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

"I don't think we can buy them any more time Ruby." Blake stretched as they exited the cafe. Ruby was still carrying the book she had bought for Blake and the sun was just starting to dip down and throw ruddy orange hues across the city.

"Nope, no more spending money you're right." Ruby laughed and trotted off towards the corner. "I do have one more idea of something we can do though. Totally free and totally awesome I promise." Ruby threw her hand into a mock salute and burst into giggles, "Wanna go?"

"Do I get to know what this idea is? I feel like it might get me in trouble." Blake started to move down the sidewalk towards Ruby none the less.

"Uhhhh, nope." Ruby popped the final 'p' and spun off across the street. She knew Blake would come, she knew she trusted her and cherished her friendship. That's what made Ruby so nervous about how she had felt the other night and she had felt almost all day today. Why did she feel like this towards Blake? It had been one little kiss on the cheek. Totally just a friendly gesture. Just like how offering her shoulder for Ruby to lean on was just a friendly thing, just them cuddling while they read, totally normal right? She and Yang did it all the time.

They got to come have awesome days like this where they just hung out and were friends and Blake bought Ruby snacks and Ruby bought Blake a book they could read together. It was just nice to have someone to spend time with like that. So, why was Ruby feeling like she needed to be nervous around Blake and that she might take things the wrong way or that she needed to hide things from her? This was how she felt when she didn't want Jaune to know she liked him because of Pyrrha.

Oh no.

Ruby skidded to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk, halfway down the block towards the corner where she had been taking Blake. This was exactly how she had felt about Jaune. Was Ruby falling for Blake? Did she like her? No way, no way, no way. Blake was her friend and Yang's partner and a girl. Sure Yang liked girls and apparently Weiss did too. That didn't mean Ruby did right? She had been dating Jaune after all and that had felt fine, like totally fine. Well it had before it hadn't but that was different. That wasn't because he was a boy or anything.

"Are you okay Ruby?" Blake came up to her side where she had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. They had come way too far towards her initial goal for Ruby to turn around now or even change where they were headed. She was stuck in this and it was her fault so she just had to go with it.

"Yeah. I just." Ruby stopped, trying to come up with a reason for her sudden stop that wasn't completely ridiculous. "You said earlier that I was rushing too much so I slowed down a little. Had to let you catch up didn't I?" Ruby giggled and skipped away a few steps. What was she going to do?

Now that Ruby was acutely aware of how she was feeling about Blake, she realized that her plan of how to spend the rest of their afternoon and evening wasn't exactly as ordinary as she had thought. It was actually rather close and romantic and possibly even intimate. Was that okay? She and Blake did all kinds of things together as just the two of them, this shouldn't be any different should it?

"Well it's not like I'm slow." Blake appeared at Ruby's side quite suddenly, throwing her brain completely out of sorts and causing her to stumble forward. She caught herself and then felt Blake's hands, one at her shoulder and the other around her waist, holding her up. "You okay there?"

"Oh yeah," Ruby giggled and stepped out of Blake's grip, confidently on her own two feet again. "Come on we're here." Ruby bounded past Blake through a small gate set between two low walls. Past that wall was a park Ruby had found some time ago but almost never had a chance to visit since it was all the way down in Vale. It was really rather large, taking up a few blocks, and thickly forested with large trees and dense foliage that completely blocked out the sounds of the surrounding city. There was a winding path sweeping through the whole place with plenty of benches and tables to sit at. There was even a small lake near the middle, really it was a big pond, but it was always full of ducks and stuff that you could feed. Ruby wanted to come here more often but she didn't think it was the kind of place the whole team would enjoy. That's why she thought that since it was just her and Blake they might enjoy it.

"Oh Ruby." Blake's eyes went wide as she stared around the impressive opening to the forest. Branches heavy with leaves hung low into the trail and despite the still setting sun, the path was illuminated only by the small lamps set into it every few feet on either side. "This is beautiful." Blake turned and Ruby knew she must be blushing so she made a show of looking down the path. How could she be so dumb, bringing Blake somewhere like this. It was obviously meant for couples to take romantic walks and they were not a couple right? So they really shouldn't be here.

