For noxypep's Jacket AU! You can look on their tumblr blog to find the awesome artwork released so far, and there will surely be more to come! This story just tells the bits and pieces of the things depicted in the artwork Nox has posted so far (at this time). I just added my own bit for the ending~

A/N: This is an AU where they are not huntresses but Faunus still exist. So just a normal High School AU but with Faunus.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

Monochrome Hearts

The after-school hallways at Beacon were quiet now that most students had gone home, save for the few who stayed late for sports, extracurricular activities, or to serve detention.

Weiss had been in the middle group, intent to finish up her work with the Student Council so she could get home early today. It was one of those rare days when she hadn't been assigned homework in any of her classes, and she'd simply longed to enjoy her free evening to herself with a good book and perhaps a movie.

But she couldn't catch a break.

The hallways may have been quiet now, but past the heavy wooden door of the girls' restroom on the first floor came the sounds of soft whimpers.

Weiss' excitement to get home had been shattered, and she no longer even wanted to show her face to anyone.

She'd stumbled into the bathroom for refuge, slumped her back against the wall, and sunk down to the floor. And she'd been there like that with her head in her knees for the past twenty minutes, sobbing quietly, feeling each tear seep into her leggings and make her knees sticky and warm.

She could still feel his hands on her. That awful boy whom she didn't even want to name.

He had been following her around school for the past several weeks now, constantly calling out to her and happening to appear everywhere she was.

It had started with just the talking, and Weiss had replied to him for the sake of being polite. But that had quickly declined into more harassment, almost to the point of being stalked, and it had gotten bad enough that Weiss needed to look over her shoulder at every turn.

But today had been the worst yet.

She had hidden from him in the library, hoping it'd be a place he'd never dare to enter.

But the tall bookshelves and atmosphere that demanded silence had worked against Weiss when he'd found her. He'd touched her - grabbed her shoulder and yanked at her hair in an effort to force himself on her. She'd been too terrified to scream or call for help – eighteen years with her parents had conditioned her to accept anything she was given.

But this had been the one thing she couldn't accept.

So she'd struggled free by some miracle and ran, ran faster than she ever had before down the hallways with blood roaring in her ears so loudly she could hardly hear the shouts from behind her.

She hadn't stopped until she'd been physically unable to go another step.

So here she was, curled up and crying on the bathroom floor, not even having managed to hide in one of the stalls.

But even now, she stifled her sobs, burying her face into her skirt and clutching her ankles until her nails dug in. She bit her clothes to keep her mouth shut and her sobs silent as she continued to cry, fearing that if she was too loud, he'd hear her and find her again.

Her heart was still racing now, even half an hour later, and her shoulders were shuddering both from the trauma and the cold chill of the tiled floor.

She didn't want to go home anymore.

She felt disgusting.

Ashamed.

Horrible.

A particularly loud wail worked its way up her throat, and she almost considered letting it out when she heard a sound.

Weiss swallowed the sob painfully, making her throat ache as she sucked in a gasp, lifting her head out of her knees to watch the door with fearful, tear-stained eyes.

It opened slowly, and she could only imagine it was him. Or even if it wasn't, it would be some girl who'd just look at her oddly and say nothing.

She hoped for the latter.

Weiss ducked her head again, wishing to become invisible as the presence of another person entered the room.

She could tell right away by the soft footsteps that it wasn't a boy, so that made her anxieties lessen a little.

But the footsteps didn't walk past her. Instead, they headed right for her.

Weiss whimpered again and curled harder in on herself.

Aside from her echoing sobs, a new voice filled the room.

"Hey... are you okay?"

Weiss didn't want to look up. She wanted to be left alone. She didn't want to speak to or see anyone else ever again.

And yet... she really needed someone right now.

So she peeked up past her frazzled bangs and looked to the other girl, blinking away tears.

She was tall, dressed in sweatpants and a purple jacket, and the black cat ears atop her head told Weiss she was a Faunus. Her hair was long and wavy, her skin a pale white, and her eyes a dazzling golden color Weiss had never seen before.

The girl met her eyes and frowned instantly, her ears going flat.

Weiss swallowed and shivered again, pressing her back further against the wall.

The other girl appeared flustered, as though she were about to run off and fetch a teacher. But perhaps she could sense just what kind of a state Weiss was in right now.

So she stayed, crouching down in front of Weiss to make herself smaller, less frightening. She tried a small smile by means of comfort, but when more tears fell down Weiss' cheeks, the Faunus girl's eyebrows only furrowed.

"Hey..." she said again, inching a little closer. "What's wrong? If you need help, you need to tell someone. You can't just stay here like this all night. You'll get in trouble, and if you stay in this cold bathroom for too long, you'll get sick."

Blake wasn't sure if she should be touching this girl right now or not, but she couldn't stop herself from trying. She reached out slowly, as not to startle her. The smaller girl visibly stiffened when she moved out her hand, so Blake paused.

