RWBY does not belong to me, but to Rooster Teeth.

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My attempt at another Red Velvet story with Velvet ´Miss-Steal-Your-Girl´ Scarlatina. Hopefully it's going to be good.

Animals

Chapter 1

Humans and animals share many similarities between them and yet they are widely different from each other; we need to sleep, eat, and drink in order to survive and we communicate with each other. Animals, however, consists of a wide variety of species of creatures while the intelligent races on Remnant consists of two species; humans and Faunus, i.e. humans with animal traits. Some have horns or antlers; others have scaly patches across their bodies or tails protruding from their lower backs. Ears are probably the most common traits and others may not be visible to the naked eye like retractable claws.

Faunus, for all the unjust discrimination and hatred they're receiving to this day, share so much with humans; they act like them, talk like them, have different beliefs and sexualities, their own ideas and life-experiences. Humans and Faunus are similar enough to share pain, grief, love, hate, and emotions in general. They can interbreed and human/Faunus partnerships are not uncommon. Faunus go through life seeking partnerships just like humans, experiencing love, loss, and everything between.

For Velvet, this was especially true whenever she thought of the young team-leader of Team RWBY; Ruby Rose, with her selfless nature, caring personality, and cutely-sexy look had tugged the rabbit Faunus' heartstrings and forced her to change underwear more often than Velvet would admit.

Ruby was so sweet and kind. She was always there to help and wonderful company; Velvet had always enjoyed the redhead's silly antics and loved it when they were together, be it discussing weapons, visiting the forges and blacksmiths, or attempt baking something, the bunny-girl loved being around the bubbly sniper.

But most of all she just wanted to push her down and mess her up. Map out Ruby's body, get familiar with every nook and cranny, kiss her all over and lay claim to her first, then take the redhead back to the abyss of pleasure over and over until she could no longer walk.

One major difference that isn't physically visible between humans and Faunus is the heat-cycle. During puberty it's not uncommon for Faunus to get in heat – usually on a level where they can vent out once a week and it'd be fine – and poor Velvet, perhaps as a result of having rabbit traits, had a different heat-cycle that was persistent when it showed up every year.

While still capable of rational thought and understanding, Velvet's demeanour had changed over time as a result; sometimes her shyness was gone and she grew bolder. Not that being in heat was the sole blame, but it certainly affected her as she started keeping track on Ruby.

"You seriously need to find someone else," Coco stated. "Need I remind you that Ruby might not be into girls?"

Velvet groaned into her hands. "I know that! I just can't help it, Coco! She's all I can think about, you know that…"

Another not so uncommon occurrence is that some Faunus mate for life. They stick to only one person unless certain circumstances forces change.

The fashionista clicked the roof of her mouth with her tongue in thought. "I do, Velvet, but what exactly are you going to do? I mean, aside from battling the Schnee-girl and prove your dominance? They're close, after all."

The bunny-Faunus did a double-take. "W-What?!"

"I'm just kidding, relax." She snickered. "Although, who knows? Maybe Ruby likes a woman who takes charge."

"…"

"You're considering it, aren't you?"

"…Maybe." Velvet sat still while her mind reeled. The animal in her savoured the suggestion and let the idea take root.

"You're so nasty, Velvet! I like that." Coco chuckled. "Speak of the devil, isn't that Ruby?"

Long ears perked up as hazel eyes snapped wide open to scour the courtyard until the adorkable redhead came into view. She was on her way back to Beacon it seemed and she was in the company of…Weiss Schnee.

Velvet saw red.

"…Did you just growl?" Embarrassment flushed red across the Faunus' cheeks. "You did, didn't you?"

"N-No! I was just…clearing my throat?"

"Uhu. If you say so." She nodded towards the sniper's direction. "How about you go talk to her? Maybe work up the courage to ask her out?"

Velvet glanced over at the now smirking team-leader and back to the approaching redhead. "O-Okay…" She met a silver gaze and waved as she approached the girl, earning an enthusiastic wave back before Ruby Semblance'd her way over in a split second, standing before Velvet with a smile that had the brunette's heart melting.

