Chapter 102: Oh, Brother…

Team RWBY made it to the first-year dorms in record time, as attested by the multicolored petal storm left in their wake. Weiss was dimly aware of hearing Kali's startled yell as the four blasted past, but she wasn't sure. Truthfully she barely cared.

Because Whitley was here.

Her brother.

At Beacon.

And if he was here… then that meant…

It had to mean…

That…

"Weiss?"

A sudden shake of her shoulder jolted Weiss from her spiraling thoughts. She looked around, finding Ruby, Blake, and Yang giving her concerned looks as they waited for the elevator.

"You back, Snowflake?" Yang asked, retracting her hand. "You got a little lost in your head there."

Weiss swallowed thickly, trying to calm her ratcheting nerves. "Sorry, Yang. I just…" She trailed off, her breath shuddering.

Ruby frowned. "Is your brother being here such a bad thing?" Her face brightened. "Oh! Maybe he just came to visit you! See how you're doing at Beacon!" She flinched back when Weiss shot her a dark look. "Or not…" she squeaked timidly.

Weiss bit back her instinctive caustic comment. She closed her eyes, not opening them until she heard the ding! of the arriving elevator. She took Ruby's hand, pulling the leader through the open doors, Yang and Blake shuffling in after them. Once they were in and she was sure she was calm, Weiss explained. "Ruby, Whitley is only thirteen. He can't travel by himself. I don't even think he's allowed a scroll. If he's come to Beacon… my Father is right behind him."

"...oh," Ruby droned, her shoulders slumping.

"Is that the only option?" Blake asked, her brow furrowed in worry. "Maybe… you told me your family has service staff. Maybe one of them took him? Or… your mother?"

To their dismay, Weiss merely scoffed. "Very doubtful." Seeing their surprised looks, Weiss took a breath, the scorn in her voice shifting to tiredness. "As you can imagine, living with my Father is… trying. Winter and I eventually gave up and ran, her to the military and me to Beacon. Mother…" Weiss looked down. "She… she cares, I… I don't doubt that. But... for as long as I can remember, Mother has opted to hide from him at the bottom of a wine bottle. She rarely leaves the manor, let alone with one of us in tow."

Silence fell as the elevator ascended. Weiss refused to look at any of her girlfriends for fear of seeing the pity in their eyes, though the Sorrow, Sympathy, Support rolling off them mitigated that thought. After taking her moment, Weiss continued. "Whitley, on the other hand, went in the opposite direction. He follows after our father like a lost duckling. If Father says something, Whitley will be parroting it back within the hour."

"...no offense, Weiss," Blake started hesitantly. "But when we first met you…"

"I was awful, I know." Weiss let out a frustrated huff. "I tried acting the same way living with him. But I would ask for clarification if Father said something I didn't understand. He… didn't appreciate that. When Father asks if you agree with him, you say yes, end of story. I didn't do that… not often enough for him, at least. Whitley does." Weiss attempted a steadying breath. "So, if Whitley's here…"

"So's your dad," Yang finished. She let out a low groan. "Faaan-tastic."

"Indeed." Weiss then looked to Blake, embarrassed and resigned. "And I'm going to warn you now, Blake: don't be surprised if Whitley makes a comment about you being Faunus."

Blake grimaced but nodded. "I figured as much. I'll be okay. I've heard worse than whatever a thirteen-year-old can dish out."

"That doesn't really make us feel better, Blake," Ruby said with a frown. She turned to Weiss. "Do you think he might say something about you dating girls?"

"Or dating girls, plural, at that?" Yang added, smirking slightly.

Weiss snorted faintly at the attempt for levity. "I frankly have no idea. Father spoke little on the subject outside of calling same-sex relationships a 'pointless practice'."

"'Pointless practice?'" Blake echoed, she, Ruby, and Yang looking utterly confused.

Weiss gave a sullen nod as she watched the floor counter tick up. "To my father, everything is a transaction. You don't do something without receiving something in return, with interest. And as two men or, prior to L-Dust IVF, two women cannot conceive a child, then in his eyes, there is nothing to be gained from such a relationship. Doing so regardless is, quote: 'an utter waste of time for both parties.'"

Yang let out a disbelieving, somewhat nervous scoff. "And, what, finding a loving, caring partner isn't a gain to him?"

"No," Weiss said bluntly. "It isn't."

There was a beat of silence in the car. "Weiss," Ruby eventually said. "Maybe it ain't my place… but I'm starting to feel really sorry for your mom."

Weiss let out a breathless laugh, closing her eyes as she bowed her head. "Trust me, Ruby," she said softly as the elevator chimed their arrival. "You are not the only one."

The elevator doors slid open before any of the three could respond. They found Jaune waiting for them, nervously pacing up and down the hall.

He looked up when he heard the doors open, relief washing over his face. "Man, am I glad you guys were already here! I-" He paused when he got a good look at them, contrasting Yang's battle-worn appearance with the other's date clothes. "Uh… big night on the town?"

Yang rubbed at a kink in her neck, grinning tiredly. "Something like that."

Weiss stepped forward, fixing Jaune with an intense look. "Jaune… please explain. How exactly did my brother get trapped by Zwei… let alone in your bathroom?"

Jaune chuckled sheepishly, starting down the hall as the RWBYs followed. "Okay, so, what happened was…"

Earlier…

Jaune blinked as Whitley vanished behind the RWBYs' door. He let out a light hum, then pulled out his scroll, flipping through his contacts.

"Jaune?"

He glanced back at his dorm, finding Ren standing in the doorway giving him a curious look. He could see Pyrrha behind him, looking perplexed from the edge of her bed.

"Do you really think Weiss was expecting her brother tonight?" Ren asked. "The timing seems… suspect."

Jaune snorted. "Oh, yeah, I know. He's up to something."

Ren's brow rose in surprise. Pyrrha approached with a concerned look "You… know?" she asked hesitantly.

Jaune gave her a grin. He motioned to the RWBYs' door. "Little brother to two sisters-" He motioned to himself. "-little brother of seven sisters. Game knows game."

Ren looked thoughtful at that, but Pyrrha still looked apologetically doubtful. "Then… why'd you let him in their room?

Jaune went back to looking through his scroll. "So I can give Weiss the heads up without him knowing." Seeing Pyrrha's brow scrunched in confusion, he went on. "Look, their dad is the most powerful man in the world, and Weiss told us the kid is basically a mini-him. I ain't taking any chances of this catching Weiss unawares."

"Still," Ren said after a thoughtful moment. "I doubt the girls will like him being in their room unsupervised."

Jaune grimaced. "Yeah, I know. I probably didn't think that part through, but-"

SLAM!

"AAAHH! Stay away from me, you beast!"

