Chapter Five: A Different Game.
Blake was surprised at the shift in the Heiress' personality the following day. If she hadn't heard it herself the night before she would have never guessed that the frosty girl knew the words 'I'm sorry' or had ever uttered them in her life. She had been drifting off when the door to their dorm slowly opened for Weiss. Through cracked eyes the panther watched as she slowly made her way to the wolf's bed looking in on the sleeping girl. Blake knew Ruby slept in a stocking cap and loose sweat pants to conceal her features but clothes could shift while one slept and if Weiss stumbled onto her secret while she was upset Blake doubted it would end well.
But instead Weiss had quietly asked for the books that the wolf had fallen asleep on then proceeded to apologize for the way she had acted. Blake was stunned at first; a Schnee was actually admitting they were wrong? Surely she was sleeping. But she wasn't, she was awake listening in on a conversation she didn't know was possible, a Schnee apologizing to a Faunus. Sure Weiss didn't know Ruby was a Faunus but it was still shocking. Even more shocking was the smile she heard in the Heiress' voice as they spoke.
When the lights finally clicked off and the two had settled down Blake continued to think through what she had just heard. Maybe Weiss wasn't that bad after all. From her time at the White Fang she had heard that the youngest Schnee was considered the black sheep of the family but she had never believed it. The only times she had seen the Heiress was on tiny screens that displayed a new conference or the news from Atlas. Never in her wildest dreams before leaving did the panther picture herself in the same room as Weiss let alone sleeping in said room not ten feet apart.
Blake was still unsure how she felt about that fact. If any of the White Fang learned that she was in the position that she was in they no doubt would call her a traitor, actually they probably did that anyways. She had approached her partner about her feelings after the first few nights, leaving out the fact she had once been White Fang member of course.
"What do you mean?" Yang asked slowing her punches down, Blake had followed the blonde to the gym after their last class. She was impressed as to the massive amount of muscle the brawler had but yet still had a very distinctive feminine figure. Snapping out of her stupor she looked back up towards lilac eyes. "See something you like?" Yang smirked.
Blake rolled her eyes, "Keep dreaming. What I mean is for the vast majority of my life I've been told that the Schnee's are to be hated and now I'm sleeping in a room with one. I don't know what to think."
"I get what you mean." Yang agreed cracking her neck, "Growing up I was aware of the Schnee name for all sorts of reasons the majority of them not so great. But I was also taught to not judge a person based on their name, features or race so until Weiss proves herself the same as her family I'll try to give her the benefit of the doubt."
The blonde's words had made sense to her but Yang wasn't raised with all the hate she had been. It was easy for her to say that while Blake was having trouble accepting the words and now the conversation she had heard was leaving her mind reeling. She had known the White Fang was wrong for a long time, but she also knew that the people they were fighting were also wrong but she had never come up with the right answer to help in the right way.
After the week they had suffered through with the Heiress she had almost made up her mind that she was just like her family but now she was unsure again. She was still lost on her answer and she was still unsure what she needed to do next. Taking a deep breath the panther let her mind drift settling that she would find the answer when she had more to go on.
Waking up to sounds of birds outside their dorm window Blake was unsurprised to find herself being the first one awake. She had always been an early riser so being the first one awake wasn't odd. Slipping from her sheets Blake grabbed a her causal cloths and made her way into the bathroom.
Beacon really did go all out when it came to the comfort of their students. Each room was very spacious allowing for the four girls to have their own wardrobe, a desk and shelves. To give themselves a bit more space to spread out Team RWBY had rigged the beds into a bunk arraignment, which had Blake a little skeptical, but it worked so she didn't question it. The bathroom was also rather spacious.
A large duel vanity sink allowed for two people use the counter space at the same time. Four good sized pull out drawers had enough space for even Yang's extensive array of make up and hair products. A large tub that allowed a person to fully stretch out in it was in the far side accompanied by a large shower stall that had room for two people to stand comfortably without touching. It made sense when Blake thought about it. If each person was there to train themselves into becoming a one person army then a few creature comforts were an added perk.
Shaking the sleep off with the help of a shower Blake redressed and exited back into the room, a pair of silver eyes observing her from behind a white canopy. "Good morning Ruby." Blake nodded towards the wolf, however much Ruby claimed she didn't want to act like an Alpha that nature was still there and she'd be stupid to risk it.
