Hello all, and welcome to a story that's not about Penny for once! I guess this could be considered an AU, since some characters are very OOC. I could leave this as a oneshot, or I could do multiple chapters. Let me know if you want more. Anyways, without further ado, on to the story. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY.
Blake wasn't sure when she started noticing the younger girl's odd behaviour. She wasn't sure why, either, but she did. And the more she looked, the more she noticed. The smiles fewer, and farther between. The bruises she tried to cover up. The muffled sobs, late at night when she thought no one could hear. Blake had tried to talk to her, but she always made excuses, like 'I'm clumsy' or 'I just had a nightmare'. The faunus was determined to find out what she was hiding though.
Blake appreciated her Grimm Studies class for the simple reason that it didn't require her to pay a whole lot of attention in the actual lecture periods. As long as she kept up with the assigned reading and studied for the tests, the class was essentially a period for her to read her novels, catch up on homework from other classes, or occasionally doze off. Today however, her focus was entirely on her team leader, observing her and trying to figure out how she was going to uncover whatever she was trying to keep secret. So focused was she on the brunette, Blake almost didn't hear the ringing that signalled the end of classes.
The final bell of the day always heralded an eruption from the students, the classroom devolving into a maelstrom of voices and movement as eager students quickly packed up their supplies and made their way out the door. For once, the cat ninja was glad for the throng of students she was stuck in the middle of. It made it easier to blend in and follow the shorter girl unnoticed.
After a minute or so of following Ruby, the group of people around her had thinned significantly, but she didn't have to follow the girl for much longer. The speedy girl was scurrying along when Blake saw Yang turn around a corner and catch her sister by the wrist. Blake was about to turn away and return to the dorm, leaving the two sister to their devices, when Yang harshly tugged the smaller girl into a nearby restroom. Raising her eyebrows in alarm, she quickly approached the washroom door and placed her ear against it, careful not to make any noise. Though slightly muffled by the door, the voices inside were clear enough.
"Is my essay done yet?"
"Well, no, not yet."
"Why not?"
"Well, I mean, our other classes have been giving us a lot of homework lately, and I still need to keep up with my sparring practice, and-"
"Boo hoo. That's not my problem. My problem is that my essay isn't written yet. And that's gonna be your problem if you don't hurry the hell up."
"Well, if you'd do any of your own homework, maybe the essay would be done by n-"
Thwack.
"Just finish the damn essay, and keep your mouth shut. I don't know why Ozpin even let you into Beacon, you're not cut out to be a huntress. But you were always everyone's favourite, weren't you. Brown-nosing little shit." The blonde might have gone on, but Blake chose that moment to open the door, the hinges squeaking to announce her arrival. Yang looked up at her and immediately flashed the faunus a grin. "Hey Blake, what's up?" Blake narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Why don't you tell me? I thought I heard a noise come from in here." Yang's smile faltered, but only for a brief moment.
"Well, my clumsy sister here took a bit of a tumble, and I was helping her up. Right sis?" Blake noticed the short, sharp look that the blonde flashed her younger sister.
"R-right. Clumsy me, heh-heh. Oops. Thanks sis," Ruby replied quietly. Blake glanced between the two.
"Right. Well, Ruby, I was actually just looking for you. Do you have a minute?" the faunus asked, earning a confused blink from the shorter girl.
"Me? Uh, well, okay," she stammered, grabbing her bag off the floor. "Um, I'll see you back at the dorm, Yang." The blonde maintained her grin and gave her sister a, more forceful than necessary, slap on the back.
"Alright, have fun you two!" With that, the blonde strode off, leaving the other two alone in the bathroom. Blake turned back to Ruby and raised an eyebrow.
"So. Mind telling me what that was all about?" Blake enquired once the sound of Yang's heavy footsteps had faded away. Ruby jumped slightly.
"Wh-what do you mean?" Ruby stammered, not convincing in the slightest. Blake narrowed her eyes at the shorter girl.
"Ruby, you're terrible at lying," she stated. "I heard everything. So how about you tell me the truth." At that, Ruby's eyes widened and began darting between Blake and the door.
"I... I don't know what you're t-talking about," she replied quickly. "I just remembered I have somewhere to be, so if you'll excuse me." Blake crossed her arms and did not budge an inch.
"No. Not until you tell me how long Yang has been bullying you." Ruby rubbed her arm uncomfortably.
"She's not... she's not bullying me, she just needs some help with her homework." Ruby replied weakly. Blake's eyebrow elevated once more.
"Really. Is that why she smacked you in the face?" Ruby's left hand shot up to her cheek, a red, hand-shaped mark still clearly visible. "Ruby, if that's not bullying, I don't know what is. And believe me, I know bullying when I see it." Ruby's lip began quivering.
"No, Yang is... she's j-just... I..." After stammering nonsense for a few moments, the shorter girl finally broke down, falling to her knees and sobbing. Blake was unsure of what to do at first, but eventually crouched down and pulled the small girl into a tentative hug.
"I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds," the faunus thought to herself as she slowly rubbed the her teammate's back. The pair stayed like that for about a minute before Ruby's crying had died down somewhat. "Feel better?" Ruby nodded and grabbed some toilet paper to blow her nose.
"Sorry about that Blake, I probably got snot on your shirt. I-if you want, you can change out of it back at the room and I'll get it washed right away." Ruby mumbled, and Blake merely shrugged.
