For The Better (ch9)

EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL PATRONS! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Blake is on the right track! Will she be able to stay there? She doesn't have much time left...

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

--------------

													Chapter 9. One Wrong Move

Blake was incredulous all that afternoon, evening, and night.

She couldn't stop thinking about the time she'd spent together with Weiss, even despite the harrowing nature of some of it.

/But she's all right now, and that's all that matters./

As she lie on her bed that evening, she didn't even require the faint glow of lamplight to see in the darkness. Her vision cut through the shadows to make out the calendar on the back of her door, checking it over to see how many days she had left.

After she saw Weiss again on Tuesday to share notes with her, she would only have ten.

/Ten is enough. I can do this./

Blake knew better than anyone how defensive Weiss was, and she didn't do it on purpose or for petty reasons. The only reason Weiss behaved so standoffish and self-sufficiently was because she didn't want other people thinking she needed any help, or anyone to confide in. She didn't want to appear weak or needy.

But most of all, she didn't want to open up and allow someone to get close to her, only to end up with them betraying and hurting her.

So long as Blake was cautious about what she did and said, she was confident she could get on Weiss' good side, even to the point where she'd be able to reveal her true identity and explain everything to her.

She had already made plans in her mind about how the following week would go.

On Monday, now that she knew Weiss had classes before Blake in the same rooms, Blake would make sure to arrive to them early so she might catch a glimpse of Weiss leaving. If she did, Blake would be sure to try and make eye contact, smile, and possibly even greet her and ask about her ankle.

On Tuesday, she planned to share her notes with Weiss, and presently thanked the fact that she'd actually jotted things down on the first day of class. By that point, she planned to ask Weiss out to lunch again for Wednesday, where she would chat with her and demonstrate to Weiss that she could be trusted.

From there, on Thursday, they would have their gardening class together again, and perhaps talk a little. At the end of class that afternoon, Blake planned to ask to meet with Weiss again that upcoming weekend.

And on whichever day Weiss deemed to be most convenient for her, Blake planned to finally reveal the truth to her.

She had thought this through for a while and decided it was the best way to do things, given her time limit. She didn't want to rush things and more or less force herself on Weiss, but Blake believed it would all be worth it in the end.

/Then I can keep my form and my promise. I can be with her for the rest of my life./

She fell asleep that night believing as much.

--------------

The next few days seemed to drag by, making Blake aware of every wasted second as it left her behind.

She just kept reminding herself that she would get to see Weiss again soon.

By the time Monday morning rolled around, Blake jumped out of bed at 8, when Weiss' first class was already starting. She dressed herself, ate, freshened up, grabbed her things, and dashed out the door and out of the building, bound for Weiss' classroom.

She got there half an hour before Weiss' class was to be dismissed, so Blake loitered out in the hallway for a while. At one point, she even went so far as to lean up against the closed door, shut her eyes, and perk up her cat ears to see if she could hear Weiss' voice at all.

But if Weiss was in there, she didn't participate from what Blake could discern.

She realized a second too late when the class had been dismissed, and ended up getting hit with the door as the first people pushed it open.

Blake scurried back a few paces and ran a hand through her hair, trying to make herself look somewhat presentable. People filed out of the room for a moment, though none of them were who she sought.

/Did she not come to class today? Was her ankle still bothering her? It's my fault.../

Shoulders slouched, she limped toward the door.

But upon peering inside, Blake almost gasped out loud when she spotted Weiss there, hovering over her desk, neatly putting away her notebook and other looseleaf papers.

/Of course. She's usually the first one out of the room, but not unless everything in her bag is completely organized./

Weiss picked her bag up and started for the door. But she paused and her eyes went wide the second she saw who was standing there.

Blake's heart thumped as their eyes locked, and she quickly scrambled to find her voice.

"G-Good morning! How... um... How is your ankle?"

Weiss said nothing at first. She kept her eyes trained on Blake's and slowly made her way forward, pausing when there was only a few feet of distance between them. Blake observed the way she stood and how she seemed to favor one foot over the other in terms of distributing her weight.

