Author's Note (Meta Author's Note: I don't know why I wrote 'Editor's Note' last time, this whole thing is just a mess I'm sorry guys): this chapter is more action-based, seeing as they are on a mission, after all. We also get to see a whole lot more of my favourite non-eponymous team, team JNPR!

Thank you for all the views, follows and reviews so far! It's brilliantly weird to know that people are actually reading this, and maybe even enjoying it.

Blake and Yang are both pretty stubborn, so it's gonna take a while before they actually think rationally about things...

Day 2

Blake's eyes flew open.

We're being attacked! I've got to protect Yang-

It wasn't until she was half out of bed, reaching for Gambol Shroud, that her sleep-addled brain saw sense.

The cabin was silent, apart from Yang's gentle snores.

There was no sign of any Grimm trying to break in.

It was probably just a bad dream. Chill out.

Clambering back into bed, she rubbed her eyes.

I have not had enough sleep, thanks to spending the night silent-crying because of yester-

Nope. We're not gonna go there.

Blake kicked her duvet off. It was too warm.

Sun was pouring in through the blinds.

Thankfully not the person… Dust, I'm not supposed to feel like that! He's a sweet guy…

But guys weren't exactly Blake's type.

She rolled onto her stomach and groaned into the pillow.

Some of this could be blamed on Adam.

Passionate as he was about Faunus rights, he had viewed anyone who was anything other than heterosexual as 'unnatural'.

Which is quite ironic, considering a key belief of the White Fang is that Faunus should not be discriminated against because of how they were born… that son of Beowolf...

So, though Blake knew that Adam talked a load of shit, and would never declare anyone else as having 'unnatural' or 'disgusting' attractions, she struggled accept her own... 'women-only'... desires.

Particularly considering that the person she was attracted to was one of her teammates.

And that said teammate, far from returning her advances- like that would ever happen- could possibly find her attraction repulsive.

It was highly unlikely, but Blake wasn't about to take any chances.

And that said teammate's sister could also possibly find such a thing abhorrent- Ruby was one of the most non-judgmental people Blake had ever met, but you can't be certain about these things.

And that her other teammate- though deep down Blake thought her more likely to commiserate on the struggles of shaking off a homophobic upbringing (if she looked at Ruby the way Blake believed she did)- was extremely likely to harbour deeply conservative views on such an issue.

It was often said that, Faunus rights aside, Remnant was a land of great equality.

Clearly, people who believed such a thing had never met people like Adam.

With sexuality, the repercussions were societal, rather than legal: there was the right to marriage, and anti-discrimination laws, and so on, but that didn't stop people being dicks. People were still assumed to be heterosexual, and, speaking of which...

In addition to the probable rejection and abandonment by all the people she loved, there was also the fact that, after three dates and 5 kisses of various lengths, there is no easy way to say:

'You're great and all, but I can't like you like that because a) I'm in love with someone else and b) that someone else is a girl, also c) I only like girls, can we still be friends?'

...without sounding more 'string-a-long' than those 'wouldn't-know-a-piece-of-cheese-if-it-crept up-behind-them-and-said-BOO' cheese strings Ruby liked.

In summary, I'm more fucked than the heroine in "Vampire's Bite"-

Blake's cheeks heated, both at the thought of certain passages of the novel, and of Yang's discovering it yesterday.

At least it looks like a nice day, so I can spend it avoiding Yan-

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Oh.

That's why I woke up.

As Blake crept towards the door, weapon in hand, she peered at her cabin mate, whose bed was closest to the noise, and who therefore should, if she had working ears, be up and ready to fight right now.

Has she turned deaf overnight?!

Yang was dead to the world, wild hair and a sliver of forehead the only thing visible.

Blake hesitated. Did she try and wake her, or deal with this alone?

Yesterday had been awful. Talking to Yang would bring those memories out into the open.

Blake had intended to go so long without talking to her that they forgot both yesterday ever happened.

Thud. Thud-thud-thud.

The door was shaking.

Fuck it.

She shook Yang by- what she thought was- the shoulders.

The body underneath her hands was limp and unresponsive.

'Yang! Wake up! Something's trying to attack u-'

'S' just Ruby.'

Blake glared at her unmoving partner.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-

'She must be in trouble! How can you just lie there-'

'That's her "really really excited" knock.'

There was an unspoken 'duh' on the end of the sentence, and Blake just knew that Yang was rolling her eyes.

