Valence

by Cowjump

With the end of their first year at Beacon Academy having come to pass, Team RWBY must contend with the next three months of their summer break. Follow this eclectic bunch as they are thrown into a situation that utilizes neither their combined combat prowess nor their acquired knowledge on all things battle-related during their adventures in the city of Vale.

13. Chapter 13: Together

Thank you for reading.

I will keep this author's note brief because there is a sizable one at the end of this chapter that I should warn you about. It is not necessarily huge, but it is a few paragraphs in length. There is a lot to this chapter and, therefore, a lot for me to comment on after the fact.

To keep with the promise of brevity in this author's note, I shall leave you be. I hope that I did justice to chapter thirteen of Valence.

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Chapter 13: Together

The halls of Vale's international airport sparkled as unfettered rays of sunlight beamed through its glass ceilings and walls and bounded off the polished, glimmering floor to create what looked to be a gleaming palace of affluent design and promise. Smiling families, couples, and individuals all but skipped through these halls, jubilant about their arrival at the coastal city or excited for their eventual destinations. As it was still early in the summer months, it could be assumed that these people who dressed in shorts and sandals were only now taking their vacations, cheerfully heading from sunny locale to sunny locale. There was a definite buzz of excitement about each of them, evident from their innocuous chitterings and anticipatory smiles. It was doubtless that their strolls through these halls, security, and to their gates were, in all, a boring crawl that only impeded their eventual joy and relaxation on the other side of their flights. Of course, the flights themselves would be monotonous, but this had been expected and did not bother any of these vacationers. They were far too happy and could not attach themselves to any negative sentimentalities. Blake and Yang, however, could not be so positive.

The young couple trudged through these blinding halls, figuratively dragging their own luggage, Yang without much apparent care for anything at the moment and Blake with her off hand. They were not sad—rather, they were, just not definitively. "Drained" is an appropriate descriptor for these dreary two, being indicative of their physically tired states and emotionally fatigued mentalities. Their insufferably long flight had taken a toll on them to some degree, but they had slept on the way back and had still retained this level of unrest, not because of the duration of their voyage, but because of the events that came before it. Though Blake had been able to reconnect with her family, she and her partner felt as though there was much to be desired with their visit and introductions. It is to say that Blake did not feel "homesick" now because this would require Sierra to still be considered her home. Rather, Blake missed her parents and was unhappy with the way she had treated them.

While she had an idea of what was causing her own distress, Blake could not say what had evoked such an uncharacteristic show of somberness on Yang's part. She had been this way since Lilian and Cole had hugged her just before they left the house in the forest. Before, she was tired, but after the reconciling and unexpected hold, she became suddenly quiet. Blake had explained to her the night prior how their relationship was now supported by both parents, bringing about Yang's excitement, but even with this knowledge, she was apparently sad—for what reason, Blake had not the slightest of clues. She had wanted to ask what was wrong, but the moment never seemed opportune and despite Yang being obviously comfortable around her, the young Faunus could not stop thinking that if she were to ask, it would come off as rude. This immobility only exacerbated Blake's negativity.

She did not care about the crowds that were passing by nor did she care if they looked at her critically. Even at this early afternoon hour, Blake could not muster a glare for those whose gaze passed her over. All she could do was sigh and continue to dissect the cause of her current negativity. If she was to be honest with herself, she felt bad about how she had treated her parents—not only before she left for the White Fang, but when she returned. The first day of their visit had been fine, excluding the initial fear that was eventually proven unwarranted. The second, as fun as it had been, distanced Blake from her parents because she was away with Yang for a majority of the day. The final day, however, proved to be the worst. The facts of her finding common ground with her parents and her relationship being supported could not surmount the guilt that had been brought up during the conversation at the restaurant. Somehow, that single conversation had put the past ten years into perspective. It did not change her mind about any matters nor did it make her feel any worse about what she had done, but it showed her who she had been, what she had become, and what damage she had wreaked upon those she cared about. Perhaps it was this thought that caused her current mood.

Though, she reasoned that her negativity was possibly caused by the combination of this latter thought and the idea that she had incurred yet another bad memory that would be added to the veritable library of others. The trip had been one large apology in the end. She began the first day with the apology and ended the final day by receiving an apology—one that was wholly unnecessary and should have been given to her mother instead. She had treated them poorly—as though they were her enemies—and they never once allowed her to apologize. Some part of her saw the visit as her last chance at redemption for this past decade, but her logical mind knew that this was not the case. Unfortunately, this rationality had been suppressed by a mix of fatigue, forlornness, and worry. She had proven to be a coward yet again.

Blake sighed. Perhaps she was overthinking their trip. If Yang had taught her anything, it was that she needed to live in the moment and not cling to the past just so that she could remember the pain that had afflicted her long ago. Of course, it would not be so easy in all events, but she could at the very least try. Blake forced her gaze up, away from the floor and down the hall so that she might create a guise of confidence that Yang needed at the moment. She looked at the crowd ahead that congealed into a singular, daunting mass of humanity blocking the couple from the exit. It was a challenge, but Blake would not be afraid for Yang's sake. Keeping her eyes trained on the light beyond the people, the young Faunus attempted to blindly grasp the hand swinging drearily beside her own. It took a few attempts as the target proved difficult to reach, but once they came in contact, Yang gripped on tightly.

The blonde's expression lifted, but not enough to where she could be said to be happy or even indifferent. This strong grip that she had was desperate and telling of her pain that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. Not only was Yang distraught, she was hurt. Unfortunately, Blake was hurt as well, but in a more physical sense and this pain had forced her own grip to weaken. When Yang had lost control of her emotions yesterday, her aura had flared and left the ends of Blake's fingers burnt after the young Faunus had tried to reach out to her. It was still a painful sensation, but Blake had suffered worse and would not show her discomfort because she knew that doing so would only further affect her partner. Yang's hands were simply warm now and would not cause any more pain. Blake squeezed back, minding her fingertips but conveying to her girlfriend that everything was all right.

Yang did not say anything but kept her grip steady. Together, the young couple walked down the hall and towards the crowd as they hoped to reach home soon enough. Home. Blake was confident where that was now. Though it had only been a year, she felt that wherever her teammates were would be the safest and most supporting place she could find. Of course, their differing personalities led to unpredictable, often stressful situations, but after her time spent with the White Fang, Blake had acclimatized to this sort of stress. Fortunately, her teammates were all kind people in their own ways, allowing for the young Faunus' comfort around them to grow and the acceptance of the sisters' house as her present home.

The crowd did not seem daunting even once, allowing the Faunus' confident stride towards the wall of humanity that separated her from Vale to remain certain. By this point, she was all but dragging her distracted partner towards the mass that would have otherwise dissuaded her movements. Though she could not see a direct path through the crowd, she would not slow her march nor would she release the gloved hand. It is to say that she had her doubts about the crowd, but she would keep a strong façade for Yang's sake. This façade would hold until the moment they exited on the other side and when that moment occurred, Blake let out a heavy sigh that finally caught Yang's attention.

"Are you all right?" the blonde asked, no trace of discontent in her tone save for the concern she had for her partner.

Blake was more than all right now that Yang was showing signs of recovering from whatever thoughts had ailed her. Though, she could not say that the journey through the masses was enjoyable when in actuality it had been harrowing and was purposefully forgotten about as soon as she arrived at the glass doors of the exit. Yang's returned speech had allowed a small, but very much relieved smile to grace the Faunus' features before she turned to her partner. The blonde still held her concerned look and even still she seemed to be troubled by something else. Blake focused her slight, sincere smile on her girlfriend before replying, "Yeah, I'm fine," hoping that by doing so, she could raise the downtrodden girl's spirits. "I just wasn't prepared to go through that many people is all."

Yang simply hummed in acceptance, causing Blake's smile to fade. There was something seriously wrong and now it was Blake's turn to be concerned. The two stood in place, the Faunus holding her partner's hand and her partner staring glumly at the ground or into the nothingness below it. The sight of such an exuberant youth descending into a weary, crestfallen state stung. Yang never seemed to be the type to linger on an uncomfortable subject for long, yet here she was standing still when she could be returning home. Whatever she was thinking about was a mystery to the young Faunus—one that she initially wanted to avoid asking about, but one she now knew must be addressed. Unfortunately, around the couple were cheery flyers who would be ever so happy to eavesdrop upon a conversation and then discuss it in whatever free time they had between standing in security checkpoints and waiting at their gates. Blake did not want to see her partner in this pain and it was this thought that led to her decision of asking Yang what was wrong when next it would prove convenient. Because this public location was not the best venue for such a discussion, she decided that their conversation would hopefully take place once they found a taxi and began their voyage home.

Until then, however, they needed to escape the airport, find said taxi, and place their belongings therein. "Come on," Blake said. It was an attempt to encourage her partner back into positivity. She pulled the gloved hand and Yang simply obliged. The reaction was still disconcerting, but Blake thought that perhaps once they stepped out into the city's warmer climate, her partner would perk up, but even the familiar oceanic breeze could not spark Yang's regular enthusiasm. The blonde did not react whatsoever after stepping out into the cacophonous wilderness outside of the terminal.

Vale, being this kingdom's capital, is a rather populated city and a prominent travel destination for both business and leisure. For this reason, the sidewalk immediately outside the glimmering building was congested and aggressive. Horns honked over the shouting people, conveying messages of both the desire for patronage and the need for people to back away. Some were jumping to see the taxis on the road, others were audibly grumbling about those in front of them, and even still others loitered not only at the back of the crowd, but in its core, creating an irksome passivity that managed to further upset those already impatient members of the mass. The couple had arrived upon this chaos and found themselves trapped amongst the wall of people as more filed out of the terminal behind them.

Blake froze. The crowd inside had been patient and inevitably traversable, but this horde was a ravenous, restless bunch. One wrong move, she thought, and they would turn on her. Those before her were vying to reach what could have only been half a dozen available taxis on the side of the road while those behind her were struggling to move past. She felt her luggage swing with the passing of one person's knee and she felt Yang pushed slightly away from her as someone tried to break their hold. Yet Blake could not react to this attempt at separation as she was still shocked by the sheer amount of unruly people in such a small area. She could hear their feet stomping, their voices rising, and their ire building before she blinked and refocused herself.

Now was not the time to linger on painful memories. Yang was still unresponsive and distressed. Blake doubted that this location was the only area where taxis could be found and knew that they were not confined to this portion of the sidewalk. As such, she gripped her partner's hand tighter, alerting the blonde to their movement. Foregoing any sentiments of fear or sympathy for the others' aggression, Blake began to push through the crowd, away from the exit and down the promenade to where other possible forms of transportation could be found. This process proved difficult and unnerving for the socially aversive Faunus at first, but as they moved further from the center, the easier it became to find gaps between people and groups who were not nearly as impatient. Yet the crowd would never truly dissipate no matter how far the couple could have traveled and would stretch on for the entirety of this sidewalk and all others where exits could be found. Fortunately, the young Faunus' ears (bound for the sake of secrecy) perked at the barely audible call of "Lady Belladonna!"

On instinct, Blake turned to the source of the noise only to find more people blocking her view of the road. However, she knew that the voice had surprisingly come from a Schnee driver and felt that this fortunate occurrence would spare them from waiting amongst the masses for a taxi of their own. Yang continued to show no resistance, even with their change of direction and eventual halting in front of the white limousine. Once the couple arrived at the vehicle, they found the assumed driver standing patiently, arms folded behind his back, as he looked to them with a moderate smile. "Welcome back, Lady Belladonna," he greeted before turning to Yang. "Lady Xiao Long, as it is approximately fifteen minutes past the time you were intended to return, I must convey this message." As he cleared his throat, Yang looked up at him wearily. "Lady Schnee has instructed me to tell you, 'About time.'"

Yang sighed and closed her eyes. Other than the slight increase in temperature that was unnoticeable for the most part, she did not give off any outward indication of anger. Her response to the man's instruction, however, revealed her underlying temper. "You mind if I ask you a personal question?" The driver accepted. "How much are the Schnees paying you?"

He chuckled lightly. "A hefty sum, I can assure you."

"And is it worth it? You know, all that money for following Weiss' orders?"

He simply smiled. "As I said, Lady Xiao Long, it is a hefty sum."

"Yeah, I'll bet," she grumbled before turning to Blake. "All right, I'll take care of the bags, go ahead and take a seat."

Yang detached her hand from the Faunus' and extended it towards Blake's suitcase. She retained her uncharacteristic neutral expression, showing none of her regular enthusiasm or happiness about the action. Her hand never reached her partner's suitcase because Blake shook her head and responded, "No, Yang. I will take care of our luggage." Through the indifferent expression, Yang assumingly desired to object, but fell to Blake's smile. "It's been a long day. You're tired and you need to rest. Let me take care of everything; you've helped more than enough." Yang retained her expression for a moment, but relented after Blake's singular "Please?"

Though the blonde was in obvious disagreement with the suggestion, she submitted and extended her own suitcase towards the Faunus nevertheless. "Fine," she relented as she bowed her head. There was something in this expression that Blake knew all too well—a thought grave and undesirable in any disposition no matter how positive or realistic. Failure. Yang saw this as an act of failure or, worse yet, cowardice. When Yang frowned, Blake frowned. When the young Faunus took the suitcase from her partner's hand, the frowns lingered and the blonde backed away.

The driver moved just out of the couple's view, opening the door and extending his sincere greeting to the girl he had been ordered to previously antagonize. Once again, Yang sighed before moving to enter the car. However, before she could, Blake stepped forward with both bags in hand to kiss her on the cheek. The driver looked away for whatever reason (possibly out of simple discomfort with a public display of affection) as Yang relaxed and Blake said, "Don't worry, I'll be right back."

For the first time since arriving in Vale, Yang smiled, and though it was a faint smile, it was a smile that warmed Blake's heart. "Yeah, all right," the smile could even be heard in her tone, "don't strain yourself."

