Chapter 6

"Then I said 'now that's a katana!'" Ruby laughed. Blake did her best not to show any reaction to the bad joke but a giggle broke through. Weiss rolled her eyes and groaned. Ruby's scroll beeped and she checked the screen. "Oh...I should probably take this...in private."

Blake and Weiss slipped on their fancy noise canceling headphones. "Wish I'd put them on before that joke…" Weiss complained.

"Hey Pyrrha, what's up?" Ruby answered the call.

"I just wanted to ask a few things." Pyrrha replied. "The doctors say Yang will be ready to go home in a few days, maybe as soon as the weekend."

"Really?!" Ruby cheered. "That's great! She still won't video chat with me though...is her scar that bad?"

"Her scar...oh…" Pyrrha sighed. "I don't think it's her scar she's worried about."

"What is it then, her hair?" Ruby asked.

"I...I shouldn't say anything." Pyrrha backtracked.

"Too late now." Ruby pressed. "If you don't tell me I'll just be worried anyway."

"Fine." Pyrrha said. "Yang's...Yang's very depressed. And she's not getting better. Her appearance is only part of it. She just...I've never seen her like this. She's been...putting on a show for you. She doesn't want you to see her because you'll see how unhappy she really is."

"Oh...I was afraid of that." Ruby groaned. "I can't say I'm surprised though. I just wish I could be there to help her. I want to give her a hug so bad."

"I know, and she definitely misses you." Pyrrha said. "But she wants you to enjoy your time away. Remember that."

"I'll...I'll try." Ruby sighed. "So what did you want to ask me about?"

"Well...Summer will need the help and Yang could use the company...so...I was thinking maybe...I could move in." Pyrrha struggled. "I've been meaning to move out of my parents' house for a while now and…"

"That's a wonderful idea." Ruby said.

"You think so?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yeah, and I'm sure Yang and mom will really appreciate it." Ruby confirmed. "Are you sure it's not an inconvenience for you though?"

"No, not at all." Pyrrha replied. "I've been spending most of my free time at the hospital as it is, and your house is actually a little closer to the gym than mine."

"Go for it then." Ruby said. "You can even use my room."

"Thanks!" Pyrrha cheered. "Now I just have to ask Summer and Yang."

"I'm sure they'll say yes." Ruby said. "Give them lots of hugs for me."

"I will." Pyrrha laughed. "I might just end up replacing you."

"You can try." Ruby giggled. "But you're a little tall. My stature makes me particularly huggable."

"You're not wrong." Pyrrha said. "I'll go talk to Yang and Summer right now. Have fun out there!"

"I will." Ruby said. "Talk to you later." She slid the scroll closed, then gasped. "I think I packed away all the naughty stuff. I hope I packed away all the naughty stuff."

"What was that?" Blake asked, slipping off her headphones.

"Nothing!" Ruby shouted.

Pyrrha slipped the scroll into her pocket as she walked into Yang's hospital room. Yang was just lying there, staring at the ceiling, as she often did, while Summer tried in vain to have a conversation with her. "Um...Summer...do you have a moment?" Pyrrha asked.

"Sure Pyrrha, what's up?" Summer asked.

"I just got off the phone with Ruby and she gave her blessing but I wanted to ask you two first." Pyrrha replied. "Would it be possible for me to...uh...move in with you?"

"This is sudden." Summer said. "What brought this on?"

"Well, I just thought you and Yang would need some help once she's discharged from the hospital." Pyrrha explained. "With Ruby away and Yang still rehabbing, you'll be stuck doing all the work around the house." In truth it had been on Pyrrha's mind since a drug-addled Yang had asked her not to leave. "Ruby said I could use her room. Assuming the two of you are alright with it of course."

"I think that's a wonderful idea." Summer said. "As long as we're not inconveniencing you."

"Not at all." Pyrrha said. "You've done so much for me over the years, it's time I returned the favor. And I've been looking to move out for a while now anyway."

"Are you having difficulty with your parents…" Summer started.

"No, that's not it." Pyrrha said. "I'm just looking to make a little change."

"Alright." Summer said. "I wouldn't want to cause a rift with your family."

"Don't worry about that." Pyrrha said. "Yang, what do you think?"