"Moring Blake." Ruby chirped as she slid into the bathroom carrying a new set of cloths as well. Throwing her cloths in her hamper Blake picked up her book and began to read while the two remaining members of their team began to rouse themselves.
The Heiress was the first to actually rise albeit a bit wobbly, seems she was not a weekend morning person. Icy blue eyes were still glazed over with the last clinging's of sleep as Weiss made her way to her own wardrobe pulling out a new dress and jacket.
A loud thud from her side caused Blake and Weiss to jump. Yang landed in a low crouch allowing her feet to absorb the impact. "You brute!" Weiss seethed as she spun on her heels to face the blonde. "Do you have a subtle bone in your body anywhere?"
Yang gave a long large stretch above her head allowing her muscles to ripple along her back, "Nope." She responded with a cheeky grin pulling her arm across her chest Blake watched in fascination as she continued to stretch. Finishing her stretching Yang proceeded to fall to the floor catching herself on out stretched palms. Pushing herself up the blonde started a set of pushups ignoring the glare the Heiress continued to give her.
Once Ruby exited the bathroom Weiss quickly replaced her muttering about how it was to early to be so loud. Blake switched her gaze from the blonde to the redhead noticing her hood was down yet her ears were still fully hidden. "You know you can let them stand while she showers right?" Blake pointed out.
"Yeah but it's a pain to have to constantly be on alert for when she might exit." Ruby shrugged, "Same could be said about your bow but I can imagine how much of pain that is to tie."
"Practice makes it fairly easy." Blake explained returning to her book.
"No one should have to hide who they are." Yang grunted still in her set of pushups. "It's not right."
"It's easy to say Yang but it's another to do." Blake sighed at the blonde.
"Besides it's not like we're hiding it from you." Ruby smiled, Blake watched as her grin became mischievous. Suddenly the wolf had gone from standing watching her sister to sitting squarely on her shoulders earning a grunt of annoyance from the blonde.
"You damned pup." Yang breathed though showing no sign of slowing down at the least.
"Pffft." Ruby ignored the comment, "I've seen you do this with three hundred pounds, my weight is nothing." At that moment the bathroom door opened revealing a newly showered and dressed Heiress who stared at the scene before her in confusion. "Morning Weiss." Ruby chirped with a large smile.
"Good morning Ruby." Weiss replied absentmindedly her head following the motion of the redhead as she bobbed up and down on her sister's back.
"So I was thinking about going to the library today for a bit cause I need to do some research for my leadership class essay." Ruby continued talking unfazed by the motion, "And I was wondering if you'd like to come along to keep me company cause I'm going to be bored the entire time I'm there so it'd be nice to have someone there to talk to and ask if what I'm writing makes sense. You don't have to if you don't want to but it'd also be a good way to start to get to know each other more…"
"Ruby." Weiss cut over the girl's rambling, causing Yang to pause in the up position, "I'll go with you, I have a research paper for my Dust manipulation class as well and was going to the library too."
Jumping to her feet Ruby cheered, "Yay, it's going to be so much fun. We'll get to know each other so well." She bounced up to the Heiress causing the girl in white to sigh.
"Dolt we are going there to get our work done, not have fun." Weiss looked down at the pleading silver eyes, her will weakening. "Alright fine, we can talk as we work as long as it doesn't get too loud."
Ruby grabbed her partner's hand and started to drag her to the door, "Awesome let's go get breakfast then we can head over." The rest of the wolf's words were cut off as the door shut behind them.
After a few seconds Yang began her pushups again shaking her head, "So that happened. Wonder what got into the Ice Queen?"
"She and your sister had a small chat last night." Blake explained.
"Did they now?" Yang stopped her pushups and switched to a seated position facing the panther. "Care to elaborate?" Placing her arms on either side of her head the blonde lowered herself down to the ground then pulled herself up.
Blake fought the sudden urge to watch her abs scrunch and put all her focus on the words in front of her. "Weiss came back late last night and apologized to Ruby for how she acted yesterday, Ruby said she was sorry for appearing to be slacking off and promised she would start to pay more attention."
Yang hummed at her short explanation continuing her sit ups, "Seems the Ice Queen does have a heart. Wonder what brought on that change all of a sudden."
"Don't know." Blake shrugged keeping her eyes locked on her book.
"Well if she does have a heart it will be Ruby who'll find it." Yang chuckled, Blake flicked her eyes to the blonde watching as toned abs scrunched together as she sat up then smooth out as she lowered herself back down. "Eyes are up here Blakey." Blake blushed hard as she flicked her eyes back to her book getting Yang to chuckle throatily, "Usually people have to pay for the show."
