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

Blake sighed and set her novel down carefully on her lap, making sure to hold her page while not rumpling the pages overly much. Yang giggled loudly as she pulled a rather irate Heiress back to herself and snuggled her close. Weiss crossed her arms and turned away, but she was sporting a furious blush and didn't pull out of Yang's zealous embrace at all. Ever since Yang had gotten hurt, those two had been together twenty-four seven. She understood, it was something about the injury and being close and just everything going on that had finally forced the two to snap into place as a couple, but still. They were making it rather difficult to read.

Blake sighed quietly to herself, leaned her head back, closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples gently. They didn't know how loud their giggles and whispered sweetnesses to each other were for Blake. They had no idea how sensitive her ears were and there was no way they could so she couldn't be upset with them. It didn't hurt, they weren't being that loud, but it did make it hard to focus. She just wished it wasn't the case, she wished that they could enjoy themselves and she could enjoy herself all at once. Where was Ruby when she needed her? The leader's little sister antics would surely calm the new couple at least a little.

She let her eyes flutter open, subconsciously squinting against the bright midday sun filtering through the branches of the tree she was leaning against. A single, bright red insect landed on a branch above her and Blake allowed her eyes to focus in on its radiant shell. Solid red with small black spots, the insect crawled a few steps and then continued on its way, wings beating silently against the air.

"Hey guys," a single rose petal landed on Blake's upturned nose. She watched silently as it slowly faded away, merely an extension of Ruby's semblance.

"Hey Rubes, tell your partner to stop being such a sour puss." Yang had Weiss seated in her lap on the grass. Weiss definitely looked perturbed at the arrangement but the fact that she was letting it take place at all meant that Yang should feel downright honored.

"Nooo," Ruby mocked, "You're her girlfriend. That's your job now." Ruby laughed merrily and threw herself backwards at the tree by Blake with a chest full of laughter. "Boy am I glad to be free of that responsibility." She not so quietly mentioned to Blake.

"I heard that." Weiss's angry retort was cut short by a kiss on the cheek from Yang, an action which seemed to always silence her.

"Eww. No kissing." Ruby threw a handful of grass at them that barely covered half the distance as it scattered uselessly into the air. Yang stuck out her tongue and pulled Weiss away from the harmless grass defensively. Weiss swatted at her arms fruitlessly and they collapsed into the grass together, doing precisely the opposite of what Yang had intended.

"How long do you think they'll be this way?" Blake asked quietly, smiling as she and Ruby watched Weiss angrily disentangle herself from Yang and help her back to a sitting position.

"I hope forever," Ruby relaxed against the tree trunk with a content sigh, "They're so happy right now. Plus it is nice to have someone keep Yang in check." Blake watched humorously along with Ruby as Yang reached for Weiss's waist and was batted away, an authoritative finger poked in her face.

"So, any big plans team leader?" Blake turned her attention back to the brunette at her side. She was wearing her combat skirt and corset, fun loving, adorably happy, and ready to slaughter the creatures of darkness at a moment's notice.

"Not really, no. Jaune and I decided to give Team Training a break for a while after what happened last weekend and I want to let Yang and Weiss have some free time." Ruby lifted her finger to her chin in thought, "But if you wanna train more we can totally do that." she patted Crescent Rose at her side.

"That's okay," Blake took a long deep breath of the fresh air, "We do need some time to relax, you're right." If it meant they got to have more time talking and laughing and less time swinging deadly weapons at each other then Blake could agree with that. Maybe, if the two freshly minted love birds would go on a date or something she could even get to her book.

"Hey Rubes?" Yang and Weiss had rolled over near the tree and while Yang was still laying on the ground she looked incredibly serious, for Yang anyways. Weiss was perched atop Yang's back, feet off to one side, crossed at the knee. She looked incredibly well composed for someone sitting on their girlfriend in the middle of a field. "This isn't weird for you right?" Yang's tone was light but her meaning clear, well at least it was to Blake.

"What? No Yang it's fine. I don't care who you date. I mean, who you like is who you like and it really shouldn't matter to me at all. If it's a boy or a girl or Zwei. I mean, don't date Zwei. He's our dog. But it doesn't matter, just-" Ruby fell short when Weiss flicked her square in the middle of her forehead, "Oww. What was that for?"

"You just compared me to your dog." Weiss crossed her arms in irritation. "The only reason I didn't freeze you right there is because he is just too darn adorable." Weiss's face slowly slid into a stupid grin as she let her mind wander to the puppy currently sleeping in the dorm room.

