Chapter 10

Blake stood beside Ruby's door, trying not to listen to the murmuring inside. She wrestled with what she was going to say and how she was going to say it. Sun had given Neon his shirt to wear and was currently gathering her clothes and scroll. Blake had fought down the urge to snarl at the girl's presence. Her temper was doing her no favors. It burned and consumed her, chased by her other emotions like a rabid dog. It was pathetic, she was pathetic.

"Blake?" Sun's voice startled Blake from her self pity. "She wants to talk."

Blake nodded, taking a deep breath. "Alone?"

"Yeah, just...be gentle, alright?" Sun requested.

Blake nodded again, running a hand through her hair, claws catching in the knots. She retracted them as Sun embraced her with one arm - the other holding a bundle of clothes. "I'll try."

"That's all you need." Sun smiled, kissing Blake's forehead. He headed off down the hall. Now it was just Blake and a closed door. One of the most intimidating closed doors of her life. The more she stalled, the harder this would be. She knocked twice, gently.

"Come in." Ruby's managed meekly.

Blake's heart clenched once more. Slowly she opened the door. The main light had been switched off, replaced by the bedside lamp. It was warmer, more comforting. Ruby herself sat close to it, a pillow hugged to her chest, hiding her lower face, leaving only silver eyes to glimmer in the light. Red rimmed, those eyes fixed upon Blake. She had barely taken notice of Ruby's nudity beforehand. Now she sat in her usual pyjamas. Blake was thankful for that. It would have made things worse otherwise. Ruby looked so very small, smaller than she already was.

"Ruby." Blake greeted, closing the door behind her as gently as she had opened it.

Ruby's gaze flickered between the door and Blake. "I'm sorry." She squeaked, half muffled, before swallowing audibly. She wiped her nose on the pillow. "I let a stranger into the apartment without your permission, and I'm sorry." She averted her gaze now, shrinking further behind the pillow, as if it would protect her from whatever slings and barbs Blake would hurl her way.

The Faunus sighed, taking a step toward the bed. Ruby tensed. Blake turned her back and sat on the edge of the mattress. "I know Ruby, I know. I'm sorry too."

"I'll pack my things-" Ruby started.

"Ruby...I don't want you to leave." Blake interrupted.

"But I hea-" Ruby tried to protest.

"I know what you heard." Blake snapped before biting her tongue. Gods she needed to stop. She was still threatening. Ruby would not understand the significance of turning her back. She was human, humans were ignorant. Changing tactics, Blake lay back across the foot of the bed, looking up at the frightened girl. "I'm sorry. I'm not angry at you Ruby. I'm...angry at myself."

"Because you hurt Neon?" Ruby asked.

"I didn't hurt her...much." Blake mumbled.

"You threw her into the wall...Blake, there's a crack in the wall." Ruby's voice warbled.

Blake followed the girl's eyes to the wall. There was indeed a crack where some part of her fellow Faunus had impacted. Was she really that angry? "Faunus are tough. You saw her scars."

"That's not reassuring Blake." Ruby noted.

"I know...I know…" Blake groaned, covering her face. "Ruby, we are not human. I am not human."

"You're a person Blake, and people treat each other decently." Ruby stated.

Blake laughed painfully at that. "People are assholes Ruby. Selfish, angry assholes who do what suits them, and I'm no different. Just genetically programmed to do it."

"What?" Ruby questioned in exasperation.

"Faunus Ruby, we are different from humans in that out instincts take precedence over our sense." Blake explained. "At least to a greater degree. Humans have them, but that's just it. They're there, whispering in the back of your mind. You choose to listen to them, usually you don't, because you don't need to. There's no urge to obey. You're not filled with reactive emotion. You just feel, and your sense usually prevails. But that's not how it works for us. We don't have that restraint, it's not how we evolved."

"So you lost control?" Ruby asked.

"I did." Blake confirmed.

"Why?" Ruby pressed.

"Because...my...because I thought you were threatened." Blake struggled.

"By Neon?" Ruby asked.

