Another AU! I already have a Bumblebee Apartment AU but this will be a Monochrome one :3 I wrote this fic about half a year ago, so I'm happy to finally post it now!

A/N: This is a normal life AU. No Grimm or huntsman, but Faunus exist.

If you like my work, you can support me on as Kiria Alice!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

Chapter 1. Moving In, The First Night

There were a lot of exciting things going on for Weiss and Blake.

By far, the biggest one was the fact that they were finally moving in together into their own apartment.

They'd started as classmates in middle school, and had somehow been promoted to high school sweethearts a few years afterward.

Weiss' father had hardly been happy about her being friends with a Faunus at first, but he had gradually gotten used to Blake over the years. He couldn't forbid Weiss from seeing her or any other Faunus due to the nondiscriminatory school district.

But discovering his youngest daughter was dating said Faunus a few years later had been more than a little off-putting for him.

For months, he was begrudging towards Weiss and even more so towards Blake, giving them the cold shoulder in addition to curt replies. Her older sister Winter also hadn't been very thrilled.

But even then, her father and sister had come to accept the reality of things as best they could.

Which was why – after Weiss and Blake been dating for eight years already – her father and sister understood that Weiss really loved Blake.

Thus, after many nights of discussion and planning, her father had agreed to let them move in together to their first apartment.

Blake's parents hadn't been opposed at all, and naturally the two girls themselves had been beyond thrilled. With both of them freshly out of college and in their early twenties now, the apartment had been a gift from their parents.

Although, once Blake and Weiss moved in, the deal was they would have to pay for rent and everything else out of their own pockets.

This was more a test than anything, a test from their parents to see if they could truly handle living alone with one another. Dating in high school was simple enough because both girls had still been living in their families' houses, and the same held true for college.

But now, as novices in their new jobs in their respective professions, they would have to provide for themselves without the financial assistance of others.

They were both determined to prove themselves to their parents, to prove that eight years of being together wasn't just going to crumble down after a few weeks or months living together.

They had much more faith in their bond than that.

Presently, Weiss and Blake were just finishing up moving the last of the boxes into their apartment. It was a small, humble place, but it had every necessary feature.

The bedroom had a single king-sized bed along with two dressers and a closet space, the bathroom was small, but everything was running properly. The kitchen had an oven, stove, and microwave as well as several filled pantries, a refrigerator, and a little table with two chairs to sit at. Finally, there was a living area consisting of one couch, a love seat, a few shelves, and a television.

They'd spent the past two days moving things into the apartment, but had slept the nights at their parents' houses for the last times. Tonight would be their first night spent here – together.

And despite how long they'd been dating, how many dates they'd gone on, and how clearly in love they were, the pair had never spent an entire night alone together before.

The excitement was palpable in the air as they both climbed the steps from the main door to reach their apartment, carrying the last of the boxes of what they'd taken from home.

The two girls set their things down on the wooden floor before scurrying back down the steps and rushing outside. Their parents had driven by to drop off the last of their items today, and now it was time for them to leave.

Weiss went to her father and paused a few feet in front of him.

"Thank you for everything, Father," she said. "You won't regret this. None of us will."

He looked her over for a long moment; she was still so trusting, so innocent and blissful to the hardships of the world. Of course she'd be excited about living together with her girlfriend now, and that excitement would last for the next several weeks or so.

But once the bills started piling up and arguments became frequent, he knew his youngest daughter would face many troubles. But this was reality, and she was going to have to face it sooner or later.

"Don't forget," he said. "From here on out, you've both got to pay for expenses yourselves. Frugality will be your ally, and frivolity your greatest enemy."

"I know, Father. I won't let that happen. I won't soil the trust you've put in me. In both of us." She looked back over her shoulder to where Blake was having a similar conversation with her own mother and father. Then, Weiss met her father's eyes once again. "Thank you for everything, Father. You're always welcome to visit if you'd like. Winter hasn't seen the place yet - I'll call her as well. And I'll be home for holidays and other gatherings, so don't worry."

Her father only nodded. He reached out and patted her shoulder, an incredibly rare display of affection for such a stoic man.

He wasn't intent to watch his daughter fail with all of this and come home crying to him so he could mock her. But he was entirely prepared for the day he received a call begging for help or money, or the day Weiss knocked on the family door declaring she and Blake had broken up.

He could only think of the worst-case scenario things, because he was experienced in the ways of life, and knew the possibilities were all too real.

But for now, at the very least, he wanted his daughter to enjoy this new life with her lover, Faunus ears and all.