"Come on. If you can't tell me what's wrong then... at least let me get you some help. Or at least a hug."

Weiss inhaled a shaky breath at those words.

A hug.

She... she could really use one right now.

This girl's golden eyes were honest and concerned, harboring no false emotions that Weiss could detect. So she blinked away more tears and gave a tiny whimper, and an even tinier nod.

Blake smiled a little bit before moving her hand out once more. She slipped one arm behind the other girl's small, shaking back, letting her lean on that instead of the hard wall. Blake brought her other arm gingerly over the girl's knees, leaning slightly over her to wrap her in a gentle embrace.

The girl sobbed again, louder this time as she broke down within seconds, burying her face in the sleeve of Blake's jacket.

The Faunus rubbed her back slowly, still very concerned for this girl. When her palm paused at the center of her back, Blake could feel just how badly she was shaking, and just how quickly her heart was pounding. She pulled the girl into her a little bit more, protectively, shielding her from the cold bathroom walls or anyone who might want to pry.

"Shh..." Blake murmured. "You're okay. I've got you."

Her words only served to make Weiss more emotional. She let out a loud wail, one that ripped itself out of her lungs, and Weiss clutched desperately at Blake's jacket, hugging her so tightly that Blake almost lost her balance. She pulled the smaller girl in closer and continued to rub her back.

"Shh..." she murmured. "It's alright... Can you tell me your name?"

The girl in her arms shivered again, her voice tumbling out between broken sobs.

"W-Weiss..."

Blake squeezed her again.

"Weiss. That's such a pretty name. I'm Blake," she said softly. "Now... if you want, you can tell me what happened. If I understand what's wrong, then I want to help you."

So Weiss told her everything.

She was a stuttering, stammering mess as the words fell off her lips in rushed sentences, her voice thick with emotion and interrupted by repetitive sobs.

But even despite all of that, Blake heard everything, and she listened quietly all the while until Weiss could no longer speak.

"Okay," she said softly. "I get it. Thank you for telling me, Weiss. That was really brave of you." Her words were calm for Weiss' sake, but on the inside, Blake was seething with rage and disgust. "You said you heard voices in the hallway when you were running here? Do you know what they were calling?"

Weiss sighed into her chest, her hands meekly grasping Blake's clothes.

"I th-think they were teachers," she choked. "H-He was chasing me, but the teachers stopped him, a-and I just kept going..."

Blake felt a little bit better at hearing those words.

"Then that means they must've caught him," she said. "I bet they knew what he did. He's probably been suspended for a while. He won't bother you anymore, Weiss."

Blake rubbed Weiss' back for her a little more, tucking her head beneath her chin and wrapping her up completely. The girl fit perfectly in her arms, and Blake closed her eyes, focusing on Weiss. She was still shaking, and her heart was still thumping erratically.

So Blake let out a soft, calming purr, letting it fill Weiss' ears. She breathed slowly, in hopes to sooth the girl's harsher breathing, purring a bit louder.

After a few minutes, her technique seemed to work, for Weiss' breathing slowed, as did her heart. Blake continued to hold her like that, petting through her hair and cradling her like a newborn until at last the tears stopped.

Blake let out her own sigh of relief as she gave Weiss another small squeeze.

"Are you okay?" she asked gently.

Weiss sighed again, sniffling a bit before lifting her head to meet Blake's eyes. She swallowed and exhaled, then nodded.

"I... think so..."

Blake smiled and purred a little louder.

"I'm so glad."

She held Weiss for a while longer, until she sensed it was getting to be late and they might be discovered. Even then, Weiss was still shivering, though the crying had stopped, and Blake could only think of one thing to do for her.

With a careful hand on Weiss' shoulder, Blake coaxed her back a little bit, just enough so that she could move her arms.

Weiss watched Blake curiously as the Faunus girl unzipped her purple jacket, revealing a simple shirt beneath it. She pulled her arms free of the sleeves and let out an accomplished sigh.

She then looked to Weiss and didn't waste a second in draping the jacket over her shuddering shoulders.

Weiss was instantly enveloped in a subtle warmth, and past the smells of tile and tears, a much more pleasant scent filled her lungs.

It was Blake's scent.

Weiss closed her eyes for a moment and breathed it in, focusing on that warmth and nothing else.

Blake was relieved when the girl finally stopped shivering.

"Here," she offered with a smile. "Let me help you put it on." She held the jacket open for Weiss as the girl slipped her arms into it. Once it was on, Blake zipped it up for her, leaving just a few inches open beneath her throat so she could breathe easily. "How does that feel?" she wondered.

'Heaven' might've been an understatement, Weiss thought. The jacket was big on her, but not necessarily heavy, and its looseness prevented it from being stifling in any way.

