Chapter 14

Tuesday started much the same as the prior day, though this time Blake hesitated before hugging Ruby. It was a surprise, but a comforting one. Ruby was not averse to the idea of being marked for protection. It was not like a tattoo or scar, it was not a sign of ownership. It was a gift. Where Yang had once protected her physically, Blake would protect her from afar. In the same way it made her feel safer, less alone, surrounded though she may be by newfound friends. It was nice to feel cared for, even if it was in a new and alien way.

Coco texted Ruby a selfie as the girl boarded the subway. The image depicted Coco holding a coffee tray with two cups in her free hand. Velvet sipped her own beverage in the background, brow raised as she stared at the camera lens.

"Big Choc: Gotchya a hot choc, hurry up and it might still be warm!"

Ruby smiled, warmth filling her chest, mouth watering as she imagined the taste of fresh cocoa on her tongue...oh, that sounded weird in her head.

"Ruby: omw 15 min!"

It only took ten minutes for Ruby to reach her stop, and another three to speed walk out and across the street to the SDC. There was a dull ache forming in her leg by the time she found Coco. "Hey Red!" Coco greeted loudly. Velvet flinched beside her, jerking her head away from Coco's shoulder. "Oh, sorry Honeybun." Coco apologized, pecking her girlfriend on the cheek.

"Loudmouth." Velvet grumbled. "Hey Ruby." She pulled Ruby's cup on the tray and handed it to her.

"Hey Coco, hey Velvet, thanks!" Ruby accepted the cup, taking a small sip. It was still hot, but not painfully so - perfect timing. "Uh, minor thing. Blake wanted to talk to you."

"Oh?" Velvet quirked an ear, taking another sip of her drink.

"Yeah, I mentioned yesterday to her and she got really concerned." Ruby explained. "She wants to make sure you understand."

"She's very traditional, isn't she?" Velvet suggested.

"Yeah, apparently." Something occurred to Ruby in that moment. "Do I uh...smell strong?"

Velvet laughed. "You smell like Feline, and Alpha, and a little bit of sex." Velvet replied. "But to most it just means tread lightly."

"Sounds like a badass." Coco cut in."

"She sounds overprotective." Velvet corrected.

"She's just...Blake." Ruby shrugged "You'll understand when you meet her, if that's okay?"

"Of course it's okay." Velvet agreed. "I take your word for it, but it'll be nice to know who's taking care of my friend."

Ruby smiled at that. She did not think Velvet had called her that before now. "I've never really had many friends before."

"How come?" Coco asked. "Charming thing like you shoulda' been a star."

"I just never really socialized much." Ruby defended. "It's not like I was alone! I had Yang, and Sun-"

"Wukong?" Velvet interrupted, incredulous. "Simian Faunus guy?"

"Yeah?" Ruby nodded, confused.

Velvet laughed, running a hand over her ears. They flattened then popped back up as soon as her hand had passed. "That guy keeps showing up at IT and causing a fuss. Those guys are bad enough as is. He's like fuel to the fire."

"But he pisses off Cardin, so Weiss won't ban him." Coco added.

"How did he do that?" Ruby asked.

"Aside from being a Faunus?" Coco scoffed.

"He's just not intimidated by him." Velvet replied. "I remember reading the report: shifty, overly cheerful, suspected terrorist threat."

"The only thing Sun could terrorize is my dog." Ruby chuckled.

"Why haven't we hung out with this guy?" Coco inquired.

"Because he comes by once a week at most, and I only know him from the security footage and incident reports." Velvet answered.

"Laaaaame." Coco complained. "Let's have lunch together. He coming too?"

"Yeah!" Ruby cheered. "He's actually Blake's partner."

"Ah, that explains the sex smell." Coco snickered, receiving a slap on the shoulder from her own partner.

"You don't smell like sex Ruby." Velvet insisted. "You smell like Alpha. Don't worry about it."

"Won't I freak other people out?" Ruby worried.

"You might get a second look or two, but it's not really too out of the ordinary, really." Velvet assured.

"Oh, good then." Ruby sighed in relief. "I'd better head up before Weiss gets here. Thanks for the hot chocolate! I really appreciate it."

"Anytime Red." Coco smiled. "Hey, we're getting everyone pizza for lunch. What do you guys like?"

"Uh, cheese and garlic for me, meatlovers for Sun, and...I don't actually know for Blake." Ruby replied. "I'll ask."

