Cat got Your Tongue

The last sane Felix Belladonna in Beacon sat alone in his room.

There was a knock at the door.

Okay, probably not the best horror story in the world for your average person, you admit, setting your novel aside, but horror was a matter of perspective. Like, for example, being a long-suffering paranoid Faunus in disguise with a mystery person rap, rap, rapping on your chamber door. Blake had always accused you of being a scaredy cat, but you preferred to think of as well-honed caution. Point in your favor, you never dated a psychotic terrorist.

The knocks were growing louder, more insistent, and, to your ear, decidedly angrier.
They're not leaving, and you don't think you can get out of your room via window without someone noticing. Sitting up with a sigh, you tug you ear-disguising beanie firmly onto your head and look through the eye-hole to see....

Nobody?

This has got to be some kind of stupid pran-and there's the knocking again. Well, more like frustrated pounding at this point.

'So, I've finally snapped. Or I'm haunted.'

Undoing the multiple locks you'd insisted on having installed, despite you're teammates' mockery, you slowly nudge the door open...

Only for a delayed slam to rocket it open, leaving you completely exposed and standing directly in front of an obviously angry, and dominatingly short, Weiss Schnee.

You're too stunned to even reflexively use your obscuring Semblance, Ink, to scramble.

'Oh, so this isn't a horror story.'

"It's a murder mystery."

*"What?!"*

'Shit, said that out loud.'

Mind leaping into overdrive, you're mid assessment of possible escape routes, even as your mouth delivers the automated excuse you've had engrained into your brain since childhood.

"Whatever Blake did, I didn't know about it, I wasn't involved in it, I wasn't around for it, and anyone who says otherwise can't prove it."

There, covered all the exits, now how were you going to get out of-

"I-wh-SHUT UP!"

All brain processes cease as your focus is immediately dragged back to your petite executioner.

"That's not what I'm here for, now let me in so I can talk! I've been standing out here long enough, you owe me that, at least."

As much as you'd like witnesses around, the fact that she's apparently here without her terrifying brother or a Schnee corporate hit squad tells you that maybe, just maybe, she isn't here to assassinate you.

... Maybe.

"I, uh, sure. I guess?"

Taking a step back, you gesture to the empty dorm and let her in, closing the door with a soft click but leaving the locks undone. If you need to bolt, you'd like to not get trapped by your own security locks. The irony would kill you as surely as the pint-sized corporate princess currently surveying her environment with an impressive amount of haughty disdain.

For some reason, you feel compelled to apologize, even if your section is largely unblemished.
"Sorry, um, about the mess."

She turns and quirks a slender eyebrow.
"But not for making me wait outside?"

"Yes, fine, look, sorry about that too. Why are you here, again? If it's not about Blake, I mean."

With a hum, she regard you, and you feel your spine stiffen reflexively. The hell is with this girl? Was it mind control? There'd always been those rumors about the Schnee corp putting stuff in dust to control people, but even for you, that seemed crazy. Unless...

"Oh, about that. I lied."

'I KNEW IT'

But she continues before you can make a break for it.

"Well, after a fashion. I mean, Blake and I have been fighting since day one at Beacon, but things are... better, now, I suppose."

You blink. You and Blake had kept in casual contact since arriving, never really seeking each other out, but it'd been clear since that near-fight with the Schnees that she was going to have trouble with her team. The occasional rant via scroll or late-night meet ups had made that clear. But she hadn't mentioned anything lately about making nice with them.

"Wait, Blake? About yeigh high? Ribbon in her hair? Generally slightly less aggressive about when it comes to disagreements than your average Beowulf? That Blake?"

Your description actually gets a light chuckle from Weiss, which only confuses you further.

"I know, but it's true. Honestly, Whitaker did most of the work to make us get along, but in the end..." She shrugs. "We're not fighting. At least, not right now, anyways."

Huh. Will wonders never cease. Still..

"So... why are you here, then?"

At that, she huffs, brushing an errand lock of hair away.

"With Whitaker playing peacemaker all the time, I figured I'd try my hand at it as well. Besides, I asked Blake earlier, and she said, quote *"Sure, you can talk to him. If you can find him or keep him from running"*, end quote."

Bitch.

"So this is, what, an in-person olive branch?"

A nod, her posture relaxed now that she's actually got you in a conversation.

"Yes. You're a hard person to get a hold of. I didn't even know about you until Blake brought it up."