"It's a lot darker than I thought it would be." Ruby tried to come up with a reason for them to leave, "I wanted to walk and sit and maybe read our book and stuff, but it's kinda dark for that now. I'm sorry I drug you out here for nothing." Ruby turned and headed back for the gate sullenly, hoping Blake would follow and they could return to the dorm room without incident. She would message Yang on her scroll that they were coming back so she and Weiss could stop doing whatever they were doing and then they would just sleep and go to class tomorrow and it would be totally fine.

"No come on. We're already out here and everything." Blake caught Ruby's arm and pulled her into the forest. "This was such an awesome idea, we can't waste it." Ruby suppressed a startled yelp as Blake drug her down the path. It was so unlike Blake to be so forward about something, the idea of the path and a walk together must have really excited her.

"Are you sure?" Ruby stopped trying to resist and figured that if Blake really was okay with this then she might as well try and enjoy it with her. Blake didn't answer but just continued down the path, slowing to a much easier pace once they were completely consumed by the woods.

The canopy of intertwined branches and leaves overhead served to block out most of the light and created a surreal sense of twilight on the trail. The small lamps along the road were much brighter once they were under the trees than they had appeared from outside. The air was heavy with the scent of the small, transplanted forest and motes of dust drifted through the air, catching on stray beams of sunlight that managed to pierce through the thicket above. The air felt close to Ruby, like it was dense and heavy. She came up beside Blake, but, her companion didn't release her wrist even after they had walked a few steps side by side.

"Uhh Blake," Ruby started quietly once they were well down the path. Blake immediately let go of Ruby's wrist and turned to her.

"Sorry, I got kinda caught up in looking at the trees and stuff. I didn't hurt your wrist did I?" Blake seemed honestly abashed and leaned down a little to try and examine Ruby's wrist without touching it again.

"No no." Ruby lifted up her hand and twisted it about to prove to Blake that no harm had been done. "Actually. I wanted to ask what you thought of Weiss and Yang." Blake stood to her full height and reared back just a little in surprise. "I mean you asked me the other night but I never really asked how you felt about it."

"Oh, okay." She settled slightly and relaxed her shoulders once more, "Well I think they're really cute together. I like that Weiss is happier with Yang and it's nice that Weiss can make Yang stop with the jokes sometimes. I just hope they can take things nice and slow and not burn out because if they break up it will be even worse than it was before with the fighting and the arguing all the time."

"Yeah, I hope they stay together too. It's been a long time since I've seen someone make Yang that happy so I think she's serious about it." Ruby took a step back and leaned against one of the small concrete lamps lining the path. "But I meant about it being...well they're both girls and…" Ruby didn't know how to say what she was trying to say. She wanted to see how Blake felt about girls dating girls, was it something she okay with? If it wasn't then Ruby had to totally give up on whatever she was feeling for Blake right now and just squash it.

"Well, like I said. If it works for them then why not? They can love…" Blake stopped, "They can be with whoever they want. It shouldn't matter to anyone else." Ruby lifted herself all the way up to sit on top of the lamp, the light spilling out around her feet.

"Have you ever…? Would you…?" Ruby stopped and hopped off the lamp, "You know what, nevermind. Let's just keep walking." Ruby started down the path.

"No Ruby wait," Blake called out quietly and Ruby stopped but didn't turn, "You can ask me anything. You know that right?" Ruby still didn't turn. "Really. Anything that's ever bugging you. It won't change anything."

"I just…" Ruby scuffed her boot against the ground and tried desperately to not knead her cloak. She knew that she did that when she was nervous and flustered and she knew Blake knew that. She didn't want her to know just how big of a deal this was to her right now. That might reveal how she felt, that might make Blake uncomfortable, that might ruin all this. "I just wonder about stuff I guess. Like doing things different." She heard Blake take a tentative step towards her.