´Too precious.´

"Hiya, Velvet!" The girl jumped into the Faunus' arms for a hug. "It's good to see you again!"

"It was only a short break from school," Velvet replied and softly laughed, returning the embrace. "It's good to see you too, Ruby. How have you been?"

"I've been well, thanks!" Goodness, her smile was to die for. "How about you?"

The brunette's heart hammered inside her chest.

"I've been doing alright…Truth be told, I was hoping I would run into you here."

"Oh?" Ruby cocked her head to the side.

"Yeah…I've been meaning to ask you if—"

"Ruby!" The blanche-haired fencer jogged up to them, huffing slightly. "You know I can't keep up with your insane speed!"

The sniper sheepishly smiled. "Sorry, Weiss."

"Hmph. You could have at least taken me with you."

Velvet stared at them back and forth, her lips parted in abruptness. Something seethed inside of her as the two chatted and ignored the upperclassman, especially the way the Schnee heiress seemed to have butted in and shape their conversation to occupy Ruby completely—

"-and you haven't forgotten about our date tomorrow, right?"

Something ruptured inside Velvet's brain.

"Of course not, Weiss! We sleep in the same dorm, there's no way I'm going to miss it when you're right there reminding me." Silver eyes flickered back to the brunette. "Oh, sorry Velvet. What were you going to say just now?"

"…I, uh…"

"Oh, you're Velvet?" The fencer's tone was really grating on the Faunus' bunny ears for some reason. She held out her hand. "Weiss Schnee. I don't think we've been properly introduced."

Velvet looked at the extended hand, then back up at pale-blue eyes.

The thing about body-language is that humans and Faunus share that as well; largely visible things like stances are easy to read and then there are smaller things like where eyes are looking when a person talks or nervous habits like twitching fingers.

When it comes to the human body-language, it displays our emotions a lot more than words will convey; sometimes it's easy to spot if someone is afraid, nervous, angry, or happy, but to the keen eye such things can be seen by the slightest of movements. Animals are similar to humans in many aspects, but there are some signs that can be interpreted differently to them. For a Faunus, it's even more so and that is twice as alarming as they are so similar to humans it's easy to forget about the animal beneath their skin.

The handshake is supposed to show that you have no weapons. It's a way to show you can be trusted and that you mean no harm. A smile often helps with putting someone's mind at ease and to reassure the person that you are friendly.

´Smiling` in the animal kingdom, however, is a show of aggression and threat. To animals, open-mouthed grins shows aggression or fear, save for play smiles within groups.

Velvet smiled widely on the verge of baring her teeth at Weiss, clasping her hand with a firm squeeze and a proper shake. "Velvet Scarlatina. It's so nice to meet Ruby's teammate."

"That's quite the grip…" The heiress mentioned.

"Oh, sorry. Guess I don't know my own strength," Velvet said and chuckled as she released Weiss' hand. "So, you two have a date tomorrow, huh?"

Ruby giggled. "Yeah, it just sort of…happened, I guess? Weiss asked me out the day before yesterday—"

"When a Schnee wants something, we make it abundantly clear." Had it been her imagination or had the fencer stared Velvet down when she had said that? "It's as simple as that."

Velvet slowly nodded. "Oh…I see. That's nice."

The urge to beat Weiss and lay claim to the sniper was getting harder to resist.

The bell suddenly chimed loudly over the academy grounds, signalling the beginning of academic servitude. There could not possible have been a worse timing for that.

"Looks like we need to go. I'll talk to you later, Velvet!" Ruby shouted as she pulled Weiss with her into a torrent of rose petals.

"Wow." Coco patted her teammate on the shoulder. "Looks like the Schnee- girl beat you to it."

Velvet's brow furrowed in a dark scowl until the corners of her lips curled into a sly smile. "Not if I can help it, she didn't."