Disclaimer: RWBY and all affiliated characters/titles belong to Rooster Teeth, those wonderful geniuses.

"Are you really sure Ruby?" Blake fumbled a bit with her scroll as she recovered from Ruby's sudden offer.

"Of course I am. Come on. Let's go right now." Ruby jumped up off her bed, landed gracefully on her feet and pulled Blake bodily out of her bed, gently tugging her along. It wasn't as if Blake resisted, she was just startled.

"Ruby, Ruby," Blake couldn't help but giggle at the younger girl's enthusiasm, "Let me put on some shoes first, calm down." Blake stood and Ruby let go of her arm a tad sheepishly.

"Sorry, I just wanna get out of here before Yang and Weiss get back." Ruby looked away, to the corner of the room.

"Are they making you feel uncomfortable? I'm sure that if you just mentioned it-" Blake started to try and reassure Ruby that their partners were not doing anything intentional to make Ruby feel out of sorts in her own room but she was cut off.

"No, no it's not that," Ruby waved her arms about hysterically, "They've actually been really awesome about it all and they've only been dating like a week and I just want them to get some alone time. I know how Yang gets and she will be trying to so hard to make sure that it doesn't make us feel weird that she and Weiss will never get any alone time and it'll ruin everything. So, I just wanna force them to have alone time by, well, not being here when they get back." The words fell out of Ruby like water from a small dam burst and she looked almost winded by the time she finished.

"Okay. We still need shoes though." Blake pointed down at both of their bare feet and Ruby smiled mischievously.

"Yeah, I guess we do huh?" Ruby flopped backwards to sit on the edge of Weiss's bed and pull on her combat boots. She wasn't wearing her corset or combat skirt right now, just a pair of black denim jeans and a dark red v-neck, and of course, her cloak. Blake was wearing full length leggings, shorts and a deep purple t-shirt. She slid her shoes on quickly, grabbed a light jacket and waited for Ruby to finish the long process of lacing up her boots.

"Are you ready yet?" Blake asked playfully. It was funny to her that she was ready so much faster than the one who had been in a hurry to get out of there.

"Yeah, yeah almost. These laces just get so darn tangled sometimes." Ruby tugged and pulled the strings into place, finally finishing with the second boot. She leapt up from Weiss's bed and dashed to Blake's side. "Do you really think you'll need a jacket?"

"It is a little chillier lately. Who knows. You should take one too." Blake indicated Ruby's red hoodie that was laying in a pile by the door. Ruby gave the crumpled garment one look and shook her head.

"Nah, I'm good. I've got my cloak." Ruby spun back to face Blake, "So we're ready to go?" There was a bright twinkle in Ruby's eye that Blake didn't know quite how to deal with. Was she really that excited about this?

"Yes Ruby. I believe I am ready to go to the bookstore." Blake dropped her jacket over one arm and opened the door out into the hallway. She immediately closed it again when she saw precisely the thing they had been trying to avoid, Weiss and Yang in the hallway, kissing quite passionately. The door slammed as it shut and Blake was certain they had noticed.

"I thought we were ready to go?" Ruby cocked her head off to one side, apparently having missed the very public display of affection in the hallway.

"Uhh, yeah. Sorry. I just got startled. Yang and Weiss are out there. I thought you said they weren't getting back until later?" Blake left her hand on the doorknob, trying to buy time for her friends to compose themselves a little before they were seen again.

"Well Yang just messaged me that they were on their way back. I thought we had time." Ruby crossed her arms in a pout. "I guess she must have meant they were on their way up the stairs."

"Your plan will still work. Let's just tell them we're headed out and leave. That won't be weird." Blake desperately wanted that sparkle to come back, even if she had to kindle it a little. She waited with her hand on the door though, because if she knew anything about her team leader it was that Ruby didn't do well when forced into uncomfortable situations.

"Okay, okay yeah. Let's go." Ruby uncrossed her arms and clenched her fists in silent determination. Blake jiggled the handle slightly, trying to make a bit of noise to announce their imminent arrival into the hallway and then opened the door slowly. Yang and Weiss were standing hand in hand as if waiting to meet them.

"Hey there Blakey what's up?" Yang waved excitedly and Blake saw that Weiss's face and neck were a few shades redder than her pale skin usually was. Good, at least one of them had the common sense to be embarrassed about making out in the hallway.

"Oh nothing Yang. Just headed out. Are you two just getting back?" Blake asked as sweetly as she could. She knew that everyone knew what was going on, but she didn't want to make a big scene about glanced to her side and saw Ruby rubbing the hem of her cloak between her thumb and forefinger, as, if not more, embarrassed than Weiss.

"Yeah, yeah. We just walked up." Yang slid her arm over Weiss's shoulders, "Maybe could'a used a few more minutes though." She winked slyly, as if that comment needed any further insinuation.