"It's better than it was," Weiss replied, almost suspiciously. "And good morning."

Blake felt the overwhelming urge to smile, but she tried not to, fearing it would rub Weiss the wrong way.

But the feeling it gave Blake when Weiss greeted her reminded her of her days as a cat, when the girl had quite literally rubbed her the right way, a pleasant and content feeling...

"Excuse me?" Weiss huffed. "I've got to get to my next class."

"Huh? Oh!" Blake realized she was blocking the doorway and quickly stepped aside. "I'm sorry! Um..." She dropped her books down onto the nearest desk and then grabbed the door instead to hold it open. "Please. It's the least I can do after what happened."

Weiss looked very much like she wanted to snap a refusal. Something like, "I have a sore ankle. I'm not an invalid!" or "I don't need your help!"

But since Blake had made it sound like a way for herself to repent, and not a way to show Weiss pity, the white-haired girl seemed to sigh and accept the act of kindness.

Weiss regarded her cautiously, but she didn't have time to argue, as her next class was beginning soon. She passed Blake and then slipped out the door, a faint limp in her gait.

Blake made sure she was safely past before she began to close the door. But she froze when she heard Weiss' voice one more time.

"Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow."

Blake's heart whirled in excitement.

"Right! See you then!"

With that, Weiss took her leave.

Blake felt like jumping up and down and squealing, or running out of the classroom to lap the campus.

Not only had Weiss remembered their plans for Tuesday, but she'd been comfortable enough to verbally acknowledge them.

Blake didn't want to be smug about it, but she thought she was probably one of the first people to ever accomplish a feat like this.

She couldn't sit still during class, to the point where the professor asked her if she needed to excuse herself, an offer which Blake eagerly accepted. She rushed to the bathroom to splash cold water onto her face, having grown to like the stuff now that she no longer had fur. When she'd worked off a bit of her excitement, she returned to her room for the end of class.

As soon as they'd been dismissed, she hurried to her next room, once again eager to see if she could catch Weiss on her way out.

/But then again, I've already done that once today. Maybe twice might be a little too strange.../

So she slowed her pace and tried to contain her enthusiasm. By the time she arrived at her next classroom, it was already empty.

She mulled through that hour and a half, then proceeded to the cafe for a bit of lunch.

Then it was a matter of toiling away the afternoon again. She went to bed early to help time pass more quickly, and set her alarm for late the next day.

Another several hours of waiting, waiting, waiting...

And then she was on her way to her gardening class in the cool afternoon air, hurrying as quickly as her youthful human legs could carry her. She made it to her building, and then the staircase that would take her to the second floor. Her boots were all too ready to propel her up the steps in a matter of seconds.

But Blake came to a sudden halt when she was presented with yet another bit of luck.

Weiss was making her way up the stairs ahead of her, taking her time so as not to aggravate her healing ankle.

Blake longed to rush up and help her, but didn't want to intrude on Weiss' boundaries any more than she already had.

But still, she wanted to do something.

So she hopped up the steps until she was right beside Weiss.

"Hi! Do you want me to hold your books?"

Weiss nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Goodness!" she cried, gripping the rail even harder. She swayed an inch or so, and Blake reacted quickly, reaching out to steady her back. Weiss narrowed her eyes, but couldn't afford to shake her off. But as the surprise died away, so did the initial traces of hostility. "You again?" she sighed.

"Yeah. I was just on my way to class. And I'm sorry... about always startling you, and then always asking you if I can help. I know you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. I just... I feel responsible for what happened..." Trailing off, Blake looked away and let her hand fall from Weiss' back.

Weiss looked her over, and Blake stayed still as she did so. She hoped Weiss didn't see her as a threat or take her words as insults somehow.

A moment passed before Weiss cast her gaze ahead and continued on her way.

"You don't need to feel responsible," she grunted. "Hear it from me right now: you're absolved of what happened last week. You don't need to feel obligated to help me anymore."