'How could you have forgotten…oh…'

'I think if Ruby had ever knocked on our dorm room door like that I would have remembered it, Yang-'

'She wanted to show us a new defense position Pyrrah had taught her. Weiss nearly pissed herself,' Yang chuckled, sitting up suddenly.

She stretched her arms above her head. Her hair was a messy halo around a slightly puffy face. Had she been crying?

Blake didn't want to dwell on that thought.

She looks beautiful.

Yang frowned at the bed. 'I forgot. You weren't there.' She looked Blake straight in the eye.

Uh oh.

'Where was I?' She couldn't not ask.

Yang stiffened, then sighed.

'You were on a date with Sun.'

Oh.

'We should see what Ruby wants,' Yang said, after a beat. 'Else she will break down the door, she is related to me after a-'

'If you two don't hurry up and get your butts out here I will carry you out here myself!' Ruby yelled. 'Everyone else is already up and outside! Hurry up or you'll miss it!'

'Miss what?' Blake asked Yang, but the bathroom door had already slammed shut.

She sighed, and sat down on Yang's bed, the same bed where-

Today wasn't going to be awkward at all.

'Okay, what is up with you two?'

Blake fought the urge to run from Weiss' piercing gaze, internally sighing in relief when it was directed at Yang instead...

...Yang, who huffed and turned her back to all of them, arms crossed.

Great.

'I'm guessing they've had an argument,' Ren said, glancing at Yang.

Blake fought the urge to cross her own arms, deciding to play with her bow instead, though it probably gave away her unease just the same.

'Do you want to talk about it?' Ruby whispered in Blake's ear.

Weiss tapped her foot.

Blake shook her head.

Pyrrah placed a hand on Yang's shoulder. It was ignored.

Weiss' eyes narrowed. 'Whatever happened to make you two so weird around each other, I don't really care right now-'

'But you just asked why they were-'

Weiss sighed at Ruby's confused expression.

'They were supposed to infer that they were being complete idiots, and stop being complete idiots.'

'Oh, right.'

'Anyway, I don't care whether you've had a lover's tiff' -Yang inhaled sharply, and Blake forgot to breathe- 'or what, just don't let it effect the plan.'

What in Dust's name did Weiss mean by that?

Pyrrah whispered something in Yang's ear. Yang shook her head sharply.

'Yang spends the entire walk not making a single pun- or saying anything really- and Blake looks like Glynda's just announced a surprise test that makes up half our grade, arghh you're both so-'

'Ready to kill these Nevermore?' Jaune interrupted. 'Because, uh…'

Yang turned round, evidently relieved at the change of topic.

Weiss blinked.

'...One of them just woke up!' Nora exclaimed, from high in the trees.

Eight sets of eyes were fixed on the ruins, which, so long ago, had been the home of the relics deciding their future teammates for the next four years. Two of the Nevermore hadn't moved, still asleep on the podiums. The third stirred violently.

Weiss cursed, and grabbed Myrtenaster.

'Okay, everyone remember the plan?' Jaune said calmly, leader voice in action.

He didn't wait for an answer.

I don't like the plan, but it's the cleverest (though cruelest) way to do it...

'We attack in 10, 9, 8, 7…'

They watched, silent and helpless, as the Nevermore took flight, swooping past the relics.

'Well. There, quite literally, goes the plan,' Yang commented.

Blake let out a breath she didn't realise she had been holding. Burning Grimm alive, even if they were Grimm, had seemed somewhat barbaric.

Weiss glared at Yang. 'Nobody-'

A rose petal fell in front of her face, and she groaned.

Blake watched Ruby chase after the Nevermore, cape flying.

'Nobody else- no, don't- Yang!'

Yang tore after her sister, grinning.

'Nobody else move, alright?!'

Blake obeyed, because it put some distance between her and Yang.

Dust, I really shouldn't be thinking about our argument right now, I need to concentrate on-

'You can't all go!' Weiss screeched, and Blake snapped back to reality- to the backs of Pyrrah, Nora, and Ren, respectively.

Pyrrah looked around her, and realised she had company. She skidded to a stop, and then ran back to Weiss. 'Sorry, I didn't realise they were both following me.'

Jaune put his hand on Weiss' shoulder, his eyes having never left the remaining pair of Nevermore. 'That one's also stirring.'

Blake followed his gaze. Only the smallest Nevermore was still sleeping peacefully.

Weiss groaned.

Jaune patted her back.

'I'm still here, don't worry. We'll be fine.'

Weiss buried her head in her hands.

The Nevermore raised its head, but then drooped back down again.