"Well, feel free." Blake stepped out of the way towards Ruby and swung her arm into the dorm, "Ruby and I are going to the bookstore." Weiss strode directly past Blake with an irritated huff, pulling out of Yang's grip as she went. Yang smiled and laughed as she followed.

"You two have fun, don't stay out too late." She winked at Blake again and closed the door. What was that wink for? She wasn't planning anything too lecherous with Weiss was she? It had only been a week.

"Okay, well that went terribly." Ruby sighed, letting her shoulders droop visibly.

"What do you mean?" Blake turned around to face her, putting her back to Team JNPR's door.

"Well, did you see how upset Weiss was? She's gonna get all mad at Yang now." Ruby's face said everything Blake needed to know. She was terribly worried about her sister and her fledgling relationship. After all, Ruby's relationship with Jaune had barely lasted longer than this so of course she was concerned.

"I wouldn't worry too much Ruby." Blake stepped forward but resisted the urge to soothe Ruby by putting her hand on her shoulder. "What I saw them doing was just as much Weiss's fault as it was Yang's." Ruby's eyes widened in realization.

"Oh eww eww eww," Ruby grabbed Blake's hand and drug her down the hallway, "Okay, let's get out of here. I don't wanna be anywhere near them." Blake did her best to repress a broad smile as she went hand in hand with Ruby down the hallway.

The bookstore was just as Blake remembered it, though it had only been a few weeks since her last visit here. There were rows and rows of books, stacked high on shelves along the walls, low bookcases that ran all through the middle sections of the store and piled in various places were there just wasn't any more room. The whole place had that musty smell of old paper that Blake just loved and despite the huge windows facing the street, the store had an intimate feeling that was the real reason Blake kept coming back.

"Oh, I hope they have a copy left. It's a really popular book." Ruby rubbed her hands together nervously as they entered the store, silver eyes darting around the shelves.

"I'm sure they have at least one left," Blake eased her concerns, "This is Tukson's Book Trade-"

"Home to every book under the Sun." The large, friendly shopkeep emerged from the back room where he kept the overstock. Blake had never told him and he had never told her but they were both fully aware of the fact that they were both Faunus. They could smell it on each other's clothes, see it in the way they carried themselves. But, Blake knew they were among friends here, none of the White Fang's usual territorial marks were present in or around the store. "Hey there, how are you?" Tukson picked up a stack of books on the counter and moved them off to the side, clearing a space so he could see them both clearly.

"Good afternoon, I'm doing really well today. How are you? How's business?" Blake smiled at the man. He had always been nice to her, recommending books, working to get in copies of rarer novels she was after, even discreetly wrapping some of her Ninja's of Love volumes when she had other errands left to run.

"I've been just great lately. I feel like I can breathe." Tukson spread his arms wide and took in a huge breath of the store's musty air, "Business is doing great too, the Vytal Festival brings all sorts to town."

"I'm glad to hear that." Blake nodded her head and smiled again, "This is my friend, teammate and leader. This is Ruby." She held her hands beside her to show Ruby off like some sort of prize at a gameshow.

"Nice to meet you Ruby." Tukson waved happily, "I do hope you're taking good care of Blake. She keeps this little store afloat."

"She does, she's a great leader. The best I could have hoped for." Blake turned from Tukson and looked at Ruby, hoping her praise would help embolden her in front of the man. Of course it seemed to do the exact opposite.

"Oh, pfft well…" Ruby turned her toe against the floor, mumbling and sputtering some nonsense about her not being that big of a deal.

"Now, I think I know why the two of you are here." Tukson set his heavy forearms down on the counter and eyed Blake knowingly, "And I have just what you're looking for." Blake cocked her head off to the side, had Tukson really held one for her without her asking.

"Oh Blake, that's so cool. You're like a total VIP or something." Ruby nudged her in the side excitedly. Blake didn't think it was that special, he just held a copy for her because he knew she would keep coming back. That was just friendly customer service right?

"I didn't save two copies. I didn't realize you were bringing a friend and we basically sold out right away. But this one was in pretty good condition so I pulled it aside for you." The man emerged from beneath the counter holding a pristine hardback of the fifth and final volume in the series she and Ruby had been reading together.

"Oh, oh I'll get it." Ruby dashed forward, Lien already in hand.

"Now, I know you're the leader and all but I did save this copy for Blake." Tukson held the novel just out of Ruby's reach and looked over her head to Blake.

"She's uhh.." Blake wasn't sure for a moment if Ruby remembered the offer she had made earlier in the week and didn't want to assume, "We read them together so."

"Yeah, plus I'm getting it as a present for her." Ruby left her Lien on the counter and turned back to smile at Blake. "Remember? I promised you I would." Now it was Blake's turn to look at the ground in embarrassment. Of course Ruby had remembered, it was Ruby. She never forgot about things she was trying to do for her friends, about offers of kindness.

