"Alright everybody! Great job today. To the showers!"

I sighed in relief as our fearless (and mostly idiotic) leader finally called an end to this exercise. While certainly a fruitful morning, after three hours even Yang was starting to droop. It was a testament to Ruby's enthusiasm that she could still be so energetic. I hung back after Blake and Yang rushed off to wash the grime off of them, a feeling I could wholeheartedly appreciate right now, by the way, so that I could speak to Ruby alone.

"Hey Ru- slow down a minute, dolt!" I shouted as I grabbed her by the hood. It looked like she was just as eager as the other two to get out of here. Luckily she calmed down before she managed to strangle herself with her own clothing.

"Ow ow ow! Let me go, Weiss, " Ruby panics as I let her go, "What was that for?"

"I wanted to talk to you before you wandered off, " I said. There was no reason to beat around the bush. It was easiest to deal with Ruby when you were direct.

"Oh, really? Sure thing! " Ruby said as she perked up like a puppy. An eager gleam appeared in her eyes as she waited on me to answer.

"I want you to carry me. With your semblance, I mean, "

...and immediately that eager look disappeared and a rather skittish look took its place.

"I don't know Weiss. The morning's pretty much up and other people are wanting to use the arena. Besides, we've been working all morning! I don't think I have the energy right now. Maybe some other time?" Ruby said without really asking. I could tell just from her demeanor that all of that was poppycock. She was trying to avoid the issue much like Yang had, and I wasn't going to stand for it!

"Stop right there, Ruby Rose. This day was supposed to be about learning about each other's semblances, correct? This was entirely YOUR idea. So just...just grab me and poof us over to the door so we can both get out of here!"

"I- I can't, " Ruby stammered.

"And why not? Yang implied that you could."

"Because I like you, okay! " Ruby all but shouted. It brought me up short. Any counterpoint I could have thought of just evaporated like the morning's mist. She liked me? What did she mean by that? Did she mean-

"Sorry! Not like that! I don't, you know, like-you like-you. I meant that you're my friend. Actually you're more than that. You're the best friend I've ever had. You're my partner, you know?" Ruby explained as she calmed down a little bit. And the funny thing is, I did understand. Despite all of her faults, I was probably closer to Ruby than I was to anyone else in my life. Not my family. Not my friends before Beacon. Ruby Rose had wormed herself into my heart like a parasite that wouldn't let go. However, that didn't explain her reluctance at all.

"That doesn't make any sense at all, dunce! If I'm really so much of a friend to you, why are you hesitating so much?"

"Because I don't want you to hate me," the girl murmured, "I have it under good authority that it's not a very pleasant experience."

"Dolt, " I start softly, "no matter what happens, I'm not going to hate you. I couldn't if I wanted to. And trust me, I've wanted to sometimes, " I end with a smirk. She giggled and gave me a small smile back.

"I know, but even still, you'd behave differently around me, if even for a little while. Yang didn't even speak to me for a week after I did it with her, " Ruby explained a little more. That took me aback. I could understand it being incredibly jarring. Maybe even painful. But what could be so horrifying that Yang, the big sister who doted constantly on the younger, outright ignored her?

"It wasn't just Yang though. Our dad couldn't bear being in the same room with me for a while. Uncle Qrow probably took it the best. He just got pale and stuttered for a few days when he spoke to me. None of them could really explain what happened, so from then on, I just kept my semblance to me and only me."

I could understand Ruby's hesitance now. If that could happen to those closest to Ruby, what might it do to someone she had only known for a scant few months. However, all her story managed to do was pique my curiosity even more. Hopefully I wouldn't end up like the cat.

"Even still, " I kept my voice soft. All yelling at her would do right now is make her run away, "I still want to do this." It was more than curiosity at this point. I genuinely wanted to understand my partner better.

"But Weiss-"

"But nothing. I promise you. Nothing between us will change. How about this. If I do act differently I give you permission to...permission to...hug...me until act normally again, " I grunt out. I can't believe I said that. I know I all but admitted (to myself at least) that she was precious to me, but there's such a thing as going too far.

"Really?" She had perked up as soon as I said the word "hug". Ruby was a rather touchy-feely person, which was rather at odds with how shy she generally was. Free reign to hug me whenever she wanted must seem like winning the lottery to her. What have I gotten myself into?

"Really. So, what do you say? " I ask one last time.

"You promise that nothing will change?"

"I promise. Now let's get on with this before you change your mind, " I say to try and cut off any more reservations. Despite that, I can't help but feel nervous. Something about Ruby's semblance had shaken Yang. It had to be especially bad, considering she wouldn't speak of it, even now that she had ostensibly gotten over it. With trepidation, I latch onto Ruby. It occurs to me that this is the closest we've ever been by my own volition.

"Weiss, you're trembling. Are you sure you want to do this?" I could hear the small amount of hope she had in that question. Hope that I was about to dash.

"Just do it, dolt, " I sighed out without raising my voice. It wasn't worth it to get upset at her at this point. It was obviously hard enough as it was, for her.

"Okay then. Here we go."

And then the world blurred away.