.
The Cuddling...
Cuddle Warrior
Pyrrha was feeling a bit lonely and a little tired. Jaune and Ren had gone on a two week Hunters training program with Doctor Oobleck. Where they learned how to bond over being male hunters. She wouldn't begrudge them their male bonding time as in two months there was scheduled a Female Huntress excursion similar to what they were doing now except of course this one would be hosted/taught by MS Goodwitch. It didn't make Pyrrha less lonely though and the nearly empty and quiet dorm room made sleeping somewhat challenging. Half of her team was off somewhere doing Dust knows what and Nora had been very scarce lately as well. Without Ren there to keep a constant eye on her, who knew what Nora was up to?
Pyrrha wasn't a stranger to being alone of course. Being an only child and then on the tournament circuit she was nearly always alone and isolated but after having been at Beacon for a while, she got used to having friends and being around people socially and now intensely missed the experience when it was denied her.
Pyrrha walked into the cafeteria and immediately scanned the room for Team RWBY. If Pyrrha's team was missing, she thought why not spend time with her next favorite people? At least with Team RWBY all being female they should be there and not having some of them off in the wilderness with Oobleck. Pyrrha frowned when she spotted Yang and Blake but not Ruby or Weiss.
Getting some food Pyrrha then made for the table that Yang and Blake were at. "Where is Ruby and Weiss?" She asked as she sat down across the table from the two.
Yang and Blake shared a look and then looked back at Pyrrha. "Didn't you know?" Yang asked her with a smile. Pyrrha noticed that even the usual taciturn Blake had a faint grin on her face as well.
"Know what?" Pyrrha asked.
"That Nora has a standing cuddle date with Ruby?" Yang asked.
Pyrrha blinked. "She what? She does?"
Blake nodded her head. "Ever since that time we came back from the three day Grimm hunt and found a pathetic Nora in our dorm room. Haven't you noticed how Nora's grades have improved?"
"How does cuddling with Ruby equal Nora's grades improving?" Pyrrha asked, feeling like she was missing an important piece of a puzzle.
"Well when we came back Nora told Ruby that she just needed to take a quick nap with her so she could get some much needed rest. Ruby took mercy on her and let her. Well Nora then insisted that she needed cuddle time at least once a week and Weiss decided that if Ruby was going to do it, the least Nora could do was earn it." Yang explained.
"By getting higher grades." Pyrrha finished finally putting the pieces together. That did sound like something Weiss would come up with.
"Also with the condition that when Nora cuddles Ruby and naps with her that Weiss be present as well." Blake added with a faint smirk. "This allows Weiss to get some cuddle time with Ruby as well under the excuse that she is just keeping an eye on Nora."
"And that is where they are now?" Pyrrha asked.
Yang nodded her head. "With the weather being nice lately, Ruby has decided to lead the group to the huge tree on the cliff overlooking Vale and nap with them during the lunch hour and with Doctor Oobleck's class being cancelled while he leads the guy's retreat thing, this gives them another extra hour for napping."
"Speaking of Oobleck's class being cancelled. What are you two going to do with the free time?"
"Well I was thinking of going to the library and doing some reading." Blake stated.
"Big surprise there." Yang said but with a smile showing she was teasing.
"Oh and like I don't know you plan on going to the gym and beating on some training bots." Blake came back smoothly.
"Busted." Yang laughed.
Blake couldn't stop herself from glancing at her partner's overly developed chest.
Yang laughed. "One might say I'm double busted. Eh?"
Blake blushed but rolled her eyes anyway.
"So what about you Pyrrha?" Yang asked. "Want to go to the gym with me and spar?"
Pyrrha shook her head. She was feeling lonely but wasn't in the mood to have Yang wail on her just for the company. "I think I will just go take a walk and enjoy the day."
That was how about ten minutes later that Pyrrha found herself on the bluffs overlooking Vale looking for a huge tree near the cliff's edge. To her surprise it wasn't that hard to find. The tree truly was massive and must have already been nearly ancient when Beacon was first built. Coming around the huge base of the tree she spotted Ruby leaning against the tree trunk with a peaceful looking sleeping Nora gripping around Ruby's waist on her left while an equally peacefully looking Weiss was doing the same on Ruby's right. Ruby was awake and aware and as Pyrrha came around the tree she was looking in her direction.
"Hey Pyrrha." Ruby called out softly.
"You are not napping as well?" Pyrrha asked in surprise.
"Nope. I like to keep an eye open."
