For as long as Blake could remember, grey had been her world. Everything was grey, or at least, various shades of grey. Her hair, her clothes, the leaves on the trees outside, the people that passed her by... It was something that she had been born with, unlike everyone else.
Perhaps she had taunted fate too much in a past life. She would never know. But in a world where people could see all but the color of their soulmates' eyes, it seemed like a cruel twist of fate indeed for her.
Years went by, a blur of monochrome that Blake barely deemed worthy of remembering. Too much pain and sadness. First her parents, then the Fang and Adam, and then Adam's betrayal. All sharp edges and flat colors, something that was a constant source of disappointment.
And this was how she found herself at Beacon, preparing herself for real academic study for the first time in over a decade. That wasn't to say that she wasn't smart (self-taught in almost all areas of study), but it had taken a lot of time and effort and tears and sweat to get to the point that she could ace the written and oral exams that Beacon provided. The battle placement test that followed afterwards only further secured Blake's place in the Academy.
It was funny how many people she made eye contact with that first day. All teenagers with that hopeful look in their eyes as they prayed that they would suddenly be able to see yellow for the first time.
That was her eye color, according to Adam. Yellow, the same shade as a sunflower's petals.
She'd never know the color she was missing.
A brief confrontation was had with the Schnee heiress and a girl wearing a cape, which resulted in the lighter-colored girl storming off. The other one went to say something, but at that point Blake was so tired with dealing with people that she turned on her heel and left. If she was lucky, she'd be able to snag a room before anyone else.
That turned out not to be the case, however, as Blake found out. Because the rooms were team based, there would be no access to actual beds until the next day. Therefore, as the ever-so-helpful student councilor mentioned, they would all be given sleeping bags and a nice comfy spot on the ground in the main theatre hall.
Blake was thrilled, to say the least.
Not.
Scowling, the faunus went to pick up her sleeping bag and pillow before making her way to where the students were expected to sleep. She was pleased to find that as the first student to actually step foot into the hall, she had her pick of floor space. Setting her bag down against a wall, Blake made a quick pit stop to get changed into her sleepwear before parking herself down and cracking open one of the various novels she had brought with her.
She had never told anyone, but one of the reasons she loved books so much was because they were one of the few things that she knew to be black and white. She didn't have to guess what colors they really were like she did with most things. They were simple. Elegant. And most importantly, they couldn't lie to her like some things did.
It was only once it became harder to read that Blake realized how dark it was getting, the sun having disappeared while she had been engaged with her book. That, and the mindless chatter from the other students as they began to ready themselves for sleep. She wasn't tired enough to fall asleep just yet though, especially not when the thought of tomorrow's initiation was already starting to make her stomach churn.
Determined not to think about it, Blake leaned over and lit some of the candles that had been sitting on the small table. At least this way she could finish her book.
That had been the plan anyways, but it seemed like fate decided to mess with her again, because just as Blake had gotten to the part where the evil part of the man's soul was beginning to wrestle control from him, a loud "Helloooooo~" had her losing her place.
Irritated, Blake had to hold back the instinctive need to press her ears against her scalp as she looked up from the pages. A girl with long pale hair and -very- short shorts was waving at her, dragging the girl from earlier along behind her. Without meaning to, Blake locked eyes with her. While her eyes were still grey, they were the prettiest shade of grey that Blake had ever seen.
"I believe you two may know each ot- oh my god!"
Blake watched with confusion as the tall girl suddenly stopped in place, the shorter one slamming right into her back. "Oww! What the heck, Yang?"
"Oh my god," the girl, Yang, repeated. She had taken a handful of hair and was holding it in front of her face, eyes wide. "Oh my god. Ruby, I can- it's- oh my god!"
Fearful for Yang's sanity (and her own safety) Blake cleared her throat. There was something about the girl that made her feel... warm. "Excuse me, are you alright?"
