"Seriously though Mina, you're really okay with this?" Weiss demanded, "I mean… I'm no stranger to having creeps snap pictures of me – what with the Company and all, but never something so… so lewd…"

It was dinnertime now, and Teams RWBY and JNPR had congregated at their usual table. Unlike the usual case though, in which the group would separate into different conversations, Yang, much to Blake's consternation, had presented the magazine she'd found and passed it around the table.

"Yeah…" Jaune hesitantly voiced his agreement with the Dust Heiress as the magazine was passed to hem, and he quickly passed it along after a single glance at the cover, "It's kind of… wow…"

"It's positively reprehensible that someone would photograph you without your permission," Pyrrha added, sparing the cover a slightly longer look than Jaune, if only lingering from disbelief, "Let alone such a…" she shook her head and passed it to Ren without finishing.

Ren in turn passed it to Nora without actually looking at it, "What perplexes me is how you didn't notice as the picture was being taken,"

True to form, Mina shrugged, "I try not to concern myself with trivialities, Mr. Lie, though since this seems to be a greater point of issue than I have given it credit for… I shall have to exercise greater vigilance in the future…" She sighed, "Dearest… if you wish-,"

"I'm not going to ask you to quit your job, Mina," Blake shook her head, despite herself, "You're clearly enjoying yourself and actually making friends… I'm not going to take that from you…"

"I don't see what the fuss is about," Nora chirped, flipping through the magazine, not looking up at anyone as she spoke, "She looks good in the picture, right? And-, Ooooh! There's been a sloth sighting downtown!"

"Damn right she does!" Yang cheered, ignoring Nora's loss of concentration, "But then… that bit in the article where they actually listed her measurements was a bit much even for me-,"

Jaune's drink spluttered from his lips, and Blake, suddenly horrified anew, reached over and seized the tabloid from Nora's hands mid sloth-related article, furiously flipping through the pages until she found the article in question, "That's ridiculous Yang, they can't have-, OH MY GOD! THE SICK BASTARD!"

"Well in fairness, they've got Clara and a couple of the other waitresses listed there too-,"

"Yang, not helping," Ruby shook her head.

"Oh… Yeah, I guess not…"

Blake looked to Mina, and then looked her up and down, and back at the section of the page with another provocative candid shot of Mina, "How the hell…" Angry as she was, disbelief was more prominent than anything else, "How the hell did he get this close…"

"Wait, seriously?" Weiss demanded incredulously, "They're actually accurate? How?"

Mina cocked her head, eyebrow raised, "I am reasonably certain that I would have noticed if anyone attempted to measure waist, bust, and hips while I was on the job…"

Blake shook her head, "It's… within a couple of centimeters…"

"The pervert's twisted imagination probably-,"

"Shy…" Blake finished, face reddening somewhat.

"In which-," Yang's mischievous question was interrupted by a death glare from her partner, "It's the boobs, isn't it?'

"…Shut up…"

"Ya know, I think the better question here is how you know exactly-,"

"Xiao Long, I will end you if you finish that sentence…"

"Shutting up,"

Silence fell upon the table as Blake scrutinized the page afresh. Shamelessly provocative waitress bios aside, the actual text of the article was fairly benign…

Sighing with relief, she chanced a furtive glance back at Mina's picture while everyone else was quietly eating. This picture wasn't as bad as the one on the cover thankfully, featuring a more innocuous shot of Mina doing a slight bow towards the camera; it was presumably taken as the photographer, whoever he was entered the establishment, which would account for the slight bow Mina was giving. It occurred to Blake that the fact that compromising shots of several other waitresses appeared elsewhere in the article, the camera had probably been a concealed device, or possibly a high-end scroll, in which case the pictures had probably been taken whilst the perpetrator was pretending to check messages or something. Dirt-bag though this photographer was, Blake had to admit to herself that he had a good eye for the camera; Mina looked really good in-

"Wait a minute…" Blake's eye caught on Mina's bio again – more specifically, the name at the top of it, "He got your name wrong,"

"Hmm?" Mina turned her head in acknowledgement of the comment, "What does it say?"

"Wilhelmina Nachtshatten… I mean, I know Wilhelmina's actually your full first name but… what about the last name?"

"I thought it best to assume a name with which fewer… old acquaintances… would be familiar for the purposes of my job," Mina explained.

It was sound logic, "Alright, but why Nachtshatten?"