In response to Blake's question, Weiss tried a small smile and merely nodded.

Blake's purr started to die down a bit, but her own smile widened.

"Okay. That's good. Come on, let me help you up."

Blake stood and reached down her hands, palms upturned for Weiss.

The girl slipped her hands into Blake's, bracing herself as the Faunus helped her up. Weiss wobbled a little, but Blake supported her until she was steady.

She led Weiss over to the sinks and started the hot water, then added a bit of cool to create a comforting lukewarm temperature. Weiss washed her hands and then her face, and Blake handed her paper towels to dry off with and blow her nose.

Blake too, washed her hands, being sure to keep an eye on Weiss should she sway or something like that, but the girl seemed to be recovering from her scare.

When they'd both finished washing their hands, Weiss was no longer sniffling, and that made Blake feel better than anything. Still, she was concerned for the white-haired girl.

"Do you want me to take you to the nurse?" she offered. "She's still on campus. And if you missed your bus, you could call someone to drive you home."

But Weiss shook her head.

"No... It's fine. I live nearby so I just walk home."

"Really? Me too," Blake said. "But still, if you want to call you parents, or I could even call mine and have them drive you or something."

"It's alright," Weiss said. "I think just walking a bit could do me some good."

Blake understood.

"Okay. How about you come with me, then? I'll take you somewhere to get your mind off of things. If you want to, that is," she was sure to add.

Weiss was silent for a moment, but it didn't take her very long to come to a decision.

"Okay..." she said. "I think I'd like that."

Blake's smile grew.

"Great! I have just the place in mind."

She offered Weiss her hand, and it was so natural that she didn't think twice about it.

Perhaps that was also why Weiss didn't think twice in taking it.

Blake had been about to recoil her hand sheepishly, but paused when she saw Weiss reaching out. That small, cold hand slipped easily into her own, and Blake didn't hesitate to curl her fingers around it. Weiss squeezed a little; Blake's hand was warm and welcoming, and it was something she didn't want to relinquish anytime soon.

Blake led the girl out of the bathroom, holding the door for her. She could tell that Weiss was a bit nervous about emerging from the safety of the restroom. It was highly unlikely the boy who'd been harassing Weiss would follow her into the girls' room, but now, she was surely feeling exposed.

Blake stuck close to her.

"Hey, don't worry. The teachers took care of that guy. And even if he did show his ugly face again, I'd give him a piece of my mind. Boys are stupid..." she muttered.

Weiss kept close to her side, offering another small smile at Blake's words. She followed the Faunus girl down the hallway and to the school's exit doors.

Outside, it was a warm spring day, though the breeze was a little cool. It didn't bother Weiss, though, not with Blake's jacket curled around her body.

And it didn't bother Blake, either – she was feeling immensely better now that Weiss seemed to be as well. She wanted to see her smile more.

Blake led her toward their destination, keeping to the sidewalk as they left school grounds.

There were a few small stores and little restaurants for them to pass before they reached the neighborhood where their houses were, and as they walked and chatted, Blake discovered Weiss didn't live more than a few streets away from her.

After a few minutes of walking, she squeezed the girl's hand a little bit tighter.

"We're almost there."

They reached the small ice cream shop that had been Blake's destination, and stood at the back of the small line. It was only then when Weiss timidly spoke up.

"Blake... I don't have any money on me."

The Faunus girl chuckled and met her blue eyes with shining gold.

"Don't worry about it. This is on me."

"Th-Then I'll pay you back."

"Don't worry about it," Blake said again with a smile.

Weiss was so touched she couldn't find the right words just yet.

When it was their turn to order, Blake requested a vanilla cone before gently nudging Weiss forward to order. The girl merely said, "I'd like the same, please."

The man prepared their cones for them, during which time Blake had to apologize for temporarily letting go of Weiss' hand so she could reach into her pants pocket and fish out her wallet. She paid the four dollars to cover both of their cones, and Weiss thanked her.

"My pleasure," Blake said.

They each took their cones in one hand, but their free hands came together once more.

Blake led them over to an empty bench where they took seats and started eating. The Faunus girl let out a happy sigh as she indulged herself in the sweet, cold flavor of her treat, draping one arm over the back of the bench behind Weiss.

The white-haired girl lapped at her ice cream a bit more slowly, almost tentatively, though that wasn't to say she wasn't enjoying it to the fullest. Somehow, she felt like she'd been doing this with Blake every day for years. It was just so... comfortable.

Blake watched her from the corner of her eye as Weiss took small licks of her ice cream.

"Is it good?" she wondered.

Weiss licked her lips a bit before smiling again.

"Yes. It's very good. Thank you again, Blake."

Blake felt another purr bubbling up.

"You're welcome."

After a few minutes, the warmth of the evening was causing their ice cream to melt a little faster than they could eat. Blake looked back to the ice cream shop several yards away to where there was a napkin dispenser on the counter.

