What is Love?
Chapter Collab: Anonymousprick3, The Loneliest of All, NightBringerX.
Fate-117: Who are the whores now?
NightX: Read every other paragraph starting with the first. Thank me later.
Okaami-chin: Please don't.
Prick: I mean… readers, read aloud the first paragraph, and decide for yourself who's a whore. Btw, Okaami-chin herself wrote it. Wow, she actually wrote a hidden smut.
Okaami-chin: I mean… THAT WASN'T WHAT I HAD IN MIND, OKAY? YOU LEWD BASTARDS.
Prick: Her subconscious is thirstier than all of California.
Lonely: Thirstier than an alcoholic in the desert.
Okaami-chin: Never collabing with you bastards ever again.
Fate: I think you guys broke her.
Note: This is outside the Spring Break!AU, when school is back in session.
Moment V: Photographs
(Hidden Smut...If You Squint)
Blake glared at the contraption that was in her hands. It felt bulky, awkward and, overall, just wrong in her hands. She wasn't sure where to hold it, by the tip of the nozzle or by the weird buttons. Or maybe… was she suppose to hold at by this flappy thing on the very top? There's a small hole that she could loop her finger in...
Apparently it was a professional camera SICON DS2390, which didn't make any sense to the Faunus, because why have a professional camera when she has a camera option on her Scroll.
A giggle was aimed at her direction, "Blake, you're not suppose to hold it like that."
Amber eyes shifted to the left to find an amused Velvet smiling her way. She placed the camera on top of her desk and scowled at it. The camera was mocking her, definitely mocking her at her subpar holding skills.
The giggling continued, lighting up the heat in Blake's cheeks, she turned away from her object of hate for the moment and looked at Velvet with small glare.
"It's just a little weird, Velvet… I'm not really used to handling stuff that's this expensive. I don't think it's safe giving these to students just for a class project." Blake pointed out as she scowled at the camera some more, "I still don't see why we can't use our Scrolls for this."
"I'm under the impression that it's too easy to add filters and then call it 'art'." Velvet added. "And it's cheating!"
"If the White Fang taught me anything, I'd stoop as low as cheating to avoid touching that." Blake retorted, but winced under the disappointed look in her friend's eyes. "Sorry."
Velvet and Blake were taking a Photography 370 course in Beacon Academy. Blake generally had no interest in photography and only chose to join the class out of support for her - then - only Faunus friend on campus, Velvet. The rabbit Faunus knew that photographs can capture moments or essence of times just visually, similarly to a book can but only figuratively. That alone managed to persuade Blake to take multiple photography courses in Beacon alongside Velvet. For the most part, it was fun, Blake was able to use her literary skills for more than just reading; and it was just as fun watching Velvet break out of her shell with her hidden talent of photography, as long as she wasn't in the picture... kinda.
However, Blake forgot that, eventually, she would have to take pictures instead of discussing the properties of a photograph.
"So, what are we supposed to do with this weekend?" Blake asked as she fiddled with the buttons of the camera. 'Where was the damn ON button?'
Velvet pulled out her camera, what appeared to be a Valpix S9900, but in actuality it was her weapon of choice. With a click of a button, the camera-weapon became a lot less of a weapon and more of an actual camera.. She hummed a little as she scrolled through the images to look for the picture of the syllabus that had the exact directions.
"Ah, there we are! Professor Lumo wants our final project to be on 'Sights of Vale'. We should have a total of at least three to four entries. And we have the weekend to complete it."
Blake frowned, "That's pretty vague on subject choice."
Velvet continued to laugh, "Sounds pretty easy to wing. Too bad we can't work together on this Blake. Do you need anything? Because I do have to head off to my next class soon."
Blake said nothing at first, but with a reluctant sigh, she handed her camera to Velvet and muttered, "Can you at least tell me how to turn this on and off? The rest I can figure out."
Smiling fondly at her underclassman, she gave Blake a few pointers as well as the basic directions on what to do with it before skipping off to class, leaving Blake alone.
Pointing the lens to her face, she examined the camera in front of her. How peculiar.
There was a silver button to the right of the lens, and with curiosity she pressed it. She heard a faint beep before she saw a white flash. Blake let out a small yelp and almost dropped the camera.