Blake nearly laughed but instead chose to quip with "I will do my best" before passing her girlfriend and heading towards the limousine's trunk. As she did so, Yang crawled into the vehicle while the driver followed the Faunus. He proceeded to open the trunk, smile at Blake, and move to the driver side door, leaving the girl alone with polite efficiency that had to be admired.

Though Yang had voiced her distaste for the assistants on many an occasion (often using a choice selection of short yet effective vocabulary), Blake held no reservations against the men in suits, instead finding them rather kind if subtly condescending at times. Not once had they been outwardly spiteful nor had they given anything but a smile with their actions. Though, the honorifics they seemed to always attach to their names was strange, but Blake thought it part of their training for when they dealt with members of the Schnee family. They were professional, they were courteous, and they had no intention for conversation outside of what was absolutely necessary and polite—to the introverted mind of Blake, they were delightful company to have from time to time.

With the bags put away, Blake closed the trunk and moved to rejoin her partner. Before she could enter the opened door, however, she felt compelled to look at the nameless masses that continued to struggle for a seat in a taxi. While they did continue to push and wait and mutter and hop, those closest to the limousine looked at the Faunus with nothing but contempt. They were bitter because she, of all people, would have transportation provided for her specifically and would not include any of them despite the space on the benches inside. Those that looked down on her grew in numbers as her mind began to rationalize and imagine, yet never once did her thoughts stray to the belief that these people hated her for what lie beneath her bow. Instead, she knew that they looked at her this way because of what remaining space there was within the limousine. These people had no allegiance to the White Fang nor did they assume who she was. They simply despised her because she had what they lacked and for the first time in the Faunus' life, she did not care about their opinions.

Blake smiled as a means of possibly bringing her partner back to who she usually was, but as she entered the car and closed the door, this grin fell. Across the bench opposite the door lay Yang, motionless and awake. It was a chilling sight—the listless gaze at nothing in particular, the mane of hair spilled haphazardly across the seat and floor beneath, and the uncomfortable, pessimistic pout that she unwittingly displayed. Instantly, Blake wanted to console the blonde and simply hold her near until whatever bothered her vanished entirely. However, this expression was the result of mounting emotions over the past ten hours wherein she had held Yang close nearly the entire time. Now was the time for speech instead of physical affection—understanding rather than suppression. For this reason, Blake respected her partner's position and chose to seat herself on the opposite bench, never once taking her gaze off of the solemn girl even as she put on her safety belt and prepared for the hour-long drive ahead of them.

Yang did not react when the limousine rumbled to life; she did not move her gaze from the unimportant spot on the far wall nor did she seem to care about her own seatbelt. Somehow, the blonde seemed to be in a worse state than when she was in the terminal. Not only did she seem forlorn for some reason, she looked outwardly sad. Perhaps memories plagued her as well, but Blake had reason to believe that this was not the case as her partner had been able to overcome such paralyzing sentiments in the past. However, an argument could be made towards the opposite, Blake supposed.

This reaction had started not after Cole had given Yang a hug, but after Lilian. Perhaps this was a reflective melancholy spurred by the meeting of one more mother figure in her life. Blake did not think Yang saw Lilian as a mother figure of her own, but within the blonde's mind, the elder Faunus was the most stable, motherly person she had known within the past decade. Despite their differences and arguments, the two seemed to have a respect for each another, but perhaps this was as enemies do when face-to-face in impending, unavoidable combat. Perhaps it truly was a memory that pained her partner so, Blake thought. Perhaps it would be best to bring this memory to the forefront and discuss it rather than allow it to fester within the currently dark mind of the exuberant youth. However, this could not be immediately achieved due to the shifting of the dividing window between driver and cabin.

The driver asked, "Are you prepared to depart, Lady Belladonna?"

"Yeah, get going," Yang grumbled. At this, the window closed and the car began to roll forward, bringing the blonde's sudden anger back down to a distraught neutrality.

Yang had always been the expressive type—the one who would show her jubilance when she was happy and the one who could manifest her ire whenever she was angry—but her indifference and sighing resignation were painful for the regularly composed Faunus to witness. The lilac stare returned to the same invisible point while the amber gaze drooped out of pity. It was obvious Yang had something on her mind, but judging by the responses she had given the driver, she did not seem to be in much of a talkative mood. However, she had been able to speak genially after Blake had taken her suitcase, so the young Faunus did believe that there was the possibility that Yang had an exception for her. Yet she did not want to risk her girlfriend's temper, leaving her at an emotional impasse. On one hand, she wanted to know what was bothering Yang and what could be done to help her feel better, but on the other hand, Yang was like Blake in that she was not the type of person who would ask for help or speak freely about what was concerning her.

As the airport terminal slid out of their view and while the ornery bunch continued their attempts to find taxis, Blake knew that now was as good a time as any to ask what was the matter. They had approximately one more hour together before they would return to their teammates and in that time, they could either progress or simmer. Blake made her decision. "Yang?" she asked, receiving a curious, yet not at all angrily raised eyebrow. The young Faunus took but a moment to phrase her next few words correctly before asking, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Yang murmured and closed her eyes, "I'm fine."

"I wouldn't classify your current expression as 'fine.' I can tell that something's bothering you and I would like to help."

The blonde rolled so that her face was partially buried in the seat as she mumbled, "It's nothing."

Blake frowned. "Now you're sounding like me." Yang's one visible eye turned to lock with her partner's gaze. It was a wary expression—afraid and hesitant but not once hostile. "Please, Yang, if something is on your mind let me know." Yang did not seem immediately ready to speak, but Blake knew one word that would certainly affect her partner, as underhanded as it may be to use it. "It hurts to see you this way."

There was a momentary pause of what could only be assumed to be revelatory comprehension before Yang sat up with a groan. She did not pay heed to her own seatbelt, choosing instead to simply lean back against the seat as she looked across to her partner, an alarmingly apologetic and self-loathing expression crossing her countenance. "I'm sorry," she said. This was followed by a deep breath. "It's just…" She shook her head. "It's just that…I know you said your mom and dad were fine with me and our relationship, but I keep thinking that," she seemed to pick her words carefully, "they don't really like me or me being with you."

This was not the case whatsoever. Cole had not only stated his favor for the girl, but had shown similarities to Yang in both demeanor and sense of humor. To Blake, her father and her partner were fast friends and had never once found reason or grounds for conflict between each other. Even Lilian who had clashed with the blonde respected her. She had stated that trust had not been completely earned but that seeds had been sewn and merits had been proven to warrant a degree of familiarity and understanding that would, in time, lead to trust. And this was only the response Blake's mother had given to Yang on the day before they left. On the day of their departure, Lilian had hugged the taller girl with the same warmth she had hugged her daughter—it is to be noted that to a Belladonna, physical contact such as this is unquestionably an endearing show of acceptance. In actuality, Yang had managed to earn the respect of all members of the Belladonna family in relatively short times for their individual personalities—Lilian's most of all. This was the reason Blake said, "Yang, they love you—there's no doubt about it." Yang seemed confused. "They may not know you as well as they know me, but they care for you. You must know my father liked you and my mother would never talk to anyone the way she spoke to you if she was not comfortable with you."

Yang shook her head. "Yeah, I get that, but still I think they think I'm not good enough for you." She looked perplexed for a moment, perhaps at her own phrasing, but shook the expression off for an even deeper frown. "What's worse is that I think it's getting to me."

"What is?"

"I…I'm starting to think that I'm not good enough for you." She closed her eyes again, retreating back into the clutches of fear and doubt. "I know what you said—I know what I said! But, still, I think that whole visit made it clear that I'm not the type of person you should be looking for."

"Yang…"

"No, Blake, it's all right." Despite her words, her tone told the opposite. "I mean, if you look at the difference between you and me, it's kinda obvious that I'm not 'the one.' Take your dad for example. He's calm, likes to have fun, and is positive about everything, but best of all, he can control himself. Me? I'm a hothead—if I ever heard you got hurt, I'd never just be able to break a mug's handle, I'd go ballistic! But your dad, he'd worry about you and not the guys who hurt you. I don't know if I can say the same for myself. I mean, sure, I'd be worried like crazy about you, but I don't know if I'd be able to stop myself from going after the guys who hurt you. After all that White Fang stuff, you need some kind of stability and your dad offers that better than I can.

"And your mom! God, she's smart. I know you like books and all, but man, does she have it bad." Though the sentences and exclamations could have been perceived as jokes and light-hearted compliments, they could only indicate the blonde's insecurities that, up until this point, had not been perceived by the Faunus. "You're smart, too—way smarter than I can hope or care to be, that's for sure—and I don't think I'd be of any use to you. Sure, I can fight, but study?" She laughed bitterly. "Not likely. I can't read as well as you two can, speak as well, and I definitely can't think as well as you two can. I think your mom knows that. Maybe she doesn't trust me because I can't even hold a conversation with her. That, or she's just stuck-up and doesn't want to have any fun." After this latter sentence, she hesitated and sighed. "Sorry. She's nice, I guess. Scary, but nice."

She shook her head and looked Blake seriously in the eye. "Blake, I'm sorry if I'm not good enough for you. If at any time you decide that I'm not calm enough or smart enough or anything at all, please don't stay with me. I don't want to see you get hurt and if I'm not up to your standards—"

"Yang," Blake forcefully interrupted. "Stop." The girl in question looked bewildered, as though she had been pulled back from a tangent that would have otherwise been unstoppable and wholly illogical. The young Faunus leaned forward and captured both of Yang's hands in her own, never taking her eyes off of her partner's. "You are calm and you are smart. Do not compare yourself to others because you will always find someone who is extraordinary in a certain area—areas that nobody can hope to surpass because those individuals have spent all their time perfecting their abilities. We have our entire lives ahead of us; leaving the White Fang showed me—" She corrected herself, "No, you showed me that." Blake saw her partner's eyes begin to bow. Whether this was from disagreement or happiness, Blake could not be sure, but she squeezed Yang's hands and brought her lilac gaze upward once more. "I love you, Yang. There isn't anyone else who could take your place."

"I…" Yang's expression bordered on one of the most teary, saddest smiles Blake had ever seen from the blonde and yet it warmed her heart unconditionally. "I love you, too."

The young couple would remain in this state, simply smiling as they held onto each other for minutes imperceptible. From Blake's perspective, the entire hour that it would take to arrive at the house could have passed by or it could only have been a fraction of a second, but the value she placed on that moment and its ability to relieve Yang from her ailing stresses was inconceivable to her as it was all of personal, intimate, and something entirely not allowed within the clutches of the White Fang. There needed not to have been a hug or a kiss because the words said had conveyed emotion well enough. For a second, Blake thought to suggest that Yang put on her seatbelt as well, but now was not the time. They were ignoring the passing buildings, lights, and cars that together made up the freeway around the city that, while grand and self-important in design, could not distract the two from one another. Blake began to move a thumb against the skin that was not covered by the glove and her partner eventually did the same, warming gradually and coming back to her regular personality.

Sometime during the ride, Yang's actions ceased and her gaze shifted to Blake's dominant hand. "Blake?" she asked, not truly seeking for a response before she flipped the Faunus' hand over. Atop the fingertips was flushed skin that lingered still from the show of defensive fury the day prior. Yang blinked before detaching, groaning, and returning to her horizontal position. "I did that, didn't I?" She received no response due to Blake being unsure about what to say. "Blake, I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, I promise."

She had regressed into a similar distressed state and had shocked Blake with the suddenness of this reaction. Already she seemed to be on the verge of tears, self-loathing dripping off of every apologetic syllable. In an instant, Blake unbuckled her seatbelt and moved to the opposite bench, sitting beside her girlfriend's head and rubbing her arm reassuringly with the burned hand. She felt that now was the time for physical closeness and engaged her partner accordingly as she soothed, "It's all right. I've been through worse and this doesn't hurt." Yang tried to shy away, but Blake continued. "Yang, I wasn't thinking correctly when this happened. If anyone is to blame, it's me." She moved the hand up into her partner's hair. "Please, Yang, do not worry about this. I don't want to see you in pain either."

Yang was still for a long, quiet, presumably introspective moment after which she moved up the seat to rest her head atop Blake's lap. As she continued to frown at the opposite window, the young Faunus continued to brush the golden mane, having no qualms with her partner's action. If, through this, Yang would be calmed and brought back to her previous sunny disposition, Blake would gladly maintain her affections. Fortunately, the warmth that was so characteristic of the blonde was beginning to return—not as quickly as it usually did, but it would return in full gradually. "It's all right," Blake assured. "It's all right." Yang exhaled and with this came the return of even more of her warmth. Perhaps it would be best to distract her thoughts from those that troubled her still. "Yang?" The girl hummed. "Is there anything you would like to do when we get home? Anything to get your mind off of this?"

Again, Yang sighed. However, this sigh in comparison to all the others was more so out of relief than out of exasperated anguish. "Yeah," she said. "Really, all I wanna do is see my sister again. I'm worried about her being alone with Weiss. What if—" She cut herself off and breathed. "I don't know. It's been a long couple of days and even after all that sleep, I'm still tired. I think I need to relax for a bit. I guess I'll see Ruby again first and then maybe we could watch a movie tonight or something, just you and me."

Blake smiled. "I'd like that." Yang nodded and then attempted to curl up on the seat, crossing her arms and pulling in her legs as relaxed into her partner's brushing. The blonde's expression still gave off the impression that she was troubled by her thoughts, but it could not be said that she was controlled by them any longer.

