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Chapter 12 – Unease

Blake was scheduled to be discharged from the medicine bay two days before Bane's unit would return.

In the end, she had to accept Adam's offer. It would be useless for Blake to remain in the headquarters. Fortunately, her frostbitten fingers were not serious, but a few blisters had formed. Her wound, while the burns, bruises, and light scrapes healed with little scarring, was still stitched and hurt whenever she moved too quickly. There was a risk that it could reopen if she was too reckless.

However, the doctor managed to teach her how to cut the stitches when the wound had closed and how to keep it clean. Blake had been handed a small bag of supplies, medication and bided "good luck".

Blake had been roused early in the morning by Moira and given a set of clothes to wear. Likely, her old ones had been thrown away or burned. She had been given a black, sleeveless A-line dress, a pair of black thigh-high stockings, and a purple scarf. Moira had also filched a white denim jacket from the laundry room.

Still groggy, Blake had been forced to listen to Moira's grumbles about Bane's return and how poorly the medicine bay was managed.

"Here, do you want flats or these boots?" Moira held up two pairs, "I noticed that you wore heels but…" She made a face like she was pondering something. "Here," she pulled out an old, beaten large handbag and dropped the heels and Blake's medical supplies in there. "I used to fight with low-rise heels but when I began flying, they weren't very good for landing, so I switched."

She gave Blake a friendly smile and handed her the pair of purple flats.

"They're a little worn," Moira commented, "But heels might alter your sense of balance. Adam will kill me if you fall. Do the clothes fit?"

"Yes, they're fine. I kind of wish I had pants, though," Blake admitted, "It feels weird wearing a dress. I wore pants when training and fighting." Moira chuckled.

"Doctor said that pants may put a little bit of pressure on the wound, sorry." Moira gestured for Blake to stand. "Is there any pain? Nothing is poking you?" Blake shook her head. Moira then showed Blake a metal plate with straps.

"Here, some members use this instead of attaching their weapons to their belts. I noticed that your weapon is made of metal. Turn around and take off your jacket.

Obediently, Blake turned around and removed her jacket. Similar to a backpack, the metal was strapped to her back.

"The plate allows weapons to be attached to the user's back without having to be clipped on," Moira explained. Blake put on her jacket and picked up Gambol Shroud. Like Moira just said, the metal sheath was attracted to the plate; Gambol Shroud now stuck to her back, and she was able to move it with ease.

"This is so convenient. Thank you," Blake said gratefully.

"I invented it myself," Moira boasted, "They're aerodynamic, so it's so much easier flying with your weapon strapped to your back instead of your hip. These are one of the newer ones I'm experimenting with. I'm trying to make it bulletproof." However, Moira's explanation was interrupted with the sound of the door opening.

Adam poked his head in. Unlike his usual black and red suit, he had donned on a simple black jacket, red shirt, and jeans. He could have easily blended in a crowd.

"It's time to go," he stated, "We need to reach Vale before dark." Adam eyed her before handing Blake a lavender beanie.

"Keep that in your bag, we might need it," He had a stoic look on his face. "this is probably your first time in a city, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Blake answered, "Fiona and I mainly stuck to the towns and villages. How are we going to get to the house?"

"Airship will drop us off near a bus stop where a car will take us to Vale. I need to deliver a package for Bane anyways, so we'll find somewhere to sleep for the night. We'll board an early train tomorrow and rent a car to drive to the house."

"Be careful," Moira warned, "There's more than one person you need to watch out for." Blake made a face.

"Adam should be the one you should be worried about." Moira smirked.

"That statement was for you, sweetheart."

Blake and Adam sat on opposite ends of the aircraft. Her amber eyes watched the white, puffy clouds as it flew through the air. Occasionally, she would glance across at Adam, who was usually looking out the window as well.

Two hours in, however, the cat faunus had noticed that Adam had dozed off. Similar to when she first saw him, his head was tilted forward as if in contemplation, his hair partially shielding his eyelids.

She didn't know why she did it, but Blake leaned forward and peered up at his sleeping face. Vaguely, she remembered a few times that her reading had caused him to drift off. It felt somehow strange. Before, he was much more relaxed; his face was less tensed. Child-Adam's breathing was deep and easy. Now, a slight scowl was set on his features; his eyebrows are scrunched together with worry.

