Forever Home (ch4)

EAELY RELEASE FOR ALL PATRONS! THANK YOU!

I'd like to say happy birthday to Tom during this chapter. He's helped support me so much and for so long. He deserves all of my best stories to read!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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												Chapter 4. Severed Bond

Ever since the evening she'd made her promise to Weiss, Blake was sure to live out every day to the fullest.

The knowledge that she wouldn't be able to spend as much time with Weiss as she'd like to made it all the more necessary to savor every moment they had together.

Even when they were apart, Weiss was all Blake thought about. And the opposite was also true. Penny would often tell her how Weiss would talk about Blake to her classmates, and how she was always doodling pictures of her in her notebooks.

Weiss continued her school, as well as her work in the evenings and on weekends to pay for Blake's food and litter. Weeks when she had more homework meant she had less time to earn her small salary, so those weeks, Blake was happy to eat her usual food.

But when Weiss could afford to spoil Blake, she always did. She'd buy her new toys when an old one got too mangled, and she let Blake test out many different flavors of food to see which one she liked best. Weiss even kept a small bag of cat treats in a drawer beside her bed for dessert.

Blake made the most of every day, every hour, and every second she spent with Weiss. The cold weather soon melted into warmth, and the quiet white mornings blossomed with life and birdsong once again.

Most days were alike in the sense that Weiss would either go to school or stay home. There were a few times when Blake was put in her den and the door was closed because another human had come to visit the house. She'd listen to the strange muffled sounds of their voices, her ears mainly concerned with Weiss'.

During those times, Blake would nap or stare out the window until the visitor left and Weiss came to open her door once again.

There were some days that were more hectic than others, like the time Weiss slept in late and missed her school bus, or the time Blake accidentally knocked over a flower pot when she saw a raccoon outside the house.

But then, when Blake's tenth springtime arrived, a special day occurred.

She was now able to recognize the days of Weiss' schedule, and knew today was a weekend. Blake expected it to be a calm, quiet day like usual.

But instead, Weiss ended up putting her in the den once more and closing the door.

A little while later, Blake heard many voices in the house, all higher-pitched ones, suggesting they were younger children. All the fairies in the house were more excited than ever. When Blake inquired of one of them what was going on, the little fairy explained merrily.

"It's Weiss' birthday! She's having a party!"

"Birthday? Party?"

It took Blake a few more questions to understand everything. Evidently, this was something most humans did when they marked the seasons as another year.

But while most children had fun with others their age, Weiss was never one to like parties very much. Her father only threw them for show, making a big deal about his mansion and money.

Weiss ended up coming in to sit with Blake many times that day.

"They don't even notice I'm gone," she sighed. "But that's okay. I don't need them or their presents anyway. Blake, you're the best gift I've ever gotten, and the best one I'll ever have."

Blake didn't understand her completely, but she'd learned the meanings of many human words since she'd been brought here.

As time went on, she'd learn well enough to be able to understand Weiss entirely.

Seasons passed them by, and though Blake hardly noticed it, she did see that Weiss was changing a little bit. Her hair got a little longer, and she stood a little taller now as well.

She received a lot more homework, too, which meant less time she could spend playing with Blake. Her other work seemed to take up more hours of her time as well now.

Weiss was getting busier, and Blake was getting older. She could feel her body starting to slow down a little, not by much, but enough to recognize the change. She had less energy on some days, and occasionally her hips would ache a little.

But no matter how strange she was feeling, she never let it stop her from keeping to her promise of making Weiss as happy as possible.

And no matter how busy Weiss became, she always made time for Blake.

Not a day went by when Weiss didn't play with her or take care of her. If she didn't have time to play with Blake, she would at least brush or pet her for a moment.

And without fail, Weiss was always happy to lay down at night with Blake at her side.

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

. . .

Since several years had now passed, Blake believed Weiss looked to be just about fully-grown.

She'd seen five of Weiss' birthdays, and Weiss had held small celebrations for Blake as well, meaning they were both fourteen years old.

Weiss was still petite, but not quite as skinny as she'd been when she was nine years old.

So one night, Blake decided to do what she'd done a long while ago.

As Weiss lie on her back, blinking tiredly up at the ceiling, the cat placed a paw onto her stomach. She paused, hoping Weiss wouldn't yelp in pain again. When she didn't, Blake continued moving a second paw onto her, then the third and fourth. Weiss chuckled and looked down at her.

