Baby it's Cold Outside

Velvet breathed a sigh of relief as the raven haired Faunus entered her home. Up until this point she hadn't been completely sure that Blake wouldn't bolt the moment that she found an opening. Ever since finding her in the park the black haired beauty had followed Velvet in an almost daze like state however every so often Velvet had caught her eyes darting to her then quickly away and off into the distance.

Velvet had recognized the urge, the need, to run that had been in Blake's eyes from years of interacting with other Faunus of varying degrees of social and financial wellbeing. . This urge was especially apparent when Blake paused outside her door.

Please Velvet found herself pleading silently for some unfathomable reason as she held open the door to her apartment for the disheveled and lost looking young lady who merely stared at her, frozen in place, with wide amber eyes, looking both spooked and dazed by Velvet's actions.

If the bunny eared girl was going to be entirely honest she didn't really completely understand why she was opening her home to this girl, a stranger by all accounts, but here she was and for some reason the action felt right.

Please Blake, for the love of Andraste don't run. Then after what felt like an eternity the cat eared girl stepped past her and entered Velvets apartment.

As she closed the door behind her and began to lock up for the night Velvet glanced over her shoulder at the wide-eyed Blake , who stood in the middle of the small entry hallway area seemingly unsure as to what she was supposed to say or do now that she was inside the apartment. Velvet caught her eye and gave her, what she hoped was, her best reassuring smile as she began to speak in a cheerful tone.

"I'm afraid it isn't much but it is home. Here let me show you around!"

Velvet turned to face Blake who was trying to avoid her eyes shyly as she rubbed one of her arms under Velvet's jacket. She let out a small startled squeaking sound when Velvet suddenly shot forward, and upon grabbing her hand, led her down the hallway toward the hard wood floored main room of the apartment.

The apartment was not large by any stretch of the imagination however neither was it small. Comfortable was the way Velvet preferred to call it. Just enough room to move around without bumping into objects, which she was prone to do more than she cared to admit due to her natural clumsy nature.

As the two walked Velvet pointed out the kitchen, which stood immediately to the left of the entryway and was painted in a brilliant orange color, and had countertop that hugged along the wall and a small window like sill that looked out upon the main room. Next to the kitchen Velvet pointed out the main bathroom. Finally Velvet pulled her to the end of the hallway and they entered the main room.

The main room of the apartment was painted in the same orange as the kitchen and was dominated squarely by the living room, which contained a single brown couch which had a holiday styled blanket draped over it, a medium sized TV mounted to the wall and in the corner stood a Christmas tree that current stood dark and dormant. And a small dining area which included a round table and about 4 chairs.

"Isn't Christmas still over a month away?" Blake piped up confusion clear in her voice as she eyed the tree. Velvet felt her heart nearly leap into from her chest at the sudden interjection by the girl who had kept her silence for most of the time since their introduction in the park. The Blake seemed just as surprised by her outburst and quickly looked away from her host as a blush began to dominate her facial features.

After regaining her composure Velvet felt her heart warm a little, perhaps Blake was warming up to her, a thought that made Velvets heart seemingly cry out for joy with how hard it was thumbing in her chest. With a smile she stepped away from Blake and walked over to the tree, saying as she did so.

"Oh I know but Christmas is my favorite time of the year and it seemed like an awful lot of work putting up the tree only to tear it down after a few weeks. So I tend to put mine up a right before Thanksgiving each year. Plus- "Velvet paused as she knelt next to the tree and after a moment of fiddling about the tree's dormant white colored lights flashed with a sudden brilliance as it illuminated the various ornaments and baubles that decorated its branches.

Velvet grinned and turned to face the Amber orbs that had been fixated on her as she finished her statement.

"It's pretty"

"I-I see…I suppose that makes sense." Blake replied hesitantly after a few seconds. It was at this moment that Velvet truly took the time to look over the clothing that Blake was garbed in. It was old and frayed, even ripped in some places.

There were portions of the outfit which were caked in dried mud, in some places a substance all too similar to dried blood caked her skin around old cuts, some of which looked barley healed. The site of the blood made Velvet feel rather ill and uneasy as worry began to fill her eyes. Blake noticed her gaze and sheepishly pulled the burrowed jacket tighter around her. Velvet gave her a sympathetic smile as she gestured for her to sit down on the couch.

"Why don't you wait here, I think I have some clothing that may be better suited than your current attire. I'll be back in a moment!" she said with a smile as she ran down the opposite hall away from the entrance and into a lone door that led to the master bedroom. Once inside Velvet began to rifle through her dresser drawers looking for something suitable for the young Faunus girl to wear. A tempest of thoughts whirled around her head as she went about her task.

