Follow up to Chapter 7. I would LOVE critical feedback of this chapter. It doesn't feel totally right to me (it feels a little ... mechanical), but I can't put my finger on why. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and definitely let me know if you have comments - DMs are totally fine if you'd rather not comment directly.
In the back of her mind, she recognized that some other students tried to talk to her as she half-walked, half-ran towards the exit. Soon she was outside the dorm, then powering through the campus gardens. Stopping for a second once she found some privacy amongst a wall of rose bushes, she realized she didn't know where she was going.
Huffing in frustration, she ran through some options of things to do that would get her away from...well, here, just here in general. No need to interrupt Ruby's little tryst, and she suddenly had very little interest in any team activities that may be taking place. A solo training session and locking herself in a study room came to mind, but neither felt quite right.
"Vale," she thought to herself, "I've been meaning to go in for a new outfit."
Yeah, that would work, a shopping trip sounded perfect. She could get lost in the busy high-end shopping district on the north end of town, where very few Beacon students ventured. Maybe she'd get some new jewelry while she was at it, something else to wear besides the necklace Ruby had gotten her for her birthday that she'd barely taken off. She spun on her heel, her head looking down at the ground as she sped towards airship docks. Absentmindedly she reached up and unclasped the necklace around her neck, then shoved it in her pocket with a sigh.
"Weiss?" She heard in the back of her mind as she was nearly out of the gardens. She ignored the speaker until a powerful grip wrapped around her arm, stopping her in her tracks.
Shaking herself from her thoughts, Weiss turned back to whoever had stopped her, ready to let loose a hail of pointed words at whoever had the nerve to grab her like that. As she opened her mouth to release the torrent of harsh words, however, she found herself staring up at Blake's concerned expression, and she quickly stopped herself from continuing on.
"Blake!" she said, trying her best to regain her composure "you surprised me."
Blake frowned, and loosened, but didn't release her grip on Weiss' arm.
"Is everything ok?" Blake asked cautiously, "I was yelling for you as you left the dorms, and you didn't even seem to hear it. Did something happen?"
Weiss cleared her throat and tugged her arm lightly, prompting Blake to release it.
"Nothing happened, "she said, forcing a small smile, "I just didn't hear you"
This didn't seem to appease Blake however, who simply frowned deeper, and stared into her eyes in a way that, along with the long silence between them, suddenly made Weiss very uncomfortable.
Weiss finally conceded defeat in the unintentional staring contest, her eyes dropping to her shoes.
"I followed you all the way from the dorms" Blake said, "you didn't hear me the whole time?"
Forcing herself to put on the composed look she had practiced for the better part of her life, (chin up, back straight, eyes forward), Weiss looked back up into Blake's eyes, and lied through her teeth:
"The grounds are loud today, I guess I didn't hear you over everyone else's conversations".
She shrugged a little for added effect.
This got a response from Blake, but not the one she had hoped for. Blake simply raised an eyebrow, and continued to stare at her, until Weiss had finally had enough. With a small huff, she turned slightly, making it clear she intended to go.
"Well, unless there's something you need, I'm heading into the city. I probably won't be back until later tonight, please tell the others not to worry." She turned to leave, but before she could step away, Blake's hand was back on her arm, holding her in place.
"What!?" She asked angrily, turning to Blake once more.
"Weiss," Blake said, with the same calm energy as before, her grip locked in place – gentle, yet unrelenting "you may think you can put on the haughty heiress attitude and hide it, but you're actually pretty garbage at hiding how you're feeling."
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean, "Weiss said, tugging her arm away from Blake, who reluctantly released her.
Weiss went to leave again, but she was only a few steps away when Blake spoke again.
"Did something happen with Ruby?" Blake asked quietly. Weiss' body locked up, and she froze in place.
Silence for a few seconds as Weiss considered her response.
Nothing had happened with Ruby. She just needed some time to herself, and to be away from her team for a while – all of them. Just a little alone time...
"What could have possibly happened with Ruby?" she asked, but her voice wavered ever so slightly in discomfort because of the question. She cursed herself for her lack of control, as she felt Blake's recognition behind her.
"That's the question, isn't it?" she heard Blake say, "I wasn't sure what to make of that weird little interaction in Oobleck's class, but now that I think about it, you two have been acting odd for weeks."
Weiss remained motionless as Blake stepped around in front of her.
"What happened with you two Weiss?" Blake asked, standing directly in front of her to block her walking away, "I know she can be a lot, but I've never seen you two so … awkward."
Blake wasn't going to let this go.
"Fine," Weiss said, throwing her hands up in frustration "if you really want to know: I just don't think that Ruby is putting her team first lately."
Blake tilted her head quizzically. Clearly that wasn't the response she had expected.