Was he having a bad dream?

His eyes suddenly shot open, and Blake leapt back with a silent gasp. Adam looked at her with a confused look on his face as Blake fumbled for an explanation.

"S-sorry…" She pressed her back against the wall, as far away from him as possible. "I wasn't sure if you were asleep."

"It's fine," Adam dismissed, "I was just tired from paperwork."

"Is there…is there a lot of paperwork when you're a Lieutenant?" Adam made a face, like the ones he made whenever Miles made him do chores.

"Too much," he grumbled, "When you're a commander, you can hire an assistant, but Bane doesn't do that. He doesn't trust his members."

Perplexed, Blake tried to imagine a leader who didn't trust his comrades.

"Really? Does he trust you?"

"Not enough," Adam sighed, "Honestly, he's going to wear himself out soon. I worry about him. He's like an older brother to me."

"So, he's your Fiona…"

Adam paused and a strange, clouded expression spread over his face.

"Yeah…you can say that."

The aircraft had landed in an empty landing strip, and a small, black car was parked nearby.

Although she had seen an occasional car pass by in the mining town, the was the first time Blake had been anywhere near one. Her amber eyes roamed over it with interest.

"Have you never been in one?" Adam asked, taking note of her interest.

"No, Fiona and I usually travel by cargo train or walking." Adam raised an eyebrow.

"Here," he opened the car door and gestured for her to sit, "It's like riding an airship but a lot slower." Blake sat, and Adam reached across and pulled at her seatbelt.

"Buckle yourself up. Car rides aren't as smooth as flying." Blake obeyed and clicked the buckle shut while Adam slid in next to her.

Then, Blake remembered a word Laurel had once used – "car sick".

"Adam, what's carsickness?"

The driver turned around. To her surprise, the man was human. He had tanned skin, dark brown hair and eyes; he was dressed in street clothes.

"Here," the man handed her a plastic bag, "Carsickness is when you throw up in cars. If you feel sick, just speak up and I'll pull over."

The driver twisted his

Adam looked at him suspiciously.

"Tanner?" The driver smirked.

"One dye job and now you don't recognize me, Adam." Tanner snickered. "How long has it been? Two years?"

Noticing Blake's confusion, Adam introduced her.

"This is Tanner. He's been working on an infiltration assignment for a few years."

"More like a glorified Schnee limo driver," Tanner cut in, "I swear, Adam, you better get me a different assignment when this is over. If I have to clean one more spill…"

"You wanted to go to a different division."

Tanner glared at him from the rearview mirror.

"Oh, be quiet. I was looking for crowd control, not espionage." His brown are fell on Blake. "Hey, I've told you my life story. Who are you?"

"Uh…I'm…" Blake sent a sideways glance at Adam, unsure what to do. Adam nodded at her.

"I'm Blake. I'm just a friend of Adam. We met in the Menagerie Headquarters." Tanner raised an eyebrow.

"You must have known each other for a long time. What division are you in?"

"Um…" Blake faltered and said the first thing that came to her mind, "I'm his secretary. I do all Adam's paperwork." Nervously, she glanced at Adam to find that he looked like nothing happened.

Tanner eyed her.

"If you're just his secretary, then why do you have a Huntsman weapon? Did you defect from one of the schools?"

"Tanner, any information you'd like to tell me?" Adam cut in, "Bane just came back from a mission, and there's been a lot of casualties."

As Adam and Tanner conversed about affairs, Blake had let her mind wander to the window. The green scenery of the forest had turned into rows of neat houses and small shops. Tanner had explained that they were in one of the residential areas outside of Vale.

Everything had seemed so…normal, making her feel nostalgic. Children walked home from school, and residents were carrying out their day-to-day activities. It was nothing like the empty, snow-covered streets nor the crowded training grounds like she was used to. Blake's face was pressed to the glass in undivided attention.

Eventually, the houses turned into skyscrapers, and the streets became filled with humans and faunus alike.

However, before she had time to admire it, Tanner pulled into a nearby parking garage and parked the car.

