A/N: We now take a break from your regularly scheduled programming for this little slice of insanity from the half-cooked brain of yours truly.
Standard Disclaimer: All rights belong to those whose rights they belong to, primarily the glorious minds at Rooster Teeth, though quite namely not me. Don't own a thing.
A Thorny Tangled Triangle
It had all begun innocently enough.
Blake was sitting in her usual position on her bed, legs comfortably curled under her while she perused the latest installment of her romance novel series (not smut, thank you very much). She'd just gotten back from a lengthy study session with her team leader, Ruby, and while she'd enjoyed her time as usual with the hyperactive brunette (fueled by the prodigious amounts of cookies used as bribery for correct answers), right now she just wanted to relax and get lost inside a book.
Her partner, however, had other plans.
Blake jumped slightly as the blonde bruiser landed on the end of her bed, sprawled out and with her head propped up in one muscular arm.
"Sooo…" Yang drawled with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Noticed you've been spendin' a lotta time with my lil' sis, Blakey…"
The Cat Faunus pulled her book up slightly higher to hopefully cover the blush she knew was involuntarily spreading across her cheeks. "Yes, she's my friend. I've been helping her study."
"That's usually Ice Queen's job."
"Hey!" Weiss protested from across the room.
"Anywho," Yang continued, unfazed. "I don't think that's all it is. Ain't that right?"
Blake buried her nose further into her paperback. "I don't know what you're talking about," she mumbled unconvincingly.
Yang sighed, reaching out to tip the book downwards so that she might peer into Blake's eyes. "I've seen the way you've been watchin' her the past month."
"I have not been… watching her."
"Yep, you have."
"No, I have not," Blake protested adamantly. "That makes me sound creepy."
"Oookaayyy," Yang grinned. "What would you call the googly eyes you've been sendin' her way when she's not lookin' back?"
Blake let out an irritated huff. "Carefully… observing."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. She's my team leader, and I'm simply… looking out for her well-being."
The sound of Weiss' book hitting her sheets was followed closely by the heiress' sigh. "Blake, you can admit it to us. We've both seen the signs. You have a crush on Ruby."
"I so do not!" Blake protested hotly, her face now a bright crimson.
"You sooo do," Yang laughed.
"I… You…" Blake sputtered, the normally calm and collected girl reduced to a verbally feeble mess. "Fine. Perhaps I do."
"Ha! I knew it!" Yang shouted victoriously. "Now, then… when are ya gonna ask her out?"
"I can't just…" Blake looked at her partner askance. "Aren't you supposed to be mad at me or something? You know, as her big sister?"
Yang shrugged her shoulders unconcernedly. "You're my partner. She's my lil' sis. What, I can't want for the two of you to be happy?"
The Cat Faunus blinked at the blonde uncertainly as her mind raced, mulling over the specifics of what Yang had just implied. She cleared her throat before continuing in a whisper. "Do you think… she might… um…"
The blonde rolled onto her back and gave a groan. "Yes, alright? You never heard it from me, but yes, she kinda likes you too." She peered over at the stunned girl, her lilac eyes warm and caring. "Ask her out, already."
Blake nodded slowly, still trying to absorb how the very foundation of her understanding of their team dynamic had been quite skewed. "Alright, then… I'll, um… I'll try."
"Do or do not, there is no try!" Yang exclaimed.
"...What?"
"Never mind. So where is Rubes at, anyways?"
"Oh, well after our study session she received a message from Pyrrha about something…"
o o o
Pyrrha paced in a tight circle outside the courtyard fountain, her long red ponytail swishing behind her on every turn.
Come on, Nikos, you can do this. This is a task set before you just like any other, one which you may easily overcome with both skill and aplomb.
She sighed despondently. I am so screwed.
The tall huntress-in-training had first felt herself becoming drawn to a certain energetic brunette after an outing into Vale a couple of weeks ago. Ruby had been bouncing along, happily regaling the combined teams of RWBY and JNPR about her most recent modifications to her baby, Crescent Rose, when Pyrrha had noticed just how her silver eyes shined when she was so excited.
Like sparkling pools of quicksilver.
After that, she'd seemed to be unable to tear her gaze away from her, noting the small quirks and adorable mannerisms that she exhibited. And it had been her that suggested the next combined team outing, just so that she could spend more time outside of meals with the intriguing girl.
However, it wasn't until Ruby had asked to spar with her that Pyrrha realized how much she'd managed to fall for the effervescent brunette.
Combat brought out an entirely different side of Ruby, one which enthralled the Amazonian warrior even further. Razer-focused and deadly, the small girl had thrown herself into the bout with abandon, causing Pyrrha to pull out all the stops in keeping up with her. She'd still managed to eke out a win, but the victory paled in comparison to the wide grin Ruby wore afterwards.
Truthfully, she'd never enjoyed herself more in a fight.
But still, just because I have… feelings for her, doesn't mean she might return them, or… Argh, what am I thinking? This is a terrible idea, what if this ruins our friendship? Why did I ever listen to Nora, of all people? I should just-
"Hey, Pyrrha!"
"Gaaah!" the redhead wailed, flailing backwards with uncharacteristic gracelessness. She landed on the edge of the fountain, fortunately, and not inside of it, else she'd have immediately stalked off trailing what was left of her dignity.
Ruby peered down at her, silver eyes filled with concern. "Um… you okay?"