Grey eyes stared at her in a way that put Blake on edge. Even past the monotone, Blake could see the telltale glistening of someone on the verge of tears. "Y-Yeah. Just fine," Yang said, voice wavering. "I don't think I've ever been better. I'm Yang, and you are...?"
"Blake."
"Pretty name for a prettier girl," Yang croaked out, her fingers never stopping their movements as they carded through her hair over and over again. "Do you- are you- did anything change for you?"
"Did what change?" she asked blankly. Blake failed to hold back a grimace as tears began to dribble down Yang's cheeks, her heart dropping. Despite herself, Blake leaned forward, her book falling from her lap and to the ground unnoticed. "Hey, don't cry, whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be okay." More tears fell from those pretty grey orbs. "Yang, was it?"
Yang nodded, sniffling. Blake took that as a good sign. This had never happened to her before, where some random gorgeous girl took one look at her before bursting into tears. Maybe she should have taken that as a sign, but she was too worried about the other girl to care at the moment.
Yang's friend seemed worried as well, flitting back and forth around Yang as she tried to figure out what was happening. Blake was half tempted to let her and just go back to reading, but something pulled at her to make an effort to comfort Yang. Putting on what she hoped was a reassuring smile, Blake patted the spot beside her. "Why don't you try and take your mind off of... Whatever it is that's bothering you. I have a great story that you might like."
"That sounds wonderful..." Yang settled down beside Blake, their knees knocking against each other's slightly. Muttering an apology, Blake shifted to give Yang more room. The taller girl stiffened, turning her head to where her friend was standing, awkwardly wringing her hands together. "Rubes, why don't you go get some shuteye?"
"Sis..." So they were sisters. That made more sense.
"Please. I'll meet up with you in the morning, Ruby."
Ruby nodded in defeat, and Blake was surprised to find herself on the receiving end of an angry glare. "Don't you hurt my sister."
"Wha-"
"Ruby!" Yang barked out.
"Fine." Ruby stalked back over to where she and Yang had been set up before, sullenly slipping back into her sleeping bag and pulling it over her head.
Uncertain as to what had just occurred but unwilling to ask, Blake reached down and picked her book back up, flipping to the beginning of chapter one. She read well into the night, and at some part that she couldn't recall, must have fallen asleep alongside Yang.
It was the best sleep she'd had in years.
When the first of the sun's rays touched her eyes, Blake was loathe to get up. Especially with how warm she was.
Speaking of, why was she so warm?
The arm around her waist twitched, causing her to tense up. Quickly, Blake glanced over behind her shoulder; she and Yang must have fallen asleep together at some point, and now she was being spooned from behind by a rather warm and... comfortable body. Honestly, Blake was surprised with herself how little she was freaking out about what was essentially a random stranger, a human, invading her personal space.
There was just something about Yang that drew Blake closer to her despite herself.
Still, Blake was not one to sleep in. After managing to release Yang's hold on her (albeit a few muffled grumbles), Blake stood up and headed over to the bathroom to get changed. Nearly all of the other students were still sleeping, so she figured it would be the perfect time to familiarize herself with Beacon's grounds.
(If she spent her walk thinking about a certain long haired girl, no one could call her on it.)
She didn't see Yang again that morning, so preoccupied with getting ready. First with breakfast, and then Professor Ozpin's speech. As the students made their way out onto the cliff that overlooked the forest, it was then that Blake finally saw her. The girl looked harried, frazzled even, her long hair looking rather unkempt and her eyes darting to and fro as if searching for something.
The second Yang spotted her, Blake could see her lips part into a wide grin. "Blake!"
Any greeting that Blake would have given her was cut off as she was launched into the air, only having enough time to give Yang a wave. And then she was off, sharp eyes searching for a safe place to land as her mind ran through the different options for a partner. The conclusion she came to was obvious: she needed to find Yang.
A flick of her wrist brought Gambol Shroud into her hand, and a calculated toss of her blade had the weapon striking a sturdy branch. Blake found herself being tugged along as the ribbon around her arm stretched taut, flying through the air with a joyful smile.
This was what freedom felt like.
