Weiss didn't want to admit it, but, Coco's words held merit.
As much as Blake pushed for equality, and believed deeply in it, she had mellowed at Beacon. Perhaps it was because of her peers, Velvet and Sun, who lived much more peaceful lives. Maybe it was because she'd been easily accepted among a very supportive group of friends. Whatever the case might have been, Blake's eagerness to involve herself in marches and other such affairs dwindled.
In part, it was because there was so much to change within the Schnee Dust Company alone. The world scale would just have to wait, and Blake knew that.
The other part, however, stemmed from an even more personal, delicate desire. A dream to have what was once lost. It was easy to live vicariously. Sun had a boy that they babysat often enough, given the multiple hunts that the boy's father involved himself in…but…Weiss knew, it just wasn't the same. Even now, as Blake entertained several little ones, Weiss could see Blake's envy.
That tiny little twinkle of jealousy that Blake didn't want to give a voice to.
Weiss had also come to learn that particularly young Faunus, were not the same as particularly young humans. She never claimed herself an expert on the topic. Still, she'd had enough first hand experiences with scent marking to know. There was a very distinct reason why Yang was wearing one of Fox's hoodies. She just didn't know what that reason was.
It was still a sight to behold, none the less. "You look absolutely ridiculous, Yang."
"Yeah, sorry." She said, hiking one of the toddlers up a little higher on her hip. "Not the dress code, but the little ones were getting fussy."
"And as for you…" Weiss tried to hold in her tiny laugh, but she couldn't. "Blake, what is that?"
"One of Coco's jackets..."
"I thought so." There was something about the caramel color that just didn't suit Blake, and Weiss shook her head. "Please tell me you don't plan to make a habit of this…"
"Just you wait until you're walking around in one of Blake's fitness shirts from the hamper." Coco replied, taking the scene in stride. She didn't bother to berate Blake on the horrible clash of colors that just weren't her signature style.
Weiss frowned. "I would never intentionally wear dirty laundry."
"Until you have kids who aren't nose-blind." Coco interrupted. "Give it time. You'll be doing it soon enough."
"It's true." Fox murmured from his place on one of the sofas. The triplets had surrounded him, and his eldest was monopolizing Velvet's lap. Jaune had his hands full with his own daughters, while Ruby was trying her hand at amusing the fussy, teething, ten month old.
Pyrrha cocked her head to the side, taking in the sights. "You've lost me. Why are Blake and Yang wearing your clothes?"
Coco grinned evilly. "You want to know why?"
Pyrrha nodded, which caused both Blake and Velvet to begin to share Coco's smirk. Weiss didn't know what the heck was going on, but she doubted it was going to be good. She stayed well out of the way of whatever Coco seemed to be planning.
"Go try to take Sienna from Yang…" Coco suggested with a shrug, peering over her dark shades. "Let's see how far you get."
"I have held her before, you know…" Pyrrha replied, but decided to engage in this exercise of what she knew to be idiocy. She approached the young child, watching as tiny Faunus ears began to curl back at the tips, and a scowl formed on her face. A small, but very unhappy little growl started up at the back of her throat. It was something nearing anger, and Pyrrha backed away. "I'm not going to torture your daughter. But, I would like to know just what in the world is going on."
"That's Sienna for you." Coco laughed jokingly. "Territorial little shit, isn't she?"
"Coco…" Velvet scolded with a shake of her head. "Don't take it personally, Pyrrha. It's basically the 'mine' phase in faunus form."
"She's old enough to start understanding what scent means." Blake said, in Coco steed. "And of course, that mean's she marking everything."
"And protecting it from outsiders." Fox added, as Pyrrha came to sit down next to him and Blake. "See the ways she's rubbing her chin on that hoodie? You got too close to something she thinks is hers, and she didn't like it, and now she's marking it again."
"I wouldn't think that's something you'd want to positively reinforce." Pyrrha murmured, still a bit confused as she partook of some tea sitting on the coffee table.
"Comes with the territory." Blake replied, unconcerned about the entire event.
"Is this a normal issue for her to be having at her age?" Pyrrha asked somewhat shyly. "You'll have for forgive me, I'm not normally around particularly young Faunus. This is the first time I've heard of one so young getting…what was it you said...territorial?" In fact, outside of Blake's sometimes aggressive protection of Weiss, she'd never seen a Faunus get mad over personal space before.
Velvet and Blake shared a look. To the both of them, it wasn't even a question worth pursuing. Pyrrha's expression indicated that even among their secure group of friends, there were some things that just hadn't come up in conversation. Blake blinked up to Weiss, who merely gave an encouraging nod. Then golden eyes rolled over to Yang, the blonde looking equally as clueless as Pyrrha. Comically, she was even starting to eye the small child with due caution.
"Well, one of us should probably explain it, Velvet." Blake admitted aloud.
