-~~ KBTS ~~-

Team RRAYNBOW were a bit over an hour into their overnight journey to Atlas. The post-fight adrenaline had worn off some time ago and left them listless.

There had been a long discussion about the team name, and they had eventually decided to add Oscar to it, but that was only a minor complication. The main argument stemmed mostly from, Ruby having a strong preference for RWBYJNOR (Ruby Jr.). But Team JNOR wanting to keep their original name just pronounce it a little different, like, "june-eh-por" instead of "june-eh-pur". Rainbow was eventually settled on as a compromise.

Jaune had decided to take Nora's advice and was having a long and friendly chat with Weiss. Ren was meditating and Oscar was fast asleep. Qrow and Maria were busy flying. So, that left Team RBYN (ribbon) on their own. Nora came up with the name and Yang stopped Ruby from starting another argument about how they weren't a real team. Blake just went with it as per usual. With little to do and another five to six hours of flying left, the girls decided to take stock of their supplies.

Their luggage was in a haphazard pile in the back. There hadn't been much time to load it carefully, since the radar installation was still up and running. Then the ship had crash landed and been involved in some rather hard maneuvering. The cargo hold was understandably a mess. It was made worse because Nora's bag had opened, and her clothes and things were spread everywhere. They decided they should pull everything out and sort through it.

That took less time than they had expected so they were each going through their personal gear. It only made sense to check and see what the condition of their own supplies were.

The temperature was dropping, but due to the aforementioned hard maneuvers, the ship was low on fuel. So, to preserve as much as possible everything non-essential was turned off, including the heaters.

Weiss and Jaune appeared unbothered by the cold but the other girls had all pulled out their coats. Even Ren had wrapped one of the blankets they found around his shoulders. But Blake was still only in her strappy black top, since Adam had sliced her jacket to ribbons. It's not that she didn't have something warmer to wear just she hadn't yet determined if freezing to death was all that bad compared to what Yang would say if she wore it.

It did not take long for the cold to win out. With her teeth chattering and her breath coming out in visible white clouds she finally caved in. Reaching into the bottom of her bug-out bag she pulled out Jaune's old hoodie that she had taken from his bedroom in Ansel. She sighed, the familiar smell comforted her, as she pulled it over her head surrounding her in warmth.

As her head emerged from the fluffy confines of the hoodie and she fixed her hair she could feel Yang's smirk.

"I thought you lost all your clothes in the train crash?" Yang made it sound like an innocent question, but her eyes told the real story.

"This was in my other bag." Blake turned away refusing to rise to the bait.

"Ahh, makes sense…. Isn't that the bag you always keep close by when we travel? The one that is only for essentials and your most valuable things?" Yang put her finger to her chin and tried to look innocent.

"I don't know what you are getting at." Blake turned away from Yang, forgetting the old adage about never turning your back to the enemy.

"Ruby, Nora, I think we better inventory this bag too." Yang quickly snatched the bag and tossed it behind her to Nora. She grinned evilly as she blocked Blake from reaching for it. Blake was forced to sulk rather than try and fight her way past Yang.

"Not much in here. Some books, oooooo, first edition on Ninjas of Love." Nora held the book aloft.

"Be careful with that!" Blake made a wild grab that was stopped by Yang.

"Let's see what else, a gun maintenance kit, and spare ammo, more ammo, lots of ammo actually. A back up ribbon for your weapon…" Ruby joined Nora as they riffled through the bag.

"And apparently a sweatshirt she stole from Jaune's closet." Yang grinned in triumph.

"Hey, what's this?" Nora held up a small gift-wrapped box.

Ruby handed it to Blake. "The tag says it's from Terra."

"Well? Open it." Yang and Nora looked on with obvious excitement. Blake resisted the urge to needle Yang with a comment about how she is supposed to be the curious one.

"That's strange I thought she didn't like me." Blake began to carefully undo the wrappings.

Inside was revealed to be a carefully folded note. Below which was, to her surprise and mortification, a large package of condoms. Her efforts to quickly conceal said item in the pocket of the hoodie were to no avail, if the wide eyes of the other girls were any indication.

Trying to appear unbothered Blake unfolded the note and began to read. Her eyes barely traced over the first line before the note was snatched away. Yang danced back and cleared her throat. This time it was Nora's turn to act as blocker. Despite Blake's growl of frustration and angry glare, Yang began reading aloud:

'Dear Blake, I don't like you.'

"Nailed it!" Nora attempted to high five Blake who deliberately left her hanging. Yang smirked and continued reading.

'You seem entirely too comfortable with illegal activities and I think you are a bad influence on Jaune. But, Saff says I should give you a chance, and the rest of the family seems to like you. So, I will give you the benefit of doubt.