"I'll go get us some napkins," she said. But when she stood, she looked back down to Weiss with flicking ears. "Will you be okay here by yourself for a minute?"

Weiss shuffled her shoes a little bit, but nodded.

"Yes. I'll be fine."

"Okay. I'll just be a sec!" Blake took off as quickly as she dared without risking dropping her cone; she wanted to get back to Weiss as swiftly as possible.

Weiss watched her go, suddenly feeling exposed now without the girl beside her. The breeze gusted around her, sending her ponytail up a little bit.

But despite the wind and the ice cream, Weiss wasn't cold.

Blake's warmth wreathed around her as she buried her nose in the jacket's collar. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply before letting it out, reminding herself that Blake would be back in just a few seconds.

Had she been sitting there alone, Weiss would have feared someone coming up to pester her, or worse. But with Blake's jacket around her like this, she felt safe - protected.

And after Blake had retrieved their napkins and turned back around, she could see it.

She saw the serenity on Weiss' face, the comfort and the tranquility. It was such a dire contrast to the shaking, stammering girl she'd held only half an hour ago, and Blake liked this version of Weiss immeasurably more than the previous one.

She made her way back to her quietly, so as not to startle the girl.

"I'm back," she said softly.

Weiss reopened her eyes and smiled. Blake handed her a napkin, and sat back down.

They continued eating for a few more minutes, until they had nothing but the cones left. Blake ate hers but Weiss only nibbled the rim of her own before realizing she was full.

When she next looked up, she saw the smears of white on Blake's lips. Weiss giggled softly, and it had Blake's ears swiveling to catch the delicate sound and savor it. She turned to Weiss with curious eyes.

"What's up?"

Weiss reached out with her napkin to carefully dab around the girl's lips and cheeks.

"There," she said, pulling back.

Blake chuckled bashfully.

"Thanks."

"I should be the one thanking you," Weiss said.

"You already have," Blake reminded her. "It's fine, Weiss. I'm just glad you're okay."

"Well... I just really want you to know how thankful I am," Weiss murmured. "I mean... you didn't have to help me out back there like you did. You could've just ignored me. I'm... really thankful you didn't," she said. "If you had... I don't know where I'd be right now. Probably still there crying or getting scolded by a custodian."

"Well, don't worry about it," Blake said, wrapping her arm around Weiss' shoulders. "None of that happened. It's alright."

The white-haired girl nodded.

"Yeah. Thank you, Blake. Just... thank you."

The Faunus girl pulled Weiss in to her side in a half-hug.

"Again, you're welcome."

After that, Weiss offered her remaining cone to Blake, and held it in front of her as the Faunus girl ate it. She wiped Blake's lips for her once more, and Blake did the same for Weiss.

Once they were ready, Blake stood and helped Weiss up with her. They threw away their napkins in a nearby waste bin, and it didn't take more than a few seconds before their hands came together once more.

They headed back along the sidewalk, bound for the neighborhood now. Weiss directed them toward her house, aware that Blake's wasn't very far away, so she didn't feel guilty about being dropped off first.

Once they were outside her home, Weiss was finding it difficult to let go of Blake's hand. Blake was as well, so she kept hold of it for as long as possible.

"So," she said, ears flicking. "I just... want to make sure you're okay."

"Blake," Weiss smiled. "I'm so much better now. I can't thank you enough."

The Faunus girl blushed when Weiss said her name again, and she felt her chest tingle.

"Okay. I'm glad. B-But just in case..." She reached into her pocket with her free hand to take out her cell phone. "Please, take my number. If you need to text or call me anytime, don't hesitate."

Weiss' eyes went wide, and she was still for a moment – surprised. But Blake's gaze was just as caring as when she'd first met it an hour ago, and it made Weiss feel warmer than ever.

So she pulled out her cellphone as well, and they exchanged numbers.

"Great!" Blake blushed happily and put her phone away. "Now..."

Now there was only one thing left to do.

Her eyes traveled down to their entwined hands, and Weiss understood as well.

With one final squeeze, they let go.

"Oh!" Weiss gasped suddenly. "I-I'm sorry! I need to give this back to you." She fumbled for the zipper of the jacket and started to pull it down.

But a warm hand over hers stopped her. She looked up, puzzled.

Blake was smiling again.

"It's fine, Weiss. Keep it."

The white-haired girl's jaw dropped, but she shook her head.

"N-No, I couldn't, Blake. You've already done so much for me today. I couldn't-"

"Weiss, really. I want you to have it," she insisted. She'd seen how safe it made Weiss feel, and Blake didn't have any particular attachment to it. "I'd be more than happy for you to have it. So please."

Weiss was speechless, unbelieving.

Blake went on gently. "It'll keep you warm. And even when I'm not around, I'll still be there. I want you to feel safe."

