Chapter 4

Qrow arrived at the hospital for a visit in the afternoon. "Hey." He said, leaning against the doorway. Summer stood and walked towards him. "Summer I…" She kept walking straight past and out of the room without even looking at him. Raven met him with a disgusted scowl and followed Summer's lead. Qrow bowed his head, a grim smile on his face. "Yeah, I probably deserve that." He whispered under his breath.

Pyrrha, unsure of exactly what to do, stood and headed for the door as well. "Hello Mr. Branwen." She said. "I'll give you two some privacy." She departed, leaving Qrow and Yang alone.

"Sorry if my being here makes everyone...well, a bit tense." Qrow said.

"It's not your fault." Yang said. "Tai chose to drink, Tai chose to hit me, and Tai brought this on himself. No matter what mom and Raven say."

Qrow pushed himself off the door, walked to Yang's bedside, and flopped down in the chair once occupied by his sister. "Thanks kiddo but…" He started. "Nah...no sense dwelling on the past." He shook his head before returning his attention to Yang. "How are you?"

"Not great." Yang said. "As you might imagine."

"Yeah...stupid question." Qrow said. "You have every right to feel like shit now. Just promise me one thing."

"Sure." Yang agreed.

"Don't become...well...me." Qrow sighed. "You're still so young. No matter how hard this hits you, you can bounce back. You've got Summer, Raven, Ruby, Glynda, Pyrrha, Nora and Ren at your back. They love you and they'll do anything to help you recover. I didn't have that. By the time I met Summer and Tai the scars had already set in and I didn't want to be a burden...no more than I already was."

"Yeah, well you forgot one thing." Yang said.

"What's that?" Qrow asked.

"Jaune." Yang replied. "He's got my back too."

"Fuck, I knew I missed someone." Qrow laughed. "That guy probably still needs your help more than you need his though. He has to live with Ren and Nora after all."

"He's a nice guy, I'm sure he'll blunder his way into success eventually." Yang said. "Well, fuckups aside, thanks Qrow. I don't know if it'll help, but I appreciate it either way."

"You and Ruby are the only family I've got left that doesn't hate me." Qrow said with a wry smile. "If I'm not my best for you, what's the point of living?"

Pyrrha asked for and received Glynda's permission to take the week off. She wanted to be there to support Yang, and giving up a paycheck to do it was a small price to pay. Knowing Glynda, Pyrrha would probably be paid as normal anyway. The gym was like a big family in a lot of ways. Pyrrha arrived at Yang's hospital room just in time to walk into the middle of an argument.

"I'm not doing it." Yang said.

"Yang, please." Summer pleaded. "It's for you own good."

"You don't want to be bedridden and helpless for the rest of your life, do you?" Raven asked.

"I don't really care." Yang sighed, turning away from her mothers. "What's the point? I can do all the therapy in the world and my arm won't grow back."

"We can get you a prosthetic and…" Summer started.

"We can't even afford a good one." Yang cut her off, her voice raising in volume and intensity. "I don't want a fuckin' doll arm! I want my arm."

"I know it hurts, but this is the situation and you just have to make the best of it." Raven said. "You can't just give up."

"Says the person who ran away from her responsibilities." Yang hissed. "The one who wouldn't even admit she was my mother until I was thirteen!"

"I…" Raven started. She shook her head and left, brushing past Pyrrha.

"Raven wait…" Summer called after her. "Yang that was uncalled for."

"I know." Yang groaned. "You should go talk to her."

"We're not done with this." Summer declared. She turned to Pyrrha. "I'm sorry you had to see that." She sighed. "Maybe you can talk some sense into her." Summer chased after Raven.

Pyrrha walked to the chair she had occupied for most of the preceding day, placed her backpack on the ground next to it and sat. "Shouldn't you be at work?" Yang asked.

"I should be where I'm needed." Pyrrha replied. "What was that about?"

"The doctors want me to start physical therapy." Yang explained. "Everything's healed up enough so they want me to get walking again and start strengthening my arm."

"So…" Pyrrha said.

"So I don't want to do it." Yang said. "There's no point. My life is fucked no matter what, so why waste the effort?" She looked at the still bandaged stump of her right arm. "Why bother?"