"By someone." Blake replied. "You vanished, I was worried. We come back and I smell you and someone, and by the time I figured out who it was I was so damn angry and panicked I just wanted her gone! It didn't matter that it was Neon. At least, not truly. I was angry at her, I told her not to come back, but here she was, in my home, fucking one of my own, as if she didn't-"

"Whaaat?" Ruby cut in, baffled. "Your own? Blake, what?"

Blake closed her eyes, biting her tongue. How could she explain this in a way that made sense? This was an alien concept to Ruby. Everything involved was natural to Blake and others like her. Not even Sun shared her intense instinctual need. Sure, he understood it, and the smartass was probably banking on this happening. He was crafty like that, acting one way and thinking another. It was part of why Blake liked him so much. One moment he was bouncing off the walls, the next shockingly perceptive of her wants. And her needs.

"Blake, I'm feeling really lost right now." Ruby admitted. Blake looked to the human, who had discarded the pillow. Ruby tiredly rubbed her eyes. Blake's heart went out to her. After the excitement and stress of that night they were probably both exhausted.

"I know Ruby. I'm going to explain, but I need...please bear with me." Blake started. "This is as strange to you as it is difficult for me." Ruby heaved a sigh, nodding. Then, to Blake's surprise, she shifted over to lay down alongside her. She did not say anything, simply waiting.

Blake swallowed. "Faunus owe many of our tendencies to nature. We are more than our traits, but those traits still define us. Humans evolved further from their origins. We evolved alongside them, but our instincts remained ingrained in our society. In ancient times, like humanity, males built and repaired homes, hunted for food, protected females and young. Females gathered, bore and raised children. Whilst this remains widespread in both human and Faunus society, it is no longer so ingrained. More and more females are independent. More and more men raise children. And while this is true too for Faunus, we always return to our instincts. We search out mates, we produce children, we start and protect families and settle into the roles we are instinctively and physically suited for." Blake turned over to face Ruby properly, her attention rapt. "Part of this, and an integral part of our society, is the concept of Alpha genes, Alpha roles. Do you know anything about Alphas Ruby?"

"A little." Ruby replied. "Aren't they your leaders?"

"Typically, traditionally." Blake confirmed. "Alphas are how we evolved to exist as packs, clans and families. The Alpha gene makes leaders of us. We are stronger, we feel less pain. Our scent is distinct, heavier, powerful, inspiring fear and obedience in others. Typically the Alpha gene is passed only to male offspring, and even so, only occasionally. Otherwise those of us with a predisposition to litters could produce several Alphas, which could pose problems for the pack."

"Like cat and dog Faunus?" Ruby questioned.

Blake nodded. "Feline and canine, yes Ruby."

"So you have brothers and sisters?" Ruby smiled for the first time that night.

Blake could not help but return it. "No Ruby, sadly I don't." She lamented. "I was an only child. Both my mother and father are feline, but still, I was an only child because I was conceived an Alpha, a rare occurrence in females."

"Oh." Ruby said.

"Which is what I'm trying to explain." Blake continued. "To help you understand why I am the way I am. My instincts tell me to gather, to bear, to raise, maintain my family. But at the same time the Alpha side of me screams to protect, to control, to dominate. At times it's conflicting. Sometimes one exacerbates the other. These instincts weren't meant to coexist Ruby, one second oil and water, the next a fan to the flame. Do you understand how that might feel Ruby? To be so angry, yet so scared, and your only thought is to remove the threat inspiring those emotions?"

"You weren't thinking clearly." Ruby observed.

"Sometimes I hardly think at all." Blake murmured, eyes downcast. "I regret every one of those times."

Ruby did not respond at first. For a moment Blake suspected the girl had fallen asleep, until one of the human's hands reached for her own. "You see me as family?" She whispered.

Blake flinched at the contact, but allowed Ruby to pull her hand closer, clasping it in both of her own. "I…I see you as kin." Ruby was the first human she had willingly allowed to touch her, and the first person since Sun. Her rose scent seemed all the more prevalent in that moment.

"Do you want to be kin?" Ruby asked.

