Commission -- The Cat's Out of the Bag 012

Someone infiltrating the CCT was bad news, and Blake knew that is where her attention should be focused but in the days after the dance, only one thing dominated her mind.

She clutched her pillow to her chest, unable to get back to sleep. Over and over, her mind replayed the events of that night. She’d been so excited, wanting to surprise Jaune, to do something nice for him for a change after Yang gave her a thorough telling off, and then things had spiraled out of control. She hadn’t been able to hold back, and her emotions had come pouring out after their dance and the next thing she knew, he was kissing her.

Blake buried her burning cheeks in her blanket, body shivering at the mere memory of it. His lips had been surprisingly soft, and warm, and he’d kissed her with such care and passion that she’d lost herself utterly in the moment. She had surrendered herself to him completely, and they’d spent the next hour making out, his lips and mouth and tongue drawing moans from her that made her feel so embarrassed thinking back on it, but had been so wonderful and… and…

She was a love sick fool.

The way his large, strong hands had cradled her hip, squeezing, making her feel hot and bothered, deep down inside. Jaune was tall. Tall enough that she had to crane her neck back to meet his enthusiastic mouth, tall enough that she had to stand on her toes when her neck began to ache from the difference in height. When he’d picked her up, effortlessly placing her on the desk, her stomach had swooped and her tender insides had spasmed, she’d almost taken things to a place that they could never come back from.

Going that far, this quickly – that would be a bad idea.

But who could blame her? Jaune had made her feel so secure and loved, Blake had lost her head. While she had been mired in lustful thoughts, he had remained a perfect gentleman and hadn’t pressed for more. He’d simply stolen her breath, and ensured that the feeling of his hands were imprinted on her waist, and his lips imprinted on her mouth.

Blake was a goner.

They’d never made it to the dance. Well, she hadn’t. Jaune had made an appearance because he’d promised to share a dance with Pyrrha, something that made her feel a twinge of jealousy, tempered by the fact that he’d just spent an hour kissing her senseless. Blake had returned to her dorm room, lip gloss smudged, her dress ruffled, and had to endure an endless barrage of questions when her team returned in the early hours, annoyed that she’d been a no show.

The revelation that someone had broken into the CCT had been a sobering one, but it hadn’t been able to hold her attention for long.

It was a troubling development, though. This time, it hadn’t been Roman Torchwick but instead, a mystery woman that was highly skilled. Ruby had clashed with her but she’d easily escaped, and her team leader was unsure just what the woman had been doing there.

It couldn’t be anything good.

The authorities were informed, Headmaster Ozpin and James Ironwood, General of the Atlesian Fleet on the case. There wasn’t much more they themselves could do about it, so Blake was determined to continue her work on locating and discovering the true purpose of the Torchwick-White Fang alliance.

They had no classes today, at least in the traditional sense. Today was to be the day of their very first, official mission. They were to shadow a licensed Huntsman, to observe and lend aid, to learn how a fully trained Huntsman conducted themselves in the field. The best part was that they got to choose which mission they went on, and so it would only be all too easy to pick something in the Southeast quadrant to ensure close proximity to the area she wanted to search.

That was the plan, anyway.

The sun was barely peeking above the horizon when Blake gave up on trying to return to sleep, rolling out of bed and collecting her things. Stepping into the shower, Blake sighed as the warm spray enveloped her, idly lathering her body with soap. When the sponge passed over her hip, it only reminded her of him, and she sighed, closing her eyes.

She was down bad. Like one of those girls in the dirty novels she liked to read.

This was a new experience for her. With Adam… she’d admired him and wished to stand by his side, to be strong, to be someone he relied on. When things had gotten serious, they’d shared a kiss or two, but their environment hadn’t been the most conducive for a healthy, stable relationship. Even so, Blake had devoted herself to the ideal in her mind, swallowed by the fantasy, giving it her all… until it had blown up in her face.

It had blinded her to his faults for too long, and when she’d been unable to excuse his actions, unable to ignore the sheer rage he carried with him at all times… it had shattered the illusion, and their relationship had withered quickly. By the time Blake had made her decision to leave, there hadn’t been anything left to salvage.

With Jaune… she didn’t like being weak. Blake viewed herself as a strong, independent person – and yet… she knew if she showed weakness in front of Jaune, he would not judge her for it. He would not hold it against her. Instead, he would do his utmost to support her, to uplift her if she required it, to be her pillar…

...she’d once thought that Jaune wasn’t her type. That she liked someone with a bit of edge.