"It means night shade, Dearest," Mina smiled, "As in, the Belladonna lily,"

"Aaawwww, that's so sweet!" Ruby squealed, "It's like you're married!"

"Ruby-!"

"I am saving for the ring," Mina cut in with a smirk.

"Mina!" Blake reddened, "We're a bit young for that!"

Min a stole a kiss, "Oh? I would have thought that we have known each other long enough… but I am nothing if not patient, Dearest; I can wait,"

"Mina…"

She smiled, "I have said it before, and I will say it again; I am yours, Dearest; you can make an honest woman of me whenever you like,"

Yang whistled, Nora outright cheered, and Blake reddened all over again.

Mina chuckled, "Think nothing of it Dearest, I'll not insist; I find the present state of things to be more than sufficient. What pleases you is what matters most to me,"

Blake let out a deep breath that she didn't know that she'd been holding, "I just… I don't understand how you can be so cavalier about such a huge step…"

"In fairness Dearest…" Mina gave a melancholic little smile, "I have wanted to marry you since we were ten years old…"

"Aaaawww….."

"I… I guess I've just never thought that far ahead…" Blake admitted, "You deserve better than that-,"

"I deserve whatever you care to give me Dearest," Mina shook her head, "You need do nothing that doesn't please you,"

Jaune and Pyrrha exchanged looks, "That's… big of you…" Pyrrha finally commented, a note of reluctance in her voice.

"Not at all," Mina shook her head, "I might like her to show more… initiative… at times but… I am entitled to nothing that Blake does not wish to give,"

"Oh come on, just kiss her already!" Nora exclaimed, springing from her seat beside Ren and forced the two of them together.

The look of genuine surprise in Mina's eyes as their lips met told Blake a number of things. First, that Mina had come to trust their friends enough to let herself be utterly blind in their presence; on some level, she trusted them enough to relax the use of her semblance. Secondly, it told her that all the times she'd sworn up and down that she only wanted what Blake was willing to give her, she'd spoken honestly; maybe she would seek a baser sense of gratification from time to time, but first and foremost she wanted Blake to love her. Finally, those pale blue eyes showed Blake her own reflection, in which she saw much the same surprise.

So much to be read from two sightless eyes… She mused, It's so ironic…

As their lips met though, Blake decided to just go for it, pressing her lips to Mina's even as her pale blue eyes went wide.

As they separated after a long moment, Blake wore her own smirk, "How's that for initiative?"

Mina returned the smile, "It is a start…"

Blake raised an eyebrow, "Just how much are you looking for?"

"Whatever you are willing to give…"

"Hey, um… Lovebirds? Just make sure to keep it PG?" So interrupted Yang Xiao Long, professional moment-killer with a smirk and a thumb jabbed in her sister's direction, "We have sensitive eyes around,"

Blake rolled her eyes, "Relax Yang-,"

"Ruby Rose, what are you drawing?" A furious Weiss Schnee demanded of her partner after having glanced at the crimsonette's journal as she sketched.

"Um…"

Mina smiled, "I am sure that it's lovely,"

"Hmph," Weiss folded her arms, "The magazine photographer wasn't so obscene..."

Ruby snapped the little red book shut, "I was gonna draw their clothes later okay?"

Blake's palm met with her face, "Ruby… Please don't tell me that-,"

"Oh let it be, Dearest," Mina mollified her, "Perhaps we could model for the next one…"

"I don't think I have that much initiative…"

Mina smiled broadly enough to bare a fang, "I see no harm in it…"

"Okay first," Blake deadpanned, "we aren't alone Mina; behave. Secondly, Ruby's fifteen. Finally, I have enough problems preserving your modesty Mina; I don't need you going out of your way to show off…"

"I still see no issue," Mina insisted with a grin.

"You don't see anything," Blake countered, "Honestly, sometimes I think you wouldn't dress if I didn't insist on it,"

"You need not be so absurd," Mina complained, somewhat indignantly, "I am not so brazen-,"

"Your nightwear begs to differ,"

"There is nothing wrong with my negligee-,"

"There is when you sleep upside-down," Blake stated flatly, "We've been over this… and besides, it's transparent…"

"Well I can hardly be blamed for that,"

"Um… Ladies?" Jaune piped in pitifully, "Could we maybe discuss something… else? Anything else?"

Mina blinked a few times, "Hmm? This makes you uncomfortable Mr. Arc? My apologies…"

Blake sighed with relief.

