a/n - a friend of mine complained about the lack of bumblebee i write. i decided to further antagonize her with blake and yang (and Ruby) friendship drivel.

Ruby's birthday was fast approaching and everyone had gotten their gifts sorted out and ready except, that was, for Blake. The dark haired girl didn't know all that much about her partner's sister aside from the fact that she liked weapons and an excess amount of cookies. Neither of those things made very reasonable gifts. One could be expensive and pointless, seeing as Ruby already had a weapon herself. The other would not last the day. She had gone at it alone for a while, but now, two days away from the fated time, she cracked and enlisted the help of the person closest to her.

Yang had teased her when she had asked, but agreed nonetheless to go with her out on the town and look around. People could say what they would of the blonde, but she was reliable. They had surveyed a few stores largely in silence and when they exited the last one empty handed, Blake began to feel the pressure.

"Yang, I thought you might help out, but you've been... quiet." She scanned her partner's face, looking for a sign that perhaps she didn't want to hang around after all. It wouldn't be in her interest to force the task upon her. "Is something wrong?"

Yang, whose hands were behind her head and mind was far, far away, blinked down at her companion.

"There's nothing wrong at all! In fact, Blakey, I think it's kinda cute how much effort you're putting in for my baby sister!" The brawler flashed her teeth in a quick grin and lowered her hands to her sides. "But if it's suggestions you want, I have just the thing!"

Blake's deadpan expression did nothing to dull Yang's shine. The fact that the blonde did have some words of wisdom all this time and had been holding out on her was more than a little tiring. Nonetheless, the sigh she expelled was proceeded immediately by some form of relief.

"What is it?" She was ready to be assisted; to get herself some inspiration and call it a day on the struggle. Finally, her strife would be over.

"Well, if it's a present you want for Ruby, it's just gotta come from the heart!" As if it was the most logical conclusion to reach, Yang beamed, hands on her hips and looking prideful. It sounded much easier than it actually was. This should have been expected. "She'll love it more if it means something to both of you!"

Blake shook her head. Doubtless, she had already thought something along those lines as well. The problem was what could she give that Ruby would both enjoy and appreciate? That held some semblance of sentiment without being a thing she'd never pick up again? That was the problem. A sense of fond exasperation overcame her.

Seeing that her words of wisdom didn't have the impact she had hoped they would, Yang rubbed the back of her own neck.

"I don't want to pull all the weight here, partner!" She chuckled and approached Blake, easing her arm around her shoulders. Her ears twitched, concealed under her bow. "But honestly, I thought it would have been easy for you and hardest for Weiss! You two actually have a thing in common unlike her!"

Blake stared at her with eyes devoid of amusement. Was there something that she was missing here? A crucial key element to Ruby's interests that was in her memory, but for some reason had hidden itself away lost in a sea of other details? She threw a mental hand back into her memory, grasping at the times that her and Ruby interacted and what was said among those times. It took her a flashback all the way to their first meeting for the puzzle pieces to fall in place.

"Ah..." The realization slipped past her lips and Yang pumped her fist in the air, expressing joy for the breakthrough.

"Sounds to me like you've got a plan!"

The corners of Blake's lips twitched upward.

"Yeah, let's go back."

Once in their room, Blake caressed the spines of many novels, sorting through her collection and pulling out a few from the stock as Yang watched. The sheer amount of them was ridiculous to say the least. But the pride that she had in her collection was a force to be reckoned with.

Blake decided on two slimmer books and pressed them together, cover to cover, admiring the designs etched in gold and the print of the titles. They had a rather dusty sort of scent to them - the type that old pages often get after years of existing. A faint purr of satisfaction rumbled in her throat and Yang perked up, leaning over the bed to take a peek herself.

"Fairy tales? Whoa! That's a great idea! Ruby's gonna love 'em!" The warmth that crossed Yang's face then caused her to smile faintly. She could imagine that Yang's thoughts had recalled a simpler time, no doubt to when she used to read Ruby to sleep. "I can't wait to see the look on her face!"

"Neither can I." Blake ran her fingers across the embellished cover of the top book. "These were some of my favorites. I hope Ruby will like them too." Now all there was left to do was to stow these away until the designated day arrived. "Yang, do you have any spare gift wrap...?"

Yang looked incredulous at the very suggestion.

"Gift wrap? You don't need that! Just slap a bow or two on it!" The brawler dove under Blake's bed and pulled out a little bag of an assortment of bows - the adhesive kind - kept for occasions such as this. Plucking out a yellow one, she removed the cover to the sticky film and pressed it to Blake's forehead, grinning back at the blank stare that greeted her. "I think the greatest gift of all here is your friendship!"

It was said in jest, but Blake nonetheless felt touched by such a sentiment no matter the silly way it was delivered. Still, she rolled her eyes and grabbed a black bow from the festive bag, sticking it carefully to the corner of the top book. She supposed that it would do; it looked rather quaint, in fact. The color of the bow complemented the design of the book nicely. Using one of her spare bindings for her faunus ears, she completed the set by tying the ribbon around the fairy tales to keep them bound together.

Yang reached down then to pat her on the head, gently fluffing the hair there. Taken off-guard, she glanced up to the warm smile questioningly.

"It's going to be great." Yang assured her without needing to. Blake already had confidence in her choice of gift now that she had thought of one. Credit should be given where credit was due, however: it couldn't have been done without her partner's inspiration. She allowed herself a moment to indulge in the gentle petting before she stood, much like the other before her.

"Thanks to you, Yang."

They stowed away the birthday decor and gifts underneath the bed, but neglected to remove the extra bow from Blake's forehead. Ruby strolled in not a second too soon and caught the sight, eyebrows raised high up her brow.

"Uhh, nice bow, Blake!" She smiled. "Is that a new look?"

"Isn't it cute? Blake would make a great present!" Yang chimed in, laughing at her own musing.

"Yeah! Blake's friendship is a great gift!" Ruby agreed wholeheartedly, nodding her head enthusiastically and unknowingly echoing her sister's words from before.

Blake was unable to hold back her smile then, amazed at how two people, who looked so unlike each other, could be so similar. And thankful that they had stumbled into her life.

Because little did they know, it was their acceptance, understanding, cheerfulness and warmth that was the gift to her.