That being said, a bit of advice, if you get the opportunity to sleep with an Arc, take it. If he is anything like his sister, it will be so amazing it will melt your face off. I was her first, I know this because she told me, and because she is a terrible liar. But if I were to judge her experience level based solely on her performance in the bedroom? She was expert level right out of the gate and has somehow managed to only get better. I have a theory that being a sex god, or goddess in this case, is genetic and is half the reason there are so many Arc children.

The other reason is why I gave you this little package. Arcs seem to have supernatural virility. When Saff and I decided to have a child, the doctors told us we would need to be patient, that it rarely works on the first try. Ha! I'd barely walked into their office before I was preggers. Nine months later Adrian came into our lives, and I have never regretted it for a second.

So, if you feel anything at all for him, grab him by the… well I'll let you figure that part out, and don't ever let go.'

"Well that's nice. I guess" Nora chimed in.

"There's more on the back." Ruby pointed out.

'But if you are just in it for a good time. Or are stringing him along. Or if you do anything at all to hurt him… I've put a tracking virus on your scroll, and I will always be able to find you. I can track you anywhere on remnant, even if you try to change scrolls, the virus will follow. I helped write the code for the facial recognition software that's built into the CCT network, this is now a permanent part of that software. And when I come to "talk" to you, I will be bringing all my sisters with me.'

P.S. Saffron says once you get married, she expects no less than 3 nieces and or nephews. In the first 5 years, and no less than 5 in total.'

"Wow. Well that's a thing." Yang let out a slow whistle eyeing the case of magnums that was in danger of falling from the hoodie's pocket.

"I don't even know how I'm supposed to take that." Blake had her head in her hands. This family was going to be the death of her. It was like her mom times eight. She folded the note roughly, clenching it in her fist.

Ruby bent down and picked up a small sticky note that had fallen to the floor. "Guys there is more. I think it's from Saffron, the handwriting is different. It says, 'She should consider tag teaming Jaune with Yang once a week for a partner's night.'" Ruby blushed brightly, but not nearly as much as Yang or Blake.

"I'm sure it was a joke. Saffron does seem to be the teasing type. Right?" Ruby awkwardly tried to dispel the tension that had developed.

Blake and Yang shared a shocked look before awkwardly looking everywhere else.

"So that was a thing." Nora echoed Yang's earlier words looking at the now shocked silent Blonde.

Weiss came in and looked at the various expressions of the oddly silent quartet. She shrugged and pushed past an unmoving Yang to get to her bag and retrieve some gloves.

"Why do they all think Jaune and I are destined to be together? And where would Terra get the idea we would be sleeping together so soon?" Blake threw her hands up in frustration, one hand clutching the note, and the other the box of prophylactics. Weiss merely raised an eyebrow at the sudden outburst.

"Probably from Saffron." Nora shrugged.

"Why?" Blake turned to her indignantly.

"Well you did sleep together while you were at their house." Yang waggled her eyebrows, now that the teasing was back on the other foot, she seemed to regain her voice.

"You make it sound dirty. They merely shared the floor. In the same room where I and a toddler slept, I might add. Very little happened." Weiss haughtily defended her friends.

"Very little isn't the same as nothing. Besides they were on the floor only because you were the only one who could fit in the child sized bunk bed." Yang stuck out her tongue at Weiss.

"Looked like more than just sleeping next to him to me." Ruby held out her scroll with a photo of Blake and Jaune sleeping all cuddled up tight with Jaune as the little spoon.

"Where did you get that?" Blake blushed at the photo.

"Saffron." Ruby just shrugged at her.

Blake growled. "It was cold and Jaune is very warm." Her angry rebuke was accompanied by a chime as Ruby responded to Yang and Nora's pleading looks by forwarding the photo.

"Yeah, my big sister teasing instincts were screaming when saffron suggested the sleeping arrangements. She got years' worth of blackmail in a single weekend. I only wish I am as good as her someday." Yang looked wistfully off into the middle distance.

"What?" Blake turned on her.

"You didn't think it was suspicious that Saffron split you and Jaune up from your teams to bunk together?" Nora gave her an odd look.

"I was only added in at the last minute when Adrian begged for me to sleep in the same room as him." Weiss smiled at the memory. The smile shifting into a smirk shortly after when her scroll chimed as well.

"Yeah, it would have made more sense to put Yang in the room with her son. No offence Blake but you don't really give off the 'good with kids' vibe." Ruby moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with Nora. Yang moved to hover over to Blake so she could whisper in her ear.

"I bet Jaune is great with kids. Did you see how adorable it was when he was playing with his nephew? Made it easy to picture him as a father, ehh Blake? A father of five or so? Maybe even a… oooffff." Yang doubled over as Blake's elbow slammed into her gut, but Blake had a far off look in her eyes. And the vicious elbow strike seemed more of a reflex than a deliberate act.

