Hey there readers. Been a few months, hasn't it? I swear it wasn't January when I last updated ;;;

I'm the worst, honestly. This sort of break between chapters is awful. I've noticed I'm still getting new readers every now and then, and for that I'm eternally grateful. It's really great to see some people still haven't given up on me, because I haven't given up on this story!

Well, a lot of things happened leading up until now. For starters, my parents divorced, and we moved house. That was a pretty massive change. Secondly, I entered my final year of high school, which has been a difficult workload to manage. Thirdly, for various reasons, I've done very little writing at all this year. So, my other stories? Yeah, haven't updated them much either, so don't worry, I'm giving equally awful treatment to all of them!

….sorry. Anyway, this is a bit of a surprise, isn't it? I wanted to push this chapter out as quickly as possible, so there's no other languages in it for now. Eventually I'll see if my dear translators are still okay with helping me out with this story, and I'll update it with translations then.

I can't guarantee when I'm going to update again – it could be within a week, or it could be within a year. It's all about how much time and inspiration I have to write. Nevertheless, I hope you all enjoy this update. If the quality is subpar, I apologise, as I haven't been writing as much lately. Here it is.

Blake Belladonna, despite it being six-thirty in the morning, was awake. Rather painfully, mind you – she'd never been a morning person, and old habits did tend to die hard. Surprisingly, the bed across the room was empty. As if I'd expected any less. The chessboard on the desk was still set, mid-game, and Blake bit her tongue at the sight. So many unfinished things. At least her roommate's bed was made. Ah –

Of course it was – Weiss was still at the infirmary. The little one, Ruby, too. That was the whole reason she'd woken up so early, after all. Yang had stayed at her sister's bedside all night, and Blake felt it would be only proper if she were to fetch her girlfriend a coffee, a muffin perhaps to wake up to.

Girlfriend. Blake touched her fingerpads to her lips. The word still felt foreign to her, and she had to fight away an unsteady heat which threatened to rise into her cheeks. She's my girlfriend.Still, she persisted, forcing herself into a grey sweater and black jeans before carefully shutting the door behind her, scarf in hand.

The outside world was, as expected, cold. Early morning frost decorated the grass, and Blake shivered as she wrapped the scarf, black and fuzzy and warm, around her neck. It was almost strange how one could feel the cold with every sense – the air tasted like snowdrops and ice cubes, the world looked that teensy bit greyer, everything smelt a tiny bit frostier, and even the bird calls seemed further away this morning.

It wasn't meant to be this cold so early in the year – the snow wasn't due for another two months or so, but perhaps today was just particularly cold. Regardless, it was enough to make Blake huddle in on herself, and allow her thoughts to wander a little as she made her way outside the school grounds.

…would Ruby be okay? And Weiss? They'd been in the back of her mind since she'd woken up, but only now could Blake allow herself to worry. They'd both been in and out of consciousness since she and Yang had found them, Weiss moreso than Yang's sister. Blake bit her lip, shivering in the cold. Yang had promised to call her if there were any changes in their condition, but she hadn't heard a bean. Then again, it was far earlier on a Saturday morning than any reasonable human would expect to be awake at. She hugged the scarf closer to her mouth, watching her breath steam in the frigid air.

It was surprising the coffee store was even open – and as Blake approached the counter, she realised she had no idea how Yang liked her coffee, or even what flavour of muffin she liked. Shit. I didn't think this through. The boy at the counter was around her age, and looked equally disappointed with his situation as Blake was frazzled.

"Can I help you?" he queried, tilting his head. Blake stood, rooted to the ground, and opened her mouth, as if to say something, but no words came out. The boy raised an eyebrow, giving her a lopsided smile.

"W-well, I'm looking for uh, a coffee for my friend, but I don't know what she likes…" Blake mumbled, averting her eyes. And what's this boy going to know? He can't help me.

"Oh?" The boy tilted his head, resting his cheek on his palm. "Is she a regular?"

Blake nodded, cheeks feeling hot despite the chill that permeated the air.

"Uh, Yang…" Blake began, before trailing off as she realised that the poor shop boy probably had no idea who Yang was. Good move, Blake.

Thankfully, she appeared to be wrong.