The three jumped as the RWBYs' door burst open, Whitley nearly slamming into Jaune as he bolted down the hall, terror on his face as he slammed the door behind him. A black blur slipped out before the door could shut, Zwei barking up a storm as he chased the boy. The two disappeared around the corner, Whitley's screams fading away.

"...huh."

The three JNPRs stood there for a moment, Jaune rubbing the back of his head. Then his brow shot high. "Hey," he said, drawing Pyrrha and Ren's attention. He pointed down the way Whitley had gone, then made a circular motion. "That way just wraps back around this way, doesn't it?"

Pyrrha tilted her head. "I believe so. Why?"

Jaune broke out in a grin. "I have an idea. Pyrrha, go to the other end of the hall. When Whitley runs at you, flag him back down this way."

"Um… okay…" Pyrrha said, unsure. "But… why?"

"Just trust me." It took a moment, but Pyrrha followed Jaune's lead, still looking unsure. As she walked away, Jaune turned to Ren. "Ren, open our bathroom door and follow my lead."

Ren's brows shot high, one hiking further than the other. After a second, he nodded, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. "Understood."

Once they were in place, the JNPRs only had to wait all of thirty seconds before they heard Zwei's barking approaching from the opposite hall, nearly drowning out Whitley's panicked cries.

"Um… this way! This way, please!"

Jaune watched as Pyrrha awkwardly motioned towards him, a bemused look on her face as Whitley hurtled around the corner, gasping like he'd run a marathon with Zwei nipping at his heels. He had to bite his tongue to not burst out laughing at the sight. Whitley had the most terrified, panicked look on his face as he sprinted down the hall, while Zwei just had the happiest doggy grin, his tongue lolling from the side of his mouth as his stubby legs blurred beneath him.

Jaune managed to hold it together long enough to wave the panicked boy towards the open dorm door. "Dude! In here, quick!"

Whitley half-shrieked a "thank you!", darting into the dorm. Before Zwei could follow him, Jaune stuck his foot in his way. The corgi paused to give him a confused look, just long enough for Jaune to hear Ren say, "Over here." Zwei jumped over Jaune's foot, head snapping to the left once he was through the door. There was a yelp, a door slam, and Zwei disappeared inside the JNPR dorm, barking anew.

Jaune shared a bemused look with an approaching Pyrrha, the partners moving into the room. Ren gave them a mildly impressed look as he stood by the bathroom door, brows raised in interest as he looked by his feet. Zwei momentarily paused his barking, his front paws flat against the now-locked bathroom door as he looked up at Ren, panting happily.

Jaune just grinned when his teammates looked to him for comment. He shrugged. "This works too."

The RWBYs stared as Jaune rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "So… yeah. That happened."

Yang barked a laugh, catching Jaune in a loose headlock and rubbing her knuckles into his hair. "Quick thinking, Vomit Boy!"

Jaune shoved her off, chuckling lightly. "Thanks… honestly, I think we just got lucky. I still can't believe it worked."

Weiss gave Jaune an odd side-eye, caught between reprimand and amusement. "I'm not sure how I feel about you locking my brother in your bathroom, Jaune."

"Hey, in my defense," Jaune interjected. "We just lead him there. He ain't trapped or anything. He's just… hiding."

Weiss blinked. "Hiding? Why is he-?"

"Well…" Jaune said as they arrived at the JNPR dorm. He waved a hand at the room. "Take a look."

After sharing a curious look, the RWBYs peered into the JNPR dorm. They found Ren leaning against a vanity on the far wall, the stoic boy greeting them with a nod before facing back to his right. They followed his gaze to see Pyrrha sitting on the edge of her bed, Zwei held securely in her lap.

"Whitley, can you please come out?" she pleaded, looking down helplessly at the corgi panting in her lap. "I've got a hold on Zwei. He… he won't hurt you."

A moment passed. Then there was a small click, and the bathroom door squeaked open a hair. A crystal blue eye peeked through the narrow gap.

At the squeak, Zwei's head snapped towards the door. There was a yelp behind the door before it slammed shut, the lock clicking closed again.

Pyrrha let out a low groan, her face falling in a pout.

Jaune looked back to the girls, shrugging helplessly. "See?"

Ruby stepped fully into the room, cocking her head to the side. "He's that scared of Zwei?"

Pyrrha looked over as Ruby approached, giving her a bewildered smile. "Apparently," she said, relaxing her grip on Zwei as the corgi started squirming at the sight of his owners. In a single bound, Zwei lept from Pyrrha's lap and into Ruby's arms with a happy "Arf!"

"But-" Ruby grunted as she caught the corgi, leaning away as he tried to lick her face. "He's Zwei." She held the pup against her chest, turning him to face Pyrrha and unleashing a double dose of puppy-dog pout.

"Does Whitley have any phobias that could explain this reaction?" Ren asked Weiss.

Weiss frowned in thought. "None that I'm aware of…" She stared at the door in trepidation. Then she took a steadying breath, squared her shoulders, and stepped up to the door. She rapped her knuckles hard against it. "Whitley? It's Weiss?"

"...Weiss?" came a muffled response after a tense moment. "Is that really you?"

Weiss blinked. That was… a shocking amount of relief in her brother's voice. She glanced back at her team, receiving bemused looks from Blake and Ruby, Yang looking seconds away from a laughing fit.

This is not how I saw this introduction going.

Shaking her head, Weiss went back to the door. "Yes, Whitley, it's really me. Why…" Her attempt at keeping her voice level failed at the end, incredulousness seeping into her words. "Why are you hiding in our neighbor's bathroom?"

There was a muffled scoff from behind the door. "Because that beast in your room attacked me and chased me in here!"

"What!?" Ruby ran up beside Weiss, still cuddling Zwei as she yelled back. "Zwei wouldn't just attack someone!"

Whitley let out an offended gasp. "Wha- that thing charged at me with its teeth bared, barking its head off!"

At that, Ruby giggled in relief. "Oh, he was just excited to meet a new person! That's all!"

"It chased me through this entire infernal school!"

Jaune and Ren shared an incredulous look. "It was, like, three halls max, right?" he whispered. Ren gave a resolute nod.

"That's just him playing with you!"

"Making me run for my life!? What kind of sadistic game is played like that!?"

Ruby blinked, slowly turning to Weiss in concern. "...'Chase?'" she answered hesitantly.

Weiss could feel a headache forming. "Ruby, can you please let me handle this?"

Ruby frowned at the door, letting out a frustrated groan. "O-kaaaay…" She stepped away from the bathroom, Zwei letting out a confused "mmph?" as she did.

Letting out a sigh, Weiss knocked on the door again. "Whitley, the dog is not going to attack you. It's safe to come out. You have my word."

"I'm not coming out while that thing is still out there!"

