Forlorn Chapter 17: Like No Tomorrow, a rwby fanfic

Chapter Seventeen: Like No Tomorrow

Written by: JayEmEl

Edited by: Cowjump

Enjoy!

It stained their clothes, oozing from deep gashes across their throats, soaking the backs of their heads with crimson. Their blood was all over the ceramic floor and smeared on the walls. The two men lay there, motionless, eyes staring lifelessly up at the ceiling. They hadn't died immediately. There had been time for them to feel pain, to struggle and grip at their wounds in attempts to slow the bleeding. They had even tried to defend themselves and retaliate. Alas, their efforts had all been in vain.

After sabotaging the cameras, Blake had watched the guards crumple to the floor like puppets cut loose through the dim lighting of the chamber. Behind an angular red and white mask, golden eyes had witnessed Adam strike them down without blinking. The assault had been fast and merciless. No hesitation. Blake had expected nothing less from her partner. Not these days, in any case.

What had she allowed herself to become?

Somewhere above them, on the ground level, workers were setting fire to the factory, causing chaos and generally making Blake and Adam's task much easier. Sensitive cat ears clearly detected a lot of muted shouting and gunfire.

"Blake, I need you," came Adam's rough voice in the disturbed silence, pulling her from her thoughts. He was lifting one of the men from behind, under the arms.

Blake's stomach churned. She knew the plan. They had discussed it at length and in detail, and she had agreed. Seeing it unfold firsthand was a different story altogether. Adam had lied – he said he would knock out the guards, not kill them. Blake had suspected his murderous intentions from the start, of course, despite his assurances. Still, she agreed. He needed her.

It wasn't like she was allowed to disagree, anyway.

Her feet seemed to move on their own volition. High-heeled boots stepped in the puddle of blood, and Blake crouched behind the other man's head before slipping her hands under his arms and lifting him part way off the floor, mimicking Adam. The metallic smell made her want to throw up, it was so fetid. Nevertheless, Blake powered through, doing her best to even refrain from swallowing. They dragged their victims over to the vault door, one on each side, and removed the plated gloves said guards were equipped with before placing the still-warm palms flat against the hand-scanners on the wall.

Blake's heart was pounding. She knew this was going to work. Their mission success rate was almost alarmingly good, and, on top of that, the Faunus slaving in these mines were far from being sympathetic to their employers. The intel they had supplied was solid and would not fail the White Fang. Adam would make sure of this; he was thorough and efficient with whatever tools the mission gave him.

They were getting what they wanted.

Only, they weren't getting it in the way Blake had originally hoped. But here she was – sunken to the same level of criminal activity. She might not have killed anyone, herself, but she was just as guilty for not intervening. She wanted to claim the reason was entirely because Adam had become an unstoppable force and she didn't dare stand in his way, but the truth was that a certain scar at the base of her left cat ear still pained her heart. She was scared. Angry, too, but mostly at herself for her lack of confidence.

The scanners flashed green and Blake heard creaking gears rotating followed by heavy bolts retracting. Adam let go of the body like it was some useless doll and immediately gripped the hilt of his sword. Although disgusted by the blood she had gotten on her hands and clothes, Blake put the man she was lifting down more gently and then pressed her back against the wall as the thick vault door began to slide open. As soon as he could, Adam tossed a flash grenade inside before turning his head away. Blake closed her eyes right before it detonated. When she opened them again, Adam had already disappeared into the next chamber amid the furious shouting of orders being given. There was loud gunfire, strangled cries, and the sound of bullets ricocheting against metal, and Blake clenched her teeth. She wasn't worried about Adam – she was worried because of Adam. He wasn't going to spare a single life if he could help it. He despised humanity.

But Blake had followed him to every rally, had been by his side at every meeting, had gone on every mission as his partner in crime – it was such that whenever most other White Fang members thought of Adam, they thought of Blake, too. She was his shadow – the shadow of a man who had become a monster. As such, she was no different. This was the bitter reality.

The door at the top of the metal platform, on other end of the chamber, suddenly swung open. Blake saw a handful of men emerge, flashlights pointing beneath their assault rifles. The electricity had been cut by another group of White Fang operatives earlier, and so the auxiliary power was now only supporting the dim yellow lights on the floor. Blake could see just fine – this was an age-old trick the Faunus used against the humans. It was how the war had turned in their favor.

And this situation was much the same. Blake held the advantage – she had seen them first and they would never be able to see her unless she decided to let them. The handful of men still had to descend the stairs, and this was part of her role – to cover Adam's back if needed. Blake dashed away from the wall and silently jumped on a stack of large wooden crates further off to the side of the staircase. She remained hidden, stealthily climbing onto the stack that was about twenty feet above the ground, letting the darkness that reigned near the ceiling consume her. There she waited for the men to start their descent.

They were wary. Even if they could assuredly hear the fighting in the next chamber, their steps were slow and they swept the perimeter with their flashlights, constantly in search of a threat. There were five of them.

The ground shook a bit as another explosion went off up above, causing dust and small pieces of rock to fall from the ceiling. Blake immediately grabbed Gambol Shroud and threw her pistol over the last guard in the line before quickly snapping it back thanks to the attached ribbon. The blade caught him in the shoulder, and, using the element of surprise to her advantage, Blake pulled with enough force to bring him toppling over the railing with a pained cry. The other men started firing their guns while he lost his with a clatter and landed with a hard thud on the ground below. By that time, Blake already had Gambol Shroud in her hands again, and the other four men were looking everywhere but failed to find her.

Blake's eyes darted over her surroundings in search of another idea, which she found quickly upon seeing the metal support beams and piping across the ceiling. First, she wrapped the ribbon around her hand and forearm a few times before tossing a pebble down below as a distraction. While her ruse caught their attention, she threw Gambol Shroud up at one of the support beams and firmly hooked it there. She then ran across a few crates to gain momentum and propelled herself into the air, performing a wide arc that brought her feet crashing into the next guard in line and sending him flying over the railing as well. Blake returned to the crates again upon her landing, but her position was compromised. Therefore, she fell into another sprint and executed the same tactic, this time dropping on the stairs behind the men.

She had the upper ground. After kicking the third guard between the legs, she grabbed him by the shoulders and yanked him over the railing. The last two men turned to point their guns at her, but Blake had already used the hand-rail to jump and swing her legs around, boots colliding with their rifles and knocking them right out the men's hands. She dodged a punch from one, saw the other fetching a knife from his belt, and allowed him to swipe at her. He fell through her shadow clone, and Blake hopped over them both before turning and hitting the weaponless one in the neck with the end of her pistol, knocking him out.

The last guard tried to cut her again, but his blade only found the skin of the evanescent shadow clone once more. Blake gripped his arm and used her other hand to smash the side of his head into the rock wall beside them. He crumpled down next to his partner.

She stood there for a moment, breathing hard through her nose. They weren't dead. They were just unconscious. Nevertheless, Blake didn't feel good. There was a time when using violence to achieve her goal would have never even crossed her mind. These men were not unharmed – she had still hurt them. All because of what?

She had become loyal to Adam. He saved her life. She was blinded by love. Blake had tried to excuse his criminal behavior for too long, and in so doing, had brought a burning iron to the values she believed in until what was left was distorted, numb, and ugly.

But Adam's actions were no longer justifiable. They were blatant murder and hate. He killed in cold blood, and he was a far cry from the honorable man Blake had known. The White Fang was no longer diplomatic. This was another war waiting to happen, and Blake knew that if she continued down this path, she would be caught in the middle and forced to choose once and for all.

This wasn't what she wanted. She may have betrayed herself, and the shame she felt may have threatened to send her further down the road of self-destruction, but Blake couldn't stand this anymore. She had never stood for this at all.