Releasing Gambol from the tree, Blake replicated the strategy a few more times until her momentum slowed, finally coming to a stop on a large branch. Placing her sword back in its sheath, faunus ears twitched beneath the silk bow as she heard a loud whooping coming from above her. Pleased, Blake began a quick jog towards where she knew Yang would land. It was a simple matter to catch up to the girl, but Blake decided to follow her for a bit before making her presence known.
"Hellooooo, is anyone out there? Getting bored over here!" Yang called out, and Blake was forced to stifle a laugh. Then came the Ursa, and Blake again stayed back while Yang fought, wanting to see her potential partner's fighting style before she came to a final decision.
It seemed Yang was a close combat fighter, something that would complement Blake's mid to long range style perfectly. Letting out a soft hum, Blake stood up and threw her sword at the last remaining Ursa, severing its spine. The Ursa shuddered, falling to the ground with a loud thump, and Blake found herself face to face with Yang. The brawler's eyes seemed different, a few shades off from when she had first met Yang.
Blinking, Blake looked at the downed Grimm. The colors on its skull seemed to match the same shade as Yang's eyes now, the change visibly noticeable from the last time she had fought an Ursa.
Refusing to let her confusion show, Blake turned back to Yang with a small smirk. "So, partners?"
"Heck yeah!" Yang crowed. Her eyes reverted back to their original color, prompting Blake to ask why they had changed. "Oh, this? It's my semblance. I get mad, my eyes go red, and BAM! Super Yang!" Flexing her arm muscles, Yang gave Blake a wink. "I totally coulda taken that last one, you know."
"I have no doubt," Blake agreed. She wanted to ask what Yang's normal eye color was, but figured she could do it later when they had more time. The initiation was still ongoing, and they still had to find the temple and the relic. She started to walk off, but a throat clearing stopped her. "Hmm?"
"Before we go..." Yang shifted, fingers drumming on her thigh nervously. "Did you... Last night. You didn't notice anything changing, did you?"
Besides the way her heart seemed to beat faster when Yang was near her? "No." Blake shook her head, hating the way Yang's face fell. "Why?"
"O-Oh, no reason. It's stupid." The girl shuffled in place before forcing a strained smile. "C'mon, we should get going. I refuse to get in last place for this."
"Right."
In the end they weren't last, finding their relic with relative ease before joining up with the others for an epic battle against both a Deathstalker and a Nevermore and defeating both Grimm. Soon enough they were back at Beacon, with the teams being announced up on screen.
Team RWBY, led by Ruby Rose.
Blake couldn't have been happier. And, judging from Ruby and Yang's thrilled expressions, that made three of them, Weiss not included. The heiress seemed content to sulk about the decision, but Blake couldn't find it within herself to care. Not when she had gotten onto a team with Yang.
Weeks went by, filled with classes and studying and getting to know each other as teammates and as friends. Blake found herself getting along best with Yang, although her partner seemed to have a certain sadness around her that Blake couldn't quite understand. It was only visible when Yang was around her; she had seen Yang interacting with Ruby and Weiss and the cloud that usually hung over her head when she was with Blake was gone.
It hurt her to think that there was something bothering Yang that she didn't understand.
"Blake?"
"Yes?"
Currently they were working on a group project about the various Grimm that were native to Vale. Ruby and Weiss were preparing the speech that they would have to give, Blake was doing the research and making notes, and Yang was drawing the different Grimm species onto several posters.
"Can you pass me the red marker? I need to color in the eyes."
Letting out a small noise of acknowledgment, Blake glanced down. The markers were sitting beside her leg from where Yang had put them earlier. She bit her lip.
"Blake?"
"Right.." Shrugging to herself, Blake took a stab in the dark and grabbed one out of the pack, placing it in Yang's outstretched hand. She could tell immediately that she had picked the wrong one, judging from the confused look in Yang's eyes.
"Umm... This is green. I need red."
Sighing, the faunus dug into the little marker box and pulled another one out.