"Ruby we're at Beacon. I don't think you need to worry about Grimm suddenly attacking here."
Ruby grinned. "It's not that. It is just Weiss likes to keep her Ice Princess reputation so if someone comes by we don't know that well she likes me to wake her really quick so she can pretend she was not cuddling me."
Weiss asleep sighed and then said clearly. "Adorable." And hugged Ruby tighter.
"So adorable." Nora also asleep agreed and hugged Ruby tighter as well.
Ruby blushed bright red. "They really seem to enjoy this and they say they are so well rested after doing so." Ruby told her.
Pyrrha looked on enviously. "I'm jealous of them." She admitted to Ruby. "I haven't been sleeping too well myself. What with Ren and Jaune being gone and Nora not being around because she is either studying or reaping her reward from studying by cuddling you, I've been a little lonely."
Ruby glanced to her left and then her right and then down at her legs. She opened her legs a bit making space. "Come here and lie down and place your head in my lap." She told Pyrrha.
"Oh no Ruby! I wasn't hinting that I wanted to..." Pyrrha tried to say raising her hands and backing away.
"Pyrrha if you don't get over here I will have to get up and come get you. Now do you want to deal not only with a grumpy Nora from being woken up but also a grumpy Weiss as well?"
"No. No." Pyrrha stated and reluctantly placed herself between the Scythe user's legs and after an awkward moment leaned back and placed the back of her head into the young girl's skirt covered lap. Ruby instantly began combing through Pyrrha's scarlet hair with her fingers. Almost instantly Pyrrha drifted off to sleep.
Time passed and even with Ruby's determination to remain awake, she too eventually was seduced by the soft breathing of her friends into sleep.
"Yang why are we out here?" Blake asked her partner as they walked out to the old tree.
"Ruby might have forgotten to set her scroll to wake her if she fell asleep and I don't want her to be late for her next class. You know how Weiss will complain."
As the two came around the base of the tree the sight that greeted them was a peaceful Pyrrha, Weiss and Nora as they grouped around Ruby and all four of them were sound asleep. To Blake it was like looking at a momma cat with her kittens. Which was ironic as Ruby was the youngest of the four and yet she was obviously the one looking after their comfort and safety.
Hearing a slight sound, Blake glanced over at Yang to see her with her scroll out and taking pictures of the four. "Aren't they just so cute?" Yang cooed to Blake.
Blake could only nod her head in agreement. They were adorable.
"So do we wake them" Blake finally asked.
Yang frowned. "No. They still have about twenty-five minutes before class begins. Let's let them sleep a bit longer." Yang motioned for Blake to follow her and they moved around the huge trunk of the tree till they were facing Beacon and sat down as well. "Such a beautiful day." Blake commented as she stretched out in the sunlight and almost purred in comfort.
"You know they say another cold front is coming through in a couple days." Yang said as she glanced up at the sky. "They say it might bring snow again."
"I don't want to hear that." Blake shivered. She really hated the cold.
"Yeah I heard some dust manipulators are thinking of trying to break up the weather front to avoid another blizzard like we had a while back."
Blake frowned. "I hope they don't try. I mean I don't like the cold but it seems every time we try to use Dust to influence the weather it backfires on us and only makes things worse."
Yang nodded her head. "Yeah. One shouldn't mess around with Mother Nature."
At least its nice right now." Blake sighed and without a thought placed her head on Yang's shoulder. In a matter of moments, she was sound asleep. Yang glanced over at her and smiled. Stretching out her own long legs Yang relaxed and almost instantly was asleep as well.
Glynda Goodwitch looked in on Professor Port's class and saw most of the seats were empty. Of course with most of the male first year's students away on the retreat there would be empty seats but a lot of the female students that should have been there were missing as well. There were a few girls inside but most of them either had their heads resting on their chests asleep or was leaning backwards and snoring. She raised an eyebrow. It was not uncommon for students to sleep in Port's class but usually it was because of his lectures. He hadn't started yet. She caught his eye.
"Spring Fever I'm afraid." The man chuckled. "Remember how we were when a particular nice stretch of warm weather would hit after some cold spell?"
Glynda tried to keep a stern look on her face but a faint smile did appear for a moment. "We would all head out to that great old tree on the cliff and take naps." She admitted.
Peter Port frowned. "I wouldn't be surprised if most of missing class is out there right now. Kids today think they invented playing hooky."