"Lots of people do things differently Ruby. It's not a big deal. Look how happy Weiss and your sister are and everyone is happy for them." Blake stopped again, still a few feet from Ruby.

"Would you ever?" She stopped, "Have you ever thought about that?" Ruby started to turn but stopped and looked out into the woods, still with her back to Blake.

"Oh… Me?" She didn't know how Blake reacted, she still wouldn't look at her, but she sounded confused, "Well, I have thought about it yeah. But… I couldn't be with just anyone no matter what. Boy or girl. It would have to be special for me to trust someone like that."

"Yeah. You're right. It would have to be special." Ruby shoved her hand in her pockets and felt the heavy book thump against her leg. "Do you… Do you wanna find somewhere to sit and read?" Ruby finally turned and faced her friend, holding up the book still in its bag.

"That would be nice." Blake took the final few steps over to Ruby and they continued down the path until they found a small alcove, set apart from the walking area and separated by a small hedge. There was a bench there and two large lamps high above that cast an even yellow light on the whole clearing. "Can you see here well enough to read?" Blake asked and Ruby took a second to let her eyes adjust to the different lighting and pulled the book out to check. Since it was a hardback the print was fairly large and the pages were still crisp and clean, she could read it just fine under the lamps.

"Yeah I can read great." Ruby held it out to her, "But I like it when you read more." Blake accepted the book with a smile and gave Ruby the opportunity to sit first. Ruby folded up the bag and tucked it in her pocket so they could use it to carry and protect the book on the way back and took her seat. Blake sat down at her side, leaving nearly a full foot of empty bench between them. She opened the book and thumbed through to the opening page when ruby stopped her, "Hey Blake. I can still read but aren't you kinda far?" Ruby looked back and forth between her and the gap between them.

She still didn't want to make anything weird for her. But, she and Blake had sat much, much closer than this before. They had done so in the library, in class, in Blake's bed when they were in the dorm. The last example that came to mind made Ruby blush, remembering just how close and alone they had been.

"I just mean, it's kinda hard to follow along when you're over there. Maybe you could-" Ruby stopped as Blake scooted over to her, pressing their thighs up against each other and resting the spine of the book where their legs met.

"Is that better?" Blake reopened the book to the first page and waited for Ruby to answer. Blake was so close now and in the low light provided by the lamps her amber eyes stood out against their muted surroundings. The entire setting was unnerving for Ruby in a way that she didn't quite understand, but she didn't want it to stop. It didn't make her uncomfortable. But, it put all her senses on edge. Like she was getting ready for a fight or thought she had lost a bolt for Crescent Rose.

"Yeah," she finally managed, "Yeah that's much better." Ruby lowered her hand to her side of the book and held the page while Blake held the other side.

Blake opened in reading the story aloud to Ruby. She kept her voice low and quiet out of respect for the environment they were in and because there was no need to be loud. The only sounds that accompanied them were the soft humming of the lamps and the occasional footsteps of someone walking by. Blake made it through the first few chapters of the novel and then reached a point where the author changed perspectives to another character in a different setting.

"Do you want to read this section?" Blake pointed at the large page break where the perspective switched. "It might be nice if we always read the same parts, to give each section its own feel."

"Oh, uhh sure." Ruby found the start of the line and did her best to read as well as Blake had. It wasn't that Blake used voices for the characters like Yang used to when Ruby was little, or made sound effects to accompany action scenes. She just read so well. The way she moved smoothly through the words and flowed from page to page without stopping. It seemed like she always knew where to take breaths so that it wouldn't interrupt the story and flipped the page before she was done so she could pick up on the next one without pausing. Then there was the way she read, so engrossing, so captivating. She would speed up and slow down with the pace of the story as she went. Lower her voice just slightly in serious parts and keep it high and light during happy scenes. They had read together like this a few times and every time Ruby was just blown away at how good of a reader Blake was.