Weiss's eyes turned skyward. She looked between Ruby and Yang apologetically, pleading.

Yang snorted. "Alright, I'll take the little monster back to our dorm. I need a shower anyway." She let out a sharp whistle. Zwei's ears perked up instantly. He bounded out of Ruby's arms and over to Yang, though not without pausing in front of Blake's feet, looking up at her expectantly with his head cocked.

Blake's lips twisted grumpily. "Yes, hello, Zwei." She bent down and gave him a quick scratch behind the ears. Zwei panted happily at her, then trotted over to sit at Yang's feet.

Yang grinned at Blake's expense. She waved to the room at large. "Well, good luck with… this," she said gesturing towards the bathroom door. Despite her flippant words, she gave Weiss an encouraging wink before leading Zwei out of the room, giving Jaune a friendly shoulder punch on her way out. ("Ow.")

Weiss huffed lightly with a slight smile. "The dog is gone, Whitley," she called out. "It's safe to come out now."

"...really?"

Weiss forced down her frustration. "Yes… really."

It took a moment, but the lock soon clicked. The door creaked open, Whitley peeking through hesitantly. He looked about the room, eyes widening when he saw Weiss. Weiss rose an expectant brow. The door closed briefly, before slowly swinging fully open. Whitley stood there, pink cheeks stark against his fair complexion. His fine dress shirt and vest were rumpled. His white hair was uneven, partly sticking up while mostly clumsily flattened down.

"Weiss. It's good to see you," he said tightly, his voice calm and level as if he wasn't standing disheveled after having been cornered in a dorm bathroom. "You're looking well."

Weiss could only blink. "Whitley," she said kindly, if stiltedly. "I…" She struggled for a moment, trying to form a proper greeting. She soon gave up, shrugging helplessly. "Truthfully, I don't know what to say."

Whitley's face reddened further. "Well… frankly, this is not how I saw this conversation starting either."

Weiss could feel herself floundering, as well as Feel Ruby struggling not to jump forward and introduce herself. "Well… perhaps you could explain what about Zwei frightened you so? Do you have a fear of dogs I wasn't aware of?"

In a blink, Whitley's face closed off, becoming a near-blank mask. "I fear nothing," he stated irritably, making a chopping motion in punctuation. "Do tell, what other action should be taken when assaulted by a vicious animal?"

"Vicious?" Ruby's excitement was put on pause, replaced by bafflement. "I told you, he was just playing. My dad trained him to be a licensed Hunter's dog. He's harmless to everything but Grimm. He's got a certificate and everything!"

Whitley turned his narrowed gaze on her, a critical look in his eyes that Weiss found distressingly familiar. "It doesn't matter how well-trained he might have been," he said, condescension coloring his tone. "Only a human being can be trusted not to revert to vicious instincts at the first opportunity."

Weiss tried not to flinch. It wasn't just the familiar words; it was the pitch-perfect diction that cut her to the core. Also…

"Is that so?"

Oh, drat.

Whitley took an annoyed breath, drawing himself to his full height. He turned sharply to the new voice. "Yes, ma'am, I assure you that…" He quickly trailed off, all color draining from his face.

Blake merely rose a brow at him, her face carefully neutral as she crossed her arms, one of her cat ears flicking slightly.

Weiss's heart twinged. Under Blake's facade, she could Feel the Faunus's Disappointment, her Resignation, Defiance…

Confusion?

Weiss couldn't help but agree as she watched a new look flash across her brother's face. She'd expected several reactions to Whitley meeting Blake for the first time, none good.

Fear was not one of them.

It was gone so quickly that Weiss and Blake had to glance at each other for confirmation. For a brief moment, a look of abject terror overtook Whitley's face, his pinprick eyes darting from Blake's face to her cat ears, then down to her hands. Whitley tried to school his face, aiming from nonchalant and only achieving a mask of muted nervousness. "W-Well, I… there are always outliers, I suppose… e-exceptions to the… to the rule, that is…"

As Whitley stumbled over his words, his hands making jerky, awkward motions in time with his words (were they shaking?) Weiss decided she needed to approach this differently, before someone (Whitley, Blake, herself, who knew) escalated the situation. She sent Ruby a pleading look, eyes darting towards the door.

Ruby followed her gaze, looking between her and Whitley. She blinked in realization, giving Weiss a firm nod. "I think Yang had the right idea, Blake," she said with a grin, cutting off Whitley's stammering. She went to Blake's side, holding out her hand. "Let's go get cleaned up while Weiss and Whitley catch up."

Blake was surprised by the interruption, her face clearing as she took in Ruby's earnest smile. She softened further when she looked at Weiss, Feeling every bit of the Embarrassment, Remorse, Care the blue-eyed girl was sending her way. Blake spared Whitley one last narrow look before smiling at Ruby, taking her hand. "Sounds good."

Weiss breathed a discreet sigh of relief as Ruby thanked the JNPRs for watching Zwei, she and Blake moving to leave. Crisis averted for the moment.

Mischievousness.

Weiss barely registered the Feeling wash over her before she felt a set of lips briefly press against her cheek. Her brow shot high in surprise as she turned, seeing Blake's easy smile.

"Try not to take too long, okay, Weiss?" Blake asked before she and Ruby walked away hand-in-hand.

Weiss's cheeks warmed slightly as she watched them go, her lips lifting in a content-if-confused grin. It wasn't out of character for Blake to say goodbye with a kiss, but it was a bit out of the blue right now-

Weiss's thoughts cut off when she turned back to Whitley.

Who just stared back, eyes bugged out, all decorum forgone, face fully aflame.

…oh.

Oh, thanks a lot, Blake!

She Felt a twinge of Guilt from outside in the hall, but it was overshadowed by the Faunus's Amusement and Satisfaction.

Ruby's faint giggling wasn't helping.

Movement to Weiss's right drew her attention. Pyrrha had found a textbook to bury her head in, her nonchalance betrayed by her pink cheeks and small smile, her eyes briefly darting to Weiss's. Behind her, Ren just gave her a crooked grin before moving towards his team's workbench.

Aaaannd right in front of the JNPRs, too. Not that big of a deal, honestly, but on top of everything else… ugh.

Weiss closed her eyes, mentally counting down from ten. When she opened them, she met Whitley's awkward gaze head-on. "Whitley, I'd prefer to have this conversation outside, if it's alright with you."

Whitley started at being addressed. He drew himself up, the red slowly draining from his face. "That-" he flushed anew as his voice broke, covering it with a cough. "That sounds more than fine."

Weiss nodded. She looked at each of Team JNPR in the room, finishing on Jaune. "Thank you all for watching my brother."

She ignored the affronted noise Whitley made, as did Jaune who just grinned. "Anytime, Weiss," he said, opening the door for them. The hallway beyond was dim, the main lights having turned off as curfew had passed. "See you girls in the morning."

