Part thirteen of my RWBY series "Pollination: The Bumblebee and White Rose"

"Cannon BAAAA-!" Ruby is interrupted as water consumes her entire body. The splash is rather large, and Weiss and I get soaked on the banks of the river that we are camping on.

"Ack! Ruby!" Weiss sputters as she jolts from her position of lying down to one of sitting up. Alas, her call goes unanswered. Ruby has yet to-

"How big was it?!" She demands as she resurfaces. Those eyes and smile could melt anyone's heart, even Weiss's. And so it did, almost four years ago. I smile.

"HUUUGE!" Yang exclaims, clapping her hands in approval. "You even soaked your bride!" Up to her neck in water, she swims around and laughs, "Outside of the bedroom, that is!"

Ruby is already out of the water and climbing up the massive tree that looms over the part of the lake that we have taken a fancy to. I find it rather amusing that Weiss has yet to adapt to Yang's perversity. "Sweet lord." She scoffs she settles back down on her beach towel. "How do you put up with her, Blake?" Her gaze is one of question and legitimate confusion.

I cannot help but offer a light chuckle at the question. "It is a rather foreign concept. One that I was only able to understand, experience, and learn to cherish recently." Her gaze intensifies. I smile at her. "It's called friendship." Ah, she was expecting love. "Do not misunderstand." I immediately offer. "I have come to love Yang more than life itself. But that love would not have formed, were it not for the friendship that we established at the beginning."

Weiss sighs. "I suppose I already knew that. I just find it hard to believe that one force could be strong enough to carve out such a relationship." Ruby jumps again, repeating earlier events and splashing Weiss again. I'm rather thankful that I'm just barely out of her splash radius. "Argh!"

I chuckle again. "Love is a funny thing, is it not? We experience just as much hate as love."

Ruby comes up for air again. She laughs. Yang laughs. They engage in a war of water splashing. It is a rather precious sight to behold.

She attempts to dry her hair. "You speak in Greek, Blake." She motions to me. "Please, clarify."

I smile and raise an eyebrow at her. "It is the only thing that keeps you from going in after her and drowning her." She gawks at me. She has yet to realize that it is also what drives her to be so protective and frustrated with the girl.

"Blake Belladonna! I'd never-!" I raise a hand up and silence her.

"Precisely my point. You are so deeply in love with Ruby that you cannot even think of harming her." I look out at the river and watch the two splash each other. Ruby begins to retreat. She never stood a chance. "And yet, that same love for her has brought you to a point at which you cannot overlook any flaws in her."

Ruby flees the river and climbs up the tree. Perhaps she intends to strike from behind? Weiss scoffs. "Just because she's splashed me a few times doesn't mean-"

"You misunderstand." I interrupt again. I do not enjoy doing so, but I believe that Weiss can see my reason and not hold any malice towards me for it. "You love her so dearly that you triple her training regiment. You do not rest until she battles flawlessly. Over these three years, you have grown to love her so dearly, and that is admirable." I smirk as Ruby follows through with my prediction, jumping back into the river and flanking Yang who had believed that she had won the battle.

"But I am pushing her too hard?" Not quite, but she's on the right track.

"Your services are most welcome, Weiss." I look to her and place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "But this," I motion to us and the river holding Ruby and Yang who have renewed battle. "This is not a time battle. Ruby has grown in many ways. We all have. You do not need to push her so passionately."

Weiss argues, "I want to know that she'll come back to me alive." I hear the grief in her voice. For someone so young, she has endured much. We all have. I nod in understanding.

"And that is an assuring sign that your intentions are pure." I sigh. "But she and Yang took care of themselves long before you or I entered their lives, and long before they met each other." I was rather surprised when Yang revealed to me that their bonds were not of blood. In my thoughts, I unintentionally look to the pair and laugh at the sight of Ruby upon Yang's shoulders, trying to submerge her in the water, and Yang, desperately trying to throw her off. Their cries of laughter and joy are priceless.

"Things have certainly changed since the beginning of Beacon." Weiss admits with fondness.

"And we would be wise to adapt to such a radical change." I smirk, grateful for my history. "The Roman empire would have fallen centuries prematurely to the Germanic tribes if they had not adapted to its forested terrain."

Weiss chuckles. "I suppose I cannot argue with history." I look back at her and give her a smile.

"I suppose you cannot." She shifts her form and sits up, looking out on the river. "Thank you, Blake."

"I am happy to assist you anytime." I nod to her in thanks. She smiles at me. I recall not long ago that she would not even smile for Ruby.

How fast things change. "You know that you and Yang are always welcome at the Schnee Estate, right?"

I nod. "A very generous offer. It is one that Yang will definitely agree to." She raises an eyebrow at me.

"But you would not?" I can sense that she would not be offended if I was against "freeloading".

"On the contrary, Weiss. I simply follow Yang." Out of questionably strong love. I smirk. "If she wishes to place her home in an estate alongside her sister and sister-in-law, who am I to oppose her?"

Weiss smirks and roles her eyes. "You are allowing that woman to infect your mind with her thoughts."

I muster a slight grin. "Perhaps." I look out at Yang and Ruby once more. "Regardless, I advise doing what Yang calls 'relaxing' and letting Ruby govern her own affairs." I cannot help but add, "At least, outside of the bedroom." Weiss groans.

"Et tu, amica?" She promptly stands up and runs in to the river. "Hold on, Ruby! I'll save you for the millionth time!"

Ruby turns her attention away from Yang's assault. "It's SO not a million ti-ACK!" She is promptly splashed from behind by my lover.

I sigh, shaking my head as the three splash one another. Yang calls out, "BLAAAKE! I need you!" For more than one thing, I cannot help but observe.

Water is my friend only from a shower faucet or a sink. I care not to place myself in a position of potential drowning. Yang blames my cat ears for that, despite logic.

I stand up. "So I noticed!" I yell to her as I rush in to balance the tides.

Oh, was that a pun? I smirk as I submerge myself in the river and swim to Yang's side.

Through all of the splashing, I cannot help but laugh. Yang laughs with me. Weiss and Ruby laugh too.

It's perfect.