Weiss dared to hug her father briefly before stepping away with one final promise.

"I won't disappoint you."

With that, she turned around and waited for Blake to finish speaking to her parents.

Weiss listened to the sound of her own father's footsteps trekking across the small grassy area and then to the parking lot where a car was waiting for him. They had a few servants at home, and her father had offered to give Weiss a maid, at least on weekends, but she'd politely refused, declaring she was intent to take care of this new life with Blake, and Blake alone.

She heard the engine start, and within seconds, her father was gone.

Blake's parents were a bit more open and accepting about everything, and had a bit more faith in their daughter.

"Times might get tough," her mother cautioned. "But you'll get through them. You and Weiss have already gone through quite a lot together over the years. There will be troubles ahead no doubt, but make sure you talk things through."

"And," her father added. "I know you said you wanted to do this on your own, but if you ever need anything, just give us a call."

"I will," Blake reassured them. "And I'll be home for holidays and birthdays. Try not to worry about me."

Her request was an impossible one, but her parents simply nodded. They each pulled her into a hug, and Blake purred softly for each of them.

"Thank you for everything."

They each kissed her forehead before heading for the parking lot.

At last, Blake turned around to find Weiss in much the same position.

With their backs turned to their parents now, they both stepped forward towards one another, their new apartment complex painting the backdrop behind them.

Weiss reached down to find Blake's hands, squeezing them tightly, her crystal blue eyes alight with enthrallment.

"This is it!" she whispered. "We're finally here. This is real... I still can't believe it!"

"Me neither. It's going to be amazing."

Their eyes met, and in the ensuing silence, they shared a brief kiss.

Weiss could hear the purr in Blake's chest even from this distance, and when they parted, she didn't believe she'd ever seen her girlfriend's Faunus ears standing quite as tall as they were now.

The day was still in full-swing, so Weiss made a suggestion.

"Let's have a walk around to get used to the scenery."

Blake nodded.

"I'd love to."

Hand-in-hand, they started off along the little sidewalk that cut through the grass.

It was early springtime, and though there were still traces of the winter winds on the breeze, the sun was shining brightly.

They passed several other brown buildings constructed just like their own complex, all of which had large, skinny bushes decorating the lawns. Within a few weeks, flowers and colors would speckle the area, and the warm weather would draw out the children who lived here.

All kinds of people lived in these apartments - loners, couples, or entire families, some human, some Faunus, some mixed like they were.

Seeing a human-Faunus pair was uncommon in these parts, and rarer still was to find them of the same sex. But they no longer lived in an era where discrimination towards couples of any kind was acceptable.

It was nice to walk along the buildings with their chins held high and proud.

This was their new territory, their new home.

They met a lot of their neighbors as they walked, occasionally pausing to chat with a few other couples or watch the children playing outside.

Weiss and Blake were welcomed here with open arms; seeing a young, mixed pair like them seemed to give others a bit of hope as well, as these two girls were proof that times had changed for the better.

The area the apartment buildings took up wasn't more than a few blocks wide, but they walked and chatted with various people for close to two hours.

By the time they'd looped back around to their own building, they thought they'd be exhausted from the walk.

But the excitement was only rekindled anew, lighting instant flames in their chests at the thought of really starting their new life together now.

Blake reached into her pocket and fished out a key, and Weiss was ready to follow her to the door.

But her Faunus girlfriend had other ideas, it seemed.

With a smirk and one swift motion, Blake dove forward and scooped Weiss up into her arms bridal style.

"Oh!" Weiss squeaked, looping her arms around Blake's neck. "Blake, we don't have to make a scene."

"And why not? I think we deserve to make a bit of a scene and let everyone know we're here to stay. Plus, I wanna show you off and brag to them all about the adorable girlfriend I've got."

Dipping her head, she kissed Weiss' scarred cheek. The latter rolled her eyes playfully, but sighed in good-hearted defeat.

"I guess I can allow it for today."

Blake's purr grew louder as she began making her way toward their building, the key in her right hand beneath Weiss' shoulders.

When she reached the door, she was careful not to bump Weiss into anything as she carefully felt around for the lock and slipped the key into place.

Once inside, Blake locked the door behind them before starting on the staircase.

It was impossible for Weiss to keep the smile off her face, so she let it stay as Blake carried her up. Her head rested lightly against the dark-haired girl's shoulder, and Weiss could easily hear her purr now, even past the thumping of footsteps on wood.

