Weiss 'interviews' Blake for the job.
Winter prepares Blake.
Ruby will most probably be upset by the end of this chapter...


I can't believe she's here… Weiss thinks while turning her head around to confirm that this wasn't a dream.

Blake, the cat faunus that she had saved weeks ago, the woman that she had nursed back to health, the former White Fang lieutenant that had captivated her the first time they met; was right here.

It was something Weiss was having a hard time believing. Not because she didn't trust Blake's promise, but because here was a faunus willingly walking inside a Schnee-owned building. The fact that said faunus was a former member of the White Fang made things even more ironic. Then again, Blake had said to her that she didn't care about her family name. That they were more than their past and that she was here to stay.

Blake was staying because of her.

And to Weiss that meant everything.

It meant everything because for the first time someone was choosing Weiss. Choosing her and not her family. Nor for her status as the heiress of the SDC nor for being a Schnee.

Blake was choosing her because she wanted her.

She wanted Weiss.

Smiling at the ridiculous notion of their current situation, the younger Schnee decidedly walks towards her office and waits for Ruby to catch up to her before opening the door. Turning around to look at Blake, she motions for her to remain quiet. Although she felt safe at the orphanage, she wasn't naïve enough to think that her father hadn't found a way to spy on her.

Especially now that they had started to make their intentions known.

Nodding for Ruby to go ahead, Weiss and Blake both watch the huntress confidently walk inside the room, a hidden (bug detector) in her scroll allowing her to scan the room and check for hidden bugs or cameras. Taking the short amount of time that it would take Ruby to confirm that they were in the clear, Weiss carefully looks around the area to check that there was no one else near. Once that was done, the white-haired woman calmly lowers her hand and touches Blake's finger. The move, of course, immediately makes Blake flinch.

Smiling warmly at the surprised woman, Weiss was not exactly sure of why she was doing this. She just had this desire to feel Blake. To assure her that her presence was welcomed; wanted. To further confirm to herself that the cat faunus was here with her and that this was not a figment of her imagination. Or perhaps she was doing this because having Blake here was a testament in itself that perhaps this…

This friendship? No, it was deeper than that and Weiss was not naïve enough to not realize it.

This bond? Yeah, that made more sense because what she felt every time she looked at Blake was a connection. A connection that only made her further realize that what she felt when she wasn't with the cat faunus was longing.

A longing that Weiss was starting to confirm wasn't one-sided based on the way Blake was squeezing her hand and looking at her.

The faunus woman, meanwhile, was having a similar epiphany to the one the younger Schnee was experiencing. Not that she didn't have feelings for Weiss. No, that had been clear for a while now. But what she hadn't been sure of was whether Weiss felt something for her.

Something more than friendship.

And although this touch wasn't scandalous enough to be considered the one of a potential mate, Blake knew it meant something deeper than friendship. Because the way Weiss was looking at her, the way her gaze had not moved away from hers.

It was not the way one saw a friend.

Her faunus senses were telling her that this was her mate communicating with her. Showing her that she was interested, that she was willing and welcoming of her attention. A part of Blake was scared of this side of hers; one that was purely based on instincts more than logic. Yet she couldn't deny that Weiss was confirming to her that the two of them wanted the same things. By not shying away from her, by not moving away, she was telling her that she was willing.

That she was waiting for her.

Taking a deep breath, Blake squeezes Weiss' hand in return, her own amber eyes trying to convey that what the white-haired woman was feeling was mutual.

Nevertheless, before something else could be said or done, Blake watched Ruby coming out of the office ready to let Weiss know that it was all good. And although the raven-haired woman had tried her best to act indifferent towards them touching, Blake had been trained to notice even the smallest reactions. And in the case of Ruby, it had been in her eyes.

The way those silver eyes had become bitter the moment they focused on their entangled hands.

"Weiss…" Ruby says simply and this makes the white-haired woman let go. "We're good to go."

"Thank you Ruby." Weiss smiles at her before entering the office followed closely by Blake. "Please, Miss Parker, take a seat."

"Of course." Blake answers quickly and sits down, noticing Ruby closing the door and standing in front of it.