"How can you talk like that?" Pyrrha gasped. "I never, ever, thought I'd see the day when you'd give up. So maybe you don't care what happens. Your family, your friends, we do. If you won't do it for you, do it for them. Do it for Summer and Raven. Do it for Ruby. Do it for Qrow. Do it for Ren and Nora. Do it for Glynda. Do it for Jaune. Do it for me. Hell, do it so you can hold Ren and Nora's baby."

"Pyrrha, I just…" Yang started.

"Something terrible happened to you." Pyrrha cut her off, tears welling in her eyes. "Your life will never be the same. But you still have that life. Throwing it away by giving up would be a betrayal of everyone you care about, everyone who cares about you. I've known you for a long time, and I know you'd never do that to us. I believe in you. We all believe in you. We know you can get through this and we just want to see you happy. Please, at least try."

"I'll...fine." Yang sighed, her own eyes tearing up. "I'll do the therapy. You're right, I can't just let everyone down like that. I'm...I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one you need to be apologizing to." Pyrrha said. She dragged her sleeve across her face to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Apologize to Summer and Raven."

"Yeah I...I know, I will." Yang said.

"And remember, you're not in this alone." Pyrrha said, shifting her tone from angry to compassionate. "All your friends, your family, we're here to help. If that's what it takes, I'll be at your side cheering you on the whole way. That's a promise."

"Th-thank you Pyrrha." Yang stammered.

"I still haven't met your roommate." Ruby complained at breakfast.

"Neither have I." Weiss added.

"We can change that." Blake said. "I don't think she has any classes until the afternoon on Wednesdays, so she'll probably be back at the dorm. I'll text her."

"So we finally get to meet the mysterious Velvet." Weiss said.

"I hope she's nice." Ruby said.

"I wouldn't worry about that." Blake said, sending the text. "She hasn't said an unkind word to me yet. Not that she's said many words period."

"Sounds like Yang's friend Ren." Ruby said. "He hardly ever says anything...or smiles...or frowns...or shows emotion of any kind. He's really nice though."

Blake's scroll beeped and she swiped across its face. "Velvet's back at our room." Blake confirmed. "She says we can swing by to say hello if you want."

"Awesome!" Ruby cheered.

Already quite close to done, the trio finished up their meal and headed for the dorm. Blake and Velvet shared a room on the third floor, with Weiss and Ruby on the fifth floor of the same building. As they entered Weiss' scroll buzzed, a call from Winter. She decided it was too important to ignore and headed to the room she shared with Ruby instead, as Ruby and Blake headed to meet Velvet as planned.

Blake knocked on the door twice. "Come in!" Velvet called from inside. Blake unlocked the door and pushed it open, waving Ruby in. Velvet was sitting on the edge of her bed, looking a little concerned and jumpy.

"Velvet, meet Ruby, Ruby, Velvet." Blake said.

"Heya Velvet!" Ruby said. Her gaze flicked up to the long, narrow, rabbit-like ears atop Velvet's head. As Velvet noticed her ears drooped a bit.

"H-hey Ruby." Velvet said, barely louder than a whisper. "Nice to meet you."

"Sorry it took a while, I've been a bit distracted." Ruby said, scratching the back of her head.

"It's alright." Velvet said. "Uh...I was planning to go to the art studio."

"You do art?" Ruby asked.

"Y-yeah, I'm a photographer." Velvet replied. She slid a camera from a pack hanging from her belt, briefly waved it around, then put it away again.

"I'm into sketching, portraiture, and character design myself." Ruby said. "I tried photography once but I've never really been good at taking pictures. Except selfies...but they don't really count."

Velvet ran a subtly trembling hand through her hair, flattening her bunny ears backwards. "That's pretty cool." She said. "Maybe you could show me someday?"

"I'd love too." Ruby agreed. "I'll bring over my sketchbook sometime, or we could go out for coffee!"

"Sure...sounds like fun." Velvet said. She stood. "I...I'd better get moving. I need to speak to Peach about some stuff. But it was nice meeting you."

"Nice meeting you too." Ruby said. "Weiss was planning to come too, but she got a call from her sister and wanted some privacy."

"Weiss...maybe another time then." Velvet said. "See you two later." She gave a slight bow and wave, then rushed out the door.

"Bye Velvet." Blake said as she passed.

"See ya!" Ruby called as she headed down the hallway. She turned to Blake. "Oh my God she's so nice and her ears are so cute! Oh God, is that racist? Am I objectifying her? Blakey, I hope I didn't make her uncomfortable. Was I staring?"

