Author's Note: So, I am finally back home after a whirlwind RTX. I want to thank each and every RTX attendee for not being too hard on us Guardians, and for everyone who came out to cheer us on after the event closed. I know there were some problems this year (there are always problems - next year we'll just have new ones) but I'm so grateful to every fan who was more than willing to listen to us as we tried to get you into your panels. Thanks for being the best online community out there, guys.

... and yes, the "extended" version is up on A03. Enjoy

A Mile in her Ears, Part II

Weiss held her head high as they strolled down the street, her hand clasped in Blake's long-nailed fingers. Her jaw was set, her small chin jutting just a little farther ahead than normal. She hadn't wanted to hold hands. She hadn't. But then Blake had given her that little smile, one brow cocked, silently asking the question neither of them had voiced. Do you love me?

The heiress had grabbed Blake's fingers tight enough to hurt, glowering at anyone foolish enough to glance at the two women. Of course I do, you idiot.

"So," Weiss started, forcing bravado into her voice. "How are you tormenting me next?"

Blake squeezed her hand, shifting a little closer. Their shoulders brushed as they walked, making Weiss more and more aware of the woman next to her.

"We could share a plate of pasta, eat the same noodle till we kiss," Blake suggested her voice light and dry, "Or I could try to push a meatball towards you with my nose."

"I was asking for serious ideas, you dolt."

Thankfully, Blake seemed happy to enjoy the parts of the city Weiss didn't frequent. The taller girl led them through back streets and side alleys, dodging their favorite spots for places with dimmer lights, and far fewer people. A quiet Mistralan restaurant caught Blake's eye, and the Faunus quickly bundled them into the far back corner of the shop. Weiss took the chair by the wall, the better to hide that stupid tail. Blake ordered for the both of them, the heiress' favorite dish already called for before the heiress could open her mouth.

She scowled, fiddling with her fork. It bothered her that Blake knew her so well. Her girlfriend was adventurous, daring, always getting new ideas from those books of hers. Always wanting to try something new. A new recipe, a new language, a new sword technique. As for herself, she was just happy to study and train, clinging to the monotony as a safety blanket. Things were good – really good – right now, why change them?

She must be so bored with me.

Their waitress returned with the food, flashing an insincere smile and asking if they needed anything else. Blake rose, whispering something into their server's ear before sending her away. Weiss shifted, trying to find a position that didn't make her incredibly aware of the tail strapped to her back. A few minutes later, the lights to the room had dimmed, replaced with candles dutifully brought to their table. A slight smile was Blake's only reaction, the dinner's shift to the romantic clearly her idea.

"Here," the Faunus said, her fork held out.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"It won't kill you." Blake gave her that look again, the worried one that always asked Why won't you let me love you?

The white-haired girl rolled her eyes, giving in as she opened her mouth. A slice of the meat touched her teeth, and Weiss pulled it off the fork before her girlfriend could get any ideas.

"Happy?"

"Very." Blake smirked and returned to her own food.

They passed the meal in calm silence, not needing words to simply enjoy each other's presence. Weiss delicately worked at her food, rolling her eyes in exasperation when she found Blake watching her eat. A light kick under the table turned into dueling shins, both girls feigning indifference above the table.

After an extended battle, Blake managed to pin Weiss' legs, running her stockinged foot up the white-haired girl's calf. The heiress continued eating, at least until one foot slowly snuck up her skirt. Catching the foot between her legs, the white-haired girl glared daggers at her date. Watch it. Black brows rose innocently, but the probing foot withdrew.

The rest of the meal passed quietly, comments about the food, questions about schoolwork and classmates, anything but the fact that Weiss had false ears peeking out from under her hair, and a tail extending down the back of her skirt. For her part, Blake never mentioned it, but she was terrible at hiding how much she stared..

Refusing desert, both women moved for the check, their hands pinning the faux leather folder to the table.

"I've got this." Blake said, moving to pull the bill towards her side of the table.

"You sure?" Weiss asked, her hand still on the bill. She could afford it. Actually, she could afford it several hundred thousand times over – the only actual benefit to being a Schnee. Blake on the other hand ...

"It's not a big deal, I ca-"

"Let me get this one. Please."

She looked so earnest.

Weiss relented, letting go of the folder. It had to be hard for Blake. Working for a ter ... ahem, an activist group ... hadn't paid particularly well. Weiss normally paid when they went out, but she'd always assumed it was fair. Someone should benefit from her trust fund. Who better, or more deserving, than Blake? She was ... making restitution. One particularly attractive Faunus at a time.

"Fine. But only because you owe me for ... this."

Blake's mouth twitched, and she rose. Weiss watched her go, those long legs stalking over to the cashier. It was nice – letting Blake pay for things. Beingtaen care of. Even if it did make her feel a little guilty.

Maybe on special occasions.