"What in Oum?!"
When her vision came back, she flipped the camera over to see that she accidently took a picture of herself. Her eyes were wide in alarm, and her mouth opened in surprise. Blake facepalmed on how stupid she looked. Thankfully, no one was around to see that comical display of grace...especially Velvet. With the quick little tips that Velvet gave her, Blake, with little difficulty, managed to figure out how to delete the photo.
Blake smiled in satisfaction, "Alright, that's enough for one photo session." She stood up and wrapped the strap of the camera around her neck and continued on with her day while her mind focused on what she would do for her final project.
After many misfires and accidental "selfies", Blake thought she at least got the basics down. She was now in her room, looking up different ways to take photographs. She probably should've been paying attention in Photography 232 instead of sneaking in a couple chapters of her then favorite book. She knew how much light she needed for her photos, how much distance she needed from her subject to get the slight blurry look she was going for. After a couple test rounds on Zwei - after all, he was decent test subject for now - Blake felt that she can finally get started.
Blake said that she would get started. Maybe a couple hours ago. However… having a camera inside the dorm room meant that sometimes her camera goes missing. And along with that, her SD card was filled with photos she didn't take.
Her partner, Yang, was inclined to disrupt any progress that Blake has made by using the camera to take "perfect" snapshots of herself and Team RWBY. Mostly just a picture of herself waving at the camera with her signature sunny grin.
Weiss thought it was mission to at least take as many picture of Zwei and herself; again flawless.
And Ruby thought it'd been funny to take many slow-motion pictures of things exploding by firing her sniper rifle at random objects. If it didn't take so much space in the SD card, she'd keep them.
The Faunus didn't have it in her heart to delete the photos, because they indeed were funny, but sadly it wasn't by her own hand. Everyone else was really good at using a camera except her.
It's probably because she didn't grow up with a lot of technology; and she spent the better part of her younger life stealing technology instead of learning how to use it. If that didn't bother her enough, she hated to admit it but sometimes she has a hard time figuring out what her Scroll could do.
She set the camera aside on the bedside table once she was satisfied with her preferred settings. She had a plan of having dark silhouettes with light backdrops, only because she knew that sometimes people didn't want to be identified in the photos. And it offered deep contrast between the environment and the person; which is replicated in her books. She thought it would be kind of cool to see the images that she pictured while she was reading to come to life.
Her themes were to be just contrast in general. Probably about the Faunus and the Humans living side by side.
Blake sighed in defeat, 'That might just be too hard to complete. And probably too dark. I still haven't found a person who can really do that effectively.'
A click came from the door, and from the soft pattering of feet she knew it was Weiss.
"Blake, I'm back." Weiss called out softly as she set her things aside and sat on the edge of Blake's bed.
Blake welcomed the added weight to her bed and Weiss's presence. With a small purr she replied in greeting, "Welcome back. How was class with Ruby?"
"She was sleepy throughout, but same as always, a goofball. If I didn't bribe her to buy cookies after dinner, she'd probably would be asleep for the whole three hours. Anyways, she's probably with Pyrrha right now at the firing range practicing." Weiss replied, but was cut short by her own yawn.
Blake sat up and gave her an amused smile, "It's only midday and you're sleepy?"
A small glare, not at all threatening, was pointed her way, "Quiet you. Professor Port was really a drag this morning. I really should've chosen a different three hour lecture to immerse myself in; I think your Photography class with Velvet sounds fascinating."
"It's nice, not what I initially expected, but we were just given a project, and now I just need to finish it." Blake said. "You're welcome to take a nap, I'm just going to lie here thinking about my topic.
"What's it about?"
Blake sighed, letting her amber eyes close, "Something about the 'Sights of Vale'. I don't really know what the Professor is looking for. And vague topics can't really help me think of much."
"Is it a group project?" Weiss asked quietly, "You're usually with Velvet on campus taking pictures together…"
Blake tried to keep herself from smiling, 'Did Weiss actually sound a bit jealous? Must be my imagination.'