"We're done here, Blake."

She turned. Adam was walking out of the other chamber, a large briefcase in one hand. His clothes were dark, but there were splatters of an even darker, inkier substance covering them. Their mission was a success. The factory was destroyed, most of the men were dead, the Faunus were free, and Adam had the main Dust components in his possession. And Blake had helped it all unfold.

He started up the stairs but was forced to come to a stop when Blake didn't move. The mask he wore hid his eyes, what had once been a reassuring expanse of blue, but Blake could guess he glanced at the guards at her feet. He was silent for short moment, then he murmured, "They wouldn't have hesitated to kill you."

Of course, Adam didn't voice the question that hung between them. Why had she shown mercy if they wouldn't have? He didn't have to ask it, though, and he knew the answer anyway. And when Blake didn't acknowledge that he had spoken, Adam merely said, sounding aggravated, "Move, Blake. We have to return to camp and prepare to intercept the Schnee train."

Blake obeyed. She started ascending the stairs, stepping so as to avoid the bodies in the process. Adam did not. He was a looming, vicious presence behind her, and Blake's gut seemed to knot. She had tried to stop him one time. Only once. He had made her regret it. Painfully. They reached the top of the platform and went through the door the guards had come in from earlier. There was another staircase here made of cement; the Faunus duo had had to sneak through the factory to reach it the first time they came in. But now there was orange fire light glowing in the newly ruined tunnel – the factory was gone. Police sirens were heard in the distance, approaching fast.

Adam put his hand on Blake's back, near her nape. She felt a chill run down her spine and accelerated her pace, knowing she wasn't going fast enough. The smell of smoke and burnt flesh assaulted Blake's nose as they reached the surface, and she nearly gagged. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the night, although the thick, dark grey haze made it hard to see.

Blake wanted peace, equality. She wanted the Faunus to be safe. She wanted the world to be a better place. The scene before her was not that. It was death and destruction. If this continued, Adam and the White Fang would single-handedly bring hordes of Grimm to Vale and make everything so much worse. They were not the solution Blake had so fervently and naively believed in, once upon a time. In fact, they had become a deadly toxin, poisonous to the virtues she wished to return to.

It wouldn't be easy. Blake felt guilty and ashamed, and she was still angry and scared. She wasn't sure how she would ever make amends for her crimes or if she would ever be worthy of what she used to stand for again, but there was one thing she knew for certain. As she and her partner ran through the smoke and debris, Blake resolved in her heart that the Schnee train would be the last mission she helped Adam with.

She had a few days to figure out her own agenda, to formulate a plan without Adam finding out. God forbid if he did – Adam would not let her get away with betrayal unscathed. Possibly, he may even kill her if he had any inkling that she would fight him. So, yes, Blake was afraid.

She was terrified.

But she couldn't do this anymore. Blake was breaking, and if this continued, she would soon be unrecognizable from her former self. She wouldn't just be Adam's shadow – she would become a monster, herself.

Monster. Beast. Animal.

Heart pounding in her ears, Blake glanced at Adam running beside her. There was a car waiting for them further down the road. The police had yet to arrive, but the sirens were getting louder. Adam had timed the operation perfectly.

It might have been too late for Blake, anyway. No matter what she did now, she was a coward. If she stayed, she knew she would fail to stand up for herself. There was no courage in that. It was a tale as old as time by now – she had thought running was a mistake. She had thought Adam was right in fighting.

And he was. He had always been. But not like this. Never like this. But Blake was too scared to change, and Adam had taken advantage of that knowledge. He beat her down. And now, through a cowardly act of self-preservation, she was once again going to run from her problems instead of fighting the way she should have. The correct way.

There would be no blaming her instincts. This was pre-meditated. Blake was nothing but a monster and a coward.

It was true that aura was a complex phenomenon that no one – not even the most versed scientists and researchers – had yet grasped the full functionalities of. Some people believed that it was a manifestation of the soul while others thought it was a power ingrained in each living being, unlocked through meditation or through some exterior factor of cause and effect. And while it was possible to measure and gauge aura and study its manifestations – semblances, for example – there was no real answer as to where it came from or how it worked or what the full extent of its capabilities were, exactly. Of course, people who unlocked their auras could feel it within them and had some understanding of how to use it defensively and offensively for attacking and protection purposes, but this still failed to provide any clear, concrete explanations.

Even Atlas' military, despite having found a way to construct robots that possessed a "soul," could not perfectly imitate aura or put its full potential to use. In fact, after the grave incident during RWBY's first year's Vytal Festival, the manufacturing of these robots had been discontinued, having been deemed too unreliable.

Aura could heal wounds, too. At least, that was the case for Ruby. But there had been no way of knowing if the healing would be successful or if it would keep her in a comatose state forever, acting as a constant shield against brain damage. The doctor had feared that although Ruby had woken up, there may have still been some complications. After all, Ruby's aura had broken, and it had only been thanks to the medical staff's swift intervention that her state hadn't deteriorated. After that episode, the doctor was uncertain if Ruby would remain awake or if she really was healed completely – the scans had shown that her condition was stabilized and everything looked normal, but only time would truly tell if there were any lingering repercussions.

The doctor's best guess at why this had happened at all was referencing the theory that aura didn't protect against self-inflicted harm - for example, biting one's own tongue or having one's own brain smash against their skull. Unfortunately, in Ruby's case, that didn't explain why she had gotten an exterior head-wound, too.

What was clear for now, though, was that Ruby's body had experienced slight muscle atrophy and needed to undergo about a week or two of physical therapy. Her aura would accelerate the process if she rested well between sessions, twice per day. It had been amusing, seeing Ruby so determined to get back in shape. If Blake had thought RWBY's young leader drove her team efficiently and hard when it was necessary, the black-haired girl became convinced that Ruby drove herself even harder in these moments of personal weakness. Blake believed it was both inspiring and admirable on Ruby's part. She continued to prove she had a lot of spirit.

But Ruby wasn't alone in this process of recovery. It had been three days already since her miraculous awakening, but Yang had been there with her almost every second, ensuring her little sister ate her meals and rested undisturbed. She also helped Ruby with her exercises and constantly offered encouragement. Weiss was almost no different – she remained at the hospital during the night and was there for Ruby when she woke up in the morning. As for Blake, she was always present with Yang, holding a quieter but just as supportive role within the team. Ruby was far from being on her own.

Nora and Ren had come to visit her, too, as soon as they had gotten off patrol duties that first evening. Ren may not have been so outwardly ecstatic as his partner about the good news, but it had been clear the duo was extremely happy to see that Ruby was alright. They continued to pop in for about ten minutes every day, too.

"Today I'm gonna walk by myself!" Ruby announced as she and her team entered the hospital's small gym. Ren and Nora had left before it was time for her therapy session.

Yang, who was pushing Ruby's wheelchair, grinned in amusement. "I bet you will."

The therapist had given them an outline of the young girl's exercises and steps. Ruby had quickly regained her usual pep and optimism, and even yesterday's last session had seen her take a few wobbly steps on her own. Yang had looked so proud, especially because Ruby's determination to recuperate had her advancing faster than anticipated.

Blake gladly shared in these small victories as well. She was happy – happy that Ruby was awake and happy that Yang was pretty much back to her sociable and outgoing self. But Blake was relieved, too, to a certain extent, and part of her still experienced this relief acutely sometimes. She had had no desire to lead Weiss and Yang, and the stress of dealing with that possibility hadn't quite left her mind yet. The events of the past three weeks had made Blake uncomfortably aware of the role she played in the team, and how if Ruby were to fall in combat for good, the responsibility of leadership would once again land on the shoulders of the ex-White Fang member.

