Part fourteen of my RWBY series "Pollination: The Bumblebee and White Rose"

The air is cold, crisp, and clean. Silence can be a wonderful, awkward, or unnerving thing. However, it is something I rarely experience. The sounds of the woods are intensified for me, due to my faunus hearing. Crickets shout, they do not chirp. Wolves shriek, they do not howl. I stare up at the stars in the night sky. They're definitely there, but I'll never understand what all the fuss is about with their supposed beauty. Then again, that is a subject of humans who lack night vision.

I look to Weiss who treads with care, holding some pieces of wood under her arm. "There is one to your left, by the bush." I comment. She looks and kneels down, padding around with her hand to find it. I kneel beside her and hold out the pile that both of my arms hold. She adds to it. "Thank you." She looks at me and jumps ever so slightly.

"Sweet lord, Blake." Weiss gasps as she places a hand to her chest. "Those eyes of yours are something to behold." I smirk.

"I've been told that they glow." I admit with a chuckle. We continue on our quest to collect more firewood. "You should be with Ruby." I remark.

"Oh please. That woman can make Yang mad for once." Weiss picks up another piece and places it in my arms, careful to stay right by my side.

"Weiss..." I begin, uncertain of how to proceed with such a topic. "This is a rather personal question, but I am genuinely curious." I feel compelled to ask. I know not why, but I must have this closure.

"What troubles you, Blake?" She asks with indifference as we continue to walk.

I inhale strongly. No grimm nearby. At least we won't be interrupted. "Doesn't your position of power and wealth make things rather difficult with Ruby?"

Weiss spares my question little time to consider. "Not particularly. We established that I would not pamper her with my power." She places more pieces in the pile. "Why, are you worried that Ruby will try the stock market?" We laugh at the notion.

"No." I giggle. "I certainly hope she does not." We continue walking. I wonder how I should ask her my real question.

"I get the feeling that you're worried about something." Weiss persists, "What is it that truly troubles you?"

I hesitate. "I..." Oh, why is this so hard to ask? "I recognize that graduation is only a month away." I begin. We come across the river that we've fancied before. "But you and Ruby are to be wed shortly after, yes?"

Weiss allows me to take the lead. I can see everything perfectly fine, so hopping from stone to stone proves easy for me. "We are, yes." Weiss makes the jumps just as easily. Perhaps she and Ruby have come here so often that she's learned it subconsciously? Such scandal. "But I understand that you and Yang intend to do the same." She counters.

"We are." I acknowledge. As she jumps across and reunites with me, we continue. The wood collecting has been forgotten entirely. "But my worry is for what comes after."

"And that would be?" I can sense her aura spike in anticipation, but just barely. She's learned to mask it from me. I still can't get over how clever that is.

Sighing, I ask, "If Ruby were to ask you to help Yang and me out... financially..." I can't find the words to go on.

Weiss laughs. "Blake, friend, is this what troubles you?" My silence answers her. "Blake, I'll share the details with you." I slow down, making sure that we're side by side. I hadn't noticed that I had increased my speed. "Ruby will have to work for her life. Yes, she will move in with me at the estate, and yes she will have access to all of its perks, but she won't get a scrap from me unless she earns it."

Hmmm. I look to her, despite the fact that she can only see my eyes. "She and Yang share everything with each other. If Yang and I find hardship after marriage, Ruby may learn of it and come to you for financial backing."

"If she does," Weiss assures me. "I shall simply inform her of the fact that everyone, regardless of their family bonds, must face their own battles." That is hardly reassuring. I do not wish for things among RWBY to crumble.

"That hardly quells my grief." I confess to her, staring at the ground now. Why am I so ashamed of what has yet to occur? Is this pride? Where is this doubt originating from?

"Blake." Weiss places a hand on my shoulder as we walk, patting it. "I've watched Yang." Has she now? "She's wild and perverse. She's untamed and shrewd. But she is responsible. And I know that you are responsible as well. Yang won't make any rash decisions that would bring about discomfort for the love of her life." I smile. "Besides, we're all going to be working as a team of huntresses. Not in twos, but in four."

"Is that your way of saying that you'll be keeping watch over us?" Weiss scoffs.

"Please. I have better, and quite frankly more attractive women to keep my eyes on." She sighs. "Have you talked to Ruby about this fear of yours? That she'll make things weird between the four of us? That she'll drain the Schnee industry of all its monetary assets?" Oh.

"I have not." I admit to her as we walk. I am beginning to smell meat cooking.

"I would suggest informing her of your wish to remain financially independent." She sniffs the air. It would seem that she smells it too. "But please, do not fret. I cannot see your complexion, but I know that it does not suit you." I smile.

"You are a good friend, Weiss." I declare as we approach the light of fire.

"You make an excellent role model." She complements in return.

"Even with my choice of women?" I smirk at her, raising an eyebrow.

She scoffs. "I have even worse taste in them." We enter the clearing of our campsite which consists of two tents, one pink and one yellow and black, a campfire, two logs, two women who sit on each one, one of whom is the love of my life who is currently holding and cooking a giant chunk of meat over a fire with Weiss's Myrtenaster. It's a good thing that I'm holding the wood, because Weiss would surely have dropped it all at such a sight. "WHAT IS THIS?!" She demands.

Yang looks to the two of us and waves. "Welcome back! I see you got the extra wood!"

Ruby claps her hands in joy. "Yay! Now we can all relax and enjoy the night!"

Judging from the way her aura is flaring up, I believe that I should intervene. "Weiss." I say, placing both hands on her shoulders. "Do not act."

"MAKE ME!" She challenges, attempting to break free and throttle my lover.

"Marry me." I offer.

Everyone else freezes.

"What?" The three of them ask.

"I would never use your weapons to cook food." I offer.

"You would if you were as hungry as I am!" Yang defends.

Weiss pauses. "That would be very nice of you, Blake."

"I would never beg, whine, or complain." I continue.

"That would be wonderful." Weiss considers.

"And I would always consider your advice." I smirk.

"Ruby almost never does that." She remarks.

"HEY!" Ruby jumps up. "I won't stand for this!"

"You just did." I point out.

Weiss crosses her arms. "You're right, Blake. You would make a better wife." She turns to me, smirk fully revealed now. "What kind of wedding would you want?"

I return the smirk. "Whatever suits you best, wife."

Weiss nods in approval. "I SHOULD marry you!" She remarks.

"HEY!" The sisters yell. They start marching towards us. Yang has yet to let go of Weiss's weapon with the... it smells medium rare meat.

"Over my cooked body!" Yang declares.

I drop the pile of wood. "Quickly, Weiss!" I declare, gathering her into my arms. "We must elope!"

"Then don't just stand here!" She yells, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Let's go!"

And with that, I turn around and begin to run. Yang and Ruby give chase, demanding that we halt immediately.

I'm the one with night vision. They'd never find us.

Weiss and I would complement each other so perfectly.

It's too bad I love Yang with all of my heart.