Shocked, Blake flicked her gaze up after the girl. Again, she didn't think before speaking.

"But-! But even if I don't feel obligated anymore, can I still help you if you need it?"

Weiss came to a stop three steps above her and was still. Blake stared nervously up at the image of her unmoving form. Her small back had so much weight carried on it, but she never let it show.

And suddenly, Blake understood what had just happened.

Weiss had made a point to inform Blake that she didn't need to help her or be around her anymore, that there was no need for her to feel such things were necessary or required as penance for Weiss' accident.

But she had also offered Blake something else; the option to want to help her, should Weiss ever need it.

She wanted Blake to know that she was no longer obligated to help her, but also wanted to see if she would offer assistance not because she felt she needed to, but just because she wanted to.

In other words, how a friend would behave.

Blake's throat felt tight as she waited for Weiss to react or reply somehow. She didn't dare move an inch or speak a word until Weiss had done so first.

Her response took a moment, during which Blake feared the whimpers in her stomach might escape her throat.

But her bow wiggled as her ears picked up on Weiss' voice once again.

"Do you have the notes?"

Blake tried to rake her brain for an answer, only to realize Weiss was only asking for one word.

"Yes."

"...Then let's get to class."

With that, she continued up the stairs.

Blake stood there, unmoving as she watched the flow of the girl's white hair and dress move away.

She wasn't sure how to feel.

That... hadn't exactly felt like an acceptance of her friendship.

/But... it didn't exactly feel like a rejection either.../

If Blake had to choose between whether that had been a positive reaction from Weiss or a negative one, she would have to decide on the former.

Blake raced up the steps after her, two at a time to catch up. She walked beside Weiss down the hallway now, and casually began discussing the previous class' lecture.

Blake was thrilled when Weiss actually offered a few comments here and there and added to the conversation.

They made it to their room several minutes early. Blake put her things down at her seat near the door, but felt her heart sink as Weiss moved a few aisles away.

/Oh, right. We all sort of sit in the same seats each time.../

But just as she was preparing to slump down into her chair, Weiss made a comment.

"This chair never did get occupied," she said, motioning to a desk only one row shy of her own. Blake took the hint and jumped up immediately, gathered her things, and hurried over.

Once they'd settled themselves in, Blake opened her notebook to the first day's worth of notes.

"Sorry. My handwriting is kind of sloppy." /But not bad for someone who only just learned how to write a few weeks ago./

"Nonsense. It's fine," Weiss assured her. "Now, can you please explain what he meant when he was discussing this part?"

"Sure..."

As Weiss began copying the notes, Blake recounted everything that she could from the lecture that day in order to help Weiss comprehend everything. She desperately raked her brain even for the tiniest details to recall, and relayed everything to Weiss.

Their other classmates soon began filing in, and just as Weiss was finishing up, the professor entered. Weiss opened her notebook to a fresh page to begin taking down today's notes, then handed Blake's back to her.

"Thank you. That was a big help to me."

Blake nodded, smiling shyly. When she reached out to accept her notebook, her fingers brushed Weiss' for a brief second.

They sat through class together, but while Weiss was clearly focused on the lesson being taught, Blake could only focus on the girl beside her and one row up.

The last time she'd been in this classroom a week earlier, Blake had been sitting almost on the other side of the room in comparison to Weiss' seat, and she had hardly spoken two words to her.

And now, just four days later, she was this much closer to her, both physically and perhaps even emotionally.

She might've gotten Weiss injured a bit, but Blake liked to believe she had redeemed herself for that. She'd even gone so far as to establish herself as someone who would stay by Weiss' side just because she wanted to, not because she had to.

/I can't believe my plan is really working. After class today, I'll ask her to come to lunch with me tomorrow. Then it'll just be a few more days.../

She was getting jittery just thinking about what might happen when she confessed the truth to Weiss. It was exciting, nerve-wracking, and even a bit frightening all at the same time.

There was so much that could go wrong...

But there was also so much that could go right.