It was a hypothetical situation, of course, because Ruby was alive and well now, but Blake was nevertheless shaken by the prospect. If Ruby really did succumb to her wounds one day, then Blake would have to be more firm about asking Weiss to shoulder that kind of burden. She simply did not trust herself to lead, did not even want to come close to having the kind of responsibilities she'd been given in the White Fang. Yang, by herself, would be almost too much to handle in such a case, anyway. Blake couldn't see herself being able to hold the weight of those factors combined.

"Ready? Three, two, one, up you go!"

Yang's voice pulled Blake from her thoughts. The raven-haired girl looked over in time to see her partner hauling Ruby out of the wheelchair and helping her grip the two horizontal bars nearby. Ruby hung on, and Yang hovered in close reach, ensuring her little sister wouldn't fall while she adjusted to standing on her own. The energetic young woman was just so attentive to Ruby's well-being – it was heartwarming to watch the two siblings interact with each other again.

They had fussed over Ruby's hair, too, once some of the excitement had faded. Because of the operation and stitches, Ruby had a slash of baldness where the doctors had shaved her. It wasn't styled at all – Weiss had expressed her disapproval about it the most – and the girls had been looking at possible haircut options to make it look more natural. The irony was not lost on Blake – Ruby was the least interested in those discussions, right alongside Blake, herself. Nevertheless, despite the mild torture, Ruby now had a hair appointment the following week that Yang would probably have to forcefully drag her to.

Blake caught herself smiling as she watched them, but she wasn't compelled to stop. Even when she saw Yang glance over at her, the smile remained and Yang grinned back with a quick wink. This made Blake's heart flutter, and the raven-haired girl momentarily forgot about some of her concerns. For the first time in her life, Blake felt like she was allowed to be genuinely happy, no shame attached, and it was unbelievably freeing. She still had concerns, of course, but they no longer forbade her from basking in the warmth burning in her chest, and the feeling was novel.

It was right about then that the hospital's gym doors opened, and Blake turned her head to see who the visitors were. It was a pleasant surprise to see Pyrrha and Jaune walk in. Their return was unexpected – Ren and Nora had said nothing about it, and as far as Team RWBY had been concerned, the two lovebirds were supposed to have been in Mistral for the summer.

But here they were, hand in hand and sporting the proof on their skin of having spent time in the sun.

"Oh, my God, it's Pyrrha and Jaune. Weiss, help Ruby! I'll be right back."

As Weiss took Yang's place by their leader, the blonde rushed over to the new arrivals to hug them tightly. It had barely been three weeks since she had last seen them, but the social butterfly was excited to be surrounded by her friends again. Blake slowly shook her head, deciding to let Yang have a moment to greet them on her own.

"You guys are back so early! What happened?"

Pyrrha looked over at Ruby and smiled. "Nora sent us a message about your sister, actually. We were worried about her, too. You must be so relieved now that she's alright."

"You can't imagine," Yang replied with a bit of a sigh. But then she grinned again. "Come see her! She's almost walking by herself again!" Pride and elation clearly reflected in Yang's tone. The extrovert grabbed her two friends and practically pulled them off their feet to get them over to Ruby.

"Pyrrha! Jaune!" Ruby exclaimed happily as she saw them approaching. She tried to turn with the help of the bars and managed to do so with a little support from Weiss.

"It's so great to see you're okay, Ruby!" Jaune was the first to give her a friendly hug. Both of them, being team leaders, had seen them spend a lot of time together, offering each other advice and encouragement, and Blake could only imagine how much it must have meant to Jaune to have his training companion back.

"It'll take more than an auric coma to beat me!" Ruby affirmed with confidence, but she seemed to give both Jaune and Pyrrha a tighter and longer hug than necessary, and Blake knew the younger girl was using her bravado. Someone like Ruby – especially because she was related to Yang – simply did not come out of a near-death experience emotionally unscathed. Unfortunately, it was exactly because Ruby was related to Yang, and because Ruby was influenced by her, that the young girl was able to hide her feelings relatively well. Only Yang and the people used to seeing through Yang's crisis-time facades were able to see that Ruby wasn't quite alright yet. But time and support from family and friends would help heal Ruby's mind.

It wasn't that much different from Yang's emotional scars, actually. Unlike Yang had been at the time of her own childhood, though, Ruby was presently surrounded by caring and loyal friends, and Blake had little doubt that their leader would make a full recovery soon.

"Could you hear stuff around you?" Jaune asked curiously as he pulled away. "Because, apparently, you can hear what's going on when you're in a coma."

"Uh, no, not really," Ruby replied once Pyrrha stood back, sounding disappointed about that, herself. She gripped the bars to help keep her balance, and Weiss stepped closer again in case she was needed. "Sometimes I felt like I was dreaming, though. Sorta. But it was pretty quiet. I mostly didn't realize I had been out so long."

"That's good to hear. It would have been scary for you if you had been caught between being awake and not," Pyrrha reflected, but then she smiled reassuringly. "We really are happy to have you back among us, though."

Ruby beamed. "I'm glad to be back, too."

"How long are you both staying?" Weiss inquired, glancing from the tall redhead to Jaune with an arched eyebrow.

Pyrrha looked over at Jaune and gave him a small smile, and whatever the blond saw in her eyes made him provide quickly, "Just a few days." He chuckled a bit awkwardly. "We kinda had plans back in Mistral still."

"Yeah, I bet," Yang commented with a twinkle in her eye, nudging Pyrrha in the ribs.

"Oh, stop it, you," Pyrrha batted her friend away with a laugh. "You're terrible."

Blake chose that precise moment to stand from her seat and approach the group, deeming the initial greetings and questions over. And she did want to participate in the conversation and say hi to the two members of Team JNPR, after all.

Yang laughed as well but added easily as she calmed down, "It's great that you guys took some time off from your vacation to see Ruby. And, you know, me and Blake. But not Weiss."

"Hey!"

"Just kidding!" Yang snickered again, and Blake, having arrived by her partner's side, discreetly snuck her hand around her girlfriend's waist, both as a means to be near her and as a tiny reminder to not start any fights with their white-haired teammate. She knew Yang wouldn't, of course, as things had pretty much returned to normal between the brawler and the heiress, but it was better safe than sorry.

Yang turned her head to meet Blake's gaze, immediately circling her companion's waist with her own arm as if it were the most natural reaction to the intimate gesture. She seemed to smile affectionately at the Faunus with her eyes, to which Blake responded in kind.

"What about you and Blake?" Pyrrha suddenly asked, both amused and curious. "You seem…much closer."

Last time Pyrrha had seen Blake and Yang, the young couple still had been dealing with a lot of tension, both between themselves and concerning Ruby's coma. They'd been holding hands, but Blake supposed Pyrrha was right – after all, it had taken some time before she and Yang had felt jointly comfortable enough to stand close to each other. And now they were joined at the hips. Blake found herself smiling again. She really was happy with Yang, and if the way the golden girl looked at her was any indication, Yang seemed to be happy with Blake, too. At least, Blake hoped so.

"I can tell you all about it later," Yang assured Pyrrha with a warm grin. "Did you guys stop at your dorm first, or did you come straight here from the harbor?"

"We dropped our things off first. But it was kind of a long flight…and Jaune got sick."

Jaune chuckled uncomfortably at that. "Yeah, um, so, believe it or not, but puking is tiring."

"You guys can come see me later if you need some sleep," Ruby piped up. "And I'm gonna be leaving the hospital in a few days, anyway, if everything goes well."

