Yang let a week go by, watching out for her little sister when and where she could. She took what little insight she could from Ruby's strange relationship and applied it to common sense. It wasn't conventional, it wasn't even what she might think of as stable, but it seemed to make Ruby happy. Her shattered aura had begun to mend, and the complaints of feeling the Grimm under her skin began to lessen as well. Ruby had even began to tinker around with her beloved weapon once more.

That's why Yang half expected Ruby to drop this notion of romance. To put the idea aside and start training for hunts and missions again.

It was a cynical assumption, sure, but not without its own merits. After all, Ruby's desire to be a huntress had always won out over everything else before, even her love of cookies. Her training had taken her far, and her insistence to better herself made even Weiss cringe when it came to Ruby's overzealous regime. Time had taught the youngest among them that no matter how skilled she was, it was not enough. A lot of luck and planning went into a successful mission as well. Ruby always demanded success when and where possible. Her combat drills and planning meetings, Ruby had long since determined, were merely means to an end.

So, understandably, Yang was baffled when what stood in front of her proved to be vastly different.

Greeting her was a fairly domesticated Ruby Rose. The woman humming out of tune as she stirred the soup cooking on the stove in the faculty kitchen. While it was true the girl was no master chief, she knew her way around cooking with a single pot. She sang messy lyrics idly as she dropped freshly chopped herbs into the mix, turning down the flame so that the contents didn't burn. The one pot creation was almost complete.

"You're being oddly domestic." Yang commented as she watched Ruby work.

"I don't really know what you mean by that."

"What I mean is, you hate cooking. Meals ready to eat are what you normally deal with when it's only you."

"Bart needs to eat too." Ruby spoke, saying the name that made Yang's flesh crawl. "I doubt he wants to get the garbage in the cafeteria. Nobody really wants to eat that stuff. I know how to throw a meal together, so I thought, why not?"

"See?" Yang said slowly, trying to forget just who Ruby was doing this for. "Domestic." Frankly, she knew Ruby liked to look after people, she'd been raised to show kindness and care for others. It was simply the way Ruby was showing it that bothered Yang. It was just so different, so unlike Ruby's usual overtures. "If I didn't know your attitude as well as I do, I'd think this new boyfriend of yours has twisted your head into some new sexist regime…"

"Huh?"

"Oh, you know, crazy stuff, like women only belong in the household...that kind of nonsense."

"Ew, don't be weird, Yang." Ruby cringed, scrunching her nose in disgust of that thought.

"I'm not being weird, I'm being worried."

"Weird." Ruby protested, giving her sister a long look of mild aggravation. "You do this same kind of thing for Blake all the time."

"I do a lot of things for Blake. She takes care of me too, you know. That's what you do when you're in a relationship that's lasted as long as ours. You take care of each other." Yang stood up then, looking into the large pot. Seeing the soup come together, the spices and vegetables smelling amazing combined in the stock. Reaching for a spoon, she dipped it into the broth. It tasted a little salty, but she had to admit, it had a good flavor overall. "Hey, that's actually not too bad."

"I would hope not. I make it all the time over the fire." Ruby snatched the spoon from Yang before the blonde could steal another bite, putting the lid over the pot to keep it simmering. "So, outside of eyeing me like I'm about to go crazy, why are you here? Did Blake throw you out so that she could read again? I get the feeling you were annoying her or something."

"Well, she got a new book, so I thought I'd give her the space to read it without her having to ask. Besides, without me here, you wouldn't be allowed to roam around on your own right now." She flicked Ruby hard on the nose, watching as her sister recoiled from the impact. The glare that followed was hilarious, but she refrained from laughing. "I'm here waiting for that boyfriend of yours to come around so that I can have a little chat with him. Speaking of, where is he?"

"Do I look like his keeper?" Ruby asked with a sigh. "Yang, he's around here somewhere, he works and lives here. It's not like he just flies off to Vale whenever he feels like it. He has classes to teach, and research to do. He's probably hunched over some new field reports or something."

"Soo, can I punch him and see how far he flies?"

Ruby lifted her eyebrow, she knew she should have expected the question. The way that Yang asked meaning that she was probably just bored and looking for a way to pass the time. Ruby wasn't entirely keen on seeing what kind of havoc her sister could accomplish. The answer to her was clear and crystal. "No."

"Come on, it'll be fun."

"If you do that, and he retaliates, we will have to explain why everything's either on fire, or covered in coffee three times hotter than the boiling point of water."

"Eh, Goodwitch can clean it up."

"Yang, I swear, I will buzz you bald in your sleep…"

"Geeze! No need to get hostile." Yang paled, absently leaning over to peep into the black paper bag sitting on the counter. "I was just playing around…uh, Ruby, is this what I think it is?"

Reaching out, Ruby grabbed the bag from the lingerie store that had been delivered that afternoon. Her current few pairs were bland. White, grey, and a couple of pairs of black, but they weren't shapely, or even flattering on her form. Functionality in combat superseding any need to look attractive. She couldn't deny that such cloth made her want to strip herself naked quicker, if only so that they were out of sight. So, she picked something a little more flattering, but it was hardly risqué be any means. "It's exactly what you think it is."

"Wow…"

"Don't give me that look!"

"Woah, easy there, no need to freak out." Yang sighed dismissively. "I was just surprised. You know, believe it or not, I'm still trying to adjust to this new side of you."