"Chilly? I can help with that." She opened her arms invitingly, unlike last time when she'd covered herself up.

Blake was relieved to know she wasn't hurting her this time. Years of aging had made Weiss stronger, and Blake a little lighter.

Slowly, the cat settled down, her back legs curled over Weiss' stomach and her front paws resting on her chest. Weiss chuckled softly and reached up to scratch her ears, running her finger along Blake's cheek, then down to her chin. Her free hand massaged Blake's chinked ear a bit, then stroked the cat's back in soothing motions.

The purr was immediate now that Blake knew Weiss was enjoying this, too.

Penny had already fallen asleep at her usual spot on the edge of Weiss' pillow.

Weiss herself had been working hard all day long. After only a few minutes, Blake could see her eyes struggling to stay open.

"I'm sorry I didn't play with you much today, Blake..." she yawned.

Blake purred a little harder, trying to reassure the girl that it was fine. Her purr seemed to have the desired effect on Weiss, because she relaxed within seconds and closed her eyes.

"This feels so nice..."

Blake understood her words, and didn't let up on her purring, even after Weiss had stopped petting her. She'd quickly discovered that her purr had a calming effect on Weiss, especially when she could feel the vibrations directly against her chest.

Weiss' touch calmed Blake and elicited a purr that would calm Weiss in return. It really was the perfect relationship, and one that would soon prove to be essential within coming months.

But for now, Blake enjoyed her first night sleeping like this, curled up on top of her beloved girl.

Weiss' breathing provided a constant rocking motion for Blake, one that caused her eyes to slowly fall shut. There was something else she could feel as well, something that stirred beneath her own chest, within Weiss. A dull, steady beat pulsed in Weiss' chest, and at first, Blake wondered if she were purring somehow as well.

But when she quieted her own purr just a little bit, she recognized it as the beat of Weiss' heart.

Blake had heard it before in past years, on nights when she'd curled at Weiss' side and her ear had pressed to the side of her chest.

But this was her first time ever feeling it.

Blake couldn't explain this feeling. It was so wonderful.

But it made her sad to know that her time to keep feeling it and to keep being with Weiss like this was limited, and running out with every passing beat of her heart.

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

In Weiss' and Blake's fifteenth year, Winter moved out of the house.

Being the eldest daughter, she needed to go away to live, study, and work somewhere else.

If Blake had noticed any changes in Weiss over the years other than the slight physical alterations, it was the fact that she was getting better at hiding her feelings.

At least when she was in the presence of others.

Blake had been in the kitchen with the entire family when Winter had shared the news that she'd be moving out in a few months. Blake had sensed their father's approval, and Weiss' distress.

But despite her sadness, Weiss only ever smiled to her family.

After that, Weiss seemed to be much more restless at all times. She tried to be around her sister as often as she could in order to savor the last few weeks of living with her.

But when she was alone in her room with no one other than Blake and the fairies to see her, she'd often cry.

"I'm... really terrible... aren't I, Blake?" she'd once whimpered. "Winter's becoming successful. I... should be happy for her. I'm being childish. I shouldn't cry..."

Blake wished with all her heart that Weiss could understand her when she cried out, "No! Of course not!" but there was no such miracle. Instead, the cat could only nudge Weiss softly, curl up in her lap, and offer a small, sad purr.

Weiss' pain was felt by the fairies of the house as well. They were a little less cheerful during those weeks. Penny made sure not to invite Ruby and Yang over so they wouldn't have to be sad as well.

Despite her mounting age, Blake watched Weiss with keen eyes. The girl was very good at displaying fake emotions to her family and other humans. But whenever she was alone and could truly express how she was feeling, she was a completely different girl.

It was difficult for Blake to watch her go from showing a pleasant smile to choking sobs within the seconds it took her to change rooms. Blake curled up on the girl's chest every night and offered a soothing purr for her troubled heart.

But eventually, the inevitable day arrived when Winter would need to move out.

There were several suitcases all packed full with things on that busy morning. Blake hung back at the side of the room as she watched the girls' father speak with Winter, making sure she'd packed everything she'd need.

Weiss had yet to show herself, because Blake knew she was trying not to cry in front of them.

But Winter needed to leave now.

So she requested that her father take a few things out to the car for her, then called for her little sister.