Weiss leaned over to whisper to Ruby. She held out her scroll for Ruby to see before flipping through her meticulously curated photo directories. Stopping when Ruby pointed to one with an "Awwwwe".

"Well I must say you two did look adorable in that shot. But not as much as in this one." Weiss held up her scroll to show the others. It was a picture taken from a high vantage showing Jaune and Blake with their foreheads touching and fingers brushing together so they were practically holding hands. Their knees were bent up, so their bodies mirrored one another forming a heart shape. With Blake's perked ears helping accentuate the point of the heart.

The sound of three scrolls chiming was drowned out by Blake's mortified groan.

Blake left the back room in a huff but not before whispering to Weiss to forward her the pictures. Unfortunately, in her haste she forgot that she was wearing Jaune's hoodie. Or carrying the box.

Jaune immediately noticed the hoodie, how could he not? He looked at Pumpkin Pete with a look of surprise, before trailing his eyes up to the wide amber eyes of an embarrassed Blake, before glancing further up to where one ear was being folded down by the hood, the other twitching nervously. He smiled, at the adorable look. "You took that from Ansel?"

Blake could only nod, embarrassed into mute shyness, while busily hiding the box behind her back. "Well, I don't mind. It looks really nice on you. I mean… I hope you are warm; I don't think it would fit me now anyway." Jaune looked away awkwardly.

Blake took the moment to quickly hide the box and note in the hoodie pocket. She took a seat on the opposite side of the cabin nervously glancing up at him. Him doing the same, neither saying anything or willing to meet the eyes of the other. An awkward tension filled the cabin, causing Ren to look up from his meditation. He went over to shake Oscar and the two of them shared a whispered conversation before heading up to the cockpit. Ren gave a nod and a smile Jaunes way as he closed the cockpit door behind him.

As they were now alone the tension seemed to rachet up even more. Blake felt a headache coming on, the knots in her neck getting worse. She tried rolling her shoulder to alleviate the strain.

Of course, Jaune would notice the subtle grimace of pain. "Blake are you all right? It looks like your shoulder is bothering you."

"I'm okay, just a bit stiff from the fight." Blake didn't add that the tension she was feeling at the moment didn't help either, she didn't want him to blame himself.

"Do you want me to try my semblance on you, or rub your shoulder or something?" Blake shook her head, and Jaune went back to looking anywhere but at her.

Blake mentally scolded herself as soon as she saw his face turn away. Unbidden the memory of the foot rub she had gotten, while wearing a similar outfit, filled her mind. She straightened herself up and whispered, "You won't run from this". She repeated her mantra a second time, this time with more conviction.

She got up and walked over to him standing directly in front of him. "Actually, if you don't mind, I would love a shoulder massage, just don't use your semblance okay?" Jaune nodded and Blake turned sitting cross legged on the floor in front of him, leaning her back against his legs and adjusting the hood and her hair so jaune could have better access to her neck and shoulders.

Blake relished his big warm hands as they kneaded the knots where her neck met her shoulders and traced over her collar bone. Her head tipping back as she relaxed. As she opened her eyes, they were met with pure blue irises looking down on her. Blake couldn't help it, letting out a soft breath as she got lost in those deep blue pools that exuded a pure kind of warmth, the soreness in her body faded away, gone as if by magic.

Her trance like moment was ruined by the sound of the storeroom door opening, a yawning Ruby emerging with a hand fluttering in front of her mouth. She froze as the door clicked shut behind her, silver eyes meeting amber and blue as all three blinked. That was until Jaune dug his thumb into a particularly sore spot sending a shiver through Blake and a satisfied moan escaped her lips.

"Sorry, I… Uhhh I'll just go back in there…" Ruby hiked a hand over her shoulder.

Blake rolled her eyes, partly at Ruby, partly at the sensations of relaxation radiating from Jaune's hands. "It's okay Ruby. Jaune was just giving me a back rub."

"She was sore form the fight." Jaune quickly filled in, following Blake's lead.

"Yeah I know what that's like." Ruby rolled her shoulder as well.

"Do you want me to give you one too?" Blake glared at Jaune, but he was already wincing, and mentally questioning why he would say that.

Ruby didn't even hesitate teleporting to Blakes side and forcing the Faunus to shift over as a few petals settled on the floor. Jaune shrugged giving Blake an apologetic smile as he took one of his hands away to rub Ruby's shoulder as well, earning a long, satisfied groan. One Blake mirrored shortly thereafter when Jaune returned his attention to her. Ruby and herself leaning into each other as their bodies began to lack the will to hold themselves up on their own.

Meanwhile in the next room, a wide-eyed Yang and Nora moved so their ears were pressed to the door, listening to the pleasured moaning from the other side. It was barely audible of the engine noises but, it was audible, nevertheless. Weiss stood behind huffing in anger, partly because she was now trapped, but mostly at the fact that the two heavy hitters were taking up all the space so she couldn't hear anything.