"That part of the problem." Ruby grumbled, causing the blonde to roll her eyes. "We talk about everything with each other, but, this is something that I really don't want to explain the details of. It's personal, and if you don't mind, I'd rather not have to deal with you sticking your nose into it."

"Alright, fine I'll lay off." Yang said, leaning heavily on the counter top. "It's not like I actually want all of the little details anyway…thinking of you doing that kind of thing…" Yang trailed off, looking at the black paper back for an extended period of time. "Yeah, uh, not going to lie. It kind of grosses me out."

"How do you think I felt every time you forgot to put a sock on the door when we were in school?" Ruby shot back, her focus turned back onto her cooking. "We're sisters, thinking of each other's private time like that should be disgusting."

"Alright, I got the message." Yang grinned as she backed away, grabbing her bike helmet and her keys. "Just one thing though, are you actually sticking around here, or are you coming back home?"

Ruby merely shot Yang an exasperated look. "I guess that depends, Yang. Think you can handle seeing a sock on my door for a change?"

"Yeah, ya know what…no comment. I need to pick up some things from the store before I head back to the apartment. Call me if you need anything."

Ruby nodded. "I will."

Yang eventually relented heading back to her apartment with her mind flitting around the topics that concerned her. She tossed her helmet lightly onto the beanbag chair by the door, the gaudy thing in poor taste with the rest of the décor. On the other side of the room, curled up exactly where Yang had left her, was Blake, nose plastered to the new book she'd gotten herself.

The blonde rolled her eyes, chuckling at the fact that Blake reached for her mug only to find it empty and set it bad down again. If she knew her girlfriend as well as she thought she did, Blake had likely made that same gesture several times without really noticing.

Fetching the coffee pot was the kindest thing she could do, padding around the kitchen as quietly as possible before returning to full up Blake's mug. The sound of the warm liquid hitting the mug pulled Blake from the words splashed across the page. Ears flicking, she looked up at Yang in mild surprise. "Oh, thank you. When did you get in?"

"Just now." Yang said, carrying the pot back into the kitchen. She grabbed a cold soda from the fridge, making her way back to Blake, sitting on the floor and leaning back, smirking when Blake crossed her feet over her belly. "Ruby kicked me out of Beacon. I think I was annoying her."

"Hmm."

Lilac eyes drifted closed when slender fingers made their way into her thick mane of blonde hair. Nails ever so gently dragging along her scalp in an aimless way. Yang loved the feel of it, although very few were granted the privilege of touching her hair. Fewer still had ever indulged her quite in the way that Blake did. Wordlessly repeating the motion over and over again, knowing full well the power at her fingertips.

Yang knew that allowing it was the least she could do, especially sense she had her own mindless fixations about Blake all the time. Blake's ears not withstanding, she had a habit of having wandering hands.

How many times had her fingertips played along smooth legs? Palms caressing up toned thighs only to follow the path higher to grasp the firm backside Blake kept in near perfect condition? To be honest, Yang had lost count years ago, and as she sipped on the cold drink in one hand, she indulged herself with the other. Two fingers walking along the expanse of exposed skin that Blake left intentionally on display.

They sat like that for a long time, quietly amusing themselves in their own ways, the feeling of touch never too sudden to startle the other. Each move slow, full of care.

"Blake…" Yang said hesitantly, her finger turning in the same tight circles over and over. "Do you think things would turn out this way if Ruby hadn't messed up on that mission?"

"I really don't know, Yang." Blake's ear flicked as she closed her book, the muted thud sending a gush of air in just the right upward direction to tickle the fur there. She set it off to the side, careful not to nudge the knickknacks littering the end table. "In some ways, it bothers me. In other ways, I think some part of me always knew that Ruby was lonely. In the end, it's not really our concern, Ruby's not a child, so being as supportive is the only helpful thing we can do."

"I should have gone with her…"

"You can't blame yourself."

"Yeah, I know." Then Yang closed her eyes, Blake's thigh making for an almost perfect pillow. The black haired woman tensed a bit as Yang's breath ghosted along her leg. The action reminiscent of something much more lewd in nature. As soon as Yang settled though, Blake did too, and the Faunus smirked as she felt Yang wordlessly press her lips against her flesh. The action tender as could be, before resting her cheek back upon her favorite pillow. "I want her to be happy. I just didn't think happy would mean some dude way older than she is."

"Try not to think so hard about it." Blake said, resuming the way she toyed with Yang's tresses. "If things don't work out, we'll pick up the pieces."

Yang knew that Blake meant it. As a team, they were compelled to look after each other. It was imperative to them, and that reassurance meant the world to the blonde. She was reluctant to move as the fingers toying in her hair lulled her to sleep, but she wasn't ready to curl up where she was just yet. "So, how's the book? Think it would be something I would be interested in?"

"Well, it's not purple prose, but it's not a fantasy, either. I'm not entirely sure if you would like it or not." Blake said with a laugh, before showing Yang the cover. "It's a murder mystery. There is some romantic intrigue between the detectives, but, it's not the focal point. It's a good read in my opinion, but that doesn't negate the fact that it's slow moving."

"Will you read it to me?" Yang asked softly.

"You just want an excuse to lay around all day."

"Blake, please?" Yang begged. "I'm tired, and stressed, and I just don't want to think about anything."

The cat Faunus sighed good-naturedly as she reached for her scroll. "Go start the shower, and I'll be there in a bit. I'm going to order a pizza, and once it gets here we can have dinner in bed while I read. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect." Yang said, getting up to do just that.