"I'm going have to leave you guys here," Tanner said, "My shift is about to start, and you know how those executives can be. Do you know how to get to the exchange point from here?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." He and Blake stepped out of the car. "I'll try to get you assigned to something else, but no promises." Tanner grinned and shot him a thumbs up.

"As long as I'm not cleaning up after drunk Schnee workers, I'm down for anything." As Tanner sped off, Adam led Blake to a nearby elevator.

"Have you been in the city before?" he asked her, taking note of her roaming eyes.

"No, I haven't. The closest thing is that town." The elevator doors opened and they stepped in.

"Blake, I need to meet with an informant for Bane," They stepped out and walked along the busy streets. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to come along especially when you've still got a healing wound."

They approached a small square lined with shops. Carefully, Adam touched her arm and led her to sit on a nearby bench.

"Here," Adam took out a Scroll, "I got one for you from supplies. It's yours."

Taking it in her hands, Blake pressed the button, and the screen lit up.

"Thank you," Blake began to fiddle around with the settings, "I thought White Fang doesn't use Scrolls."

"We don't unless its urgent. But, you're a civilian, and Vale is a big place. Just in case, I want to have a way for you to contact me quickly." He reached over and pressed an icon. Adam's name popped up as one of the contacts.

"Here, press on my name and then the green button to give me a call. Let's give it a try."

Blake pressed the button and held the Scroll to her ear. Adam reached to his pocket and picked up an identical looking Scroll.

"Can you hear me clearly?" he asked through the phone. His voice sounded different

"Yes, I can." Blake ended the call. "How long will you be gone?"

"Only a few hours," he assured her, "Here's about 50 Lien for lunch and other stuff. If anyone asks who you are, just say that you're a student." Adam pointed at Gambol Shroud. "That'll convince them. I'm going to be last soon; have fun."

He stepped back and was about to turn on her. Then, Blake, acting on impulse, reached out and grabbed the back of his jacket.

Then, she blinked and withdrew her hand.

"Sorry, I don't know why I did that."

Adam, stood stunned and turned around. He reached out and gave her hand a squeeze.

"No, don't apologize. I don't mind…it's been a while since someone did that. I'm going to come back, don't worry," he said with a worried look in his eyes, "I'm not going to disappear on you. That'll be that last thing I'd think of doing."

"Call me if something's wrong. I'll be back as soon as I can."

After Adam left, Blake had spent an hour exploring the Scroll's controls, collapsing it and accessing its features. However, she soon grew bored and looked around for something to do.

She wasn't hungry, and she didn't need to buy anything. Then, a thought passed through her mind. Either Adam trusted her or thought she would be too injured to run, but this was the first time she had been left alone. Blake had money, or, at least enough to buy herself a train ticket. She'd be able to escape to Vacuo. A million plans rushed through her head at that moment.

Was the money enough? Not likely, but she might be able to hitch a ride or sneak aboard.

But…she'd be betraying Adam, wouldn't she? Even though he likely supported the new ideology, Adam wasn't particularly evil, which clashed with the image Fiona and her parents had painted. Somehow, Blake didn't like that. He did save her life, and she would be paying him back with betrayal. Likely, he'd be investigated or maybe even suspended. Running away from her problems and things that clashed with her ideals would be wrong…and cowardice.

Blake sighed; running away was all that her mind seemed to think about. She just missed Fiona, but she needed to think about something else for now.

Blake was about to move to stand up and window shop when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Expecting Adam, Blake found herself staring at a blonde-haired stranger and her red-haired friend.

"Hi!" the stranger grinned down at her, "Are you cutting class too?"

Wanting to lose their interest, Blake shook her head. The stranger looked confused while the friend looked at her with suspicion.

"Then, if you're not skipping, why aren't you at Beacon?" she asked, "Or, are you a Signal student? You look a little young to be in Beacon."

"Ah…I'm sick," Blake lied, "I can't go to school." The stranger frowned.

"Then, why aren't you in the dorms resting? Are you here to get special medicine?" The friend glared at Blake.

"Sunset, stop being so nosy. Come on, you don't want to be mixing with people like her." The hostility in her voice surprised Blake, making her tense and defensive.