The two would remain in this reassuring, absent-mindedly affectionate state for however long it would take to return to that dirt path on the fringes of the city. Blake knew that Yang would recover—that was part of who she was. Neither negativity nor memory could restrain the blonde for long because her selfless positivity was not caused by her own need, but the needs of those around her. To many, this may seem a piteous existence and mentality, but it must be understood that through seeing others' happiness, Yang was able to become happy herself. In turn, Blake was happy to see the joy that existed in every smile and grin and hug that was not simply given, but gifted. The Faunus could only speak from her own painful experience with life, but she treasured that positivity as the anchor that could keep her from straying too far into the darkness. And to Yang, her partner's placidity and logical perspective could ground her in reality during times when light began to fade. They did not exist for each other, but loved each other whole-heartedly and in this moment of calm reassurance, they each knew this for fact.

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The limousine's door opened to reveal the doorstep of the sisters' home, large in scale yet modest in appearance. The scene was quiet save for the low hum of the engine, the faint chirpings of invisible birds, and the distant, ambient rustling of trees. Yang stepped out first and smiled gratefully at the suited man who stood beside the door. She was followed soon after by Blake who smirked at the now familiar sight. This warm abode seemed to welcome the two back. Somehow, it seemed cooler here than it had been when they left despite the season nearing its midpoint. A refreshing wind blew softly past the car, bringing Blake's attention to the white, towering, gentle clouds floating far apart from each other against the pleasant blue. Whatever doubts or worries that existed within the minds of either girl vanished for the moment at this sight of home.

The door was closed behind them and Yang sighed. "Okay," she said, presumably fortifying her still inundated state of mind and countering Blake's prediction of her saying something relieved and sentimental as she had when first returning to this land for the summer. The blonde's head turned to meet her partner's gaze and she smiled briefly. This was no emotional or trepid homecoming by any means; rather, it was long-awaited and fortunate now that the time had finally come. Blake felt what must have been a similar sensation, but she knew that because her time calling this house her home was significantly shorter than the time Yang had referred to it as such, her own reaction could not nearly be as reassuring.

Blake would allow Yang to revel in her return while she, herself, moved to collect their luggage from the trunk. It was refreshing to step away from the sentiments spawning from this arrival for a moment. It is not to say that the young Faunus was uncomfortable with the show of emotion; rather, it had been a long flight with a subsequent long car ride and the opportunity to stretch her legs and move across solid earth would not be squandered. She was a huntress, after all—that is, she was a huntress-in-training—which meant that physical atrophy to even a slight degree did not sit well with her. Regardless of Yang's thoughts on the matter, Blake pulled both suitcases from the limousine, closed the trunk, and returned to her girlfriend's side. "Ready?" she asked.

Yang nodded and the two moved forward. The driver went about his business, returning to the limousine and eventually moving off of the premises as his job had been completed for the time being. As the couple neared the door, their excited hesitance began to disappear and by the time they reached it, this trepidation had been completely replaced by a sense of impatience spawned from fatigue. Yang looked to her jacket and fished around in its pockets for the key to the house. She had fortunately lost her distraught expression in the past hour, but she was not smiling nor was she radiating the same happiness that she often did prior to leaving Sierra. The lack of apathy was fortunate, but her inability to instantly recover to her usual state was disheartening to the young Faunus. Blake thought that perhaps this latter fault would prove far more distressing to someone other than the girl who knew indifference and morose existence all too well. Ruby looked up to Yang even at her current age and it was reasonable to believe that if the young leader saw her sister's uncharacteristic demeanor, some altering thought would affect her still malleable mind. However, the subsequent events would ease Blake of her doubts.

Yang withdrew the key and stared at it for a moment. Through this small piece of metal, she would return home and could continue her life with new knowledge and understanding—of both reassuring and haunting varieties—ascertained from her time with her partner's parents. She sighed and looked to Blake who nodded. They both knew now that their trip was finally over and that they could rest as soon as they passed through the door. Yang inserted the key, turned it, and at the sound of a soft clicking noise, she opened it. The inside of the house was as Blake remembered from when she first arrived on that middle-June day—the place seemed comfortable, welcoming, and absolutely quiet.

In an instant, the Faunus' vision was obscured, leaving her nearly at a loss for what was occurring, but she had been able to hear a quiet grunt from her partner. At first, she believed that one of her teammates had attacked due to the natural unexpectedness of someone suddenly unlocking the door to a house occupied by huntresses—warriors who were trained to strike at a moment's notice. However, it took only a second to realize that what had obscured her vision had been a flurry of rose petals, now floating to the floor as the girl in red cheered, "Yang! You're back!" The grunt that came from the blonde had been her reaction to the running hug that she had only just been able to withstand.

Any trace of past doubt on Yang's countenance was now nonexistent. She smiled widely and gleefully, hugging her sister in a hold far less delicate than any Blake had ever been in. "You bet I am!" she cheered back. "And the house isn't burnt down! Fancy that." Ruby giggled, holding one of the happiest smiles Blake had ever seen from the young girl despite the number of times during the past year where she had attempted to distance herself from her sister's affections. Ruby's smile did not wane in sincerity until the moment Yang tightened the hug and lifted her. "Oh, I've missed you so much, you don't even understand!"

Yang closed her eyes and began shaking the poor girl around like a ragdoll—she definitely found her energy and enthusiasm again, Blake thought amusedly. Ruby's smile had disappeared and her face flushed from a lack of oxygen. "Yeah, I missed you, too," she wheezed before looking to the Faunus. "Blake," she attempted to whisper, "help."

The girl in question could not help but quietly chuckle at this show of sisterly love. However, the humor she found in this situation did not dissuade her from putting a hand on her partner's shoulder, silently telling Yang to ease her grip. The blonde's grin did not falter, but she dropped her sister nonetheless, allowing Ruby to unsteadily land on her feet as she attempted to catch her breath. "Aw, you're no fun," Yang teased. "You think you're too cool for hugs just because some guy made you team leader."

"That's," Ruby managed between gasps of air, "the price of growing up, I guess."

"Whoa, now. Don't push it, little sister. I said you were cool, not grown up—there's a big difference."

"What? I'm totally grown up!" As the sisters went about this exchange of Ruby supposedly being mature and Yang choosing not to believe that her little sister could ever grow up, Blake placed their bags on the carpet before closing the door behind them. She had no intention of interrupting their conversation as she found it endearing and did not want to spoil the moment.

Eventually, Yang was able to end this light-hearted quarrel with a smirk and a flippant "Whatever." Neither sister seemed the least bit upset by the exchange, instead smiling all the wider because of it. "So," Yang began, "what have you been up to while we were gone?" Strangely enough, Blake saw the young girl stiffen slightly at the question—it was a nearly invisible reaction, but Blake saw her twitch and knew that something was off. It was apparent Ruby did not intend to answer for her own reasons, leading Yang to press, "Oh, come on! You must have done something fun while I was away. I taught you better than to do nothing and be boring, so come on! Tell me!"

"I…Uh…Hmm…" It had become painfully apparent that Ruby had something to say but lacked the means of saying it. She suddenly seemed uncomfortable and had begun toying with whichever part of her cape came nearest to her fingers. Yang's smile began to flatten as her brow raised. Both she and Blake knew that something was amiss and yet neither had the slightest inclinations as to what was presently bothering the youth. Perhaps, Blake mused, she had broken something in the house and was embarrassed to admit this—although, this was the only reasonable thought that came to mind at the present instant, but it could not be said to be fact or even feasible because such a claim lacked sufficient evidence for the Faunus. Fortunately, Blake's postulations were halted by the person who would eventually give the answers they sought.

The young Faunus' ears perked and brought her attention to the soft tapping of heeled boots against the carpeted floor by the hallway. The three in the foyer turned with varied expressions to the odd sight of the immaculate, snowy heiress that walked their way. It is to say that this sight was odd because the girl in white came bearing what could only be approximated as two gifts, for the first object being wrapped neatly in paper of a frosted azure color and the second, found to be far smaller than the other (the first gift being nearly the length of one hand held flat) seemed to have been haphazardly wrapped in crimson. What came off as even stranger was the expression that the heiress had. Under normal circumstances, Weiss Schnee's outward emotion could be categorized as either annoyed or condescending—neither of which were fitting sentiments for the unabashed smile she presently held. It was this smile that had caused the aforementioned varied looks on the parts of her teammates. Among the other two, Blake's expression was the most neutral, being that she had seen Weiss smile on multiple occasions. Yang seemed more than a little wary of this pleasant demeanor while Ruby looked to her partner for only a brief second. Had Blake paid attention to the youngest of them, she would have noticed a coloration on her features reminiscent of her hood.

"Welcome home," greeted Weiss warmly. "I apologize if my driver accepted you with an…unruly expression. I was not having a good day at the time I told him to say that to you." She came to stand beside her partner, retaining the smile as though it was a natural look for her. While the sight of a happy Weiss was a charming one, it was also a surprising one that kept Yang's brow aloft and telling of her distrust.

"Yeah," Yang drawled warily, "hey yourself." She flashed a curious look Blake's way to which the Faunus shrugged noncommittally.

"I trust your flight back proved more convenient than when you left." Admittedly, even Blake found this demeanor odd for the heiress. She would not complain about it because it was a nice change of pace from her usual, cold self, but it was odd nonetheless. "Those early morning flights truly are a nasty business. I just hope you two fared better than when you left—all bleary eyed and disgruntled." She barked a seemingly sincere yet tellingly excited laugh.

"Yeah," Yang said again in the same distrusting tone as before, "we were fine."

"And you, Blake! How were your parents? Healthy and welcoming, I would hope." The girl in question simply raised an eyebrow at this peculiar positivity being directed at her. Fortunately, she needed not answer as Weiss suddenly tutted "Ah!" and waved off the inquiry. "What am I doing, prying for information? You two must be tired after your travels. Would you like me to help you with your luggage?"

This was the point at which the two homecoming partners looked at each other and decided something was doubtlessly amiss. Weiss had been a helpful teammate at many points during the past year, but not once did she volunteer herself and never still did she help when physical labor would be required of her. For this, the blonde warned, "Ruby, step away from that woman. I don't know who she is, but that is not Weiss. Whatever that is, it gives me the creeps."

This comment suddenly brought about a characteristic glower from the heiress to replace her rare expression, bringing the conversation down to an expected level of barely tolerant disdain. "I see you have not lost your gripping sense of humor in these past few days. Pity. I try to speak peacefully and yet you continue to see me as your enemy. I thought that we could have moved past this by now."

"Never mind!" Yang chirped, keeping her attention on Ruby. "I was wrong—just surprised that Weiss could admit she had a bad day for once in her life." She looked to the heiress. "So, what's with the boxes? Is your company in the mail business now?"

Weiss sighed, seemingly shaking off her reactive hostility and allowing the tone of the conversation to cool somewhat before she spoke again. "No, these are for you. Ruby and I prepared gifts for your birthday, but we learned of your intent to spend the day in…Sierra, was it? Regardless, Ruby convinced me to get you something as a means of building a bridge between us." Yang lost her suspicious look for one more attentive and calm. "As much as I hate to say it, there is a divide between us that will have to be crossed at one point or another. For efficiency's sake, I propose sooner rather than later and, if you would allow me, I hope that this," she extended the blue-white box, "will be a means of nearing that goal."

Yang looked uncertain for a moment—not distrusting; merely caught off-guard—but she pocketed her key and accepted the gift nonetheless. "You know you didn't have to get me this, right? You don't owe me anything and even though I mess with you, you're still my friend. There's not really a bridge to build." She sighed and looked to the present in her hands. "Well, thanks anyways. I probably should open this, right? I mean you went through the trouble and all." At first, the blonde's speech showed a sense of decorum, but as she continued on, her excitement for the gift seemed to get the better of her.

Beneath the wrapping of the parcel was found to be a box of metallic construct, latched shut and bearing the crest of the Schnee family. Weiss cleared her throat, catching the blonde's auditory attention. "I will admit that shopping for you proved difficult as Blake can attest." The girl in reference blinked before realizing the purpose of Weiss bringing her to the jewelry store and deciding that such a gift would be inappropriate coming from but a friend. "I do not know much about you other than your affinity for combat and your inane urge to build something absurd to solve a problem than use your wit, so I asked your sister." The heiress smiled gracefully at her partner. "She suggested something practical—actually, something that would benefit your weapons—and that is what I got you." Yang unlatched the box and found a line of what looked to be shotgun shells. "They are propulsion rounds—a prototype ammunition from the Schnee Dust Company that, as the name suggests, will propel you in the direction opposite where you point your weapon rather quickly. I got the idea after remembering your…performance on initiation day and how you seemed to enjoy your moment of flight."

"Wow," was all Yang could say for the moment as she simply touched the doubtlessly expensive shells. There were not many from what Blake could see—perhaps a dozen or two at the most—but this scarcity only seemed to further the impression that they were cutting-edge and effective. "I mean…wow. I don't think I'll ever be able to use these 'cause I kinda wanna pull them apart and learn to make them myself, but man, these are cool." She looked up to meet her teammate's pleased smile with a warm one of her own. "Thanks, Weiss. You know, you're not as bad as I sometimes think you are."

"What high praise," the heiress quipped.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Those are your compliments for the decade; don't spend them all in one place." The team laughed at this in their respective ways as they accepted the fact that they were rudimentarily reunited. Though Blake had been quiet throughout the conversations, she did not feel a need to speak and found her current reticence comforting as it had been during their time at Beacon. These laughs were followed by a calm silence that soon enough gave way to Yang's curiosity. "Well, thanks for the present, Weiss, but I see that you have another. And if I was to wager who it was from, I'd probably be right. Do you mind if I see it?"

"Umm," Ruby sounded, interrupting her partner's transferral of the small, vaguely cubic gift. "Yang, I don't think now's the time to open that."

"Why not?"

The young girl nervously began poking her fingers together. "Well, you see, I kinda found it in…mom's belongings a while ago."