Blake had been thinking over the things she wanted to say when the time came. She'd mentally planned a basic outline, and depending on how Weiss behaved around her now, she was continuously adding things, taking things out, and arranging them in the best possible order.

/I can do this. Just a few more days.../

The final minutes of class came and went. Weiss was packing up her things right away, eager to leave. Blake tried to match her pace so she might walk out with her. She decided to speak up in order to keep Weiss there a moment longer.

"Did you get all of the notes today?" Blake instantly regretted her choice of questioning.

/Of course she did! She never stopped writing!/

"Did you?" Weiss flashed back at her. "I don't think I saw your hand move once today. It's a good thing I got the notes from you before you turned into a slacker."

Anyone else might've taken offense to those words. But as Blake looked Weiss over now, she could detect a very faint smile on her lips.

Weiss wasn't trying to be mean. This was her way of trying to make friendly banter through sarcastic comments.

Blake smiled in return.

"Yeah, you're right. I just spaced out today. I think I'm just hungry."

"Best to get something to eat, then."

Blake successfully managed to have Weiss linger long enough so that they could leave together now. As they exited the room, Blake tried to stay on the topic of food.

"Would you like to come get something with me?"

"I can't right now," Weiss informed her. "I've got a bit of work I'd like to finish."

"Of course. Then... how about tomorrow? Maybe lunch?"

Weiss pondered for a moment, and Blake chewed on the inside of her lip. She felt her cat ears flick nervously, and had to reach up to make it look as though she'd been adjusting her bow.

She'd only just gotten onto reasonably good terms with Weiss not too long ago. Blake feared she was overstepping by asking her to join her for lunch so soon. With every second of Weiss' silence, Blake was beginning to doubt herself more and more, to the point where she needed to speak up again.

"It's fine if you can't. I was just-"

"Lunch hour, I'll be busy," the other girl said loudly. "But I'm free at one."

Blake nearly tripped over her own two feet as Weiss flashed her a shy glance. Blake knew what that meant.

Weiss was always aloof and even hostile to people at first, which tended to chase most of them away.

But for her to reveal her shyer, less confident side was an indication that she was becoming more comfortable around a person.

This was Weiss' true self, beneath the layers and layers of cold, hard ice she'd built up in order to protect herself.

Blake was so astonished, so dumbfounded, so incredibly joyful and distracted that she walked right into a garbage can. Only a yelp and a quick set of reflexes spared her from spilling it all over the floor and herself.

"Sorry!" she gasped. "I-I didn't get anything on you, did I?"

Weiss had taken a step back to avoid such a thing, so she shook her head.

"Fortunately not."

"Thank goodness..." Blake smoothed out her clothes and hair a bit, making sure her bow was properly in place as she tried to get her bearings. "Th-Then yeah! One o'clock tomorrow is perfect for me! Is the um... is the cafe all right? I don't really know any other food places on campus..."

Weiss tilted her head a little, then directed her gaze ahead.

"Then perhaps I'll have to show you some. But yes, the cafe is fine."

Blake could hardly contain her excitement now as they walked back to the dorms. It was all she could do to keep herself from jumping and squealing. She did her best to remain calm and composed as she walked with Weiss all the way back.

Weiss' room was a floor beneath her own, so Blake naturally led her to her door to drop her off. Weiss turned to her as she fished out her key.

"Thank you again for the notes," she said simply.

"You're welcome. It was no trouble at all. I-If you ever need anything else, I-" Blake snapped her lips shut again, remembering they'd only been on particularly good terms for a day, as far as Weiss knew. "I mean I... I'll see you tomorrow at one then?"

Weiss unlocked her door and stepped inside.

"Don't be late."

And with that, the door closed and concealed her.

Blake then took the opportunity to run off her excitement. She raced through the hallways and up the stairs before skidding to a stop outside her own door. She couldn't even unzip her bag right away because her hands were shaking so much, and it was even more of a process to get the key into the lock. But once she had, Blake shot into the room, jumped onto her bed, buried her face into her pillow, and squealed.