Arms crossed, you smirk. "Yeah, that's usually for a reason. Blake and I are siblings, and I love her, but we've always given each other our space after growing up with not a lot of it to call our own. Plus, no offense, but you guys are kind of Team Schnee, so it figures that she'd leave me out of most conversations."

"I suppose that makes sense, Blake's a fairly quiet person when she isn't angry."

With that, an awkward silence descends. You'd figured that was that, mission accomplished for Weiss, talk to her teammates weird insular secret brother. But she's still here. Looking at you. Thinking things. And it's kinda starting to freak you out.

"So, uh, was that it? Hi, bye, see you never?"

Weiss bites her lip in thought, as if mulling over an uncomfortable idea.

"Well, not exactly."

'Uh oh.'

"Not exactly what?"

Your tone is wary, that itch to just block her view with Ink and run returning with an uncomfortable vengeance.

She sighs, and straightens her posture.

"Blake told us. About being a Faunus"

"SHE DID WHAT!?"

'Of all the stupid, shortsighted, impulsive decisions to make, this has to rank up there with Adam, just admitting to being a Faunus to TWO SCHNEES!'

Weiss winces as you yell, hands up in a placating gesture that really, really isn't working.

"Keep your voice down! Yes, she told us, it's... fine, I suppose. Explains a lot, really."

"Oh it is *definitely* not fine! The whole disguise thing was her idea! I didn't even want to come to Beacon, I only did it to keep her out of trouble, and now she does *this*!?"

All semblance of shrinking fearfulness vanishes as you rant, practically pacing while Weiss takes a step back, giving you space to vent. Eventually, you run out of steam. Blake was always better at maintaining her righteous indignation than you were. Passive-aggressive barbs were more your style.

You shove your hands into your vest pockets, finally coming back to yourself to remember that you'd just been yelling like a maniac at Weiss Goddamn Schnee. Shamefaced, you give her a weak smile.

"Uh, sorry about that. Siblings, right?"

Shockingly, she actually laughs again. It's a... nice sound.

"You're fine, it's understandable. You should have seen me when she admitted to being in the White Fang."

You groan.

"Oh, that too, huh? Great. Any other private secrets that she's spilled? Maybe something else she should have told her beloved brother about first before impulsively spilling her guts tot he world?"

Weiss shakes her head.

"No, just those, I'm afraid."

"Joy."

With a sigh, you fight the urge to run a hand through your short hair, remembering your hat.

"Well, thanks for telling me, at least. I'll have to yell at her about it later, maybe while in the arena. It's been a while since we've beaten some sense into each other."

That earns you another amused sound.

"Now that is something I'd like to see that. Let me know ahead of time, I'd hate to miss it."

A silence falls again, more comfortable than awkward. Maybe this isn't so bad, this whole talking to other people thing...

Nah.

However, you can't help but notice that Weiss keeps glancing at your hat, almost expectantly. Hm...

"What?"

Her eyes immediately flick away, her guilt obvious.

"Nothing, nothing at all."

Now it's your turn to chuckle.

"You wanna see 'em, don't you?"

A tinge of red blooms on her pale face.

"I mean, I was just thinking that keeping them hidden must be uncomfortable..."

"I mean, they're nothing special, here."

'Wait, what are you doing? Showing your ears to some cute girl? What are you stupid?! No, put your goddamn hat back on!'

You idly toy with your discarded beanie, letting your Faunus ears breathe. Weiss' eyes go right to them, amusing you with a stare that would normally make you uncomfortable. Humoring her, you bend down a little, giving her a clear view.

"There, see? I mean, you've seen Blake's right? Nothing spec-"

And she's touching them. Weiss Schnee is touching your ears. This can't be real.

Feels kinda nice, actually.

She catches herself too late, hand jerking away, her tone both apologetic and defensive

"I-sorry! That, it's just, they looked soft and I've never touched one before and-"

"It's... fine. It felt kind of nice, actually. You didn't have to stop."

Dumbfounded she resumes, teasing the soft material in silence.

Your internal paranoiac is wailing, this is a violation of everything you've spent your life doing, flaunting your appearance to a human, a Schnee no less, and letting her pet you like a goddamn animal. But it's overridden, because it actually feels really, really nice.

'This had better not awaken something in me.'

Right up until your door opens and your sister steps into the room.

"Felix, I know this is kind of sudden bu-"

She freezes.

You freeze.

Weiss freezes.

Blake's shock twists into a smug smirk as you die inside.

This may not have been a murder, but you still wish you were dead.