"I don't think you have to worry about that." Blake replied. "You're too kind to hurt her feelings like that."

"Well, not on purpose." Ruby said. "But everyone makes mistakes sometimes."

"True." Blake allowed.

Ruby looked around the room. It was darker than hers, curtains casting a purple and reddish tint over everything. Blake did not seem to have much stuff, certainly not as much as Weiss, but the books were piled high on her desk with more stashed under the bed. "It's so cozy in here." Ruby said. "Maybe I should get some curtains…"

"Weiss might object." Blake suggested. "She's pale enough as is without depriving her of more sun."

"Maybe I could make my be a four-poster." Ruby thought aloud. "That would be cool. Like sleeping in a tent but more comfortable and warm." Ruby spotted a crowded hatrack beside Blake's bed. "You have a lot of hats."

"One of my vices." Blake laughed. Rather than one of her characteristic hats, her head was wrapped in a bow.

"I like 'em." Ruby said. "You look good in them Blakey. I don't think I could pull them off though, at least not as well as you."

"You never know until you try." Blake encouraged.

"Could I?" Ruby gasped.

"Go ahead." Blake nodded.

Ruby squealed with excitement and grabbed the first hat, a fedora. She stepped in front of a mirror, turning her head, striking a few poses. Blake sat on the bed and watched. Ruby moved on to the other hats - a sunhat, flatcap, and maddy hat - before finally settling on a panama and turning to Blake "Blakey, I think this one is my fav…" Blake sat on the bed, bow untied to reveal the cat-like ears atop her head, leaning back on her arms with a smile on her face. Ruby grinned. "They're beautiful Blake."

"So are you." Blake said. Ruby approached slowly, her gaze darting back and forth between Blake's eyes and ears. Blake took Ruby's hands with her own and lifted them to her head. "Be gentle." Ruby nodded and softly felt Blake's ears, slowly stroking them as Blake rested her head against Ruby's chest and wrapped her arms around Ruby's waist. "I...really like you Ruby."

"I like you too Blakey." Ruby said. Blake looked up to see tears in Ruby's eyes. Ruby slid her hands down the sides of Blake's head, gently cupping her face as she smiled. Ruby bent down and they shared a kiss.

Ruby was giddy with excitement and still wearing Blake's hat as the pair held hands, walking to Ruby's dorm room. "Will Weiss be okay with us?" Ruby asked.

"She's gay, so she'll be fine." Blake replied.

"She is?" Ruby gasped. "I really wouldn't have guessed."

"She's a little shy with her affections, even to Winter and I, and hasn't been with anyone to my knowledge." Blake explained. "She just knows men don't attract her."

"What about you?" Ruby asked.

"Pan." Blake answered.

"I've only ever been with girls, so maybe I'm gay." Ruby shrugged. "Or maybe I just haven't found a guy I'm attracted to...wait...no, Ren, I'm definitely attracted to Ren. But he's Nora's and more of a big brother to me."

"What's he like?" Blake asked.

"Kinda' like you actually, but less talkative." Ruby laughed.

"I hardly think that's possible." Weiss said, rounding a corner in front of them.

"Wah!" Ruby recoiled, dragging Blake back a few steps. "You're scary Weiss! We're making you a vampire for Harvest."

Weiss grinned and gnashed her teeth as Ruby giggled. "You're back sooner than expected." Weiss said. "I was just on my way to meet up with you but I guess the moment's passed. How did it go?"

"Velvet was so cute!" Ruby exclaimed. "Blake never told me she was a Faunus so that took me by surprise and I think I might have freaked her out a little by staring but she does photography and I do art so I'm gonna' show her some of my sketches…"

"Ruby!" Weiss cut her off. "Slow down, take a breath."

"Right...sorry...um…" Ruby said. "There's something else as well."

"I told her about my heritage." Blake said.

"Yeah, that was cool!" Ruby cheered. Weiss chuckled.

"And we've decided to start dating." Blake added.

Weiss smiled. "It went well then?" She asked.

"You're...not surprised?" Ruby asked.

"Blake." Weiss said. Ruby looked at Blake with a raised eyebrow.

"I've been harboring feelings for a while now." Blake said. "I just wanted to find the right moment to tell you about...you know...and today just felt right."

"You were afraid I wouldn't like you?" Ruby sighed,

"I know it's stupid...but I'm always kinda' scared." Blake admitted. "I like you a lot Ruby. I wanted to be absolutely sure. I'm sorry for doubting you."