'We have to move, Weiss,' Blake said.

Weiss looked up, grim-faced. 'Okay, in 10-'

Pyrrah grabbed her by the arm. 'No time for that!'

They ran, Blake not liking the odds of four Huntsmen defeating two Nevermore.

Weiss fired Myrtenaster, dust bullets exploding into the nest, and the whole thing went up in flames.

Okay, now we just need to stop the Nevermore from trying to leave…

The Nevermore that had been stirring rose from the flames like a phoenix, and began circling them, firing feathers everywhere.

Jaune turned and ran.

'Head for the trees!' he screamed.

'You traitor!' Weiss yelled.

This is bad, this is bad-

Pyrrah threw her shield at the Nevermore. It bounced off, the creature unharmed, and the Nevermore fixed its gaze on the shield's owner.

'I'll distract it!' she yelled, running into the forest and continuing to hit the Grimm with her shield, 'you focus on the one that's still asleep!'

Weiss and Blake shared a look of panic.

Nothing was visible over the towering flames.

Dust, we could burn down the entire forest.

'Jaune, we could use a little help over here!' Weiss shouted to a smudge of blonde in the tree tops.

'Look out!' was the reply, and Blake heard a horrible scream from behind her. She turned.

The Nevermore had made that noise. It was smouldering, small flames licking at its feathers, but that didn't stop it from diving out of the nest, and aiming right for Weiss and Blake.

They ran back towards the forest, Blake firing Gambol Shroud in its gun form, Weiss trying to freeze the creature's right wing, but the bullets bounced off, and the ice just melted upon contact. Blake could feel the air stirring as the Grimm closed in.

'Dive!' she yelled, at the same time as Jaune screamed from the tree-tops: 'Weiss, place a glyph two metres below me, now!'

Blake threw herself down, hands breaking her fall, and rolled over to see Weiss slamming into the earth, the Nevermore's right wing grazing her back. The creature was going too fast to change direction.

A battle cry sounded from behind Blake, and she looked over to the forest: Jaune was falling- no, leaping- onto the glyph, launching into the air towards the Nevermore, seconds before the creature was destined to crash to the ground. His aura glowed yellow around him.

Grimm and metal collided as Jaune slammed Crocea Mors' shield form up into the Nevermore's approaching beak, the resonating whine of contact making Blake wince. Jaune flew over the top of his shield and continued his ascent, still yelling, as the bird reeled and collapsed to the ground. Jaune's aura was flickering.

'I'll secure the Nevermore,' Weiss said, as the two girls got to their feet. 'You-'

'Rescue Jaune?' Blake finished. From that height, even his aura might not protect him, especially now that it had already taken a considerable hit.

She loaded a violet dust cartridge into Gambol Shroud. As Weiss began her second attempt at freezing the Nevermore's wings, Blake started to sprint. She formed a crouching clone a metre away from her and leapt onto it, before creating another slightly higher up, and another, and another…

When she was high enough to be able to see over the top of the trees, Jaune started to fall.

Blake's shadow copies only lasted a few seconds; if she stopped moving, the clones under her would collapse, and she would too would fall. She threw Gambol Shroud's ribbon over to Jaune, continuing her climb.

'Jaune! Hold this!'

Jaune grappled blindly with the ribbon, clinging on for dear life as Blake used Gambol Shroud to swing it clockwise around her, like a lasso.

'What the hell are you doing?!' He wailed, eyes firmly shut.

'Your weight will drag me down otherwise,' Blake called. 'Just hold on!'

His eyes snapped open. 'Are you saying I'm fat?'

Blake started to place her clones lower down, beginning the descent. As they got closer to the ground, she swung Gambol Shroud around slower and slower, until Jaune's feet touched the ground and he let go, collapsing in a heap. Blake leapt off her last clone and stopped, panting.

'Thanks,' Jaune said weakly, his face a pale green. 'I'll go and help you and Weiss in a minute.' He stood up, swaying. 'Now, if you'll excuse me…'

Blake hurried back towards Weiss, as the sound of vomiting filled her ears. The heiress was standing, arms crossed, next to the struggling but still frozen-in-place Nevermore, as-

Yang.

'Jaune flew in a nice Arc, don't you think?'

Weiss rolled her eyes.

Yet to be noticed by the others, Blake muffled a laugh.

And then her scroll rang.

'Hello?'

'Blake!'

Blake tried to muster up the same level of enthusiasm. She forced a grin onto her face.