"We'll stay here until then," Pyrrha promised. A few more words were exchanged with the group, and then the two visiting members of Team JNPR took their leave. The red-haired warrior hugged Ruby once more, almost longer and tighter than necessary, which Ruby seemed still quite glad about, but then she pulled away and Jaune looked like he was about to hug Ruby again, too, instead giving her a friendly pat on the head. Blake suddenly felt a lot better about her own social awkwardness.

They were surrounded by good, genuine people, though. That was the important part, and Blake appreciated their concern and kindness very much as well – something she made sure to tell them before they left.

In the silence that followed Jaune and Pyrrha's leave, Ruby suddenly giggled, and the three other members of RWBY turned to look at her curiously. She tried to wipe the smile off her face, but failed phenomenally.

"Jaune puked on the airship again."

"Oh, thank God I wasn't the only one who made that connection."

And then, of course, there were those things that never changed. Blake slowly shook her head with a smile, disengaging from Yang's side as the playful girl started bantering with her sister. Weiss stepped away from them, too, but she didn't seem annoyed, and when she caught Blake staring, the two shared a look of understanding. They could give Yang and Ruby more leniency about being rambunctious together. Life was too short, too fragile to not indulge in those happier moments and appreciate them while they lasted.

Blake's eyes fell on Yang once more. She didn't know if Yang was truly happy with her – she seemed to be, and maybe she was, but there was nevertheless the possibility that Yang wouldn't fall in love. And, eventually, that would tear them apart. But what they had now – this closeness and companionship – was precious and worth every struggle and tear, and it had caused more good than bad, even by Yang's own admittance. Blake was happy, and Yang was at least grateful and satisfied, and for the time that this lasted, there would be no more ruining it with fear, dishonesty, and silence. There was no knowing what the future held for them, but they had mutually agreed to work at their relationship together, to the best of their abilities, and Blake held on to that with her whole heart, more hopeful than she had ever allowed herself to be in the past. And that was what mattered.

A sudden buzzing noise brought Blake back to reality. Yang and Ruby were still laughing, attempting to get through the younger girl's exercises but without much success because of their mirth. Weiss was standing nearby, watching, and glanced at Blake again with arched eyebrows. None of them seemed to hear the sound. Blake's ears twitched, trying to locate it.

"Yang, your scroll," she finally realized, looking at the blonde's pocket.

"Oh?" Yang's giggling died down and, still grinning, fetched the device from her pocket and swiped the screen, not even looking who the caller was, and brought it up to her ear. "Hello?"

Ruby looked at her older sister expectantly, and there was a brief pause, Blake detecting a man's grave voice on the other end. His identity wasn't a mystery for long.

"Uncle Qrow? Hey, what's up?" Yang creased her eyebrows, looking confused, her smile slowly fading. Whatever her uncle said next made her seem a bit worried. A few seconds passed, and then, "Yeah, sure. We'll be there in a bit... Alright, bye."

Yang hung up and put her scroll back in her pocket.

"What did he say?" Ruby asked curiously. "He doesn't call us often."

Yang shrugged. "He wants to see Blake and me. As soon as possible, since he doesn't have a lot of time."

Ruby was the one looking concerned and puzzled now. "He wants to see Blake? I don't get it. Did you guys do something…or something?"

Weiss, Yang, and Blake all shared a look. They knew exactly what this was about, and it probably meant they were in trouble.

"So…I'm guessing that means you did do something."

"I can tell her what happened," Weiss finally volunteered, glancing at Ruby but ignoring her statement. "I imagine my sister will contact me later, anyway. You should go."

Weiss was right. As much as Blake wasn't looking forward to this meeting, and as much as Yang didn't seem to quite grasp the importance of it, they were somewhat obliged to show up and take responsibility for their actions. What they had done was illegal, after all.

"Yang, where did your uncle want to meet us?" Blake asked, turning towards her partner.

"Ozpin's office." She hesitated, biting her lower lip apprehensively. "Okay, let's go, then."

A few more, much less awkward hugs later, Blake and Yang left the hospital, too.

Ozpin was not in his office. Nor was Professor Goodwitch. It was very bizarre walking into the large space and seeing only Qrow there, standing by the long window that acted as a wall, waiting. The metal gears and clockwork continued to rotate on the ceiling, making a low droning noise in the background. Blake still couldn't fathom the utility of such equipment, and even if it was just for looks, she couldn't understand the appeal. It was almost ominous, and didn't help the feeling of dread settling in her gut as she and Yang approached Ozpin's desk.

It was the middle of the afternoon and the sun was shining in brightly – fortunately not blindingly, though, thanks to the bluish-green tint on the glass – and this was the only comforting thing about the situation, as Blake liked the warm light on her skin. She and Yang refrained from holding hands this time, aware that the conversation they were about to have with Qrow warranted some level of sobriety… As if Qrow and sobriety had any right to be in the same sentence.

They stopped by Ozpin's desk, and Qrow finally turned to face them. His hands were in his pockets, but his expression was grim. And he didn't speak right away, either, only staring at them with his unsettling crimson eyes until Blake's cat ears started leaning backwards and Yang shifted her weight from one foot to the other, both girls becoming ill at ease.

Blake was suddenly acutely aware of Qrow's resemblance to Raven – it was uncanny and kind of aroused Blake's anger. She couldn't quite stomach seeing those eyes again so soon.

"So…" he finally started, casual yet clearly intent on making a point. "I heard you two visited Raven."

At least he didn't beat around the bush. Blake had little interest – or patience, really – in extending this meeting for longer than necessary.

"I have a right to know who my mother is," Yang retorted, defensive. She didn't really seem angry, though, but it probably made sense for her to be on edge, much like Blake was.

"Sure, you do," Qrow agreed mildly. "But what part of 'no visitors allowed' didn't you get? If you wanted to see Raven so bad, Yang, we could have arranged something…later." He shrugged.

That sounded like a lie. Or, at the very least, not the complete truth. This made Blake begin to wonder about the nature of this discussion – after all, how had Qrow known about their trip to Atlas? Unless Weiss or Winter had told him – which seemed counterproductive on Winter's part and highly improbable on Weiss' – Qrow must have found out by some other means. Except Blake couldn't figure out who could have possibly told him other than one of the guards that had been with Winter or even the receptionist that Blake had accidentally left her coat with. But that didn't make much sense to the Faunus, especially because the excursion had been pre-arranged and guided by Winter, herself.

Yang paused. Blake remained silent, observing her partner assess this, until Yang frowned and said, "You and Dad have barely told me a thing about her ever since I started searching. I asked to know more, I asked to see her in the past, and both of you said that wasn't possible. Why are you suddenly saying it's fine?"

"Because we know where she is now," Qrow answered, still reasonable and calm and every bit as suspicious as Blake supposed this conversation was. "The authorities would have eventually allowed visitors. You just had to be patient. But you and your emo friend here couldn't contain yourselves from getting into trouble."

Blake had this nagging feeling that Qrow still wasn't telling the whole truth – like Yang and Blake getting into trouble was just an excuse for the real purpose behind this meeting. In fact, the more Blake thought about it, the more she realized the actual authorities would have been taking the lead in this discussion if this had at all been about the law being broken – not just some lone and otherwise very busy huntsman who just happened to be related to both parties involved and who was taking a leave of absence from his mission for this specific cause.

No, this meeting was personal, Blake realized. Personal, and yet it still had nothing to do with Yang's right to see her mother. Blake didn't breathe any easier.

"Weiss arranged the visit through Winter. How are we in trouble?" Yang crossed her arms, defiant now, her train of thought appearing to follow a similar path as Blake's.

But Qrow didn't react the way Blake thought he would. Instead of having the perfect answer to Yang's challenge, he momentarily looked surprised. As if…as if he hadn't known about Weiss or Winter. This made Yang's question a lot more legitimate.