Ruby hugged Blake. "It's okay." Ruby said. "I know people can be pretty mean to...well...you know. I don't blame you. I'm just glad you told me."

Blake reciprocated the hug, looking at Weiss who smiled warmly at the pair. "So am I."

Blake and Ruby spent the day in Weiss' dorm room, reading together, as had become their routine. Today was a little different though. They no longer sat side-by-side, passing the book back and forth as they read to one another. Instead, Ruby sat on Blake's lap, Blake resting her head on Ruby's shoulder to see the book they both held in front of her. Weiss had a class to go to in the afternoon, but Blake and Ruby were still there when she returned. "Still reading Blake?" She said. "And you call me nerdy."

"My nerdy tendencies don't make you any less of a nerd." Blake countered.

Ruby looked at the time. "Wow, we've been reading for a long time." She observed. "Maybe we should take a break."

"And maybe you should return Blake's hat." Weiss said, pointing to the panama still perched atop Ruby's head.

Ruby reached up and felt the hat. "I totally forgot about it." She said. "Here…" She started to take it off.

"No, it looks better on you." Blake said, brushing her hand away.

"You really think so?" Ruby asked.

"Definitely." Blake confirmed.

"I have to say, I never thought of you wearing a hat, but it does suit you." Weiss added.

"Thanks Weiss." Ruby said. "Hey, we should take a picture together, for Yang." Ruby had been sending pictures to Pyrrha's scroll to show to Yang, Yang's own having been destroyed in her accident and not yet replaced. She twisted herself around. "Do you mind if I tell her about us?"

"Not at all." Blake said. She paused. "She won't come to track me down and give me the big sister talk, will she?"

"Yang's pretty cliche." Ruby admitted. "But if that's what gets her moving again I won't complain."

"Come on Weiss, get in here." Blake said with a wave.

"But my makeup…" Weiss protested. Most of it was worn off after a long day.

"You look angelic." Blake cut her off. "Now get over here."

Ruby slid off Blake's lap, sitting to her left. Weiss smiled and sat to Ruby's left. Ruby held her scroll at arm's length. "Say Ruby!" She cheered.

"Oh, hey Yang." Ruby said, answering her scroll.

"Sorry it's so late." Yang said. "Physical therapy was a little rough today and I was exhausted. My nap lasted a little longer than expected. How was your day?"

"Absolutely awesome." Ruby replied.

"Oh?" Yang asked.

"You know that picture I sent Pyrrha earlier?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, you, the girl in the bow and the pale one." Yang confirmed.

"They have names." Ruby said.

"Yeah, yeah, what were they...White and Black?" Yang guessed.

"Weiss and Blake." Ruby corrected. "Well...I've been spending a lot of time with Blake...and...well...we decided to start dating!"

"That's great!" Yang cheered. "And fast."

"I haven't felt like this with anyone since Penny." Ruby continued. "We've been reading together, and she's so nice and understanding, and today she admitted to me that she's secretly a Faunus! She's got the cutest kitty ears!"

"I'm glad you found someone to have fun with." Yang said. "I guess you're really enjoying it there."

"Yeah, it's pretty awesome." Ruby agreed.

Yang yawned. "Well, I'm still pretty tired." She said. "The medication really knocks me out sometimes. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Sure thing!" Ruby exclaimed. "I can't wait."

"I'm sure Pyrrha will want to hear about today." Yang suggested. "I'll put her on. Love you."

"I love you too." Ruby said.

Yang handed the scroll over to Pyrrha, laid down flat on her back and sighed. Her face had lit up when talking to her sister but Pyrrha could see her joy fade away, even before she finished her own conversation with Ruby. Yang was still not happy, still putting on an act for Ruby. "Well congratulations." Pyrrha said to Ruby. "I'm glad you're having a good time, and sorry we called so late."

"Thanks and no problem." Ruby said. "But you're right about it being late. I should be getting to bed. Talk to you later. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Ruby." Pyrrha said. She slid her scroll closed and slipped it into her pocket. She could see Yang was hurting but Yang said nothing. All Pyrrha could think to do was hold her hand. Yang glanced over when Pyrrha initially took hold of it but then returned her gaze to the ceiling with another sigh. Pyrrha wanted to say something. She wanted to cheer Yang up. But she had no idea what to say or do.