"Oh." Yang nodded her head in understanding, but suddenly her eyes widened in the most shockingly astonished expression Blake had ever seen on the girl. "Oh! You mean…?" Ruby nodded. "Oh. Well, yeah; no, it's not a good idea to open it around these two." She turned to her partner with a sheepish look about her. "Sorry, Blake. I've gotta keep this one a secret for now." She looked back to Ruby. "How in the world did you even find this? I thought dad kept it."

Ruby shook her head. "I asked Qrow where dad put it and he said it was with all of the other stuff mom left here."

"You mean she didn't take it with her?"

"Nope. Must've been too valuable."

"Yeah, I'll say." Yang seemed overwhelmed by receiving this smaller gift despite not opening it. Blake could not say that she was not curious as to what it was, but Yang had told her—rather, implored her—to leave this subject alone for the time being. She had an idea of what could be within the wrapping, but she doubted this idea and brushed it off almost immediately. "Ruby, I don't know what to say. Do you know what you're doing by giving this to me?"

"Yep!" The younger girl smiled cheerily and with no lack of confidence. "Mom would probably want you to have it. I don't think she'd think you were ready for it yet, but maybe one day." Oddly enough, Ruby's smile flashed Blake's way for half a second and in that time, the Faunus saw what could only be described in her mind as acceptance—acceptance as another person and, assumingly, as a member of their team. It is to say that this look the leader gave was of acceptance, but not in the ways the young Faunus believed.

Suddenly, the girl in red was pulled into another hug by her sister as the blonde said, "Thanks, Ruby. I know I'm not ready to use this—it's probably way too soon for me to even have it—but one day for sure." Ruby was able to hug back because she was not being smothered or crushed in this particular hold. They would remain in this state only for a second, showing gratitude and happiness from returning home, before they separated. It was then that Yang said, "So, you never told me what went on while I was gone." Ruby's smile faltered and became a look of subtle fear while Weiss' calm expression shifted ever so slightly. "Something must have happened! Why was Weiss so happy when we came back? She's never that nice to me."

Weiss' expression was surprisingly not of offense, but instead of a very subtle blush and of uncharacteristic uncertainty. Ruby looked away and was suddenly seized by a very convenient coughing fit. Yang's eyes narrowed. "What's going on?" She was quickly losing patience and must have had similar thoughts to Blake's. The reactions on the other partnership's parts were telling of the fact that the blonde and the Faunus had been correct in thinking something was amiss. "Ruby," Yang asserted, "what's going on? What did I miss?"

"Well," the young girl drawled without the intent of finishing the thought. She laughed nervously for a moment but stifled this reaction just as quickly. Weiss sent her a harsh glare before recomposing herself. However, this recomposing was not completely effective because the blush still lingered on the otherwise pale girl's cheeks as her eyes trained not on the floor in front of her, but on Ruby's boots. This reaction, blush, and line of sight told Blake that whatever it was they did not want to speak about concerned both Ruby and Weiss, yet this was natural as they were the only people in the house for the past three days. Ruby's shying away from her sister's inquiry, however, seemed to indicate that their secret was one that Yang would likely object to. Because of the conversations Blake had had with Yang over the three days they were away, she had a very good idea as to what the two girls were hiding.

"Weiss?" Blake asked, knowing that she had more influence over the heiress than over her partner's sister. Weiss sent a trepid glare her way as she awaited her continuance. "Would you like me to tell her?" Of course, Blake did not know if her prediction was correct, making this question a gambit to draw an answer out of the heiress. An underhanded tactic though it was, this was intended to defuse the situation before Yang and her short temper could make assumptions of their own.

The glare held as Weiss grumbled something incoherent but undoubtably defeated. Her gaze turned to Yang and in that moment, it shifted from defiant to apologetic, then to confident, and finally back to apologetic. "I…" she attempted to begin but found herself rewording whatever it is she had to say under the distrusting gaze of the blonde. "We—that is, Ruby and I—while you were away," she was attempting to stall, "came to an eventual and mutual agreement to—and I should stress the dispassionate logic behind our decision as it is vital to the understanding of our predicament and circumstance—"She was cut off.

"We're together," Ruby blurted out and the room then fell to silence.

Immediately, the young girl began looking around nervously at all the faces before her, scanning for any possible doubt or upset that could have come from her outburst, yet she could not find any emotion amongst the three as the revelation was still taking an effect over them. Rather, it is to say that Blake was not awe-struck by this new information for she had foreseen it in her prediction; for this, she allowed a small, prideful smirk to grace her features which Ruby immediately saw and must have understood as accepting. Weiss and Yang, however, were in differing degrees of shock, causing the taller of the two to drop the box of ammunition and the shorter to stare wide-eyed at her partner. Seeing these reactions, Blake's smirk disappeared as she feared that this admission—after hearing from Yang during the trip about her distaste for a relationship between her sister and the heiress—would cause conflict. She was tired by this point and Yang was as well, but protective urges seemed to have become a motivating factor in the blonde's life, leading the young Faunus to believe that conflict was not only feasible, it was impending.

Again, Ruby interrupted. "Wait, wait, wait! Yang, please don't be mad! We talked about this, remember? You said if me and Weiss agreed on everything, we'd be able to try out dating for a little while. We're not doing anything bad, I promise! And it's not even serious yet!" At this latter exclamation, Weiss returned to reality and sent a questioning glare her partner's way.

Yang must have seen this emotion because her aura flared, sending a momentary wave of heat throughout the room as her eyes, now scarlet, bore into the heiress. "Oh, I'm not mad." She was furious. In an instant, she pocketed the red-wrapped present and marched over to where the girl in white stood. She forcefully grabbed Weiss' arm and the heiress seemed to know that instigating conflict at this moment would only prove disadvantageous, causing her to submit and move with Yang toward the hallway and their rooms. "We're just gonna have a little talk." Truthfully, Blake did not know if this statement was meant for Weiss or Ruby, but the effect was still the same—both girls seemed terrified. "I'll be back later to talk to you, Ruby, so don't even think about running off anywhere." The young leader did not have time to reply as her sister and partner vanished into the darkness of the hallway.

The door to Yang's room was slammed shut, rattling the fixtures on the walls and marking the beginning of what would be a rather heated discussion between the two. Ruby continued to stare at the dark hall, presumably hoping for Weiss' (who was apparently now the young leader's girlfriend) safety. Her fears could not be said to be completely unfounded as both Yang and Weiss had proven unable to control their actions when they spawned from anger or annoyance. Yet it could not be said that this conversation would end in a sword being drawn or a gauntlet being pointed at the other—they both cared for Ruby and to deprive her of either would be cruel. There would most certainly be shouting and arguments, but there would be no physical conflict.

Despite this sight of her concerned leader, Blake could not help but reflect for a moment upon the manner in which Weiss followed Yang. There had been neither complaint given nor grunt of pain that most likely came with the blonde's grip. Weiss had been strangely compliant for who Blake thought her to be. In the Faunus' mind, the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company should have been more vocal about her treatment and far more argumentative when it came to Yang's hostility towards the relationship. Had Blake been in a similar situation—and, while she was with her mother, she had—she would have fought to uphold her relationship with Yang no matter what obstacles came in her way. Yet now Yang was the obstacle and Weiss was having to explain herself to the mother figure instead of Ruby.

Ruby. Blake snapped out of her reflective pause to see the girl still staring down the hall from which muted shouts could barely be heard even with enhanced senses. The sight of breaking hope on the part of the cheerful girl hurt, but it is to say in a narrative aside that this pain did not spawn from the Faunus' viewing of a contradictory sight, but instead from seeing her partner's sister in pain and feeling that it was on some level her responsibility to take care of Ruby—not as a teammate, but something akin to a surrogate sister. This was an odd sensation for the only child because she had no understanding of how to go about consoling the young girl, yet her pride would not allow her to think that this was a challenge she could not surmount. Because of this inherent confidence, she decided against moving the suitcases for the time being and instead walked up behind Ruby and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It will be all right," she said. "They might argue for a bit, but they will eventually figure something out."

Ruby looked up at her with silver eyes that seemed nearly hopeless. "Are you sure?"

"Honestly, no. Our partners have a track record of inconsistency and general disdain for each other." This caused Ruby's gaze to sober even further before fixating on the ground. However, Blake knew what she was saying. "But one thing is certain: they care for you. Whatever happens, it will be in your best interest. Come on, let's go sit down." She did not wait for Ruby to respond, choosing instead to lead the young girl into the living room. In the time it took the two to find seats that allowed them to sit close to each other (knowing Yang, Blake thought that Ruby would need someone close by in times of emotional duress), Ruby's disposition had lightened a little, but not by any margin that could be perceived as reassured. For this, Blake said, "Weiss will be fine. I am certain she has dealt with worse than a scolding by Yang."

"But what about Yang?" Ruby asked. "Weiss knows how to argue really well. Do you think Yang will be all right, too?"

Blake nodded and smiled thoughtfully, causing a confused look to come to her teammate's face. "She'll be fine. Weiss may be cruel at times, but Yang's strong—you know that. I've only seen her falter once when she was in this kind of state and that was when she was arguing with my mother."

Ruby's apparent confusion remained, but her look changed to that of barely concealed fear once more. "Then Weiss is going to get yelled at, right?"

Blake's eyes widened in realization at the doubt she had accidentally planted in her teammate's mind. "Oh, no! Of course not! She's—" Unfortunately, she was interrupted by a rather loud shout of "What?" that came from Yang down the hall. This caused the Faunus to wince at being proven immediately wrong and the younger girl to stare down at her lap. "Well," Blake began again uneasily, "I'm sure she will be fine. Weiss is one of the smartest people I know and she has been taught to debate and bargain." The leader's demeanor did not budge. "Ruby, I'm positive that no matter what they say to each other, you and Weiss will still be together. Even if your sister disagrees, the relationship will hold if you still care for her. You do care for Weiss, correct?"

"Yeah?" Ruby replied hesitantly, moving her gaze upward and raising an eyebrow as she said this.

This allowed Blake to muster the warmest, most reassuring smile she could. "Well, she cares for you as well. I've seen the way you two look at each other; it would be almost impossible for Yang to stop you from being together."

With this final reassurance, a blush came to Ruby's face, bringing with it a hopeful smile. "Thanks, Blake."

Blake simply smiled as she watched her teammate regain the positivity that so characterized her. It was a warm feeling that came to her after seeing the fruits of her reassurance; Ruby's happiness was reminiscent of Yang's in a way, being that it was hopeful—not only for the future, but for others around her and the good that could possibly come from them. Blake expected that Ruby was conflicted as to whom she should give more of her care in this situation, but in the end, she cared for both her sister and her now girlfriend. The Faunus let this silence linger for a comfortable moment, allowing the previous subject to lessen in importance and ensuring that no further outbursts from the room down the hall would interrupt their conversation. Eventually, Blake began again with the intent of moving the subject to happier, more informative matters. "So," she said, "when did you come to this decision? It must have been in the past few days because Weiss still seemed excited when Yang and I returned."

"Well," Ruby laughed nervously, "it's kind of a long story."

"If you would rather not talk about it—"

"No, no! It's fine. I mean, you aren't going to tell Weiss or Yang I told you this, right?" Blake shook her head. "Well, then I guess it's okay." She took a deep breath, most likely preparing herself to describe what had happened, placing events in in an order either chronological or categorized by importance. Blake could sympathize with her leader's hesitation as this confession was no doubt taxing on the girl who was still relatively young and, as far as the Faunus knew, similarly inexperienced with relationships. "Well, it kinda happened all of the sudden—like, really all of the sudden. The day after you guys left, Weiss woke me up at around three in the morning. She wasn't mad or tired or anything, just really serious. She said she'd been thinking a lot about stuff and wanted to know if I've been doing the same. I think about a lot of stuff, so I said 'Yeah' and she gave me this weird look. It's like it wasn't Weiss looking at me, but someone nicer—not that Weiss isn't nice or anything like that, but she can be, you know…grouchy sometimes."

Blake allowed herself a quiet chuckle at the innocent description of Weiss' seemingly ever-present ire. Fortunately enough, Ruby seemed to notice this silent action and started to laugh as well, clearing the solemnity that threatened to overshadow the spirited girl's natural expression. "Anyways," she said as her giggles began to die down, "she woke me up in the middle of the night and asked me if I was thinking about stuff. Then she told me she'd been thinking about me and I told her that I'd been thinking about her too—I mean, why wouldn't I be thinking of new ways for us to kill more Grimm? I didn't say that to her because she looked really serious, but it's what I thought. I wasn't really awake at the time, kinda being half out of it 'cause she just woke me up, but I knew something was going on. Then out of nowhere she asked me what I thought about us being together.

"Now, I know I can be a little dense at times, but I think my response to this takes the cake." A laugh could be heard trying to make its way into her words, but she was only just able to contain it. "I told her, 'But I thought we were already partners!'" At this, the laugh was released and the Faunus joined in too.

"You didn't say that, did you?" Blake did not doubt the girl, but instead somewhat feared for her, knowing that Weiss' reaction would be furious if not humorous.

"Uh-huh! You should've seen her face; I've never seen it so red!" The two continued to laugh for a moment until Blake gradually composed herself for the rest of the tale. "She looked so mad that I thought she was going to yell at me, but she didn't. Then she explained that she meant the dating kind of 'together.' It's not that I'm ignorant to the whole dating scene, I've just never thought about it myself. Yang's had boys over, but they never really worked out for more than a few of days, so I thought, 'Why bother?'" There was a slight pain felt in Blake's mind at the mention of what was likely her girlfriend's past relationships. Furthermore, the fact that they only worked out for a few days concerned her because, in her mind, two weeks was still a rather short period of time and she felt that there was the slightest of possibilities that their relationship could fail because of this timeframe. Fortunately for the introspective Faunus, Ruby's continued speech was able to sufficiently distract her. "But I've had these…feelings about Weiss. She's kinda different from everyone else, you know? Not like rich or famous or anything, but it's like she cares about the smallest mistakes I make."