"Not this time. Velvet already had a headstart because she's a real photographer; I think she's off with Coco somewhere to complete it. But I do know what I'm looking for. Social contrast between Faunus and Humans. Good and bad of both sides. The titled I think would be called, 'Blake and White.'"
The pair was silent for a moment, just letting themselves enjoy each other's company. At least that's what Blake was hoping for.
'Stupid. Probably shouldn't have brought that up.'
"Do you need help?"
Blake blinked, "I-... I do need a model…"
Weiss pondered for a moment, "I could be your model."
Blake knew she heard that line from a book somewhere, and that usually led to something rated NSFW that she would rather not think about with her crush. She fought down the blush that was rising in her cheeks and cleared her throat, "If you're comfortable."
"If it's showing both sides of the Faunus and Human conflict. I think it's okay. Afterall...I do admit my company and my name has a part in it."
Blake didn't want to add insult to injury by agreeing. "I could do it with you, so it's fair. We both had our lives changed by it, why not show it?."
There was silence from Weiss.
"Unless you don't want to share the spotlight." The Faunus joked lamely.
Weiss huffed, "If you're going to make fun of me, I could just refuse. So are we going to do this or not?"
Blake laughed to herself, and reached over and picked up her camera, "Alright, let's get going."
Weiss and Blake then spent a better of their afternoon going through the city to find good places to get their photographs.
At Blake's heavy insistence, they pushed for locations that can symbolize themes of shame, anger, sadness and loss. However, the finer parts of Vale were closely connected to Beacon, so if the pair had to look for locations, that had to go to the more deserted parts of the city.
Locations really wasn't hard to find, afterall. Team RWBY had their fair share of conflicts in similar areas. But this time there would be no Roman Torchwick, no White Fang members, no enemies.
The only enemy was the emotions that might arise.
Satisfied that they found several nearby areas it came to a decision.
Remnants of a building - to represent a broken home.
An unmarked grave - to represent loss.
A White Fang mask - to represent anger.
Blake would represent the Faunus. Weiss would represent the Humans.
Every photo was to be mirrored, angled so that when the photos were developed and placed side by side the pair would be facing each other. Mirroring each other's feelings, undergoing the same pain.
It took no more than a few hours. But when it was finished, Weiss and Blake took a deep breath to finally push the acting away and let all the emotions disappear as quickly as the flash of the camera.
"Let's take a small break, I think we did all that we needed."
"Sounds good."
As Blake looked back at the photos during the small break, she was entranced on how Weiss looked in every picture. Even though it's only a silhouette in the photos, throughout the process she was able to see Weiss in the light first.
She selected the photo that had Weiss holding a White Fang mask in her hands. And Blake let her mind wander to that very moment.
The Heiress insisted that they add some fake tears for this part of the shoot. Of course she didn't question it. Yet as the tears fell, she smelled the faint scent of salt.
Blake thought it could've been just the scent of the ocean behind them.
But no.
Weiss shed tears. Right in front of her, and Blake didn't realize them sooner. It could all be seen in her eyes. Her ice blue eyes was the most expressive part of the pictures..
Because she knew in some way she caused a part of her pain. The White Fang ripped her family apart. Holding the White Fang mask, intentionally or not stirred those emotions.
The difference was that Weiss was staring at the mask, her emotions can be seen. While in her own photo, she donned the mask herself. The tears all but dried behind it.
Now looking at the photo, Blake cursed quietly under her breath. Weiss was indeed tragically beautiful in this photo. This was the shot she was looking for. The tragedy of pain that had no boundaries between Faunus and Human.
But if Weiss was crying… did she go too far?
She didn't want to add any discomfort. Not for her. Not at all.
It was draining both of them. She was relieved that she found it in her voice to put a stop to the photos. They had what they needed. There's no need to push for more. Not with the barely contained wave of sadness Blake was feeling. The Faunus girl had to dig up old emotions and old memories to really convey everything she felt with each take. Emotions and memories she would rather bury and never resurface.
Blake let out her third sigh in the last five minutes on the aimless walk back to the more urban parts of Vale. Her eyes caught Weiss's, and she immediately dropped her gaze. "Sorry."
"It's already finished, Blake, and the photos came out beautifully." Weiss said with arms crossed, "I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't comfortable. And stop saying sorry!"