Qrow opened his mouth, probably having already found a seemingly unperturbed thought to reply with, but it was Blake who spoke, eyes narrowed and tone sharp. She wasn't going to let Qrow continue to bring them on his little distracting boat ride, and her next words would both be to emphasize Yang's point and prod Qrow for any other answers. "The authorities have no idea we were in there illegally. The only people who know are Winter, Weiss, and you. Why did you want to see us?"

Qrow looked directly at Blake, eyebrows raised. And then he glanced at Yang and slid his hands out of his pockets to cross his arms, too, falsely impressed. He returned to Blake. "You remind me of Raven. A lot. Not sure I like it. But since I won't get anything past you…"

Yang turned to regard Blake in confusion. "Blake? What's going on?"

Blake sighed. She didn't like being compared to Raven, despite having done it herself with Yang back in Atlas. At least Qrow would come clean now. Blake had been right – he'd been hiding the truth behind this meeting. And it seemed only normal that Yang would let herself be duped more easily by family, especially by someone she most likely trusted. If Qrow had spoken to Yang alone, Blake theorized that he would have convinced Yang of whatever it was he thought was best. Unfortunately, it seemed he hadn't anticipated Blake being like Raven and thwarting his intentions by seeing right through them. Of course, Blake knew Qrow didn't mean anything malicious by this – perhaps, at the very basis of his reasoning, he was only seeking to protect his niece – but Blake wouldn't let anyone, especially family, be dishonest to Yang if she could help it.

She had been surrounded by and taken part in manipulation and lies too often to not recognize the signs here and now. "He wants something," Blake replied, eyes not leaving Qrow. But then she figured she was being too standoffish and wary towards someone who was far from being an enemy and slowly shook her head before looking at Yang more gently. "This isn't about you seeing Raven. That part's fine. Your uncle is concerned about something else." Golden eyes returned to the uncle in question. "Which I'm hoping he'll tell us now."

Yang made a quiet "oh" sound and also looked at Qrow, appearing firmer and little more upset than before. "What's going on, Uncle Qrow?"

He leaned himself on Ozpin's desk, his expression grim again. It took him a moment, but he finally asked, "Did Raven tell you anything?"

"Not much," Yang provided, mood visibly darkening even more. "Just that she didn't mean to hurt Ruby. And that she's on the good side."

Obviously, Yang didn't believe that.

Qrow was silent, and Blake stared at him. He did not have the disposition of someone being disappointed by that information – or lack thereof. In fact, his gaze was piercing with intent, as if searching for something significant. And Blake had a feeling she knew why, if she based herself on how this conversation had been evolving.

Qrow knew everything. He knew what Raven had been doing at that secret facility deep in the Emerald Forest, he knew why she was being kept in Atlas' highest security prison, he knew why there were no visitors allowed, and more importantly, he knew why it was vital to make sure Yang and Blake knew nothing.

That's what this meeting was about. Whatever Raven had been doing…the authorities – and by extension, Qrow – needed to ensure it remained a secret.

So, Qrow probably really was only trying to protect Yang – and the population in general – because if what Raven had been doing had anything to do with all those Grimm being kept in cages, it was more than likely extremely dangerous and, because of that, forbidden.

And Blake could get behind that. She didn't want to endanger Yang any more than Qrow did, so insisting to find out what those experiments had been about was not the way to go. Fortunately, Yang hadn't made those connections yet, it seemed, and in this case, ignorance was probably bliss. Further, Blake had already spoken to Yang about giving her mother the benefit of the doubt – the nature of those experiments was still unknown, and therefore the arguments were unchanged. This whole meeting actually affected nothing in their lives, now that Blake knew what was going on.

Qrow gazed at her, though, eyebrows arched again, and Blake willingly confirmed Yang's statements. "Yes, that's all Raven told us. If you were hoping we'd have any other information, then I'm sorry. She wasn't exactly cooperative with us."

Qrow himself had compared Blake to Raven. He would perceive the meaning behind her words and know that she was telling the truth. And, indeed, he gave a slight nod and uncrossed his arms before pausing for a moment. "Well, that sucks," came the vaguely sarcastic comment, but Blake knew they were on the same level of understanding now. So he then casually put his hands back in his pockets and asked Yang, "Did you want to still see her some other time?"

Yang furrowed her eyebrows. Blake saw her clench her fists and look down, and then the brawler said, "No. I'd rather not." She swallowed before looking back up at her uncle. "Thanks, though."

"Suit yourself," Qrow shrugged, but his eyes remained on his niece for a few seconds, not nearly as careless as he made himself out to be. He finally glanced at Blake again before leaning away from Ozpin's desk, shifting the mood and marking the end of this particular conversation. "I have to go now. I'll see you two around."

"Are you gonna go see Ruby?" Yang asked before her uncle could move any further, sounding more concerned now – always so anxious about her sister's well-being.

This finally made Qrow crack a small smile. "Yeah, I'll do that." He hesitated, and then seemed to make up his mind. He came over to Yang, his regard more affectionate now, and he briefly put his hand on her shoulder. "Stay out of trouble, firecracker. I mean that."

"No promises," Yang managed, although her reply was half-hearted. Something must have still been bothering her.

Qrow didn't say anything to that, but his gaze became firmer again as he dropped his hand, and now he looked at Blake. "You."

Blake blinked, cat ears leaning backwards again at the unwanted and unexpected attention.

"Whatever it is you're doing – keep doing it. Take care of her."

"Um –"

But Qrow didn't wait for Blake to ask any questions or attempt any intelligible words. He walked passed them, saying lazily, "Ozpin will be up here soon. Thank him for me if you aren't gone by then, will ya?"

Shortly after, the elevator doors closed, and Qrow was no longer in the office.

The young couple stood there in relative silence for a moment, processing the discussion they'd just had with him, and, eventually, Yang turned towards Blake, eyebrows creased into a small frown. "How did he know we went to Atlas?"

Blake had no answer to that one, either. She looked down at the floor, loosely crossing her arms. "I don't know. He just did, somehow." It was the only thing that didn't make sense to her about Qrow's motives. But it also mattered the least, Blake supposed. What counted was that he wanted Yang to be safe, and so did Blake.

Yang seemed to consider this, looking thoughtful. "So, we aren't in trouble?" she finally asked, slightly surprised lilac meeting interested golden.

Blake slowly shook her head, patient and somewhat endeared by Yang's habit of thinking only after acting or speaking – in this case, at least. "No. Although we may still be found out later. But I guess that, for now, we're fine."

Yang nodded. But then she suddenly said, "I still don't think you're like Raven. He was mean to you."

Blake allowed herself an affectionate smile. "It's alright, Yang. Raven and I might share a few similarities, but I think they may be some of the more practical ones. Your uncle is just cynical. And, in any case, I think that was a vote of confidence at the end there, so that's…well, that was a thing." She paused, and while Yang did crack a smile at Blake's Yang-ism, the raven-haired girl's own crooked grin did fade. It was a little bit ironic that Yang would attach herself to someone so similar to the root of her abandonment issues. And perhaps that was even why Qrow had deemed it necessary to say something to his niece's girlfriend in question. But Blake had no intention of leaving Yang if the blonde wanted her to stay – a key difference.

However, it became evident Yang was doing that thing again where she tried to distract Blake with relevant but completely unimportant topics in order to avoid the real subject that bothered her – and the Faunus had almost fallen for it this time. Blake's regard became concerned. "What about you, though? Are you okay?"