Preventing anyone from coming in or going out…

"Now then, Miss Parker, I hope you don't mind that we'll have this conversation with my bodyguard in the room, correct?" Weiss asks her politely. "You see, my father has deemed it necessary for me to be protected at all times and I really do not wish to challenge his wishes."

This makes the cat faunus focus on the younger Schnee and realize that right now she was not talking to the same Weiss that had rescued and taken care of her all those weeks ago. Nor was it the Weiss that had cried and hugged her vehemently the moment they found each other.

This woman in front of her was Weiss Schnee, heiress to the SDC.

"I completely understand." Blake reaffirms and notices Weiss taking a deep breath, as if she were doing her best to keep this cold and interpersonal persona.

"Now, let's go thorough your file quickly." she takes out a folder and opens it. "It says here Miss Parker that you are from Mistral. If you don't mind me asking, why did you move from there to Atlas?"

Blake, thankfully, had been warned by Winter about these questions.

(Flashback)

"Come in." Blake hears Winter say from inside her office, which in turn makes her open the door and hesitantly walk in.

Focusing on the previously closed office, Blake can see that unlike the studio room Yang took her to yesterday, this one was devoid of personal affects and possessions. Surprisingly, it was very simplistic and had only the necessary things to host talks or conferences.

Blake, before meeting Weiss or Winter, would have expected an ostentatious office filled with invaluable art and treasures; to show the rest of the world the wealth that the Schnee family had accumulated over the years and how powerful and sophisticated they were.

Yet again the Schnee siblings were proving to her that everything the White Fang had told her about them was wrong.

"Please, take a seat Blake." the older woman tells her softly and Blake does as said immediately. "Is there something wrong?" she asks when she notices that the cat faunus is still looking around her office.

"Sorry." Blake apologizes embarrassed. "It's just that…" she takes a deep breath. "This office, everything I have seen since I met Weiss and then all of you, it is nothing like I had thought it would be."

"Could you please elaborate?" Winter asks her.

"I was expecting wealth. I was expecting ridiculous paintings or pieces of art surrounding every room. To see maids and butlers fulfilling every request and for you to be spoiled, naïve girls." the black-haired woman whispers.

This makes Winter laugh.

"You got the wrong house." the Specialist tells her jokingly. "My sister and I…" she explains simply. "Did grow up surrounded by wealth and riches. In a house where everything was considered art and the consequences for breaking something were too severe to even risk playing inside the house." she looks down. "In a house where our father was more concerned about his fortune and business than his family and our mother was too inebriated to raise us."

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't know." Blake doesn't know what else to say.

"Of course you didn't. No one knows. If they knew, the Schnee wouldn't be seen as the all-powerful and perfect Atlas family." Winter says while looking at an old photograph. "It took me leaving that awful place to realize how miserable we really were. It took me meeting Yang and Ruby to see that Weiss and I treated each other more like strangers than sisters." she takes a deep breath. "It took me meeting a faunus to realize that all the things my father had told me about them were lies."

"Yang told me about your team." she confesses. "About Copper. I, I'm sorry about that too."

"Copper believed in giving people the benefit of the doubt." the older woman simply says. "She did so with me when we first met. She, a faunus, gave a Schnee the opportunity to prove that I was more than my name." she chuckles. "As you can imagine I was immediately intrigued. I wanted to learn. And she was willing to teach me."

"She sounds like a great woman."

"She was." Winter smiles sadly and then stares at Blake. "To be honest, I still have my reservations concerning you." she admits blatantly. "But then again, that may have to do with the fact that it seems you're infatuated with my little sister."

This makes Blake gulp but not deny what the older woman was saying because it was the truth.

"That, and the fact that you're a former member of the White Fang make me hesitate and wonder whether I should trust you." the older Schnee continues explaining. "But Yang did make a convincing argument last night and Weiss wants you to stay. And from what I heard yesterday, you also want to stay."

Blake nods in confirmation.

"May I ask you why? Why you're willing to risk being found by the White Fang and the SDC?"

The cat faunus takes a deep breath, herself thinking about this question. The answer, ironically, was a simple one.

"Because I promised Weiss that I would."

Winter merely stares at her.

"And honoring this promise means so much to you?"

"Because I made this promise to Weiss it means everything to me." she admits.

"I know why you feel this way." the older Schnee says to her simply. "And I think you know as well."