After receiving a farewell wave and nod from Pyrrha and Ren respectively, Weiss led Whitley out of the room, ignoring the irritated look he shot Jaune as they left. Once the door clicked behind them, Whitley clicked his tongue. "They are an… interesting bunch."

Weiss suppressed a snort. "You have no idea." With the siblings now in the middle of the hall, Weiss turned to face her brother…

And once again cursed her father. He'd doomed all his children to share his looks, from his hair to his bone structure, but only Whitley had inherited his height. It was frankly a crime how she had to look up at her younger brother, and she knew it was only going to get worse as he grew older.

With little preamble, Weiss asked, "Where is Father?"

Whitley merely rose a brow at her. "That is your first question?"

Weiss could already feel her patience thinning just from the thinly veiled condescension in that brief sentence. "Whitley," she said tightly, her brother stiffening slightly at her tone. "It has been a long night, and, yes, I have a great many questions for you, but, yes, this takes priority for me. I know you wouldn't come to Vale by yourself, so… where is Father?"

Whitley looked down at her, his lips pressed in a thin line. After a brief staredown, he said, "Father received an emergency call earlier today as we neared the capital. After dropping me off, he continued further inland to our distribution hub here in Vale. Something about several orders of robotic soldiers being canceled out of the blue."

Weiss blinked. "Father… is not in the city?"

Whitley huffed irritably. "I just said that."

"...oh." Weiss nearly went weak at the knees, she was so relieved. The Vale hub was more than a day's travel by air. They still had time. She still had time.

She relaxed further when she Felt her Relief echoing back across the Link. She could practically hear her girlfriends let out a sigh as the weight on her shoulders lessened. Then a thought struck her.

"Wait…" She gave Whitley an almost worried look. "If Father is headed inland, why did he leave you here alone?"

Whitley sniffed at her concerned tone. "We were just outside the city when Father received the call. I offered to remain in the city until he returned."

Weiss was surprised. "By yourself? Father allowed that?"

"With the caveat that I remain either at the hotel or Beacon Academy and do nothing to besmirch the Schnee name. I had the idea that I could speak to you alone so as to avoid any… future unpleasantness." Whitley stood a little straighter, pride in his voice. "Father trusted me enough to agree."

And there it is. Weiss's eyes narrowed, her face falling into a neutral mask. "What kind of unpleasantness are you referring to? For that matter, Whitley, why did you and father come to Vale in the first place?"

Whitley's face equally closed off. "I would think that would be obvious, Weiss."

Weiss crossed her arms, hiding a grimace. "I fear it is. Humor me."

Whitley's eyebrow rose. "Very well. Father has been… less than pleased with some of the choices you've made since coming to Beacon. He ignored the majority of them, but… superseding him by naming three strangers as your medical proxies was a bridge too far."

A dark look crossed Weiss's face. "They are not strangers, they-"

"I am more than aware of what they are to you," Whitley interrupted, his face pinking again. "It took frankly distressingly little effort for Father to uncover."

Weiss grimaced, feeling a little ill. "Oh…"

Whitley either ignored that or simply didn't care, carrying on. "I'm saying it doesn't matter, Weiss. They are strangers to Father and thus are not qualified to have medical control over the life of a Schnee. Giving it to them regardless was beyond reckless, and a breach of Father's trust in you. Combined with the… types of people you… associate with…"

Whitley started tripping over his words, an uncomfortable expression growing on his reddening face. He cleared his throat before continuing. "Father has determined that allowing you to enroll in Beacon was a mistake. Thus, he and I have come to take you home."

For just a moment, Weiss allowed her brother's words to wash over her, drowning in the Feelings curdling in her gut. She felt the Disappointment at having been proven right. The Resignation at having known this was coming. The Panic at having so little time to deal with it. The outright Fear at having to face her father's incoming wrath.

Then… she closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. She Felt the Worry, Love, Support ebbing out from her team just behind her, wrapping around her protectively. She opened her eyes, met Whitley's gaze evenly, and spoke plainly.

"No."

Whitley went still. "E-excuse me?"

Weiss held his stare. "I said 'no'. I am sorry you and Father wasted your time coming here, but I will not be returning to Atlas with you."

Whitley gaped at her, his mouth working silently. "W-Weiss…" he said with a nervous laugh. "Father has already made the decision."

"Good for him," she stated briskly. "Unfortunately, my decision differs from his."

"'Differs from'…" Whitley stared at her, looking lost. "Weiss, if this is a joke, it's not funny. Now, I believe I have given you enough warning for you to pack properly and say your goodbyes-"

"Whitley." The boy's mouth snapped shut at Weiss's icy tone, her patience officially gone. "Let me make this clear. I don't care that Father has come to take me home. I. Am not. Going."

Whitley's mouth fell open, his jaw quivering. "Weiss… do you hear yourself right now? If Father hears you speaking this way-"

"Trust me, Whitley," Weiss cut in, her voice gaining strength as she spoke. "After the stunt he pulled last week, I am well aware of what father could do or say. I have thought of little else since. I reiterate: I. Do. Not. Care."

At that, Whitley grimaced. "That… stunt… that did not go the way I expected it to."

Confusion crossed with Weiss's face. "How you expected… wait." Realization washed over her, her features twisting in outrage. "Was it your idea to kidnap me!?"

"N-no!" Whitley jumped back, putting his hands up in fright at her sudden shout. "It was Father's call to the use of the knights and airship. He originally wanted to just show up at Beacon and confront you in the middle of school. I merely suggested that we attempt a… subtler method of taking you home rather than make a spectacle out of it and risk bad PR. That's all."

"'That's all!?" Weiss repeated, incensed. "I woke up tied to a slab, surrounded by robots, on an airship to gods-know-where while still recovering from major surgery! No weapons, no defenses, completely helpless… Do you have any idea how terrified I was? Any clue what went through my mind waking up like that?"

Whitley had the decency to avert his eyes. "Again, Father was the one who decided on such… theatrical measures." He looked back to her, his face a calm mask. "While a tad… extreme, I admit-"

"Just a tad?" Weiss repeated, her voice barely restrained.

Whitley shifted uncomfortably, continuing as if she hadn't spoken. "-I maintain that, had it gone to plan, the end result would still be preferable over other options. I mean, what would you truly prefer, Weiss? Father walking into Beacon and dressing you down in front of all your peers?"

"Yes, Whitley," Weiss answered, so quickly that Whitley blinked. "I would. Because, as embarrassing as it would be, at least I'd have a chance to defend myself!"

Whitley was aghast. "'Defend yourself'- What? Weiss, do you want to cause an incident? If anyone overhears you and Father arguing, the media will have a field day! It would be a PR nightmare for the company!"