"Go, get a move on then." Velvet advised. "We'll keep Weiss occupied for a while."

"Alright, alright, thanks." Ruby waved as she headed for the checkpoint. "Talk to you guys later!" She stopped short at the sight of Cardin. "Oh...shit."

Sun glanced at Blake as they crossed the courtyard, a strange look on her face as she stared at the glass doors ahead. "You sure you're alright?" He asked.

Blake barely paused to glance back. "Entirely." She said sternly.

"Are your ears aching at all?" Sun checked the appendages, hidden beneath a tight beanie, beneath which they were also covered with a bow. Paranoid by nature, Blake rarely ventured into public openly, doing so only in disguise unless they were heading to Sunrise. Currently she looked very...punk. Her hair was in a plait, purple beanie on top, grey hoodie and black skinny jeans. While not entirely far from what she would normally wear, it made her look a lot smaller than usual. With no hair flowing over her shoulders, no ears standing alert, it was an effective disguise. She even wore lipstick. She never wore lipstick.

"No Sun." Blake sighed. "Just go ahead, I want to try something."

"Uh, good something?" Sun asked.

"Experiment something." Blake clarified...almost. "Trust me." She stopped, raising a questioning brow ah her partner, who shrugged.

"You know I do." Sun waved away, continuing onward. He was used to dealing with Cardin, classic bully defense. If they cannot hurt you, they never win, and Sun chose the most effective execution of such a tactic as he reached the checkpoint. "Winchester! Buddy! How's the wife treatin' ya'?" He greeted, spreading his arms as if to hug the man.

Cardin merely scowled, raising his detector wand to jab Sun in the chest. "You keep your ass in line Wukong. I'm tired of getting complaints about you."

"Complaints?" Sun gasped, mock flabbergasted. "About me? Who would do such a thing?"

"Me, for one, and everyone else whose time you waste with your presence...you know the drill." He pointed to the tray beside the metal detector. Sun followed the usual instructions, wallet and keys out. The detector still beeped as he went through. He caught sight of Ruby across the lobby, though her attention was elsewhere. "Arms up Wukong." Cardin commanded. Sun obeyed, letting the man run the wand over his body until it started beeping...over his crotch.

"Need me to take off my pants too?" Sun smirked.

Cardin glared. "Don't piss anyone off Wukong. Keep your tail out of everyone's way."

"Don't need to tell me twice...or was that the thirtieth time?" Sun snarked, gathering his belongings and heading forward.

Ruby finally turned to Sun as he approached, and hugged him. "Hey Sun, get through unscathed?"

"As much as usual." Sun shrugged. "It's Blake I'm worried abo...what the fuck…" Sun turned to a shocking, alien and disturbing sight. Blake had approached Cardin, and with the demeanor of a nervous schoolgirl, was chatting with him...and smiling. All her prior tension was gone, replaced by something that just did not compute.

"Uh...is that Blake?" Ruby asked, incredulous.

"Last I checked." Sun mumbled.

Blake surrendered her wallet and keys, stepping through the detector. It of course went off again. Blake blushed, looking guiltily up at Cardin, who smirked at her. She said something, shrugging before gesturing at her chest, grasping her breasts through the thick hoodie and pushing them up. Cardin laughed, running the wand over them as Blake giggled. They exchanged a few more words and he stood aside, Blake collecting her things and walking backwards. Cardin waved as she backed away. As soon as Blake turned around, Ruby saw the vapid smile fall from her face, replaced with a self satisfied smirk.

"Oh." Sun huffed.

"Uh-" Ruby started.

"Ruby, act like we're meeting for lunch." Blake quietly instructed.

"We are though-" Ruby tried to speak again before Blake quickly pulled her into an embrace before guiding her forward, heading toward the elevators at the back of the lobby.

"The less he questions us the better." Blake noted.

"What was that?" Ruby asked.

"Catfish." Sun replied.

"That's online idiot." Blake grumbled.

"That was fucking unnatural is what that was." Sun observed.

"Ugh, I feel like I need a shower." Blake shuddered.

"But why though?" Ruby pressed.

"Just testing your security." Blake answered.

"What did he miss?" Sun asked as they group reached the elevator, pressing the button to call it down.

"Boot knife." Blake tapped her foot for emphasis.