Glynda gave a full smile. "We didn't invent it either... We just perfected it." She gave a light laugh. She would never be so open if the students had been awake to see it but since most of them were slumbering away she allowed herself the freedom. "Let me go get your missing students." She told him turning to walk away.
"Don't be too harsh on them." Port called after her. "Dust knows as they grow into the Huntresses they will become that chances to nap on warm days will become very scarce indeed."
"You are starting to sound like Ozpin, you know that?"
"Why thank you."
"It wasn't meant entirely as a compliment."
Goodwitch found some students lurking in the hallways and sent them on to Port's class and a few she found hiding among the gardens. Finally, she headed out to the great tree she had mentioned to Port.
Glynda spotted Blake and Yang first as they were facing the school. Shaking her head she walked around the tree and saw Ruby and her group next. Shaking her head again Goodwitch started to wake them but then paused. Pulling out her scroll she took several shots of the four of them. They were just too cute to ignore the opportunity. That and who knew when a good blackmail photo might help an instructor with a student? Having taken the photo opportunity, Glynda tried to decide the best way to wake the lazy students. Spotting a glint of silver coming out of one of Ruby's pockets she used her riding crop to cause the item to float into view. It was a silver whistle the kind sports trainers used. A particularly wicked grin came to Goodwitch's face and she caused the whistle to float over to her. Stepping a few feet back she then blew a shrill blast.
Weiss woke instantly. "Dust be damned Ruby! I'm throwing that blasted whistle away!" The white haired girl growled as she leapt to her feet and glared.
Nora woke shouting. "Protect the adorable!"
Pyrrha shot up to her feet in a fighting crouch reaching back for her weapons which were not with her at the moment. Ruby just murmured. "Five more minutes Yang." Weiss blinked and looked down at the dozing Ruby and then around to spot Glynda. "Oh..."
"Crap." Nora finished for her.
"We overslept." Pyrrha added.
"Indeed you have. You are very late to your next class." Goodwitch in her best scolding voice told them. "Just because your male teammates are away being no reason to skip classes." She said to Nora and Pyrrha.
Yang and Blake whom had been awoken by the whistle blast came walking around the tree. "I am shocked at you four." Yang stated. "Sleeping when you should be in class..."
Goodwitch fixed her with a look. "I came across you two sleeping first." She told Yang. "At least these four had the sense to pick the side facing AWAY from the school to nap."
"I thought you set your scroll to wake us up." Blake whispered to Yang.
"I, um, forgot to?" Yang whispered back.
Weiss was upset. She was a dedicated, hardworking student. She was a Schnee! She did not play hooky and nap during class hours! At least she never did before. She thought Ruby was watching out for them and her leader had let herself fall asleep as well. Weiss glared down at the still asleep Ruby.
"Get up Ruby!" She yelled.
"Can't. King of the Cookie Kingdom is just about to reward me with Weiss flavored cookies." Ruby mumbled.
Weiss blinked. She then looked around at all who were present. Yang was smirking. Blake looked like she was trying to hide a laugh behind a fake cough. Goodwitch was almost smirking as well. Pyrrha was blushing and Nora looked annoyed. "What? No Nora flavored cookies?" She asked the dozing Ruby.
Weiss bent down and whispered into Ruby's ear. "Ruby? Yang has eaten all of your cookie stash."
Ruby's eyes flew open and she sat up instantly. "Save the cookies!" She shouted and then blinked.
"Even the Weiss flavored ones?" Nora asked with her arms folded.
Ruby blinked. "Weiss flavored cookies?" She asked in a daze. Noticing Goodwitch standing there, Ruby's hand shot to her scroll and she pulled it out to look at it. "Damn." Ruby muttered softly. "I forgot to set the scroll's alarm to wake me."
Blake looked at Yang. "It's obvious that you two are sisters."
"Ladies." Goodwitch said getting their attention immediately. "You have exactly two minutes to get to class."
Nora blinked and then looked at the distance to Beacon. "We'll never make it."
Ruby scooped up Weiss into her arms. "Sorry guys. Ruby Express can only carry one." She said to the others and then in a flash of rose petals she was gone.
Yang shared a look with Blake before sweeping her up in a bridal carry. "Speed isn't my thing but I'm willing to give it my best try." She then started off running carrying Blake.
Nora and Pyrrha looked at each other for a moment before they both took off running as fast as they could. Glynda watched them go for a moment before shaking her head. She then glanced at the base of the old tree and out across the vista of Vale. Then with a shrug she sat down against the base of the tree. "I, on the other hand, don't have any classes till later." She said as she leaned back against the tree's trunk and placed her hands behind her head and relaxed.