Weiss was unmoved. "Well, maybe Father should have considered that before traveling all the way down here to pull me out of school with neither my knowledge, nor consent, for nothing!"

"Weiss, I… you…" Whitley struggled for words, finally just blurting out, "What are you saying? Are you trying to get disowned?"

Weiss froze, her next rebuttal catching in her throat. She blinked rapidly, staring at her brother. "I… I thought I already was."

Whitley paused in kind, his brow shooting high. "Why would you think that?" he asked, sounding genuinely confused.

"Father… canceled my cards." she said softly, noting Whitley's eyes widening. "He had them declared stolen and declared my girlfriends as the thieves. And… he cut off my access to the family fortune. Just like he did with Winter."

Whitley was silent for a moment. "I… did not know he had done that," he admitted, looking perturbed.

The siblings stared at each other in troubled silence. Weiss's mind raced as she tried to parse out what this meant. If she hadn't been disowned yet… but clearly her Father already knew about her relationship, so why would he-

Bang!

The two jumped as a door further down the dim hall burst open, the resulting slam echoing in the dead silence. Their heads snapped towards the source.

Ilia stood in Team PINC's darkened doorway, irritation plain on her face. Her long hair was out of its ponytail, fanning across her shoulders and sticking up at the ends. She was dressed in simple sleep clothes of shorts and an oversized t-shirt, a logo Weiss was unfamiliar with emblazoned across her chest.

From within the depths of the dorm, a set of neon green eyes shown, blinking curiously.

The irritated look Ilia sported barely let up when she saw Weiss. Then her eyes fell on Whitley. They shot wide, darting between the two Schnees rapidly, then narrowed. Ilia's scales rippled in agitation, her skin color shifting to a bright yellow-flecked red.

Whitley, who had been staring at the interloper with thinly veiled annoyance, let out a startled yelp at Ilia's sudden color change. He took a sudden step back, tripping over his ankle in his haste, surprising Weiss. He fell hard on his back, quickly pushing himself up on his elbows, only to freeze under the Faunus's gaze.

Ilia looked down at him, arching an unimpressed brow as her scales shifted back to her regular color. She turned to Weiss, her shoulders sagging tiredly. "Weiss… it's ten-thirty. Why are you yelling?"

Weiss tore her eyes away from Whitley's display, pursing her lips. "I'm sorry, Ilia," she apologized. "My brother here just arrived, unannounced," she stressed bitingly, shooting a withering look at Whitley.

… who was still lying on the ground, breathing shallowly and gaping up at Ilia like she was a snarling Ursa Major.

Hmm. That might be a problem.

"... and we were having a bit of a disagreement. I didn't realize we had gotten so loud."

"...brother, huh?" Ilia gave Whitley a long look. Her skin abruptly turned a light teal, eliciting a flinch from the boy. Ilia immediately shifted back, running a hand against her tired eyes. "Just… either keep it down or wrap it up, please? We're trying to sleep in here."

Weiss winced. "Of course. Sorry."

Ilia gave a light grunt in response, going to close the door. Then she paused. "Oh, yeah. You haven't seen Neo, have you? She hasn't come back yet."

Weiss frowned. "No, I-"

As if on cue, the light tap of footsteps sounded at the end of the hall. They looked to find Neo and Nora coming around the corner, the latter tapping away at her scroll, muttering as she walked. Neo's eyes lit up at seeing them, stopping by her door as Nora continued unimpeded.

"...and plan K can still work even if Jaune loses the flowers on the way, we just got to make sure we still have some fireworks left if plan G goes up in flames…" Nora walked right between Weiss and Whitley sparing them a glance as she continued to her dorm. "Night, Ilia. Night, Weiss. Night, Boy-Weiss."

At last, Whitley startled out of his fright, if just barely as his head snapped to Nora a second too late. "W-Wha-?"

But Nora was already gone, still muttering as she disappeared into the JNPR dorm, kicking the door shut behind her.

Ilia blinked after her, then turned to Neo. "And what exactly have you been doing all night?" she asked apprehensively.

Neo just smirked, typing out a brief message.

Penny's voice sounded from within the PINC dorm. "She says… 'Planning world domination?'" she finished slowly, sounding perplexed.

"That… That's a joke… right?" Came Ciel's muffled query, very unsure.

Ilia just huffed, fixing Neo with an unamused glower. "What's scary is I'd believe it." Neo stuck her tongue out in response, giggling silently when Ilia shoved her through the door. Ilia glanced at Whitley then gave Weiss a parting nod, closing the door behind her, Penny shouting out a quick "Goodnight, Friend-Weiss!"

Weis gave a belated wave in return as the door shut. Then she looked back at Whitley… who was still on the ground.

Staring at team PINC's door.

And shaking.

And frankly… Weiss was starting to feel worried.

"Whitley." When she received no response, Weiss bent down so she was standing on her ankles, her brow pinching. "Whitley," she said more forcefully, poking his shoulder for good measure.

Whitley jolted, his head snapping to face her. He blinked rapidly, his eyes darting around as if trying to figure out where he was. "W-Weiss? I-" his gaze drifted back to the door. "What on Remnant was that?"

Weiss frowned, trying to keep her annoyance in check. "That was my friend Ilia. She's a chameleon Faunus."

"Chameleon? So… so she can just… change her color at any time?"

Why does he sound afraid of that? "Or when she feels a strong emotion." Weiss looked at her brother curiously. "You've never heard of a Faunus like that?"

Whitley gave her a freaked-out look. "Father never mentioned any Faunus was capable of that!"

Weiss fought to keep her face blank. "Yes, well… recently I've learned that Father is sometimes-" Most times. "-not the best source of information."

Whitley looked aghast. "Weiss!"

"Regardless," Weiss ignored him, standing up and offering her hand. "Ilia does have a point."

Whitley eyed her hand, looking conflicted. He hesitantly took it, letting her pull him to his feet. "In… what regard?" he asked cautiously, eyes drifting back to the PINC dorm.

"That it is getting rather late. And our… discussion is not going to be finished tonight." When her brother looked ready to object, Weiss held a hand up, fixing him with a serious look. "Whitley, I do not want to leave Beacon, and the only way I am is if Father comes here personally to drag me out kicking and screaming. Because, I assure you, I will not go quietly."

That's right, Weiss, she thought to herself. Say it calmly, say it confidently, ignore your heart trying to escape your rib cage at the thought, and maybe you can will this into not happening.

Judging from his paling face, Whitley felt similarly ill picturing such a sight. "You wouldn't-"

"In any case," she powered on. "Father is not even in this city, so I am certainly going nowhere tonight. So I say we table this conversation for now, as we would otherwise be wasting time. If you like, we can continue this discussion tomorrow at a more reasonable hour, say, after my classes are over."