"Oh, the Xiao Long girl? Tall, blonde, busty, with the purple eyes?"

Blake nodded again, avoiding eye contact as the shop boy chuckled.

"I'll just get you her regular order. Anything else, miss?"

Blake nodded, and gestured towards two other muffins she hoped Ruby and Weiss would enjoy. She handed over cash to the shop boy, and quietly thanked him as she stepped back outside into the freezing cold. Really, she should have thought that through a little more, right? It was lucky Yang was such a well-known customer, otherwise she'd have been stuck.

As Blake made her way back to the school grounds, she was struck with the realisation that she knew very, very little about Yang Xiao Long. And we're meant to be dating. Had she, perhaps, rushed into this a little too fast? She'd only been here a week; it was great she'd made some friends – more than she expected, to be frank – but a relationship? Already? Then, again, we're only dating. It's not like she's my girlfriend – or…? Blake felt less sure about her situation the more she thought about it. What did Yang think the two were? Datemates, or…? Maybe I should ask her when I get to the infirmary.

Except that was a terribly selfish thing to think, wasn't it? Yang's sister had almost died, and here Blake was mulling over her relationship status? Blake bit her lip. She'd been dumped into a gigantic drama a mere few hours from confessing her feelings to the person she liked, so how was she supposed to react?

…still. She had to try and be as supportive as she could, right? She cared a lot about Yang – that much she knew, and by extension, of course she cared about Ruby. It just all felt so sudden, overwhelming – but, then again, who would be feeling that any more than Ruby or Yang themselves? Blake curled her fists in at the memory of Yang's desperate calls as the two searched for the missing duo in the forest.

And of course, there was Weiss to think about. Why exactly had she been involved? As far as Blake knew, she wasn't particularly friendly with the Rose-Xiao Long sisters. The only connection they had was that of Ruby and Weiss's history project, right? If anything, at least she wasn't seriously injured like Ruby was. A broken leg hardly compared to a back injury.

Blake sighed to herself, rubbing her arms to warm herself. There was so much to think about, but the raven-haired girl felt surprised that she didn't mind it so much. It felt almost nice to have people to worry about, people to care about. There hadn't been all that much of that in the past, and it brought a warmth to her cheeks.

It was nice.

As Blake found her way back inside the school grounds, she headed immediately to the infirmary, coffee and muffin clutched tightly in her hands. She had to check every now and then to make sure she was still carrying both – she was slowly losing feeling in her hands. Winter is the worst season. The halls were mostly empty, so Blake could hear her footsteps echo. Most students were probably still cosily tucked up inside their dorms, fast asleep. She felt like Yang should be, also, but the girl was too devoted to her sister.

As Blake opened the door, she was greeted with a peaceful scene. Yang dozed at Ruby's bedside, blonde curls draped over the bedsheets and tumbling towards the floor. The injured girl herself blinked her eyes open at the sound of Blake's entrance, smiling and tilting her head, wincing slightly at the movement. Across the room, Weiss was reading a book, and though she didn't make a point of it, Blake just barely caught the corners of her mouth turning upwards as Weiss stole a split-second glance. The room bathed in the winter sunlight, streaming in through the window, painting them in hints of off-yellow and just-barely-not-white. She checked the time – seven-thirty now. She hadn't realised it'd taken her so long just to get ready and fetch some coffee.

Still, if anything, Yang probably needed to be awake. The girl had texted Blake about something to do with a meeting with the headmaster about the incident, starting at eight. She'd complained it was cruel to have it that early on a Saturday, but left it at that. Her worry for her sister overtook everything. Ruby really did have a fantastic sister, the raven-haired girl mused.

So, she stepped closer, reached out, and gently shook her girlf – Yang's shoulder. The girl slowly nodded her way awake, swinging her head back and blinking away the sleep in her eyes. She reached out for the coffee as Blake proffered it, staring at it with curious, hazy eyes.

"You got me coffee?" Yang asked, still sleep-delirious. The raven-haired girl nodded, and shook the bag in front of her.

"And breakfast, for everyone."

Yang opened her bag, eyes widening a little at the insides, and murmured, "I'm dating a literal saint."