"No, I meant because you know, she's your partner and all." Yang propped her chin up on both hands. Ruby's eyes shot up from the ground to meet Yang's in shock.

"Oh, oh yeah." Ruby's face turned a light pink, like the early clouds of a sunset. "That's fine." Ruby mumbled, "Just don't kiss in front of me." Ruby threw another handful of grass at Yang, most of it landing on her nose and making her sneeze. Weiss pulled a small white kerchief out of her shirt pocket and wiped at Yang's face with it, mumbling about allergies.

"Well, if you don't mind then." Weiss folded her kerchief neatly away and stood, straightening her jacket and skirt compulsively, "I am going to take your sister out on the town." Yang stood next to her and brushed clumps of dirt and grass of herself. She still had large green streaks on her shorts and bits of grass in her huge mane of hair. Weiss looked her up and down and Yang just smiled like a fool. "After we go clean up a little."

"Oooh out on the town. So fancy." Ruby interlocked her own fingers and swooned side to side, "Are you gonna go for an open air boat ride along the coast and a rooftop dinner with really tiny portions at some fancy place and then walk along the edge of Forever Fall Forest as the sun sets and-"

"Would you stop?" Weiss clenched her fists at her sides and gritted her teeth against each other. "You are seriously the worst." Ruby clamped her mouth shut and flattened her back against the tree.

"We aren't going somewhere with really small portions are we Weiss?" Yang looked sheepishly down at the much shorter girl, tucking the now mostly faded strand of purple hair back behind her ear again. Weiss grabbed her hand and pulled her off towards the dorms angrily.

"Not anymore we aren't." Weiss yelled loud enough to be heard as she stomped away, heels sinking slightly into the soft turf with every step. Ruby giggled happily and turned to Blake.

"She better behave with my sister." Ruby's eyes were alight with merriment, none of the anger or worry Yang had when she had talked about Ruby and Jaune.

"I would worry more about Yang behaving with her." Blake covered her mouth shyly as she chuckled, trying to muffle the noise slightly, "Did you know that was the date Weiss was taking her on?"

"Hmmm?" Ruby kicked her feet idly in front of her, "No, but doesn't it sound just like her?"

"It sounded, really, rather romantic," Blake admitted to herself. The idea of boat rides and secluded dinners was something straight out of a romance novel and Blake knew that was exactly what got her heart racing.

"You think so?" Ruby rolled over so her head landed on Blake's knees and stared up into the tree. "I really like the idea of being able to just sit and talk forever. Somewhere quiet like a bookstore or a quiet coffee shop, not like Stardust." Ruby sighed and flopped her arms out to her sides, "But maybe that's just me."

"No, no." Blake kept her voice even as she reassured the precious brunette in her lap, "That sounds nice too, especially the bookstore idea." Blake reached down and slid her book off her lap, allowing the page to flap shut and lose her place. That was fine, she'd find it later.

"So what do you wanna do Blake?" Ruby craned her head back just enough to catch Blake's eyes with her own.

"Well. I'm perfectly happy sitting here. It's so warm and nice. Plus we don't get to just stop and do nothing that often do we?" Blake placed her hand gently on her lap next to Ruby's head, not daring to do anymore. This proximity alone was more than they had shared in a long time and she didn't want to make Ruby uncomfortable. They really never spent anytime as just the two of them and it was nice.

"I guess you're right." Ruby's eyes drifted shut and she yawned. "I think I might take a little cat nap." A stupid grin cut across Ruby's features and she repressed a giggle.

"You have been spending too much time with your sister lately." Blake pushed playfully at Ruby's shoulder which just caused her to laugh more audibly. She readjusted her shoulders and pushed her head closer to the center of Blake's lap as her laughter faded out.

Blake breathed deeply, comfortably as Ruby's breathing steadied and it appeared she did begin to drift off into a light sleep. Blake couldn't blame her, the sun was just pleasantly warm under the tree and the branches provided enough shade that the light was dull enough to be able to sleep through. She closed her own eyes and steadied her breathing, considering a quick nap herself. After all, Yang and Weiss would probably be out late tonight so maybe she and Ruby could enjoy reading in the dorm once it was too dark to do so outside. That would be a nice way to spend the evening, cuddled together on Blake's bunk with books. Ruby might fall asleep like she was now and Blake would just curl up beside her and sleep as well.

