*James coughed a bit to get the attention to him, and out of ruby after she said that. Since it was time to talk business, not feelings. James put his cup down and his back straight, putting a file on the table*

James: Yes. Well. Now that the familiar stuff is taken care of, maybe now we can speak on the reason we're here?

Ghira: Fine. But blake and Ruby? After this discussion, stay behind. We still have a lot to talk about.

*Ghira said, not exactly ignoring James, but he wasn't looking at him either. He was looking at the ladybug couple, Ruby stopped touching Blake and put both hands on the table, while Blake managed to compose herself enough not to keep crying. But her breath was still shaky*

Ruby: ok. But Penny is staying with me. She is my protection, after all

Ghira: You don't trust your aunty and uncle?

*Ghira said with a chuckle. Ruby chuckled with him and then looked at penny, with a completely innocent smile on both of their faces*

Ruby: Honey, how many?

Penny: You've got one hiding in the vents up their, 2 hiding with sniper rifles behind us in the forest, 3 of the servants you have around this place are secret agents, since they keep cleaning the same spot over and over again, to stay in the room. And finally, there's a big number of them at the room on top of us. About 23.

*Penny calculated with a shrug, as if she didn't just discover and call out Ghira for breaking the rules of agreement of this meeting. Ruby hummed with a nod as she leaned back in her chair, looking at Ghira with a raised eyebrow*

Ruby: You think I'm gonna trust you when you clearly don't trust us?

Ghira: And the reason for it is sitting right next to you. How are we expected to trust you all when you have her on your side

*Ghira said, looking at Atlas' ultimate weapon, Ruby's daughter penny. Penny just smiled innocently at the large man, while James leaned forward on the table*

James: Regardless, it was agreed upon that penny could be here. What wasn't agreed upon was all this soldier you crammed into your home. So. Why don't you do the right thing, and ask them all to leave. Since they weren't agreed upon to be on this meeting,

Kali: Fine. Ghira, go do that. Meanwhile, Blake, come with me. Let's refill our guests with more treats and refreshments.

*Kali said as all 3 belladonna members were up and walked in different directions, James sighed, rubbing the pinch of his nose. Winter looked at his superior with slight concern, that they put something in their drinks*

Winter: Are you well, sir?

James: Just stress. This already is starting off on the wrong foot, I just hope I can convince them to sign the peace treaty.

* James said with a tired sigh, and it's still morning. Winter shrugged, looking at Ruby and shooting her pseudo niece, a crooked smirk on her face, since she was their secret weapons*

Winter: You? No. They won't sign because you convinced them. They'll sign if another ironwood convince them to sign

Ruby: What can I say? I'm too adorable to say no to.

Meanwhile, with Kali and Blake

*we see them refilling the tea kettle and putting more cookies on the tray, Blake was looking around at the fridge for something sweet that Ruby might like to eat, since sadly for the dog faunus, their's no peanut butter in the household*

Blake: strawberries perfect. Ruby will love those

Kali: That's nice. So. What's your relationship with ruby?

*Kali asked carefully, seeing how Blake would react. Blake reacted by not moving for a second before moving again to wash the strawberries. A small purse on her lips as she washed them*

Blake:..... broken but not unfixable. We're trying to fix what I broke, trying to build back the trust that I betrayed.

Kali: And say, if you do, fix it. What, then? Do you want to have a relationship with her?

*Kali questioned, putting the tea on the kettle. Blake finished washing them, grabbed a knife, and started to cut the top of the strawberries, wondering why her mother was asking her this type of question. Blake sighed and just answered how she saw it*

Blake: More than anything. But I don't see it happening

Kali: Why not? She clearly still cares for you deeply. That's plain to see

*Kali explained that from what she saw, Ruby had a soft spot for Blake, a big, big, soft spot. Kali could see it as clear as day, but what she can't see is what's stopping them both from taking that next step, to be officials. Blake sighed deeply with a shake of her head*

Blake: Cares and love are not the same  thing. I real relationship should be a friendship first.  And I would have to count my lucky stars if it would ever work.

Kali: Do you love her?

*Kali asked bluntly, Blake stopped cutting the head of the strawberries and looked at her mother. She wasn't gonna get anything done if her mother kept with all the frankly inappropriate questions that every mother always seemed entitled to know*

Blake: Yes. I'm not immature enough to deny it. I love her. I love her deeply, fully, completely. I want to be with her.  And I want her to want me just the same

Kali: Then what's stopping you?

*Kali asked, Blake rubbed her shoulder and looked at Ruby. She could just see her at the corner of the living room, smiling and talking about who knows what. She shook her head a little and then looked back at her mother*

Blake: she doesn't trust me. Not that I blame her after what I did

Kali: Honey, you were brainwashed

*Kali tried to reassure her daughter, putting her hand on Blake's shoulder, but as she usually does Blake pushes the hand away, she pushes the comfort of someone who loves her away, since she doesn't feel as if she deserves it. Blake shook her head as she spoke, and the rubbing of her arm turned into hugging herself*

Blake: I allowed myself to be brainwashed, I never questioned it, and I never thought that I was in the wrong. I just... argh. I was fucking stupid.