"Do you always flirt this badly?" Blake questioned as she went back to reading.
"Who said I was flirting?" Yang smirked as she continued to watch the panther. She appreciated the female form greatly, actually she appreciated all forms equally but the way the Faunus was sitting really made the blonde appreciate her form. Back resting against the head board, head tilting down gazing at a book that was resting on upraised legs should not have be that good looking but yet Yang was captivated by it.
"My mistake." Blake deadpanned not shifting her eyes from her book.
Yang paused her sit up resting her arms on her legs, "Well would you be overly against it if I was?" She leaned forward slightly trying to give the Faunus a better look at her assets.
Blake didn't even flinch, "You'd have to improve for me to consider it any good."
"I didn't hear a no." Yang smirked at the challenge, the girl was feisty and she liked it.
"Because I didn't say no." Blake returned flipping a page lightly, two could play this game.
"So say I am flirting, what would you do?" Yang pushed leaning even more forward. Sure it was a game but it was a fun game.
Blake had carefully schooled her face when the blonde leaned forward the first time, now it was even more tempting to look but she was not going to loose so easily. It had been a long time since she had played this game, the last relationship she had been in left a sour taste in her mouth whenever she thought about it. But it was a fun game none the less, and the blonde had started it. "I'd say it needs some work."
"What's the matter Kitten?" Yang questioned, "I'm I to hot to handle?"
At the nickname Blake sighed, she should have seen it coming. Yang called her sister pup constantly so of course she wouldn't think twice about calling her by cat synonyms. And as much fun as the game was Blake decided to end it, for now.
Slowly shutting her book the panther let her gaze drag up and down the brawlers body before locking her eyes with the lilac gaze. She almost laughed as Yang's eyes widened in surprise as if she hadn't been expecting Blake to be so bold. Continuing to hold her gaze Blake shifted to her knees leaning forward slightly until she had to rest her hands in front of her. Leveling herself with the blonde she slowly inched forward until their faces were mere inches apart, now Yang looked totally surprise. With a smirk she leaned towards the blonde's ear getting a small whiff of the scent of lilacs and gunpowder that clung to her partner constantly along with a hint of sweat now she whispered, "No."
Before Yang could react Blake pulled herself back and retook her reading position leaving a stunned blonde on the floor, game over. Blinking to restart her mind the brawler slowly caught up with what had just happened. Slowly a smirk started to work its way across her face. The panther had won that round, that was something the blonde was not use to.
Yang loved to play the game, it was fun to see a how people would react. Some would shy away from it, some would come back at her with the same enthusiasm, others would shut her down before it could really go anywhere and then there those who just played the game because it was fun. If the game led somewhere then it was even better. The blonde had played the game on every continent and in countless bars. Though things didn't develop into the more physical side of the game until she was of age Yang had always played to win. She could count on one hand how many times she had lost and not one of them was as exciting as what had just happened now.
Looking up at the panther she watched as the girl continued to read, her face neutral showing no signs she acknowledged her win or that they had even been playing the game at all. That made Yang want to win next time even more. Shaking her head the brawler stood and retrieved her new cloths heading to the bathroom. While the game was over the Faunus had been receptive of it leaving little room for doubt in her mind that the game wouldn't continue and she was looking forward to it.
Blake exhaled as the bathroom door shut and the water started up again. She had not intended to get involved in the game again. The last time with him had been unintentional, she had been young and didn't know much about the world outside the White Fang and he was just so charismatic that she had been drawn into him just like everyone else. He had been charming, chivalrous and caring but it had all been fake. His charm? A way to get people to lower their defenses and believe in him. The chivalry? A façade to make him seem as the best candidate for leadership. His caring? A lie to make him seem as if he had the best interest in mind.
Everything she had seen in him had been a lie. He had been the one that twisted the White Fang into the more brutal version that it was today. He had convinced everyone that in order to gain the ground they needed the change had been necessary. He had made her into something she despised and she had let him.
Gripping the edges of her book tighter Blake heard the screams of that fatal night again, she felt the warm blood dripping down her hands again, the cold rain dripping down her back. No, she couldn't go there again.
Shaking her head clear the panther brought herself back to the dorm room, the sounds of the shower still running. She had learned that the blonde liked to take long showers in order to take care of her long thick hair, it seemed weekend showers were much longer.