Blake's eyes flew open as she realized what she had just been imagining. That thought had drifted a bit further than she thought it would and it startled her. Had she just been considering sleeping with Ruby? Yes, of course that was fine. Ruby was sleeping with her right now wasn't she? Blake glanced down at the bundle of black and freshly dyed red locks in her lap. Yes Ruby was sleeping on her but not the way Blake had just been imagining. What Blake had pictured was much more intimate than this.

Blake sighed in quiet frustration and tried to sort through what had just happened in her head. A quiet evening together in the dorm free from both Yang and Weiss's bickering and their new found together on Blake's bed, not something new, not something they hadn't done in the past. Ruby falling asleep as she refused to stop reading even as her eyes dropped dangerously. That was an act Blake was guilty of more often than she would like to admit and one that she had witnessed Ruby fall prey to more than once. Of course, when Blake did it she felt guilty. But when Ruby did it, it just looked so incredibly cute, the way her head fell into the pages of the book as she slumped off to one side, body weak from exhaustion.

She caught herself again, forcing her train of thought to stop as it ventured beyond the realm of friendship and into uncharted territory. Ruby snored quietly, just one little snore and Blake had to suppress a mewl of adoration. She was so cute and that was fine. She was absolutely, insufferably adorable and like a little sister to Blake, was her partner's little sister in fact. Blake stared down at her, coaching her head into some semblance of order and coherent thought.

Why was she suddenly feeling this way? Why was she thinking of curling up along Ruby's back and laying an arm over her waist. Why did she have the nearly instinctual urge to lean down and place a gentle kiss along Ruby's brow? Why was Blake so attracted to the girl in her lap? She closed her eyes to hopefully block the image of Ruby's face from her mind so she could think a little more clearly.

Ruby was her teammate and leader, a close friend and roommate as well as being her partner's little sister. They were definitely closer than any two friends usually were but that was the point behind the team system at Beacon. They were supposed to form bonds with their teammates that would carry them through battle, that would allow them to face death together and stare down the darkness side by side. They were not put in teams to go about dating everyone and making all sorts of inappropriate relationships. But, it did seem like that's what was happening, at least for RWBY and JNPR, her closest friends. Ren and Nora were partners because they were a couple, it was the reason they were together. Jaune and Ruby had been dating but Pyrrha was obviously interested in her team leader, everyone but Jaune knew that. Now, Yang and Weiss were even dating which extended the trend to her own team as well. Was it just because they spent so much time with each other that this sort of thing was inevitable?

Blake considered what Ruby may think of this. Ruby's father and mother had been on a team together during their time at Beacon. As had Yang's father and mother. They had actually all three been on the same team. Blake shook her head as she tried to wrap her head around the idea of Yang and Ruby's father becoming intimate with both female members of his team. Then she sighed as she thought of their Uncle Qrow and realized how left out he must have been and possibly why he drank the way he did. Ruby shifted on Blake's lap, rolling her head into Blake's waist and snuggling against her torso, jolting Blake's thoughts back to the situation at hand.

Ruby had been happy for Yang and Weiss, so she wasn't against the idea of intra-team dating. She also seemed to share a lot of romantic opinions with Blake, a focus on emotional bonds, a love of conversation, quiet and personal encounters being superior to loud outgoing ones. Even when she was dating Jaune, she had preferred for them to do quiet things together, not big boisterous ones. Then a red flag flew up in Blake's mind. Ruby had been dating Jaune and Jaune was a boy and she was not. It hadn't even occurred to Blake that she was feeling this attracted to a girl. Blake had never been in a real relationship before. She had no idea what she was attracted to. Apparently she was attracted to Ruby. But, what were the chances that Ruby was like her older sister and would be willing to date either gender? Blake looked down at Ruby's head, slowly opening her eyes to take the little brunette in.

She looked absolutely peaceful and entirely unassuming with her head resting on Blake's legs. She had rolled closer to Blake and pulled her hands up by her head to help support her neck. Ruby was facing Blake's abdomen, eyes closed and breathing softly, only an occasional sound escaping through her nose, like a little hum. Blake felt multiple urges at once, one to run as far as she could and hope these feelings faded, another to shift her body just a little so she could pull Ruby closer to her and maybe lean against her as well, finally, the urge she had to resist the most was that aching desire to brush her lips against Ruby's temple. She couldn't do a single thing she had thought of since that idea about she and Ruby cuddling and reading entered her mind, everything fel tainted now by these new found emotions.