Blake's ears, neatly concealed in her bow, folded back, a bit unnerved that Weiss had read her so easily. "It's just-...nevermind it's nothing."
'You cried. And I knew my past had something to do with it.'
"It's not nothing." Her pale hand went to wrap around Blake's to tug her closer to her, "Stop hiding from me and tell me what's really on your mind."
Blake sighed again, she knew she wasn't going to get out of this in any way. Might as well come clean, "Even if this project is done… I just don't want this project to stir up any more negative feelings from our past."
'My past.'
Weiss's eyes shifted to look at the ground, whether or not that confirmed Blake's fears, Blake couldn't tell.
"This was a lot of heavy stuff, that I knew I should've asked more if you were okay with it. I just don't want the progress I've made with you to change." She added quietly. "I'm worried about…-"
'You.'
It's wasn't everyday where one sees a picture of a Schnee standing next to an ex-White Fang Captain. Much less, in a team with said ex-White Fang Captain. Did she mention that it means being next to a Faunus? Of course not.
"I thought we had moved past this, Blake. I know I did. It sounds as if you haven't at all." The shorter woman replied in an accusatory tone. And all that pent up negativity from the photos, memories of their past, the scent of Weiss's tears gave way till Blake was seething. It didn't stop Blake's expression from darkening even further.
"You're lying!" In barely self-controlled fury, she snarled, "Can't you see?! It's not something I can just erase, Weiss!"
Weiss recoiled slightly at the harsh tone, pulling her hand away from the Faunus and held it close to her chest but nonetheless kept her eyes at the ground. If Weiss had something to say, she chose not to say it. And right away, Blake knew that trying to pick a fight with her crush was a stupid decision; why did she have to stoop so low in bringing up their past?
As quickly her anger came, it disappeared. Her shoulders slumped and she tore her eyes away from Weiss. Her hands were curled into fists.
"We lived this life, Weiss...We did. "
She bit her bottom lip in between her fangs, cursing herself inwardly as shame washed over her. No good comes out of it. Especially in purposely trying to sabotage any chances that she has with Weiss.
"Forget I said anything, let's move on."
Blake knew that Weiss was looking at her throughout the silent walk. If she wasn't being petty and stupid, she would've been so very happy just to be spending the day with Weiss. Instead, she was arguing her crush over their past that should've been buried by now.
She quietly offered for the two of them to eat, and Weiss reluctantly agreed. They went to eat at a local eatery that was Faunus friendly.
As they ate quietly, Blake took the time for to finally check the pictures that were on her camera for the umpth time. Even if she couldn't bear to look Weiss in the eye at this moment; she wanted to see Weiss for how she is.
Weiss made the project look so beautiful. And she would tell her. If she could find the heart or the courage to.
Despite the big words, Blake found herself silent, like a coward.
With a reluctant sigh yet again, she motioned the white-haired girl to follow her back to the dorms as it was almost curfew at Beacon. Blake instead chose to trail quietly behind Weiss on their way back. She tried not to sigh at her stupidity, lest she wants to face the wrath of Weiss again. Or snap at her for caring.
She wasn't focused at all, and wound up walking straight into the shorter woman. Curiously, she walked around her and asked, "What's wrong?"
"We haven't been to one place yet." Weiss's voice was void of emotion, alarming Blake in the process.
"Weiss, it's almost time for curfew, I don't think we have time for it-"
When Blake finally looked up from staring at the ground for so long, she noticed that Weiss was running off without her. The outline of her body slowing getting smaller and smaller the longer Blake chose to stand there. Seeing her run off set her body into overdrive. It was almost dark and this was not the time or place to get separated. She summoned her Semblance and had her clones fan out in different directions while she set off on her own path.
'Damn it!'
Soon enough her Faunus instincts kicked in when she caught Weiss's scent. She ran past onlookers, vaulted herself over benches and tables. She even wanted to rip her bow just so she can hear Weiss in anyway that she can.
'Was she really that stupid? How could she… how could she just run off?!'
She stopped in her tracks and looked around. In the midst of running, she realized that she under a bridge. But there was still no sign of Weiss, yet the lingering scent meant that she was close by.