She was attempting to rationalize her irrational sentiments for the heiress and Blake found this a sweet enough concept to pull her mind away from past romances that were superfluous in their entire existence. "You're saying that she is trying to help you improve yourself in ways not related to combat?"

"Yeah, except she's not like a teacher, really. More like a friend—a really good friend, I guess. Sure, she gets mad at me a lot, but I think it's because she wants to see me do better. Did you know that there are dinner forks and salad forks? I didn't, but Weiss taught me that. It's not like boring class stuff; she's actually nice about it and goes the extra mile to help me understand something. Sometimes it feels like she's treating me like a kid, but I know she doesn't mean it like that. She's…" Ruby sighed happily. "She's really nice, Blake, and I guess I have thought about her like that once or twice. I didn't know what it'd be like dating someone, but I was willing to give it a shot if she was.

"So, I told her that and she just smiled. She didn't do anything except tell me 'Good night' before she went back to sleep, leaving me awake by myself to think what just happened. It's not normal to be woken up in the middle of the night to be asked out, but giving a response and then just getting a smile back? I didn't know what to think about that. I eventually got back to sleep, and when we woke up, we talked about it. She said that we were dating now and that all we needed to do was iron out a few details. We just talked for a few hours, sometimes seriously, sometimes not, but I had fun the entire time. I mean, when Weiss isn't angry at everyone, she's actually really nice. I never thought too much about us being together until she asked about lunch." She winced at the apparent memory. "I guess she wasn't in the joking mood when I asked her if it was a date because she said no. That was kinda really awkward."

"So, you two have not been on a date yet?"

"Not really." She did not seem too disappointed, but there was a tone of regret in her denial. "Yang and I talked about what would happen when I started going out with someone. She said that before things went anywhere, she'd have to approve and because you guys were away, Weiss and I couldn't do much. That, and Weiss doesn't like the word 'date' very much; she kept calling it an 'outing.'"

"Have you been on many outings, then?"

"Just the lunch. It was kinda nice but kinda quiet as well. Weiss knows how to talk and everything, but once we got to that table, it was like she'd never gone out with anyone before." Judging by the way Ruby had said this, Blake figured that the young leader might have believed that Weiss must have been on numerous dates before. However, it was apparent to the Faunus that the heiress had little to no experience with such an event despite coming from a family in which arranged suitors were to be expected—at least from an outsider's perspective they were expected. "It was the first time for me, so I didn't have much to say except ask what she thought you and Yang were doing. Probably wasn't the best idea to ask that, but it was all I could think of."

"I'm guessing that she was angered by that question."

"A little bit, but it wasn't too bad. She didn't really get mad at me all day which was really nice and she actually seemed kinda happy even though she kept trying to hide her smile." The young girl paused, likely reflecting on that day fondly as Blake often did with that day in the park two weeks ago. She and Ruby were alike in that they had been previously inexperienced with romance and had seemingly (Blake could only be certain about her own thoughts) believed that such relationships were afterthoughts to their respective goals. The difference between the two in this regard, Blake thought, was that Ruby was more prone to sentimentality, thus causing the slowly growing smile that tugged at her lips. "I don't know. We're just trying this out for now, but I think I really like it. It's nice seeing Weiss smile, you know?"

Blake smirked. Every time Yang smiled, it was as if she was able to return to a time before the White Fang, before her leave, and before she had learned to distrust the rest of the world. It was calming and it was rejuvenating—any grin from the blonde could make a cloudy day shine and the cold world around them temperate. The thought alone of being the cause of such a smile caused this Faunus' smirk, so it is to say that Blake did know what Ruby meant when she said this. "I think Weiss is very fortunate to have someone care for her as much as you do."

This brought back Ruby's blush. "Thanks, Blake, but I think I'm the lucky one for having her. You know that at the start of the year, I thought she hated me, right? I'm just happy that she likes me now." She seemed contented with this fact and rightfully so. Gaining the favor of the heiress was no small feat for anyone, being that her more than apparent trust issues and façades of intolerance kept most who came in contact with her out of her life. After their first day at Beacon, Blake had also been certain that Weiss held severe reservations against the girl in red. Surprisingly enough, Ruby had managed to overcome this initial contempt to eventually become a friend of the heiress, grounding her in reality and showing her that life was not composed of only people out to subvert her. They were good for each other, Blake thought, the cheerful, if socially awkward girl and the cold, pedantic, and reluctantly refined heiress. The young Faunus did not have much time to have her thoughts linger on what her teammates' futures could be, because Ruby suddenly asked, "What about you? What did you and Yang do while you were gone?"

Blake hummed noncommittally, internally reasoning whether or not to tell Ruby everything that had happened. There had, of course, been positive moments during the trip, but there had also been somber realizations that left Yang in a distraught state before they returned. She decided against divulging all of her secrets, simply saying, "It's a long story as well."

"Then why don't you start with your parents?" Ruby seemed genuinely interested, bringing a smile to the Faunus. "What are they like? Were they just like you remember?"

To some part of Blake, this inquiry was sad, not because of the tone or intention behind the questions, but because of what the questions meant coming from this specific girl. She who had lost her mother at an early age and her father as the years progressed would prove to be an unwittingly sobering questioner when it came to the subject of parents. Though Yang had said that Ruby did not remember much about her mother, she still had memories and, from Blake's experience, memories could be utterly debilitating if provoked.

As such, Blake believed that she had to be tactful so to not upset the positivity that now seemed to fragilely teeter on the edge of reflective. "It has been a long time since I last saw them, Ruby, and we were not on the best of terms with each other then, so I can't really say I had high expectations for them in greeting me with open arms." Ruby seemed to regret asking about this, causing her momentary frown which was quickly dismissed by Blake. "But they did. I will admit that I was a little scared when Yang and I first arrived, but they were kind to us." The frown disappeared immediately and was replaced by a look of excited eagerness that only the younger sister of Yang could muster. "You have talked to my mother over the phone, so you have some idea of what she is like."

Ruby nodded. "Yeah, she was kinda nice even though I didn't understand most of what she was saying."

This approximation of Lilian's character caused a small laugh on Blake's part. "She tends to have that effect on people, I will admit. I hope she did not scare you like she did Yang."

"Wait!" Ruby gasped. "She scared Yang?"

"You know how Weiss can be distant and mean sometimes but still manage to have a point?" The young girl nodded. "Well, that's who my mother naturally is. Yang is smart, but I think my mother knows more than both of us combined and she will not refrain from using that knowledge at any point in time. When I was younger, she was a professor at a community college near Sierra, but I believe she stopped after I began expressing an interest in the White Fang. I don't think that I was the cause of her resignation, but I am certain that my leave played a large role in her own as well. Needless to say, she seemed to feel a little betrayed because I left, but I cannot fault her for that."

"So your mom was a professor? What'd she teach?"

Blake smirked at her teammate's dismissal of the remorseful thoughts in what had been said last. "I'm not completely sure. I've never asked and she's never told me, but I believe she is involved with literature in some way."

"Huh. Makes sense," Ruby mused. "You know, I've always had this idea that if you ever chose not to be a huntress, you'd make a great teacher. I don't know, you have that bookworm thing going on and then your mom being a teacher brought the idea back." Blake raised her brows in faux offence. "Not that there's anything wrong with that! I'm just saying you know some of our textbooks better than the professors do and you have a lot to say when it comes to the White Fang. Sorry if I said something wrong."

"No, it's all right. I'm not offended at all—surprised, actually. I've never really considered teaching before. Speaking isn't really my strong suit, after all." Ruby looked as though she was about to voice her disapproval of this latter statement, but Blake shook her head. "Regardless, she did not trust Yang immediately after meeting her. I am sure that she liked her, but she did not trust her. Though, she did eventually came to accept our relationship after no small amount of explaining and convincing."

"What about your dad?" Ruby suddenly asked. "If he's anything like mine, he wouldn't really like someone dating his daughter."

"Actually, he was supportive almost immediately."

"Well, that's good."

Blake nodded. "I think so. Yang seems to like him and he trusts her already. Hopefully they will get along well enough."

"I'm sure they will," Ruby said. "Maybe one day I could meet them, too? I don't know why, but I just want to see what you're parents are like." Blake's answer to this came in the form of a simple "Perhaps" because she did not know when she would next see her parents, if she ever would again. The meeting between her parents and the team leader seemed a harmless enough concept, but it did not seem realistic. They had only invited Yang to visit because Blake pressed the point that they would be partners for the coming years. Though, it could be reasoned that a similar imploration for the team's leader would be well met had she an ulterior motive to have the three speak to each other. With her partner, she wanted Yang to meet her parents and for her parents to meet Yang so that the relationship could be approved of by both parties. With Ruby, however, there was no sort of necessary conversation that bound her to the parents.

With the passing of this subject, Ruby was eventually able to redirect the conversation back to what Blake and Yang did in Sierra, asking if they had done anything other than speak to Lilian and Cole. "Well, when I talked to my parents over the phone, they reminded me about a festival that was occurring in Sierra and they asked if I would like to come to it. The festival was created to show solidarity between Vale and Mistral; although, it's basically one big party for everyone in the area." Blake smiled at the memories of that day (especially of those in the later hours) before she smirked at one in particular. Perhaps it was the aforementioned attachment to the leader as somewhat of a distant surrogate sister, but Blake felt compelled to tease, "There were a few rides there—one of which Yang said you might know."

Realization dawned on young Ruby as her mouth opened in dismay. "Wait! You didn't." Blake nodded, knowing that her teammate had assumed correctly. "That's no fair! Why didn't you invite me along, too? Teacups are, like, a thing for Yang and me." She crossed her arms and huffed, but it soon became apparent that this was only a playful show of faux disappointment as a smirk eventually came to her lips. "So," she said in a tone that could almost be described as devious, "how'd it go?"

Blake smirked back. "Aside from the vertigo that I had somehow forgotten about, it was fantastic."

She needed not say more because the young girl's smile became an excited grin that was coupled with a cheer of "Aw! I knew you and Yang would work out!" At this, she pumped her fist triumphantly before reveling in her correct prediction for a moment. Eventually, she asked, "So, what else did you do?"

Unfortunately, Blake could not answer because her ears perked at the incredibly faint click of a faraway lock and the opening of the door to Yang's room. Ruby had been alerted by this second noise and turned her head to look down the hall. Suddenly, the light mood of the conversation fell away to an understanding that they were about to deal with the fallout of a presumably heated argument. As much reassurance as Blake had given, she did not feel entirely confident that Yang would support her sister's relationship. Even if she and Weiss were supposed friends as the blonde had stated and the heiress had attempted to prove, it would be incorrect to say that no hostility existed between the two; their personalities fundamentally clashed in many regards. The result of this clashing of personalities was difficult for the Faunus to look at.

The heiress' natural visage had somehow become paler; her face blanched and her vision focused on nothing in particular as though she had faced death incarnate. She was shaken to say the very least. Fortunately, there were no marks on her skin or clothing, proving that Yang had not completely lost her temper, but just because no physical marks could be seen does not mean that pain did not exist. Ruby called out to her but received no response, the girl in white instead moving wordlessly to sit beside her partner.

In an instant, Ruby brought one of the frail, shaking hands into her own, causing its owner to merely stare at the grip for a moment before looking back into the void. This was a far cry from the Weiss who previously stuttered to mention such an action occurring between herself and her partner. Now she was far too consumed by grounded terror to react in any approachable manner. It was obvious that Ruby wanted to help and, to an extent, Blake did as well, but this Weiss seemed content to mull over whatever dark thoughts plagued her mind.

Perhaps Yang had beaten her in the heiress' own game of logic. Though it is to say that whatever event caused such a reaction on the part of the cold, irritable girl should never be referred to as something as trivializing as "a game" and Blake knew this. She began to assume what had happened in Yang's room, but the only factual evidence that she had was that the door had been slammed and locked and Yang shouts had only been heard once. Judging by the expression, Blake thought for a moment that her partner must have convinced Weiss not to stay with Ruby, but Weiss had allowed the young leader to hold her hand and this meant that hope was not completely lost.

Moreover, Blake began to believe that the heiress might have gotten her way because a fuming Yang marched in from the hall, gauntlets off and fists clenched. The blonde seemed conflicted, but more often than not, she looked angry, as shown by the rapid shifting of her irises' color from violet to red and back again. She never took a seat, choosing instead to pace insistently in front of the other three as the heiress' gaze slowly locked onto her.

There was never a moment when she seemed as though she did not have something to say, but not once did she choose to do so, instead grumbling incoherently and sending the occasional glare Weiss' way. This did not go on for longer than a minute before Blake asked, "Yang, what's wrong?"

For an agonizingly long and scalding second, a scarlet glare focused on Blake but it lost its power almost instantly, turning back to lilac and deeply apologetic. In that moment, however, Blake had felt the full force of her partner's fury and was taken aback by a small degree. "It's…" Yang did not say anything of importance at first, but then let out a breath that she must have been holding for a while. "Sorry, Blake. It's nothing." Though the phrasing of this apology could seem half-hearted, the frustrated sigh that came with it told the Faunus all that she needed to know about the situation and because of this, Blake was compelled to forgive her. Yang was distracted and they were both tired; their minds were not in their correct states and Blake could not fault her for this. "Ruby," the blonde suddenly said, a tone of seriousness making its way into her speech. The younger girl perked up. "C'mon. Let's go get some food to take out. I need to talk to you about Weiss and I don't think doing that here is a good idea right now." She glanced at the pale girl who was still quietly staring at her with heavily concealed contempt and fear.

"But—"

"No buts." The team leader fell once more into a discouraged state. Ruby squeezed Weiss' hand shortly before she stood and trudged over to her older sister. "It's all right," Yang sighed, sounding nearly remorseful as she put an arm over the cloaked girl. "I'm not gonna try to pull you away from her. Weiss and I talked about it and you're going to be allowed to go out, but we need to set some ground rules first."