She tried to do as well as her, though she knew she failed horribly. She fumbled through the next couple of pages, having to stop to breathe during long paragraphs and missing the last few words of a page and having to go back when she tried to flip early like Blake did. She wanted to stop and apologize for ruining it for her, but if she stopped that would just be worse wouldn't it? So Ruby plowed through, trying her best but not living up to what she wanted. She reached the end of her character's chapters and breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Now Blake could take back over and they could both enjoy themselves again.

"Oh wow, that's such a good start. Don't you think?" Blake laid her hand on the book. Ruby kept her eyes down, staring at the pages. She was so embarrassed. Blake had probably just been tired of reading out loud and had just read along on her own the whole time.

"Yeah. I'm really glad I caught up in time to read it with you." Ruby scanned the next few lines and saw that it switched back to the character Blake was reading for. Thank Oum, that way it would definitely be her turn.

"Me too. I really like having you read to me Ruby." Blake said quietly and Ruby jerked her head up quickly, nearly bashing into Blake's nose. She stopped and their faces were just a few inches apart, both hovering over the book.

"Really?" Ruby said quietly, startled by the closeness, by Blake's compliment.

"Yeah." Blake didn't move back, "You have a really nice voice for it and you get so into the reading. I feel like my voice is boring when I read sometimes."

"No it isn't," Ruby wished she had another muffin to shove in Blake's mouth but there was nothing there but them. She hated it when Blake put herself down like that, especially when it was about stuff she was actually really good at. "You read really, really well Blake. I love it when you read for me like this. It makes the book so much better."

"Oh Ruby," Blake's cheeks flushed and Ruby felt a sense of pride that her compliment meant that much to her, that it could affect her like that. "Thank you, that's so sweet."

Blake's lips split into a smile and Ruby was suddenly very aware of their proximity. Blake's eyes and lips were so close, she could feel her warm breath on her nose, ghosting against her face. Ruby jerked her head back down to the book.

"So do you wanna keep going?" Ruby asked, not daring to look up and see how Blake had reacted.

"Actually, it's getting kinda late don't you think? Maybe we should head back." Blake pulled out her scroll and showed Ruby the time. It was already past nine and they still had to make it back to the airship and ride back to Beacon. Weiss would undoubtedly tear them up for being out so late but they had been doing the same they would have done in the dorm room, just here so that she and Yang could have some private time. Of course, that had resulted in giving Ruby and Blake private time as well and she didn't know exactly how she felt about that. They were very close and this had been very, very nice.

"Yeah. Weiss is gonna yell at us and I bet Yang won't even help defend us against her anymore." Ruby chuckled and stood slowly, not wanting to break contact with Blake but not wanting to prolong this any more either. She stretched her arms and legs and pulled the baggy out of her pocket.

"Oh you held on to that?" Blake laughed, "You didn't have to do that." She slid the book easily into the bag that Ruby held open for her.

"I didn't want your book to get hurt on the airship ride. It was a gift after all." Ruby smiled and felt her hand brush against Blake's as they slid the book in. She jerked back instinctively at the contact and tried to play it off by tying the bag shut.

"Are you okay?" Blake looked concerned, after all Ruby had just basically jumped away from her.

"Yeah, yeah I think I'm just a little tired is all." Ruby faked a bad yawn and slipped her wrist through the loops at the top of the bag. "I might fall asleep on the airship at this point." Ruby tried to laugh but it all came out muddled and terrible sounding. Blake gave her a sympathetic smile and offered her arm to Ruby. Ruby hesitated, not sure if she should make that contact again so soon. She was still trying to get a handle on how she felt and things like this did not make that easier.

"Come on," Blake beckoned with a nod of her head back towards the path, "You can't sleep here." Ruby finally acquiesced and looped her arm through Blake's slowly. Once they were joined they began the slow walk out of the forested haven. They emerged out into the city lights and Ruby realized again just how late it was and how long they had been alone. The moon was already up in the sky and the last vestiges of sunlight had completely vanished.

"It really is late. Do you wanna get something to eat before we go back? We kinda skipped dinner." Ruby glanced up and down the block, looking for someplace they could stop in really quickly.