Blake watched as Weiss came shuffling into the room, a fake smile plastered onto her lips as she tried to keep her voice from trembling.

"Winter... I'm... I'm so happy for you-"

"Don't do that," Winter said softly. "Weiss, come here." She opened her arms and beckoned her.

Weiss broke down and rushed forward, all but collapsing into her sister's arms, sobbing at the top of her lungs.

Blake felt a strange feeling bubbling up in her chest. It was a feeling she hadn't encountered in many years. The last time she could remember it had been when she was back at the shelter.

It was a deep, helpless sadness, stemming from the fact that she knew she could do nothing to help Weiss.

At the very least, she was happy to know that Winter had seen past Weiss' exterior and allowed her to show her true feelings now. Even when their father came back into the house, Weiss didn't stop crying.

"I'll miss you..." she whispered. "I'll miss you so much..."

Winter stroked her hair, allowing Weiss to hide herself in the crook of her neck.

"I'll miss you too, Weiss. I'll miss you terribly. But I'll come back to visit as often as I can. Whenever I have a weekend free or a holiday off, I'll be here. I promise."

Blake's ears naturally flicked at the sound of that word. She'd been keeping to her own promise to make Weiss as happy as possible all these years. But this was the first time since then she could recall hearing anyone else make a promise to the girl.

Weiss nodded into her sister's collar, still sobbing painfully. Winter held her for several minutes, kissing her hair and keeping her close.

Then, at long last, she gently coaxed her away.

"I've got to go." She kissed Weiss' forehead one last time. "I'll be back as soon as I can. I love you. Take care."

After hugging her father once again, Winter picked up her suitcase and walked out the door. Weiss followed after her.

Blake observed from the window as Weiss stood outside on the curb and watched her sister's car for as long as she could, until it had vanished. She watched Weiss cry alone for several more minutes, wiping her eyes as tears dripped into the grass.

Blake could only imagine how terribly she was hurting right now.

Weiss had never had many friends. Blake had seen as much at her birthday parties in earlier years. The classmates Weiss attended school with only ever came over to appreciate her house, not Weiss herself. Weiss didn't trust people easily, and she had developed a tendency to close herself off from others.

Blake guessed that was because of the fact that she always had to stay home and study, or do work rather than go out and enjoy herself. Weiss was a very smart girl, but she had few people to speak of in terms of close companions.

Winter had by far been her best friend. And now she was gone.

Even though she'd said she would visit, Blake knew things would never be quite the same again under this roof.

She would no longer be there living with Weiss. She would no longer be able to help her with confusing homework, or hear Weiss out when she had a problem. She would no longer be able to sit and watch movies with her on weekend nights.

Blake felt an invisible weight settle down on her old shoulders. It seemed she was all Weiss had left by means of a companion who could comfort her at home, at least one whom she could see and physically touch.

She didn't want to think of this responsibility as a burden or an obligation, though. Blake loved Weiss out of her own free will, and the things she did for her were to reciprocate the kindness and selflessness Weiss had shown to her six long years ago.

Blake could feel herself getting older with each passing day now. But she had promised to do all she could for Weiss, and she didn't intend to stop until her she drew last breath.

So as soon as Weiss had limped back into the house, Blake was at her feet, rubbing up against her. She felt a few warm teardrops fall onto the fur of her back as Weiss bent down to pick her up. She lifted Blake into her arms, kissed the chink in her ear, and buried her face in her fur.

"At least I still have you, Blake..."

Blake could already sense a drastic change in Weiss. Just a short while ago, she'd been bursting with emotions – a mixture of anxiety, sadness, and a bit of excitement, though it wasn't necessarily the good kind.

But now, Weiss was exhausted, emotionally drained, it seemed. She limped her way back to her bedroom, her shoulders occasionally trembling with silent sobs.

From her arms, Blake flashed a glance to Penny, who had been quietly sitting on Weiss' shoulder all the while. The fairy caught her eye and sighed, never once smiling throughout all of this.

Weiss opened her door, stepped into her room, then closed it once more. She laid Blake gently down onto the bed, then curled herself up into a ball beside her. Penny flew silently to her spot at the edge of the pillow and said nothing.

Blake wasn't sure what was wrong with the fairy. Perhaps she was just feeling Weiss' sorrow too strongly.

Blake bumped her head against Weiss' side and mewed softly before making her way around.

