Blake wakes up to start her new job at the orphanage.
Ruby feels that Weiss and her are drifting apart.


I can do this… Blake kept telling herself while putting her clothes on.

I should run away… she thought after brushing her hair.

I don't want to go… she looked at herself in the mirror and after confirming that the hairbow was in place, prepared to leave the room.

After accepting Yang's deal and promising her collaboration, Blake had been offered to stay at the base. And, although the cat faunus had been hesitant at first about taking that offer, it only took for Yang to tell her that Weiss tended to visit the base to make her stay.

That type of behavior was baffling Blake. She was noticing that everything she was doing was in order to stay close to Weiss. And, a part of herself, perhaps a not so subconscious one, knew exactly why this was happening. During her time at the White Fang, Blake had seen how fellow faunus acted when they found a mate. How they were physically incapable of staying too far away from their mate; how they became overly protective and overzealous about the people who approached their mate.

It was something that Blake had hoped wouldn't happen to her while she was in the Fang. She had feared the possibility of her position at the Fang becoming deeper by having said bond with a fellow faunus. How that relationship would have certainly prevented her from abandoning the organization.

Ironically, and something that she still didn't want to admit to herself, it seemed like she had found her mate while being in the White Fang.

A mate from the family that the White Fang hated the most.

But just because she didn't want to admit it to herself it didn't mean that Blake didn't know it was happening.

She wasn't unhappy about the fact that Weiss had been chosen by her subconscious self as her mate. On the contrary, she was elated because the younger Schnee was beautiful, kind, gentle and brave. She was everything Blake had ever dreamed and hoped her mate would be like. A dream that she had slowly started to abandon when the White Fang turned violent.

Hence to now experience it, Blake could only consider herself immensely lucky.

Going outside her living quarters, it doesn't take much for the cat faunus to hear movement coming from one of the rooms. Following the noises and familiar voices, she can't stop herself from smirking when she notices Yang huffing and Winter absently drinking her coffee.

Those two were pretty obvious and it only took Blake one night, and perhaps faunus hearing, to realize they were a couple.

"Oh Blakey!" Yang smiles at her while moving what seemed to be eggs from side to side. "Come, come. Have some breakfast!"

"You really didn't have to." Blake says embarrassed because Yang was treating her like a child. "Hi Miss Schnee." she addresses the white-haired woman politely.

This makes Winter give her a soft smile.

"Hi Miss Belladonna." she continues drinking her coffee. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did." she answers honestly. "Again, thank you for your hospitality. You didn't have to."

"Nonsense kitty cat." the blonde brings her a plate of eggs. "Besides, we wanted you to stay here so we could prepare you for your first day at work!" she smirks at her. "So proud of you."

"Now you're just being annoying." the cat faunus groans embarrassed.

"While I do find Yang's teasing unnecessary." Winter chuckles. "It is true that we need to inform you of what you'll find at the orphanage and how you're supposed to behave while you're there."

"Besides, you don't even know where the place is. You'll kinda need a ride there." Yang teases her.

"I was finding out where it was." Blake says embarrassed.

"Still Miss Belladonna, I think Yang did give a good argument last night as to why you may wish to stay here?" she asks knowingly and this makes Blake blush.

"Now don't start embarrassing her Winter! She just cares a lot about Weiss and wants to see her. It's not like they'll be able to talk very much at the orphanage."

"That may be so…" Winter says simply. "Nevertheless, it is imperative Miss Belladonna is prepared so that she doesn't compromise Weiss."

"Of course Miss Schnee. I would never do anything that could put Weiss in danger." Blake promises vehemently and can see that the older Schnee believes her.

"You two are so annoying." Yang fake-pouts. "Calling each other by your last names. Just call her Winter and you call her Blake."

"She didn't give me permission to do so." Winter answers annoyed. "And unlike some of us, we are polite."

"Are you saying I'm rude, Winter?"

"I think she did say that." Blake murmurs while pouring herself some milk and taking a bite. "These eggs are delicious Yang."

"Thank you!" the blonde huffs proudly. "Well, it seems that now someone will start appreciating my cooking." she says this mostly to Winter who merely continues drinking her coffee.

"Just because I don't say everyday that your food is good doesn't mean I don't like it. I eat everything."