Weiss couldn't think of words of gratitude.

All she could do was throw her arms around Blake in a tight embrace.

Blake gladly returned the contact, rubbing her back slowly. "I'll find you again at school tomorrow to make sure you're okay. You can text me whenever you want, Weiss... I'm glad I found you today. I'm so happy to have helped you."

Weiss felt more tears swelling behind her eyes, but they didn't sting like before. These were kinder tears.

"Thank you so much, Blake. Thank you..."

The two stayed that way for a moment longer, a soft purr rising up between them as warmth filled their hearts.

When they parted, Blake didn't think as she dared to lean down and peck Weiss' cheek.

Before she could even be worried about what she'd done, Weiss had already returned the kiss.

They both blushed, but said nothing more than a simple, "goodbye" and "see you tomorrow".

Blake headed off toward home, feeling refreshed and giddy inside, so much so that she almost skipped all the way to her house.

When Weiss got inside, she went to her room and curled up in Blake's jacket on her bed, giggling to herself as she felt her heart flutter. She sent a small text to Blake, one that read: Thank you again, Blake!

The response was: Have a good night, Weiss :3

And even after supper, Blake didn't stop thinking about her.

And even as she curled up in bed, Weiss didn't take off that jacket.

Going to school the next day was both an exciting and nerve-wracking endeavor for Weiss.

However, until now, it had only been the latter due to the boy harassing her, but once she arrived this morning, dressed in casual clothes with Blake's jacket over her shirt, Weiss felt like nothing could hurt her.

And nothing did.

The boy who'd forced himself on her was nowhere to be seen, causing her to have faith in Blake's theory that he had been suspended for his actions.

So once she was certain he was out of the picture, at least for now, Weiss stopped jumping at every sound and looking over her shoulder every time she felt eyes upon her. She simply went about her routine normally, confidence boosted thanks to Blake's now-constant presence around her.

Whenever she got a bit too nervous for her own good, Weiss would take deep, calming breaths and bury her chin and nose into the jacket's collar to inhale Blake's scent. A minute or two of this process always resulted in Weiss' rejuvenation, and she continued on with her day with the warmth on her shoulders.

The jacket was far better than any security blanket, and infinitely more convenient.

The only slight issue was near midday when Weiss had entered the cafeteria for lunch. She sat down alone as she did more often than not, and the noontime sun was casting heavy, bright rays through the windows directly onto her back. She was admittedly getting a bit hot, and perhaps even slightly dizzy with the added weight of the jacket.

Weiss picked at her food and sipped at her water bottle for a few moments, until she felt a familiar buzz in her pocket. Extracting her phone found a new text message from Blake: Hey! I have lunch right now. What about you?

Weiss replied with the affirmative, a smile immediately lifting her cheeks.

After a few more messages, Blake knew where to go to find her, and she hurried with her tray of food off the lunch line and spotted Weiss easily, her white hair catching the sunlight in a dazzling display.

"Weiss!" she called softly, as not to startle her.

Weiss looked up, beaming and clearly relieved to have found Blake again, to have someone to sit with in this bustling cafeteria. And the Faunus girl now adorned a new black-and-white jacket, one that looked just as appealing on her as the purple one had.

Blake put her tray down on the table and sat with a grin.

"How are you today?"

"I'm doing very well," Weiss said kindly.

"What about that boy?" Blake growled, her ears flattening a bit.

"No worries. You were right about him being suspended. I haven't seen him all day, and I feel... much better."

Blake's ears perked up again, and the smile returned.

"That's good. I'm so glad." She took a bite of her tuna fish sandwich and swallowed before going on. "So... you like my jacket, huh?"

Weiss blushed and sputtered a bit on her cracker.

"Y-Yes..." she murmured. "It's so warm, and it makes me feel safe. B-But if you'd ever want it back for any reason-"

"No, hey, calm down," Blake soothed, putting a hand to the girl's back. "I said it's yours, so it's yours. It looks much better on you anyway."

Weiss smiled bashfully and looked down into her lap.

"Thank you..."

They continued eating side-by-side for several minutes, striking up the most casual of conversations about classes or upcoming quizzes and projects. They didn't share any classes with one another, but they at least discovered they were in the same grade and had the same lunch periods.

"So if it's okay..." Blake mumbled. "If you'd like, I mean... I could sit with you from now on."

Weiss felt her heart lift and she couldn't have nodded fast enough.

"Yes! I mean I'd... really like that, if you could..."

"Of course!" Blake went on. "And we'll be graduating together. And hey, if you want we could walk to and from school together every day. If you have activities or something after school, I wouldn't mind waiting for you."

"Do you really mean it?"

The hopeful spark in Weiss' eyes was so endearing it made Blake's heart go aflutter.

"Of course I do."