'Hey, Su-'

'Wait! Is this a bad time? You're not about to get eaten by a Beowolf or anything, right?'

'Would I be taking this call if that was the case?'

'...touché. I'd hate to have a dead girlf- I'd hate for you to die.'

Oh Dust, he almost called me his girlfriend, what if he's about to ask me out?!

I can't say yes, but I have to say yes-

'...Me too.'

'That's another thing we have in common, aside from the fact that we're both ridiculously good looking.'

Blake forced out a laugh.

If only I could find you good looking...

'How's Professor Port?' Blake asked, and she was rewarded with a long complaint that only required the attention of one set of ears…

'Oh Dust, I can't believe Ozpin agreed to Glynda's stupid idea of having all the non-Beacon students shadow your professors because, no offence Blake, but if I have to hear the seventh part of the tale of how Professor Port cleared out a desert full of Goliaths with only a toothpick I might just…'

I can't say no just because I'm fixated on Yang, that's not fair on him. But then I can't say yes just to force myself to move on from her-

But maybe over time I will find him attractive?

And people have sex with people they aren't attracted to all the time, it's not like he's a horrible person, he's hardly Adam-

Why am I even thinking about having sex with him?!

I know who I'd rather-

'...Faunus do deserve to be enslaved, don't you think, Blake?'

'W-what?!'

'Somebody started daydreaming, huh.'

Sun laughed, but Blake was filled with guilt.

'I'm sure all your thoughts were of me…'

Am I cheating on him by thinking about her all the time? I mean, we're not going out yet, but this isn't right.

I'm a bad person.

'I'll call you back later, when you're not so distracted by your fantasies of me, okay?'

'Bye,' Blake forced out.

'Remember, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Try not to miss me too much, Blake.'

Blake was about to respond that it hadn't even been three days since they last saw each other, but then she was forced to acknowledge that any time she spent away from Yang physically, she certainly didn't spend mentally.

When it came to Sun, she'd practically forgotten he existed.

Sun hung up.

Blake hung her head.

After getting thoroughly chewed out by Weiss for leaving her, Yang and Jaune to kill the Nevermore ('...and then I cut its head clean off!' 'Only after you fell off the glyph twice and forced Yang and I to hold it down, because all you achieved was cracking the ice so it was freed! You idiot!' 'Yeah, well, maybe if you'd placed it lower down the tree that wouldn't have happened!'), Blake was now partnered with Yang to go after one Nevermore, whilst Weiss and Jaune went after the other.

Considering Weiss could hardly stand Jaune, she must have thought that Blake and Yang needed to talk things through.

Well, we haven't spoken a word to each other since Ruby tried to break the door down, so Weiss is suffering for nothing.

I won't talk to her even if the others are in grave peril and we have to work together to save them.

Dust, that's deeply unprofessional. How will I ever graduate Beacon?

Ozpin would be disappointed.

I'm a terrible person.

The pair of them had managed to defeat small groups of Ursa and Boarbatusk without verbal communication.

I suppose we just know how the other works now. We've gone beyond words.

Isn't that what happens in good romantic relationships?

Shut up, brain.

There was a cry from beside her, and Blake glanced round to see Yang lay into a pack of Beowolves that she herself hadn't even noticed. She worked so fast, eyes glowing red, that Blake just stood there, almost afraid of getting in her way. Within seconds, the creatures were killed, but Yang didn't move, breathing heavily.

Did I cause this?

Blake thought back to Yang's teasing yesterday.

No.

She brought this upon herself. She's the one that should apologise.

But she did apologise!

Shut up, brain.

Yang finally looked up from the forest floor, where the bodies of the Grimm had long since dissolved.

Their eyes met.

Wow, the ground sure is kind of interesting, I get why Yang kept looking at it, I could stare at it all day-

It became a pattern: Yang flying into random fits of rage, and taking out Grimm with a fierce intensity, whilst Blake just watched from the sidelines.

An hour had gone by since they'd last seen the others, but Blake couldn't get signal on her scroll, and, from the cursing, Blake gathered that Yang had the same issue. There was no sign of either of the Nevermore, either.

In a forest like this, she soon lost track of direction. Had they walked through here before? She sure wasn't about to ask Yang.

Each extra minute they went without speaking was one that made it harder to start again- which was fine by Blake, as she had no intention of beginning the conversation. But she was kind of pissed off that Yang wasn't going to make the effort.

Part of me used to think that, of all of us- me, Weiss, Ruby, Yang- I was the coward. But look at Yang right now, not talking to me...