Two days later and the warm weather was gone to be replaced with icy winds and clouds that promised snow. Vale council had carried out with their promise to use Dust manipulators to try and divert the storm but all it seemed be doing was holding it temporarily at bay, allowing it to build to an even larger state.
With Oobleck's class still being cancelled due to the guy's retreat, Ruby found herself with free time. Not wanting to spend it in her dorm and it being far too cold to spend it outside, Ruby wandered down to the training rooms. Any excuse to be alone with her baby Crescent Rose and practice with the scythe was a welcomed one. Picking a room that was not labeled as being in use, Ruby entered only to find Pyrrha inside training.
"Oops. Sorry I didn't know you were in here." Ruby said as she tried to back out of the room.
"That's okay Ruby. Come spar with me." Pyrrha told her.
Ruby idolized the amazon warrior girl and happily agreed.
The sparring continued for a bit. Both girls going all out with their weapons but none able to make much of an impact on the other. Ruby's scythe had the reach advantage over Pyrrha's shield and javelin but Pyrrha's semblance managed to deflect any attacks with the metal weapon as it came too near.
Finally, Pyrrha called a halt. "You are quite excellent with your weapon Ruby but have you considered training in hand to hand combat?"
Ruby frowned. "That's not really my thing. I mean Yang is the brawler in the family. I prefer my baby here." Ruby said hefting her scythe
"Well that maybe true but you shouldn't neglect any area over another. Here let me show you some moves."
Ruby put her scythe to the side and Pyrrha placed her javelin, shield and a good portion of her body armor with it. Dressed only in her leathers, Pyrrha approached Ruby. "Let's start off with grappling."
Darting in close to Ruby, Pyrrha managed to get behind her and put Ruby in a headlock. Ruby struggled and tried to use her semblance to run out of it but Pyrrha with a leg sweep knocked Ruby off her feet and she landed on top of Pyrrha on the floor of the room. Pyrrha still had Ruby in a headlock. One solidly muscled arm around her neck and another around her waist. Ruby tried to kick her feet to get out of it and Pyrrha caught her legs with her own, leaving them struggling on the ground for a few minutes before Ruby stilled.
"Okay. Okay! I admit you are better at wrestling that I am. Let me up." Ruby shouted to Pyrrha after several long moments where the amazon like woman kept her hold on Ruby.
Hearing no answer Ruby craned her neck to look back at the red headed woman under her only to see Pyrrha's eyes were closed and she was deeply breathing.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Ruby muttered. She struggled to get out of the sleeping Pyrrha's hold but even asleep the warrior girl managed to hold Ruby still.
"Seriously." Ruby muttered to herself. "What is it about me that makes everyone want to cuddle and sleep with me?"
Hearing the door to the training room opening, Ruby struggled to break free. "Please don't be Weiss. Please don't be Weiss. I'll never hear the end of this if it is Weiss!"
The door opened and in entered Yang and Blake looking for a place to 'spar'.
"Oh why couldn't it have been Weiss?" Ruby muttered to herself. She was never going to hear the end of the puns coming from Yang now.
Sure enough, as soon as Yang's eyes spotted Ruby and Pyrrha an unholy smirk appeared on her face. She nudged Blake and pointed out the two girls in the corner of the room. "Look. We have dream warriors among us." She joked with the Faunus and then added. "Is that what a sleeper hold looks like?"
"Again Ruby?" Blake asked.
"It's not my fault!" Ruby struggled. "I came in here to just find some place to practice with my Crescent Rose and found Pyrrha here. She offered to spar with me."
"And you ended up on the floor with her cuddling you and asleep?" Blake asked in disbelief.
"Well... Yeah but not quite like it appears. Pyrrha offered to help me with unarmed combat and grappling. She got me in some kind of headlock and next thing I know..."
"You ended up as a cuddle buddy once again?" Yang asked with a huge smirk.
"Yeah." Ruby pouted.
"I don't believe it." Blake said. "Pyrrha tricked you into a cuddle session."
Ruby folded her arms angrily and pouted. "What is it about me that puts everyone to sleep?"
"You are just warm and cuddly and nonthreatening." Blake tried to cheer Ruby up.
"So what you are saying is..."
"You are a human version of a plush toy." Yang said with a smirk."
Ruby shot Yang a nasty look but the only thing she said was... "Are you two going to help me get out of this or just stare?"