Blake took the comment as a 'thanks', and smiled as she moved to hand Ruby and Weiss each their own.

"You're a life saver," Weiss gave a dry smile as she took a bite. Hers was blueberry – apparently Blake's gamble had been a success. "You don't know how awful the infirmary food is. Thank you."

"Aw, thanks Blake!" Ruby chirped, bouncing despite the fact she hadn't moved a muscle. Ruby Rose truly was a marvel. "I love chocolate muffins." Bingo. Ruby wasn't exactly a complex character.

"I'll pay you back for Ruby and I's share," Yang said, stretching. She took another sip of her coffee, and Blake caught the smile as it passed her lips.

"That's not necessary. It's the least I can do," Blake offered. If Yang asked, she was doing it because she wanted to. Not that that was a lie, but if she were honest, she felt guilty – and guilt tended to influence one's actions one way or the other.

"Well, aren't you a kind soul," Weiss muttered, off to the side. Blake presumed she wasn't supposed to have heard, so she pretended she hadn't. Even so, she couldn't hide the slight shift in her posture. I need to talk to her properly, at some point. Without Yang.

"You should get ready, though," Blake urged, nudging the blonde-haired girl. "Didn't you have that meeting with the master?"

"Shit.You're right."

Yang heaved herself upright, nearly spilling her coffee in the process. She shielded her eyes from the barely-there sunlight, and stumbled forwards. Thank God I got her that coffee. She looks awful. For once, Blake's instinct had been spot-on.

"I'll see you later, Ruby," Yang pressed a gentle kiss to her sister's forehead, earning a giggle from the younger girl. "I'll be back later, okay?"

She turned to the raven-haired girl, rubbing her eyes, and asked, "You coming too, Blake?"

She nodded, but barely caught Weiss's scowl out of the corner of her eye as the two stepped outside, shutting the door behind them. The hallway was cold, frigid, and Blake was reminded precisely what time of year it still was. She let out a shiver, and followed in Yang's wake. For whatever reason, the blonde-haired girl didn't seem at all bothered by the cold, despite the fact her bare arms were exposed to the chilling air. She had a black hoodie tied to her waist, but made no move to put it on.

"Aren't you cold?" Blake dared to ask, breaking the silence. She instantly regretted it – she hated shattering peaceful moments. Yang just shook her head, tilting it back and gazing at Blake over her shoulder.

"Nah. People don't call me the human furnace for nothing."

"They call you the human furnace?"

Suddenly, Yang turned on her heel, and wrapped Blake in a bear hug. Shocked, the raven-haired girl froze up, unable to move. It took a few seconds before she realised just how warm the hug was. Yang radiated warmth from every inch of her body, and she felt like she could melt right into it forever.

Then – too soon, Blake pouted – Yang unwound herself, grinned, winked, and turned back around. Blake felt blood rush to her face, and prayed the blonde wouldn't turn back around or initiate conversation before she could compose herself again.

Thankfully, Yang gave her a grace period before she spoke up again.

"Thanks for coming to bring us all breakfast, Blake. It means a lot. Really," Yang offered a few moments later. She glanced at the golden-eyed girl over her shoulder, before returning her gaze to the hallways ahead.

"It's really not a problem. You did say the infirmary food was awful. I was more impressed they had food there in the first place, though," Blake replied, her voice soft and wispy on the trails of drafts blowing in from the windows. They stopped briefly outside Yang's dorm whilst the girl fumbled for her key.

"Yeah, well. Beacon's infirmary is practically a mini hospital. It has to be, considering we have such a strong sporting base. Ruby and I have both spent significant time there, so we know personally how bad the food is."

The door clicked as the lock turned, and the two stepped inside. Blake was somewhat familiar by now with the Rose-Xiao Long sister's room – it smelt strange however, nothing like the cool, vaguely perfumed scent of the room she shared with Weiss. Quietly, she thought she preferred her own space. This room just felt a little too large, even if it were probably the same size.

"I didn't know you were so familiar with the infirmary," Blake said, gazing around the room. Boxing equipment was hastily scattered in one corner, and Yang immediately went to fix it. The raven-haired girl wondered if Yang had scattered it in a frenzy the night before. It wasn't like her to be so careless with her precious equipment.