"Tomorrow! Tomorrow at one!"

She didn't know if Penny and the others were here right now, but she thanked them all a million times.

"I can do this!" she declared, sitting up straight. "Just a few more days and then I can tell her everything. I can do this!"

She hurried to her calendar and crossed today off, leaving nine more before her time as a human came to an end.

She was already thinking about what it would be like, to spend the rest of her life as a human being, to be able to see spring not just three more times, but eighty more times.

And to see it with herself sitting beside Weiss instead of on her lap.

To be able to hold her and be held by her in ways that had been impossible before.

To be able to talk to her and tell her all the things Blake had never been able to say before in a way that Weiss could understand.

She wondered what things Weiss would say to her in return.

Blake fantasized about it all that evening, playing through her dream that would soon become reality, until it took her into the realm of sleep.

The only difference between the dream she saw there and the one she kept thinking about was that her dream could actually come true.

--------------

Blake's Wednesday classes couldn't pass by quickly enough.

She ended up seeing Weiss as she was leaving her second class and Blake was going in. Blake had flashed her a smile and almost gotten one in return, but Weiss had looked away before she could be certain.

"I'll see you at one," she'd murmured and hurried off.

Blake had watched her go, her stomach already bubbling with excitement she could hardly contain. Somehow, she'd managed to control herself for the next hour and a half through class, until she was released.

Blake rushed out the door and headed to the cafe as quickly as she could without running, not wanting to risk working up a sweat and smelling bad.

Even though Weiss was the one who had gotten out of class earlier, Blake was still the first to arrive at the cafe. She claimed the first open table she spotted by putting her bag on it, then took a moment to smooth out her hair and clothes.

/I can't believe it. It's really happening. I'm so close now!/

Once she felt her appearance was as good as it was going to get, she took her seat and waited, albeit a little anxiously.

She had a basic idea of the things she wanted to say to Weiss today, but she knew she might have to be flexible and follow the path of the conversation accordingly.

She waited there for several minutes, shuffling her feet and twiddling her fingers in her lap, her eyes trained on the glass doors.

At last, she spotted the girl she'd been waiting for.

Weiss was still limping very slightly as she pushed through the doors. She glanced around, but found Blake's gaze almost instantly and started making her way over.

Blake straightened up, her bow standing tall thanks to the perked ears beneath it, and she needed to swallow down another tickling purr.

Weiss reached the table and slung the strap of her own bag over the opposite chair before having a seat.

"I was the one who told you not to make me wait, and here I am showing up late."

"It's fine! I don't mind at all!" Blake insisted. "I'll go order us some food. What would you like? I can pick it up for you." She couldn't help but flash another glance down to Weiss' ankle again. The girl huffed.

"I'm not an invalid, you know."

"I-I know! I'm sorry, I-"

"Calm down. It was a joke."

"Oh..." Blake felt the knot in her stomach unwind as quickly as it had come. "Sorry."

"It's fine. I guess I'm not all that good at telling jokes. But I'll have a salad, if you could." She dug into her handbag and pulled out a few bills, then handed them to Blake. As she accepted the cash, Blake felt the tingle as their skin brushed once again.

"Salad. Got it."

Of course, she'd already known Weiss' food preference without even having to inquire.

Blake grabbed some of her own money, then hurried to get on line, not wanting to leave Weiss for any longer than she had to. She ordered a salad for Weiss and a tuna sandwich for herself, along with two bottles of water, and brought it all back to the table with some napkins in a matter of minutes.

"Thank you." Weiss dipped her head and accepted the small bowl of greens.

From there, Blake sat down again and took a bite of her sandwich so she could chew on something other than her lip.

She'd seen Weiss eat a million times before, but never from this perspective. It had always been from her position on the floor, looking up at Weiss. This was the first time she'd ever sat across from her, at eye-level. Blake couldn't help but stare, musing to herself.