Blake had never seen her look so small, not since Weiss had been five years younger. The girl had her face buried into the comforters to stifle her crying, but Blake could still hear the weak whimpers escaping her lips.

There was little she could do for her other than curl up beside her and offer a weak purr.

It was a while yet before she felt Weiss reach out to touch her. Over the years, as Blake had grown older, Weiss' touch had become much softer. It was almost timid now, as though she feared she might hurt Blake or chase her away.

She could never, Blake thought. She couldn't chase me away even if she tried.

Weiss sat up briefly, grabbed a few tissues to clean herself off with, then laid back down. She was on her back now, and Blake cautiously placed one paw onto her shaking stomach. Weiss didn't stop her, so Blake climbed on top of her, into the spot that had become her favorite. She settled down on top of Weiss and offered a slightly stronger purr for her.

Weiss' chest hiccuped and jolted beneath her for a few minutes, until her breathing started to slow and deepen. Blake was glad to discover her purr still had this calming effect on Weiss, even during times of distress.

As she gave off her purr, Blake also sent out a few thoughts to Weiss, wishing she could understand them.

/It will be okay./

Weiss heaved a sigh, the last of her tears falling back down the sides of her face and onto her blankets. Slowly, she reached her arms up to rest lightly around Blake, keeping her secure on her chest. Blake felt her release another shuddering breath as she struggled to find words.

"Thank you, Blake... Thank you for being here..." She let out a long breath, and her pretty blue eyes found the cat's golden ones. "You've always been here for me, Blake. Promise you always will be...?"

Despite Weiss' warm, cajoling touch on her, Blake stiffened at those words.

Weiss had never asked Blake to make a promise before. At least, not during a time when Blake could understand her words.

Her eyes flashed to Penny, but the fairy was asleep.

Blake knew the ways a promise worked. She could only make a promise she herself could fulfill.

Weiss was asking her to make this promise. And even though she didn't even know that Blake could comprehend her, and even though she might not be able to understand Blake's reply, the cat's response still mattered.

If she made this promise, she would have to keep it.

And with her knowledge of how cats and humans aged so drastically differently...

"I... I can't..." she mewed. "I'm sorry..."

Weiss only heard a soft meow from her, though. And she smiled.

"Thank you, Blake..."

With that, her eyelids fell shut, and her conscious slipped away.

Blake's claws curled into her shirt a little in frustration.

"No! I can't make that promise, Weiss. Please don't think I can!"

But the girl was already asleep, and couldn't understand Blake even if she'd been awake. Blake yowled softly in anguish.

"It's not fair! Why shouldn't I get to live as long as she can? Why shouldn't I be able to make this promise to her?!"

She shouted at nothing that could provide any kind of answer. Blake growled and dropped her head onto her front paws, tail lashing.

"It's not fair... All I want to do is stay by her side..."

But her words fell into a silent room and disappeared into the air.

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

The days after that were a little rough on all of them.

Blake was constantly worrying about Weiss, who seemed to be upset no matter what she did. Even Penny was acting despondent, and didn't reply to half of Blake's comments when she addressed her.

Luckily, Blake did manage to earn a few smiles out of Weiss here and there, be it when they were playing together or when she'd knead her stomach and make her giggle.

Blake did all she could to help her feel better after losing Winter.

It was the beginning of a new semester, and Weiss went to school and came back with plenty of homework. It seemed that focusing on her assignments helped keep her mind off of sad thoughts.

But Blake could also tell it wasn't good to let Weiss drown herself in her work. Whenever she felt the girl had studied long enough, she'd bump herself against Weiss' shins and meow.

"Are you hungry?" Weiss would ask. "Sorry. Let me get your supper."

Of course, Blake's main concern wasn't to eat, but rather to get Weiss to stand up, stretch out, and take a break for herself.

The cat worked hard in her own ways that week, doing her best to keep Weiss from exhausting herself too much.

She noticed the other fairies in the house started to talk to Penny privately more and more often. Blake hoped they were trying to make her feel better, too.

After a week had passed, Weiss received a phone call one evening. Within seconds, her voice and tone had risen up to a gleeful volume.

"Winter! How are you?"

Blake's ears perked tall, delighted that the sisters could interact again, even if it wasn't the same as old times.