What a joke. That just showed her that she didn’t even know what her type was. The feelings she had now, for Jaune – they were different than the torch she carried for Adam. There was still admiration, and she still wanted to stand by his side, be strong for him when he needed it, but… she also wanted to be pampered by him, to be a brat, to be weak around him, and not fear his scorn…

And it made her feel things that she hadn’t felt with Adam.

A type of attraction that went far beyond just the physical, though it had a very physical reaction on her body.

“Damn it,” she muttered, feeling her nipples grow stiff, hard enough that they began aching. Her tummy roiled with pure, liquid heat, and Blake clamped her thighs together, squirming.

They’d kissed once, twice, okay – countless times, an hour’s worth of passionate lip locking – and this was the result. Jaune had effortlessly turned her into a horny mess.

...where had he learned to kiss so well?

Blake frowned, annoyed at the sudden spark of possessiveness she felt. Was she really getting worked up about something so minor? So what if he could kiss well?

Practice makes perfect, an insidious voice whispered in her ear, from the depths of her mind.

It was like a cold bucket of water was dumped over her head, dousing her arousal. She was being stupid, she knew it, and yet that didn’t stop her mood from plummeting.

“I’m an idiot,” she groaned, resting her forehead against the tiled wall. “Stop being a fool.”

Jaune wasn’t some playboy. Blake had witnessed his attempts at trying to attract Weiss, and it had been pretty bad. He had tried to be someone he wasn’t, when if he’d just been himself, then maybe the heiress wouldn’t have been so quick to rebuff him. If he was experienced with women, then surely he would have known that.

Maybe.

Why was she even thinking of this? She should be happy that he could kiss so well! It meant that she got to enjoy it, since Blake was the one he wanted to kiss now!

Still, it rankled her to think that someone else had enjoyed such loving, passionate attention from him. Potentially. She didn’t know for sure.

She was being dumb.

Blake quickly finished her shower, drying off and getting changed into her combat attire. Brushing her teeth, she brushed her damp hair vigorously before covering her ears with her bow. When she left the bathroom, her team was in the process of rousing.

“You’re up early,” Ruby commented, yawning cutely.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

Yang groaned as she rolled out of bed, while Weiss silently rose like a corpse in one of those horrible horror moves, sitting up at the waist and staring blankly at the wall. While her teammates used the bathroom one by one, there was a knock on the door.

When Blake answered it, it was just the mail service.

“I’ve got something for a Ms. Xiao Long,” the woman said. “Is this the correct room?”

“It is,” Blake confirmed, and blinked as she was handed a long tube. It was heavier than she was expecting.

“Who was that?” Yang asked, freshly showered.

“Mail,” Blake handed over the tube. “It’s for you.”

Yang tilted her head, reading the return address before perking up. “Oh, it’s from my dad.”

When Ruby and Weiss were both done, they all gathered around.

“Oh, something from home? Oh, oh, what did he send us?” Ruby asked excitedly, reaching for it but Yang held it out of reach.

“Don’t you mean, what did he send me?” Yang teased.

“Shut up and open it,” Ruby demanded. “You know it’s for both of us.”

“I dunno – I am his favorite.”

Ruby scoffed. “As if. You really think you’re his favorite when he has a daughter like this,” Ruby gestured at her own face. “You don’t stand a chance.”

Yang frowned. “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m cute and awesome, while you’re just bleh.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Weiss got in between them before they could start fighting. “How about you open the package and see what it is first?”

Yang huffed before screwing the end off, holding it out and giving it a shake. A long, dark object slid out and landed on the ground with a muffled thump, cylindrical in nature. They all stared at it, confused – and then suddenly, it began moving, rolling around.

“What is that?” Weiss asked, taking a step back.

That happened to be a dog; a pembroke corgi, to be exact. It popped up, regaining its natural shape and stared up at them stupidly, tilting its head before it barked happily.

Blake flinched and leapt, scaling the nearest available surface to escape, filled with terror. She ended up atop Ruby’s bed, scrambling into the corner and hugging her knees in protection.

“It’s Zwei~!” Ruby cheered.

“It’s what?” Weiss demanded.

“Our dog,” Yang answered, grinning.

“Your father sent your dog in the mail?” Blake asked, aghast.