Yang opened her mouth, light returning into her eyes, but it vanished as soon as it had come and she sighed instead, opting to be honest – much to Blake's relief. "I would have an opportunity to see my mother again. But…after last time…" Yang's chin firmed, jaw tightening. "I know I said no, but…" she hesitated, clearly trying to control her emotions. "Shouldn't I visit her again if I could, Blake? She just makes me so angry…"

Well, this was a phenomenal leap that almost made Blake take a step back. Yang was asking Blake for advice. Yang was relying on Blake for help to make an important, personal decision. That was… Blake had not expected this. And she certainly couldn't take it for granted or mess up her reaction. Suddenly anxious and afraid that she'd cause Yang's trust to slip between her fingers, Blake froze and found herself unable to say anything while her mind scrambled to gather her usual, rational thoughts – and fast.

Yang had been looking at the floor, but now her lilac eyes settled on Blake, both frustrated and concerned, probably wondering why her partner had strangely become mute.

Ultimately, this was Yang's decision. Some sense of logic returned to Blake, and although she still panicked, she also figured that she could not push Yang in one direction or another. Although the brawler was often whimsical and guided by emotions, she was fully capable of making sound choices – Yang had proven this by her ability to self-sacrifice for the sake of raising Ruby, and quite well at that. And so, it seemed that the right thing for Blake to do was to put the decision back into Yang's hands, to show that Blake trusted Yang, too.

The Faunus exhaled unsteadily and gave Yang a hopefully sympathetic and reassuring look. "I…think you still have time to give it some thought and figure out what you want most. I'm sure your uncle will let you know when Raven can be visited…legally." And then Blake found herself smiling crookedly again. "I appreciate you asking for my opinion, though."

Yang tilted her head, uncertain, but then she breathed a long sigh, her shoulders relaxing. "You're right. Thank you, Blake. And…" she blinked, appearing mildly confused, "you're welcome?"

Yang hadn't even realized. This made Blake beam even more. But instead of pointing out what Yang had done, Blake merely took the golden girl's hand and gently pulled her toward the elevator. "We should go before Ozpin gets here."

"Oh, right. Yeah, we should," Yang agreed, and she tightened her hold on her girlfriend's hand, easily following Blake.

The elevator ride back down to the lobby was quiet but without tension or awkwardness.

Blake came out of the bathroom, freshly showered and ready for bed. She massaged her scalp a little as she walked into the shared room, breathing a sigh of relief. She had made sure to rub out as much dampness from her hair as possible with the towel before brushing it, as part of her usual ritual, as she didn't want any stray water droplets running into her ears while she slept.

It was silent in the room, with the exception of the quiet sounds coming from Yang's scroll as she played a game. She was up on her bunk, seemingly in her pajamas as well, resting on her back and wholly focused on her scroll's small screen.

Blake paused briefly. Weiss' absence was still strange. The Faunus wasn't used to the serenity – without both Ruby and Weiss, there was no bustling of activity or random bickering before bed. It was just Blake and Yang – had been just the two of them for the past few days – and Blake fully appreciated how straightforward and uncomplicated her nights were. Yang was not difficult to live with. It wasn't that Blake minded Ruby and Weiss, for the most part – she had gotten used to the inevitable noise, after all – but this was a nice change of pace for a while, something she hadn't noticed when Weiss had been gone to Atlas, as there had been too much stress between them to enjoy the solitude. Now they could.

Nevertheless, Blake slowly shook her head before walking over to the light switch. "Can I turn off the light?" she asked in her girlfriend's direction.

"Yup!" came the chipper response, and Blake flicked the switch off. In the darkness, Yang closed her game as the bookworm headed for her bottom bunk. However, before Blake could even pull the blankets back, Yang's voice came tentatively, "Blake?"

Blake stopped, hand on her comforter, cat ears moving towards Yang curiously. "Hm?"

"Are you okay with sleeping with me tonight?"

That was an unexpected request. Yang had not asked this any of the previous nights. That said, Blake didn't have to think about it much and was happy to oblige. She missed Yang's arms around her. Therefore, Blake straightened her posture and started climbing up onto Yang's bunk. "What's the occasion?" she wondered.

Yang scooted over closer to the wall to make some space and replied, "Ruby and Weiss are gonna be back here tomorrow night. I thought we could snuggle one last time."

A small smile crept along Blake's lips as she carefully slid over and laid down next to the blonde. She liked it when Yang made up lame excuses to be affectionate. It was cute. "You make it sound so final," she teased in a murmur, adjusting to get comfortable without pressing too close to Yang.

"Well, uh, yeah." Yang turned onto her side to face Blake and suddenly added dramatically, "Also, what are you doing? I said snuggle! Not…whatever it is you're doing now." She grabbed ahold of the raven-haired girl and pulled her closer with a snicker.

"I'm trying to respect you," Blake muttered, blushing a bit. So much for the uncomplicated nights. The irony was that it wasn't Yang being difficult – it was Blake. She had to stop doing this to herself. Therefore, after a bit of internal struggle, she allowed herself to cuddle up against the warmer form, even burying her nose in the crook of Yang's neck. "It's not my fault you get all awkward when we sleep together."

"It's not your fault that I'm straight?"

Blake poked Yang in the ribs, causing a fit of giggles to erupt from the golden girl. "I would hope not, you pain."

Still chuckling a little, Yang wrapped her arms around Blake and adjusted as well so they could both be comfortable. "I'm kidding. You're the best." Yang's hand passed through Blake's hair slightly, and the Faunus shut her eyes, already finding solace in the strong embrace and the subtle scent of vanilla. She really had missed being in Yang's arms. It was safe and reassuring there. Plus, Yang wasn't shying from this proximity – in fact, she had been the one to ask for it. That was wonderful in itself. Blake felt her muscles relaxing. She did not resent or feel jealous of Yang's focusing so much attention on Ruby over the past few days, but now that the attention was focused on her, it genuinely warmed Blake entirely. Yang was so cozy.

"Blake?"

Feline appendages twitched curiously again. "Hm?"

"Can I pet your cat ears?"

Yang was whispering, aware that her mouth was near said cat ears. Blake immediately remembered the first time she had let Yang touch them. It hadn't been painful. Not in any way. Yang had not grabbed them or pulled on them. She had been very careful. Further, Blake knew Yang would never harm her that way. It was unfortunate that this whole train of thought had to be repeated in Blake's mind before she gave her answer, though. She couldn't help it. The idea of anyone mistreating the physical aspects of her Faunus heritage again was terror-inducing.

"Sure," she finally replied, trying to sound calm. Similarly to the first time Yang had asked, Blake's heartbeat had accelerated apprehensively and her muscles tensed. She didn't want to react this way to Yang, all too aware that it caused the blonde to second guess herself, but Blake had no control over her body's instinctual defense mechanisms. It was all she could do to just stay put.

Yang didn't touch Blake's cat ears right away, though. Instead, those solicitous fingers continued through raven locks, lightly grazing Blake's cheek and shoulder as they went. They returned to the Faunus' temple, once more slowly moving stray strands from Blake's face, and although her heartbeat didn't calm, the gentle attention did help her relax a bit. Blake would be lying if she said she didn't adore it when Yang did things like this. They were incredibly comforting for such small gestures, and the occasions seemed rare.

Yang's fingers reached the base of Blake's cat ears, which she scratched affectionately. Blake leaned in closer to her girlfriend, resting one hand on Yang's waist, and let out a short sigh of contentment, lips against the living heater's collarbone. At this rate, maybe Yang would actually manage to soothe her partner's fearful heart, at least partially. The fingers passed down the back of Blake's head before returning to the front. Yang's index softly traced the side of Blake's face, and the bookworm relaxed further, surprised by how easily she was melting into these tender ministrations. She must have been craving Yang's solicitude. Blake didn't want the moment to end.