She discovered that maybe whilst the two of them couldn't be physically together as often anymore, they could still do many of the things they'd always done together.

They talked on the phone almost every night of the week now, chatting and laughing and sharing news and gossip. They even found a way to watch movies together by using laptops and headphones.

Blake noticed the positive effect it was having on Weiss right away. Her mood lifted once again, perhaps not to the high levels where it had once been, but it was steadily recovering from the sudden depression.

When Weiss wasn't at school or work, she was home talking with her father or Winter or Blake. Blake was the only one Weiss ever really got to touch or hug anymore, though. And Weiss had to be cautious about it now that Blake's bones were getting brittle.

Whenever Weiss embraced her, Blake wished she were bigger so that Weiss wouldn't have to hold back or worry about hurting her.

But more than anything, Blake wished she could hug her in return.

All she could do was purr, and even though she knew that calmed Weiss down, she felt it wasn't always enough.

The only real hugs Weiss ever received were from her older sister, mainly the first time Winter came back home for her namesake season's holidays. She was home for one full month then, a month during which Weiss' happiness returned to its normal levels.

Blake was overjoyed to see her back to her usual, cheerful self.

But as soon as the month was up, Winter left her yet again, and Weiss' sadness returned.

Her father must have noticed the change in Weiss as well, because Blake heard him try to convince Weiss to go out and meet with friends every now and then. He was usually the one telling Weiss to finish her work first and foremost, so for him to now be suggesting she get out of the house, Blake knew Weiss must have been reacting very badly to Winter's absence, in a way where even other humans recognized it.

But Weiss never went out as her father had tried to encourage her to. Thanks to a socially-reclusive childhood, Weiss had no friendships that had persisted into her high school years. Winter really was her best friend as well as her sister, and watching her leave again and again sent a message to Weiss that this was how all friendships would end; with others leaving, and Weiss getting left behind.

Because of this, she didn't try to make new friends at school either. She didn't trust other people enough to believe they would stay by her side. If it only meant they would leave her in the end, then she would rather not initiate the relationship to begin with.

. . .

Spring came again, Blake's and Weiss' sixteenth.

The cat had kept a close eye on Weiss over the months since Winter had left. The weekly phone calls and movie sessions proved to help Weiss on her path to recovery again. She had a lot of schoolwork to complete nowadays, so Blake made sure to distract Weiss from it whenever she got too indulged in it.

In this way, with Blake's concerned monitoring of the girl's emotional state, she believed Weiss was getting better.

That was why Penny's sudden news one evening came as a horrible shock.

Weiss was sitting at her desk in her room, working on some papers. Blake was lounging on the girl's bed, grooming herself.

Penny had been a bit taciturn recently, and notably less cheerful. But that evening, she approached Blake for the first time in a while.

"Blake...?"

The fairy tapped the cat's front paw to get her attention. Blake flicked an ear and looked down at her right away.

"Penny? Is everything okay?"

She'd been worried about the little fairy as well, of course. Blake missed her smile.

The response to her question was another small sigh.

"I'm fine. Or at least, I will be... Blake, there's something I've got to talk to you about."

Blake could sense the current seriousness of Penny's once-lighthearted tone. The cat flashed a glance over her shoulder at Weiss, then gave her full attention back to the fairy.

"What do you mean? What is it?" She settled herself down and inclined her head, inviting Penny to speak. The fairy avoided her gaze, her shoulders slouching guiltily as she began.

"Well... you know how I've always been close to Weiss, right?"

Blake nodded.

"You've been with her for as long as I've known her."

Penny agreed.

"That's right. But have you ever... known a fairy to be so close to any other human before?"

A beat of silence passed between them.

Blake recalled having wondered things like this in the distant past, but she'd never thought it was something she'd have to bring up. Sensing this conversation was taking an unsettling turn, Blake flattened her ears.

"What are you getting at, Penny?"

The little fairy sighed again.

"You know that fairies are drawn to kindhearted people, right? That's why there are so many in this house, and at the shelter... and why there were none at all back at the old house you used to live in."

Blake flinched inadvertently at the sore memories, but said nothing as Penny continued.

"Sometimes, a fairy can get attached to one human in particular. They start following them around everywhere, without even realizing it sometimes. As you can tell, that happened with me and Weiss. Even though she can't see or sense me... we formed a bond."

"That makes sense," Blake grunted. "But why are you talking about this like it's a bad thing?"