Yang continued to smirk at her but walked over and reached down to try and pull Pyrrha's arm from around Ruby's waist. Pyrrha lashed out as Yang's hand neared and hit her wrist painfully. After the lightning quick hit, the hand returned to holding Ruby firmly.
Yang shook her hand and grunted. "I forgot about her reflex thing. How does she do that when she is asleep and can't see my hand nearing anyway?"
Blake walked over and shook her head in wonder. "I can't imagine. Maybe it's an aura thing?" She reached down toward the arm around Ruby's throat and Pyrrha's hand snapped out like a striking snake and hit her wrist painfully. Pyrrha readjusted her arms tightly around Ruby but not painfully so and sighed. "Mine."
"Are we completely sure she is really asleep?" Yang asked as she rubbed her arm.
"I think so?" Blake said as she peered at Pyrrha's closed eyes. "I thought I had good awareness and quick reflexes but Pyrrha takes the cake."
"Okay how about this?" Yang asked. "I go for her right arm around Ruby's throat and you go for the left hand around Ruby's waist? As soon as we pull them free you make a run for it sis."
Ruby and Blake nodded their heads. "Okay on the count of 3...2...1... Go!" Yang yelled.
Yang managed to grab Pyrrha's right wrist at the same time as Blake grabbed her left and they pulled them apart as if it was some kind of hunter's trap holding Ruby captive but before Ruby could dash away, Pyrrha's legs which had been pinning Ruby's legs shifted to her waist in a scissor hold freezing Ruby in place. At the same time, Pyrrha jerked her arms back together and catching Yang and Blake off guard brought them together to slam their heads.
"Ouch!" Yang yelped.
"Dust damn it!" Blake cried out. "Damn Yang you have a hard head!"
Yang shaking her head helped Blake up. "Sorry Kiddo." She said to Ruby. "You are on your own."
"I don't freaking believe this." Ruby muttered. Turning her head to look over her shoulder at Pyrrha, Ruby said. "Pyrrha? Jaune is back."
"What? Where?" Pyrrha shouted in joy and throwing her arms and legs wide she literally threw Ruby to the side and quickly scrambled to her feet.
"Oww." Ruby muttered, now lying face down on the floor.
"Why didn't you try that earlier before Blake and me butted heads?" Yang asked.
"Well excuse me for not having battle strategies in place for being turned into a cuddle plushy!" Ruby grumbled as she got to her feet.
Pyrrha finally completely awake realized that Jaune wasn't back and she was still in the gym/training rooms and looked back to see Ruby getting to her feet. "What happened?" She asked in confusion.
"You were sparring with my sister and suddenly decided to take a quick cuddle/nap without asking Ruby's opinion of it first." Yang told her still rubbing her forehead.
Pyrrha's eyes grew wide. "I'm so sorry. Ruby I'm sorry! I didn't mean to... It just I haven't been sleeping well and you are so cuddly and there is just something about you that is so relaxing."
"Yeah. Yeah." Ruby muttered. "I guess I'm just going to have to get used to being the girl that everyone..."
"Wants to wake up on top of." Yang finished with a grin.
Ruby shot her sister a dirty look and with as much dignity as she could she gathered up her Crescent Rose and walked out of the training room.
"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha called after her again.
Blake walked to her dorm room. It had been three days since the gym incident with Pyrrha and Ruby had taken to, when not in class, locking herself in their dorm room. Only half way jokingly, Ruby had said it was the only way to keep from being ambushed by Nora or Pyrrha and turned into a human cuddle buddy plushy.
Blake spotted Yang running all out towards her in the hallway. "Run Blake run!" Yang shouted.
Blake in panic looked around. "What is it? Grimm? White Fang? What's going on?"
"No time. Run now!" Yang yelled as she neared her.
"YANG!" Ruby's enraged voice called out.
Yang's eyes grew larger and she swept up Blake in her arms and ran with her.
"What is going on" Blake practically shouted into Yang's ear as she looked behind them to see Ruby with her scythe extended running after them.
"I may or may not have bought a plaque in Vale and put it on our dorm room door." Yang wheezed as she ran.
"That said what?" Blake asked with a sinking feeling in her stomach. Surely Yang wasn't dumb enough to...
"Ruby Rose, girl that everyone wants to sleep and wake up on top of inside..." Yang managed to say before taking a deep breath.
"So why am I having to run as well?" Blake asked.