Eventually, Yang's caresses glided back over Blake's ears, slowly. She didn't press down, only followed the slant of the feline appendages as they tilted backwards. Blake felt herself tense a little again, but she realized she wasn't nearly as frightened as she had been just two minutes ago. Yang was so magnificent, so caring, and Blake was so comfortable she thought she might actually fall asleep if those caresses continued.

And they did. Yang's fingers traced the caudal borders, petting in the direction of the fur, always slow, always gentle. Blake eventually felt her ears tilt upwards again, leaning out of their unease. She sighed quietly again, finding that it did mean a lot to her to share this with Yang. She wanted to give all of herself, and allowing Yang to indulge her curiosity and show her affection in this way was important to Blake. Even Adam had never been this interested in her cat ears.

"Blake?"

Yang was scratching and petting along the bases again. Blake caught herself actually beginning to loll along the gentle waves of sleep when she came back to a more aware state. "Hm?"

"Who cut you?"

Well, that was definitely one way of chasing away any drowsiness. Now Blake was completely awake again. She stilled, opening her eyes and moving away enough to meet Yang's worried gaze glinting in the dim moonlight. Yang cupped Blake's jaw, thumb lightly rubbing the Faunus' cheek. Clearly, the blonde was nowhere near being sleepy just yet.

"I felt your scar."

Blake lowered her eyes. She hadn't ever told the story to anyone. It was painful to even think about. She should have known Yang would find out, though, especially because of their growing intimacy. "…They were just teenagers, not much older than I was. Three boys. I tried outrunning them, but…" Blake clenched her teeth, refraining from shuddering at the memories. "I still remember their names."

Yang's gaze had hardened. "How old were you?"

"Ten. Adam stopped them from finishing what they started."

Yang closed her eyes for a moment, evidently battling her anger. Her voice was tight when she spoke. "If you want me to find them…"

Blake propped herself up and took hold of Yang's hand firmly. "He killed them. And I wouldn't want you following the same path. I'm alright now, Yang."

"'Alright?' Blake, you've never let anyone touch your cat ears for as long as I've known you, and both times you finally let me do it, you practically jumped away out of fear!" Yang intertwined their fingers in concern. "How is that okay, kitten? You're traumatized. I can't even imagine how awful that must have been for you…"

Blake considered Yang quietly through the darkness for a few seconds, cat ears leaning backwards again. She knew very well that her partner's anger was born from genuine care and worry, and it was definitely sweet on Yang's part that she would go so far as to avenge Blake, but the Faunus couldn't encourage that kind of behavior. She had done it once before with someone else, and to say it hadn't gone well would be a horrible understatement.

Nevertheless, Blake couldn't say she wasn't touched by Yang's candidness, either. So, she leaned her head into Yang's hand a bit more and gave the other a squeeze. "Yes, it was awful," Blake finally admitted. "…And yes, I might be traumatized, but you're helping me a lot as it is, Yang." She found herself grazing Yang's cheek with her fingers, too, surprised at the longing of her own gesture. "Just by treating and touching me the way you do…"

There were a lot of things she could have finished that sentence with. Yang had done so much for her, after all. But Blake felt it wasn't necessary to voice any of those actions. Yang generally understood what her feline companion was trying to convey without much having to be said, and in this instance, the impression held true. The blonde was silent, but the anger seemed to fade from her regard and she tucked a few raven locks behind Blake's human ear, looking more thoughtful now. For a few heartbeats, there were only the sounds of their breathing and leaves rustling outside. Yang was still rubbing Blake's cheek with her thumb and Blake was tracing Yang's brow now – absent-minded caresses as they pondered on the conversation they just had.

At some point, Blake refocused her attention on Yang, realizing that the brawler was observing her without saying a word. The Faunus drank in her partner, grateful to have this powerful and magnificent woman by her side. To even be allowed to share a bed with her from time to time… Inevitably, Blake's thoughts began to wander along with her eyes, drifting down Yang's face to find her lips. The bookworm contemplated the source of her temptation, remembering once more the unexpected yet long-awaited moment she had been yearning so deeply for, better and sweeter than anything she could have ever imagined. She had even forgotten they were in a tiny bathroom, of all places. It had been so hard to pull away. Yang had made her so happy.

Blake supposed there was no limit to how much love could grow. Over and over again, she found herself falling head over heels, each time harder than the last, and her heart ached to show this gorgeous woman the strength of her love. She knew she should probably ask Yang for permission. It was possible the lilac-eyed girl had no idea what Blake wanted and this would just ruin the enjoyableness of these unfortunately fleeting minutes. But…Yang generally wasn't dense about Blake's desires. She was straight, not stupid. Just as before, Yang appeared to know without Blake having to utter a word, as the golden girl adjusted her position slightly and invited her friend closer with a subtle pressure on the introvert's nape.

Still, Blake hesitated. She glanced at Yang's eyes, verifying that it was okay. Her heartbeat was accelerating again, purely out of nervousness and anticipation. Yang seemed to smile a little, one corner of her lips twitching upwards, and Blake found her insides knotting up while she swallowed with difficulty. It was unbearable. Barely allowing herself to breathe, heart pounding, fingers trembling slightly against Yang's cheek, Blake gathered her courage and braved the distance between them. The kiss closed the gap, and Blake closed her eyes, rapidly submerged in bliss. She gripped Yang's upper lip with her own, slow and gentle, wanting this to last forever if she could help it. Yang seemed content with following Blake's lead, reciprocating just as softly, if not a bit tentatively, uncertain. She was so warm, so real against Blake, and the Faunus did not want to make her uncomfortable in any way. She just wanted Yang to be happy, too.

Blake's entire body felt like it was gradually being consumed, her pulse beating quickly somewhere behind the haze that settled on her senses, but she did not push closer, instead exhaling unsteadily through her nose and sliding her lips down enough to grip Yang's bottom one. The blonde's fingers were wandering into Blake's hair, reassuring, inviting, and the golden-eyed girl couldn't help it – she leaned further over her partner, pulling away without breaking the contact before pressing their lips together again with all the affection she could muster. She guided Yang, tender and without hurry, savoring every second until the nerves dissipated and all Blake could feel was her joy, relief, and the softness of Yang's kiss. They were still holding hands, and Blake tightened her grasp before letting go, gliding the tips of her fingers along Yang's forearm and slowly up a firm bicep before resting on a strong shoulder. She wanted to deepen the kiss so badly. But she couldn't. There were embers burning in her belly and they threatened to ignite a fire she wasn't certain she could contain.

So, Blake lightened the embrace, lips pulling a bit on Yang's before they separated, but the bookworm couldn't bring herself to go far just yet. Yang allowed herself to breathe again while Blake opened her mouth just little, slightly more out of breath than her companion. Her heart was still thudding like a kick drum. The feelings were overwhelming, and they were part of the reason why she was rendered breathless so easily. Blake's thumb caressed Yang's collarbone, and she gently rubbed the side of their noses together before laying another shorter but just as tender kiss on the brawler's lips. Unwilling to put anymore distance between them, Blake merely raised her head enough to meet Yang's searching gaze.

They were both silent again for a few seconds, processing what had just happened. Well, maybe Yang was – Blake was just admiring the blonde's beauty and bathing in the fuzzy, warm blankets of happiness. Eventually, though, Yang looked down and murmured, creasing her eyebrows, "Why…do you kiss me like that?"

Considering that Blake was currently on cloud nine, Yang's question didn't immediately click. But then golden eyes widened a bit and Blake gave her girlfriend a little more space, concerned that she had done something wrong or that Yang hadn't enjoyed herself at all. "What do you mean?"

Yang was quiet, looking somewhat troubled. "I…" she seemed to struggle with her words, practically frowning now. "It's just that… No one has ever kissed me like you do." Their gazes met again, and when Yang saw that Blake was still confused and worried, she added uneasily, "I thought I knew what being loved felt like. But…I was wrong." She dropped her hand from Blake's face and passed her fingers through her own bangs, blinking a few times, as if her eyes were dry. "It's kind of scary, Blake."

