69

Black Rose Blooms SilverCyberQueen_Jolyne

Chapter 69 Notes:

hehe nice

Not actually a sex joke this chapter, tho. Sorry.

Chapter Text

Blake sat at attention before her leader, the two of them sitting in one of the secret little reading nooks high up in the Beacon library. The afternoon sun shone through the massive windows, casting deep shadows across their faces as the roiling storm of emotions inside of her demanded an exit- one that Ruby could sense, but given that the wolf girl could sense her partner's hesitation, she held back for now in favor of listening to what Blake had to say.

"I know… that in the last few months we all promised that we wouldn't keep secrets from each other, and… I've been trying my best to actually listen," Blake sighed, rubbing her arm and looking away as she bit her lip, feeling a bit guilty for how often she tried to go out and find the White Fang- their lack of activity at this point was concerning and even Tukson didn't have a lot to say beyond the fact that there were some murmurs about staging something big eventually. She knew that Adam was still alive, that he was raging mad, and that Ruby had his weapons still, but what that all meant… she still didn't know. "But I need to tell you this in confidence, because… it's important and…"

She sighed, shaking her head.

"You… when I first met you, and for the longest while at first I… when I first saw you, I thought… that you looked a little like Adam, just because of your color scheme. It's nothing that you did, and I knew almost immediately that you were nothing like him, but… if you've noticed me flinching slightly or getting a bit distant lately, it's because I've been… reminded that he exists. That… he still hurt me, and I'm still not over that hurt. And… the sight of black and red together still makes me flinch every now and then. I know you can sense emotions and… I'm sorry. It's nothing that you've done. I just need a bit to get over it," Blake sighed, finishing her words and looking down at her hands, running her thumbs over each other as she waited for Ruby's response- would she understand?

Ruby blinked, immediately crossing the space before them and collapsing into an unusual form- for her at least. A miniature Sabyr, much more in the shape of a large housecat than the skull faced monstrosity that plagued the continent of Solitas. Blake froze up for a moment, peering down at the fluffy grimm cat that had taken its place in her lap- a familiar red cape drifting in an intangible wind as her team leader and partner started purring .

Her ears were still wolf-like, and her tail was more canine than feline, but in every other way she… looked like a cutesy, fluffy housecat with a skull pattern on its face. And had glowing, burning coals for eyes.

"I- what?"

"You were sad. And nervous. And you were thinking too hard about all of the bad things so I wanted to make you feel better," Ruby answered, her voice still chirpy and cute as she pressed forward and bopped her head against Blake's chest with a cutesy little merp that was so catlike that Blake almost melted with adoration. "So… since you like cats more than dogs… and seem weirdly afraid of corgis…"

"Their legs are too short and it freaks me out!" Blake sputtered, looking away in embarrassment as she picked up Ruby and cradled her gently. "But… yeah… thanks Ruby. This… does make me feel better, actually. And… I am sorry for being a little weird around you lately. We're supposed to be partners but… I'm sorry. Adam is just- he hurt me a lot, and… I just… I try not to get startled but sometimes you show up and there's a flash of red and my mind thinks it's related to Adam's Semblance and-"

"Hey, it's okay," Ruby murmured, nuzzling against Blake with a gentle purr, her entire body vibrating as she rubbed her forehead against her partner's shoulder. "It's okay. I'm sorry I didn't notice before. You didn't do anything wrong. Look- I can change my cloak for a while, if you want. White, instead of red? It's a little awkward cuz it's my mom's cloak color but… if it makes you comfortable, I'm more than happy to oblige."

"I- I don't know. I'm not sure if it'd help… I wasn't like this at all before I came to Beacon- your… you didn't remind me of him the slightest during that first month… well, except for the few minutes when I first saw you… and now I'm just a mess and…" Blake sighed, grimacing as she shook her head and gently squeezed Ruby, taking comfort in the contented purr emanating from her fluffy body. "I feel like running again. I always run from my problems… Team RWBY are the only people who've managed to make me open up about my problems in so long… and it's just because you keep dragging me into it. Thanks, by the way. I'm… I don't thank you enough for… for caring."