There was something different about the blonde. Her charm was real, her caring genuine and that smile that lit up across her face warm. She was not like him at all. Maybe that was why she had decided to play the game with the blonde, to see if what she saw on the surface was real or not. Maybe that was why she hadn't shut the game down as soon as the blonde started.
The sounds of the water had stop and had been replaced by the sounds of a hair dryer running. Yang was definitely different from what Blake could tell. She had never once questioned her about her past or even her heritage just accepting the Faunus for her. It probably had to something to do with the fact that she had grown up with a wolf Faunus, but that brought another question to her mind. Just how were the blonde and the wolf related? Wolves were rarely social outside of the packs; they tended to stay out of kingdoms and far away most civilizations. Yang smelled to strongly of human to have a parent as a Faunus and Ruby was clearly full blooded Faunus. She just had too many questions and not enough answers.
"Hey Blake." Yang's voice made the panther snap from her thoughts, "I'm gonna go for a walk, wanna come?" A warm smile spread across the blonde's face, not the smoldering smirk she had earlier.
Looking out the window Blake watched as large white fluffy clouds drifted through the late summer air. "Sure." Marking her spot she followed her partner out into the courtyard in front of their dorm.
Beacon was massive. There was no way around that fact. With the main tower at the center of the campus and buildings sprawled out in every direction. Dorms were on the back half with the buildings for the school in the front. Gardens full of different types of plants and flowers dotted the grounds. Some had fountains or statues depicting old Hunters and great deeds stood in each acting as silent sentinels watching as students passed by. Areas of open grass gave students a place to lay out in the sun or have games of catch, a few fliers on the dorm floors notice board even told times and places of student led activates.
Blake and Yang strolled aimlessly about the grounds watching a group of students go through a set of meditative stretches by a tall forth year. Yang let out a content sigh as she led them through a small forest like courtyard, "This feels like Patch."
"Oh?" Blake inquired.
Yang nodded as she looked up through the trees, "Yeah. It has forests like this one all over outside of the town."
"Sounds like a wonderful place." Blake looked up as well, the trees reminding her of her time spent in the forests of Vale.
Yang hummed in agreement, "It really is. Though we don't have trees near as big as the ones on Menagerie."
"Yeah," Blake agreed before she fully processed the blonde's words. "Wait you've been to Menagerie?"
"Yep." Yang nodded popping her 'p', "Was there about three years ago?" She paused trying to recall when she had been on the continent. "Was there for about a month and a half. What else would explain the fact I know some Menagerian?"
Blake blinked, she actually hadn't thought about that. When Ruby had told them that she was taking Menagerian she had offered the wolf her help if she ever got stuck but didn't think twice when the blonde had said she could as well. "I… It's just not many human's care to learn it." Blake explained quickly getting a smirk from the blonde.
"Oh Blake you wound me." Yang laughed, "I know a few phrases in most of the languages. Hell Ruby's fluent in Dragnarian and I speak both Mistain and Valiction as well."
Blake stared at the blonde in shock she had really misjudged her. "Why do you know so many languages?" She asked the question before she could even stop herself.
"I've traveled all over the world and knowing how to say something to someone who doesn't know Basic can come in handy." Yang shrugged, "Like this one time I was in Mistrial I was looking for a place to crash and I was in this small town where the only person who spoke Basic was the town drunk and he was so sloshed that his words were just mumbles and slurs. Knowing Mistain saved my ass from having to sleep on streets."
Blake blinked at the blonde again, "I suppose that does make sense. Why does Ruby know Dragnarian?"
"It's where she's from." Yang answered absentmindedly as she watched a bird in a tree.
"What?" Blake blinked, weren't the sister both from Patch?
"Uhh..." Yang hesitated realizing what she had just said. "Complicated family stuff. Not really that important." Blake gave the brawler a questioning look making her squirm slightly. "Look Blake I get that you want to know more about me and the pup but there are some things that I don't really feel comfortable just telling people right away until I get to know them better, you're actually the first person outside the family to hear that."
Blake nodded. She really didn't have any room to talk really; she was still not going to tell her team that she was once a member of the White Fang just yet. Maybe Yang and Ruby at some point but defiantly not Weiss, at least not until she had more of an idea about the Heiress. "Yeah I get it."
Yang smiled as she continued on thankful the panther had just accepted her words. Her family was complicated and it was a hassle to explain it all. Some of the history of her family she wasn't sold that she had been told the complete truth herself. The two companions lapped into a few minutes of silence. It was comfortable, which to the brawler was odd.