So, Blake decided to go with something she had thought of before those thoughts entered her mind. She lifted her hand from the ground and slowly slid it over to Ruby's head, sliding her fingers gently into Ruby's hair and rubbing her fingertips carefully against Ruby's scalp. Ruby subconsciously pushed her head up and into Blake's hand without waking. Blake felt her breath hitch at Ruby's movement, afraid she would open her eyes and ask why Blake was doing that. Afraid Ruby would accuse her of being untoward and doing something without her permission while she was asleep. But, after that initial movement towards Blake's ministrations, she had relaxed back into perfectly peaceful slumber. Blake slid her hand up along the curve of Ruby's skull to her ear and let her hand rest there, stroking her thumb slowly across her temple where just a little bit of fuzz was starting to grow back from her haircut. Blake reached down with her left hand and retrieved her book from the grass, flipping it open to about where she had left off and tracking down her exact place.

It was a little difficult to hold the book with one hand and her left hand was not her dominant hand which made the dexterous task of flipping the pages with her fingers even more difficult. But, if she could maintain this proximity with Ruby and read at the same time. That would be more than worth the added effort. Blake found her place in her book and picked up with her reading, continuing to trace absent minded little patterns across Ruby's temple. Perhaps if she could just sit here and read like this, with her hand on Ruby's head in an innocent way she could start to sort through the flood of emotions she had been struck with.

They sat for perhaps a half hour, Ruby dozing peacefully and Blake reading in full contentment as the sun drifted further towards the horizon. Eventually it dipped low enough in the sky to slip its rays beneath the tree's protective branches and slant directly into Blake's eyes. She tried to read more, tilted her head to the side to guard her sensitive eyes against the bright light but it was no use. The light was far too irritating to deal with and made it mostly impossible to enjoy her book at all. Blake sighed and looked down at her slumbering companion, she had curled a little tighter to guard her own eyes from the sun but looked restless compared to earlier.

Blake had made basically zero progress on her feelings for Ruby. All she had been able to decide is that she was quite definitely attracted to her in a way that transcended normal friendship. After that Blake had been constantly forced to distract herself as every situation she could put herself and Ruby in alone together took her places she did not want her mind to wander. So she had lost herself in her novel, letting the story consume her attention until the sun interrupted her. Seeing Ruby still sleeping, and even closer than before brought Blake back to reality with a harsh realization. They would be spending the entire night alone in the room together.

"Ruby…?" Blake moved her hand from Ruby's head to her shoulder and tried to gently jostle the younger girl awake. "Hey Ruby, are you awake?" Ruby rolled back completely onto her back and yawned as she opened her eyes. She stretched both arms out along the ground behind her and focused in on Blake. Those shimmering pools of silver looked as if they could see right through Blake and she was sure Ruby knew exactly what she was thinking about.

"Hey Blakey," she said sleepily, "Did I really fall asleep?" She asked and reached up to rub the sleep from her eyes, obviously aware she had just woken up and unaware of the terror and apprehension gripping at Blake's heart.

"Yes you did Ruby. Not that long though." Blake smiled at her and closed the book on her lap, "I just read for a little while so you could rest. You seemed tired." Ruby sighed happily and left her arms up above her head, laid out across Blake's lap. She stared up into the branches, now a deeper green without the sun shining through them. What was Blake going to do with her all evening?

"Blake do you see that little guy?" Ruby didn't point up at the tree but Blake's keen eyes found the bug right away. She couldn't say if it was the same one from earlier, but it was the same kind. "Isn't it a little late in the year for Ladybugs?" Blake would just have to do her best to ignore her feelings for her team leader and act as normal as possible. Her heart panged for Pyrrha as she considered how hard this was going to be.

"No Ruby, I don't think so." Blake looked back down and met Ruby's brilliant silver eyes, "I think it's just the right time."

A/N - So this chapter came out feeling a lot more like a oneshot than a chapter. It could definitely stand on its own I think but also fits nicely into the scheme of the story. What did you think? Also…. A Blake chapter? Yes, a Blake chapter. I like our friendly neighborhood cat Faunus very much.

Part one of the weekend double feature gave us some insight into how the team feels about Freezerburn. But, tomorrow's chapter will give us a little more on exactly how Ruby feels about it. Hurray Ruby POV!

Thanks for reading, can't wait to hear from you all.

-Zach