Yang waved her hand, unconcerned. “He does this sort of thing all the time.”

He what?

Ruby picked it up and began pampering it, cooing happily as she tickled its belly, and it squirmed wildly. Weiss leaned in, her posture tense.

“Are you telling me that this mangy, drooling, mutt,” Blake nodded along, pleased that she wasn’t the only one put off, “is going to be wivving with us forevah?”

What?

“Weiss!” Blake snapped, feeling betrayed.

“Oh yes he is, yes he is, yes he is~! Isn’t he so adorable~!”

She even went so far as to pet him, and Blake knew it was lost.

A dog – in their room!

“I don’t think we’re allowed pets in the dorm,” her protests fell on deaf ears.

After breakfast, they were to gather for a special assembly. The dining room was abuzz with excited students, the chatter creating a rumbling din, and Blake quickly finished her food while Weiss and Yang discussed the potential missions they were likely to encounter. They’d left the dog back in their dorm room with a mountain of canned food. Blake didn’t know how it was supposed to get at it, exactly, but Ruby and Yang hadn’t been worried.

Ruby’s backpack was giving her bad vibes, though. What had she packed in there? But Blake was distracted by something more important.

“Where’s JNPR?” Blake asked, looking around. They were absent which was odd. It wasn’t just because she wanted to see Jaune. It definitely wasn’t that.

Ruby shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe they’re running late.”

Just as they were getting ready to leave, Blake caught sight of Pyrrha’s lush, vibrant hair. By her side was Jaune, and as was the case since two nights ago, she felt her stomach flip when she caught sight of him.

“Overslept,” Jaune said before anyone asked, chuckling awkwardly. “We were up late.”

Ren was practically dragging Nora to her seat, the ginger haired girl’s head wobbling back and forth on a weak neck. They didn’t have much time, so they buttered from toast and devoured it quickly so they weren’t left behind.

As all the first years shuffled into the amphitheater, Blake quickly found herself standing next to Jaune. He smiled at her shyly and Blake felt her cheeks grow hot, melting beneath his warm gaze.

“You guys pumped for this or what?” Yang asked, and Blake felt a twinge of annoyance as her partner inserted herself between them, boxing her out.

“I’m honestly pretty nervous,” Jaune confessed. “I just don’t want to mess up.”

“Ah, you’ll be fine, don’t sweat it,” Yang slapped him on the back, attempting to fire him up. “You’ve been doing great in class recently, and if something should go wrong, well – you’ve got Pyrrha!”

“I don’t know if that’s how it works,” Pyrrha spoke up. “You make me sound like a secret weapon.”

“That’s exactly what you are,” Yang snickered at the champion’s disgruntled face. “Well, not so much of a secret. Everyone knows how much of a badass you are. But having a four time champ in your back pocket can only be a positive, right?”

Jaune nodded. “Well – you aren’t wrong.”

Pyrrha pouted.

Nora was still pretty out of it, even after food, blinking rapidly as if to clear her vision. Weiss shook her head, unimpressed, but didn’t voice any complaint when Nora leaned on her shoulder.

Ruby giggled. “Aw, you’re so sweet, Weiss.”

“Shut it,” the heiress said, rolling her eyes. “Not another word.”

After a few short words from Professor Goodwitch, Headmaster Ozpin took the stage. His speech was one of unity and peace, emphasising the bond they now all shared, and how war had once ravaged the land, one of ignorance and oppression, an attack on individuality itself. Blake couldn’t deny that it was quite a powerful speech, much better than the one he’d given them at the beginning of the year, and she saw many of the students – even those from other schools – standing taller, inspired.

Then he got to the matter at hand.

“As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission. Some of you may be taken outside of the kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week,” as he spoke, a series of screens lit up around the room, showcasing the various missions they could choose from. “But no matter what path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best.”

Finished, he stepped down to applause.

Ruby grinned. “Great~! Now we just have to shadow a Huntsman working in the southeast.”

Jaune shot Blake a look, and she felt compelled to answer.

“We thought we could combine our mission with trying to find out more about what the White Fang are doing,” she said quietly, so only her friends could hear. “If our mission is in the southeast, then we can snoop around and see if we find anything.”

“Do you want us to try to get a mission nearby as well?” he asked.

“You don’t have to do that,” she replied softly. “We’ll have a Huntsman with us, remember?”