Blake closed her eyes and nodded. As much as it pained that part of her - the part that desired isolation, insulation, so she would not grow attached, so people could not hurt her anymore. That part Sun burned away with his affection, leaving the rest of her, that desired comfort and company, the pleasure of a family, which she now found in Ruby's familiar scent - she wanted this. Ruby was warm, her presence calming, her safety paramount. "I...always wanted a sister." She admitted with a shy smile.

Ruby giggled. "Sometimes I wish I didn't have one. Yang could get overbearing sometimes."

"I think I'm a little more than overbearing." Blake scoffed. She felt Ruby squeeze her hand, drawing it to her chest.

"I'll try and behave from now on...maybe I won't get drunk anymore." Ruby promised.

"You can get drunk, just...if you want to be with someone, come to me first?" Blake requested. "Make sure I know. Atlas is a big city to disappear in."

"I'll try, I promise." Ruby declared.

"Thank you Ruby, for listening." Blake sighed. "I lost control tonight...I wish I could say it won't happen again."

"I'll try and keep out of your way." Ruby added.

"No, no I need...grounding." Blake shook her head. "Ruby, I know it's frightening, but I won't hurt you. I won't ever hurt you. I want to protect you."

"Okay." Ruby whispered, yawning. "Can you protect me while I sleep?" She smirked, eyes barely open.

Blake chuckled. "Sure...I'll be back in a moment." Receiving a nod from Ruby, Blake left the room. Sun stood waiting in the hall, smiling at Blake's own grin. "I'm spending the night with Ruby."

Sun blinked, surprised. "Uh, in what way?"

"The platonic way Sun." Blake roused.

"Uhuh.' Sun smirked.

"Not everyone is a horndog like you." Blake grumbled.

"I didn't say nothin'." Sun shrugged.

They entered the bedroom. Sun had changed beforehand. He only ever wore pyjama pants to bed, and even so, they were usually gone in the morning. "What did Neon have to say?" Blake asked, slipping out of her clothes. Normally she would shower first, but this morning...this morning she did not care.

"That she's sorry, again." Sun replied. "She didn't think you'd be so pissed."

Blake hummed, pulling her preferred sleepwear on...and underwear for good measure. Just briefs, normally she preferred to go without. She never was a fan of the feeling, nothing ever felt right to her, but she did not wish to give Ruby a show. "Neither did I."

Kissing Sun goodnight, Blake returned to Ruby's room. The lamp had been turned off. Either Ruby was well aware of Faunus nightvision, or did not believe Blake would return. She shut the door gently and approached the bed. Ruby had moved beneath the covers once more. Blake lifted the nearby edge, slipping under.

"Hnng?" Ruby mumbled.

"It's me Ruby." Blake whispered.

"Mngkay." Ruby responded. Blake hovered beside Ruby, unsure if she should draw closer or simply remain nearby. Did she want intimacy or company? The question was answered when Ruby's hand wandered back, brushing Blake's thigh briefly before meeting her arm. Blake choked. "Shry." Ruby apologized, finding her hand. "Hug?" Blake bit down the uncomfortable urge that flared at the contact, and gradually shifted forward, her chest making contact with Ruby's back. The human curled up against her warmth. "G'mornin' Blake." Ruby murmured.

Blake smiled. "Good morning Ruby."

Morning was a very strange experience for Ruby. First, she was very comfortable. Normally her bed was a little too firm for her taste. She had made note to buy a padded underlay, but her pay would not be in...actually it should be in that day. If it was Saturday...her mind was always fuzzy in the morning. It was also warm, very warm, like cozy warm. The apartment had good heating, but her room did not get much of it with the door closed, and she did not feel comfortable sleeping with an open door. Normally it was frigid, but now it was not. The pressure against her back was also new. She liked it, it reminded her of Yang. They had not shared a bed often during her last year of college, but what few times they did curl up together, she never slept better. But Yang was not here, she was in Patch, hundreds of miles away...who was in her bed?