"Winter, you are trained to eat military rations. The fact that you clean your plate after knowing that fact is not very encouraging." Yang murmurs.

Surprisingly, Blake notices that this statement does make the white-haired woman give Yang a softer look. One that clearly meant she felt bad about her words.

"In that case…" Winter murmurs while bringing her plate to Yang. "Thank you for the meal…" she gets close to Yang. "It was really good." she promises while squeezing the blonde's hand.

"You're welcome." Yang says happily and watches Winter retreating.

"Now Miss Belladonna, please come to my office the moment you're done eating so we can discuss more your role at the school. Meanwhile, Yang will get ready to give you a ride to the orphanage."

"Of course Miss Schnee." Blake tells her with a soft smile.

"Winter." the older woman gives her permission to use her name. "You may call me Winter."

"I will as long as you call me Blake." she offers warmly.

"Then I'll see you soon Blake." Winter gives one last smile to Yang and retreats to her office, leaving Blake and Yang alone in the kitchen.

"Good job Blakey!" the blonde says proudly. "Getting all formal/polite Winter to call you Blake."

"But that's what you suggested!" Blake says embarrassed.

"I know, I honestly didn't think she would accept." she chuckles warmly. "That Winter…"

"You know…" the cat faunus says evilly. "You don't have to pretend in front of me."

"Pretend what?" Yang asks confused.

"That Winter and you aren't a couple." she says simply and this makes Yang blush.

"What do you mean a couple? Winter and I? Ha, that's ridiculous!" the huntress continues rambling.

"Yang…" Blake whispers to her after having taken her dish back to the kitchen. "I heard you. Last night." she winks and starts walking towards Winter's office, knowing she had finally caught the blonde woman off-guard.

"Whaaat." Yang says dumbly while watching Blake leaving.

"Thanks for breakfast Yang!" the black-haired woman chuckles and she knows it will only take a couple of seconds for Yang to react.

"No, what, BLAKE!" she screams and Blake laughs, realizing that it had been a long time since she had felt such at ease.

WBWBWBWBWB

Ruby was not happy.

After having that tense conversation with Weiss and going to bed without clearing things up, she had expected today to be a cold and silent morning. Although Ruby and Weiss didn't fight much, when they did, that was the way things went. Silence, from both parties until one of them apologized and then make amends.

But when she went to wake Weiss up, instead of having to force the younger woman to get out of the bed, Ruby quickly noticed that Weiss was already dressed and waiting for her to come get her.

"Weiss, how come you're up already?" she asks curiously.

"I just couldn't sleep for longer." Weiss tells her with a soft smile. "Now come on Ruby, let's go get breakfast."

Nodding in agreement, and surprised that Weiss hadn't acted angry or bitter, Ruby followed Weiss to the dinning room and sat on her usual seat, expecting Weiss to move away to the other side of the table, trying to create as much distance between them as possible. Nevertheless, what ended happening was that Weiss sat in her usual seat next to her and started eating her food nonchalantly.

"My father has not made any changes to my schedule, correct?" Weiss asks her curiously.

"Not at all." Ruby answers simply.

"Good, that means we can leave the moment we're done eating."

"Leave?" the raven-haired huntress asks confused. "But today we didn't have anything scheduled."

This makes Weiss simply stare at her.

"I want to go to the orphanage." the younger Schnee states and that's when Ruby remembers why Weiss would want to go there today.

Because she would be there.

"But you went yesterday Weiss. Remember, we don't want to make your father suspect us."

"My father will be extremely busy today at the SDC headquarters. Besides, it would help the company image to see I'm not just talk when it comes to taking care of the orphanage. My father will surely see things the same way." Weiss tells her this with a smile and this worries Ruby more than having been given this explanation angrily.

"If that's what you think." Ruby murmurs and stands up when Weiss does so as well.

"I do." the white-haired woman simply says. "Now then, let us go wash our teeth and then go." both of them head back to their rooms and do as said.

Ruby was honestly confused.

Where was the anger she had been expecting Weiss to have with her? Why was the younger woman acting all normal and nice? Weiss wasn't this way after they had a fight and it was worrying Ruby to no end to see her friend acting so differently.