Whitley looked close to shaking again. "Father won't be happy about this," he finally says, his voice tight.

Weiss closed her eyes. "I know. Believe me, I know." She took a deep breath, Then gave Whitley a neutral smile. "Well, now that that's settled, for the moment… do you know the way to your room, or would you like me to walk you there?"

Whitley blinked, still trying to process her earlier words. "My… room?"

Weiss's lips dipped at his tone. "Yes… I assumed Father had secured you a guest room for the night, given the late hour."

"...oh." Whitley cleared his throat, looking more put together by the moment. "No, um… Father supplied a hotel room for me at The North Star Inn. I had planned to take a bullhead back there after speaking to you."

Weiss hummed. "I don't see that happening. The airfield closes at curfew."

Whitley's eyes widened. "Then," he started, his voice wavering. "Where am I supposed to go?"

Weiss threw up a hand, reaching for her scroll. "Don't panic. I'm sure Professor Goodwitch can find you a room for the night."

It took only a few rings before Goodwitch's face appeared on screen. "Miss Schnee? Is everything all right? It's rather late for a courtesy call."

Weiss smiled respectfully. "I apologize, Professor. I know it's late, but my brother arrived for a surprise visit and it seems he has nowhere to go for the night. Unless," she added hopefully. "There's a bullhead still running to take him back to the city?"

Goodwitch frowned. "I'm afraid not. All pilots have gone home for the night. And given… certain events tonight, the school has been put under a light lockdown. All road access has been closed as well."

Weiss bit back a groan. "I figured as much." The roads being closed were a bit of a surprise, but given the mess with Sienna and Tyrian, only just. Whitley seemed less than thrilled at the confirmation, grimacing. "Is there any chance there are any empty guest quarters he could spend the night in?"

To Weiss's dismay, Goodwitch's frown deepened. "I'm sorry, but no. Between faculty and family guests for the festival, alongside… recent VIP arrivals from Menagerie-"

Weiss didn't miss how Whitley startled, his eyes going wide at Goodwitch.

"-space is at a premium right now. All guest quarters are either already occupied or being prepped for incoming arrivals."

A thought crossed Weiss's mind as the professor spoke, one that made her wince, hoping she wouldn't have to voice it. Unfortunately, Whitley finally broke his silence. "Then what am I supposed to do for the night?" he demanded, fixing Goodwitch with an insulted look.

Goodwitch just cooly turned her attention to him, unimpressed. After staring long enough for Whitley to squirm uncomfortably, she looked back to Weiss. "I do have a suggestion, Miss Schnee."

Weiss hid a wince. Oh, please let me be wrong. "What's that, ma'am?"

"Assuming your dorm has an extra bed to spare-"

Which you know it does.

Drat.

"-as much of an imposition as it may be, perhaps your brother could spend the night in your dorm."

I hate being right. Weiss ignored Whitley's aghast look, saying, "I had a similar thought, Professor. I'll ask my team, but-"

Surprise. Annoyance. Resignation. Acceptance.

Weiss felt her eye twitch, ignoring Whitley's sudden fascination with the side of her neck. Eavesdroppers, the lot of them. "-but I doubt it will be that much of an issue."

Goodwitch nodded. "Then I will leave you to it, Miss Schnee. Have a good night."

Wishful thinking, Weiss thought morosely as Goodwitch's image winked out, the call disconnecting. She turned to Whitley. "Well, that's that."

"'That's tha-' like hell it is!" Whitley burst, his arms flailing about with his agitated words. "That is truly the best this sorry excuse for a school can provide? To bunk with your team like I'm some mere vagabond?"

Weiss gave him a flat look. "That's what happens when you show up unannounced. You heard Professor Goodwitch, there's nothing available." At Whitley's fuming look, Weiss huffed. "I'm not exactly thrilled myself, but we can tough through it for a single night." She started to turn towards her door. "Now, if you don't mind, it's been an exhausting night and I-"

"Wait!" Whitley snatched her by the wrist, panic overtaking his face. "There has to be another option!"

Weiss shook off his hold easily, letting her frustration seep into her voice. "If there is, I don't know it. Whitley, it's for one night. Don't be so dramatic."

"Oh, please!" he said, almost desperately. "You expect me to get any sleep so close to such a volatile being?"

White scowled. "If Zwei bothers you that much, we can put him in the side room for the night.

Whitley's eyes darted to the RWBY dorm. "I'm not referring to the dog."

…

Whitley reared back in fright. Weiss could feel the burn behind her eyes as they blazed red, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

"Whitley," she started, her words deceptively calm even to her own ears. "I am aware you grew up hearing Father's vivid views on Faunus the same as I. That is the sole reason I am giving you so much leeway. But let me make this crystal clear: you will not insult or speak ill against any Faunus, let alone my girlfriend, while you are in my presence. You are free to have whatever view of them you wish, but I will not tolerate having to listen to it."

"B-but…" Whitley's voice trembled, his eyes shrunk to frighten pinpricks as he tried to hold Weiss's gaze. "F-Father says-"

"I am not speaking with Father, Whitley, I am speaking to you." A thought then struck her. A horrible thought, one that should have terrified her to her core, but in the moment she didn't feel anything. "Actually, that's a thought." She pulled her scroll out again. "How about we call him?"

Whitley blinked. "What."

Weiss was undeterred. "Father has the influence and means to get you back to the city. He may even be able to force Professor Goodwitch to call back a pilot for you. Of course-" Her crimson eyes went skyward, some distant part of her fascinated by the visible red shine she was projecting against the ceiling. "Given the late hour, father is likely asleep. If he is not, then he is in talks with the distribution hub as we speak. Either way, we will be interrupting him to deal with this frankly trivial matter."

As she spoke, Whitley looked closer and closer to panicking. "Are you insane!?" he practically screeched. "Are you trying to make Father as infuriated as possible!?"

Hearing the genuine worry and creeping fear in her brother's voice pulled Weiss back a bit. She let out a harsh breath, feeling the anger and frustration start to bleed out of her slowly. "No, Whitley. Of course I'm not. But you are leaving me with precious few options. So you need to tell me, which would you prefer to do: spend the night in the presence of my Faunus girlfriend… or risk angering Father?"

Whitley breathed shallowly, his gaze flickering between Weiss's red eyes and her scroll. He took a shuddering breath. "Weiss," he finally said shakily. "What happened to you?"

Weiss blinked, the unexpected question startling her out of her anger. She felt the burn fade as her eyes shifted from red to blue. She thought for a moment, then let out a tired sigh. "I like to think I've grown, Whitley. I'm sorry if it's into something you don't like." She held her scroll in front of her, giving Whitley a long look. "So… what's it going to be?"