"...Because it is, Blake. A bond between a human and a fairy is a bad thing."

"What?" Blake hissed. "How can that be?"

"You've seen it for yourself, Blake. When a bond is created between a human and a fairy, they start to share emotions. When one of them is happy, that happiness bounces off the other and intensifies, making them both happier and happier. But of course, the same thing is true for sadness..."

Blake was beginning to understand now. No wonder Penny had been so unresponsive during Weiss' difficult times.

The fairy went on:

"Bonds between humans and fairies are rare, but there have been enough of them for us to know the outcomes. That's why the other fairies in the house kept pulling me aside to talk to me. They realized the bond between Weiss and myself was getting too strong. We can't let it continue..."

"But what if you became happy again?" Blake asked desperately, her fur standing on end. "If one of you is happy, then the other becomes happier too, right?"

"That's right," Penny agreed. "And there have been times when that has happened. The human becomes extremely happy and lucky, they live amazing lives that make other people jealous. And then the jealous people start to target them, rob them, hurt them..."

Blake's heart sank into the pit of her stomach. Penny was still avoiding her eyes.

"That's what happens if a human and a fairy have a happier bond together. Human pettiness destroys it without us having to lift a finger. And of course, a saddened bond between a human and fairy never ends well, either. They just keep bouncing bad emotions off one another. Loneliness. Fear. Anxiety. The humans sink so low that they have to be put away. Sometimes they go insane. Sometimes they hurt themselves or worse..."

Penny closed her eyes.

"It's awful. Our species can be drawn together by joy and kindness, and can live peacefully in harmony so long as we keep our emotional distances. But bonds are dangerous. One drop of sadness can turn into an angry ocean, and once it's reached that point, there's nothing we can do but drown in it."

Blake felt sick listening to all of this. She couldn't bear the thought of that happening to Weiss and Penny. She didn't want to think about what could happen, about Weiss losing herself to insanity and self-loathing.

"That's... That's horrible..." she rasped.

Penny reopened her eyes and finally let her sorrowful gaze meet Blake's.

"I know it's horrible. We aren't ever supposed to get too close that our species create a bond. And since humans can't see or sense us, fairies are the only ones able to initiate those bonds. I made this bond with Weiss. Whatever happens to her is my responsibility now. And that's why I've got to severe my bond with her."

Blake flinched again. Penny was making it sound so... violent...

"And... what happens then? What will severing the bond do to the two of you?"

Penny looked away again.

"I'll be all right. I just won't be able to stay with her so closely anymore. I'll be sad for a little while, but I'll be able to take care of the house together with the other fairies."

Blake felt a trickle of relief seep into her chest. But the worry still overrode her.

"And what about Weiss?"

Again, Penny was silent for a moment, making Blake all the more frightened for Weiss. The little fairy hugged herself and spoke slowly.

"She'll be hurt... It'll hurt her much more than it hurts me. She'll cry..."

Blake's fur stood up again, ears flattening, tail lashing.

"Penny, no. You can't do it. Not right now. She's just starting to feel better after Winter left!"

"I have to do it now, Blake!" Penny raised her voice in desperation, something Blake had never heard her do before. The cat recoiled a bit.

"Penny, please-"

"I don't have a choice, Blake," she mumbled. "I'm the one who forged this bond with her, so I'm the one who's got to sever it. I know how this works, Blake. Sooner is always better than later. It's better to do it when she's feeling happy. If I did it when she was feeling sad, the pain of severing the bond would only make her sadness worse and hurt her more.

"I can't do it when she's asleep, either. I can't risk doing it if she might be having a nightmare. It could send her into a panic and really hurt her heart. That's why I... I've got to do it now... before it's too late..."

Her voice tapered off and broke into thin little hiccups. Blake gasped when she saw tiny tears falling down her cheeks.

She had never seen a fairy cry before. For Penny to be shedding tears over this ordeal, Blake understood how serious it truly was.

So she sunk herself down onto the bed and looked away.

"Then... Then do it. Do it now."

Penny wiped her eyes and nodded.

"I'll make it quick. I'll have to leave right afterward. I'll go join the other fairies. So Blake, you've got to stay with her through it."

"I will. I promise."

It was the first promise she'd ever made to Penny.

The little fairy wiped her eyes again and swallowed thickly. Blake turned her hardened golden eyes upon distraught teal.