Blake nods in confirmation.

What was the point of continuing to stall what she knew her heart was telling her?

"Weiss…" Blake takes a deep breath. "Means everything to me."

This statement makes the white-haired woman smile at her.

"I know." she chuckles in reminiscence. "Copper did tell me that mates were sacred to faunus. That the moment a faunus found its mate, their world, their existence, shifted to one where now it was not about them as individuals."

"But about us making our mate happy." Blake finishes Winter's statement.

"Indeed." the Specialist says. "And knowing that you see Weiss this way makes it easier for me to trust you." she takes out a folder.

"I promise I will not let anything happen to Weiss." the cat faunus says vehemently.

"I know." Winter tells her simply. "And although you're very good at blending in and pretending to be someone else, we need your fake identity to match with the profile that most people that work at the orphanage have."

"Profile?" Blake asks curiously.

"Yes. As you may suspect, a mostly-faunus orphanage in the middle of Atlas is not precisely a popular place. As such, Weiss always has one-on-one interviews with candidates to try to understand their motives for wanting this job."

"An interview? Is that really necessary?"

"I am afraid our father's informants inside the orphanage are persistent in acquiring that information. They gather it to hopefully use it to either try to blackmail or bribe you." the white-haired woman says simply. "Then again, not many people apply for this job since working at the orphanage is not popular."

"Why wouldn't someone want the job? Jobs for non-faunus people at the SDC are the ones that pay the most."

"Well, after two employees were beat up by some Atlas citizens and other three were undercover informants of the White Fang; let's just say that the people that currently work at the orphanage are in the middle of a conflict Atlas has experienced since the end of the Great War. And, not many are willing to put themselves in that position."

"So the people that work there…"

"Are quite guarded and protective of each other. They're like a family and gaining their trust will be something hard for you to do without the right type of profile." Winter then smirks. "Lucky for you, I happen to have a file with the profile of all the employees as well as the questions Weiss will probably ask you."

(End of Flashback)

"Although I will always love Mistral, I had always wondered how Atlas was. Hearing the stories about the many technological wonders in the city and yet the huge disparity people experience is fascinating." Blake says what she assumes a woman like Diana Parker would say.

"Fascinating?" Weiss asks intrigued.

"That with so much wealth and technological advances, there will still always be the need to separate people. The affluent and rich citizens of Atlas against the poor, mostly-faunus of Mantle."

"Inequality is, unfortunately, something that will never be eliminated from the kingdoms. If we were all equal, then I don't think we would need leaders or government, right? No one would crave for what others have, hence there would be no need to kill or to steal." this makes Weiss chuckle. "In fact, the only reason we would need huntsmen or weapons would be for Grimm. Then again, they do feed on negative emotions and pain so perhaps even they would disappear with the passage of time."

This makes Blake stare deeply at Weiss, taking everything the woman was telling her into consideration. This was, now that she thought about it, the first time the two of them had talked about politics, about the kingdoms and inequality in such a way. Before, they were mostly worried with seeing each other and not making the other person be uncomfortable and hence make them leave.

But now that they knew both of them were staying, it was clear that they wanted to truly know each other.

"I never say it that way." Blake says honestly and knows Weiss has noticed she has moved away from her scripted persona.

"Well, utopianism is a luxury only the rich have the time to dabble in." she jokes but Blake can tell Weiss meant to say this bitterly. "Still, the reason why I tend to have interviews with future employees is because of the particularities of this job."

"Particularities?" the cat faunus returns to the script.

"Well, as you may be aware, this particular job that you've applied to may come with some 'unforeseen hazards'." Weiss says to her solemnly.

"Hazards?" she asks curiously.

"Helping faunus in Atlas is a position that most people in the city don't approve. The fact that you will be working here will most probably make you the object of unwanted treatment by them."

"Unwanted treatment? Is my safety in jeopardy?"

"Not at all. We Schnee always protect our employees." Weiss promises. "But, there are other ways in which people can hurt each other."

"You mean they will talk about me." Blake sees Weiss' point. Being a citizen here meant that if people talked about her the wrong way it would cost her.

"Most probably. None of our employees have any problems and we do not force them to publicize where they work. For safety."

"I see."

"I wanted to warn and inform you of the current situation in Atlas. So you can make a decision. After knowing all of this, do you still wish to work here?"