Twelve steps later, they were in their brand new apartment, presently lit only by the slanting sunlight cast through the windows.

Boxes of unpacked items still lined the walls, and only the essential furniture had been set up so far. There was a wide space on their living room floor between the couch and the TV, and Blake chose that area to spin Weiss and herself around in merry circles.

She kicked off her shoes quickly, and without rugs on the sleek wooden floors, Blake spun in circles in her socks as though she were ice skating. She laughed without restraint, purring louder and louder all the while.

"We're here!" she exclaimed. "We did it, Weiss!"

And Weiss could finally exclaim her own joy.

"Yes! We've done it! We can be together now, Blake!" She tightened her embrace on Blake's shoulders and nuzzled into the side of her neck.

Their hearts were soaring, and for the first time in the eight years since they'd commenced their relationship, they truly felt free.

Because they were.

Blake spun Weiss around again and again, then danced with her girlfriend still in her arms, twirling her slowly and swaying from side to side. Weiss kissed her neck repeatedly between giggles of unbridled joy, sighing in bliss.

Finally, after a few minutes of filling the air with laughter and purrs, Blake brought Weiss over to a small table at the side of the room, its top still void of any decorative knick-knacks. She carefully set Weiss down on the sturdy surface, letting the smaller girl's feet dangle several inches off the floor.

Blake slipped her arms down around the girl's waist and leaned in, bending forward to nestle her face into Weiss' collar. Blake shifted until she was in her desired position with one furry ear pressed to her girlfriend's chest.

Weiss' heartbeat was fast and elated, thumping fully against Blake's ear, and the Faunus girl could only pull her closer. She couldn't remember the last time she'd gotten to hear this lovely sound.

Perhaps it had been a year ago on one of their dates together when Weiss had fallen asleep on her shoulder.

But this was the longest Blake had ever been permitted to listen, and she intended to utilize this time as much as she pleased.

Weiss cradled her girlfriend's head gently, stroking through her long, onyx hair and scratching lightly at her ears. She felt Blake's purr vibrating eagerly against her own chest, rumbling hard enough for Weiss to feel it in her stomach.

She closed her eyes and rested her chin atop Blake's head, though her hands continued to massage her girlfriend's ears and shoulders.

And Blake continued to listen as Weiss' heartbeat gradually slowed until it was set at a consistent pulse. She soon sighed and broke the moments of silence with a murmur.

"I still can't believe this is real..."

"I'm having difficulty as well," Weiss admitted. "But it is real, Blake. It really is."

"I don't ever want it to end."

"It won't. We won't let it. Not until we're ready to buy our own house, that is."

Blake chuckled.

"Alright, but for now, the apartment's pretty darn good."

"Agreed."

Silence fell once more. All that filled Weiss' ears was Blake's purr, and all that filled Blake's ears was Weiss' heart.

It would've been easy for them to have remained like that for the rest of the evening.

But a softly-rumbling stomach reminded them of the time, and that neither of them had eaten since before they'd left their parents' houses that morning.

Blake pulled away, content for now in knowing she could listen again whenever she pleased, so long as Weiss was willing to let her.

"Hungry?"

"A bit."

Blake put a hand to her girlfriend's back to support her as Weiss slipped off the table and landed back on the floor, pondering.

"Do you want to order out?" Weiss asked. "There are plenty of delis and restaurants around here."

Blake considered the idea before shaking her head.

"Maybe some other time, if we know we've got some money to spare. But I think it'd be nice to cook dinner together our first night."

Weiss nodded.

"That sounds much better."

"How does casserole sound?"

"Fantastic."

They sauntered into the kitchen and set to work, going through their cabinets and drawers for all of the necessary utensils and ingredients.

They'd cooked together before, but usually in one of their families' kitchens.

But now, this was their kitchen, and theirs alone.

An hour later found them finishing up their meal at the little table, and the pair brought their dishes to the sink to clean together.

By then, the sun was on its way to setting, and the evening was upon them.

But the night was still young.

As they walked out of the kitchen area, Weiss popped the question.

"What should we do?" she wondered. "It's only just past seven, and it's Saturday night. We don't have to go to work tomorrow. Shall we stay up and celebrate a bit more?"

"Well, we haven't started paying for cable yet," Blake recounted. "But I can hook up my laptop and we can watch videos on the big screen. We might even be able to find a movie or two."

"Sounds perfect to me. But let's change first."

They retreated into their bedroom and rummaged around their respective bags for a change of clean sleepwear. Weiss shed her skirt and blouse for a long blue nightgown, and Blake exchanged her high-waisted shorts and shirt for looser shorts and a robe-like top.