"Go."

Her resolve must have transferred over to Penny. The little fairy gave a swift, determined nod and opened her wings to take flight.

But just before she did that, she reached out to touch Blake's nose.

"Thank you, Blake. You're a kind soul."

With that, Penny flitted across the room towards Weiss.

Blake watched as she approached the unsuspecting girl. Weiss was just working on some assignments, feeling neither particularly happy or sad at the moment.

It didn't seem fair, but Blake knew this was for the better.

She watched as Penny hovered in front of the girl. She stretched out her arm and threw a tiny handful of glimmering dust.

Blake watched as the minuscule puff of particles expanded into a haze around Weiss. But Weiss never noticed or looked up from her work.

Penny flashed a glance over to Blake, who gave her a nod of encouragement.

Penny returned her full attention to Weiss now. She waved her hands a little bit and closed her eyes, concentrating.

The dust particles around Weiss moved in time with Penny's hands, curling in a gentle swirl. Blake could see the dust was beginning to form a string of sorts, with one end of it at Penny's fingertips, and the other at Weiss' chest.

She realized she was seeing their bond.

It was clear that there was a strong connection between the two of them. The dust swirled mystically in the still evening air, glistening and shining in the lamplight.

Penny stilled her hands, and her expression tightened.

Then, with one swift flick of her hand, the string of dust between them was suddenly cut, and vanished.

Their bond was severed.

Weiss dropped the pen she'd been holding and let out a terrifying gasp.

"Ah-"

Her hands went to her chest immediately, and she hunched over in her chair, breathing shallowly.

Alarmed, Blake leapt off the bed and ran to her side, climbing up into her lap and mewing softly.

Penny let out a soft apology, then flitted out of the room.

Blake was in a panic as Weiss cried out in small, strangled sobs.

"Ah! Oh gosh... ahh..."

She was still gripping at her chest, her heart thudding hard.

Blake could sense the distress and fear pulsing off of her in thick waves. She mewed again, pressing herself close to Weiss.

Blake didn't know what to do. She'd seen Weiss in pain before, but never like this. It was severe and immediate, so poignant that Blake could almost feel it for herself.

And then, as quickly as it had come, it faded. Weiss' grip on her chest loosened, and her sharp gasps for breath became exhausted and thin.

"What... What just happened...?"

One moment she'd been working, and the next there'd been a sudden, horrible pain in her chest. Weiss didn't have any medical conditions that she knew of, but this had certainly terrified her. Tears were already dripping down her cheeks, landing on Blake.

"I... I don't know... what's going on..."

Blake mewed again and rubbed against her. She wished Weiss could understand her words.

"It's okay. It's over now. You'll be okay. I pr-"

She stopped herself. Once again, she wasn't entirely certain she would be able to keep this promise, so it was best not to make it at all.

All she could do was let out a slow, steady purr for Weiss.

The girl wept for a while, not knowing why. She abandoned her unfinished homework and retreated to her bed with Blake.

Neither of them ate supper that evening. Blake simply curled up atop the girl's chest, and purred and purred for her, hoping to lull her to sleep.

Weiss cried all night long.

Blake could only imagine the pain and confusion that was sweeping through her.

In losing her bond with Penny, Weiss had lost something much greater.

To humans, fairies symbolized youth, innocence, and the belief in fantastical things.

Now, all of those things were lost to Weiss.

After sixteen years of having a fairy companion at her side, Weiss had lost it all within a few seconds.

She cried an hour for every year of her life thus far, for every year of magic and hope and wonder she'd now lost.

Weiss herself never actually understood why she'd been overcome by this sudden debilitating grief.

She couldn't think about it. All she could do was cry.

Blake stayed by her side all the while. She never left Weiss. She curled at her side or on top of her chest, providing a constant purr in an effort to ease the pain in her heart.

Weiss' heart beat roughly all night long, until morning came.

When the sun rose, Weiss grew still at last. Her pulse slowed, her eyes closed, and her tears stopped.

But Blake still feared for her.

She feared what Weiss might be like when she woke again.

But for now, all Blake could do was close her eyes and wait.

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A/N: Weiss is experiencing some of the most difficult times in her life right now, and her fairy can't help her anymore. With Blake nearing the end of her own life, how can she ensure a good future for Weiss? The sad truth is, she may not be able to...