Blake stares at Weiss.

"I want to help people. I honestly do not care if they're human or faunus. As long as they need me, as long as I see that I'm making a difference in their lives, I will wish to stay." she answers in a mix between fake personality and herself.

This answer makes Weiss give her an honest smile.

"Wonderful!" she stands up from the chair and Blake does the same. "Know, Miss Parker, that we are very excited to have you with us."

"Thank you." Blake answers and is ready to leave the office but is stopped by Weiss, who presses a button on her desk.

The action, in turn, makes Ruby get away from the door and stand closer to the table where they were sitting, her hands quickly typing on her scroll. The moment Ruby gives her a thumb's up is the moment Weiss finally relaxes.

"Ok, that should be good enough to appease father's spies." she then smiles brightly at Blake. "You did great Blake!"

"I…" the cat faunus says confused. "I thought we wouldn't acknowledge each other while we were here."

"That was the plan." Ruby says from behind Weiss. "But then again, this is Weiss we're talking about."

"Relax you two." the younger Schnee chuckles. "Ruby and I have set up a taped recording to the mics my father has implanted in this office." the heiress explains. "With Winter and Yang we decided to not take them out because that would just make my father plant some new ones. This way, we can make him believe he's spying on us without us giving him any actual information." she then turns around to look at Ruby. "Ruby… Can I ask you for something?"

This make the huntress stare suspiciously at them.

"Depends. Will I like it?" Ruby asks simply.

"I don't think so." Weiss tells her honestly. "But I will be really happy if you do this for me."

Ruby merely continues to stare.

"I was hoping you would give me some privacy with Blake."

Ruby immediately gets close to Weiss, making sure of using her body to block Blake.

"No Weiss. Listen, Yang may trust her, but I don't. And without any way for me to watch or listen to what you're saying I will not leave you alone with her."

Blake can't really blame the raven-haired woman for not agreeing to Weiss' request. Then again, Blake was starting to suspect that it wasn't solely motivated due to security reasons. In fact, she was starting to believe that it was mostly based on the fact that Weiss and her were close.

"Ruby…" Weiss says softly to her. "How many times do I have to explain this to you? Blake will not hurt me. Besides, Blake came prepared. She knew the questions I was going to ask. And you know which one of us is the one that has access to this information."

Ruby merely looks away from them, refusing to acknowledge this statement.

"I can give you my weapon." Blake adds as well. "Since you'll be standing outside the room I don't think any harm will come to us."

This makes Ruby stare darkly at her, as if scolding her for suggesting this.

Sorry Ruby, but I also want to be alone with Weiss…

"See, that should make things easier." Weiss smiles.

"No, you just don't get it Weiss." Ruby says bitterly. "It's not about the weapon. It's about the fact that Blake will be alone with you."

The moment she says this she knows she has messed up.

"What do you mean Ruby?" Weiss asks the raven-haired woman seriously and both Blake and Ruby can feel the tension in the room rising.

"I mean…" the huntress whispers. "I…"

"Why can't you trust Blake? She has had many opportunities to turn us in or share with the White Fang what she knows about us. Yet all she has done is follow your rules and be there for me. Tell me, what does Blake have that makes you mistrust her?"

You… Ruby thinks bitterly but doesn't say it.

Instead, what she does is that she gets close to Blake and takes her weapon without permission, surprised that the black-haired faunus allowed her to do so without any kind of reaction. Huffing in annoyance, she turns her back to the two younger women and starts retreating.

"I'll be outside. You have 15 minutes." she informs them and then closes the door strongly.

This makes Weiss give Blake an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry." the heiress apologizes. "Ruby is just very protective of me."

Blake merely shrugs.

"I don't blame her for not trusting me. In fact, that should be your reactions. Yang, Winter and you are the weird ones that are treating me too nicely."

Weiss merely huffs.

"Now don't you start speaking that way." she pouts and Blake chuckles. "You know why I trust you."

Blake nods in understanding.

"I…" Weiss speaks again and the black-haired woman can see her blushing. "I really don't know how to explain it." she looks down in embarrassment. "I mean, ever since I left the base last night I have wanted to talk to you, but now that I have you in front of me I don't know what to say."