/I swear she looks even prettier than I remember./

But as soon as she thought as much, Weiss looked up and caught her staring, causing Blake to choke a bit on her food. She slapped a napkin to her mouth and cleared her throat a few times in an effort to compose herself.

Weiss eyed her strangely, daintily cleaned her own lips off, and took a sip of water.

"So," she began, a little awkwardly. "What is your major? It seems we're taking a lot of the same classes."

"Huh? Oh, um..." Blake took a drink for herself as an excuse to think for a moment longer. "Um, I'm undecided for now. Those classes were the only ones that were open at the time I registered."

"I see..." Weiss seemed a little dejected by her answer, having thought she'd found someone with similar interests. Blake quickly tried to save herself.

"B-But I really like those classes so far! Everything is so interesting!" she lied.

But she must've been good at it, because Weiss' mood seemed to lift again.

"They are rather challenging courses, aren't they? But the things you learn from them should prove to be very useful." She ate another forkful of salad. "Where are you from? Nearby?"

Again, Blake stuttered.

/If I tell her I'm from the same town as her, she'll definitely think it's strange we've never met before./

"Um, it's pretty far away. You've probably never heard of it."

"Try me."

"Um, it's called... Pennyslyvania."

It was all she could do to come up with a fib based off the fairy's name. It must've sounded as foolish as she'd thought, because Weiss actually laughed.

"I beg your pardon?"

But Blake didn't say anything. She was too busy relishing the familiar sound of Weiss' laughter, brief as it was. She couldn't remember the last time she'd heard that lovely sound.

The two girls continued to chat very casually as they ate, keeping the topics light and as impersonal as possible.

Blake didn't ask Weiss things she knew she'd be uncomfortable talking about. Besides, Blake already knew most things about her life, after all.

There was only one thing she didn't know about, and she felt she might be able to ask about it now.

"So, um... Emerald had said that you'd been sick or something on the first day of classes. Do you feel better now?"

At her mentioning that incident, Weiss fell silent. Her fork paused halfway to her mouth before she put it back into the bowl, seeming to have lost her appetite. Weiss didn't look up at her, but her shoulders heaved in a sigh, her voice thin and sorrowful.

"I don't think I'll ever feel better about that..."

Gulping, Blake dared to press on.

"What happened? Y-You don't have to tell me about it, but... if you want to, I'll listen..."

The offer seemed to have been worded just right, because Weiss lifted her face. Her blue eyes appeared to be watery as they locked with Blake's, and it was all she could do not to let herself waver.

Blake couldn't believe it, but Weiss was really opening up to her now.

The white-haired girl folded her hands into her lap and told Blake what had happened that day.

"A few weeks ago... my father called me from home. He'd said that... that my cat had run away..."

She flinched, already seeming to be hurt by the horrible memories.

Blake flinched as well, the ears beneath her bow threatening to flatten.

"I'm... I'm so sorry..."

She knew it was her own fault for leaving, and that it had and was still causing Weiss so much pain.

But to Weiss, the apology sounded like words of condolences. She went on sadly.

"She was... my best friend. I got her when she was nine years old - the same age as me. I adopted her and tried to give her a good life. The day I took her home, I made a promise to her. I promised her that I... that I'd take good care of her..."

Tears were already making their way down her cheeks by now, and she hastily reached up to wipe them away.

"I tried... for so many years, I tried to keep that promise... but now..."

The pain and grief in her eyes was heartbreaking, enough to bring water to Blake's eyes as well.

"Now... how can I keep that promise? H-How can I take good care of her when I'm here... and I don't even know where she is? I'd promised to... to take care of her all her life, but now..."

Her voice tapered off and dwindled into a series of choked sobs.

Blake wiped her napkin over her own eyes and sniffled. This was tearing her apart.

/If only she knew... If only I could tell her right now.../

She wanted to hold Weiss. She wanted to hug her, for the first time in her life as a human. She wanted to comfort her and tell her everything was going to be all right. She wanted to make that promise to her, and prove it as well.

But as she was now, Blake knew she couldn't do those things. Not yet.