"Ground rules?" Ruby seemed suddenly excited again, presumably glad that her new—and first—relationship would maintain, but she had a healthy skepticism about her as well. The small smile brought to her features allowed Yang one of her own, but it was smaller and as such, it was indicative of the reluctance that it so barely hid.

"Simple stuff," she assured. "Rules like curfews, I'd need to know where you're going, and no sleeping beside each other—keep to your own bunks. That sort of stuff." Ruby nodded in eager acceptance, seemingly unfazed by the restrictions placed on her relationship. Yang, however, lost her smile, causing Blake to worry. "All right, come on." She began to pull her sister out of the living room. "You can pick what we eat tonight just as long as you let me talk, all right?" As they left the room, Ruby hummed in the affirmative and this was followed by Yang's unenthused yell of, "We'll be right back, Blake. It won't take us long."

The young Faunus did not have an opportunity to respond before she heard the door to the garage quietly open and close somewhere else in the house. Some part of her felt dejected by her inability to respond in time because Yang was in pain and, from what she had seen from her other teammates, Blake knew that she would be the only person who could care for the blonde in this time. Weiss was out of the question due to her apparent fear and hostility and it is doubtful that Ruby could have helped in any way other than allowing Yang to be near her. Even then, this could not be considered "help" in the Faunus' mind; though, it could be reasoned that this logic was actually her own developed protectionism.

Yesterday, Blake had managed to dull her partner's pain for a short time, but had never once been able to completely keep away a paralyzing sentiment for long. Yang had proven this ability on many an occasion, barring instances where more deep-rooted pains arose, but those were beginning to soften as well. Her perceptiveness allowed her to see the faults in others while her selflessness served to turn said faults or insecurities into nonissues entirely. At the absolute most, Blake could consider herself observational and cynical. She believed that in small periods of discomfort, she could ease Yang's burden, but on days such this when Yang seemed inconsolably distressed, she felt powerless. During the ride home, she had been able to keep her partner relatively calm, but never completely helped. Now all Blake wanted was to have had the courage to stand from her seat and hug Yang before she left with Ruby. To know that her partner had been defeated and was having a difficult time composing herself pained Blake and left her to her own remorse.

However, introspection could wait because the young Faunus saw another who was in obvious discomfort. Yang was beyond her present reach and consolation, but Weiss was still here, gazing at the spot where her partner had been moments prior and was still perhaps salvageable from her recent experience. Blake believed that consoling her remaining teammate might ease the discomfort she felt from Yang's emotion by way of distraction. "Weiss?" she asked, taking the task of helping the heiress upon herself.

The girl in question looked up from the seat, meeting the Faunus' eyes with metered indifference and without a word. Unlike the others on the team, Blake did not feel as though Weiss needed any further questioning to understand the care that was being conveyed. She was smart enough to know that she was being challenged to conversation. However, the calling of her name was not to alert her to this challenge, but to let her know that the eventual conversation was not merely for the purpose of obtaining information, but for friendly reassurance.

Weiss' gaze remained steady for a moment before dropping suddenly. She took a stabilizing breath and eventually told her tale. "For all my life," she began, "I have received death threats, harassing phone calls, and even attempts on my family's life. I cannot say that the threats lessen in effect—nor do I think they ever will—but I can say that it gets easier, somehow. Eventually, you come to learn the parlance and grow accustomed to the mentions of danger that initially should shock a person. My father never mentioned this, but I believe he learned as well. After a while, you get used to the threats and harassment even if they never lose their potency—you of all people should know this, I'd wager. You begin to realize that most of the threats are hollow and most people who call are unwilling to meet you in person. And though their words sting, I know that most will not follow through with their actions." Weiss' gaze suddenly shot to focus on the Faunus'. "Yang is not one of those people. You need to control your partner."

To say that Blake was caught off-guard would be an understatement. The glare Weiss now held was defensive and pointed, telling of the blame she placed on the Faunus for the blonde's apparent behavior. "Her threats are real—very real—and I do not doubt for a second that she would act upon her promises if she had reason to suspect I had anything but Ruby's best interests in mind. You've seen her temper, so you have an idea of what she is capable of. But what I saw in there?" She shivered, breaking the glare for only a moment. "Blake, your partner is a frightening enigma. At one moment, she can be smiling and cheerful, but at the drop of a hat, she can set fire to whatever resolve I can muster with conviction that I have never before seen."

Her gaze softened and shifted to the spot where Ruby's hand had once been. "This is not only about my wellbeing, but yours as well. I should tell you considering you are my friend, I believe, and my de facto confidante that you must control your partner. If only one thing happens to Ruby that she feels is harmful, then your partner is liable to lose control. At the very best, she would make a fool of herself, but I shudder to think of what could possibly be the worst end to one instance of her rage."

The point of this conversation had initially been reassurance and consolation but quickly devolved into something the Faunus could not have expected. Though, it is to be said that some part of Blake knew that Weiss held scornful reservations that would inevitably reveal themselves through conversation. However, Blake knew of the blonde's impetuous fury before she made the decision to partner with her and had justly accounted for it, knowing concurrently that said fury could prove beneficial in future combat scenarios and the contrasting positivity would prove as balance for her negativity. Blake understood the threat that Yang created, but if she did not feel as though she could operate alongside this sort of emotion, she would not have chosen her as partner.

For this reason, Blake replied with more than an ounce of offense. "I am aware of Yang's anger, but I trust her. Whatever she did to threaten you was wrong and I will talk to her about it, but she is our friend—she is your friend and has admitted it. If nothing else, Yang is loyal and I sincerely doubt that she would turn on you if it meant going against her sister's wishes."

"Loyal? To whom?" Not only did the heiress appear incredulous, she expressed it through guarded condescension. "If you mean to say that she is loyal to Ruby and her family, then I am well aware—it was hard not to be while she was telling me of the many ways she would harm me if I were to upset her sister in any way. Perhaps I may not have had many friends in my life nor have I had the best of relationships with my parents, so you must excuse my hesitation, but I must say that after that last conversation, I find Yang's words of friendship hollow."

"I have to respectfully disagree. I may be biased as well, but I know that if Yang gives her word, she intends to keep it. There certainly is a divide between the care she places on us and Ruby, but she is her sister and as such, they have had years to grow as close as they are now." At that moment, Weiss closed her eyes for an incredibly short, incredibly jealous second that Blake did not see nor would she have understood the reasons for. "But even though she cares for Ruby more, she still cares for us. I can understand your animosity towards her—I have talked to her about the comments she makes at your expense—but I promise that she sees you as a friend and a competent warrior. As you have confided in me, so has Yang, and I can assure that you are a friend to her."

Weiss was silent again, presumably at odds with the situation. Blake could not say which of them was correct in this instance or even if one of them could be correct, but the differing perceptions of Yang's character presented an impasse that seemed to show that this conversation (and, in effect, Weiss' perturbed state) had a very slight possibility of taking a positive turn. The means of allowing this, Blake planned, would be to allow this silence to linger for as long as it needed to so that the words she had said could be instilled as fact in the heiress' mind. Of course, she would not be the one to generate this quiet, but instead Weiss.

Whereas Yang's form of contemplative found her tapping either fingers or feet or even glancing sporadically at whatever could draw her attention, Weiss' was cold, calm, and indicative of life-long regret. Truly it was a harrowing silence that Blake had not expected to take hold over the room and soon thereafter was a point at which she wished it could be taken back. However, she knew now that this silence was beyond her control as Weiss simmered dismally at the revelation that Yang supposedly cared for her whilst simultaneously threatening her life. Blake could only sympathize with her at this moment rather than empathize, having little knowledge or experience at the sharp end of Yang's ire. She only knew of the blonde's loving loyalty, so she could not say that Weiss' interpretation was wrong, but Weiss had not seen the same side of Yang that Blake had. It must have been difficult for the heiress to come to terms with this idea of friendship and protectionism—surely it must have been harder than the Faunus' dealing with her partner's uncensored glare.

This silence would last until Blake could next find any slight movement that told of her teammate's willingness to stray from the subject that would undoubtedly remain on her mind long after today. During this wait, she observed the heiress for any sign of recovery, but failed in this regard because she had been surprised when Weiss suddenly said without any prior indication of speech, "I would rather not allow this matter to take precedence over what conversations we may have. So, as a means of forgetting about our previous conversation, I propose a new subject. I suppose you would like to hear about my situation with Ruby?"

Not only was the timing of this question startling, but the lack of emotion behind it as well. Weiss retained her controlled expression as she stared patiently at the Faunus. Blake, still coming to terms with the fact that Weiss could repress the resulting emotions of the argument so quickly, did not react. Her teammate must have understood this stagnation as a willingness to abide by her plan, allowing her to continue. "I assume that Ruby told you that we are dating?" This was a very confusing shift of conversational topic that Blake seemed more reluctant to accept than the speaker, but she nodded nonetheless. "And I assume that she told you how our decision came to be?" Again, Blake nodded, forgetting the promise she had made to Ruby. Weiss sighed wearily. "Why don't I phone my father and tell him, too? It seems everyone is learning about my private life these past few days."

"Weiss," Blake interrupted, still unsure as to how this conversation had moved away from feelings of distress and uncertainty to a new relationship. "What's going on? Why this sudden change of subject?"

"Fear does not befit me," said Weiss simply. "Blake, I appreciate your concern, I really do, but please allow this conversation to change course. I'd rather not dwell on this for too long—not while we are trying to have a conversation, at least."

Therein was the reasoning that had eluded Blake. Perhaps she had been spending so much time with Yang that her manner in which she interacted with others had altered without her conscious knowledge. She had been interpreting this conversation with Weiss, the self-described pragmatist, as though she would with Yang or Ruby—thinking in terms of emotions where logic and practicality would have been more appropriate. "Now, about this new information that you so quietly want." Though the means were direct and considerably inelegant, Weiss' transition from subject to subject was unarguably efficient and Blake would accept it quickly after her realization. "Yes, Ruby and I are dating, I believe, as of two days ago. It seems as though it happened to coincide with your partner's birthday, so it was a happy day for us all, I am sure." These final words were given without much enthusiasm or care, giving them a mocking edge that presumably came from the mention of Yang.

She continued. "It was a decision made that was due in no small part to your assistance at the jewelry store and, for that, I thank you. The leading up to my question, however, was all my doing—or fault, I should say. I imagine that you had difficulty in confessing your motives to…your partner, yes?" Dismissing the heiress' unwillingness to mention Yang's name, Blake nodded. "I was not prepared to say the least. I grew up believing that I would be the courted one. I was taught that once an appropriate suitor found his way to me, I would know. Unfortunately, I proved to be the courter instead and I cannot say that I knew what I was doing or if I would do it again. That night, I did not sleep well. The thought of confessing addled my mind, telling me simultaneously to give up and to go through with it. In the end, I proved impatient. Perhaps her answer does not mean much, being that it came at around three o'clock, but I am glad she said yes."

"Time will tell," Blake said, now at ease with this distance from the topic of the argument. They were still a new couple and very much inexperienced with the concept of dating—not that Blake hadn't been before Yang, but she certainly was not as opposed to it as Ruby and Weiss were. Despite their experiences and age difference, they were both still children in the Faunus' eyes because of their actions and general approach to life.

"As it should," Weiss agreed. "I am glad about this—more than I am letting on—but I must stay composed. Precautions need to be taken before I can allow this relationship to go anywhere or even before we can actually go on a date."

"Precautions?"

"Blake, surely you must have read a number of romance novels in your life. You must know what happens when the daughter of a family of influence falls for someone who is not of 'noble' blood. I wish it were only a cliché, but my father is not the accepting type even when it comes to members of his own family. Family is a business to him and if you look at Ruby and were to think of a word, I doubt 'business' would come to mind."

Blake chuckled quietly, loosening the girl in white's expression if only slightly. "I suppose not."

"So, you see my predicament. I would like to date Ruby, but I would not like my family to know just yet and I doubt I'm prepared for Ruby to have knowledge of my affections either. I fear she will rush things."

Now that the conversation had strayed from pressing, tense matters, Blake allowed herself to give a reassuring smile. "Well, I can only speak for Yang, but I believe Ruby will not rush you into anything. If she and her sister are anything alike, I doubt she will move too quickly for you. At times, she may try to introduce you to things, but nothing that you are uncomfortable with. They are very kind people, Weiss, and they care about us. You and I may be distant and cold for our own reasons, but they do not care about that. They care to see us happy."

"That's…reassuring. Thank you." Weiss then gave a small smile that proved that her mood had lifted rather substantially. To some extent, Blake felt prideful in this reaction as she believed that she had been the sole cause of. She felt that her ability to do this was learned from Yang's unintentional teachings. Warm conversation tended to appease those whose minds clung feebly to self-destructive logic.

"It's the least I can do. After all, it was with your help that Yang's birthday turned out the way it did."

"How did that work out, by the way?" She seemed legitimately enthused and interested, as though prior thoughts of her supposed doom had been washed away in the span of a few minutes. "I see that she has begun to wear it rather than her scarf."

Instead of giving her a direct answer as would have been courteous and appropriate, Blake felt the need to ask, "You care about how happy Yang was?" Even if Weiss was able to repress the argument to any extent, Blake believed that surely catharsis had not been reached. This had been the first time in the conversation that she had said Yang's name aloud and because of this, the Faunus was uncertain of Weiss' emotional state.

"Hardly," Weiss did not hesitate to answer. "All I care about concerning that necklace is return on investment."

The heiress would retain her stoic demeanor for a few seconds, but even she could not fend off the amused smirk that broke its way through. To some extent, she had recovered from Yang's onslaught, but to assume that her wounds had completely healed would be false. Death threats, as Blake knew all too well, take a long time to forget. However, there seemed to be some restorative rationalization occurring within the heiress' mind as she was able to find humor in a quip about the blonde. "Then I can assure you that the necklace worked extraordinarily well," Blake said. "Thank you."

