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Ilia wasn't sure how to talk to Blake. Blake currently was hugging her other friends--team 'RWBY', if Ilia remembered correctly. She was hesitant to go over to Blake, until Sun gently pushed her in the direction.
"Hi," Ilia said shyly.
"Hi." Blake paused a second. "Oh! This is Ilia. She's a friend of mine. Helped take out Adam's bombs."
"Well, that's good," the blonde one said. "I, for one, am a big fan of not exploding."
"Ilia, meet the team from Beacon," Blake introduced. "Ruby Rose, and her sister, Yang Xiao Long. And Weiss Schnee."
The last word rang out repeatedly in Ilia's mind. "Schnee," she finally said.
There was a long silence. "Yes, that's me," Weiss laughed. She extended a hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Ilia."
Ilia looked at Weiss's hand, her eyes flashing red, her skin as well, aside from a few yellow spots. Weiss awkwardly looked around, then lowered her hand. "Do you not do handshakes?" Weiss asked.
Ilia turned to Blake. "How could you possibly be friends with a Schnee?" she demanded.
"Time and effort," Blake replied. "Besides, she's not like her family."
"All Schnees are the same," Ilia growled. She spun on her heel and stomped off.
"Normally, people are trying to get close to me because of my name," Weiss said, frowning. "People getting away from me because of my name is a first."
"I'll go talk to her," Blake said, running after her friend. Sun helpfully pointed her in the right direction, and when Blake found Ilia, the faunus was curled up into a ball, skin black as night as she leaned against a wall.
Blake sat beside her. "She's not like the rest," Blake repeated.
Ilia glared at Blake. "Her family are the reason mine is dead," she said.
"She didn't cause the cave in," Blake said. "She did nothing to you."
"I know." Ilia looked away.
"Then why the..." Blake stopped herself, sighing as she rubbed her eyes. "Can you give her a chance? Please? I know you'll like her."
"Like her." Ilia rolled the words around her tongue. "Like a Schnee."
"I felt the same way," Blake said with a nod. "We...got into a few big arguments." She seemed to be caught up in memories for a minute. Ilia let her reminisce, as she was in no hurry to continue the conversation.
"We hated each other, at first. And then she found out I was a faunus." Blake shrugged. "I was never as good at hiding my heritage as you were." A faint smile crossed her lips.
"So she hated you for being a faunus?" Ilia asked. "How exactly is she different from the rest?"
"She didn't hate me for being a faunus," Blake said firmly. "I think the fact that I was a terrorist got to her more."
"Oh." The White Fang had completely slipped Ilia's mind.
"Give her a chance." Blake rubbed her friend's shoulder, then got up and left Ilia to her thoughts.
Almost a week later, team RWBY was in the middle of boarding the train to Argus, and from there, to Atlas. Ilia stood watching them leave. Most importantly, Weiss. She'd managed to talk a few times with the former heiress. Now, seeing her leave, she felt...something. Something that wasn't entirely good.
Weiss caught her look, then walked away from her team to Ilia. "Is something the matter?" Weiss asked. Always so formal, Ilia thought fondly.
"I...I don't know." Ilia looked away. Then it hit her. "Oh."
"What is it?"
"I just realized what it is I'm feeling." She frowned. "Hmm."
"I'm afraid I'm confused," Weiss said, frowning as well.
Ilia considered. "Once, I didn't tell someone what I was feeling, and spent a long time regretting it."
"Okay, but what's that--" Ilia grabbed Weiss by the front of her dress and pulled her in close, kissing long and hard. Blushing furiously upon letting the slightly shorter woman go, Ilia said, "Ahem. B-blake knows my number, so...ahem. Ask her and call me."
Weiss reached up and touched her lips. Then, she nodded. "Okay," she said quietly.
Ilia laughed quietly. "Oh, gods, they're staring at us."
"Whoo!" Yang cried, throwing a hand into the air. "Go for it, Ice Queen."
"If I go to jail for murdering her, please pay my bail," Weiss said through gritted teeth.
Ilia nodded. "I'll do that. Oh, and...uh...I'll...see you again, sometime. Maybe after all this is done...we could go on a date? Get dinner?"
Weiss smiled. "That sounds lovely."