"Well, the cafeteria is definitely closed by now and I am hungry." Blake lifted a finger to her chin in thought. "Did you have something in mind?" Ruby didn't want to sit down and eat, she probably just wanted to get something that they could take with them on the airship ride back, like burgers. Then it hit Ruby. That burger place she had gone with Yang and everyone after the salon, that was on the way back to the airship pad, the same one they had used to get to the club.

"Come on. I have an idea." The promise of more french fries and chocolate shake clouded Ruby's thoughts momentarily and she slipped her arm out of Blake's and grabbed her hand, nearly dragging her down the sidewalk in her haste. A few steps into her mad dash Ruby realized what she was doing and nearly tripped over herself in mortification. She was holding Blake's hand and pulling her along behind her. She wanted to drop Blake's hand but at the same time she didn't want to ever let go. She thought she should stop running and apologize but looked back and saw that Blake was happily keeping up, a small smile on her lips.

So Ruby just kept going. Blake didn't seem upset by it and it honestly wasn't that weird of a thing for Ruby to do anyways. She was always getting overly excited and dragging one of her teammates off somewhere, usually not Weiss though, she always yelled at her. So, if this way Ruby got to hold her hand and she didn't mind then there wasn't really a reason to stop was there? Ruby delighted in the idea that she was going to get to show Blake something as delicious as fries in chocolate and the next few blocks seemed to fly by in a blur of excitement. The small bell above the door dinged as Ruby finally pulled Blake inside.

"A little bit excited huh?" Blake asked with a light chuckle as they caught their breath.

"You've gotta try this thing Nora showed me." Ruby said between breaths and Blake screwed up her face at the prospect of one of Ruby and Nora's treats. "It's totally delicious, just trust me."

"Hello again." The bright, cheery voice of Pyrrha carried to Ruby's ears through the crowd and she turned to see the tall Mistralian girl. What caught Ruby really off-guard, more than Pyrrha being out late at a burger place, was who was with her. Pyrrha was standing hand in hand with Jaune.

"Hey guys," Blake smiled cheerfully at them, probably happy to have run into more of their friends in such an unlikely place. Ruby immediately dropped her hand and went stiff. Jaune was here, with Pyrrha and they looked to be very much together. "Why are you two out so late?" Pyrrha's face went a little red and Jaune rubbed at the back of his neck that way he did when he was nervous but knew there was no way out.

"Well, we're kinda here to celebrate." Jaune looked over at Pyrrha and stayed there.

"Yes, he was able to convince me that a cheese burger would be acceptable because it was a special occasion." Pyrrha turned and faced him as well and for a moment they just stared at each other. Ruby didn't need any further proof. The two of them were definitely together. She was hit by conflicting emotions all at once, anger, regret, happiness. She loved that Pyrrha had finally gotten Jaune to notice her and it had seemed to work out. But, she hated that Jaune had noticed her so quickly after they broke up. She knew she shouldn't be, but she felt just a little tiny bit jealous, the same way she had felt when she realized Jaune and Pyrrha spent all that time together training without her while they were still dating.

"And what exactly is it you two are celebrating? Hmm?" Blake asked with a very knowing lilt to her voice. She knew the answer but she was going to make them come out and say it.

"Well…" Jaune stammered, "I uhh, I may have finally realized…" Jaune shifted his gaze quickly to Ruy and then back to Blake, "Pyrrha told me how she felt and we're sort of dating now… I guess." Pyrrha slapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"It has only been one day. But it does appear that way, yes." Pyrrha watched Blake for a second and then dropped her gaze to Ruby. "Jaune could you find us a table?" She asked sweetly. He smiled, gave her a quick peck on the cheek and trotted off into the impressively still busy restaurant to find a table for four. After he was a few steps away, Pyrrha moved quickly towards Ruby. "Ruby, I'm sorry. This isn't how I wanted you to find out." Ruby lifted her head and looked the other girl in the eye.

