The RWBY dorm room was starting to look more like a war room.

Maps and textbooks were strewn about and littering the walls, symptoms of Ruby trying to ensure absolute preparation. Apparently an older student had recommended going over the geography of an area before being sent there. Sound advice, though it sounds like it should be obvious.

Keyword should.

While Ruby didn't send her team in blind, she didn't exactly go through prep. Normally, that is. Now Blake was finding herself dragged into daily study, the intent seeming to be that they would be ready for the terrain their mission took place in and the grimm common to it. A difficult task, considering they hadn't actually been told where they would be going or what they would be hunting. Instead, Ruby formed a daily rotation of areas to study. And even with their uncertain status, the other half of their team found no escape.

She could feel her reading time slowly dying.

Yang looked like she might jump out the window.

Weiss had the most pleased expression she had ever seen on anyone.

The heiress took a lot of pride when Ruby's leadership abilities shined through, and this was the most studious thing she ever made them go through. She suspected that for Weiss, their leader putting them through daily study was a dream come true. Blake didn't care for it, but she saw why it was useful and put effort in anyways. Yang was starting to look like someone propped up a corpse, her eyes still open but clearly vacant. With her sister taking leadership more seriously, the blonde was suddenly the only one on the team that wanted to avoid excess work. It wasn't that she was stupid, in fact she was far from it, but rather that her hands-on style and personality didn't find much need for research.

Originally, Yang would be complaining. However, after the verbal lashing she received from her dear baby sister...

In fact, the now friendly teammates were almost suspiciously docile. While they could be left alone on down time and their coursework was as consistent as ever, every training session had them waiting for Ruby's instruction like they were incapable of acting without her order.

Ruby was not happy about it.

Blake was the only one to hear her complaints, but she didn't think that would last. Initially she thought they would be passed for missions with the level of playing nice they had now managed, but Ruby was clearly unimpressed. They still had nine days, and at this rate they were going nowhere. She'd try and help them out, but considering they needed to learn how to help themselves... She was going to stay out of it.

Her musings were cut short when Weiss whispered to her, "Blake? You've been staring at Ruby the last ten minutes."

...Well. At least Yang hadn't noticed, she didn't need her assumptions.

Though their leader insisted on them taking the swap seriously, she wasn't going to stop them from spending time with their teammates as they pleased. Yang and Blake going out for lunch on Fridays had become a ritual, the more flexible schedules for second years allowing for nice breaks in the monotony of their daily schooling. They had tried a lot of places, but found a favourite rather unexpectedly. The Pretty Bird would be best classified as a cafe, serving breakfast and lunch but closing before dinner. It was small and a bit out of the way, but the food and atmosphere suited them perfectly. Though when their meals arrived, it became clear that Yang wanted to talk about something. That wasn't the unusual part, it was the fact that she hadn't just started speaking her thoughts freely.

So, Blake would have to ask. "What is it?"

The blondes eyes shot up to her before she replied, "What, my food? You wanna try some?"

Blake's eyes rolled. "No, I mean what's bugging you?"

Yang, to her credit, had the decency to look sheepish. "I was kinda thinking of you, actually. How are you and Rubes doing?"

"Quite well. Ruby is very determined."

Yang waved a hand dismissively, "Nah, I already know that. How are you getting on? You guys got dinner a while ago, right?"

Blake raised an eyebrow. "...Yes?"

"Well? How'd it go?"

Yang clearly had something she wanted to hear, the question was what. Dinner wasn't an unusual activity, especially considering they often went out together. Even Weiss had brought them out a few times in the past, so what was it she was caught up on?

And then it clicked.

Yang was assuming. This was exactly what she wanted to avoid, not wanting her teammates protectiveness to make her think something was going on. Though, when se thought about it, that still didn't make sense. Weiss and Ruby had plenty of one-on-one time, and Yang never went for a questioning. Even Jaune had taken her out before, and that didn't even earn a worried look.

Was she just reading into it?

If she was right, denying would make it worse. She would have to deflect.

"It was nice. Through right now I'm more interested in how things are going between you and Weiss."

Nailed it.

Yang sighed, "We're fine, I guess. Can actually talk without fighting, so it's coming along. Still can't believe Ruby yelled at us, though."

Blake's eyes narrowed, "She's our leader, it's her responsibility."

The brawlers hands raised in surrender at that. "Whoa, sorry. Didn't mean it that way, I was just surprised."

She could feel her ears try to lower in embarrassment, pushing against her bow. Blake hadn't meant to defend Ruby so sternly, or even so quickly. Of course she was right, but Yang wanting to vent was far from malicious.

"No, I know. Sorry. Please, go on."

Yang cleared her throat. "Well, she's my little sis, ya know? I didn't even know she could do that, let alone do it to me."

"I think I understand. But, you know she couldn't stay little forever."

Her teammates smile was seemed a bit sad. "Yeah, I know. But I always thought I was supposed to protect her, and now what? She literally scolded me for misbehaving. I haven't had to do that since she was twelve."

Blake put a hand on Yang's, hoping to offer her some comfort. "Hey, it's not like you can't make it up to her. You have nine days, remember?"

"Yep." She popped the P. "I'm gonna melt the princess, mark my words!"

They shared a laugh at that, Yang's humor was never absent for long. Good timing, as she was just thinking about getting a little revenge...

"Princess, huh? Guess when Ruby told you to learn to love her you took it seriously."

Yang paled, "Wha- I'm not going to date her!"