"That's yellow." Yang frowned. "What are you, color bli- Oh my god! Oh my god!"
Blake winced at the high pitch. "So what if I am?" she asked defensively. From the corner of her eye, she could see Ruby and Weiss stop what they were doing, turning to stare at her.
"Oh my god, you are?" Yang shot up, rifling through the markers like a woman on a mission. Finally, she held one up. "What color is this?"
"Grey."
"And this one?"
"A different shade of grey. Matches your eyes."
The squeal Yang let out had Blake staring at her partner like she had just grown a second head. She found herself being pulled into a tight hug, one that she cautiously reciprocated. Sneaking a peek at her other teammates, she found Ruby beaming at her like she had just presented the girl with a dozen boxes of cookies. Weiss had a calculating look in her eyes, her own lips twitching into a small smile.
Yang pulled back, and Blake was alarmed to see that tears were running down her face, just like the first time they had met. "You're crying..."
"Haha, yeah." Yang wiped at her eyes, but the huge smile never faded. "Blake, do you know what color your eyes are?"
"I.. A friend told me they were yellow. Like sunflowers."
"They are. They're bright like stars. The color of gold." Yang sniffled, letting out a laugh. "God, you know I hated my hair for the longest time? Could never see what people liked so much about it, just a grey blob really."
Blake inhaled sharply.
"But then I saw this cute girl with black hair reading by the candlelight, and the second she looked up... God, your eyes, Blake. They swirled and filled with color right before me and they're just the perfect shade of yellow," Yang breathed out. "I saw the color of my hair for the first time, I guess I freaked out a little bit. It is pretty though."
"It really is," Blake whispered back. Her heart was pounding in her chest, palms sweaty and hands shaky. "I.. You're really.."
"I thought you didn't see it. Didn't feel the same because you didn't notice the change like I did. But you did, didn't you? You just couldn't see it. But this- you and me- you feel that, right?" Yang's voice broke. "Right?"
Blake thought back; she had noticed something. How certain objects seemed darker now, like Ruby's cape, when they hadn't before she had actually met Yang for the first time. How her own tights seemed a few shades lighter.
"What color are your eyes?" she asked instead, voice hesitant.
"Purple."
"And red when she hulks out," Ruby added.
"I did see it then," she murmured. "It was so subtle I didn't- Oh god, Yang.." Blake covered her mouth with a shaky hand. She had dismissed the feelings as that of a crush, ignoring the way her heart skipped a beat whenever the taller girl so much as looked at her. "I'm so sorry, I didn't-"
"Shhh." Yang gave her a blinding grin, one that softened when she saw the shame in Blake's eyes. "We figured it out, yeah?"
"Yes." Blake couldn't help but match Yang's smile. Distantly, she heard the sound of whispered voices and the door opening and closing. Ruby and Weiss must have left to give them some privacy.
"So..." Yang leaned in closer, making Blake swallow hard, her mouth dry. From here she could see the different shades of grey in Yang's eyes, the way each eyelash framed them perfectly, the smattering of freckles along the bridge of her nose. "We're soulmates then."
"Looks like it," Blake murmured. She stood still, watching Yang's gaze drop from her eyes to her lips. Her heart was thudding rapidly in her chest.
"That's.. That's great. I don't think I'd want anyone else," Yang said softly. "Blake?"
"Hmm?"
"I can't believe I finally found you..."
Soft lips brushed against hers once, twice, three times, each kiss gentle and chaste. Blake's eyes slipped shut, her hand reaching up to hold Yang in place as a calloused palm cupped her cheek. Leaning into Yang's touch, Blake pressed their foreheads together. "I can't believe you did either... What do we do now?"
Yang gave her a tender smile, lips curving upwards. "Now? Now we finish our project, and later on I'll take you out for dinner and a movie, and we'll go from there. How does that sound? I want to.. I know you can't see colors, but I want to show you the world if you'll let me."
"That.." Blinking back the sudden wetness in her eyes, Blake nodded. "That sounds wonderful."