"I'm so glad you could be here!"

Ruby could not stop beaming at Blake as the two slowly walked towards the dance.

"I didn't realize that me being here made such a difference to you Ruby." One of Blake's eyebrows rose in amusement. "I've never been to one of these kinds of events before, to be honest."

"Whaaaaaa?!" Ruby backpedaled and looked in surprise up at her friend. "How could you not have been to a dance before?! Didn't they have them at the school you went to before Beacon?"

"…I didn't exactly attend a school before coming here." Blake deadpanned.

Ruby's brow furrowed in confusion. "How come? Didn't you have to attend a combat school like Signal or Sanctum before you got accepted into Beacon?"

Black hair swayed as Blake shook her head. "No, I took a practical exam that Professor Goodwitch oversaw."

"Then how did you learn how to use Gambol Shroud?" Similar to Crescent Rose, Gambol Shroud was a complex weapon that wasn't something that could easily be picked up and used; I thought she learned how to use it in a combat school…?

Once more, a singular eyebrow rose. "The White Fang."

"O-oh." It took Ruby a moment to remember where exactly Blake came from, that she'd been part of them before deciding to become a huntress. "So you've never been to school before for combat stuff?"

Blake gave a shrug. "Not before now. I learned what I needed to, to survive and that was it." Blake awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. "…if I had maybe I wouldn't have closed everyone out so much…" The teen quietly mumbled. "I guess there's more to being a huntress than just learning how to fight."

Before Ruby could respond the two walked through the entryway and into the ballroom. "Aww, you look beautiful!" Ruby felt the distinct urge to pull her hood over her head as Yang half-jumped up and down, well, even though her hood and cape was in her room and not on her. "And you aren't looking too bad yourself, Blakey!"

Taking a step towards Yang, Ruby had a realization that in that moment she was wearing heels and that the embarrassment had made her forget that little fact. Which was why she started to fall forwards, only to be caught in the nick of time by Blake. "Can we have a serious discussion about how Weiss fights in these?"

"I don't get how you fight in boots, but we don't have serious discussion about that, now do we?" Weiss retorted, walking towards them from behind Yang – who was trying her best to stifle her laughter and failing miserably. Rolling her eyes at the giggling blonde, Weiss turned towards Blake. "You are looking… better." It was sentiment that Ruby wholeheartedly agreed with; everyone has been a lot happier since Blake's been back, especially the black haired teen herself. It's amazing what some food and sleep can do for you!

"T-thanks." Blake forced out after a pause, before her amber eyes started to peer around the room. "I heard that you and Yang planned the whole dance from Ruby. You two did well."

"Naturally." The compliment elicited one of the rare smiles from Weiss as Yang gave a goofy thumbs up.

"Sooooo…" Three pairs of eyes focused on Ruby. "What do we do now?"

"Just have fun!" With that Weiss walked off while Yang started to usher more people through the door, forcing Ruby and Blake to make room from them by heading out to the floor.

A thought occurred to Ruby as the duo shifted through the crowd, a want that was almost entirely foreign to her. "Blake, do you know how to dance?" Ruby asked as the two meandered their way through the crowd. Blake gave a small shrug, a sign that Ruby took to meaning as yes. A small blush started to cover the redhead's cheeks as she took Blake's hand and led her deep into the massive throng of people.

It's hard to describe what dancing is; it's being in motion to the beat of music, it's enjoying yourself to a common flow that you share with someone. The saying 'losing yourself to the music' is common, yet it doesn't describe what it's actually like to dance.

Ruby would never say she was the kind of person to enjoy dancing, or even would want to dance with someone on her own initiative; the want to ask Blake out for a dance had surprised even herself. Yet she was glad for it. Glad that Blake hadn't rejected the offer and was going along with it. Glad that as time seemed to melt away, her perception of the world slowly tuned everyone out but the amber eyed teen in front of her.

Even when the fast beats of the music track changed into slow ones, Ruby was grateful as Blake slowly led her in a slow swaying dance. The speed of the music was the only thing that entered into Ruby's thoughts as the two happily spun slowly in a circle.

For once, Ruby wasn't even worried about hiding the bright blush spread across her face; just the simple happiness of finally spending time with Blake after so long of being unable to had erased that fear.

I don't care about hiding whether or not I like Blake anymore. It was with that apathetic thought that Ruby gently rested her head against Blake's shoulder, a single thought entered her mind.

I never want this to stop.

AU: HEY LOOK, CHARACTERS ARE HAPPY, WHAT IS THIS MADNESS?!

Seriously, it's been a while since we've had a happy chapter in Dilation! Which is weird considering what this is supposed to be.

Okay, props to Gorsouul for editing this, I've been using him a lot as some measureable way for quality control for this story for a few chapters, and I'll endeavor to get his advice on it with subsequent chapters.

Any who, chapter 21 of Acceptance will be out in about an hour and a half!

Thank you all for reading and hopefully see some of you for the final update of the day! :D