"Tawny, don't be like that," Sunset chided, "Not all of them are awful."

"My mom and dad have told me about the Faunus. They're untrustworthy and always look for the opportunity to pick a fight. They're just like savage animals!"

Blake glared at them. She wanted to take out Gambol Shroud and frighten them away. But she remembered that her parents had strongly objected to violence. Still, she wasn't expecting this kind of hostility.

"Excuse me, a Faunus is sitting right in front of you," she snapped, "If you're having such a problem standing next to me, then just walk away." If Blake's painkillers weren't beginning to wear off, she would stand up and walk away herself.

Tawny sneered down at her as Sunset attempted to lead her away.

"Tawny, c'mon cousin, I really don't want to cause a scene. She didn't do anything. I was the one who walked up to her."

Blake glared up at Tawny, her hand itching for Gambol Shroud's hilt. However, Tawny listened to her cousin.

"…Let's go," she muttered, "I have better things to do." Tossing her hair over her shoulder, Tawny stalked away while Sunset, after murmuring a quick apology, trailed after her.

The whole interaction had left Blake stunned. She had never thought that such prejudice would be so commonplace. Moreover, she was startled with the amount of hatred that girl, a total stranger, had shown her.

Perhaps it was best if she found something else to do, something to distract her.

There was a bookstore; she'd definitely find something to read there.

It was midafternoon when Adam returned from his errand. Blake, finding a comfortable plush chair, had just opened "Ninjas of Love" until she felt a tap on her shoulder. Looking up, Adam stood beside her looking tired and slightly battered.

There was a thin cut near his lower jaw, scuffmarks dirtied his jacket, and a black, baseball cap covered his horns.

"Adam? What happened?" she asked in concern, "Did you get in a fight?"

"It was nothing, just a scuffle," he dismissed, "Blake, why are you reading smut?"

Face red, she slammed the book shut and placed it under the stack.

"It's not," Blake argued, "it's a historical romance." With a mischievous smile, Adam plucked it from the stack.

"Consider this a get well gift," he teased, and, before Blake could do anything, he handed the cashier some bills and placed the book in her lap.

"I expect you to read it to me."

The rest of Blake's day had been…rather fun. After the bookstore, she had expected her and Adam to retire to a motel room.

But, to her surprise, Adam handed her a tourist brochure and asked her to pick five spots. Initially, she stared at it in confusion before he explained that he would take her sightseeing.

"You haven't seen a city at all, and you should enjoy your first time," he had said as he led her onto a subway.

Blake's eyes were glued to the windows as the cityscape sped by. She marveled at the new technologies and blinking lights. Adam practically had to lead her everywhere to avoid bumping into things.

They saw glass gardens that lit up by Dust, pretty sculptures inside a park, Vale's historical district, and intricate glass spheres floating on a man-made pond. Blake had stared wide-eyed at the sight before her. Fortunately, Adam had taught her how to take pictures with her Scroll.

By the time they had finished, it was past midnight. Blake's stomach growled with hunger, and the pain had returned. However, she didn't care. Like a child's first time at an amusement park, Blake had grabbed Adam's arm and pointed at whatever had caught her attention, insisting for a picture. It was almost like they were children again, and her reservations were beginning to diminish.

Blake's perception of Adam was no longer the "White Fang officer" but more of a friend, one she hadn't spoken to in a long time. In a way, he was still the rambunctious child that bugged her for stories. However, there was something off about him. She wasn't sure of it was maturity or something else, but she knew that he wasn't the same person. Blake couldn't tell why.

As they stepped off the final stop, Blake was happily contented; a smile refused to leave her face. The transit systems were beginning to shut down, but Adam insisted that they visit one last stop.

"It's my turn," he teased her.

Currently, they were seated outside a nearby convenience shop. Blake held a Styrofoam cup filled with tea while Adam steadily drank his coffee.

"Where are we going?" Blake asked, "I'm pretty sure everything's closed." There was a mischievous spark in Adam's eye.

"That's the point. The best places are always closed off," he stood up and offered his hand to her, "Have you taken your medicine? It's a bit of a climb, but I'll help you during the difficult parts."

"Where are we going?" Blake asked as she took his hand, "Is it dangerous?"