Whitley swallowed nervously. He'd relaxed slightly upon Weiss's eyes returning to normal, but not by much. "H-how would this even work. I mean… I saw the inside of your dorm, there are only three beds…"

Weiss cringed internally. "Yes, which means you have the option of top or bottom bunk. We don't use either of them."

Whitley stared at her blankly, followed by stunned comprehension. "Wait… that massive bed…" his face started to redden. "All four of you…?"

"Whitley," Weiss cut him off, fighting her own blush. She leveled him with a severe stare. "Do you truly want to go down this line of thought?"

Whitley quickly blanched. "No," he admitted quickly. "No, I do not."

Weiss felt herself relax. She pocketed her scroll, gesturing towards the door. "Then, unless you have any other objections?"

Whitley hesitated, eyes darting between the door and Weiss. "Just…" He squirmed where he stood. "You're sure we're safe?" His words came out in a rush, his breath growing choppy. "You really trust… her… that much? I mean, how do you know that… how can you guarantee me that-"

"Her name…" Weiss cut him off firmly, making him meet her eyes. "Is Blake." Her tone then softened. "And all I can give you is my word… for whatever that's worth."

Whitley pursed his lips. He didn't look happy… but he nodded nonetheless.

Weiss nodded in turn, feeling her shoulders finally relax. She went to her dorm door, twisted the knob…

And sighed as she sidestepped Ruby, the girl nearly faceplanting as the door opened.

Ruby flailed her arms, stumbling forward a step to catch yourself, almost crashing into Whitley. She gave him a sheepish grin, which she then turned towards Weiss. "Hi?"

Weiss just huffed, forcing a fond grin off her face as she pushed her pajama'ed leader back into the room. "I suppose there's no point in explaining what's going on?"

"Nope!" Came Yang's voice from within. A look inside showed the blonde sitting at their shared workbench, changed for bed and running a wire brush through the crevices of Ember Celica. Zwei sat in her lap, dozing. "Little Bro's spending the night." She jerked the thumb to the side without looking. "Blake's already on it."

Sure enough, Blake was in the process of changing the sheets on the bottom bunk, ready for bed like the others. Her eyes flickered to Whitley briefly, before smiling at Weiss. "Sorry for listening in." One of her cat ears flicked on command. "Couldn't really help it."

Weiss just shook her head. "Honestly, I was half expecting it." She noticed that Whitley was still standing in the doorway, yet to step over the threshold. His eyes were locked on Blake, his lips pressed to a thin line. She cleared her throat, giving him a pointed look. Whitley startled, grimacing as he finally stepped inside. Weiss closed the door behind him with finality. "Okay, so proper introductions then. Girls, as I'm sure you've gathered, this is my brother Whitley."

To his credit, Whitley managed to put a polite-if-tight grin on his face as he nodded to them. "Hello," he said. "A… pleasure to meet you all."

A bit stiff, but I'll take it. "Whitley, these are my teammates… and… my girlfriends." She couldn't help her cheeks pinking as she motioned to each of them. "This is my team leader, Ruby Rose-"

"Nice to meetcha!" Ruby greeted with her usual enthusiasm, a blinding smile on her face as she searched through Yang's wardrobe.

"Her sister, Yang Xiao-Long-"

"'Sup." Yang lifted a hand to wave, still focused on her work.

"Um…" Whitley got an odd expression on his face, eyes darting between Weiss, Ruby, and Yang. "When you say sister…"

Yang let out a low groan, eyes looking skyward as she leaned back in her chair. "Rubes and I ain't like that, kid. Get your head out of the gutter." As Whitley spluttered at her blunt words, Yang looked over to Ruby with a tired grin. "We're going to be explaining that for the rest of our lives, aren't we?"

Ruby let out a long sigh, followed by a chuckle. "Probably."

When Whitley looked to Weiss for clarification, his sister just held up a hand. "It's… complicated, I can explain later." She led him across the room, where Blake was finishing fluffing up the bunk's pillow. She shot him a warning glance, before saying. "And this… is Blake Belladonna."

Blake gave the boy her full attention, briefly looking him up and down. She gave him a courteous smile. "Whitley. It's nice to finally put a face to the name."

Whitley's throat bobbed. Then he shot Weiss an almost challenging look and thrust his hand out for a handshake. "The same to you, Miss."

Blake blinked in surprise, and Weiss couldn't blame her. Her smile turned bemused as she accepted the handshake, Whitley giving her arm a firm pump. He nodded to her sharply, glaring at Weiss again, then turned to walk to the center of the room. Blake shot Weiss a questioning look, to which she could only shrug in response.

Introductions done, Whitley looked around the room expectantly. "So… what now?"

"Now…" Ruby walked up to him, a bundle of clothes in her arms. "You and Weiss get changed and we go to bed. Because it's eleven o'clock and…" she shrugged sheepishly at him, holding the bundle out to him. "We have classes tomorrow."

Whitley looked at clothes incredulously. "And… whose clothes are those?"

"Mine." Yang set her tools down on the desk, setting aside her gauntlets. She swiveled around in her chair, Zwei perking his head up as he was jostled. "You look like you're about my size. Actually…" she gave Whitley a once-over, smirking. "They might be a bit baggy."

"You expect me to wear girl's clothes?" Whitley said flatly, glowering at her.

Yang held his stare for a moment, then snorted. "Kid, I saw you get cornered by a corgi. If you're trying to intimidate me, it ain't happening." Whitley looked ready to argue, only to jolt slightly when Zwei let out a keening yawn, revealing his teeth. Seeing the flinch, Yang took mercy on him. "It's just a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. It's either that, or you sleep in what you're wearing."

Whitley made a face, looking disdainfully at the clothes Ruby still held out for him. He then sighed, snatching the bundle out of her hands. He looked around the room. "Where…?"

Yang jerked a thumb towards the bathroom door. Whitley strode over to it, just shy of stomping, and disappeared inside.

With him gone, Weiss put her hands over her face, letting out a groan as she sat down on the edge of their bed.

Ruby sat down next to her, rubbing her back. "It could have gone worse?" she offered.

Weiss dragged her hands down her face. "Please tell me I wasn't that bad," she pleaded, looking at each of her girlfriends.

Blake hunched her shoulders sheepishly. "...kind of?" When Weiss let out another groan, she chuckled. "You mostly just looked at Faunus distrustfully, had a snippy word here or there. Him, though…" She looked thoughtfully towards the bathroom. "Is he really that afraid of me?"

Weiss grimaced, looking at the ground. "When Father speaks of Faunus, they are one of two things: they are either inferior people below our standings, or they're boogiemen in plain sight. I fed into the former. I suppose Whitley believes the latter."

"... Have I ever mentioned your dad's a dick?"