"You have a-" Ruby started before Blake's nails dug into her shoulder and cut off the outburst. "Blake...I could lose my job." She managed, a little more calmly than she felt.

"You won't lose your job, because you are not at fault." Blake stated. "Winchester is."

"I still know about it!" Ruby protested.

"You knew about the infiltration testing I was conducting?" Blake asked.

"Infilwhat?" Ruby spluttered.

"I worked in security once Ruby." Blake explained. "Infiltration was something we were trained to root out. Evidently he was not. He took the act, hook, line and sinker. Disgusting, typical male."

"Hey, I'm right here!" Sun protested.

"And we're all thankful for your company." Blake drawled. The elevator chimed, doors opening to reveal an empty interior. They entered, Sun pressed a button, and the doors closed.

"Blake, what kind of pizza do you like?" Ruby asked. "Coco's ordering for everyone."

"Meatlovers." Blake replied.

"Huh, okay." Ruby quirked her brow.

"You thought anchovy, didn't you?" Sun accused.

"Uh...Penny!" Ruby quickly changed gears. "We're just taking a detour to IT. Can you tell Coco what pizza to get Blake?"

"Of course Ruby." Penny answered. "Shall I inform you when the pizza arrives?"

"Sure, thanks Penny!" Ruby cheered.

"You are very welcome Ruby!" Penny responded.

"You've never mentioned Penny." Blake noted.

"Penny is...not really well known?" Ruby shrugged. "Penny, am I allowed to talk about you?"

"If you trust your friends, I trust your friends." Penny replied.

"Thanks Penny." Ruby smiled at the camera. "Penny is a virtual intelligence. She helps out with a lot of things, but it's kinda' a big deal."

Blake glanced up at the camera, before looking down, eyes glaring. "She listens to everyone, all the time?"

"Yes, so try not to talk about my love life, okay?" Ruby joked.

"I am forbidden to spread gossip Ruby, and all conversations I overhear remain confidential." Penny declared. "In addition, I find spreading secrets distasteful."

"And we love you for it." Ruby chuckled. "What's the situation in IT by the way?"

"Hmm...questionable." Penny managed.

"That seems fitting." Blake jabbed.

"Sounds like the boys got started without me." Sun grinned.

"I do not believe the employee guidelines specify the allowance of such tomfoolery." Penny indicated.

"Tomfoolery?" Ruby asked.

"I have been attempting to diversity my repertoire of slang." Penny explained.

"Ah." Ruby nodded.

"Repertoire?" Sun quirked his brow.

"I'm shocked your tongue could handle it." Blake teased.

"You would know what my tongue could-ooph!" Sun was interrupted by the back of Blake's hand impacting his stomach. The elevator came to a halt with a chime, and the door opened.

"I still haven't come to IT, so this is kinda' exciting." Ruby expressed as they stepped off.

"Oh don't worry, it'll only get better." Sun laughed.

Blake scoffed. "Yes, if you ignore the definition of better and make up your own."

"Oh you're just mad because of the carpet." Sun waved her off.

"No I'm-" Blake started, interrupted as Ruby yelped. A flesh colored object flew past the group, impacting the hallway wall and sticking there as a cheer rang through the door from whence it had come. The group beheld the object gently bobbing to a stop. "...not...do they consider that sizeable?" Blake asked, staring at the rubber dong. Ruby snickered.

"Someone lost a bet." Sun explained, peering around the corner. "Oi! Who's buyin' today!" He called, stepping out as the coast was clear.

"Sage!" Came one voice.

"Lucky shit." Came another grumbled response, Sage evidently.

"Sun, you shit, why didn't you say you were coming?" A tall, blue-haired man walked down a hall of cubicles with a grin. He was dressed in a vibrant red collared shirt, tastefully unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled past his elbows. He stuck out like a sore thumb.

"I wanted it to be a surprise!" Sun defended. "And it was kinda' spur of the moment." Sun stepped aside to reveal Ruby, who waved. The man quirked a brow.

"Well hello there miss- Blake!" The man froze as Blake stepped out after Sun.

"Neptune." Blake growled.

"Uh hey!" Neptune scrambled. "Welcome to the office...uh, what are you doing here?"

"Intruding." Blake replied.

"Uhuh...well, uh, you must be Ruby right?" Neptune finally reached the trio, holding his hand out for Ruby to take, shaking it.