Wanting to get to the bottom of it, she finishes washing her teeth and waits for Weiss at her usual place, hoping she could get the chance to ask her what was happening the moment the two of them were alone in the limousine.

"Oh Ruby, thanks for waiting." Weiss says with a smile while walking and making her have to follow along. "Again, I know this visit wasn't planned so I really thank you for coming with me."

"Weiss…" Ruby says softly. "You know I love going to the orphanage. Of course it wouldn't bother me to go." she takes a deep breath after opening the car door for Weiss and watching her get in. "In fact, there's something I want to ask."

"Of course."

"Why are you not angry?" she says bluntly. "You usually are angry the next day after we have a fight. But today you're not. I don't understand."

This makes Weiss give her a sad smile.

"Ruby, I can't force you to feel or do things you don't want to. Yesterday showed me that." the younger Schnee says softly. "Being angry with you for just expressing your opinion and concern wouldn't have been fair of me. Like you said, I'm not your partner or a huntress."

This statement makes Ruby immediately look up at Weiss and noticing her accepting smile.

"Weiss…" she chokes out. "Last night, I didn't…"

But she did mean it.

"I didn't express myself the right way."

"I thought you were very honest. For the first time in a while, you were honest about what you thought." Weiss says understandingly. "And I will honor what you asked of me."

"What I asked of you?" Ruby asks confused and barely notices the car stopping.

"To not ask you to be your partner again." Weiss takes her seatbelt off and opens the door of the car, leaving Ruby in a state of almost panic.

Panic because she had not been expecting Weiss to do as she said. And right now all Ruby could think of was that Weiss was slowly moving away from her.

To her.

WBWBWBWBWBWB

"Now Blake, I know you don't like motorcycles but I promise you that nothing will happen to you." Yang smirks at her while driving Bumblebee.

"If you know I don't like them then don't complain when you get me in one." Blake says while closing her eyes and hoping they don't crash.

"But it's so fun to see you like this!"

"I hate you Yang."

"Really Blakey? And here I thought we were becoming friends."

This makes Blake just huff but not say anything back.

"Knew you saw me the same way." Yang says proudly. "Now Blake, I don't think I have to remind you how important it is for you to follow the rules and advises Winter gave you, correct?"

"Of course I'll follow them." she promises. "She warned me about the many cameras, hidden microphones and possible spies her father has put inside the orphanage. My mission is to find where they are and come back with that information. If I disable them they can just put them back in different positions and suspect the staff."

"Indeed." the huntress murmurs seriously. "Also, don't compromise your position. I know you'll want to talk to Weiss." she adds knowingly. "But you can't approach her unless she does. It's just standard practice and the way all people treat the Schnee around here. If people see you do differently they'll think you know each other and question you about it."

"I understand." she can't stop herself from whining and this makes the older woman chuckle.

"Weiss will be just as anxious as you are about talking to you. And, since you're a new employee she'll definitely welcome you, Diana."

This makes Blake groan again because of course Yang had to pick that fake name she had decided to use at the bar.

Not that there was anything wrong with the name, but it just didn't suit her personality.

"I don't like that name." Blake pouts.

"But you were the one that picked it!" Yang chuckles.

"Because I thought I would only be using it once." she huffs.

"Well, it seems you're not."

"But that guard at the bar. If he's there and I have that name he'll recognize me." Blake says worriedly.

"He was moved." Yang calms her down. "Don't worry, Winter took care of everything and made sure no one from the bar fight kept working near Weiss."

"How did she even do that?"

"Winter has her ways." the blonde huntress says suspiciously and stops in an alley. "Ok, you see that tall white building on the other side of the street?" she asks Blake who nods. "That's the orphanage."

"It's huge." Blake says surprised.

"Well, Weiss didn't want the kids to be uncomfortable and for them to not have physical activities." Yang explains proudly. "She managed to get all of the funds from some faunus-friendly organizations and investors and built the whole project from scratch."

"To do all of this for faunus…" the black-haired woman says warmly. "She's incredible."

This makes Yang give her a knowing look.

"Ok tiger, relax." she jokes. "Remember what we told you. Introduce yourself at the front desk, give the secretary your fake IDs and then just follow them to where they take you."

"You do know it's not the first time I've had to do something like this, right?" Blake reminds her calmly.