"What do you mean?" she asked, "I haven't noticed anything different about her. She's still the first to training and comes with all those crazy new ideas every time. I think her grades have even improved."
Weiss crossed her arms over her chest and continued: "I mean I think she's distracted."
"Distracted..." Blake said, confused.
"Yes, distracted" Weiss said, "when I try to talk to her, she gets this sort of distant look and I have to repeat myself far more often than I used to, even with her. It's incredibly frustrating."
Blake nodded slowly.
"And you think she's distracted by...?" Blake asked, motioning a little for Weiss to continue.
"I think she's got a silly crush on someone, and she's too immature to keep her focus on her work and her team. When you come to Beacon you have to be prepared to focus on your studies and your team, and quite frankly I don't think she's able to do that." She stopped when Blake made a noise.
Looking over at her teammate, she found her stifling a laugh, her hand over her mouth trying to keep the volume down.
"What?" Weiss asked indignantly.
"You, "Blake started, before giggling again into her hands, "you're just noticing this? She's been pining over someone for months! It's entertaining Yang to no end." Blake managed to pause the giggling but kept a small smile.
Weiss sighed, "Forgive me for not keeping track of Ruby Rose's love interests. Regardless, her focus should be on her team, not on Pyrrha."
Blake's smile disappeared, a look of confusion taking over, "Pyrrha? What does Pyrrha have to do with anything?"
"I overheard Ruby asking her out" Weiss said plainly.
Blake hmm'd, nodding her head slightly "and that upsets you?"
Weiss threw her hands up in frustration.
"Of course it upsets me! Her lack of focus could have dire consequences. We could fail classes or get hurt because she's too busy drooling over miss perfect across the hall. It should upset you and Yang too!"
Weiss waited for Blake's agreement, but once again Blake started laughing.
"I fail to see what's so funny" Weiss said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You!" Blake managed to get out between laughs.
"Me!?" Weiss asked, bewildered, "and what have I done that's so funny? All I'm doing is looking out for our team."
Blake managed to collect herself momentarily again, "Weiss, let me ask you a serious question – does it bother you that Yang and I are dating?"
Without even thinking about it Weiss responded, "of course not, why would that bother ..."
She tried to stop the thought before it was out, but it was too late. Suddenly everything seemed to come to a screeching halt.
"… me..." she finished softly.
The tension between her and Blake grew with each second of silence until it was nearly unbearable. Weiss kept her eyes on the ground, not daring to look up at her teammate.
"And she and I go out, right? "Blake continued, "In fact, I seem to remember us both missing a training session a few weeks back – the one out at Forever Fall?" she said, "Do you feel like Yang and I are too distracted for the team?"
There was silence as Weiss struggled to respond. Finally, Blake spoke up.
"Weiss?" Blake started before she could come up with an explanation, "are you... jealous of Pyrrha?"
Weiss scoffed, but her heart had suddenly started to race, and she got the distinct impression she'd been backed into a corner, "what on earth would I be jealous of?" She tried to meet Blake's gaze, but suddenly that seemed like an impossible task.
With a herculean effort she looked up and met eyes with Blake, who was smiling sweetly at her, waiting for her to continue. When Weiss stayed silent, Blake went to speak.
"I think I know what's happening," Blake started.
Weiss' eyes narrowed.
"Don't say it Blake, don't you dare say it" she said with a growl.
Blake stopped, but her smile just got larger, making its way all the way up into her eyes.
"I don't have to say a thing," she said, "but I'd encourage you to."
Weiss shook her head and sighed as Blake turned and started to leave.
"I'm not..." she started, but before Weiss could get the thought out, Blake interjected "You know, it's always seemed like Pyrrha was into Jaune...maybe what you heard isn't quite what you thought you heard."
Weiss snorted, "What I heard was pretty clear."
Blake turned back to her once more.
"Think about it Weiss." she started, "Who knows you better than anyone outside of your team? When you train with someone outside the team, who is it with? When you go into town with someone other than one of us, who is it with?"
Weiss didn't respond.
"All I'm saying is – if you were Ruby, and you were looking to … practice... what you wanted to say to you with someone who wasn't your sister...or your sister's partner, who would you go to?"
Weiss rolled her eyes.
"Blake," Weiss started, before being interrupted.
"Your training sessions with Pyrrha haven't gone unnoticed," Blake said, "Maybe Ruby is just as awkward and nervous as you." Blake bowed her head in discomfort, "it's how I was with Yang for the first year we were here. Head in the sand, determined to keep her at a distance."
"Blake, I don't..." Weiss tried again.
"Just think about it," Blake said quickly, before she turned to leave again.
As she walked away Weiss sighed.
She wasn't falling for Ruby, was she?