"Oh yeah Jaune! Right there! Uuuummmmm." Yang smirked at Nora who grinned back giving a thumbs up to Weiss.

"Gods Jaune, you are so good at this. Where did you learn to do that?" Yang's face twisted as she looked around. That hadn't sounded like Blake.

"Where is Ruby?" Yang looked to Weiss who just shrugged holding up her hands palms up, in the international symbol of I don't know.

Nora tried to stop her, but the red eyed Yang just dragged her and Weiss through the door, before stopping short causing the two girls to drop to the floor in a tangled heap at Yang's feet.

Blake sat next to Jaune on one of the bench seats. Jaune was passed out asleep against the wall. Opposite them Nora and Ren were sleeping, well Nora was. Ren may have been dead; it was hard to tell. He was sitting perfectly straight with his eyes closed and Nora's head in his lap. Yang was sprawled out with Weiss and Ruby on either side leaning against her as all three slept.

Jaune had consented to give everyone massages, he also used his semblance on everyone but Blake, honoring her request. The combination of his massage skills and semblance was a potent one. Even Maria was passed out in the navigator's chair, leaving Qrow as pilot with Oscar as co-pilot.

Blake leaned over pressing herself a bit closer to Jaune's warmth. Thinking about the pictures she had seen she sighed looking around at her sleeping friends before placing her head on Jaune's shoulder. His arm subconsciously moving to grant her space to get comfortable. She pressed her cheek against him.

Blake sat there listening to his slow breathing, and feeling its warmth brush across her cat ears, before for some reason she began to talk. She didn't know why, but it just started to spill from her and she couldn't stop it. In a low whisper she started to tell him all the things she never could while he was awake.

She spoke about how she almost died to the apathy, how it was hard to really feel anything, any emotions other than being irritable. But her biggest fear at the time was leaving him alone having lost another friend. How overjoyed she was at seeing him again. And again, when Adam ambushed her at the radar array. How her only thoughts were to get away, to run back to him and Yang, because either of them losing her would be devastating.

She pondered aloud the fact that at no point was she afraid of losing her life. Rather the one thing she was afraid of was hurting him. Her fear not being of losing him, but of him losing her.

Blake poured her heart out, quietly confessing her deepest fears and feelings to the sleeping boy. Eventually her own fatigue caught up to her, she was warm and her soul was at peace. It wasn't long before she fell asleep with her ear twitching against his cheek.

Yang was the first to wake. The cabin was dark, but there were enough indicator lights that it was still easy to see. She stretched, carefully extricating herself from her teammates and standing to arch her back, marveling at how loose everything felt. She looked over to see the adorable sight of Blake curled up against Jaune. She pulled her scroll out to snap a picture but was stopped when Jaune wagged his finger at her. He opened his eyes to meet hers, making her wonder how he knew what she was about to do.

"The flash will wake her. She seems so peaceful; I don't want to do anything that might ruin that." Jaune whispered so softly Yang could barely hear him.

His face fell when Blake yawned. Yang squee'd internally as Blake stretched and scrunched her face like a kitten.

Blake didn't acknowledge the position she had awoken in, merely excused herself to use the restroom. Smiling at Jaune and Yang sleepily as if everything that had occurred was perfectly natural.

With Blake gone Yang sidled up to Jaune. "So, kitty got her cuddles?"

"Unngh. My everything is asleep." Jaune tried to stand but his knees were like jelly and he shook his arms to try and get the feeling back.

"How long were you staying still like that?" Yang looked at her scroll noting she had slept just over an hour.

"Since she put her head on my shoulder." Jaune shrugged, but there was a look in his eye as his gaze moved to the bathroom door. "Her ears really tickle."

-~~ KBTS ~~-

AN: Sorry for this having taken so long. I am finding it quite difficult to find time to write and my other story has unintentionally taken priority. It is unbelievable to me the number of followers and readers who have stumbled upon this story in that time. I hope this chapter lives up to expectations.

I know lots of people wanted to see how Blake and Saffron interacted. I had always planned on portraying that interaction, but due to the structure rules I have placed on this story, I needed to do it more retrospectively, but did not want it to be a flashback. I hope the between the line's context makes it clear how the experience went for both Blake and Jaune.

In my head cannon, I like to think that the not so subtle awkwardness between Yang and Blake (*cough* blatant fanservice by Roosterteeth, *cough*) in Vol 7 is due to Saffron's note.

I also like to think that Adrian is the result of Terra being the birth mother and Jaune making a "donation" to science. Thereby providing a pretty reasonable copy of Saffron's Arc genes. If it was some crazy mix of Saffron and Terra there would be no Y chromosome and Adrian would be Adriana. I don't think Dust technology is advanced enough to completely negate the biological constraints of life, but maybe they are. I left it open just to be safe.