Yang thrived off noise and sound. She hated the silence usually. It was eerie to her. It was the sign of something bad about to happen. Silence was the lack of life it was cold and lonely. Silence was what you heard when you asked where your mom was. Silence was the hesitation of the people around you afraid to tell you the truth. Silence was cruel it didn't care.
But this silence was not cold or lonely. It was peaceful and relaxing. This silence was the air of the panther beside her who barely made a sound as she walked. This silence was the scent of lilies. This silence cared.
"So where are you from?" Yang finally broke the silence. While the silence had been comfortable she was still uneasy with it but maybe someday she wouldn't be.
Blake hesitated slightly, "I was born on Menagerie but I lived in Vacuo for a long time. I moved to Vale about two years ago." Yang smiled as she spoke.
"So is that why you know a lot about Vacuo?" The brawler asked.
Blake nodded, actually the real reason she knew so much about Vacuo was because it was the easiest place for the White Fang to hide. The miles of near endless desert and sand blasted abandoned temples made it easy to disappear.
"Cool so do you speak Calici?" Blake nodded again at her question, while Menagerian was her native tongue she had learned the desert language from her time there. "I wish I knew more Calici." Yang sighed wistfully, "I love the way it sounds and the way it's written."
"It is very unique." Blake agreed with a small smile the blonde was always so open with what she was feeling. "Do you know any phrases in it?"
Yang grinned cheekily at the Faunus, "A few that aren't for innocent ears."
"Oh so more bad flirting?" Blake snorted of course that's what Yang would know.
"Yep." Yang smiled happily.
"Are you any better in it?" Blake continued, it was a fun game.
Yang perked up at the sudden challenge, "Wa'awwad 'ann hira' lakum alshshams 'iidha lm 'astatie sadiqi jamilatan. (I would buy you the sun if I could my pretty friend.)" Yang's accent was flawless as she spoke causing the Faunus to freeze; the blonde was just full of surprises.
"Still needs some work." Blake sighed with a small smirk. She wondered briefly if the blonde knew the meaning behind buying the sun for someone in Vacuo.
Yang rolled her eyes, "Hey if we were having this conversation in Mistain I'd have your panties on the floor by now."
Blake laughed at the brawler. "I highly doubt that, I'm not that easy or that desperate. But please if you keep on insisting on embarrassing yourself continue, I haven't had a good laugh in a long time."
"That sound's like a challenge there Kitty Cat." Yang winked. "Wǒ huì ràng nǐ zhīdào tā zhīqián de xiǎo māo.*" The sudden switch to Mistain sent the panther into another laughing fit.
"Yang I don't speak Mistain." Blake shook her head, "I have no idea what the hell you just said."
The blonde smirked again before giving a simple shrug, "Oh I know that's why I said it."
Blake rolled her eyes, well if that was the case. "Anata wa kinpatsu baka anata wa totemo meiwakudesuga, watashi wa anata ga omoshiroidesu. Dakara, shiyou to shite hokan shite kudasai.*"
Yang blinked in confusion, she recognized a few words that the Faunus had spoken in Menagerian but she had said it so quickly that she couldn't translate it fast enough. "Wait that's not fair I didn't get all of that." Blake just laughed and turned to leave the blonde behind in her confusion, "Wait Blake what did you just say? Blake?"
The game was over again; again the panther had claimed victory over the blonde.
A/N: So I'll admit I'm not the best at writing puns, actually I'll go as far as to say I'll never write a pun. Like I can't, so if you like pun Yang I'm sorry but I can't. Anyways, the scene where Blake and Yang flirt with each other in different languages came from another story idea from a long time ago. So when one person speaks a language and the others don't under stand it I'll let you know what's going on down here.
Quick run down: Mistain- Chinese, Mangerian- Japanese, Dragnanrian- Russian, Calici- Arabic, Valiction- Latin, Basic- English. And PLEASE, PLEASE if you speak, write or read in any of these languages and I screw up horribly PLEASE tell me (nicely) so I can fix it. I only speak English because the education system is a failure in my opinion so if you can please help me with this. I love the idea of Blake and Yang continuing to flirt in other languages just to get each other flustered so expect things like this to happen again.
With that: My greatest thanks, let me know what you think, and share your smile with someone.
*I will have you before you know it Kitten- Yang
*You are so annoying you blonde idiot but I find you interesting. So please keep trying.- Blake