"There is no need," Weiss waved off. "A Schnee always pays his—her debts." She shook her head. "I apologize. I so rarely have to say that but have heard it used countless times, so I guess it is a force of habit."

Blake assured, "It's all right. Still, your help means a lot even if you choose not to accept a thank you." She smiled and Weiss smiled back, communicating unstated gratitude and friendship with that single gesture which was followed by comfortable silence.

As Weiss was likely contemplating the topics of discussion they had recently gone over, Blake began to delve back into introspection, but for a cause more suited for self-improvement than self-destruction. Her inability to read Weiss at first was disconcerting. The time spent with Yang could have perhaps caused her to think differently and interpret an interaction in a way antithetical to how she would have earlier in the year and, for that matter, earlier in the summer. This change was worrisome, not to the present Blake who felt at ease with her current situation, but to the Blake of the past who had been led to believe that the only way to better herself was to accept her status as an angry, distrustful Faunus. Now, however, she saw herself as a person alongside her teammates peacefully living in the moment. It was a conflicting thought, this change, but she would always side with whichever direction Yang would take her because regardless of the actions of one moment, there was a history of benevolent, selfless acts that only created love within the heart of the Faunus.

This selflessness was part of Yang's character, composure or not. Whatever she had said to Weiss was not without reason—perhaps without forethought or discretion, but not without reason. Blake could only assume that her threats were to protect Ruby, but she did not think they were to keep Weiss away. Doing so would doubtlessly upset the younger girl and cause a rift in their relationship. As Weiss was two years older than Ruby during a time in all their lives where such petty year differences meant something to them, Yang's thoughts could not be said to be unwarranted. At one glance at the two—the childish girl in red and the difficult heiress—one would naturally think there to be a vast divide that could only breed disdain from one to the other, and while this had been the case at the beginning of the year, they had come to accept each other.

However, Yang must have remembered their introductory months because she continued to treat Weiss as the person she was before. Perhaps this could be considered a grudge, but Blake saw it as caution because there had been no malicious intent behind Yang's warning. Although, she had gone too far if Weiss' reaction was anything to go by, so Blake made it a point to bring up the subject when next she spoke to Yang.

Eventually, this quiet came to a halt when Weiss rose from her seat. Before Blake could give her a questioning look, she said, "I won't take up your day any longer. I am sure that your flight was long and you are tired—as would any of us be, so don't bother denying it. I do enjoy our conversations, but you have matters to deal with and I have mine. So, if you will excuse me."

At this sudden announcement of departure, Weiss turned and began to move towards the hallway leading to their rooms. However, before she could reach the doorframe, Blake called out, "Weiss." The girl in question turned, eyebrow raised. "I will talk to Yang about what she said to you and I will see what I can do about easing her restrictions on your relationship. I cannot promise any sort of freedom for either of you in this regard, but I will try to get Yang to apologize."

"Thank you, Blake." Weiss smiled. "I harbor no hatred for your partner, else I would have avoided dating her sister. An apology would be appreciated, though."

Blake reciprocated the expression. "I'll see what I can do." At this, the heiress nodded, turned, and departed for her room, leaving the Faunus to her own devices. Her own devices, in this case, being realization of how long she had travelled (approximately twelve hours after waking up at five in the morning) and appreciation for this solitude.

Blake could not remember the last time she had been alone like this. Perhaps it was the night of the storm or sometime between her parents calling and her leave for Sierra. Honestly, time seemed to become indistinguishable for her, leaving her wondering but on the whole contented by this quiet. She could take a deep breath and not have anyone look at her inquisitively or ask what was wrong. She had the ability to think and let her internal monologue run rampant, but at the same time, she did not have to, causing her to cherish the introverted freedom of the situation. More importantly, she could lean back into the chair and close her eyes for a few seconds without anyone asking her if she was tired or upset.

Though, it is not to say that she was energetic or enthusiastic at the moment. She was tired and fatigued and restless and simply wanted to take a nap. It was an enticing thought despite the sleep she had found on the flight, but she knew that this was not a possibility right now. Perhaps later, during her promised movie night with Yang, she could rest, but the two suitcases standing by the front door required her present attention. She looked at them for a second, sighed, and closed her eyes again. Movie night, she promised herself. At this, she rose and moved to their bags.

Her only motivating factor in putting away her and Yang's luggage was the thought of the blonde. Solitude was refreshing, but she wished to have her girlfriend back. Until Yang returned, the Faunus would find joy in this silence as she worked to minimalize possible stress from still-packed luggage so that their movie night would be relaxing. After all Yang had been through in these past few days—after all the help she had given Blake—she deserved tonight. Blake sighed happily and wearily as she moved to the cases' respective rooms, thinking of her partner and eventual respite.

---

In the dim light of the home theatre room, otherwise dark if not for the glow of the television, Blake and Yang lay in restful silence as they watched the screen before them while remaining close to one another. The film was called Threat Vector: Danger Close, a choice of Yang's that would purportedly not be too demanding on their attention but had been absent-mindedly entertaining nonetheless. Their present position left Blake curling back into her girlfriend's front and Yang holding her partner warmly as they languidly stretched out across the couch, keeping their eyes trained on the plot-devoid action. Blake could not say that she cared for the premise of this film more than she cared for the stillness of the moment. There were a number of pressing matters to take care of (she needed to finish putting away her own belongings, reassemble Gambol Shroud, and talk to Yang about the argument), but all she wanted to do at this second was pull the blanket wrapped around them closer and rest for a little while.

Fortunately, they were allowed this solitude because the other partnership had chosen to leave them alone. As far as Blake knew, Ruby and Weiss had made a fire outside and were simply talking beside it. Their topics of discussion did not concern the Faunus and because of this, her curiosity would be suppressed for their privacy. She did believe their relationship would work out even if their time together would primarily consist of them fumbling through their progression. Though, it is not to say that Blake was not fumbling her own relationship. With her prior experience in this regard being solely that of what she had read in the various novels she owned, she still could not say that her actions or reactions to whatever Yang did were ideal, but she was comfortable in this position nevertheless.

Yang's chin had come to rest between the Faunus' unbound ears. Whether or not this was intentional had yet to be determined, but Blake enjoyed the closeness and pressed her back further against her partner's chest as an act of returned affection. In this position, the entire experience was warm and tranquil despite the noise coming from the speakers. This is what Blake had wanted in the movie night—stillness, quiet, closeness; there was not much more she could ask for other than Yang's return to her usual disposition. Currently, the blonde seemed to be enjoying herself, watching the screen excitedly and occasionally quoting lines as they were spoken. Though the laughs that this latter action caused should have indicated that she was in a more positive mood, it was the silence that simmered between that concerned Blake. For the time being, however, they would focus on the film.

The protagonist, whose name escaped the young Faunus due to her distracted state, was tailing a motorcade through the city of Vale. Rather, it is to say that he had been doing this up until the moment one SUV pulled away from the others and sped off down the highway. The protagonist—a renegade government agent whose only obstacle was his dark, dark past that was entirely unique to him—chose to follow, believing that one of the occupants of this particular vehicle was a ranking member of an evil underground organization and just so happened to have possession of said group's plans for toppling the walls that kept civilization from the Grimm. This made him the greatest threat to Vale as well as the protagonist's ultimate adversary. Blake chose to refer to this motorcycle-borne character as the "protagonist" rather than "hero" because he had yet to prove himself as anything other than a self-righteous murderer. His quest was admirable, but his means of completing it were dubious at best.

If Blake was correct in her assumptions, then this attempt at chasing the car and, in effect, antagonist would be a fruitless endeavor, being that this scene was only thirty minutes into the film—still within the confines of the first act. The entire film was clichéd, but perhaps that came with the datedness of it all. The cast was made more of bodybuilders than actors, the vehicles were unnecessarily expensive, and the plot had been rehashed a dozen times over in movies of the subsequent decades. But Yang enjoyed it, and Blake would admit that this was comparatively better than a lot of the other action movies she had seen over the years. Although, it did fail in one regard that a vast majority of other films in this genre had when it came to her specific viewing: many times, the action in films is intended to seem intense or impossible for any person other than the actor, but this effect was not felt by huntress-in-training. Perhaps the explosions were something she was not used to, but she often found herself analyzing situations in the film to find better, more realistic ways of neutralizing whatever threats were in the scenes. It was a habit that unfortunately made many scripts seem boring.

With the movie being unable to completely occupy her attention, Blake's thoughts shifted to the girl holding her. At the moment, Yang seemed content—vastly different from the way she had been this morning and afternoon. In the Faunus' mind, this change in emotion was not at all natural after their departure from Sierra and the eventual argument with Weiss. It is for this reason that she suddenly spoke. "Yang?" The girl in question hummed, seemingly at ease with the idea of talking during this film. "How are you feeling? You had me concerned earlier."

There was a pause for a line of exasperated dialogue that told of the protagonist's inability to catch the SUV in this particular chase sequence. "Better," Yang eventually breathed once the scene had passed. "I guess all that travel and the sappy goodbye stuff really did a number on me, huh?" She laughed. It was apparent that the discomfort of the earlier hours had faded by this point—perhaps she had gotten over what had bothered her from before. "I don't know what came over me. It just kinda hurt leaving. I like your parents, Blake, even if your mom is a stick in the mud." This allowed Blake to smirk, easing the uncertainty of Yang's seemingly rapid recovery. "But I didn't think I'd like them as much as I did. It was nice to have some stability for once in my life. You've seen the way my family is, never around but always involved in my life—well, except Ruby, but I'm not complaining about that. It's just…it was a nice change of pace, you know? I got used to it by the end and I guess I forgot how much I hate travelling."

To Blake, this would have been an acceptable answer as it told why Yang had acted the way she had in a manner that was both honest and slightly amusing. However, because she had come to the conclusion that this was her partner's completed answer and because she was facing away from the blonde, she could not see the smirk on Yang's face lower into an introspective frown and eventual heavy sigh. At this sound, the Faunus immediately knew that something was still wrong. "I'm sorry, Blake. I wasn't being completely honest with you." This surprised Blake. She had expected the answer to be that which was already told—both earlier in the limousine and moments ago—but now it seemed as though a more pressing matter lingered within her partner's mind.

"You remember yesterday when I lost my cool in front of your parents?" Blake nodded. "Remember when I went off on your mom over my name?" Again, Blake nodded. "Well, you know that when emotions get the better of me, I tend to say things I regret. Family's important, no matter who they are or how long they've been in my life or even how much time they've put into my life. Family is family, no matter what.

"I'm supposed to be responsible and everything, but every once in a while the responsibilities are just too much and I can't take it. When I said that stuff about my family yesterday—all that stuff about being the only one to take care of Ruby and how my dad doesn't pay attention to us—I didn't mean that." She winced. "I mean, I did but I didn't. I take responsibility for Ruby and will defend her 'til the day I die, but sometimes it's hard to defend her alone. Same thing goes for my dad; I hate that he's never around, but I understand why. Maybe if he could have been less of a teacher and more of a dad, then," this sentence trailed off. "I'm sorry, Blake. Sorry for putting this on your shoulders too."

Blake smiled as she leaned back into Yang's hold. "It's all right," she assured. "I've said a few things in my life that I regret as well, so I cannot fault you. I cannot say that I completely understand your situation and I doubt I ever will, but I'll be with you if you ever need help."

"Thanks, Blake, but I think I'm fine for now. Though, don't be surprised if I take you up on that offer sometime." Yang quietly chuckled as she kissed one of the Faunus' ears, sending a contented tingle throughout its owner. "You're the best friend I could have asked for. I love you."

"I love you, too," Blake whispered as she curled into the hug and appreciated the warmth that had almost entirely returned to the figure behind her. Yang would still need time to fully recover, but this was progress in Blake's mind if the tightening of the arms around her waist was anything to judge by. Without another word, the two turned their attention once more to the film as they simply enjoyed the calm happiness that did not require travel, action, or even thought.

The scene now taking place saw the protagonist being reprimanded by some vaguely ranked member of his agency's chain of command (it is to say that this man was ranked higher than the protagonist, but the degree of difference could not be ascertained). This particular reprimanding was due in large to the protagonist disobeying "a direct order" by following the stray SUV rather than the rest of the motorcade which, in a surprising turn of events, contained the antagonist after all. The protagonist's failure only seemed to characterize him as a "loose cannon" and—something that sounded as though it could have come from Weiss—a "hazard to the agency", but he was also "too good at what he did to report to the director." Blake could not help but laugh a little at the ridiculous script. It was definitely bad, but not repulsive and as such, she could laugh, allowing Yang to smile down upon her.

As the film progressed, so too did Blake's fatigue. The story was entertaining, but monotonous and predictable and it, coupled with the pleasant warmth of blanket and company, caused the Faunus' eyes to gradually droop. It had been a long day full of uncertain emotion and high tensions, but she was glad that the situation had finally cooled. Hostility of some sort would always exist between Yang and Weiss, but this was to be expected as it came with their personalities. Threats, however, were a more pressing issue that kept the young Faunus from the nap that she desired a few hours ago. It is to say that she had attempted to fall asleep at this present juncture, but was unable to because of insistent thoughts of her teammates' safety.

She still needed to convince Yang to apologize to Weiss. How she planned on doing this was yet to be determined as the blonde seemed more interested in the film than reparations, but the matter was pressing and would need to be brought up regardless of any desire for inactivity. Blake remembered the scarlet glare that had been turned on her and how it had burned. Yang's anger could be uncontrollable—Blake had proof on her fingers—and that uncontrollable nature had the possibility of jeopardizing the team in the future. Blake could foresee a time when such tensions might arise from trivialities and she was fearful because of it. As Yang smiled at the screen, Blake frowned, attempting to strategize how to go about bringing up the subject of apology.