"Yes! Yes, I am fine!" Pyrrha took a deep breath and on the exhale, tried to push all of her nervousness aside. "How are you?"
"I'm good…" Ruby still looked unconvinced, but her cheerful face couldn't keep a grin off for long. "You almost took a bath, there."
"Er, yes, I noticed that…"
"So, what's up?"
"Oh, yes, um…" Pyrrha stood back up, clasping her hands in front of her. Alright, Nikos. Woman up. "So, I was wondering if… well… you would like to see a movie with me in Vale this afternoon?"
Ruby looked back at her blankly. "Are you… asking me out? Like, on a date?"
"Er… Perhaps?"
"Well then…" Ruby's face suddenly broke out into a wide smile. "Yeah, I'd love to!"
o o o
"Alright, so you got this, right?" Yang prompted. "Weiss and I will leave when Rubes gets back, and then you…"
Blake sat on her bed nervously, her bow twitching furiously.
"And then you…" Yang prompted once more.
"And then I ask her to dinner tonight," Blake mumbled.
"That has got to be the most unconvincing thing I've ever heard escape from your lips," Weiss declared from the edge of her bed. "Come on, Blake, you can do better than that."
Blake nodded. "Right. I will then ask her to dinner tonight."
"Better," Yang grinned. "You got this, kitten."
"Right," Blake murmured distractedly. "And don't call me kitten."
Yang opened her mouth to retort, but it snapped shut as the door to their room burst open in a flurry of rose petals.
"Guys guys guys guess what!?" Ruby chirped estatically. "Pyrrha asked me to go see a movie later today! I'm goin' on a date! Isn't that the coolest?"
Her happy announcement was met with a deep, shocked silence.
"Um, guys?" Ruby asked hesitantly. "What'd I miss?"
"Nothing," Blake whispered brokenly, scooting back on her bed and pulling her book back up to her face once more. "Er… congratulations."
The Cat Faunus felt her shoulders hunch inwards as she experienced the overwhelming need to simply fade into nonexistence. How could I have been so stupid… I waited too long. Well done, Belladonna. Well done.
Her gloomy thoughts were interrupted by a jolt on her bed. She blew the rose petal off of the tip of her nose, knowing full well who was perched right in front of her.
"Blaaake," Ruby cajoled sweetly. "Come on, I know you better than that… what's bugging you?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"But we're friends! We talk about everything! Come on, you can-"
"I was going to ask you out for dinner, okay?" Blake blurted out. She immediately dropped her book only to clamp both hands over her mouth, her eyes wide and uncomprehending of the massive blunder she'd just made.
Ruby was inches away from her, confusion in her own pools of silver that had enchanted Blake so very much. "You… Really?"
Blake closed her eyes and nodded slowly.
"Oh… well… Hey, the movie is this afternoon, so we could still do dinner! Where did you wanna go?"
Blake's eyes shot open, her hands dropping from her mouth as it gaped incredulously. She flickered her glance over to Weiss and Yang, both of whom were now sitting on the heiress' bed. The two of them looked equally stunned.
"Ruby… You understand I was going to ask you out on a date, right?"
"Yep!"
"As in, more than friendship?"
"Yep!"
"And… Pyrrha just did the same?"
"Yep!"
Blake blinked her eyes slowly. This must be what going mad feels like…
"So," Ruby prompted again with a grin. "Where'd you wanna take me to dinner at?"
"Er… Well, I was thinking about this little cafe outside of Tukson's book store…?"
"Great!" Ruby chirped. "I'll see you at six, then!" She lunged forward and grabbed Blake into a tight hug. "Thanks for asking me out!" she said happily.
"Um, right…"
"Oh! I almost forgot, I left my study books back in the library! Be right back!"
The rose petals hadn't hit the ground before the door slammed shut once more.
Blake stared at her teammates across the room. "What… just happened?"
"Well," Weiss said slowly. "It would appear that you have a date with Ruby. After her date with Pyrrha."
"Right… Um, Yang? Why are you crying?"
Yang sniffled, wiping away a tear. "I dunno whether to be sad that Rubes is growing up so fast… or incredibly proud of what she just managed to pull off."
At that point the door opened to reveal the orange-haired hammer-wielder from across the hall.
"Oops, forgot to knock!" Nora stated cheerfully. She turned around and rapped her knuckles on the open door. "Okay if I come in?"
"You're already in, Nora," Weiss sighed.
"Right, I am! Sooo… I saw Ruby speed away, did she tell you guys the awesome news?"
A few minutes later, Nora had returned to her dorm room across the hallway. Less than another minute after that, Pyrrha's shout was clearly audible through both closed doors.
"SHE WHAT?!"
A/N: Heh. A Star Wars and a Firefly reference right off the bat. I'm onna roll…
These are the kinds of things that run through my head as I try to fall asleep in the wee hours of the morning. I totally blame the brilliantly talented jefardi for this, acclaimed master of both Ladybug and Milk & Cereal. What I get for reading both Spoon Equality and Dilation before bed.
I'm going about this story a little differently from my others. There's not going to be any outside plot other than what we see right here. It exists completely outside of the RWBY timeline. Not even really going to go into much scene descriptions or the like. This is gonna be pure relationship crack. Short chapters and time skips will abound. Buckle on up.
As I have most of this tale already in my head, I'm going to be churning it out fairly quickly. I hope. Well, drop me a review and lemme know what you think of my drabble so far!
Stay shiny!