"No, it's great Pyrrha." she forced a smile, "I'm really happy for you." She knew how obvious it was, how fake her smile looked, that Pyrrha and Blake would see right through it.

"Ruby, I want you to be okay with this." Pyrrha set a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I know Pyrrha. I do to." Ruby's smile dropped, "I want you two to be happy. Really." Pyrrha stepped forward and gave Ruby a quick hug.

"Do you still want to get anything Ruby?" Blake asked once Pyrrha had stepped away.

"Actually, could we just go? I'm sorry Blake." She looked between her two friends. She hated that she was feeling this way, that she was this immature about it. But she would hate it worse if she stayed and caused a scene because she said something she didn't mean or started crying or any of the dumb things she might do.

"It's okay Ruby." Blake put a hand on Ruby's shoulder and gave her a small, reassuring squeeze, "Pyrrha, could tell Jaune we just got drinks and left or something? I don't want him to think we ran out." Pyrrha nodded in confirmation and Ruby was glad Blake had thought of that. "Thanks Pyrrha." Blake turned and walked Ruby out the front door before Jaune could return, they made it around the nearest corner before Ruby said anything.

"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't care." Ruby said quietly, glad Blake had taken her hand off her shoulder.

"No, no, it's fine." Blake pulled Ruby into a light side hug and then let go completely. "That's totally understandable. You were just barely getting over it right? Of course it's hard to know that he likes someone else like that already." Ruby wished Blake hadn't stopped holding her but that made her realize. Why was she so upset with Jaune if she had been fretting over Blake all afternoon? How could she be so enamored with someone else and still be upset that Jaune was doing the same. She started moving forward again. If Jaune could already be okay and be with someone else then so could she. Who cared if it was a girl, and her teammate, and Blake. She liked her, that's all that mattered right?

"I think I'll be okay," Ruby said much more positively now that she had made up her mind. "It just really caught me off guard, I just saw them yesterday when I sparred Pyrrha and they weren't dating then." Ruby pulled her cloak a little tighter around her shoulders to ward off the cold that Blake had been perfectly right about.

"You handled it really well honestly. I can imagine how hard that must have been." Blake returned to Ruby's side, walking so close their arms brushed.

"I'm just ready to get back home and sleep." Ruby chuckled, glad that the tension she felt in the restaurant was easing away now. The airship descended to the platform still a little ways off and both girls broke into a light jog to make it in plenty of time. The ship was mostly empty, some obvious Beacon students making their way back up the hill, the same as them. Blake and Ruby found a deserted section of bench by one of the bulkheads and sat together.

"Oh wow," Ruby yawned, "We made it just in time I guess." Blake laughed and the ship started up and away from the round. There were a few stops before it headed back up to Beacon from where they were so they would be on the ship for a little while.

"You know. It would be okay if you wanted to take a nap." Blake turned a little and leaned against the bulkhead, offering Ruby her shoulder as she had the other night. Ruby wanted to say the offer made her nervous but the combination of fatigue, stress over Pyrrha and Jaune, and how familiar and inviting Blake's shoulder looked overwhelmed her. She hummed a little noise of acceptance and leaned down to rest her head on Blake and before she knew it, was fast asleep.

A/N - Hurray, angsty fun. I try to avoid getting too into the angst (though this story appears to be an exception). Was the park scene at least adorable enough to offset it? I hope so, because it was almost too cute to write.

I do want to say here, I forget if I've mentioned it before but, we are nearly done with the story. "Friends and Loved Ones" is fifty chapters long and that's all there is too it. My first day of going back to classes is September 22 and that's the day the last chapter will publish. After that I will be posting other, much shorter stories that I have been working on while this has been coming out. I'm not sure what my publication schedule will be as I'll be in school on Tuesdays and Thursdays (my usual publish days) so idk yet. But I will figure it out and let you know as we get closer.

Hope you all are thoroughly enjoying the story. I know I am as I publish it. Thanks so much for all the support. Can't wait to hear from you.

-Zach