"Of course it's not." Yang smiles at her. "But it is the first time you've had something to lose if your cover is blown, right?" she adds knowingly and this makes Blake stare at her, remembering that she was here because Yang and Winter were getting something out of this arrangement.

"How could I forget." the cat faunus says somberly and starts walking to the orphanage.

"I'll be around to keep an eye on how things go for you!" the blonde gives her a wink. "Have fun!"

Nodding in confirmation and then watching Yang leave, Blake takes some deep breaths to center and remind herself about her objective. Though she liked Yang and Winter, the cat faunus was no fool and knew those two were only helping her because she was useful to them. Although knowing this certainly made the situation harder for her, it also wasn't completely unexpected since all Blake cared about was Weiss.

Lucky for her, Weiss was also Winter, Yang and Ruby's main concern.

Confidently entering the building, it doesn't take long for Blake to find the receptionist. Giving her best fake smile, she gets close to the woman and pretends to be nervous and anxious.

"Good morning." the older woman tells her with a warm smile. "Can I help you with something?"

"My name is Diana Parker and I was recently hired to start working here?" she asks and this makes the red-haired woman nod in confirmation.

"You're Diana!" she says excitedly. "Oh it's so nice to meet you dear!" she grabs her hand and squeezes it excitedly. "Really, so nice to have a new face around us."

"Really?" she chuckles. "I mean, it's nice to be here."

"Please, call me Barbara." the receptionist introduces herself. "As you will soon find out we're all here to help the children to the best of our capabilities. That, to all of us, is our main concern."

"Of course." Blake says seriously.

"Now don't get all serious." Barbara jokes. "I can see in your face that you're a good person Diana and that the kids will love you." she tells her honestly and this makes Blake give the older woman an honest smile.

"That means a lot." she then looks around. "But since you talked about the children, I was wondering where they are...?"

"Oh, they're in the garden right now playing!" the woman gets up. "Now dear, come along so I can introduce you to the other teachers and the kids."

"You don't have to guide me." Blake says embarrassed. "I could find my way there."

"Nonsense dear, it will be good for me to stand up from that chair and take a walk." Barbara chuckles and Blake smiles in return. "Tell me Diana, not that I'm not happy to have you here, but how come you applied to this job?"

"What do you mean how come I applied?"

"Well, as you may be aware of, this orphanage takes care of faunus children." she simply says. "And this is Atlas."

This makes Blake stare at her.

"Precisely because it's Atlas I'm here. Precisely because they're faunus children I'm here." Blake says honestly. "Because they deserve the same chances and opportunities that other children in Atlas have."

"Very well said." Barbara smiles at her. "Now that I know this, you can go ahead and open that door." she points towards one at the end of the hall. "And I have to go back to my desk."

"But you said you would take me to the kids."

"And I did." the older woman chuckles. "They're right behind that door." she promises before turning around and leaving.

Taking another deep breath, Blake doesn't know what to expect behind that door. Because she was a faunus, she had seen many orphanages during her life. And if normal orphanages were bad, then the ones for faunus children were terrible. They were dirty, barely had space to fit so many kids and most of the times were used by the humans in charge to profit from them.

Blake knew that Weiss would never be capable of doing such a thing, but at the same time she had those images on her mind. And, though some orphanages were clean and spacious, the faunus children that lived there tended to be victims of abuse and mistreatment.

Closing her eyes, and begging that this orphanage wasn't like the others, Blake opened the door and took a step in, her cat ears immediately hearing the sounds of honest laughter and children screams surrounding her. Opening her eyes, Blake immediately notices that the yard is full of different toys and small playgrounds, many kids either playing with each other or doing some exercise. Turning around, she can also see some using a ball to play soccer, girls and boys mixed together while an adult was supervising and helping them with the game.

Getting closer to the kids, Blake can see that they all look very healthy, their bodies moving perfectly and their faunus features proudly on sight, not one of them afraid of showing who they were. Smiling at the warm and happy sight, the cat faunus just stays in the middle of the yard, finding it impossible to believe that she was in Atlas. That these kids could be so happy in a place that had brought such unhappiness to their kind.

And all of this happiness had been possible because of Weiss.