So for now, she could only sit there across from Weiss and watch her hide her face into her napkin, dabbing her eyes.

Blake didn't want her to feel pressured to speak anymore, so she took the liberty upon herself to say something instead.

"I had a friend, too," she murmured. "My best friend. I loved her so much. I still do. I... I lost her, but... but I'm going to keep trying to find her again."

Blake swallowed thickly around a lump in her throat, then went back to wiping her eyes. Weiss peeked up at her, sniffling softly.

"I hope you find her."

Blake sobbed, a whimper working its way out of her lips.

"Thank you..."

It took them a few more minutes, but they eventually calmed down, and the tears stopped. Weiss sighed as she folded up her dampened napkin and put it aside.

"I'm sorry for showing such an unbecoming side of myself."

"It's okay. You haven't cried in a long time."

"Excuse me?"

"I-I just mean... you seem like that kind of person. It must feel nice to let it out, right?"

Weiss regarded her a bit warily, and said nothing more on the matter.

"Well, it's getting a bit late. I'd like to get back to my room." She gathered her unfinished salad to put in the trash and slipped her handbag back over her shoulder.

Blake also put her trash aside and stood.

"Me, too. I'll walk back with you, if that's okay."

Weiss blinked, but her expression seemed to soften just a bit.

"Very well."

More content than ever, Blake gathered up all of the garbage and carried it to the trash to toss it, then made her way back to the table.

"You know Weiss, I-"

"Oh my goodness!" Weiss gasped. "I just realized that all this time, I've never even asked your name! How rude of me." She hadn't heard it from the professor or any of their classmates, nor had she asked for it directly.

Again, Blake could only give the only name she'd ever known.

She didn't even think twice about it.

"My name is Blake."

But her cheerful, exuberant smile didn't last longer than a second. Her eyes went wide in terror and her heart slammed to a halt.

Weiss fell dead silent, her expression blank, unreadable.

She didn't move. She didn't even breathe.

Her eyes that had been softened now hardened tenfold, and the tears rushed back up to them. An outraged scowl came onto her face, and when she spoke, her voice was cold, low, and dripping with fury.

"What?"

"W-Weiss, I can-"

"Don't say my name!" she snapped, slamming her hands on the table as she shot up from her seat. "What kind of a sick joke is this? Did someone tell you to say that name to me? Who was it? Who gave you that idea? Do you think this is funny-"

"N-No, please, I-"

"Shut up!" Weiss shouted. The bitter, furious tears were spilling over once again. "How dare you use that name on me. How dare you..."

Blake's heart was breaking with each passing second, fear and dread welling up inside her to overflow as her own tears.

"Weiss, please-"

"I told you not to say my name!" she shouted. "What kind of a horrible person are you? That you'd act so kindly to me, only to use that name..." She took a swaying step back, still glowering at Blake, shaking her head numbly. "I don't know... where or who you got that name from... but whatever prank this was, I hope you're happy with it. Don't... don't speak to me again."

With that final, stricken whimper of a request, Weiss turned away and ran out of the cafe.

"W-Wait-!"

Blake made a move to go after her, then stopped. Her legs were shaking too much, and her vision was too blurred by tears for her to see properly anymore. Everyone in the cafe was staring at her, mumbling and wondering what was going on.

Blake paid them no heed. She only stared out after the girl she loved so dearly, until she had vanished out of sight.

/No, no, no... I was... I was so close... How could this have happened? How could I have been so thoughtless?/

"W-Weiss..." Blake croaked her name and stumbled to the doors, pushing her way out. She only managed a few steps before she fell to her knees on the cobblestone path, coughing up sobs from the pit of her stomach.

/What... What have I done...? I've lost her.../

Even the fairies couldn't help Blake now, and she knew it.

/It's all my fault... I'll lose Weiss forever.../

Blake didn't know what else she could do.

She could only curl in on herself, drowning out her hopeless wails of agony from losing the one thing she'd been searching so diligently for, and the only thing she'd ever truly wanted.

-----------------

A/N: . . .