Oh, who am I to talk? ...Wait a minute-

They both chuckled, and then looked at each other in surprise. Blake got the distinct feeling that they were somehow laughing at the same pun.

She does love her puns. Great minds think alike-

No. Surely we're not laughing at the same thing. That's such a couple thing to do-

'...What's so funny?'

Yang blinked at her. Blake had broken first.

Dust dammit! Why am I so worried about us seeming like a couple anyway, even if Yang didn't think I liked Sun, it's not like she's ever mentioned liking girls, just guys-

'I, uh- I was just remembering a joke.'

Yang was lying.

Blake's heart somersaulted between elation and sickness at the realisation that they had indeed had the same thought at the same time.

'What were you laughing at?'

There was no trace of anger in Yang's voice. She looked earnest, like she genuinely wanted them to start talking again.

For some reason the thought of everything going back to normal made Blake freak out.

No no no no-

Isn't it better this way?

She can't tell that I'm in love with her if she thinks I hate her!

Yang was still waiting for a response. Now she just looked sad.

Blake pushed down the feeling of guilt.

'Nothing.'

And with that, they were back to ignoring each other again.

Somewhere along the line, Blake and Yang had got separated.

And Blake was totally cool with that. It was hard to wallow and obsess over the same old thoughts when you can practically hear someone else think.

She knew where one of the Nevermore was now, but she wasn't going to help out.

Ren, Nora, Pyrrah and Ruby were doing just fine on their own.

'I never knew it could take so long to kill one Nevermore,' Ruby moaned a few moments later, slumped against a tree stump. 'It was pretty easy the first time around.'

Blake had to strain to hear Pyrrah's reply: 'The first time we were here, your team could focus all their attention on the one Nevermore. We had to deal with a Nevermore, two Death Stalkers, and a pack of Ursa all at the same time! Give yourself some credit Ruby, we all did a really good job!'

'I need cookies…'

Ruby pulled out a giant cookie from battle skirt.

Nora had fallen asleep.

Pyrrah, being Pyrrah, was being a good Huntress and stretching her legs.

Ren was scanning the tree-tops.

They made eye-contact.

Crap.

Despite having two sets of ears, Blake had to lip read Ren's words: 'I'll be back in a minute. Just checking something out.'

He was still looking right at her.

CRAP.

'Hey, Ren,' Blake greeted, turning round as he silently crept up the tree from behind her.

Faunus instincts.

Ren just smiled.

Blake did not like the look of that smile.

'I think you need to tell Yang how you feel. Everyone knows she feels the same. Sun complicates things a little, but I'm sure if you're honest with him he'll understand. Don't be afraid, Blake. Love- like the two of you have- can never be suppressed.'

Ren's mouth moved in time to the words.

Blake glanced down at the others. They showed no sign of having seen her.

Ren must have actually said that.

He raised an eyebrow.

'Are you feeling alright, Ren?'

Both eyebrows.

'...It's just, you don't...usually talk… at all… and especially about relationships… I mean… you're telling me to make a move, but why haven't you told Nora how you feel?'

Ren looked sheepish, then affronted, then sheepish.

He settled on affronted.

'Do as you say and not as you do, right?'

A barely perceptible nod.

'And everyone knows that I like Yang?'

Another nod.

'Except Yang?'

A sigh, and then a nod.

Blake groaned.

Ren reached to lay a hand on her shoulder, and then froze.

'Thanks for the support,' Blake said, and it truly meant a lot to her that Ren felt the need to say that.

Ren smiled, and withdrew his hand.

An awkward silence began.

'Well, goodbye,' they said at the same time.

They both cringed.

Have the most awkward people of our friendship group talk to each other, and the conversation was always going to be painful…

Blake climbed down the tree, and set off to find Yang.

Ren's right. I have to tell her how I feel. This is the perfect time- we're not caught up in school work, or trying to save Remnant from destruction.

But they're all deluded. She doesn't like me back. To her, it's just a close friendship.

So I'll tell her how I feel-

No, I'll write a note-

A note she'll see in the morning.

When I'm gone.

I'll pack up my stuff and go and camp out in one of those caves or something, I'll tell the others I'm okay, of course.

Well, I'm not okay.

But at least I won't have to see the look of horror on Yang's face when she realises all the thoughts I must have been having yesterday when she wore that stupid towel.

Maybe in a couple of months our friendship will be back to nor-

Even Blake, the master of anxious internal monologue, couldn't continue to monologue whilst unconscious.