Her heart, which had been beating normally, now started to beat faster, the mere thought of Weiss being responsible for the happiness of these children making the cat faunus feel something she had never felt inside of her. Blake knew that these feelings were not only from herself, but from that primal and ancestral part of her faunus heritage.

Reminding her that all of this had been done by her mate.

Feeling a soft purr almost coming out of her, Blake immediately stops herself before the children can hear her. While faunus children didn't have their senses of smell developed enough to notice who was or wasn't a faunus, the moment they heard her purr would be the one they realized she was one of them.

And both Winter and Yang had given her specific orders to not reveal that information to anyone.

"Excuse me!" Blake hears a man saying behind her. "Excuse me, who are you?" he asks bluntly and this makes Blake stare dumbly at him.

Is he really a teacher here?

"My name is Diana Parker, the new teacher." she simply says and this makes the man smile.

"You're Diana!" he chuckles while squeezing her hand. "Sorry about that, I didn't remember you were starting today."

"That's fine…" Blake starts saying.

"Oh, right. Forgot to introduce myself." he says embarrassed. "My name is Sun Wukong and I'm the fitness trainer."

"Fitness trainer?" Blake asks surprised.

"Of course!" the man tells her with a warm smile. "Faunus children, specially the ones at this age, are in the process of learning how to use their abilities and their faunus appendages. I'm the one that teaches them how." he points at himself and that's when Blake notices his tail.

He's a faunus as well.

But if he was, why couldn't she smell him.

"You're a faunus as well?" she asks politely.

"Half-faunus." he corrects her. "Though I only have the physical abilities of my tail. The rest of cool things like sensible hearing, night vision and enhanced smell didn't develop in me." he huffs annoyed. "But I do know how to use my tail and was taught from a faunus family to use it."

"Of course." Blake smiles at him. "It was just surprising to see that there was a professor for it."

"Miss Schnee is very adamant about the children receiving the best information and education regarding their faunus heritage. But then again, her last name doesn't help her in getting faunus to come work here." Sun chuckles.

"So Miss Schnee is the one in charge of hiring and things like that?"

"Pretty much." the man simply says. "Papa Schnee definitely doesn't care about this place as long as it gives the SDC a good image. Miss Schnee is smart and uses that to help the kids. And you know, for being a Schnee, she certainly is not like her family at all. The apple did fall far from the tree."

"It seems it did." Blake whispers proudly and stops herself from reacting to the sound of a child crying.

Pretending to look around where she is, Blake uses that to warn Sun about it and follows him to help the young girl.

"Violet, what happened?" Sun asks worriedly and Blake smells that this girl is human.

"It was an accident." a cat faunus boy says worriedly. "We were playing in the slides and she fell. I didn't do anything to her, I promise." he starts to excuse himself and Blake feels sorry for him.

That was typical behavior faunus parents taught their kids when it came to behaving with human kids.

"Ian, it wasn't your fault." Violet smiles at him. "I already told you that." she then stares at Sun. "I was the one that fell because I wanted to do what he was doing."

"Then if she already said that Ian, there's no point for you to continue blaming yourself, right?" Blake asks him and that's when the two children notice she's there.

"You're new." Violet tells her bluntly and this makes Blake smile.

"Indeed I am. My name is Diana and I am the new teacher."

"NEW TEACHER!" Violet yells and it seems this makes all kids turn around to look at her.

Feeling a little shy about all of them suddenly looking at her, she merely nods in confirmation before she is surrounded by almost all the kids.

"Where are you from?"

"How old are you?"

"She's pretty."

"I like that bow."

"What will you teach?"

All of these questions were being asked to her and Blake had no idea of how to answer them. Giving Sun a pleading look, he merely winks at her before standing up and moving out of the circle, escaping the clutches of the kids because they were all focused on her.

He abandoned me! Blake thinks worriedly and promises herself to scold the irresponsible man the moment she saw him again.

"Well…" she starts to say, not knowing what she was going to say. "I…"

"Now children..." she's interrupted by a familiar voice and Blake can't stop herself from quickly staring at blue eyes that were also looking at her longingly. "Is that the way to welcome the new teacher?"

And Blake, who had been previously thinking about what to do with the kids, had forgotten it all and could now just focus on one simple thing. One event that yet again turned her world upside down, making her previous feelings of pride, longing and warmth return full force.

Weiss was here.