Yang nodded, hands on hips. “Yeah, we’ll be fine.”

Weiss frowned. “We better hurry, we want to make sure we get the best mission. Search and Destroy would be best.”

They found a mission that matched their needs quickly, but when Ruby pressed on it and attempted to sign them up, it flashed red and denied their request.

“Mission denied to first year students,” Yang read aloud. “What? Are you kidding me?”

Weiss sighed. “Wonderful.”

Ruby searched for any more missions in the area but that was the only one. It appeared that their plan was going to be much more difficult to pull off than anticipated, but a stroke of luck appeared in the form of their Headmaster.

“Unfortunately, we determined that the concentration of Grimm in the area was too extreme for first year students,” he said by way of opening. “It seems that particular region is quite popular. In fact, I have a feeling that the four of you will attempt to make your way there, no matter what job you choose.”

Caught with their hand in the cookie jar, so to speak. And yet much to Blake’s surprise, he overrode the system and assigned them to the mission they wanted.

“Teamwork and persistence have carried you thus far, but you must understand, the things that await you beyond the protection of the kingdom will not care.”

After a few dire warnings that set them on edge, and insisting that they stay close to their assigned Huntsman, he wished them good luck and left, leaving them feeling a little confused and wary.

“Well – that happened,” Yang said blankly.

It was a little off putting but his words held nothing but truth. Blake understood that better than most. Things were very different outside of the kingdom’s walls.

They filed outside with several other teams, and were rejoined by Team JNPR.

“Did you get what you wanted?” Jaune asked, singling her out. Blake slowed down until they were walking together, a little behind the rest of their friends.

“We did,” she confirmed. “Ozpin actually helped us secure it.”

His brow furrowed. “That’s a little odd, isn’t it?”

Blake nodded. “It is. He said it was because we’d likely try to make our way there, no matter what… but something about this doesn’t sit right with me. It almost felt like he wanted us there, as much as we wanted to be there.”

“Ozpin has always been a little…” he trailed off, but Blake knew what he was getting at. “Are you nervous?”

Blake didn’t want to admit it but she found herself nodding. “I am. There are going to be a lot of Grimm.”

Blake almost jumped as she felt his hand curl around her own, giving it a comforting squeeze. The skin of her arm tingled, a rush of sensation shooting up her wrist and forearm, and higher. She swallowed, her breath catching.

“You’ll be fine,” he assured her, smiling. Blake found herself drowning in his eyes. “You’ve got your team with you, and you’ll have a professional Huntsman on your side, and – well, you’re amazing. I know you guys can do this.”

She wanted to kiss him.

Her lips prickled in memory, and she wanted to grab him by his stupid hoodie and haul him in, but she didn’t. Not here. Not in front of everyone.

It wasn’t that she was ashamed of him. She wasn’t. She most definitely wasn’t. But whatever this thing was between them, it was theirs. As far as she knew, Jaune hadn’t told anyone else and she’d kept everything to herself. She wasn’t ready to share it with others.

Were they dating?

Blake didn’t know. They hadn’t exactly talked about it.

But she wasn’t the type of girl to just go around kissing anyone, so she liked to think that yeah, they maybe were dating. They’d need to talk about it soon, instead of leaving it in this weird in-between state.

But damn it, she really wanted to kiss him right now.

Instead, she squeezed his hand back.

“What mission did you guys pick?”

“We’re shadowing some sheriff in a nearby village. Ren and Nora were really interested in it.”

Blake had an inkling. “Where is this village?”

Jaune grinned. “In the south. I know what you’re thinking,” he said quickly, cutting her off. “And you’re totally correct. There were a few options, but Ren and Nora really were interested in this one, it just so happens to be sorta, not really but kinda close to you guys.”

Blake rolled her eyes. “We told you that you didn’t have to, you know?”

“I know – but it’ll make us feel better,” Jaune admitted. “If you need anything for any reason, call us. Got it? We don’t care when or where, we’ll be there to back you guys up.”

...damn it, what was he doing to her?

Her chest felt heavy and she wanted to kiss him even more.

“When do you leave?” she asked softly.

“Not until tomorrow. You?”

“Soon. Within the hour,” Blake looked around quickly but there were too many people. In fact, a curious pair of silver eyes were looking back at them, quickly darting away when she was caught. Blake reluctantly released his hand. “Thanks for looking out for us.”

“Anytime, Blake. Always.”