Looking up, she found Blake had returned, hand extended like a prince, ready to help her lady to her feet.

"Ready to go? I know this great gelato place."


Weiss leaned against the railing, breathing the ocean as she waited for Blake to return. Her girlfriend had insisted Weiss rest while she ran off to buy desert from the food truck. The tail swished behind her, and Weiss sighed, remembering the stupid attachments. Blake had been particularly, surprisingly playful today, much more so than on any other date they'd had.

Was it the tail? Did Blake have a thing for those?

Did she wish Weiss had been a Faunus? It wouldn't be completely ridiculous; they'd have more in common that way, more shared experiences. Weiss wouldn't be a Schnee – no need to worry about Weiss taking care of Blake financially, the two would just be normal Faunus girls.

Not Blake. Blake could never be considered 'normal.'

Although, it might have been easier if Blake was a 'normal' human. Easier to introduce her to the family at least. She wouldn't have had such a hard life, either. Then again, that person wouldn't be Blake. Well, maybe it would, but it wouldn't be her Blake.

Lost in thought, she didn't notice the heavy footsteps until they were directly behind her. Weiss waited, hoping whoever it was would just keep walking. She was enjoying the view; she had no intention of sharing it.

"Aww, what a cute little puppy" came a distinctly male voice behind her, following by a short, sharp tug on the tail. Weiss shrieked, dropping to her knees, discomfort mixing with rage and panic that the attachment might fall off.

"How dare you-" the infuriated heiress started, ready to disembowel the prick.

She never got the chance. A short howl of pain came from behind her. Blake stood there, her hand pulling the man's thumb up and away from his hand. Something popped, and the brown-haired man yelped, grabbing his wrist with his other hand.

Blake leaned in close, forcing his hand back and away until he cowered below her. "You will never do something like that again."

The main gasped with pain, whimpering as Blake tightened her grip, pulling his dislocated thumb even farther from its normal position.

The Faunus leaned in the last few inches, her voice barely a whisper. "And if you so much as look at her, I will tear off your arm and beat you to death with it."

The man nodded desperately, willing to agree to anything to make the pain stop. Thoroughly disgusted, Blake gave the thumb one last twist before throwing the man away, letting him roll onto the cobblestones, grasping his injured hand.

Long-nailed fingers reach out to take Weiss' hand, pulling her to her feet. Blake's arm reached around her shoulders, taking her away from the complaining idiot. Weiss let Blake lead her along, rage fueling the Faunus' stride.

"I thought you didn't like using fear tactics."

"For Faunus rights? No." Blake said quietly, her jaw set. Her eyes flicked over to Weiss, the concern plain on her face. "He hurt my girlfriend. He's lucky I only dislocated a thumb."

"I can take care of myself," Weiss grumbled, lightly punching the taller girl in the arm.

"Give me my hero moment." Blake smiled a little, the tension in her face fading a little. "You can beat up the next one that asks if you brought leash for me."

Weiss jerked to a halt, suspicions finally falling into place. This hadn't been about Blake wishing she was a Faunus too. There hadn't been one comment about Weiss slumming with a beast-girl, or drunks asking if Blake was house-trained. A well-dressed young heiress and a Faunus was one thing, but two Faunus girls? No one had batted an eye.

She has to hate it, those assholes suggesting I'm with her out of pity.

Weiss wanted to do something for her. To let Blake know how sorry she was for the people she couldn't change. She wanted to let her know that no one else mattered, that the only person whose opinion she heard was Blake's. She wanted to ... well, that.

Weiss shook her head, cold determination refusing to budge despite her nerves. She could do this. She was going to do this.

"Blake?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you take me home?" I love you, you idiot.

"... of course."


They snuck back into the dorms without issue, the relative quiet being the best part of Saturday evenings. The other students were enjoying their night off, reveling in what freedom they could find before Monday's promise of classwork and exams.

The two slipped into the dorm room the team shared, Weiss shaking her head as Blake went to hit the lights. Nodding, Blake closed and locked the door, moving to find a thoroughly embarrassed girl waiting for her in the moonlit room.

"So what now?" Weiss snapped, searching desperately for the words to tell Blake what she wanted.

"Hmm?"

"The bet," Weiss growled, glaring at anything but her teammate. "You still have a good four hours before I beat you to a pulp. Might as well take advantage of it."

"Is that an invitation?"

Weiss snapped, her teeth clamped tight as she turned and made to storm out of the room. She'd barricade herself in the bathroom, get this stupid thing out of her. She was done catering to this obtuse, insensitive, invasive little–

"Come here."

The command stopped Weiss cold, torn between leaving out of spite or following the terms of the bet. Turning on one heel, she marched back to Blake, eyes pointedly glaring over the Faunus' head.

"I'm sorry, Weiss," Blake purred, her hands coming up to stroke through silvery-white hair. "You've had a really hard day."

