A/N: You lucky people, you get two fics for the price of one today! This one is intended to be a short series, second part will follow next week. Maybe today, depending on how my other projects go.

As always, I don't own these characters, they belong to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum, may he rest in peace. And as always, many thanks to Linira for talking ideas through with me and the constant votes of confidence.

Diplomacy rules

It had to happen eventually.

Being suspended with little more than a few ropes and a lot of wishful thinking, Ruby's bed finally lost it's fight against gravity and crashed down on top of Weiss, killing her instantly.

Or at least, it would have done, had the team not been in classes at the time.

The members of Team RWBY returned to their dorm to a scene of focussed devastation. Ruby's bed now sat upon the ruin that had once been Weiss' bed, its accompanying ropes hanging limply over the sides, and the sheet draped over the whole mess like a cloth over a corpse.

To state that Weiss was angry would be like stating a Death Stalker is not too friendly.

"Ruby Rose!" the heiress shrieked, and the smaller girl moved behind Yang.

"I-I'm really sorry, Weiss," Ruby offered quietly, feeling too much like it was her first day at Beacon all over again.

"I told you that was a bad idea, I told you that was dangerous, but did you listen?! Of course not!" Weiss continued, her shrill voice carrying out into the corridor.

"Weiss, it was an accident," Yang told her, trying to diffuse the situation. "Let's just get this out the way and figure out what to do."

"No!" Weiss snapped. "I don't see why I should be made to suffer for your sister's foolish plans!"

"Weiss, I-" Ruby attempted, to no avail.

"What are you talking about? What are you suffering, exactly?"

"I'm talking about the total destruction of my bed!" Weiss stated sharply, using the same tone she would use on a particularly simple child. "As I am the injured party in this incident, and seeing how Ruby's death trap has miraculously escaped destruction, I am claiming Ruby's bed as compensation." She crossed her arms and stared defiantly at the other three, silently daring them to challenge her statement.

A challenge which Yang automatically took, leaping to her sister's defence as always.

"Now hold on, that isn't fair!"

"Oh? And what do you think would be fair, me sleeping on the floor?"

"No, you can share with one of us!"

"Um, guys, it's-"

"Oh sure, that sounds appealing, sharing with you and your snoring or Ruby and her fidgeting! And it would be unfair to force Blake to share with someone else when-"

A shrill whistle blast echoed around the room, cutting everyone off mid-argument.

"As I was trying to say," Ruby told Weiss and Yang in the following silence, "it's fine. It's my fault, so I'll give up my bed to Weiss."

"Thank you Ruby," Weiss replied haughtily, but Yang was still adamant.

"No, Ruby this isn't fair on you! Why should you-"

"Yang, I've made my decision," Ruby told her, sounding far more mature than her age would suggest. "Weiss can take my bed, and I'll...sleep on the floor, or something..."

"No, you can share with me," Yang announced cheerfully, until Blake spoke up.

"That's not such a good idea, Yang," the faunus said, "considering you really do snore quite loudly. I'd be surprised if Ruby got any sleep next to you."

"Well she can't sleep on the floor, I won't have it."

"Guys, seriously, I don't mind, it'll be-"

"She can share with me."

Everyone stared at Blake, slightly incredulous. It was a well-known fact that the raven-haired faunus loved her personal space, and to willingly allow someone to violate that space - during sleep, no less - was a significant move for her.

"Blake, are you sure? You don't have to, honestly..."

"It's fine," she said, smiling at her diminutive leader. "It's not like you take up a lot of space."

With the sleeping arrangements finally sorted out, they set about removing Ruby's bed - now Weiss' - from the broken wreck that had lain under it, which they broke down further and crammed into a corner. The rest of the day continued much as normal, albeit with Weiss and Yang barely speaking to each other and Ruby too embarrassed to speak to Weiss. By the time they were all ready to sleep there was an awkward tension in the room, and Ruby couldn't help but feel like it was her fault.

Once everyone else was finally in bed, Ruby asked Blake if she was sure it was okay to share with her, still slightly embarrassed at the fact that it was necessary at all.

By way of response, Blake simply shuffled back against the wall, allowing the younger girl space to get into bed.

It was clear that she still felt awkward - Ruby stayed as far away from Blake as she could manage, trying to give the faunus the space she enjoyed so much, leaving herself balanced precariously on the edge of the bed. She squeaked in surprise as Blake put an arm around he middle and pulled her closer, resisting out of respect for her friend.

"Ruby, you won't get any sleep if you're worried about falling. Move closer."

"But-"

"I don't mind, honestly. I offered, remember? Now move closer before you fall."

After some hesitation, Ruby finally shuffled back against the taller girl, whose arm curled protectively around her middle. For a few minutes, she thought that Blake had gone to sleep already, until she spoke quietly to Ruby.

"I think that was very mature, what you did. Very diplomatic."

Ruby shrugged.

"Well, it was kinda my fault. And I just wanted them to stop arguing, y'know?"

Blake nodded, and moved her hand to stroke Ruby's arm reassuringly.

"Yeah, I know. Get some sleep now, we'll ask for a replacement bed in the morning."

"Okay," Ruby replied, sounding more cheerful than she had since the incident. "Good night Blake."

"Good night, Ruby."

"And Blake?"

"Mm?"

"Thanks again."

Blake was still awake by the time Ruby had finally drifted off, her mind distracted by the day's events. Well, maybe not the day's events, she thought idly, more like Ruby's role in them. She had shown great maturity in how she handled both Yang and Weiss, taking responsibility for the incident and putting an end to an argument which was causing friction.

Then she thought beyond that, how Ruby had grown as a leader over the past few months. Sure, she was still bouncy, immature and cheerful outside of a fight, but as soon as their lives were on the line she became more serious.

That wasn't to say she was completely serious. She seemed to derive some satisfaction from defeating their enemies, and Blake was certain that many of the younger girl's flourishes with Crescent Rose were completely unnecessary. But she was also so fearless, Blake thought, always putting her team before herself and not caring for her own safety.

Now that she came to think about it, Blake realised there was a lot she admired about Ruby. Her boundless optimism, something Blake's life had quickly stripped away, was infectious. She was a willing friend to all around her, as she demonstrated the day they met Penny...and when Blake herself had run away from her revelation.

Blake still hated herself for that, but she had found out that Ruby had been the first one to suggest looking for her. Not to demand answers, not to turn her in, but because Ruby consider her a friend first and a team-mate a close second. Blake wasn't sure if the fact that she was a faunus even registered for Ruby.

Oh, wait. That night at the docks...she had said her ears were 'cute.' Blake blushed a little at that thought. She'd been called many things for being a faunus. 'Cute' had never been one of them until she had met Ruby.

Blake closed her eyes, letting that thought play through her head. 'Cute.' She didn't think she'd ever get used to that. She held Ruby a little tighter, unconsciously nuzzling into the younger girl's hair. Blake loved Ruby's smell. She always seemed to smell of strawberries.

As she herself finally began to fall asleep, she started to wonder exactly when she had developed a pretty severe crush on her tiny leader.

That could be a problem, but at that point in time Blake decide it was a problem that could wait until morning. Right now, she was blissfully content, and she wanted to relish that feeling.