"Mm, well, it comes with the sport. Boxing is always gonna leave you battered and bruised, and Ruby's a klutz," Yang dusted off her equipment, placing it with care in a carry bag before standing, and rummaging through the chest of drawers at the foot of her bed. "This isn't the first time she's had a serious back injury, either. She hurt her spine pretty bad a couple years back, which is probably why a little fall like that hurt her so bad."

Blake blinked in surprise, watching as Yang fetched herself a new set of clothes and a towel.

"Weiss broke her leg, though."

Yang shrugged, moving towards the bathroom door.

"She's broken that leg six times now. You could probably drop your bag on it, and it'd snap like a twig. We're pretty tough at Beacon, but injuries are the norm," Yang finished quietly, before stepping into the bathroom. "I'm just gonna take a five minute shower, okay?"

Blake nodded as Yang shut the door behind her, processing all of what she'd said. Six times? God, fencing sounds awful. And Ruby, with two serious spinal injuries? They're going to destroy their bodies. Blake had never much been a fan of playing sport anything other than casually. She'd seen the grotesque consequences of bodybuilders, and she'd seen the awful, awful injuries rugby players and soccer players went through when their careers ended in one swift tackle. Then again, she'd never had the opportunity until she'd come to Beacon, so maybe she was just biased. She'd been poor enough as it was. Orphanages didn't make a habit of giving out pocket money.

Still, Blake wondered if she'd get used to visiting the three of them in the infirmary, fetching coffee and muffins and breakfast for them. It seemed like a pretty miserable existence – she'd never liked hospitals, personally. They reminded her of feeling scared, alone, sitting in the hospital waiting room whilst machines beeped and nurses shouted, wondering if anyone was ever going to come collect her, if anyone was going to come back.

They never did.

Blake didn't think about it much anymore. If nothing else, it had been a learning experience.Still, I don't want to think about it. She shook her head, trying to clear it of unpleasant thoughts. She heard the water turn off in the bathroom opposite. Yang must be out of the shower. Blake's thoughts drifted to the girl, and she wondered how exactly she looked with wet hair. It'd be just a tad darker than normal, perhaps a dark blonde rather than a golden colour, and it'd still be curly, glued to her soft, soft skin and framing her chest. She'd look gorgeous with water dripping down her shoulders, surrounded by steam –

Then, the door opened, and Blake immediately blushed beetroot red, snapping out of her daydream. Yang emerged, fully clothed, and tilted her head as she looked at Blake, raising an eyebrow.

"You okay? Your face is all red."

Blake nodded, pursing her lips and looking away.

"Mm, it's just really warm in here," Blake forced out, avoiding eye contact. Yang looked thoroughly bewildered, but shrugged. Thank God.She didn't particularly feel like being pressed about why her face was so blatantly red. I don't think either of us are ready for that discussion.

"Anyway," Yang grabbed a hoodie from a hook on the back of her door. "I need to go, otherwise Goodwitch is gonna have my head."

"Want me to wait for you?" Blake offered, trying to ignore how fast her heart was beating. Yang looked over her shoulder, damp blonde curls bouncing, and Blake could only describe her grin in sunrays.

"That'd be great."

Yang Xiao Long had never been fond of mornings, and she was sure Goodwitch had picked a particularly early weekend meeting just for her. She's an unsufferable bitch at times, I swear to God. It only made it worse to think that the night she'd spent in the infirmary wasn't because of a great party but because of Ruby, injured again to the point where Yang was scared that maybe things wouldn't be all okeydokey this time. Spines were delicate things, and Ruby only had one. The shining light of her morning, however, was her dearest girlfriend, Blake, delivering her favourite coffee and muffin straight to her.

Now, they walked through the decidedly empty Beacon halls, making their way to the administration building. It was still early, so the walls were hued in a slight blue – most Beacon boarders were sleep wrapped up in their bedcovers, much to Yang's envy. The cold barely nibbled at her skin, but she let herself shiver reflexively anyway. Blake nudged her, raising an eyebrow.

"Didn't you say you couldn't feel the cold?" she asked, her voice laced with suspicion. Yang shrugged, trying to play it off.