Weiss let her hair down, freeing it from the constricting ponytail, and took her hair brush with the intention of bringing it back into the living area.

Blake took a blanket from the bedroom and brought it with her, as the nights were still a bit chilly.

The bottom portion of their couch pulled out to allow them to elevate their legs and lean back against the cushions more as though they were lying in a bed rather than sitting up on a couch.

Weiss set up the couch in that manner as Blake fiddled with her laptop and the wires that would hook it up to the television. They left all the lights off to preserve as much energy as possible, which would later reflect kindly on their bill at the end of the month. They only left one small lamp on to see by.

Once Blake had finished with connecting the cables, she crawled onto the couch with Weiss, slipping her legs beneath the blanket. She immediately pressed close to Weiss, wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulders as their movie started.

The closest they'd ever had to this before was seeing a film in theaters, but even then there had been the arms and backs of hard plastic chairs to make things uncomfortable, not to mention the straying eyes of other people in the darkness.

But now, there was no stress, no discomfort of being caught or made fun of, no risk of embarrassment.

It showed with how relaxed the both were, how snugly Weiss fit into Blake's side.

She rested her head on Blake's shoulder as they watched, her arms slipping softly around the Faunus girl's front and back beneath the blanket.

Weiss rubbed her palms over Blake's stomach in slow, circular motions, something she'd longed to do for so many years, but had never gotten the chance to do until now. There'd always been the risk of being caught by family members or other people.

Blake and Weiss had both come to the silent but mutual agreement that they preferred their intimate lives to remain entirely private.

Now that they had such privacy, neither was about to hold back.

Blake purred again, releasing a steady sound into the air as she peppered kisses all over the crown of Weiss' head and through her hair.

Weiss cuddled closer still, running her palm first over Blake's sleep-shirt, and then slipping underneath to touch skin to skin directly. Her fingers danced across Blake's navel, then followed over her ribs and sides.

Blake whimpered at the soft contact, sighing as her ears drooped in a display of utmost comfort, her eyes closing as she all but forgot the movie.

It was Weiss' turn to listen to her girlfriend's heart, hearing for herself the effect she was having on Blake. Her pulse dropped quickly into a slow, lazy beat, matching with Weiss' controlled motions.

It was a struggle for Blake to stay awake, and she needed to crack open her eyes to glance at the digital clock beneath the TV.

"Weiss..." she mumbled. "It's only ten... Don't make me fall asleep yet..."

"We've had a long day," Weiss murmured. "Maybe we should sleep early so we can get up tomorrow and start unpacking our things. There's not much we could do tonight even if we were to stay up. And besides..." Here, she stopped rubbing Blake's stomach, gaining her full attention.

"And besides...?" Blake prompted.

Weiss could feel herself blushing as she admitted her wishes.

"I... really want to lie in bed with you."

Blake's ears flicked, and a smile instantly spread across her lips.

She understood. They'd never been allowed to sleep in the same bed together before. The closest they'd ever gotten was a nap on the couch, or the time they'd had a sleepover with Ruby and Yang when they were seniors in high school.

That night, Weiss had fallen asleep first, and Blake had curled up around her girlfriend. But Weiss hadn't been conscious at the time, and had been unable to experience what it was like to fall asleep together.

She wanted that right now more than anything, and Blake wanted it, too.

"Alright," she purred. "Of course we can do that. We don't even have to sleep right away. We can just relax."

Weiss nodded.

"I'd really love that."

"Then let's do it."

Stretching her arms above her head, Blake yawned before adjusting her shirt. Weiss uncurled her legs, and together, the pair slipped off the couch and folded the leg rests down.

Weiss brought the blanket back into their bedroom and turned on the little lamp on the bedside table before retreating to the bathroom. As she brushed her teeth and prepared for bed, Blake unplugged her laptop and shut down all of their appliances, then turned off the living room lamp.

Once Weiss was finished, Blake took her turn in the bathroom, while Weiss grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator in the meantime.

By the time they were both ready, they stood at the doorway of their bedroom together and looked at the bed. They'd bought a new mattress only yesterday, and had put brand new, clean sheets and blankets on it today, just a few hours ago.

Moonlight slipped in through a large window behind the headboard, dyeing the azure top-layer blanket pale blue.

The two girls stood in silence for a moment, illuminated only by the silver and gold lights of the moon and lamp respectively as they shared a curious look.

They were unanimous in asking the question.