With no small amount of trepidation, she eventually asked, "Yang?" The girl in question hummed, apparently enthusiastic about the opportunity for conversation yet unwitting of the unfortunate subject. As Blake continued, she knew that their evening would likely be ruined by negativity and disagreement, but she felt this conversation necessary for the integrity of the team. "We need to talk about Weiss."

Yang sighed. "You mean we need to talk about her dating my sister, right?" She sounded hopeful that this was the case, predictably unenthusiastic about any other potential subject that could have spawned from the argument.

"No, we need to talk about Weiss," Blake repeated, causing another sigh from her partner. "Whatever you said scared her and not in any way that she will recover from quickly. She said that you threatened her life." A grumble of disinterest was heard. "I doubt whatever disagreement you may have had could warrant such a reaction. I understand that you care about your sister—"

"No, you don't," snapped Yang suddenly. It took a moment, but she eventually recomposed herself with a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Blake, the subject's still a little sore."

"It's all right," Blake said. "I'm not trying to accuse you of anything. I just want to make sure that everything is okay."

It took a moment, but eventually Yang relented. "Ruby's all I have left and I don't want to lose her, Blake." The way this conversation had turned was both fortunate and unfortunate for the Faunus. It was fortunate in that Yang was not angry—either at her partner or the heiress—but it was unfortunate that this conversation had taken a more somber route than Blake had expected. However, she would not voice her observations on this matter because Yang seemed as though she was willing to speak of her side of the argument. "You know how Weiss was angry at Ruby for being our leader at the beginning of the year? I know she's not like that anymore, but I can't stop thinking as though she still is. Every time she yells at Ruby, I think she's trying to put my sister down. I know that's not what's going on, but it's what I think.

"I know she said something about being 'the best teammate ever' or something like that—Ruby couldn't stop talking about it—but she's a Schnee. They aren't exactly the friendliest people around and, from what I've heard, they'll do whatever it takes to get what they want. I want to like Weiss, but that last name of hers has me worried. I know it's probably nothing, but I can't be too careful when it comes to Ruby's safety.

"That being said, I can't just forbid Ruby from dating. As much as I don't like the idea of an eighteen-year-old anybody dating my sixteen-year-old sister, Ruby likes her—and I mean really likes her. It wouldn't be fair saying no while flirting with you in front of them, would it? I may be a lot of things, but a hypocrite is not one of them. I hate to admit it, but Ruby's going to have to learn about this kind of stuff sooner or later and I'd rather have a stuck-up prude like Weiss guiding her through the process than somebody else. Still, she's got her last name and that chip on her shoulder for whatever reason, so I can't back too far away." She paused, assumingly composing her thoughts and whatever else she had to say, but she instead finished her explanation by simply saying, "I don't know. I just needed to make sure that she'd stay in line and keep my sister safe."

"She really does mean a lot to you, doesn't she?" Blake could not help but smirk mirthfully at the assumed reason for her partner's anger being protectionism. In a way, it was sweet and comforting that she might be the one defended one day. She could take care of herself, but company was appreciated.

"As I said, family is family. There's not much family left for me, so she's all I've got."

It was from this statement that the Faunus came to a sudden, sobering realization. The assurance of familial importance was not in question, but what came after it. Blake's smirk faded once she heard the desperation in phrasing Yang had used when talking about her sister's place in her life. This sentiment went beyond simple protectionism and into a realm that, up until this point, Blake could not have predicted to exist. She had an idea, but needed more evidence to back it up. For this, she suddenly asked, "Yang, it's not about Weiss, is it? You were angry at her because of Ruby."

"What? No!" There is a definitive line that divides confused outrage from knowing incredulity and in this particular instance, Yang's reaction was on the side that told Blake that she was nearing her idea's validity.

As a means of conveying her respect and care for this conversation, Blake rolled in the hug and turned so that she could face Yang directly, her concerned amber watching nervous lilac. This nervousness did not seem to come from the appraising eye contact, but instead something instilled within Yang's mind. As Blake watched her partner for any change in expression, she thought back to the two times that Ruby had remarked upon Yang's past relationships. The first time, in a discussion two weeks ago that was likely similar in a way to the one Yang recently had with Weiss, Ruby mentioned a few bad relationships. The second instance, occurring today, had Ruby referencing an indeterminate yet presumably large number of relationships Yang had held that eventually did not work out. These were not the events that entirely formed Yang into the person she was, but they likely would have changed her outlook on life and relationships for the worse. It was for this reason that Blake surmised, "You are afraid that by letting Weiss date Ruby, you are going to lose your sister's favor." As she said this, she realized something far more realistic and unfortunate that could have applied to her partner and thusly corrected, "Or you are afraid that you are simply going to lose your sister." The blonde blinked and Blake knew that she had been correct.

"When you put it like that, I want to say no. But I can't. Ruby means the world to me and if she chose to leave like all the others, I'm not sure what I would do."

Blake's attention piqued at the phrase "like all the others" because she had heard the blonde use this phrase before but without the proper context to understand what exactly it meant. Now, however, Blake knew who "the others" were. Friends, family, past relationships—any person who had ever left the blonde or thrown her aside for personal gain. She had been burned in the past by these "others" and wished never again to be separated from those she held dear. This was, perhaps, the cause of her apparent necessity to maintain physical contact with Blake when in public, the care that she immediately placed on her friends (Weiss included), and the extroverted nature that necessitated conversation and companionship as opposed to silence and solitude.

Perhaps this anxiety caused by separation—or, rather, the possibility of separation—had been the source of the uncontrollable emotions that had hurt Weiss. Family was family and Yang did not see the heiress as a person who held familial ties. She saw the girl in white as a threat to the sanctity of the sisterly relationship that, to her, hung by a thread after the passing of their mother and subsequent indifference that grew within their father. If Blake was to guess, Ruby had been Yang's only lasting relationship with anybody; family had disappeared, friends had abandoned her, and romantic interests had never prospered. The sunny, exuberant youth saw herself as alone in the world except for Ruby and those friends that she still held dear.

This was a grim realization that Blake had stumbled upon, but as Yang continued, it became clear to her how unfortunately correct she had been in her assumptions. "I mean, dad doesn't leave the island. Mom's gone—both of my mothers are gone, actually. Qrow rarely ever comes around here. So, Ruby's all I've got—and you, but she's all that's left of my family life.

"I've been taking care of her for, like, ten years now—more if you count the stuff I did to help my mom—so it'd probably be a little rough if she was swept away by some girl she just met." The temperature of the room was slowly cooling with the fading of Yang's warmth. Her breaths were becoming quicker and her speech seemed labored by this point. Blake had not predicted that the discussion of the source of Yang's reaction to her sister's relationship would bring about this level of forlornness. "I know she's going to find someone eventually, but not right now—not yet. She's still a kid and I have a few more years of her being that way before I can even think about letting her get taken away from me. Call it selfish if you want, but she's my sister. The moment that she forgets that is the day I break down and I saw Weiss speeding that process up. I know she's not—at least, it makes sense to me, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to accept that she and my sister are dating. It's just…"

She never had the chance to finish because her partner reciprocated the hug she had been wrapped in. "It's all right," Blake soothed. "It's all right." Blake rubbed the blonde's back, calming her breathing and conveying silent reassurances. It hurt to see Yang like this and somehow the pain that she had been observed in the limousine became even more distressing in retrospect. This sympathy caused Blake to form two promises to herself regarding the wellbeing of her partner: she would keep Yang from this sort of pain in the future and she would never let the blonde feel as though she was alone in the world again.

It took a couple minutes of the aforementioned action and chant, but eventually Yang quieted. "Ruby does not strike me as the type of person who would forget about her sister," Blake said. "If I were to guess, I'd say that she learned to value her family and I would not put it past her to have learned it from you." At that moment, Yang let out what could only be described as a whimper of gratitude, being that she was not able to speak yet but was thankful nonetheless. "Even if she and Weiss succeed as a couple, I do not believe that she would abandon you as easily as you believe. I've told you before how she searched for you during initiation, correct? If she is on her own, she will come looking for you. As she is the only family you have, you are the only family that she has."

"I'm sorry," Yang whispered.

Blake shook her head. "You have no reason to be sorry to me. I will always be here for you no matter what happens and so will Ruby. The only person you need apologize to is Weiss. You pushed her away when she was willing to speak civilly about the relationship." Yang sighed, forcing Blake to continue. "She wants to make amends with you. I know this from what she has said to me. At the moment, however, she is a little hesitant to speak after you threatened her. If you give her time and then apologize, I am certain that she will come to accept you as a friend, too."

Yang let out a long hum that was somehow both contented and remorseful. "Thanks, Blake. I'll…try to do that. It probably wouldn't be best if she has a grudge against me while she's dating Ruby, huh?" Whatever humor had laced her latter few words fell away with another heavy sigh. "Thanks, Blake."

The young Faunus smiled. "It's all right," Blake assured as she pulled herself closer to the warming form. "No matter what happens, I will stay with you if you stay with me. That way, neither of us will be alone. How does that sound?" An enthusiastic nod from Yang was all the answer Blake needed before she nuzzled into her partner's shoulder.

The blonde tightened her hold on the Faunus and exuded the warmth that had last come from her early this morning. She was recovering and they were home. Though the situation was not as stable as Blake desired, it eventually would be once everything settled down. The movie continued to play but neither partner cared much for what was happening on screen as much as they cared for each other. Yang was warming gradually and the Faunus knew that if not by tomorrow, the blonde would return to her usual, positive self the day after. Even then, this longer prediction was generous because the speed at which the aura's warmth returned was incredibly fortunate. Blake would hold herself close to this warmth as she and her partner fell asleep to the sounds of the loud film. It could not bother them because these past few days had been entirely draining on the two and all they wished for now was rest.

Not only had it been a tiresome few days, it had been an exhausting few weeks. Not once did there seem to be reprieve from stress, obligations, or fun that was both delightful and taxing. Now, however, they had such an opportunity and would have a period of relative stagnancy that would last a little over a month. It is to say that this subsequent month was relatively stagnant because with such an eclectic bunch, there were seldom any opportunities for complete stillness. However, the next month would have few instances of noteworthy value to this tale. Of course, apologies would be made, friendships mended, and dates went on, but to avoid redundancy, there is a time better suited for this tale's continuance. It is a time of laughter, reminiscence, and pain that, when compared to these past few weeks, should fit in rather appropriately. Yet until that time could arrive, Team RWBY, still being teenagers and students of the Academy, would relax their summer break away.

---

Just in case I was not express enough in my phrasing of the last paragraph, there will be a one-month gap between the events of this chapter and the next. I apologize if anyone is disappointed by this fact, but this is the way the story must progress. If the story continued this day-by-day pacing for the rest of the novel, it would become monotonous and the story would end up being about forty chapters and a million words long, neither of which is my intent. This month serves to separate these weeks from the rest of the summer break so that they may be solidified in their importance to Blake and Yang's relationship. I should remind that interludes of two days and, subsequently, a week have occurred within this story, so a month is a logical, if initially uncomfortable, progression.

On the topic of possibly uncomfortable revelations, I should remark on Yang having some degree of separation anxiety. This has been a characterization I've been writing since chapter one, so it cannot be said to be a spur-of-the-moment decision. Among other smaller instances, this can be seen in Blake having to be the one to initiate the relationship (rather than the extroverted, outgoing, social blonde), Yang's sadness in leaving Sierra (along with her quote in chapter ten of, "I'm terrible with parents."), and her reaction to learning of Weiss dating Ruby. To anyone who may be worried that this is going to alter the direction that Valence is taking, I promise that it is not. It will influence the decisions Yang makes as characters' histories and motives tend to do, but it will not control the story in any halting or overbearing way. It is simply a characterization that serves to deepen the understanding of her character and contrast Blake's social anxiety.

With the more sub-surface details of the story out of the way, I should touch on Ruby and Weiss. I hope the introduction of the fact that they are dating did not come across as too sudden. I can understand if it seems all too convenient for me to write their relationship's beginning when the story's perspective was in a different town. There are many reasons for this (there are a few that have spoilers attached to them, so I cannot say why completely), but their relationship began this way primarily because they are not the focus of this story. Because the narration has been about Blake's perspective (with occasional instances of other nearby characters' perspectives), it would be out of place to suddenly focus on Ruby and Weiss. I hope that the introduction of their relationship went well, but I apologize if it seemed shoehorned or forced. I can assure that within the White Rose short stories (more anon) there will be descriptions of the events referenced in this chapter.

Now, I would like to focus on something in this chapter that will remain a mystery despite my writing on it here. Ruby's gift to Yang will seem as though it is a plot hole for the rest of the story. You may interpret what is inside the crimson wrapping all you want, but to describe it would be to take away its potency when it is revealed. Unfortunately, its unveiling is planned for very, very far in the future. For this, I cannot apologize.

Finally, I should say with a heavy heart that to write the White Rose short stories, I will need to slow the production of Valence even further. At first, I made the decision to complete three of the five short stories before beginning chapter fourteen, but that would be unfair to you. The compromise, I later decided, would be to write one short story and then chapter fourteen followed by the second short story and then chapter fifteen. This pattern will repeat until the short stories are complete. I apologize, but to fulfill the promise that I made, I must allocate time to the short stories. I would expect the first of these to be out in about a month and a half. In the meantime, I am writing another one-off idea like NVG that will be released near the end of this month. Once again, I apologize for this delay and will do my best to work expeditiously without sacrificing quality.

Thank you for reading. I doubt I will ever be able to properly convey my gratitude, but I want you to know that I am thankful for your readership and am incredibly fortunate to be in your favor. I know that this story can be wordy and verbose, so your bearing with me is greatly appreciated. Again, thank you for all that you have done.

Stay safe and stay tuned.