"For rates and times... Inquire within from her handlers... Yang Long and Blake Belladonna." Yang finished.
"YOU PUT MY NAME ON THE PRANK AS WELL?" Blake did yell into Yang's ear.
I thought it was funny at the time." Yang grumbled.
"She is going to kill us!" Blake muttered. "Wait! Why isn't Ruby using her semblance and already caught us?"
"She's so mad she forgot she can do it." Yang said. "And you want to wonder about that a bit louder? Sheesh. Don't remind Ruby or..."
A sudden burst of rose petals flashed past them and suddenly a very annoyed Ruby appeared ahead of them in the hallway.
"Damn." Yang said. Turning she made to run back the other way only to find the hallway blocked by an equally annoyed looking Weiss with her Myrtenaster drawn.
"Did you get a plaque about Weiss as well?" Blake asked.
"Nope."
"How dare you put Ruby on a plaque for a joke?" Weiss snarled at Yang. "She's mine. I'm not sharing her with anyone else!"
"What do you mean I'm yours?" Ruby's voice called out behind Yang and Blake.
Weiss turned instantly red in the face. "Well I mean... I'm very fond of... I mean..."
"Am I just a cuddle sleep aid to you as well?" Ruby said sounding upset.
"No. I'm in love..." Weiss stumbled over her speech.
"What?" Ruby asked softer as she passed by Yang still holding Blake and headed towards Weiss.
"I've been falling... I mean..." Weiss tried to say. "OH DUST! I'm in love with you Ruby and have been for a while now."
Ruby dropped her scythe and a second later Weiss dropped her rapier and they were locked in each other's arms kissing.
"Ooh." Yang cooed. "They are so cute."
Blake whispered into Yang's ear. "You know what this means right?"
"That this is our perfect chance to escape?" Yang whispered back.
"Damn straight."
Yang tip toed around the embracing Weiss and Ruby and soon as they cleared them, she was running for all she was worth to get back to their dorm room and lock the door to get away from the two new lovebirds.
"That plaque better be off our door before we get back." Ruby's voice yelled after her sister.
Once again the icy snows had returned to Vale. The Dust practioners failing in stopping the storm and in the end only made it much worse. All the predictions were that this storm would be even worse than the last blizzard. At least the delay had allowed Ozpin and Goodwitch to make sure they had a more than adequate supply of red fire dust stocked up. The windows in the cafeteria had all been replaced with dust enhanced windows guaranteed not to shatter or break due to temperature differences. Coffee supplies had been brought in and Ozpin made sure some of them in the cafeteria were under lock and key, of which he was the only one to possess the key to. He would be damn if this time around if Oobleck would get all the coffee. Extra blankets and bedding had been brought in and finally... Professor Peter Port and Bartholomew Oobleck were given explicit orders to stay away from the Dust storage areas.
Goodwitch had even store a large box of rolls of duct tape nearby in case of snoring emergencies. They were as prepared as they could be for the upcoming storm.
As the snow began to fall and build up and the winds began to howl and light started to flicker from failing power, students were ordered as the sun began to set, to once again bundle up and come to the cafeteria in case of a power outage to wait out the storm.
Pyrrha with Jaune at her side entered the cafeteria and immediately began looking for Team RWBY. Spying them she leads Jaune, Ren and Nora towards them.
"Hey Cuddle Buddy!" Nora called out happily to Ruby.
"No." Weiss said plainly and distinctively.
"What? What do you mean?" Nora asked nervously. "It's cold."
"One. It is not cold in here at all. The heaters are working and it is quite warm. Two. You have your own teammates and it is time you cuddled if you have to with them. Three. Ruby is off the cuddle market permanently from now on."
"You can't do that!" Nora cried. "I got good grades for cuddle privileges. You can't just cut me off cold sloth like that!"
Weiss folded her arms and smirked at Nora. "I can and have. Ruby is now exclusively mine."
"That's not fair!" Nora cried. "You can't just get a girl addicted to cuddling and then cut her off cold sloth like that! Ren! Tell her it's not fair and make her let me cuddle Ruby!"
Ren sighed. "Nora I can't order Ruby to cuddle with you."
"Cuddle with Ren if you need it so much." An exasperated Weiss said.
"He won't cuddle with me!" Nora practically cried. "I've asked and asked but he won't!" Tears actually began to fall from her eyes. "Why won't you cuddle with me Ren?"
"Nora you are a big girl. You don't need someone to cuddle just to get to sleep."
