really all that much about that. She didn't really know Sage or Fox... or Velvet, and Coco really. When she was out with the group she stuck to Blake, Neptune, Adam, or Sun. The others were either so caught up with other people that she never had a meaningful or one-on-one conversation with.

The conversation stilled until only their breath was heard—breathing at each other. She missed him... kinda, she missed the thought of being able to touch him more than anything. To hug him, or kiss him, or to even hold his hand. "I miss you," she whispered. To herself or to him, she wasn't sure who she was admitting it too. Maybe both because he heard her—the sudden intake in his breath gave it away. Maybe she was admitting something else entirely as well—again, it was the idea behind it all that she was commenting on.

She could hear him exhale heavily, "I think I do too." She swallowed thickly, heart beating loudly in her ears. Maybe he picked up on the double meaning too... maybe she was just looking into this whole thing a little too much. But...

There was no denying the grin breaking out on her face as she buried her face in her bed covers. His breath still sounding in her ear—like her's in his.