"I'd love that, Blake. Really."

The Faunus girl grinned.

"Well then, that's what we'll do."

They continued eating and chatting, and for the first time all year, Weiss didn't feel anxious enough to end up throwing away half of her meal. She finished almost the entire thing, which was somewhat of an accomplishment for her.

Blake offered to throw away her trash for her and made a quick journey to the garbage cans as not to leave Weiss alone for longer than was necessary. But when she returned to her friend, Blake's ears lowered in concern.

She noticed Weiss seemed to be fidgeting a bit, her proper posture slumping a bit. As she sat down next to her again and stole a glance at her face, Blake found Weiss was flushed and breathing a little heavily.

"Weiss?" Her voice was piqued high with concern. "What's the matter?"

Said girl looked up, blinking away the haze in her eyes.

"Nothing," she tried to assure, taking another sip of water. "Just a little dizzy, I think. I'll be fine in a moment."

Where Blake came from, being "just a little dizzy" never resulted in anything good.

Putting a hand to Weiss' back to support her, she slipped her free hand to the girl's forehead to feel her temperature.

"H-Hey, you're really warm!" Blake yelped. "Why don't you take the jacket off?"

"N-No!" Weiss gasped. Her voice rose up in accordance with her adamancy on the matter, and she involuntarily jerked away from Blake, tears jumping to her eyes all in seconds.

Blake was taken aback and pulled away, her ears flat with hurt. Weiss realized her mistake and lowered her voice immediately.

"Blake... I'm sorry- I-I didn't mean to yell. I just... I really-"

Blake released a sigh, glad to find Weiss wasn't actually angry at her. She eased a bit closer to the girl and offered a gentle smile.

"No, it's okay," she said softly, and despite the din of the room, Weiss heard her loud and clear. Blake bit her lip a little. "I'm sorry for suggesting you take it off so suddenly. I know how much it means to you. I know it makes you feel safe, so for me to just suddenly say that out of the blue must have scared you a little."

Especially since the words had been coming from Blake, Weiss might have assumed it'd been an order from the jacket's previous owner.

Weiss swallowed nervously, but was glad she hadn't chased Blake away on accident; if Blake left her now, she didn't know what she'd do.

"No..." she sighed. "I shouldn't have yelled like that. It was just a reaction. I didn't mean to hurt you..." Her voice wavered a little bit, and she bowed her head. "Sorry..."

"Hey..." Blake closed the distance between them, putting a hand on Weiss' shoulder and the other on her cheek, having the girl lift her head so Blake could see her eyes. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean it," she said. "But you really don't look so good. The jacket's making you sweat and you're going to get a fever. So let's just..."

Slowly, so Weiss could see what she was doing, Blake pinched the zipper beneath her chin and started to tug it down.

Weiss whimpered a little bit, but didn't stop her. She couldn't deny that the rush of cool air that met her collar felt exceedingly good now, and the stuffiness in her chest began to uncoil.

She held still as Blake pulled the zipper down all the way and disconnected the two sides of the jacket.

"There," she said. "Now I have a better idea."

The dark-haired girl coaxed Weiss to turn to one side and then the other, and Blake slid the jacket off each of her arms. Once it was fully removed, the Faunus girl remembered just how small Weiss was without it. But her face was already starting to lose some of its redness, and that was for the best.

Keeping the jacket in her lap, Blake reached out and rubbed Weiss' back for her by means of comfort. Weiss simply closed her eyes and breathed for a few minutes, leaning slightly sideways to rest against Blake's side.

"Feel better?" the Faunus wondered.

Weiss nodded and blinked open her eyes.

"Very much." She straightened up again and met Blake's eyes unwaveringly. "Again, I'm so sorry, Blake. I didn't-"

"It's alright," she shrugged. "I know, Weiss. Don't worry about it."

It seems that was all their relationship had been these past two days, "I'm sorry" and "Don't worry about it." Weiss frowned a little; she didn't want everything they ever did together to be apologies and gratitude.

Then again, they'd only known one another for less than two days; they were still figuring out how the other ticked, and it would be a while yet before they understood and were understood anymore than that.

And that was okay, so long as they stuck together.

Weiss wiped her forearm over her face, appalled to find sweat covering her skin. Blake pushed over her own bottle of water, as Weiss had already finished hers.

"Or-" Blake hesitated. "I get it if you don't want to drink from something my lips have touched. I could just buy you another one."

But Weiss shook her head.

"It's quite alright. If you don't mind, then neither do I."

She took a sip, but was certain not to be too greedy about Blake's generosity. The Faunus girl did her best to keep her mind off the indirect kiss, keeping her focus on Weiss' wellbeing.

The girl finished drinking and twisted the cap back onto the bottle, then glanced to Blake's lap. The dark-haired girl smiled.