There was a small commotion up ahead, people rushing over. Team CFVY had returned from their mission at last.

Blake saw that Ruby was talking to Velvet. At a glance, it was immediately obvious that she was exhausted. The whole team was, no matter how hard Coco tried to hide it. Their mission had run way longer than had been scheduled, so it wasn’t a surprise.

“Do you know who is taking you?” Jaune asked.

Blake shook her head. “No. There were no Huntsman listed.”

They got their answer soon enough.

“Who’s ready to fight for their lives?” Doctor Oobleck said, dressed in a long tan trench coat and pith helmet, his voice cheery. On his back was a bulging backpack.

Blake stared, gobsmacked, as did the rest of her team. Nora laughed loudly, finally wide awake.

Jaune grinned. “You’re going to have tons of fun.”

“Gather around, Team RWBY,” he called, and Blake sighed.

“Talk to you in a bit?” she asked.

Jaune nodded. “Sure. Take your time.”

“Hah hah,” she deadpanned before joining her team.

“Yes, yes, do hurry,” he waved them over. Yang looked like she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, while Weiss just appeared stunlocked. Ruby just looked confused. Oobleck’s eyes zeroed in on their leader, inspecting her critically. “I’m afraid those bags won’t be necessary, girls! Seeing as you’ve opted to shadow a Huntsman on what is now essentially a reconnaissance mission!”

Ruby shied back, shielding her bag protectively. “Uh…”

“Wait a minute,” Weiss objected. “I thought this was a Search and Destroy mission?”

She was ignored, Oobleck pacing back and forth in front of them like a drill sergeant.

“I can assure you, we will not be establishing a single base of operations. Rather, we will be traversing several miles of hazardous wasteland, and making camp in any defendable locations we may stumble upon.”

Wasteland? Just where was he taking them?

“I’ve packed all our essentials myself, provided the air course and readied the airship. Now then, come, children~! According to my schedule, we are three minutes behind! Quickly now!”

And then without any further words, he dashed off to the waiting airship in a burst of speed.

They all looked at one another, unsure.

Ruby laughed awkwardly. “Well, uh – who’s ready to go save the world with Professor Oobleck…? Heh… ah, hmm. That sounded a lot better in my head.”

“I mean, I know he’s a Huntsman, but couldn’t they have given us someone a little more…” Yang struggled to find the right word, wavering. “Dependable?”

Weiss grimaced. “I do not wish to speak ill of our instructors but when was the last time he has been out in the field?”

Maybe they were being a little unfair but Oobleck didn’t strike any of them as much of a fighter. He was more of an intellectual, even if he was a Huntsman. Though it could always have been worse.

“At least we didn’t get stuck with Professor Port,” Yang attempted to cheer everyone up.

It didn’t work.

“So – are you guys ready to leave?” Pyrrha asked, and turning, Team JNPR approached.

“Yeah, apparently we are three minutes behind schedule already,” Ruby chuckled nervously.

“We’ll see you off,” Ren said, and they accompanied them over to the airship.

They all said their goodbyes, one by one. Nora swept them up in an enthusiastic hug, squeezing the life out of them, while Pyrrha was much more reserved in her embrace. Ren hesitated, unsure, but Yang saved him by holding out her fist.

Ren smirked, bumping their knuckles together. Weiss looked disgruntled by the ‘weird gesture’ but held out her fist. Jaune did the same, bumping knuckles with all of them after Ren.

“Stay safe,” he said to them, but his eyes were on her. Blake felt her tummy squirm. “I know Oobleck is a bit… odd, but he is a Huntsman. Ozpin wouldn’t have sent him without good reason.”

“I suppose you have a point,” Weiss huffed. “We should trust our teachers.”

“If you need us, we’re a call away,” he repeated his words from earlier, though now for all of them to hear. “And we’ll do our best to back you guys up.”

Yang snorted. “Look at you, acting all cool,” she shook her head. “We might just hold you to that, so you better be ready.”

“We will be,” he replied. “You have my word. Just get back in one piece.”

Ruby beamed. “You got it!”

She had that impulse again, to reel him in and kiss him senseless. His eyes remained trained on hers, and she couldn’t look away. They were going to be apart for a week, maybe more. Team CFVY’s mission ran over, so their one could as well. A week without Jaune wouldn’t have been cause for concern, not that long ago.

Now?

It sounded like an eternity.