"It was just a reflex."

The dark-skinned girl rolled her eyes, frowning.

"All shivers are reflexes, idiot," Blake pushed, elbowing the blonde again. Yang mock-stumbled to the side. She wasn't really cold, but she'd let Blake believe what she wanted.

"You wound me with your fierce blows, Belladonna," the lavender-eyed girl let herself fall to the ground, clutching an invisible gash. Blake just rolled her eyes again, folding her arms and continuing to walk. She hummed to herself as Yang picked herself up off the ground, jogging after her.

Yang wondered if Blake was just a tad annoyed at her drama queen performance, and felt a little relieved she wasn't in the doghouse when she caught a glimpse of a grin in Blake's face – and oh, what a pretty face it was. She kind of wanted to kiss her, but held back. It would be too forward, right? They hadn't even been on a proper date yet. Everything in due time, Xiao Long. Do it properly.

Oh, how Yang Xiao Long had learnt the importance of doing things properly.

"What does Mr Ozpin want, anyway?" Blake spoke up, tilting her head. Yang frowned, and sighed.

"Probably to discuss what happened with Ruby," Yang offered, shrugging. "I don't know why it had to be at 8 in the fucking morning, though."

I really don't get why 8 on a Saturday is an acceptable waking hour for anyone, let alone a high school student. This is so dumb. Still, despite, her protests, Yang knew she'd be in deep shit if she didn't go, so she complied. She felt she made her opinion on the matter very clear when she threw open the door to the administration building, stomped into the waiting room, and sat with a huff, folding her arms. Goodwitch was sitting quietly at the desk, typing away at her computer. Of course, she paid no mind to Yang's arguably childish actions – the two were well acquainted, and she'd long learned that the best way to deal with Yang Xiao Long was not to. Blake took a seat next to her, her posture significantly more refined than Yang's slouch, hands folded and resting atop her knees, whilst Yang slung her arms over the back of the couch.

Before either of them could say anything to break the silence, Ozpin appeared from his office, lifting his coffee cup to his lips.

"Good morning, Miss Xiao Long, Miss Belladonna. Gracious of you to join us. Now, if I may steal Miss Xiao Long from you for a short while, Miss Belladonna," Ozpin gestured towards his office, "That would be lovely."

Yang frowned. Ozpin always seemed so polite, but she knew from experience that behind his mannerly demeanor lay a calculating headmaster who didn't take any shit. He was, for the most part, relatively relaxed with his students in their free time, but Yang was fearful for what was to come.

"I'll be back in a bit," she said, waving her goodbyes to Blake and hoping like hell they weren't her last. She'd been on the brink of expulsion before; the blonde knew not to underestimate Ozpin's punishments. She followed Ozpin through into his office, just barely catching an unreadable expression from Goodwitch out of the corner of her eye as the secretary turned towards. The lavender-eyed girl had no idea what it meant, but the churning in her stomach increased just a little.

"Please, take a seat."

Ozpin gestured towards the worn leather seat, opposite the desk from his own. There was a large window behind him – light streamed in, colouring the carpet, the bookshelves, and the wallpaper. Somehow, the older man looked just as colourful as ever, despite the lighting. Yang sat down, shivering at the coolness of the leather, and looked up at Ozpin expectantly. He adjusted his scarf, then took a sip of his coffee, before speaking.

"How is Miss Rose faring?" he asked, interlacing his fingers and resting his chin atop them. Yang swallowed.

"She's okay-ish. She'll probably need surgery."

"I see," Ozpin lifted the coffee cup to his lips again. "And how did you feel, when you discovered how hurt she was?"

The lavender-eyed girl's eyes narrowed. "Helpless. Afraid. Terrified my baby sister wouldn't make it out of the forest alive." She didn't like where this was going, not at all. "Frustrated that I hadn't been there to protect her, and keep her safe."

Ozpin nodded, resting his coffee cup on the desk again. It sat with a quiet clunk.

"That, Miss Xiao Long, is precisely how I feel when any of my students get hurt. I know every injury that has passed through the infirmary, from minor scrapes to devastating, career-ending wounds," Ozpin frowned, lowering his eyes. "That was precisely how I felt when I heard of Miss Rose and Miss Schnee's accident. I have known the three of you for a considerable time now."