Amber eyes then looked up to see Weiss sitting on one of the beams calmly. Blake wanted to call out, but judging by the distance she wouldn't be able to hear her.
Using the power in her legs, Blake ran up the side beams of the bridge and then swung her body to land perfectly on top of the beam just a few short feet away from Weiss.
The Heiress looked over her shoulder to acknowledge her presence, before turning away to face the ocean. As angry as she could've been, Blake couldn't bring herself to be that upset with her.
"Don't run off like that…"
Weiss looked over her shoulder and nodded slowly, "I knew you'd find me. But I am sorry."
Instead of saying anything, the Faunus walked up and sat right next to her. Their feet dangled lazily over the beam and they both stared off into the ocean.
"I didn't mean to push you at all Blake. But isn't this project supposed to push a little bit of what we know about each other? That the Faunus and Humans can be cruel, kind, loving, and hateful?"
Amber eyes looked sullenly at her feet. "Yeah."
"I know we've been trying to overcome our differences. And you're right, it's nothing that we can replace so simply."
A deep breath.
"Holding a White Fang mask...it reminded me of how powerless I felt at the hands of strangers. Strangers who wanted to eliminate every trace of the Schnee family. It reminded me of the people I lost."
She took a shaky breath, "I know last semester, I said I was a victim...but so were you. And I keep forgetting that Blake."
She turned to the young Faunus, her eyes misty but no tears fell. If it ever did, Blake knew she'd catch them.
"But, I am glad I did this project with you. As painful as it was for you and I... It's a beautiful idea."
"I'm sorry about everything. I realized that I was too caught up in keeping you from being hurt, that I made a mess of things. That could've all been so simple." Shyly, Blake reached over and curled her hand over Weiss's, "Forgive me?"
"We promised that we wouldn't let our past swallow us whole, but let's take this one step at a time. I don't want you to be afraid of me Blake. And I you."
"Naturally." There was a small pause. "Say after all the pictures we took, we never took one together… It might make a stunning finale, wouldn't it?"
Her smile got wider when Weiss squeezed back, and it filled her heart with warmth that she can't describe.
For the last time, Blake held up the camera and took her last two photos.
One of their hands intertwined together.
And one of themselves smiling at each other with the picture of the sunset behind them.
Naturally, Blake got an A on the project that following Monday. And Velvet prodded Blake everyday on how did she come up with such a moving social topic.
"Absolutely brilliant Blake! You're pictures were stunning! And the locations-"
"Thanks, Velvet, it means alot coming from you, it really wasn't easy."
"But, I do want to know, who was that person you were holding hands with in the last photo?"
Blake smiled and said nothing.
A/N: LMAO I tried. Blake whether she knew it or not, she found herself thinking about all the pain she felt going through that process. Weiss only had to replicate it the human struggle by mirroring Blake's expression, but she didn't live it the way Blake did. So having Weiss dismiss the past like it was simple was enough for the Faunus to snap. Even then, Weiss suffered too. So yup.
Fate: Sorry, readers, still not much of a co-author yet, haha. However, I do have something planned later. Let's just say there is a - damn it, there's some SAND in my eyes. Anyway, Okaami's godchildren are visiting for a chapter or two.
Okaami-chin: Very subtle. Team SAND and Team STRM will appear, stay tuned for their bios soon.
NightBringerX: This turned into a very nice story, and even more so that the lewd jokes and allusions are quite nice. Though if you'd want some fully lewd check out my new story 'Bullseye' starring everyone's favorite blonde and ship killing Pyromancer. Let's just say, ahaha, 'Things get hot under the collar for him.'
Fate: You'd fuck her anyway.
Okaami-chin: Cinder? Hell yeah. No question.
NightbringerX: What can I say, love a woman who wields power like a cleaver.
Fate: Me too…. Mmm-mmm-mmmmmm.
NightbringerX: Fate. Keep that dirty dick in yo pants.
Lonely: You sick fucks. I say, as a sick fuck.
Okaami-chin: Ignore them, this note got way too long, for they do not know what they speak. Any questions, concerns, feelings, thoughts, issues, let us know!