"It's fine. But what's not fine is that you're getting bullied by your sister. How long has this been going on?" she asked. Ruby shrugged in response.
"A long time," she admitted. "Since before we came to Beacon." Blake frowned.
"Why haven't you told anyone about this yet?" Blake asked. Ruby scoffed at her.
"You think I haven't?" she snapped. "There's not much the teachers can do. They do what they can, but they can't be watching me all the time. It's not really like I have any friends that can help me, and dad doesn't really care about anything since mom died. So I just have to deal with it."
"What about Weiss?" Blake asked.
"What about her?" Ruby replied. "She wouldn't care. She already hates me for getting stuck as my partner and for me being assigned team leader over her." Blake thought for a moment.
"Well, you have me, now."
Ruby blinked at the taller girl, not sure if she'd heard her right.
"What?"
"I... I want to be your friend," she started slowly. "If you're okay with it, I mean." Ruby blinked at her again.
"You... you mean it? You want to be friends with me?" she asked, prompting Blake to nod slowly. "But... but what if Yang starts picking on you for hanging out with me?" Blake couldn't help but smirk at that.
"Don't worry about her. I was in the White Fang, remember? She should be the one worried about me." The faunus gave the smaller girl the most reassuring smile she could muster. "I'm not going to let her hurt you anymore." Ruby began sobbing again, and Blake pulled her into another hug, slightly less tentative than the first. After Ruby's tears had subsided, Blake waited as she washed her face.
"Sorry about that again, Blake," the brunette apologized once more, and once more the taller girl simply shrugged.
"Not a problem," she replied, before thinking for a moment. "Hey, since it's Friday, do you want to maybe go out and do something?" The shorter girl merely blinked at her.
"Like what?" she asked after a short pause.
"I don't know, we could just go into Vale and find something to do there, I suppose," the ninja proposed, and Ruby's face brightened.
"That sounds great! I just need to head back to the dorm and drop off my textbooks." Blake nodded in agreement and the two finally left the washroom.
"So, what do you want to do?"
Blake looked over at her companion and realized, that was a good question.
"Uh, I'm not sure actually," she admitted somewhat sheepishly. "I usually only come in to Vale to buy books, and sometimes stop by the cafe near the book store to read." The girl beside her gave her a warm smile as they continued walking.
"Why don't we do that then?" the shorter of the two suggested. "Go to the cafe I mean." Blake gave her an odd look.
"Uh, wouldn't you find that a little boring?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at her team leader. Ruby merely shook her head.
"Nah. Contrary to popular belief, I actually can sit still for more than ten seconds at a time," she replied. "It'll be nice to just talk, and get to know each other. We haven't really talked much since, well ever, really. But now seems as good a time as any, right?" Blake didn't respond immediately, but eventually nodded.
"Right. Well, shall we be off then?"
"Lead the way."
The pair made their way through the moderately busy streets, idly conversing as they weaved around pedestrians. The cat faunus was surprised at the depth of knowledge and insight the shorter girl possessed on a broad range of topics.
"Wow," the taller girl remarked as they finally arrived at the Kitty Corner Cafe, "I was slightly skeptical of your ability at first, but now it's no wonder you were moved ahead two whole years. You're so much more intelligent than a lot of people in our year." Ruby gave her a weak chuckle.
"Thanks. At least someone thinks I'm good enough to be at Beacon," Ruby mumbled, and Blake put a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, don't think about Yang right now, she's not here," Blake reassured, "just focus on the two of us. And on what drink you'd like to order, because we're next up." Blake nudged her head towards the counter, and Ruby quickly scanned her eyes over the board.
"Oh, uh, I'll have the triple chocolate mocha with extra sprinkles and whipped cream. Oh, and a couple chocolate chip cookies," she told the barista, and was about to pull out her wallet when Blake stopped her.
"The usual for me, and I'm paying for both," she told the girl across the counter, and pulled out her own wallet.
"Blake!" Ruby cried, "I can't ask you to pay for me! Here, let me jus-" The faunus once again stopped her.
"You didn't have to. I'm doing this because I want to." Ruby still looked ready to protest though, so Blake decided to placate her somewhat. "How about this? You pay for me the next time we come in?" Ruby still looked slightly dissatisfied, but nodded as the two seated themselves at one of the booths.
"Thanks Blake," she mumbled after a moment. "You still didn't have to pay for mine though." Blake gave her a small smile.
"I know, but again, I did it because I wanted to," she explained. "Isn't that what friends do?" Ruby blinked at her.
"I... I guess so." Ruby gave Blake a small smile as the barista brought over the drinks and cookies.
The pair spent the rest of the afternoon at the cafe, idly chatting about anything and everything. Blake marvelled at her companion's extensive mechanical knowledge as the gun nut gushed about the latest weapon modifications on the market. Ruby also listened quietly as Blake told her a bit about her current novel, only asking the odd question here and there. The sun was setting by the time the pair finally found themselves back at Beacon, both sporting content smiles.
"Did you have fun today?" Blake asked as they made their way back to the dorm room. "I know it wasn't exactly the most stimulating activity ever, but I generally just like to relax in my free time. Sorry if you found it boring." Ruby shook her head immediately.
"Don't worry, I had a great time Blake," the shorter girl reassured. "Being able to just relax and talk was really nice. Thanks again." Blake smiled.
"No problem. We should do it again sometime. Maybe next weekend." Ruby beamed at the suggestion.
"I'd really like that."