"Sure, do whatever you want." Yang answered. "I don't want to burden you too though."

"I don't feel like you're a burden." Pyrrha said.

"I'm going to feel like a burden whether or not you move in." Yang sighed.

"Yang, you're not a burden." Summer said.

"You're going to have to take care of me." Yang countered. "I won't be able to pull my weight by helping around the house or by working. That's pretty much the definition of a burden."

"Pyrrha, I'd love if you moved in with us." Summer said. "Maybe between the two of us we can get through to her." Yang rolled her eyes.

Ruby did not immediately talk to Weiss and Blake about the call, but over the next day it wore on her. She had feared Yang was not as happy as she seemed, and Pyrrha confirmed those fears. Now she wanted to go home more than ever. She wanted to be there for Yang the way Yang had always been there for her. Finally Ruby could take no more. She had to talk to someone. Blake had class so Weiss was the only real option.

"Weiss, do you have a minute?" Ruby asked.

"What is it Ruby?" Weiss asked. She finished writing something down in her notebook then set it aside.

"Yesterday, the call I got from Pyrrha, she told me that my sister was really depressed." Ruby said. "I mean, it's not surprising, but when she talked to me she sounded alright. I guess I was fooling myself into thinking she was okay. Now I just want to go home and give her a hug."

"Fall break isn't too far away." Weiss said. "You'll see her soon."

"But I'm not going home for break." Ruby sighed. "We can't afford it. Now with Yang's injuries...no, it's impossible."

"I'm...sorry." Weiss said, not really sure how to respond. "I'm...I'm sure it'll all work out."

"Probably." Ruby allowed. "But it still sucks, and there's no way I won't keep worrying."

"Come on now, Yang doesn't want you to worry." Weiss said. "That's why she tries to seem happy when she talks to you. It's hard, but you have to at least try to put it out of your head."

"I know." Ruby said. "And I will try."

"Maybe Blake can help you more than I can." Weiss suggested.

"Maybe." Ruby agreed. "Once she's done for the day I'll go talk to her."

When Blake returned to her room Ruby was waiting outside the door. "Ruby, what are you doing here?" Blake asked.

"I wanted to talk to you." Ruby said. "I just have some stuff on my mind...about my sister."

"Oh, well, you didn't have to wait in the hallway." Blake said. "Velvet should be here. She would have let you in."

"I didn't want to impose." Ruby said.

Blake unlocked the door and let Ruby in. Sure enough, Velvet was there. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, looking tense and nervous. "You okay Velvs?" Blake asked.

"Oh, yeah." Velvet said. "I'm just waiting for Coco. I guess I'm a little impatient."

"You look like you're about to start shaking." Blake observed.

"I'm fine, really." Velvet assured her.

"Well, alright." Blake shrugged. "So Ruby, what did you want to talk about?"

Ruby explained the situation with Yang. Blake did her best to be reassuring, but she was no better at it than Weiss. Ruby found Blake's hug comforting though. "Thanks, I just...it's hard you know." Ruby sighed.

"I'm sure it'll work out." Blake said.

"Weiss said the same thing." Ruby noted.

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. Velvet leapt off her bed and rushed to answer it. It was indeed Coco. Coco took a step into the room but Velvet leapt into her arms, kissing her passionately. "Let's get going." Velvet said once she broke away.

"Someone's eager." Coco laughed. "Neon's out tonight so we'll have the room to ourselves."

"Perfect." Velvet said, her tone and smirk almost predatory. She practically dragged Coco out of the room, letting the door swing shut behind them.

"Wow, she really wants to bang." Ruby laughed once the pair had gone.

"Yeah, I was surprised by it at first." Blake agreed. "She's usually so meek. The scent took some getting used to. Maybe she's in heat…"

"Scent?" Ruby asked. "Heat?"

"You don't know much about Faunus, do you?" Blake asked. Ruby shook her head. "Our senses are very strong. We can see well in the dark, our hearing - especially for those of us with extra ears - is very good, but our sense of smell is probably the strongest of all. That day we saw her in the library she came back and I could smell Coco's scent and Velvet's marking all over her."

"Uh…" Ruby said, not really sure where to start.

"During sex Faunus mark their mates with pheromones." Blake explained. "It basically tells other Faunus to back off, and if there's a dominant partner it reinforces the dynamic. It's an involuntary thing."