Adam chuckled.

"You know me, Blake. There's always danger."

Adam had led her to an abandoned building. With ease, he had sliced a lock open, leading her through the doorway. The place was cold, dark, and littered with broken glass.

"We have to climb a few flights," Adam motioned to a stairwell, "But, it's worth it. We can take breaks if you get tired, Blake." Blake nodded a little reluctantly; she would rather wait behind.

As they ascended the steps, Blake's wound began to sting again which made her stop halfway through.

"Adam, I need to stop," her breathing was heavy as she sat down on one of the steps, "Go ahead without me." Instead he sat beside her.

"Hey, there's only a few levels left. I know you can do it," he encouraged her, "We'll stop for five minutes. I'll carry your bag and sword."

Blake handed him her items without much fuss; she didn't think he would get up and run off. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see small rays of sunshine coming from a hole in the wall; it was almost morning. Adam had kept her up all night.

After a while, Blake stood and trailed after him; the lack of weight made things infinitely easier.

As they approached the roof, Blake now began to wonder what Adam had wanted to see. Was he really just there for the view? Now that she thought about it, he didn't particularly care for such things.

They stepped onto the roof. In the distance, the Communications Tower stood in the distance, with its white paint and blinking lights.

The faint rays of the morning sun light up the city. Blake could see it begin to awaken from its sleep as people walked back and forth.

"Blake, look" Adam pointed at three towers to her left. A pretty green light glowed from the windows. "Over there is Beacon, a Huntsman Academy."

"Really?" Blake moved over to get a closer look, "I heard it was the best in Remnant. All of the greatest fighters trained there." Adam snorted.

"A Huntsman school, imagine attending one. I'd go crazy." Blake tried to imagine herself as a student, studying and befriending human and Faunus classmates. Such normalcy would be unusual; a new environment that she had never imagined herself in. She would probably never have that life anyways, but it was strange to picture it. Odds are, she'd end up living in the library.

"A skilled fighter doesn't need a fancy school to teach them. The best ones learn by themselves and develop their own techniques instead of copying from an instructor's book." Adam gave the towers a distasteful look. "Anyways, they allow people who hate the Faunus to train there. The last thing we need is to give those kind of humans the power and skill to hurt us. A lot of them have already strayed from their righteous path." He commented sardonically.

Blake's mind flew back to her earlier interaction with Tawny. Adam was right. If a school admitted people like that, well…"

Adam took notice of her worried look.

"Don't worry, Blake. The Faunus have White Fang to protect them. If any Huntsman start harassing us, we'll run them out before they even realize what hit them."

Adam's words, although they had violent subtext, made Blake relax a little. At least, for now, her people had a trustworthy group to rely on…maybe White Fang wasn't so bad after all.

A different seed of doubt planted itself in her mind. White Fang was…misunderstood. Maybe it had good intentions but expressed it poorly. Perhaps her parents and Fiona couldn't understand their new message? Instead of creating bonds with humans, this White Fang wanted to protect its own. Maybe it felt Lycannis' ideals were too naïve, unattainable. There would always be prejudice and hate, and the Faunus would be the victims. For, as it seemed, this White Fang wanted to protect the innocent from the inevitable neglect of justice and equality, from the shadow of a corrupt business. For now, maybe it was for the best that the White Fang stepped back and protect its own at least until the tensions died down.

However, Blake didn't know what to think. She didn't know the whole story.

BONUS SCENE: Adam's POV

As they walked down the park pathway, Blake's eyes traveled from every blinking display to another, watching them in wonder. Adam stood a little bit behind her and observed in amusement.

His childhood friend hadn't changed as much as he thought. Blake retained her curiosity and serious, aloof persona. But…there was a sadness to her, a remembrance of horrors and struggles untold that seemed to haunt the recesses of her mind. The exhaustion was visible on her face, and he could only wonder what was going on in there.

Yet, Blake was as sharp as ever, perhaps even more perceptive than what was good for her. She had noticed his disheveled appearance after he had left for an assignment. Those gangs were so bothersome…as soon as they saw he was White Fang they sprang on him and attacked. Stupid humans were so meddlesome.