Gentle but firm, she pulled Weiss down until the smaller girl was seated in her lap, one arm holding Weiss in place while the other swept stray strands of hair back past her ear.

"Look at me," Blake whispered. A request, not a command.

Weiss lifted her chin, a sharp remark on her lips, only to find Blake pressing her mouth against her own, trapped in the kiss by the Faunus' hand on the back of her neck. Weiss felt the strength leave her arms as she leaned into Blake, her hands slipping into her tied-back hair. God, she wanted to lose herself to ... her.

Finally, Blake broke the kiss, one hand still running gently along Weiss' head.

"You are incredibly cute when you're annoyed, you know that?"

Weiss scowled, only to gasp as a cold hand ran up her leg, ghosting across her bottom to grip the base of the false tail.

"Take. It. Off." Weiss growled, mustering as much of her anger as she could,

"Not yet. Just for today, I'd like to have sex with my angry little wolf. ... if it's okay?"

What the hell is she doing to me?

"...this one time," she muttered, knowing her face was bright red and no longer caring.

"Of course."

"Never again."

"Never again. Unless you want to."

"I won't wa..." Weiss' retort dissolved as Blake kissed her again, the taste of the girl beneath her flooding her senses, wiping her mind of anything but the creature in whose arms she sat. A second hand slid under her dress, drifting slowly up her leg, playing at her thigh. Weiss braced herself, ready for the hand to slip between her legs.

It didn't. Blake slid back out from under Weiss' skirt, the hand coming up to tug the bottom of her sweater. Her girlfriend looked up expectantly, waiting for permission.

Weiss gave it, nodding shakily. Blake's hands lifted, running along the white-haired girl's skin. Her heart pounded in her chest, making her even more nervous at the thought that Blake might hear it. Blake was touchingher, her fingers brushing her sides as she undressed Weiss. Soon the soft wool was gone, Weiss feel horribly exposed as Blake hands ran back down her body. The long fingers stroked and touched, tracing the curve of her side. She wasn't even touching anything sensitive, and still Weiss felt so ... hot.

The roaming fingers caught on the clasp of her bra, and Blake shot another worried look up at her. Closing her eyes, Weiss nodded nervously, her grip on the other girl's shoulder tightening.

Dammit Blake, stop asking.


Weiss came to in Blake's arms, her whole body limp and covered in sweat. She tried to push herself up, only to find she could barely move her arms. Her fingers clawed at Blake's clothes, needing something to hold on to.

The arm underneath her moved, and Blake pulled her into the Faunus' lap, her head resting in the hollow of Blake's neck.

"That worth waiting for?" her girlfriend whispered.

Weiss nuzzled deeper into Blake, kissing any inch of skin she could reach. A head rested softly atop her own as Blake hugged her as tightly as she dared. They sat there, Weiss exhausted, Blake immensely satisfied.

"I don't think I can stand." She could barely get the words out, still breathless from the unrelenting assault.

Blake stood, bearing Weiss in her arms before laying her down on the bed. The exhausted woman managed to lift her arms, her hands locking behind Blake's head.

Smiling, the dutiful girlfriend clambered into bed, obeying the silent requests of her red-faced lover.

"This never happened."

"Okay." Blake leaned, kissing her forehead.

"You can't tell anyone."

Blake wiggled in closer, her chin now resting on Weiss' shoulder. "It's our little secret."

Weiss humphed as Blake's legs twined around her, trying not to blush as the other girl's curves pressed against her. She wanted to feel Blake's skin on hers, not have those stupid clothes between the two of them. She just couldn't bring herself to ask.

"You want me to take the tail off?"

"...yes, please."

That's how Weiss ended up naked on the bed, Blake's hand embarrassingly close to her ass, when Nora forced open the door.

"Blake! I've been looking for y-" Everyone froze, Blake's hand still gripping the base of the tail.

Weiss screamed, bedsheets pulled frantically as she tried to hide.

"You're a Faunus too!?"

"No, Nora. It's not-" Blake tried to explain over Weiss' shrieks. The damaged door swung shut as the hyperactive valkyrie bolted out the door, calls of "They're everywhere!" echoing through the halls.

A hand whipped out from under the blankets, yanking Blake down by her shirt.

"You are going to pay for this." Weiss hissed, her face a brilliant scarlet.

"As long as I'm with you, I think can live with that."


Note: The original version of this was a lot darker, with a very bitchy Weiss and a particularly predatory Blake trying to show her how badly Faunus are really treated. The problem was, I kept running into trouble writing the bits about Weiss experiencing anti-Faunus prejudice. Everything was either horribly cliché, overused, or just narm. So, I switched it to Blake teasing her girlfriend after Weiss tried to get her naked without returning the favor. It think it turned out okay, but I'm a little disappointed I couldn't get it to work the first way.