"Don't worry. There's still a perfect way for you to keep the jacket on without wearing it in such a way that it makes you too hot."

Once more, she had Weiss turn around a bit. Keeping hold of one sleeve in each hand, Blake leaned forward and wrapped the long arms of the jacket around Weiss' waist. Her chest pressed lightly to the smaller girl's back as her hands moved about, tying the sleeves together over Weiss' stomach and securing it in a small knot.

"There," she said, sitting back. "This way, it's like a hug."

Weiss looked down to where the jacket was now tied over her shirt. It certainly felt like Blake was still giving her a warm hug, even after the Faunus girl had pulled away. She turned around to face Blake once more, her smile returning tenfold.

"Thank you," she said. "I can wear it like this on warmer days."

Blake smiled too.

"Yeah. And I'll come sit with you every day, and walk you home from school. If we want, we can get ice cream on the way back. And I'll walk you home and text you at night, then pick you up again to walk you to school the next day."

It felt a bit odd planning everything out loud so blatantly like this. But Weiss never stopped or refuted her, and that told Blake that the other girl wanted this just as much as she herself did.

Weiss even said, "That sounds very nice."

It was right there in her pretty blue eyes, that now she had something to look forward to every day: Blake.

With a purr only Weiss could hear and feel, Blake wrapped Weiss in her arms once more, nuzzling into the side of her neck. Weiss slipped her arms around Blake's sides and squeezed, tucking her head beneath the girl's chin to listen better to that merry rumble.

Amongst the loud and busy cafeteria teeming with other students, their small interaction was easy to miss. But they didn't want anyone else to see, anyway.

They parted, but stuck close for the rest of the lunch period, talking and laughing softly.

When it came time to part ways for their next classes, one final hug served to sustain them. Each felt immensely better now that they had something to look forward to at the end of the day, and for once, time seemed to fly until at last they were by each other's sides once again.

Weiss put the jacket back on when they stepped outside, and Blake fixed the girl's snowy-white hair for her to smooth it out.

They started walking down the sidewalk, heading for home. But a slight stumble on Weiss' part due to a crack in the cement had Blake lunging forward to grab her hand and prevent her from falling.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. Thank you."

But even after Weiss was steady again, Blake didn't let go of her hand.

They took their time making it back to Weiss' house, and before they parted, Blake dared to kiss her cheek again, just as she had yesterday. Weiss was ready for her and did the same.

Blake texted her when she'd made it home safely, and they carried on texting conversations for the remainder of the evening until goodnight wishes were exchanged.

And they couldn't wait for tomorrow again.

That was how their days went, just as they'd anticipated.

Blake left a little earlier in the mornings to wait for Weiss and walk with her to school, and it wasn't even a question anymore of if she could hold her hand. More often than not, Weiss beat her to it, anyway.

The first half of their days led to their joint lunchtimes, and the second half of their days led to the walk home. They saw just enough of one another to sustain the coy relationship they'd begun on the first day they'd met.

Before either of them really knew it, they were holding hands every chance they got, kissing cheeks every morning in greeting and every evening in parting.

And somewhere along the lines, those kisses strayed to lips - slowly, timidly, but without regret.

They still didn't explicitly call the other her girlfriend, but it would come in time.

Whenever they had time to spare after school, Blake would take Weiss for ice cream. They'd share each other's cones and clean cheeks with napkins and with lips, letting the air fill with soft giggles and purrs.

It wasn't long before they started meeting up on weekends as well, either going out to shop or to the movies.

In addition to the more romantic things, there were a few things that were less so. Like the time Blake took Weiss to the cleaners to have her wash the jacket, as she'd discovered Weiss often forgot to do as much because she never took it off, except to shower.

Even after Weiss' tormentor returned to school, she wasn't scared of him any longer, not when Blake was there to find her at lunch and hold her until she felt better. He would send her glares and things like that in class, but never made a move on her again.

Wrapped in the comfort of Blake's jacket and reassured by her words, Weiss wasn't afraid of him anymore.

But it was at that point that Weiss realized how much Blake had given her, and Weiss formed the idea in her mind to give something back.

So that weekend, a month after she had met Blake and two weeks after they had started kissing lips, Weiss got up early. She'd slept with Blake's jacket clutched to her chest, and after freshening up and getting dressed into a bottom layer of clean clothes, she slipped into her favorite article.

Blake was going to be at her house in a few hours to pick Weiss up for a date, so she needed to do this as soon as possible.

Weiss ate a quick breakfast before slipping out of the house. It was one of the first times since she'd met Blake that she traveled that sidewalk alone, but she did so with a bit of excitement for what she had in mind.

She made her way to the local shop area, where Blake took her for ice cream. There was something Weiss had seen on display in the windows of one of the shops they passed, and she was presently relieved to find it was still there.