After, he was worried that they had somehow found Blake and a wave of relief had rushed over him once he had. Of course she was reading, why hadn't he looked there first? Finding a hotel was too risky, even with Blake's wound. The last thing he needed was for her to become a target by association.

At least, Adam could distract her with the city's attractions; somewhere with cameras. He hadn't seen them either; and he'd admit that they were appealing to look at. But, Adam remained vigilant. He wouldn't put it past Torchwick to attack him in public. The bull faunus was tempted have him and Blake don their hats. But, he knew the difference, even though it was subtle.

Passerby visible relaxed whenever he was in disguise. Adam didn't want Blake to discover that truth yet, not now. She'd see that later, when he planned it. After all, he needed to convince her to rejoin White Fang.

As it turned out, Bane had remembered her and was taking interest. Before he became a commander, Adam needed to mentor a subordinate – Blake would be the perfect candidate. Her skill level was formidable, and Adam knew what she could potentially be capable of. Bane seemed to readily agree to this; Adam expected more resistance. Didn't Bane originally recommend his own nephew?

Blake was his informal student, despite what Moira teased him about. Adam saw her as his close friend and somewhat of a younger sister. Blake herself was reserved around him; although, that was slowly beginning to diminish. For now, they were just good friends. Nothing more…right?

Adam was jarred from his thoughts when he noticed Blake approaching a lamppost. She was too distracted to notice.

On instinct, Adam reached out, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back. The cat faunus lost her balance and fell back against him, but he remained standing. Adam could feel her warmth, and her shampoo's scent tickled his nose. Her soft cat ears brushed against his cheek. Blake's body was pressed against his, stirring something strange in his chest.

In all, that lasted for less than a second as Blake sprang away and muttered an embarrassed apology. Adam waved it off, too unsettled by the foreign feeling.

It couldn't be…no…it was just the first time he had closely interacted with someone his age. He'd feel the same with any other girl.

His maroon eyes observed her, trailing over her legs, hips, and how her hair had framed her face. Blake had grown since he last remembered and not just taller. Her amber eyes seemed to give off a light of their own; they were alluring.

"Adam, you okay?" Blake was looking at him in concern. She had caught him staring.

"No, I'm fine," he replied curtly, "Just spaced out for a second." Blake didn't look like she believed him but turned to admire a nearby sculpture.

Adam diverted his attention to a nearby plaque, mainly to give his mind something to do. Yet, it drifted back to that moment, her warmth and proximity.

Adam felt his heart skip a beat…sh*t.

Okay, this one was kind of calmer, but there'll be a bit more action to look forward to in the next chapter! Due to popular demand, I'll occasionally post an Adam POV as bonus material. Don't worry guys! You'll see Adam's POV for when Blake tells him her story.

The awkwardness is beginning to go away as they're starting to become more comfortable with each other, but they're still not quite there yet! Although, it seems like Adam has a bit of denial, hehe.

Another point, why are you guys requesting that Adam walks in on her changing? I actually laughed a little when I read the requests. Blake would have the sense to lock the door, so the most Adam would see is a locked door, haha. And, to the reviewer asking about her chest size...use your imagination. ;) I plead the fifth.

On another note, I've been a shipper ever since the Black trailer aired and have been rooting for tauradonna during season 1 and 2. I still ship it, and I honestly was really disappointed with how Roosterteeth characterized him. They could have gone so many other routes; why did they pick that? There better be a decent backstory.

But, I'm trying to write his character as similar to canon as possible (but I'm likely to make him more like his manga counterpart). And, I sincerely hope that I'm portraying the tauradonna ship (well, more like its remains) in a respectable light. This ship isn't perfect, but we're still here. Moreover, I still ship this couple even after "Heroes and Monsters" (Don't let the antis from tumblr find and burn me at the stake) As a reviewer said, I will stay a loyal tauradonna shipper, and I hope you guys continue enjoy it. *hugs*

With that said, updates will be slow. I have Ochem and Biology.

Thank you for the support!

-raining-indigo

SPOILER WARNING:

If you guys have read my hetalia crossovers, this doesn't come much of a surprise to you. Look forward to an additonal noncanon-compliant alternate ending. ;)