"Yep, that's me." Ruby confirmed. "And you're Neptune?"

"Yeah that's me, heh." Neptune nodded. "But I bet Sun and Blake have told you all about me."

"Something about a carpet?" Ruby shrugged.

"Yes, my oldest possession." Blake glared.

"We did pay for that." Neptune noted.

"You owe emotional damages." Blake suggested.

"For a rug." Neptune scoffed.

"I liked that rug." Blake insisted.

"Alright, how about this, you take something of ours?" Neptune offered. "We've got a lot of stuff laying around from...well product testing technically." Blake looked pointedly at the rubber dong, then at Neptune with a blank expression. "We have bigger."

"Product testing?" Ruby questioned.

"Yeah." Neptune answered. "I have a friend there, and the stuff they test either gets trashed, stored or taken by employees anyway. He lets us come look around sometimes."

"Just how much stuff does the SDC test?" Ruby asked.

Neptune blew air out his mouth and smirked. He stepped to the side and gestured further into the room. "Step into my office and see for yourself."

Ruby glanced at Blake, whose blank stare barely shifted as she took the lead, shrugging. Ruby followed, heading past the cubicles until they reached a door. Beyond was a room that had once been much like the one preceding it, but now had cubicles at the walls, with an island of tables in the middle. At least that was what Ruby could make out, as every available surface was covered in all manner of monitors, computers, peripherals and nicknacks. The entire room was a mess, a glorious colorful mess of technology and nerdom.

"Oh my gods is that a life-sized Crescent Rose?!" Ruby half whispered, half squealed as she beheld an oversized anime prop hanging on the wall.

"Yeah, they were experimenting with materials for the limited run, and sage brought the big metal one." Neptune explained. "Weighs like a ton, I don't know why he took it."

"I was drunk." Said a well built, dark skinned man with green hair. He sat in the corner, lacing up a pair of combat boots as he spoke.

"He was drunk." Neptune thumbed in his direction. "That's Sage by the way. He's picking up lunch today." Sage flipped the bird, Neptune ignoring him to point at another man. "Red and lanky over there is Scarlett. He's pretty useless. We have two girls up here but they run for the hills whenever lunch comes around."

"My heart bleeds for them." Blake muttered as she examined a shelf full of figurines. Many were scantily clad anime characters. "It's like a teenager's wet dream in here."

"We get a lot of statues and shit." Neptune noted. "We don't even want 'em really. They just spice up the place, make it feel less like a work environment."

"Because who wants to work for a living?" Blake deadpanned.

"Exactly." Neptune nodded.

"Why are so many of these Faunus?" Blake asked, plucking one of the statuettes from the shelf. It was a bright blue eyed maid with furry brown fox ears poking from her wavy hair.

"Because the big animation houses are in Menagerie and Mistral." Neptune replied.

"Hmm...this is acceptable compensation." Blake expressed, examining her prize.

Neptune shrugged. "Alright then. So what are you guys doing for lunch?"

"Coco's buying us pizza…" Ruby dug around in her purse for her scroll, pulling it free to check her notifications.

"Big Choc: Pizzas served get it while its hawt!"

"Oh crap, I had it on silent." Ruby whined. "We gotta' go before it gets cold."

"Wait, Coco Adel?" Neptune pressed.

"Yeah, we're kinda' friends." Ruby confirmed.

"You're kinda' friends with Coco Adel and she's buying you all lunch?" Neptune looked to Sun. "Coco Adel is buying you lunch?"

"Hey, what can I say, I made an impression." Sun shrugged.

"How?!" Neptune demanded.

"Beats me." Sun admitted.

"Shall we leave then?" Blake suggested.

"Yeah, I better let you go then...Sage, come on man we're starving!" Neptune waved to his friend, who hauled himself to his feet with a sigh.

"Yeah, yeah, keep your wig on." Sage waved him off as he left.

"Hey, you're one to talk!" Neptune complained.

"He's not wrong." Blake noted.

"Oh come on, not you too." Neptune sighed.

"Hey, lady's got a point." Sun teased. "You look like the pen end of an eraser."

"That is steel blue, not sky blue." Neptune protested. "Come on Ruby, back me up."

"Ah, I'm experiencing starvation induced hysteria, gotta' go bye!" Ruby turned tail and jogged away.

Neptune threw his hands up in frustration. "You all suck!"