I can't imagine what she has gone through. She had so blood on her I hope she's okay, nothing I saw looked infected but who knows where else she's cut. Oh Goddess what was I thinking letting a stranger into my home? No! Velvet get ahold of yourself you know better than that, besides if she was going to hurt you than she has had more than one opportunity you need to learn to trust people a bit more. ok calm down remember what Mum Always taught you, never pry, if you show support and a wee bit of kindness eventually the answers will come to you…I just hope I'm doing the right thing.

Blake

Blake grimaced at the odd twisting sensation that occurred in her stomach as she watched the Bunny eared girl disappear into a door at the end of the hallway to her left. Once she was sure she was alone Blake let out a breath that she had been holding it seemed since she had entered the apartment. Her Faunus ears lay flat against her head as she closed her eyes and tried to calm her racing heart and reign in the nerves that threatened to send her into panic when Velvet had enthusiastically shown her around her home.

Blake took a deep lungful of air and let it escape her she felt a sight calmer then she had a moment before. She cast her gaze across the living room taking how comfortable it all looked. Velvet appeared to be a women who preferred comfort over dazzling any guests that she might have. In fact the only overly bright and flashing thing in the room was the Christmas tree that lit up the entire room with its brilliant golden white glow.

Blake's gaze lingered on the tree for a few moments. She had never understood why people felt in necessary to bring such things into their homes for such a short period of time. In the winter it was always an evergreen tree which wilted and would eventually leave its needles strewn about the house only to be forgotten about and stepped on at a later date. In the spring it was strong smelling flowers that irritated Blake's superior sinuses and in the fall it was always those ghastly pumpkins which always seemed to make such a mess.

Not that Blake had any hands on experience with any of these things. Everything she had gathered about such activities as carving pumpkins and setting up Christmas trees came from what literature she was able to get her hands on.

Well that had been until the city library had figured out she had been secretly living there, hiding until closing only to take up refuge in the supply closet where she would then proceed to curl up with a book until she fell asleep, and had banned her from the library for a period of one year. Blake frowned mournfully at the thought, since that day over four months ago she had not been able to read a single page of a novel and worse she had been forced to fend for herself on the violent streets of Vytal.

A sudden sound, the soft tingling of a small silver bell, from behind the couch caught the raven haired girl's attention, causing her ears to perk up.

Oh No Blake thought desperately as she hoped against hope that what she was hearing wasn't what she thought it might be.

The cat eared Faunus girl felt her eyes instinctively narrow and the hair on the back of her neck begin to stand up as a familiar scent filled her. A sudden weight made itself known on the back of the couch. That's when the tingling stopped.

Blake waited. Stiffening when she felt the soft brush of the fellow feline's tail against her back. Blake had to swallow a growl in her throat and she immediately felt her face flush with embarrassment as she mentally berated herself for being so weak as to barley be able to control her feline impulses.

Deep breaths Belladonna deep breaths, it is just investigating. No reason to get hostile with a kitten. Just rela-

Blake's thought process halted mid thought as felt she felt the intruding feline begin to sniff at her ears in curiosity, placing small paws on the back of her head as she did so in order to better reach them. Then the creature let out a sound that sent Blake reeling into the panic department as every one of her muscles tensed ready for action and her back began to arc.

"Mew?"

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God!

Velvet

Velvet Scarlatina had seen many cute and adorable things during her childhood in the country. She had seen a mother fox caring for her pups, multitudes of bunny rabbits and other sorts of farm animals. However nothing during those years could have compared with the scene that was playing out before her.

Her new housemate was currently frozen in what appeared to be fear, her eyes wide and face flushed, as her small black kitten propped herself up upon the cat eared Faunus girls head and went about sniffing curiously at Blake's own cat ears. Velvet had to cover her mouth in order to stifle a giggle as Blake jumped when the kitten let out a small mew and began to rub her head against Blake's ears. Finally after enjoying the scene for several more second's Velvet decided that she should rescue Blake.

"he he Macha down girl, Leave Blake alone." Velvet said, her voice soft and kind as if she were addressing a child. The kitten stopped her ministrations against her newfound friends head and turned her amber eyes to meet her owners chocolate brown then she let out another mewing sound. Velvet rolled her eyes and smiled at the kitten as she moved forward and began scratching her between the ears.

Blake for her part had risen from the couch and was now facing Velvet and the Kitten. The Faunus girl's once pale flesh was now flushed a brilliant red. She met Velvet's eyes briefly, Amber eyes so full of curiosity that was so similar to the kittens it was comical, before she quickly looked down and away from her. Focusing instead on a small patch of wood flooring to Velvet's right Blake rubbed her arm in embarrassment as she spoke in the same low voice that Velvet had begun to associate with the raven haired beauty

. "Macha? Umm as in the Goddess of beauty and brightness?"