"You mentioned heat…" Ruby said.

"Oh...that…" Blake sighed. "It's sort of like a menstrual cycle, but only happens every four months or so. For about a week the Faunus pretty much can't think of anything but sex. We're not at all ourselves. And during the actual sex, look out. It's a total loss of control."

"Sounds hot." Ruby smirked.

"It can be." Blake admitted. "I hate being out of control like that though. It sure made things awkward...nevermind. I'll give you a heads up when it's about to hit me. I wouldn't want to do anything...regrettable."

"Is there any other sex stuff for Faunus?" Ruby asked. "If you're not comfortable answering…"

"No, you should know." Blake cut her off. "We are dating. I'm sure it'll come up at some point. During normal sex Faunus enter a milder form of heat. We can get...really, really into it, but we can usually keep control. Still, there's usually some biting, maybe scratching. And Faunus tend to be very possessive of their partners. I think I'm pretty good with that, but I really can't say for sure. Just don't be surprised if I flip out at you for flirting with someone. I'll end up apologizing later, but at the time...I don't want you to be scared."

"Wow...that's all…" Ruby started.

"Scary?" Blake asked.

"No, really, really hot." Ruby said. "I don't want to seem like I'm objectifying or fetishizing you, but damn."

"That's...not the reaction I was expecting." Blake said.

"It sounds like Faunus sex is a lot of fun for both parties." Ruby suggested.

"It can be." Blake confirmed. "As long as both are ready and into it. If not...it's just a way of exercising control."

"So you're experienced then?" Ruby asked, a little disconcerted by Blake's statement.

"I am." Blake replied. "But I'd prefer to leave it at that. You?"

"Yeah, I had a girlfriend in high school." Ruby answered. "Penny...she was so great. We really loved each other, but her family moved away, and we decided a long-distance thing wasn't going to work. The sex was a big part of the relationship after all." Ruby chuckled. "We had a lot of fun."

"Shame it had to end." Blake said.

"It's not all bad." Ruby smiled. "If she hadn't left I never would have met you."

"Wow, that's a cheesy line." Blake groaned.

"It works in the movies." Ruby shrugged. After a few moments she and Blake shared a laugh.

Weiss was about halfway through typing up a paper. It was no big deal, easy stuff. She already knew what had to be written and all that was left was to write it. There was a gentle tap on her shoulder. She turned around. Ruby. She slipped off her headphones. "Can't you see I'm busy?" Weiss snapped.

"I know, and I'm sorry, but it's important." Ruby said.

Weiss could tell from the tone of Ruby's voice that it was. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"So, I was talking to Blake." Ruby started. "We got onto the topic of Faunus sex stuff…"

"Did she warn you about heat?" Weiss asked. "It's an absolute nightmare. Winter even locked her in her room once."

"Yeah, but that's not what this is about." Ruby replied. "She...made some...comments...about sex. It was kind of...disturbing. I was thinking maybe something in her past..."

"I don't know much about her past." Weiss admitted. "Only Winter knows the whole story."

"Oh, well, I just wanted to know if there were any lines I shouldn't cross." Ruby explained. "If something happened to her...I'd hate to do something to remind her of it."

"When we met...she was a wreck." Weiss said. "She said some stuff about a guy and abuse, but she never went into detail, at least not with me."

"I'm not sure that helps." Ruby sighed.

"Look, you're a really kind person." Weiss said. "I don't think you're capable of doing anything that would cross a line with her."

"Oh...really?" Ruby asked. Weiss nodded. "That's a relief." She heaved a sigh of relief. "So...if you don't mind telling me...how did you meet Blake?"

Weiss looked at her laptop and the unfinished paper on the screen, then back at Ruby's pleading face. "I guess it won't take too long..."

Years Earlier

Weiss and Winter walked into their favorite coffee shop in Atlas City. Weiss took a seat in a booth while Winter ordered their drinks. After a quick wait Winter arrived, placing the beverages on the table before sliding into her seat. Weiss took no notice, staring at something. "What is it?" Winter asked. She craned her neck to look.

"That girl...something's wrong." Weiss said. A black-haired girl in ill-fitting clothes and a hat sat at a nearby table, staring at her drink.