"Miss Nikos, could I interest you in a negligee? I am not allowed to wear it anymore,"

And Blake's forehead met with the table.

It was with a small smile that Mina waved goodbye for the evening to Team JNPR after the conclusion of the mealtime, and headed for the infirmary as her teammates headed for the dorms. This business with these photographs in Miss Xiao Long's magazine, as well as miss Valkyrie's spontaneity had yielded some decidedly accommodating results. True, her most comfortable sleepwear had been a casualty, but This was an acceptable loss; Hopefully Miss Nikos would enjoy it… perhaps Mr. Arc as well, if Blake was to be believed that the garment was translucent. Much as she would have liked to return to the dorm with her Dearest and her friends though, a detour was needed, she was running low on certain supplies, so she resigned herself to it; she knew the way like the back of her hand, so this would not take-

"Ooof!" There was a sound of scattering papers, "Oh no…"

Mina shook her head; she hadn't been paying attention, "Oh my… I do apologize…" She addressed the person into whom she'd collided, and tapped her semblance to observe that it was a rabbit Faunus into whom she had blundered, and she was currently bending down, frantically trying to gather up the papers, or perhaps they were folders – thin booklets perhaps – and she bent down to assist, "Allow me to help,"

The other Faunus girl froze, and Mina could tell that she looked up at her, "Uh…" For whatever reason, the girl's face darted back down at the pile of dropped papers, and then back to Mina, "Um… Miss Carfax… W-what a pleasant surprise…"

Mina cocked her head; she knew fear when she heard it, "Yes? Miss Scarletina, was it?"

"Y-yes…"

Mina picked up one of the… the paper was unusually smooth… they were magazines then… "Here…"

"Th-thank you…" Velvet hurriedly took it, but then slowed, "Y-you're B-Blake's…"

Mina smiled, handing her another of the magazines, "Yes,"

"Th-that's lovely…" Velvet stuttered looking away as she hastily gathered the clutter that she'd dropped, "Wh-what brings you here?"

"I was on my way to collect… certain supplies… from the infirmary," Mina answered, "I am rather familiar with the path, so I seem to have allowed my awareness to slip, for which I again apologize,"

"I-I see…" Velvet gathered up the stack and stood to leave, "P-perhaps we can get to know each other b-better s-some other time, but I have to-,"

"Miss Scarletina," Mina spoke authoritatively, though not harshly, "I need not have two working eyes to see that you wish to hide something from me,"

Velvet froze once again.

"Presumably these magazines," Mina continued, picking up the last one before Velvet could collect it, "This week's issue of the Vale Inquirer – or whatever it is called, am I correct?"

Velvet dropped the magazines again, "I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't want to-,"

"Easy now, Miss Scarletina; I am not angry,"

"Y-you're not?"

Mina smiled, "I am quite certain that Blake would tell you that I am not so personally sensitive," She set the copy she was holding on top of the stack Velvet had dropped, "Frankly, I find it rather amusing that I am on a magazine cover after a scant few weeks at that job… My Dearest however… She is not so amused… If anything Miss Scarletina… It is this which displeases me…"

"I-,"

"I am quite certain, however," Mina pressed, "that this… defamatory scheme was not your idea… Blake speaks too kindly of you for me to believe that…"

A little smile drew across Mina's lips as she sensed that Velvet shook her head furiously, "N-no! No, of course not-!"

"Then I would be most grateful if you would tell me precisely who brought you to this; I care little for what impression this magazine will promulgate of me personally, but I cannot abide the thought that someone labors to call my dear Blake's character into question, you understand?"

Velvet nodded slowly, "H-he said t-thay'd leave me alone if I did him a f-favor…"

"The magazines?" Mina asked in point of clarity.

Velvet nodded again, "It w-was Cardin…"

Mina's smile broadened wide enough to bear her fangs, "Ah…" she reached over to put a hand on Velvet's shoulder, "I will make a deal with you, Miss Scarletina; do away with these magazines for me, as well as any others there may be on campus, and in exchange…" Mina stood, offering a hand to help the other girl back to her feet, "I will ensure that Mr. Winchester and his fellows shall trouble you no longer,"

Author's Note: Before I conclude this chapter, I'd like to thank Scrletwolfx for helping me brainstorm for this story; a little bit of Velvet shall only be the first fruits of that assistance, so thank you. At any rate, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter; I'm not sure that Cardin will enjoy the next one…