Both Faunus exchanged looks again, but it was Velvet who eventually spoke. "Okay, Pyrrha, have you ever smelled something that belonged to Jaune, and instantly felt relaxed?" When Pyrrha nodded, Velvet continued. "That's how it is for us too, but on a much deeper level. Too many strange scents can be upsetting, it's a sensory overload. She'll grow into learning friend from foe as she gets older, but for now, she's just trying to understand what her nose is telling her…"
Blake shrugged off Coco's jacket, and she draped it over Pyrrha's shoulders. Sienna's twin brother, Bruno, followed the coat all too willingly. Plopping his diaper clad butt quite happily into Pyrrha's lap to cling onto the expensive fabric once more. "See? He'll follow that thing everywhere. It smells like his parents. His kinfolk. There's no safer place to be, and he knows this intuitively. The moment you take in enough of their combined scents, you'll be considered kinfolk too. Then, and only then, he'll start to imprint you as someone safe to be around."
Weiss listened to Blake's words. Really listened to them. Soaking in the warmth that rested just underneath the surface. Blake, for all of her gentleness, rarely exhibited that side of herself. It was particularly rare in front of company, even close friends. There was no mistaking that soft tone of voice though, fondness and ease mixing together. It formed something else entirely. Wistful, perhaps, as if Blake was thinking back to her own childhood.
Weiss couldn't truly be sure, but, she could speculate…and she did so at great length, wondering just what sort of child Blake had been. Unable to dwell on such thoughts for long, Weiss knew what her next course of action had to be. "Yang, gather the staff into the entry hall please, and Ruby you as well. Absence is not an option."
It was a short time later that Weiss had full view of her household staff, and other employees of importance.
"Thank you all for gathering around…" Weiss began, as she stood in front of her household staff. "I try, very hard in fact, to maintain this household and run things smoothly. This effort includes all of you, of course. However, in the coming weeks, several new changes are going to be put in place. Firstly, as you can probably guess, the dinner table simply doesn't have the open chairs that it usually has. I do apologize for that. I'm sorry to say, anyone who isn't in a position of authority in this household will be regulated to the servant's quarters for the time being. We just don't have the space in the dining hall."
Weiss then looked to Ruby, who didn't normally attend these meetings. "Ruby, as of right now, and the foreseeable future, you're to be running security with Yang. I need someone willing to act as a bodyguard for Blake. Do as Yang tells you, unless I've told you otherwise. For now, she's your immediate superior."
Her eyes then returned back to the gathering in front of her. "We have guests to entertain, and a ball to prepare for. I expect nothing less than perfection out of all of you. As some of you know, several Faunus rights activists will be attending this ball, along with a small handful of world leaders. General Ironwood and my elder sister will be in attendance as well. Play our cards right, and we stand to leave an impression not soon forgotten. Be sure that this impression reflects the Schnee family as it stands today, as only you, the household's trusted staff, truly can."
With a clap of her hands, everyone scurried back to their posts…everyone except for Ruby. "You're really taking me out of the field?"
Weiss nodded, folding her hands behind her back as she walked, tilting her head, as an invitation. "I need you now more than I have ever needed you before…and we both know that says something."
Ruby bit her lip. "Is…is something wrong, Weiss?"
"No, nothing's wrong at all." At this her voice gentled, quieted enough to match the level of exhaustion she felt. "I'll explain when the time is right, I promise. Until then, please just go along with it. I know you don't like being cooped up for very long, and if I trusted someone else with this, I'd ask them. I don't, however, so I can't. You know I wouldn't force you into positions you don't like unless I absolutely had to." She turned to Ruby then, hugging her as only a friends and a partner ever could. "This will mean the world to the team in more ways than I can even say...so please..."
"I-if that's what you want me to do…" Ruby trailed off, feeling more than a little confused.
"It is." Weiss said, they kept walking before she stopped at the double doors. "Enough about work. Everyone else is retiring to rest with their families. I thought it might be nice if we did the same." Unlocking them, Blake was already ahead of the group dressed in her pajamas. "You two should get dressed into something comfortable, and come back here. It's been too long since we've had a proper game night and the refreshments are on the way."
Ruby's eyes lit up in a wave of youthful splendor, and sending her elder sister a nod, she rushed off. A trail of petals was the only sign that she had been there at all, and it was enough to kick Yang into gear too. Weiss merely shook her head, smirking fondly at the antics of years gone by. She took the armchair next to Blake's before looking at her watch. "So, how long do you think it'll be, before everyone forgets themselves?"
Nora, Ren, Jaune, and Pyrrha were already at the door dressed in their pajamas. "Aw, come on Weiss, give us a little more credit than that."
"New record?" Blake asked.
"Thirty seconds too late for that, I'm afraid. Above and beyond punctual, though." Weiss waved them in. "Thank you for agreeing to this, I know it'll make Ruby happy."
"She's not the only one…" Jaune held up the beloved board game that had honestly seen better days. "We still have a score to settle."
"Yes…" Weiss murmured, glaring at her old nemesis. "Yes we do, and as I've told you, I don't care how long it takes. One day, I will defeat all of you."