"Well you two are very cute together. I wish I had two copies for you." Tukson quickly scooped up the money and made change, bagging their book and handing it all back to Ruby with well practiced ease. "Did you want me to hold onto another for you when I get more in?" Blake watched as Ruby didn't react to his comment about them being cute at all, took it completely in stride. Was she okay with that? Had it gone over her head? In her excitement had she just completely ignored him?

"No that's okay, thanks. Like she said," Ruby turned back to face Blake again, "We read them together anyways." Ruby wrapped the bag around her wrist and skipped back over to Blake, cloak billowing out behind her.

"Thank you Tukson. It was very kind of you to hold onto one for me." Blake gave him one final wave as Ruby returned to her side.

"Not a problem at all. Be safe you two, come back soon." Tukson grabbed another stack of books and resumed stocking the shelves. Blake and Ruby left the store and broke out into the mid afternoon sun in the streets of Vale. It was still plenty bright out, a couple hours left before night really set in and since he had saved them a copy the visit to the bookstore really had taken that long at all.

"Did you want to head back yet?" Blake asked of her companion.

"Not yet, no. I mean unless you want to. I just want to make sure Yang and Weiss get time to themselves. I don't want to walk in on anything." Ruby laughed happily, much less disturbed by the thought then Blake might have thought. Possibly because she was still on top of the world thanks to the hard back she was carrying, possibly because she was just enjoying herself in general. Either way, Blake hoped it kept up because she loved seeing Ruby this happy.

"Well, why don't we go to a little cafe then? It's just down here." Blake pointed down the block towards a cafe she was particularly fond of. They had wonderful tea, a small bakery that made pastries and great views of the city from their rooftop tables. It would be a wonderful way to sit with Ruby and enjoy the last bits of the afternoon.

"Okay, that sounds great." Ruby started down the sidewalk and turned when Blake didn't immediately follow. "Come on Blake." Ruby motioned with her whole arm for Blake to follow and left her arm hanging out in the air towards her. Was that an offer? Blake decided that it really couldn't hurt, just cause Ruby and herself a moment of awkward laughter at worst and stepped forward to take Ruby's arm in her own.

"I'm coming. I'm coming. You're always in such a hurry." Blake teased as she snaked her elbow through Ruby's, linking their arms together. Ruby smiled and headed down the street, now towing Blake along with her at a pace much faster than she was used to walking, but still enjoyable since they were together.

The cafe was fairly full but everyone inside was quiet and calm enough that it wasn't loud or bustling, just snug like a blanket on a cold day. Blake slid her jacket off her shoulders and slung it over her arm again, releasing Ruby once they were in the store itself.

"Good afternoon, welcome." the hostess greeted them happily. "Are you dining in or taking out?" Blake glanced around the full seating area and hazarded the risk.

"Are there any seats left on the terrace?" She asked hopefully. Perhaps the colder weather would force other inside, but she and Ruby would be fine out there.

"Yes, we have plenty of seating there." the hostess gestured towards the order counter, "Please just order and seat yourself."

"Thanks." Ruby smiled at the woman and trotted over to the pastry display. Blake nodded her thanks as well and followed after her. "Oh my Oum, Blake." Ruby tore her gaze away from the pastries as Blake caught up. "Why have you been hiding this place from me?"

"I haven't been hiding it from you," Blake chuckled, "You never asked." Ruby pushed at her playfully.

"You know I'd love it. You should have drug me here." Ruby jerked her arms out to show the stacks and stacks of chocolate filled or covered goodies behind the glass. "Look at all that." Blake couldn't take her eyes off Ruby, she looked like she was about to explode from excitement.

"Well, you get whatever you want." Blake lifted her wallet out of her back pocket. She didn't have much in the way of spending money, but Ruby had just bought her that book which was an incredibly thoughtful gift and meant that the money she had been saving for it could now be spent on the little brunette instead.

"Blake you don't have to do that." Ruby settled down incredibly, "Really, it's okay."

"No, no." She stepped past Ruby to the check-out stand to order her tea, "It's my turn to get you something. Come on now, you get anything you want, really." She knew Ruby would rebel at the thought, she loved treating people but didn't like being treated. But, that was just too bad. Blake was going to buy her some chocolatey goodness and that's all there was to it.

"Okay, okay. I get it." Ruby threw her hands up in defeat, "This isn't the end of this though, mark my words Blake Belladona. I will buy you a snack." Ruby gestured threateningly with her finger to make her point known.

The pair found the terrace almost completely deserted, only one couple sitting in the far corner, talking quietly and drinking coffees together. Blake and Ruby took their things and headed to the far opposite side of the balcony, out near the exterior corner facing the street and looking out over the city.