An annoyed Ruby eyed Ren. "It's not about getting to sleep Ren. I'm surprised at you. I thought you were more aware and empathic than that!"
Ren looked confused.
"Nora is starved for affection. She doesn't really want my affection though. She wants yours!"
Ren started to deny Ruby's words but spotted Blake nodding her head in agreement with Ruby. Blake noticed him looking at her. "It's true." She said. "Why do you think she is always telling people that you are together but not together together? She is hoping one of these days that you will correct her and say that you are."
Ren looked over at Nora but only to see she wouldn't meet his eyes and was looking down at the table. "We've been friends since we were children." Nora said sadly. "I've tried everything I can think of to show you how interested I am. I've tried to make you smile with my antics. I've tried to make you jealous. Why don't you love me Ren?" Nora asked finally looking up at him. "I just want to sleep in your arms." Nora cried.
Ruby blinked as something finally clicked. "It isn't that he doesn't want to cuddle you Nora. He afraid if he does that you will notice him reacting."
Ren eyes grew wide and he glanced worriedly at Ruby, shocked that she figured it out.
"What do you mean?" Nora asked.
Ruby just stare at Ren and finally he turned back to look at Nora. "Guys… Tend to have reactions when gorgeous women snuggle up against them." Ren let a wiry smile cross his face. "Especially gorgeous women who have wandering hands when they cuddle."
Nora blinked. "You think I'm gorgeous?"
"I always have."
Nora frowned. "Then why the Dust have you put me through this?" She asked angry. "All the years we've been together. All the things we have faced and never once did you let me know you thought I was attractive or that you might think of me as anything more than just a crazy friend!"
"I was afraid that it might damage our friendship." Ren admitted.
Nora fixed him with a glare and folded her arms but finally said. "As of now, we are together together and we are cuddling tonight. I don't care if it a thousand degrees in here! Got it Ren?!"
Ren gulped but nodded.
Nora finally smiled. Reaching out a finger she tapped him on the nose and said. "Boop."
Ruby and Weiss shared a triumphant look between themselves and then both glanced over at Jaune and Pyrrha.
"What?" Jaune asked nervously.
"I got rid of one of Ruby's cuddle buddies. It's time to dislodge another one." Weiss told him.
Jaune raised both hands. "I've never cuddled Ruby! I swear. I mean I thought about it a time or two but never…"
Weiss cut him off. "I'm not talking about you. Although, for your continued health I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that last bit. I'm talking about Pyrrha."
"Oh come on Weiss. It was that one-time last blizzard…" Jaune said trying to defend Pyrrha.
Pyrrha leaning back a bit so Jaune couldn't see her was desperately waving her hands and shaking her head no at Weiss. Weiss however was having none of it. "That you know of. She cuddled with Ruby once at a tree overlooking Vale…"
"With me and Weiss." Nora staring lovingly into Ren's eyes pulled briefly away to add.
Weiss ignored her. "And once recently she actually fooled Ruby into a sparring session so she could wrestle with Ruby and pin her in a cuddle hold."
Jaune blinked and looked at Pyrrha whom instantly stopped waiving her arms and tried to look casual. "You did?"
"I was having trouble sleeping with my team missing and was just tired."
Weiss cleared her throat.
"Oh all right. I was lonely as well."
"How did you find out about the training room one?" Ruby asked Weiss.
"Yang told me after I confronted her about the stupid plaque she stuck on our door saying 'Ruby Rose the girl everyone wants to cuddle and sleep on top of.'"
Jaune blinked and looked over to Ren. "Seems we missed a lot of craziness when we were out in the woods with professor Oobleck."
"Doctor Oobleck." Yang, Blake, Ruby, Weiss, Pyrrha, Nora and Ren corrected him.
Jaune turned his attention back to Weiss. "So why are you glaring at me? Pyrrha explained she was just sleepy and lonely cause Ren and I was gone."
Weiss blinked at him and then turned to Ruby. "He can't be this dense, can he?"
Ruby tilted her head and looked back at Weiss.
"Yeah, what I'm saying? Of course he is." Weiss agreed. She turned back to Jaune. "Think back a few moments ago with Nora and Ren."
Jaune looked confused but nodded his head.
"Now what does this situation have in common with you and Pyrrha?"
"We're teammates?" Jaune asked.
Weiss just looked at him for a moment and when she realized that was the only thing coming she let her head drop to thunk on the table.
"What Weiss means…" Ruby tried. "Is that Pyrrha doesn't really want to cuddle with me. She wants someone else's arms around her."