The Faunus went still, staring at Yang through the dim light of the moon's peeking through the curtains, wondering what could have possibly happened in the sociable girl's past relationships for her to feel this way. It had been clear to Blake that Yang had figured out pretty quickly what she didn't want in a romantic partner, but this was different, and Blake didn't have all the puzzle pieces, either. It was a little distressing. She did not want to scare Yang off. "I…don't understand." Blake carefully sat back, getting out of Yang's personal space. The more svelte of the two didn't want to assume anything, but Yang seemed to be implying the way Blake kissed her was frightening because it made her feel loved. And that would be an unfortunate paradox to deal with if it was true.

Yang pushed herself up so that her back was resting against the wall. She fiddled with the blanket some, her expression still troubled. "I mean, like…unless it's because you're a girl and I'm just confused, but I'm pretty sure the idea is the same for guys, too. I'm realizing that…" Yang sighed heavily, looking at a loss. She slowly shook her head, apparently failing to find the words to express herself.

Blake paused, waiting to see if Yang would speak again. But they both just sat there, a million questions and unspoken thoughts in the silence between them, until Blake tilted her head a little and asked gently, "How do I kiss you, Yang?"

Their eyes met, and the blonde was blinking again, lilac glinting in the dark. She lowered her gaze once more and Blake heard her swallow. "With your entire being, Blake," she whispered. "It's like both having all of you and feeling like the most important thing in the universe at the same time. And…"

Yang's voice trailed off. There was something she was trying to say, but it just wasn't leaving the recesses of her mind. Whatever it was, Blake figured it had to do with the extravert's past boyfriends. She was glad Yang felt cherished – that was how Blake wanted her to feel, after all – but there was still some uncertainty clinging to the subject. And she didn't want to push Yang about her past relationships.

"Do you…not like it? Is it…too early?" Blake feared the answer, of course. If Yang said she didn't like it, then Blake would respect that, obviously, but what would it mean for their couple? That they would never kiss again? How would that go for them in the long run?

Yang interrupted Blake's thoughts before they became too anxious, though. She leaned forward and clasped both of Blake's hands tightly. "It's not too early. I kissed you first and I meant it, remember? I just…don't know if I like it yet. I know I don't not like it." Yang paused, eyebrows creased as she considered the thought, probably as confused as Blake was. "I think you kiss well, actually. But…it's still a bit weird for me. It just feels so different. I think I need to get used to it, is all…and, you know, not always being kissed like the world might end tomorrow."

Yang had been perfectly reasonable…right up until she hadn't been. At least, it wasn't quite reasonable for Blake. Her fingers intermingled with her girlfriend's. "I can't take you for granted, Yang," she murmured sadly. "I could lose you, lose us in the blink of an eye. After what happened to Ruby, you know that as much as I do." Blake looked away, holding back a resigned sigh. "But…I'll try not to be so…intense…every time."

"You can be intense sometimes, I promise." Yang nodded. "And that's fine when we're alone. But maybe not so much when we're in public?"

It would difficult, as Blake knew very well she would struggle with her longing and would, at any given moment, want to kiss Yang like the world might end tomorrow, but the introvert figured she was also enough of a prude – and wanted to respect Yang, above all – to show some restraint in public. It felt like they had already made so much progress as a couple within the past few weeks – and even just today, Yang's asking Blake for advice concerning something so significant – that the least Blake could do was continue being patient. She did not want to ruin what they had together.

So, Blake brought Yang's hand up, closer to her face, and gently kissed battle-scarred knuckles. "Anything you want, Yang," she whispered, and the blonde smiled affectionately in response. She pulled Blake towards her, and the bookworm laid back down, carefully snuggling into those strong, inviting arms. Yang seemed to hug Blake against her, resting her chin on a raven-haired head, and Blake once more found herself bathing in warmth and the subtle scent of vanilla. Her cat ears flicked against Yang's throat while she listened to the reassuring thud of her heart, and with the brawler's soft fingers caressing the base of her feline appendages, Blake began to drift into sleep.

"'Night night, Blakey."

"Goodnight, Yang… I love you."

SCENE SPOOF

Shortly after, the elevator doors closed, and Qrow was no longer in the office.

Yang seemed to consider this, looking thoughtful. "So, we aren't in trouble?" she finally asked, slightly surprised lilac meeting interested golden.

Yang nodded, but before she could share what she had on her mind, the elevator doors opened again and, much to Blake and Yang's surprise, Qrow walked back into the office.

They stared at him, but he only gave them a nonchalant glance before casually walking back to Ozpin's desk. Without paying any attention to the two girls, he went behind the desk and opened one of the drawers. Blake narrowed her eyes, watching him rummage inside with one hand and wondering if this was even allowed. What was he doing?

"What are you looking for?" Yang asked, curious.

Qrow didn't reply. He reached into the very back of the drawer, and suddenly his eyes lit up. "Ah, just what I need," he finally commented, and retracted his arm. There was something in his hand. It…well, it looked like a chocolate bar. The kind that also had caramel and peanuts in it, to be exact.

Qrow pushed the drawer shut and walked by Yang and Blake again. Without saying another word, he returned to the elevator and was once again gone a few moments later.

Blake and Yang stared at the elevator doors, then their gazes shifted and met.

"Does, um… I mean, is that…"

"Same."

Blake paused, stumped. She wondered if that made all of Qrow's credibility fly out the window or if it made him extra myster – no, his credibility was definitely out the window. "What were we talking about, again?"

"Uh… So, how we might get into trouble later for visiting Raven…?" Yang scratched the back of her head. "Not sure I should be taking that so seriously after what we just saw…"

It seemed Yang was having similar issues to Blake. "Maybe it was a really good chocolate bar?" she suggested, unsure.

"Do you think it was Ozpin's?" Yang arched her eyebrows skeptically. But then her expression turned to absolute shock. "Oh, my God, he stole Ozpin's chocolate bar."

Blake winced. She wasn't even sure what was going on anymore. "Ozpin may not care about that…"

And no sooner had those words left Blake's mouth that the elevator doors were opening again. This time, all hell broke loose. Several men in armor who were carrying guns rushed into the office, quickly surrounding Blake and Yang and yelling, "FBI! Put your hands behind your head! Now!"

"What?!" Yang stared at them, bewildered, and Blake felt much the same. Unfortunately, she had plenty of experience with…well, this. She slowly put her hands up while Yang exclaimed, "Who the heck are you guys?!"

"I said put your hands behind your head!" the man who was probably the leader shouted sternly, taking a step closer to Yang and pointing his gun menacingly at her chest.

"Yang, do as he says," Blake advised, trying to keep calm. In reality, she was both anxious and completely confused.

"Shut up! You're both under arrest for theft!"

Yang had started to raise her hands, but she dropped them again, suddenly furious. "We didn't steal anything! It was just a chocolate bar! Calm your tits!"

Apparently, that didn't go over too well. One of the men tackled Yang to the floor, and Blake stared in stun.

Qrow had set them up. There was no other explanation. Nothing other than that seemed feasible to Blake. Their discussion with him had essentially been pointless, after all. So, this was the real reason behind it all.

Qrow had just wanted a chocolate bar.

With caramel and peanuts in it.

And Ozpin had guarded it preciously. Yang being manhandled was proof of it.

The plot thickened.

This is it, guys. The next two (and final) chapters will be new content for everyone. Hype! Hope you've all enjoyed yourselves so far, and I'm happy to hear anything you have to say about this story. ^-^

See you all in chapter eighteen!