"She's probably homeless." Winter suggested. "I could spare a few lien."

"No, it's more than that." Weiss said. "While you were getting our drinks the door slammed shut, someone leaving. She almost jumped out of her chair. And the way she keeps looking around...her eyes are so wide...she's terrified of something."

Winter watched the girl for a few seconds. One of the machines behind the counter made a popping sound and the girl shuddered, almost knocking over her drink as her gaze snapped to the source of the sound. "You're right." Winter said. "Something's wrong."

"We should help." Weiss said.

"We should." Winter agreed.

"I'll handle it." Weiss said. She got up and approached the girl. "Excuse me, miss." She said, standing a few feet away. The girl's head snapped around to face her. Weiss met her with a gentle smile. "Are you alright?"

The girl looked down and stared at her drink for a few seconds. "No." She said, almost inaudibly as she shook her head.

"Can I help?" Weiss asked. The girl tried to say something, but just choked out a sob and nodded. "Come sit with my sister and I. It's no good to drink tea alone." Weiss gently laid a hand on the girl's back. She shuddered before exhaling heavily. The girl picked up her tea and allowed Weiss to guide her over to the booth. Weiss followed as the girl slid in across from Winter. "My name is Weiss. This is Winter."

Winter smiled. "Hello, miss?" She said.

"B-Blake." The girl stammered.

"Blake, it suits you." Weiss said.

Blake smiled and coughed a laugh. Weiss started rubbing her back and Blake took a shaky breath. "I...I ran away...a-a lot, from the homes." She struggled. "Did some bad things...bad people...he...I...I couldn't stay. I was scared...I...he thought he controlled me...owned me...I...I...I just want to be safe."

Winter slowly placed her hand on Blake's. Blake looked up to meet her gaze, wide-eyed. "Do you want us to call the police?" Winter asked.

"N-no!" Blake gasped. She jerked her hand away and curled in on herself. She cried out and grabbed her chest. Winter's attention was drawn to Blake's hand and she noticed a streak of blood seeping through her shirt. "Please, no, don't! I just want to hide. I don't want trouble. They'll find me, they'll hurt me, he'll hurt me." Tears welled in her eyes as they darted around. "He'll kill me...I…"

Weiss wrapped her arms around Blake's shoulder. Blake tensed and froze. "It's okay!" Weiss encouraged. "It's okay. We won't call the police. We won't call anyone. We promise. We just want to help, okay? Just let us help you, please."

Blake laid a shaking hand on Weiss', tears streaming down her cheeks. She returned her gaze to Winter. "I just want to be safe." She sobbed.

"If you can trust me, trust us, we can give you a place to stay, as long as you need." Winter offered. "We'll take care of you."

"I...I...why?" Blake gasped.

"Why not?" Weiss asked. "You need help. It's only right we give it."

Blake stared forward blankly. After a moment she nodded then reached out to grab Winter's hand, squeezing it. "Th-thank you."

Present Day

"That's...I can't imagine." Ruby said.

"And she's got scars, all over." Weiss added. "She acts as if they're not there. I think it's her way of coping."

"The way she is now…" Ruby started.

"It took a long time for her to stop being afraid." Weiss explained. "For a few weeks she'd run and hide in the closet whenever there was a loud noise. The mailman knocked on the door to deliver a package once and I had to physically restrain her to stop her from jumping out a back window."

"She must have been through hell…" Ruby sighed.

"Winter told me it was a horror show." Weiss said. "But she wouldn't say more. I'm not sure if it's because Blake didn't want me to know or because Winter didn't want me to know. Eventually she started to calm down. She was still kind of skittish but she started going to highschool with me. She struggled for a while because she started behind, but by senior year she was second in our class. She never really did trust people enough to make friends though. It's one of the reasons I wanted us to room separately. I figured it would force her to make new friends. I never expected her to start dating my roommate."

"Funny how things worked out…" Ruby said. "Thanks for telling me all that. I'll let you get back to your homework."

Weiss turned to the computer screen, then back to Ruby. "I have completely lost my train of thought." Weiss groaned.

"Sorry." Ruby said. "My bad."

"No, it's alright." Weiss shrugged. "I feel like our conversation was much more important than this stupid assignment."