"That was a risky move."

Ruby's shoulders slumped as her partner spoke.

"No, I think you handled it well."

A comforting weight came to rest on Ruby's shoulder as her sister took a step towards her. "I'm sure everything will be alright, Ruby."

Ruby's frown lessened as Blake and Yang's judgment came. "I hope so."

The comforting hand left as Yang let out a deep sigh. "Well, I think I need a snack before bed, wanna come with, Weiss?"

"What, why would I…" The curiosity in Weiss' voice was mirrored by Ruby's thoughts. "Oh, why yes, I think I'll join you." Curiosity turned into incredulity as Weiss and Yang left the room – the blonde giving Blake a pat on the back - leaving the two alone.

"Well that's… odd?" Ruby shrugged her shoulders before turning to Blake, she's probably sad that the dance got interrupted. "I'm sorry if I ruined the dance, I didn't mean-"

"It's okay." Blake stated simply. "I still had fun, but this is far more important than dancing… you did the right thing." The black-haired teen let out a long sigh, much to Ruby's confusion. "Can I talk with you?"

Ruby scratched her head. "I mean, aren't we already talking?" A faint smile stretched across Blake's lips for a moment before an almost nervous expression crossed it. Wait what? When is Blake EVER nervous?

"You're not wrong, but it's a bit of a different thing." Blake patted at the spot next to her on her bed, which Ruby obediently followed and took a seat.

"So, um, what do you want to talk about?"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Uh, Blake?" Ruby asked after an uncomfortable silence. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Sorry, it's just difficult to put into words." Black hair swayed as the older teen shook her head. Amber eyes flickered towards silver ones. "How do you feel about us?"

"Um, w-what?" To Ruby, it felt like a gear in her brain had just gotten stuck and was struggling in vain to continue turning. "I-I guess, we're, um, good friends?" Blake nodded encouragingly. "You're my best friend?"

"…you're the closest I've ever been to a human, no, to anyone in a very long time." Blake's voice had become increasingly quiet, Meanwhile Ruby felt a swell of a mixture of pride and joy in her chest or something else she couldn't quite place her finger on knowing that Blake valued her so much. "I guess, what I'm trying to say is that…"

A good half a minute passed in silence before Ruby realized that Blake wasn't going to continue. "Um, you don't have to force yourself if its making you stress?" Ruby offered. "We're best friends, heck, you're the closest friend I have outside of Yang. I, uh, promise I won't be angry or anything…"

"That's the thing, Ruby, we're friends but I don't think that's quite right anymore." Fear shot through Ruby – does Blake not want to be friends anymore? Were Weiss and Yang wrong? Did asking her for a dance freak her out?! The horror was apparently clear on Ruby's face given how Blake immediately started to backpedal. "Not like that! I want to know if… you want to be more than friends…"

"More than friends?" Ruby parroted back. When amber eyes almost bashfully looked away, it clicked. A relationship. "Oh. O-oh." A bright red blush spread across Ruby's cheeks. "Y-y-you mean l-like a relationship?"

Blake shifted in her seat before slowly, ever so slowly, dipped her head down in a shaky nod. "I've been holding it in for a while now, I guess I'm afraid?" The teen shook her head. "You're my best friend and I really don't want to screw it up, but now I said it, and even though Yang said you have a crush on me, I still don't know how you really feel."

Ruby mentally filed away the Yang part, I could have sworn that Yang said she wasn't going to say anything to Blake. "Blake, I-"

"-And now that I said it, our friendship is going to change and-" The normally quiet Blake was nervously rambling.

"Blake."

"-and I didn't want to make you uncomfortable but I said it-"

"Blake!"

Fearful amber eyes shyly met silver ones. "Y-yes?"

"Yes." Ruby simply stated with a huge smile. The choice had been a simple one for Ruby considering her own crush on the teen before her.

"Huh?" It took a moment before a dopey smile was mirrored on Blake's face. "R-really?"

"Yup~!" Ruby was more than a little happy at seeing the joyous look on Blake's face. "I like you-like you… Yang wasn't pulling your leg for once."

Blake's mouth opened, yet no words came out, her lips flapping like a fish out of water. Instead she settled for enveloping Ruby in a tight embrace. One that Ruby was happy to all but melt into, no longer having to disguise how much she enjoyed contact with her friend.

Wait no, Blake's my girlfriend now. That happy thought made Ruby snuggle deeper into Blake's arms, the taller teen's chin resting on the top of the shorter one's head.

Blake is my girlfriend.

AU: Toot, toot, the ship has left port :D

I wasn't even joking with the chapter name this time :P

This is suppose to take place in early episode 8 of Volume 2, the first three lines of dialogue being directly from there.

Finally, sixty nine chapters in, 67,000 words (roughly) and the ship sails. Better yet, I didn't even have to go to one hundred chapters like many thought I was going to do haha.

Honestly, I didn't think I was going to get it out on time and I'd have to push it back even further, happy surprises all around I suppose?

Anywho, there ya go! The first story I have where the ship actually became a thing… well, I guess Regrets might count? Although, that was more of a one-shot if anything.

Next update: Sometime next weekend for Spoon Equality. Dilation is more up in the air since I don't know my schedule for next week, but most likely precisely a week from today. That's my guess at least.

Thank you all for reading and have a wonderful day! :D