A/N:

Hi friends!

Welcome back to RWBY: The Selection. I hope everyone enjoyed the Capital Report, because there's way more of that people-who-should-not-be-involved-in-other-people's-love-lives-getting-involved to come :) But in the meantime, take some angst! I've got three chapters coming at y'all today and they're all very faunus-centered, so prepare yourselves :)

Shoutout to Six02,MadoScientisto, and Ravell Aqim for their reviews!

To MadoScientisto, thank you! :) Sappy endings are my speciality, and I'm so glad you're liking this story so far!

To Six02, but of course :D what would a "Team JNPR" fic be without some quality Team JNPR? ;) the exact mechanisms of this friendship however remain to be seen... Thanks again for the review! 3

To Ravell Aqim, poor Ren and poor Nora indeed... and thank you! Yeah, I don't want to give too much away on this, but there *is* more to come on the exact relationship that Salem has with her family. This is something that's gotten a fair amount of interest in the reviews so expect more to come for sure ;)

Without further ado, enjoy!

Chapter 45: Blake

The morning after Saturday night's Capital Report was supposed to be a time of relaxation for the girls in the Selection. They had time to sleep in, to savor a leisurely breakfast, to enjoy each other's company in the Women's Room, or to get a head's start on their hair and makeup for that afternoon's Rose Ceremony. Blake spent the majority of that morning on her scroll, crying.

"I knew you couldn't possibly have been on dates that whole time, why were you avoiding my calls?" the voice from her scroll growled.

"Adam," Blake pleaded. As soon as a caller had asked Yang how the girls spent their time when they didn't get a date card, and Yang had replied that she had spent most of Friday night annoying Blake with bad puns, she had known that she was in for it. She had told Adam that she was on a date with the Prince on Friday night, and Saturday night, both of which were lies. Adam hated it when she lied to him.

"Why, Blake? Is it because you don't love me?"

She inhaled sharply, her throat and eyes burning. "No, that's not why,"

"Have you actually fallen for this pompous human prince? Have you forgotten what the humans have done to us? Have you forgotten about our cause?"

"No!"

"Then why? Why did you lie to me?"

Blake bit her lip to stop it from trembling. Why had she lied to him? To have two nights off from talking to him? To pretend, for one weekend, that he wasn't a part of her life?

"Why?"

Blake sniffled. He was angry. He was so, so angry and it was all her fault. "I… I don't know. I'm sorry, Adam,"

For thirty, terrifying, heart-stopping seconds, all she could hear was his breathing. Then, finally, he spoke. "I know. It just…" he sighed, and his voice was softer now, "it made me so worried when you didn't return my calls. I thought something had happened to you. I thought for sure that Jaune or one of the humans had hurt you. I worry about you, Blake. I worry about you all the time,"

"I'm fine," Blake breathed, "really, Adam. I'm fine, and I'll call you back from now on. You don't need to worry,"

"Thank you, Blake," Adam said. She smiled sadly. He still sounded mad, in a passive-aggressive way, but at least now he didn't sound murderous. "If you can meet up with Ilia tonight, Sienna wants to brief us on the mission."

"Are there any more details?" Blake asked. "Like a date? Or a time? Or a… anything?"

Adam chuckled. "I should be the one lecturing you not to worry. It'll be in about a month, so don't panic yet. Sienna will give you and Ilia more details later tonight,"

Blake nodded. "Okay," she said. She had a month to get Yang safely eliminated. She had time.

"I love you, Blake,"

She responded on instinct. "I love you too,"