Velvet beamed at this statement and nodded vigorously as she continued to stroke the aforementioned kitten, who was now currently curled into a ball on the top of the couch sleeping peacefully.

"Yes! She was a stray that I found a few weeks ago, just before that big storm that came through, I couldn't live with myself if I had left her out in the cold so one thing led to another and now she's part of the family!" Velvet's eyes softened she recalled that fateful day when she found Macha sleeping outside the apartment building all those weeks ago. She continued quickly when she saw a small smile stretch itself across her companions face.

"So are you now. So please feel free to make yourself at home here."

If it were even possible Blake blushed even harder at Velvet's words as if she didn't really know how to respond to such a statement. However after a few tense seconds of silence Blake, with her eyes still trained on the floor, opened her mouth and muttered half to herself.

"You are very kind Ms. Scarlatina…..Thank you, t-truly….f-for everything"

Velvet felt herself blush at the compliment and stopped scratching the kittens head, Macha took exception to this and let out an annoyed mew, in order to cover her face. Macha proceeded to butt her head against her owners belly but for the moment Velvet ignored her as she stuttered her reply.

"T-think nothing of it Blake and please call me Velvet, were roommates now so no need for such formalities. Besides calling me Ms. Scarlatina makes me feel so old." At this Blake simply nodded, still avoiding her host's eyes and instead she found her gaze locking with the bundle of clothing that Velvet had clutched in one of her arms. Velvet followed her gaze and nodded in understanding as she held out the clothing to Blake.

"Here you go! It's not much but I think it will fit you. Please let me know if it doesn't and I'll find something better. The shower is down the hall in the bathroom and towels are under the sink. Go ahead and leave your old clothing in there and I'll take care of it." Velvet said brightly. Blake stared at her for a second before timidly reaching out and taking the bundle from her host who continued to smile that same bright smile that caused the Cat-eared girls stomach to twist in unfamiliar ways.

"T-Thank you Velvet." She whispered as she turned and made her way towards the Bathroom door. Just as she was about to enter Velvet called out to her once more causing the black haired girl to pause and cast her liquid golden gaze back towards the bunny eared girl who looked incredibly uncomfortable for the first time since Blake had met her.

"Ummm Blake? I know it is none of my business and I swear I am not going to pry but I noticed you had several umm…..cuts that looked fresh. So um…there's a roll of bandages and some rubbing alcohol in the medicine cabinet. Please feel free to use it to bandage yourself okay? I wouldn't want anything to get infected."

Blake watched her for a second. Her eyes no longer seemed timid and instead seemed to be scared and incredibly weary. Her gaze sweeped across Velvets form seeming to scrutinize her and suddenly Velvet had the distinct impression that the Faunus girl was sizing her up, as a result of the attention the bunny eared girl felt a her skin become hot as her heart began to beat just a bit faster. After what seemed like an eternity Blake smiled, the same half smile as earlier as her eyes regained their pervious timidness , and nodded in the others direction before disappearing into the bathroom.

Velvet sighed and after a moment of staring at the door of the bathroom after the entrancing raven haired girl she turned towards the kitchen and began to go about preparing dinner.

Blake

Blake closed the door to the bathroom and quickly went about stripping down and after a few moments she was in the shower. All her sense were alert and on edge as she allowed the hot water to wash over her beaten and bruised body. Then after she finished cleansing herself Blake felt her muscles finally begin to relax. When Velvet had asked about her wounds she had become irrationally defensive and frightened by the girl. However deep down she knew that Velvet, for whatever reason that she couldn't even begin to fathom, was just worried about her.

Stupid. Stupid! She thought miserably on the verge of tears.

How close she had come to running right then, how close she had been from bolting away from the only kindness that had been shown to her in her short miserable life.

It hit her then. All the emotional baggage that she had been carrying since her father's execution. All the nights of going hungry, fending off the monstrous men and women that roamed the darker parts of Vales city. Roman…..and her brother who had all but abandoned her. Blake Belladonna slid down the wall until she was huddled into a corner of the shower. After a few seconds she began to cry, the weak muffled sobs of a girl who lost herself to the horrors of the world causing her body to shake with misery and loneliness.

Authors Note: Whew! That took a lot longer than expected thank you all for having such patience with me! I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter! Please leave me a review and let me know what you thought! Any questions? Feel free to ask them and I shall answer them to the best of my ability! Before I go allow me to share with you my release schedule as I have noticed I haven't really clarified what it is exactly. I am currently working on the three different fan fictions. I spend about a week on each so that means that My Final Judgment day is on a every 3 week release schedule. I hope this helps everyone to know when to expect the next chapter. Again thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the story! Next chapter the fluff starts to begin in earnest. Also please let me know what you think of the character portrayal so far as it will help me as I continue forward. Well that is it for me Take care and Blessed Be!

~Crystal