She stepped into the jewelry store, made her purchase, and slipped the small gift baggie into her jacket's front pocket. She hurried back home, and her cell phone buzzed with a message from Blake just as she reached the front steps: I'm leaving now. See you soon!

Weiss replied with a little heart before going inside, removing the jewelry box from the plastic bag.

What she'd bought were two necklaces, each in the shape of hearts. One was black on the left half and white on the right, and the other was marked exactly the opposite.

Weiss clipped one into place around her neck, letting it dangle at her collar before sliding it inside the jacket to conceal it for now.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at her door. She closed the box containing the other necklace and put it in her pocket before heading to the door and opening it.

"Hi, Weiss," Blake purred instantly.

"Good morning."

Blake leaned down for a kiss and Weiss strained up a bit to give it to her. The Faunus girl reached for her hand and led her outside.

"So, are you ready for a walk in the park? There's actually a carnival going on and I want to take you there, if you'd like."

"I'd love to!" Weiss smiled. "But first, hold on just one second." She halted in her tracks, causing Blake to pause as well, her ears flicking curiously as she watched Weiss reach into her pocket. The box she extracted was about the size of her palm, a pretty black velvet coating over it. "Here," Weiss said, offering it to her. "I bought it for you."

Blake's ears stood tall in shock.

"What? Why'd you do that? You didn't have to."

"Well, I wanted to," she said simply. Her family was wealthy enough; Weiss could spare some money for her girlfriend.

Touched, Blake accepted the box and opened it up slowly.

She revealed the black-and-white heart necklace, each half brightly contrasted against the other, and the metal caught the sunlight overhead to make the trinket sparkle silver.

Blake was in awe, astonished by the thoughtful gift, her jaw hanging open in disbelief.

"Oh, wow..." she mumbled. "Weiss, this is... this is so gorgeous. I love it. Thank you."

Carefully, she extracted the necklace and put the box into her own jacket's pocket. Weiss watched as she unclasped the ends of the necklace and reached behind her neck, brushing her onyx hair to one side as she fastened it at the nape of her neck.

When she was finished, she put her hair back into place, and Weiss marveled at the results.

The heart balanced perfectly at the center of Blake's chest, outlined nicely against the pale skin of her collar. Weiss unzipped her own jacket a bit to reveal her similar necklace.

"We match!" she said, smiling. "Since you gave me this jacket, I've always had a part of you to take with me wherever I go, and I wanted to give you something like that as well," she confessed, her cheeks pink. "And there's one more thing. Let me show you."

She moved to the front steps and sat down on the top one, motioning for Blake to have a seat beside her. The Faunus girl did just that, unable to keep the smile off her face.

Quietly, Weiss leaned in and cupped her cheeks, kissing her lips with soft affection.

Blake's purr was immediate and unbridled, her hands moving out to rub gently up and down Weiss' sides. At the time, Blake wasn't sure what Weiss was trying to show her, so she simply enjoyed the kiss and indulged herself, purring faintly all the while.

When Weiss pulled away, Blake blinked curiously down at her. Weiss was still beaming.

"Look," she said, nodding to Blake's chest. She was looking at the necklace, so Blake did the same and looked at Weiss'.

There was a faint tinge of pink now highlighting the little heart, and she imagined the same was true for her own necklace.

Blake was baffled.

"Wow... What- H-How-"

"They resonate," Weiss explained. "I guess that's the best way to say it. When the necklaces are close enough, they link up and emit a pink glow. Usually, the people wearing them have to be close enough to kiss," she explained.

"That's adorable," Blake gaped. "Weiss, this is so amazing. Thank you so much!"

It was Weiss' turn to say it now:

"Don't mention it."

Blake let her purr out fully, moving closer to Weiss on the step and pulling her into a tight hug.

Blake held her for a moment before dipping her head, nestling into Weiss' collar. Her ears flicked as she sought out the girl's heartbeat, picking up on the steady sound within seconds.

Blake listened for a few minutes, purring hard enough to make her throat itch. Weiss held her and giggled softly, kissing her hair. Every time she laughed like that, Blake heard her heart flutter a little bit.

When she pulled away, she kissed Weiss' heart necklace first, and then straightened up.

"I'm so happy I found you in the bathroom that day," she murmured, pressing soft kisses to each of Weiss' cheeks.

The smaller girl tightened her hold on Blake.

"And I'm so lucky you found me," she breathed, kissing each of her Faunus ears.

Their lips came together once more, and the little monochrome hearts at their chests lit up pink all over again.

At last, they stood together.

"Now then," Blake said. "To the carnival."

"Right!" Weiss agreed.

They headed off down the stairs and toward that familiar sidewalk hand-in-hand, hearts beating as one.

A/N: Thus concludes this little excerpt for the Jacket AU! I don't know what else Nox has in store, but depending on what it is, I may write more! But for now, this is all! Hope you enjoyed!

Please review!