That startled a snort out of Weiss. She looked at Yang's smirking face. "Not in those exact words, but I got the impression." She fell back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "And now he's coming to… take me home," she said deridingly.

"He tries, he's going to have a war on his hands." Blake laid down next to her, grinning. "I'm pretty sure my parents are already trying to file for custody of you."

Weiss giggled. "Tell them I appreciate the sentiment." The grin quickly slipped from her face. "But knowing my father, he can make our lives very difficult, very quickly."

"Any idea what it means that you're… not actually disowned?" Ruby asked. "That's… a good thing, right?"

"Doubtful," Weiss said bluntly. "More likely he wants to use the threat of disownment as an ultimatum, or something of the like."

Yang shrugged as she walked over, setting Zwei down on the bed. "I say bring him on. We won't know what we're up against till he comes in swinging, anyway. No use worrying about it tonight."

"Agreed. Now if I could just make myself believe it." Weiss scrubbed at her eyes, sitting back up. She looked at Yang. "Are you doing okay… considering?"

Yang let out a slow breath, rubbing the back of her head. "Yeah, I'm… I'm okay. Raven gave me a lot to think about, though." She bumped shoulders with Ruby. "Me and you are going to have to talk about some of it later."

Ruby frowned. "Okay… is it something bad?"

"No!" Yang was quick to assure her. "It's not. Honestly… it might be something good."

Judging by her frown, Ruby was ready to start wheedling answers from her big sister, but the opening bathroom door made her pause.

Whitley stepped out, looking even more uncomfortable. Weiss's brow shot up in surprise. Clad in only black shorts and an oversized gray t-shirt, he for once didn't look like the snooty upper-crust heir their father had molded him into. Instead, he looked like… just an awkward thirteen-year-old.

Flushing at the eyes on him, Whitley walked across the room, holding his pants, vest, and shirt folded neatly in his arms. He jumped when Zwei perked up, staring at him, but relaxed when Yang placed a hand on the corgi's head, keeping him in place. "Where do I…?" he asked, glancing at his clothes.

"Oh!" Ruby hopped off the bed, taking them from him. "They can just go over here." She made it three steps towards Weiss's vanity, before pausing. Her nose crinkled and she looked down at the clothes. "Um…" She looked back at Whitley. "Did… you get sprayed by something?"

Whitley was flummoxed. "What?"

Ruby's face scrunched up. "It's just… your clothes kind of… smell."

"What!?" Whitley gaped at her, insulted. Doubly so when you heard Yang snort in amusement. "I assure you, they do not!"

"Hmm…" Blake hummed under her breath, light enough for Whitley not to hear. Weiss saw her conflicted expression, however, her nose scrunching just like Ruby's had.

Curious, Weiss got up and went to Ruby, who was now holding the clothes away from her. Weiss took them, and a single sniff revealed the problem. She let out an annoyed groan. "Oh, Whitley!" She felt around the bundle, finding what she was looking for in his front pants pocket. She scowled at the little spritz bottle. "Have you been getting into Father's cologne again?"

Whitley crosses arms indignantly. "I did not 'get into' anything." He held his head high, puffing out his chest. "Father gifted me a bottle of my own after I impressed him with my initiative."

Weiss rolled her eyes, placing the clothes and bottle on top of her dresser. "Some gift," she muttered to herself. She was just glad it wasn't the same brand her Father usually wore. The last thing she needed was to be smelling Him throughout the night. She turned around to find her brother eyeing Yang and Blake's makeshift bunk beds trepidatiously.

"Is this… safe?" he asked, poking at one of the books sandwiched between the bed legs.

"Safe enough," Yang said, lying down on their shared bed. Ruby had already beaten her there, letting out a loud yawn as she'd flopped down on the edge of the bed. Yang snorted in amusement as she had to crawl around her sister to get comfortable. "Nothing's moved since we set it up like that, at least."

Whitley eyed the setup doubtfully but cautiously got under the covers. He looked around until he found Zwei, calming slightly when he found the Corgi stretched out at the end of the massive bed. He was about to put his head down when he froze, his eyes on the girls.

Weiss tried to ignore him as the four got settled. True to their earlier words and despite Yang's own, she and Blake were determined that the blonde sleep with one of them on either side of her. Blake slipped in between Yang and Ruby, the little leader sleepily rolling over and hugging her from behind. While they did, Weiss quickly ducked into the bathroom to change into one of her sleeping gowns. She turned off the lights before crawling in from the foot of the bed, giving the sleepy Zwei a quick head pat as she passed. She settled in between Yang and the wall, her arms slipping around the blonde's waist. She shot Whitley a look when he continued to stare, making him quickly put his head down.

Silence filled the room as Weiss tried to let sleep take her. But as the minutes passed, she found that she couldn't relax properly. She at first chalked it up to Whitley's presence, but feeling Yang squirm a little in her hold, she realized it wasn't just her. Something… something was missing in the quiet room.

Then it dawned on her.

It was too quiet.

"Blake," she whispered.

The Faunus lifted her head slightly, her amber eyes glowing in the dark.

"You don't have to hold back your purr just because Whitley's here."

She Felt Blake's Embarrassment, Sheepishness. "I don't want to make him more uncomfortable," she admitted softly.

Weiss was touched, hoping Blake could Feel that from her. "He's going to be uncomfortable no matter what."

Blake hummed in answer, putting her head back down. A few moments later, her purrs filled the room.

Weiss felt Yang relax against her. Across the room, she saw Whitley's head shoot up, snapping towards them. Even in the dim light of the moon, she could see his incredulous expression. Weiss met him stare for stare, not letting up until he let out a huff, laying down and rolling over to face the wall.

Finally, Weiss felt she could relax. She knew there was hell on the horizon, but at least tonight…

At least they had tonight.

…

"So when are we going to tell him he's sleeping in Blake's old bed?"

"Yang." Weiss buried her face in Yang's hair, her forehead hitting the back of her head harder than necessary as she hid a smile. "Shut up."

Betaed by Covert Weapon.

A/n: How. How did the chapter that was supposed just to be Whitley meeting team RWBY break over 10,000 words? Am I just that nuts?

…

No one answer that.

Seriously though, this chapter was rough. I've got so many ideas for Whitley, but he was so hard to write for the majority of this, and I'm praying it doesn't show in the writing. I finally did hammer out exactly what I want to do with him, but it was still hell getting into his head space. Not helped with me going back and forth on a certain plot point I'm planning and how to go about it. The best way I can describe writing this chapter was coming to a four-way intersection and then proceeding to just do donuts as you try to figure out which way to go.

Still, it's over, it's done with, and now I can move on to the next chapter. Here's hoping you all like this one, despite how much trouble it gave me.

I hope everyone out there is doing okay. See ya in the next one!