Slowly, Ruby reached forward. Her new scroll lay charging on the bedside table. The wireless pad meant no cord needed to be yanked free, allowing her to stealthily open the camera app. She switched to selfie view, and her jaw dropped as she beheld the peaceful visage of Blake. It was strangely, hauntingly beautiful. With every other moment of her life seemingly ruled by constant annoyance, seeing Blake so...restful was a shock. And cute too. Her ears occasionally fluttered, her eyes moving beneath their lids. She must have been dreaming.

An electronic click rung out, and Ruby hastily hid her scroll beneath the pillow. She had not meant to take a picture, her finger must have slipped. Blake was a light sleeper, right? The Faunus twitched and Ruby tensed as the arm around her stomach firmed, but instead of waking Blake just pulled her closer. Warm breath on the back of Ruby's neck sent a shiver down her spine. No, no, bad Ruby, don't go there. Stay away. Last night was...oh gods last night was amazing. Neon was so passionate. What she remembered of her at least. Like water to the parched...oh gods she was horny, and...was Blake...smelling her? She could feel the Faunus nuzzle the back of her head, parting the hair and taking in a deep breath of her scent. The shuddering exhale brought up a question Ruby dreaded.

Was Blake aroused by her?

A sudden pressure on her rear answered that question in the most uncomfortable way possible, as her roommate and Alpha ground her pelvis against Ruby's rear….was that...no, nope, no, no, no way!

"Blake!" Ruby yelped.

The Faunus stopped. For several moments they were still as stone. "Ruby?" Blake murmured, pulling back from her hair. "Oh." The pressure withdrew and Blake pulled away. "Sorry."

"It's...okay." Ruby turned over to face the Faunus, who rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Yeah…" Blake said slowly. Hands falling, she stared at the ceiling, face screwed up in thought. "I slept fine...thank you for inviting me."

"It's okay." Ruby responded. "I get a bit lonely in here. It was nice to have someone hold me again."

Blake winced, the prior night's events flashing in her mind. "Did you leave someone in Patch?"

"No, no I had Yang." Ruby replied. "We've always been close."

"Hmm, Sun said as much...do you want to shower first?" Blake asked.

"You should go." Ruby answered. "You worked in the club, but I didn't shower after Neon and I…" She trailed off.

Blake sighed, nodding. "Then you should go first." She instructed. "It'll cover any noise we make." Slipping out of bed, Blake made her way to the door, opening it before pausing. "Good afternoon." She finally greeted.

Ruby smiled. "Good afternoon."

Craning her neck to see in the mirror, Ruby examined the scratches on her back. She would have to wear a collared shirt to work. She only vaguely remembered Neon making them. Thankfully her time in the shower helped resolve any feelings the memory may have inspired. Heads between each other's thighs, one clawed hand on her rear, the other clutching her back. Neon had tensed, whining, and laughing as Ruby won their first bout. Ruby yelped and yelled as those claws dug into her skin, and sliced their way down.

Once recovered, Neon had been apologetic. Though not particularly deep, they would likely still scar. Everything scarred Ruby. She was used to it. Neon made up for it with voracious enthusiasm regardless. And Ruby had another story to tell the grandkids. The shower had stung badly though, and she could not reach the cuts to properly clean them. Perhaps Blake would be willing to help. People experienced in self defense tended to be at least competent in first aid, and if there was any danger to being clawed by a Faunus, she would know for sure.

Pulling on a tank top, shorts and her hoodie, Ruby left her bedroom, heading to the kitchen and making herself breakfast. She would have to go shopping today. Her pay was in no uncertain terms sizeable. Either Ruby was being paid engineering money already, or her position happened to pay very well regardless. It was so strange seeing such a high number in her account. She knew it was not truly high at all, but seeing as all her money went into groceries and supplies beforehand, she had never seen her account rise past six hundred lien, and that was after a very nice Solstice.

She should get something nice for Blake and Sun. Sun was simple. She could get him a new scroll, a real one, nothing amazing, just something he could use to join the modern world. Eventually he would want to upgrade to something more mainstream. Blake was more difficult. Yes she liked fish, but at the same time Ruby did not want to be patronizing. Perhaps there was some sort of gift you gave an Alpha as a sign of gratitude...but that could also be seen as patronizing...ugh. She hated gift giving. Maybe she should just cook a nice dinner with fish and see how Blake reacted.