Blake smiles and gets closer so she can squeeze Weiss' hand.

"Trust me, you're not alone in feeling this way."

"I'm not?" the white-haired woman whispers.

"You're not." Blake confirms and feels Weiss squeezing her hand back. "In fact, if I were to be honest… When I saw you talking with the children…" she stops talking to gather her thoughts. "I felt, for the first time in a long time, truly content." she chuckles bitterly. "And it has been a while since I've been able to feel at peace with myself."

"Blake…"

"And I know that it's all thanks to you." Blake continues explaining. "Seeing this place, watching all those faunus kids playing and talking with other kids without worrying or thinking that they'll be judged or mistreated… That has been my dream Weiss." she confesses with tears in her eyes. "That was the reason I stayed in the White Fang. To achieve that. But when I saw that you did this, without using violence or hurting others… Instead of feeling sad or sorry for myself, all I could feel was pride. I feel so proud of you."

"Oh Blake…" Weiss says longingly and can't stop herself from closing the distance between them and holding the cat faunus in her arms. "Why is it that every time you're close all I want to do is hold you and never let you go?" she asks softly.

"Weiss…" Blake purrs and places her nose under Weiss' neck, smelling her and this time not doing anything to stop her instincts from confirming that that the woman in her arms was meant to be her mate.

Because Blake wanted this. She wanted Weiss and if Weiss wanted her as well then she was not going to stop herself.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one that feels like this." the white-haired woman begs her. "That you feel it too. That you feel this bond between us."

Blake closes her eyes and nods in confirmation.

"When I woke up after the failed dust robbery, when you held my hand and promised to help me." the cat faunus whispers. "I think that was the moment I started feeling this way."

This makes Weiss look up at her and caress her cheek tenderly.

"Are you confident in this? In that what you feel for me is real and not because I saved you?"

"I could have left Atlas the moment we parted ways. I could have started over somewhere new." Blake says softly. "Yet all I was thinking about was finding you, Weiss. Of getting back to you, where I feel I belong."

"The way you said that made it sound like you saw me as your mate." Weiss tells her and this makes Blake open her eyes in shock and hence make Weiss' teasing tone disappear.

"You know about faunus mating rituals?" the cat faunus whispers afraid, not expecting to have this conversation so soon.

"I asked Sun to teach me." the white-haired woman explains to her. "To help the faunus kids when the time came." she grabs Blake's hands and puts them around her waist. "But what you just said, did you mean it like that?"

Blake continues to stare terrified at her, not knowing how the woman she was starting to love would react to this confession.

But she wouldn't lie to Weiss. No matter how afraid she was, she would never deceive her mate.

"I did." she whispers, expecting the heiress to separate and reject her.

Nevertheless, that reaction never came. Instead, she felt Weiss moving her chin up so her amber eyes would be able to see blue ones staring tenderly and lovingly at her.

"If you mean it…" Weiss says to her with a bright smile on her face. "Then allow me to respond." she closes the distance between them and uses her nose to sniff around Blake's neck, starting the 'answering' ritual.

Blake, meanwhile, was purring loudly at the sight of her mate doing this for her. Of responding to her faunus self by performing the ritual that was always taught to every faunus child no matter who they were. One that was meant to start a companionship that could never be broken and that only evolved and transformed with the passage of time.

"Weiss…" Blake whimpers the moment she feels Weiss using her teeth to graze her neck and confirm that her claim was accepted.

"I, Weiss Schnee, accept your courting, Blake Belladonna." Weiss says confidently. "Do you, Blake Belladonna, accept me?" she shyly asks while showing the cat faunus her neck.

Blake, the moment she hears and sees Weiss submitting to her, immediately uses her teeth to nibble her mate's neck, creating a mark that was not permanent but that still would let others know that they were together.

"I, Blake Belladonna, accept your courting, Weiss Schnee." she promises and without any kind of hesitation closes the distance between them, sealing their promise with a warm and tender kiss on the lips. One that was immediately welcomed and reciprocated by the shorter woman, who groaned in contentment and pulled her closer.

Was it dangerous that they did this?

Absolutely.

"Would there be consequences?

Most probably.

But neither Weiss nor Blake could truly care about them. Specially not when the feeling of their lips against each other felt so right.