"It's absolutely no problem at all, Blake! I'm always happy to help! You've been through a lot so… y'know. You need more hugs," Ruby giggled a little at that, shifting around slightly and changing position so she could butt her head against Blake's cheek, moving back to stare her eye to eye while she wrapped her cape around the both of them in a tight, warm hug. "And also to stop trying to sneak out at night. I know you're slowing down with that, but please stop. I'm actually enjoying sleeping in my own bed and waking up to you trying to throw yourself out of the window so you can go hunt down the White Fang is… not how I like to spend my time with Penny."

Blake huffed, blushing in embarrassment. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, invite the rest of us like a normal person. On the weekends , so we don't have to be all exhausted in class the next day," Ruby deadpanned, reaching up with one paw and bapping Blake on the forehead in a way that only cats could do cutely. She merped with discontent, still purring even as she continued to bap her toebeans against Blake's forehead a few more times. "And stop pining over Yang already, I know you're worried about a repeat of Adam but I promise you that you can just be casual with Yang first, okay? You're both interested in each other, so please just ask her out on a date so you can see if it works out? I promised myself I wouldn't interfere until the pining got bad, and it's gotten really bad by now."

"It's only been a little over two months since school started!"

"And I'm an empath who can sense arousal, Blake. I'm fifteen, but I'm not blind or stupid ," Ruby sighed, sounding very unlike her usual cheerfully oblivious self as she stared Blake dead in the eyes. "Just. One date. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just test the waters for now? Please?"

Blake sighed, looking away first and grimacing with a faint blush. "Fine. I… I can promise one date. Maybe. Even if you say that we're both… you know… I still don't want to rush anything and ruin our friendship."

"... Fiiiiiine… that's valid…" Ruby sighed again, doing a feline equivalent of a facepalm as she returned to snuggling with Blake again. "I'm glad you decided to talk to me, Blake. Really. I know it's kinda hard and scary to open up to people sometimes, but I just want you to know that your feelings and experiences are valid! Cinder was like that too at first, and so were Mercury and Emerald. Neo still doesn't talk, but like she's kinda sorta actually mute unless she uses her Semblance to talk but she doesn't like doing that. You're not alone, and you have people who do understand what you're going through. And if you need to just… rant or talk or do anything at all- I'm your partner. That means that your burdens are mine, and my burdens are yours. We keep each other safe on the battlefield and safe at home."

"I don't think that's… quite how partners work all of the time but… thank you. And… I appreciate it… partner," Blake smiled, the blush still on her face even as she pressed a gentle kiss to Ruby's forehead and held the kitty grimm close. "I do think I like you better like this, though."

"What, a cat?"

"Mhmm. Much easier to cuddle and hold," the feline Huntress nodded, scritching at the fluff atop Ruby's head and smiling as she let herself hold and be held by her partner- safe in her cape that had, as they spoke, slowly begun bleeding from black and red to a solid white on the outside, the rough edges and ragged patches fading away into something cleaner and neater, with a hint of nostalgia that felt almost… palpable. Not that Blake really knew it, but Ruby did. 

It was hard, sometimes, trying to use that specific color scheme of white and red… but using the image of her mother's cloak to comfort a friend was something Summer Rose would be proud of, Ruby thought, so really there wasn't any other choice. 

"I'll have you know that I'm just as easy to cuddle and hold as a corgi as when I'm a kitty cat!" Ruby shot back after just a moment, sticking out her tongue with an adorable little blep before shaking her head and relaxing slightly. "Ah well… this is nice too."

"Yeah. It really is…"

"Next time you try to sneak out to fight the White Fang can you at least bring me n' Penny along for backup? Just in case you get tired or overwhelmed. Also Weiss n' Yang so they don't kill us when we come back." 

"... Fine. We'll make a party of it."

"Yes!"

"You're ridiculous, Ruby."

Ruby snorted. "And you have an essay due in three days that Weiss told me you still haven't started on."

Blake froze.

"Shit!"

[Kitty Ruby!]