Ruby could also budget for a new PC now. It would be better than what she had left behind. She could never justify upgrading her old one often, and even when she did it was with outdated components. Maybe now she could start bigger. The SDC manufactured everything. She might be able to acquire parts directly from them now. She needed to ask Pyrrha the next time she saw her.

Until then, Ruby had a weekend to enjoy. First things first, Blake, scratches, first aid. Blake was still with Sun apparently. The living room was empty when she walked through. Not that she was listening, but there were no noises coming down the hall. Either Blake was being quiet that morning, or they had finished faster than usual. Ruby poured herself a bowl of cereal and settled on the couch, turning on the news. She was halfway through her bowl when a familiar image appeared on screen.

"In other news, Adel Apparel founder Coco Adel was witnessed entering SDC headquarters late Thursday morning. Sources report the fashion house has been on the decline for months now, culminating in a filing for bankruptcy."

Wow, that explains a lot. Ruby thought.

"...that perhaps her longtime friendship with CEO Weiss Schnee could be the savior of Adel Apparel. Further details have not yet been released."

Blake walked into the room, still dressed in her robe. She ran a hand through her frazzled hair. Glancing at Ruby, she quirked a brow. "Didn't think you took an interest in the industry."

"Huh?" Ruby perked up.

"Adel, they're fashion tycoons." Blake wrinkled her nose. She headed for the kitchen. "Her family contracts Faunus sweatshops in Vacuo."

"Oh, that...that's surprising." Ruby hesitated.

"Atlas is a merchant kingdom." Blake explained. "Cutting costs is normal."

"No, I mean Coco." Ruby explained. "She's friends with Weiss, and I think she's with Velvet, and she's a Faunus."

Blake did not respond at first. The refrigerator opened and closed, and she returned to the living room. "Hmm." She hummed, taking a draw from a bottle of water. "Possibly why she went under." She sat down, watching the screen.

"How do you know about that anyway?" Ruby asked.

"I know about the injustices humanity has inflicted upon my race Ruby." Blake frowned. "The Adel family doesn't hold a candle to the crimes of Jacques Schnee, but all the same, slave labor is condemnable." She took another sip. "You say their daughter is with a Faunus?"

"Velvet, the head of Faunus Outreach." Ruby nodded. "I've only met her twice, but she's really nice...and seemed really close to Coco."

"How did they interact?" Blake questioned.

"Uh, touching?" Ruby answered. "Hugging? Coco kissed her ear. She's a bun...uh...rabbit Faunus?"

"Lepus." Blake murmured. "She kissed her ear?"

Ruby hummed in confirmation. "Is that good?"

"Such actions are typical amongst family, mates and close friends." Blake replied. "But humans are rarely privy."

"So they're definitely together?" Ruby pressed.

"Hmm, it seems so." Came Blake's subdued response.

Ruby frowned. "Is that...not okay?"

"It's not unheard of, but they will face adversity to say the least." Blake shrugged. "How is your back?"

"Oh, you noticed." Ruby chuckled uneasily.

"It was impossible to miss Ruby." Blake deadpanned.

"Heh, right, uh, it stung a bit." Ruby managed. "I wanted to ask for help cleaning it, please? And uh...I don't mean anything by it but uh...Feline Faunus claws, are they...safe?"

Blake scoffed, extending the claws of her left hand, and offering it for Ruby to examine. "Yes Ruby. I could flay you alive and you would be perfectly fine."

Ruby smiled nervously, leaning in to peer at the appendages. They were not too different from human nails, just notably longer, raised to a ridge which curved down to a fine point. It was oddly fascinating. "Wow, they're really sharp."

"Feline Faunus are immune to the diseases of our distant relatives, and we take pride in our nails." Blake preened. She tapped Ruby with a claw before letting them retract. "But yes, I will clean your scratches. Thank you for being respectful."

Ruby smirked. "Thank you for not flaying me alive."

Blake laughed.