Jaune looked even more confused if that was possible. "She wants to cuddle with…"
Everyone leaned closer.
"Yang?"
Ruby blinked at him. "I'm going to slap the crap out of you in a minute." She finally stated calmly.
Weiss, Blake and Pyrrha looked in shock at Ruby while Yang just snickered.
"JAUNE!" Ruby nearly growled. "Pyrrha has always been at your side since you got here. She has trained you. She has been there for you to confide in. She…" Ruby sputtered. "She loves you Dolt!" She finally said it.
Jaune looked over at Pyrrha expecting her to be either laughing at Ruby's statement or at the very least shaking her head. Instead, Pyrrha had her head down staring at the table and was blushing bright red.
"You do?" Jaune asked her.
"I understand if you don't feel the same." Pyrrha mumbled.
"I… I…" Jaune tried to say. "It's not that I'm not fond of… I mean I'm me and you are you! You could do so much better than…"
Out of the corner of his eye, Jaune saw Ruby getting up from her side of the table and cracking her knuckles. Two things crossed Jaune's mind. One: Ruby was definitely Yang's sister and Two: If he didn't get his mouth working correctly really quick, Ruby was going to make good on her threat to beat the crap out of him.
"I'm in love with you Pyrrha." Jaune said. "I have been since I first saw you but as Weiss pointed out at the time, you are a champion. So far above me that I could never hope…"
Jaune was cut off as Pyrrha looked up at him and then grabbed him and pulled him to one Hell of a kiss.
Ruby nodded her head and started to return to her seat. She paused at Blake and Yang and leaned over to whisper between them. "Me or Weiss don't have to have a word with another couple do we?" She asked.
Yang grinned and looked back at her sister. "Naw. Me and Blakey know where we stand."
"We do?" Blake asked raising an eyebrow at the blond brawler.
"Don't we?" Yang asked a little nervous. "I'm your personal heater and you are my lap kitty. Right?"
"Lap kitty?" Blake asked frostily.
Yang's eyes grew wide. "I mean. You know how I feel about you, right? You… Care for me as well, right?"
"Know how you feel about me?" Blake asked. "How would I? You never said anything to me about it."
"Well what about you?" Yang countered. "Do you like me?" She asked.
Blake stuttered and her eyes grew wide. "Well… Yeah. I'm highly attracted to you and…"
"You like to cuddle with me." Yang finished with a hint of a smile.
"Maybe." Blake conceded. "But I'm not some kind of pet."
Yang looked around but Ren and Nora only had eyes and ears for one another. Jaune and Pyrrha were still engaged in a lip lock that looked like it might make Jaune pass out from lack of air. Not that the man was struggling to get out of it. Ruby had given Yang and Blake their privacy and had returned to Weiss and they were now cuddling under their cloaks like two love birds.
"I never said you were, did I? You really are too sensitive about the whole Faunus thing Blake." Yang told her. "I use cute nicknames like Kitten or Kitty to try and show you how much I care for you. Not to constantly remind you that you are a Faunus. I don't think of you as a pet. Or as a stray. Or as cute girl with a pair of adorable cat ears on top. I think of you as Blake. A girl I'm really fond of and would like to get closer to."
Blake relaxed a bit. "Why didn't you say that a long time ago?"
"I thought you knew my nicknames were meant as terms of endearment."
"Yang you have to understand. All my life I've had things like that shouted out at me by people who were using them as terms of hate. I know you don't mean them that way but still my gut reaction is to run or hide when I hear terms like kitty, cat or kitten."
Yang taking a finger lifted Blake's chin to stare into her eyes. "You never have to hide from me or anyone else again. Someone says something to you that you don't like I'll beat them to a pulp… And that includes myself. Got it?"
Blake blushed. "Well I wouldn't want my personal heater getting beaten up now would I?" She took a deep breath. "And you can call me your lap kitty if you want to."
Yang smiled a brilliant smile. "I would rather call you my girlfriend if that is all right?"
Blake settled comfortably into Yang side. "It's more than all right. It's a fact."
Dr. Oobleck suddenly zipped over to the table where Ruby, her team and team JNPR were sitting looking nervous. "Does anyone know why when I asked where I and Professor Port should bed down for the night, Professor Goodwitch pulled a very large box of duct tape out and said she had some ideas?"
Everyone's eyes turned to Weiss. "I wouldn't have the slightest idea." Weiss replied innocently.