"Which side would you like?"

"No, you pick."

"I don't mind. Whichever is fine with me."

They both chuckled and smiled hopelessly.

Weiss ended up selecting the side with the lamp and the bedside table; she tended to be the last to sleep and the first to wake, so she would take the job of shutting off the light. Blake would of course love to read some nights, but the light was strong enough to see from her side; sitting too close to it would've hurt her eyes.

They walked to opposite sides of the bed and pulled down the covers before slipping underneath.

Despite the bit of cold filling the air at this hour, the blankets were heavy and warm.

But even warmer than those was the closeness of one another.

They'd been together for so many years that tight embraces and close proximity was no longer anything to be bashful about, but they still enjoyed it as much as they had the first day they'd kissed.

Weiss shut off the lamp before lying down, knowing that it was best to do it now rather than later. She faced Blake expectantly, not knowing where to go from here, but not particularly caring; whichever direction things took them in, Weiss would gladly follow.

Blake started by opening up her arms, and Weiss instantly slid closer, hugging Blake's torso and burying her face in the side of her neck.

Weiss trailed soft, light kisses over her girlfriend's collar, lips dancing over the flitting pulse in her neck. She kissed Blake's human ears and her cheeks, then her hair and anything else she could reach.

Blake held her close for a long while, until her side started to go a bit numb. She assumed it was the same for Weiss, and so in one motion, she flipped herself onto her back and pulled Weiss on top of her. She locked her arms around the small of Weiss' back and strained up to kiss her nose.

Weiss did the same, leaning down and pecking the bridge of Blake's nose, then the bases and tips of her soft Faunus ears.

Blake reciprocated and kissed her shoulder and neck, rubbing Weiss' back softly and threading fingers through her hair.

Neither took any notice of the time that passed, but it must've been about an hour of shifting positions and cuddling and kissing.

At one point, Weiss pulled Blake on top of her to chase away the chills of the night, and Blake covered her completely, though was sure not to smother her.

After a time, they'd switched again, and Weiss tucked her face into the front of Blake's shoulder.

Their chests moved in time together as they felt each other breathe, hearts thrumming just inches apart.

Blake's purr was consistent throughout the night, usually full and rumbling, but occasionally letting up for a few minutes so she could catch her breath.

They were both just so infatuated with the world that night, enamored with one another even more so than they had been every day for the past eight years combined.

Everything was perfect, and nothing else matter but the girl in each of their arms.

There were even a few tears between them, but they were happy tears, caught by gentle fingers or cleared away by soft lips.

At last, Weiss found herself on her back once more, Blake curled closely at her side. The Faunus girl propped herself up on her elbows for a moment simply to kiss her girlfriend's lips one final time.

"Goodnight, Weiss."

Weiss kissed her cheek sweetly.

"Goodnight, Blake. I love you."

"Love you, too," she purred.

Blake rested her head over Weiss' chest, draping an arm across the smaller girl's stomach and curling their legs together.

Weiss wrapped an arm around Blake's shoulders and pulled the blankets up over them with her free hand. She utilized the actual pillow, while Blake seemed perfectly content to use Weiss as hers.

They closed their eyes, and it was profound when the serene silence finally settled in.

Blake could hear every beat of Weiss' heart so clearly, and it never faded or faltered. She continuously shifted her position for a minute or so until she'd found where it was strongest, and settled there to listen to her lullaby.

Likewise, Weiss could feel Blake's purr in her chest, tickling slightly, the Faunus girl's warmth wreathing around her. She could feel Blake's pulse at her side, but more than anything, she enjoyed sharing her own with Blake.

They breathed together - sometimes in time, and sometimes mismatching. Both of them were aware of every change in the other's condition. Weiss felt the purr gradually fade after a time, and Blake heard the other girl's pulse drop.

As anticipated, Blake fell asleep first, and Weiss could feel her relax entirely. She wasn't about to let Blake be alone anywhere tonight, not even in her sleep, so Weiss was sure to follow shortly after her.

It had been a hectic week, where all of their years of romance had finally come together to bear fruit with the start of this new life together.

They had a lot ahead of them, things they'd like and things they wouldn't like, things that would bring them closer, and things that would test them.

But now wasn't the time to think about those things.

Now was the time to rest and enjoy the warmth, the silence, and each other.

No matter what hardships may arise in the future, or even if things happened years from now, neither would ever forget the first night they spent together here in each other's arms.

A/N: There will be 5 total chapters to this fic, so stay tuned for updates!

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