He paused, and looked at Yang in the eyes.

"I felt helpless, I felt as if I had failed my students by not protecting them. This incident occurred on a school day, within school grounds, and yet I was not able to prevent it from occurring," Ozpin reached for his coffee cup. "Therefore, you must understand where I'm coming from."

Yang nodded. "I do, sir."

Guilt, and remorse trickled their way back into her stomach. It was an incredibly unwelcome feeling, but not unfamiliar. Yang had already beaten herself up over it a thousand times over.

"I have decided to forbid students from entering the forest unless accompanied by a teacher. I understand that your free time is your own, and that your little initiation is a key part of Beacon culture, but I cannot risk an incident like this occurring again," Ozpin rested his coffee cup. His tone was flat. "Do you understand?"

Again, she nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Then I can presume you have no argument. I will make an announcement at assembly on Monday, but I will leave it to you to spread the word. You're free to go, Miss Xiao Long."

Yang bowed her head, standing silently and turning towards the door. Blake stood up immediately, concern on her face.

"What did he say?" she asked, amber eyes wavering slightly.

Yang shrugged. "Initiation's been culled. No more late-night forest make-out sessions for us," she tried to joke, but she could hear how unconvincing she sounded. Her heart sunk at the thought of no Beacon student ever going through their initiation ever again – it was tradition. No dorm resident at Beacon had ever stayed without completing initiation. Even Weiss – though the thought made her toes curl – had gone through with it.

It just felt wrong to see it go.

"Let's beat it," Yang said, turning her back and ignoring Goodwitch's barely concealed staring. "I wanna see if Ruby wants anything."

Blake nodded, and the two left the administration building.

Ruby Rose was, quite frankly, sick and tired of being stuck in the infirmary. She'd been there enough times to have memorized the walls and the ceiling and the floorboards. She could feel enough strength in her arms and legs to move again, but the pain in her spine was omnipresent. A herniated disc, huh. I guess I should've known I was bound to do something to my back again. Except, last time, it had been all ambulances and hospitals and emergencies, whereas this time it was a little calmer. Of course, calm meant boring, and that was awful, but the silver-eyed girl supposed she should be grateful she could at least feed herself now. The muffin was sweet – chocolate was the best flavor after strawberries, of course.

"It was nice of Blake to get us breakfast," she commented quietly, wondering if Weiss would respond. The white-haired girl was staring out the window, her expression dull. Ruby couldn't tell if she was tired or just bored. She'd finished eating, leaving nothing but the brown paper bag crumpled up on her bedside. When the blue-eyed girl failed to respond, Ruby held back a sigh. Weiss had asked to be friends, sure, but what exactly did that mean? If anything, the silver-eyed girl wondered if that meant just going back to being ignored. Maybe she didn't even mean it – maybe Weiss had just been saying all those things to shut her up, and pacify her.

Ruby sighed. Maybe she'd been silly to hope for anything. It wasn't like Yang's relationship with the girl had improved over the years. Still, she had hoped –

"She got it for Yang, not you or I," Weiss finally responded, her voice slow. Ruby glanced at Weiss, noting the way she blinked slowly, and yawned. Oh. Maybe she really was tired. For whatever reason, Ruby felt a lot better knowing this was the case.

"She's your roommate though. I'm sure she would've helped out anyway," the brown-haired girl offered. Weiss shrugged, looking away.

Ruby withstood around sixty seconds of silence before she felt compelled to force another conversation. She didn't really want to dance around Blake and Yang's relationship status, and she know personally how much of a ticking time bomb discussing Yang was.

"You know, the exchange students are coming next week! You get along well with Neptune, right?" she tried, attempting to be jovial.

Ruby could have sworn she saw Weiss freeze up for just the briefest of moments, before glancing at the girl and nodding, the tiniest smile on her face.

"Mm, we do."

The silver-eyed girl wondered if she'd imagined it, but – probably not.

She did catch the way Weiss hugged herself as the white-haired girl stared out the window, nt offering anything else in the way of words.

Ruby wondered if she'd ever make conversation without bringing up a sore point.