"Aren't they so cute." Ruby pointed as subliminally as she could over at the couple in the far corner. It was a boy and a girl about their age. Both had dark brown hair and were dressed rather plainly. What caught Blake was that the boy had a pair of small, broad antlers extending from out of his hair and the girl had no Faunus traits to speak of. Were they an actual mixed couple?

"They really are. I'm so glad people can accept each other like that." Blake eased down next to Ruby at their small table and purposefully looked away from the couple, giving them their privacy.

"You know. I mean, I'm not trying to pressure you or anything. I'm just saying. It would be okay if you took your bow off sometimes too. I know you don't want to, and that's totally okay. I get it. Really." Ruby looked down at the her cup and ran her finger around the lid in a circle. "I just. I think your ears are cute. I think other people would too." Ruby lifted the cup quickly and took a drink to cut herself off. Blake sat in silence for a moment, trying to find the best way to explain it to Ruby without going on a rant about her thoughts on being a Faunus in modern day Vale.

"I know you do Ruby. I really appreciate that about you. It's just, not everyone is as kind as you and I'm not ready to do that yet." Blake reached across the table and squeezed Ruby's hand, "But thank you so much. I'm glad you think they're cute." Blake forced herself to retract her hand back to her side of the table and clutch her tea.

Ruby sat without speaking for a few seconds and continued to stare at her cup. Blake was starting to feel concerned that she may have offended her somehow but then Ruby broke the silence.

"It just makes me so mad you can't be who you are." Ruby grumbled and Blake looked down and saw her hand was squeezing her cup quite hard, "Like, you're an awesome amazing, super smart beautiful person and you have to hide something about yourself just because other people suck." Blake drug her chair over to Ruby's side and slung her arm across the younger girl's shoulders.

"Hey, it's okay Ruby." Blake squeezed her tight, "Don't get mad about it really." Ruby's hand relaxed a little and she faced Blake. It was only then that Blake noticed just how close they were now, faces just a foot or so apart. "We're trying to change that right? That's why I'm a huntress at least. I want to show people that Faunus are on the same side. I want to show we aren't all like the White Fang." Ruby relaxed further and released her cup completely.

"How do you stay so calm about it Blake?" She leaned her head against Blake's shoulder and dropped her hands into her lap. Blake's breath caught as she realized they looked closer and more intimate than the couple they had been watching. "I'm not even a Faunus and it makes me so mad I wanna punch someone."

"I've just…" Blake paused to consider her answer, "I guess I've just been dealing with it my whole life so I know that punching someone won't really fix it." Blake pulled away from Ruby slightly, not wanting to give anyone the wrong idea about them. Tukson already thought they were dating and who knows, maybe the hostess here did too since apparently only couples were coming out here right now. As much as Blake may have wanted that to be the case, it wasn't yet and she didn't want to put Ruby in a weird spot that she wasn't prepared for.

"You're so awesome." Ruby sat up on her own as Blake pulled away, but not far enough to pull Blake's arm off her shoulders.

"I'm not that great Ruby." Blake paused and let her arm fall, "I mean. That boy over there wears his antlers out in the open and I can't even show off my ears. I'm a coward compared-" Blake found her mouth suddenly full of muffin.

"Don't you dare call yourself a coward Blake." Ruby pushed the muffin further into Blake's mouth with a single finger, poking the bread between her lips. "You are brave and you fight Grimm and you are not a coward." Ruby stopped poking and looked at the mess she had made, "And you owe me another muffin because you ruined that one."

Blake brushed the mess off her lap and ate what she could of the muffin to clear her mouth enough that she could speak.

"I'm sorry. I just get upset sometimes that I'm able to hide it and others aren't." Blake wiped more crumbs from her mouth. "But you're right. I'll stop." Blake looked at their remaining snacks and realized she wasn't all that hungry anymore. "Do you just wanna split my croissant? I don't want to try and explain why we need even more chocolaty snacks." Blake laughed and was relieved when Ruby did the same.

"Yeah Blake, I could share with you."

A/N - Sorry I'm posting later than usual today. They're actually making me do work at work, what terrible fiends. But here it is, chapter 41 and a progression down the road to Ladybugs.

I don't deal with themes like racism and sexual discrimination well because I am a heterosexual, white male in my early twenties and so have absolutely nothing to base those scenes on. I try to read the work of other fantastic authors (many of them here) and base my works on that as well as what is presented in the show as "Faunus Racism" in Vale. So, hopefully I do the topics justice. But, if I am ever insensitive about a particular theme or interpret something incorrectly and present a harmful view of any type of person, please let me know. The mistake stems only from ignorance which I am trying desperately to alleviate.

That said, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The breaking point here is a little awkward but Thursday's chapter will be another focused on Ruby and Blake's 'outing' (cause it's totally not a date right?) So, sorry if it seemed to break off a little weird.