Kali: You were young. What teenager isn't?

*Kali countered, Blake just sighed, and forced herself to stop hugging herself. She grabbed the knife and kept working with the strawberries to distract herself, Blake spoke again with a more sad determination behind her tone*

Blake: Still, though. Saying I was brainwashed used to be my excuse. Not anymore. I can't keep using that if I want things with Ruby to improve. Why are we even talking about this?

Kali: I just want to understand.  Since both of you have feelings for the other. But you refuse to take the next step

*Kali explained herself, Blake shook her head, putting the strawberries on a bowl, putting the bowl In a dish tray, she was doing everything quickly, so she could end this conversation with her mother*

Blake: we don't take the next step because we're not their yet. No matter how much it hurts me when she talks about how she had sex with somebody. That doesn't matter since she doesn't trust me. And without trust, a relationship can't happen

Kali: Trust can be something that can be built while in a relationship

*Kali said, just wanting Blake to be happy, and she knows she'll be happy with Ruby. But blake shot that down immediately. Even with how much she wants it, she knows that will make Ruby so uncomfortable.*

Blake: Maybe? I don't know, and I don't care. I'm not gonna risk losing her because I went too fast. So please don't bring it up.

Kali: Fine, just don't go too slow. We are not promised tomorrow, you know

*Kali said as the tea kettle started to whistle, Kali put out of the fire, and started making tea. While Blake took the tray with the cookies and strawberry and started walking away without the tea set, she went from feeling melancholy to anger when Kali made her remember how Ruby almost died *

Blake: I know. Ruby almost lost her tomorrow because of you know what. I will get an answer to that. I promise you that

Kali: You will. Just. Just wait till they others leave.

*Kali said with a sigh as she grabbed another metal tray to put the tea in. Blake made it to the table and put the cookies. In the middle, she snickered a little when she heard Ruby whine since they weren't peanut butter cookies. Her expression changed completely when Blake put a bowl of strawberries in front of her, her tail started to wag extremely fast as she started to eat them. Blake sat down next to her and just watched her eat with a smitten smile on her face*

Blake: God, she's so cute.

Ironwood family:.....

*Blake blushed in embarrassment since she said that outloud. Thankfully, Kali came after that with the tea. And Ghira soon after, Ghira sat down with a sigh, still feeling bitter that he was called out, over what he was trying to do*

Ghira: ok. They're going back to their posts, and now we can talk like we agreed on, but I still find it ridiculous that you all get to keep your weapon of mass destruction here on the table

Ruby; she's also my daughter and a living being with feelings and emotions. So I would watch that tone. Since if you start saying that she's not a real person, it sounds eirly to how some people believe that we faunus don't deserve the same rights as the rest

*Ruby said with a scary smile, or it would've been, if she didn't have strawberry juice smeared on her face. But she got her point across as Ghira nodded with a sigh, today was just going hiw way*

Ghira: Fine. I'm sorry for insulting you, so. We can finally talk business...

Scene change of Chibi Ghira and Chibi James discussing, while chibi penny and Chibi Ruby played patty cake, since they were bored

James: ok. That's as best as I can expect. So do we have a deal?

Ghira: it's not that simple, even if you get my approval and the approval of my family. You still need the public approval since I'm not gonna sign something if my people don't agree with it

*Ghira explained, trying to remain serious,  but it was hard when Kali joined in the game of Patty Cakes with the girls, since after 4 hours of those two borderline arguing,  Kali stopped caring since they were both just acting like peacocks at this point, they were just having a pissing contest in Kali's opinion*

James: That's no problem of mine. After my daughter gives her speech in the public area, she'll be able to convince them to change their minds

Ghira: You have that much faith in one girl?

*Ghira questioned as they looked at her. Ruby and Kali were playing, going faster and faster, trying to make the other fail. James gave a crooked smile seeing his fighter have some fun. He then looked at Ghira*

James: I have that much faith in my daughter. Yes. Without question

Ghira: Fine. I'll put my faith in her too, so till after the speech, we have nothing more to speak of. You two, and hopefully 3 may leave now

*Ghira said, looking at Penny. Penny scowled at the man but heard her mama sigh. She knew what that sigh meant, and she got up with her grandpa and Winter. But she did give the large man a glare*

Penny: I'll be waiting outside the door for my momma, if any of your men come back. I'm breaking the door

Ghira: Fine.

*Ghira accepted, as the 3 not native islanders left, once the door closed Ghira coughed. But no one looked at him, then he coughed louder and was still ignored*

Ghira: Excuse me

Kali: Shut up! I'm almost winning!

*Kali said as Ruby and Kali were still playing patty cakes as fast as they could, waiting for the other to make a mistake, and unfortunately for Ruby, she was the one who slipped up, Kali stood up in victory with her fists in the air*

Ruby: damn it!

kali: victory!

*Kali exclaimed with so much excitement in her tone. Blake was also happy, since now it was her turn. But her father was quick to dash to dreams to the ground*

Ghira: ok, you two had your fun. Now, can we please concentrate?

Blake: But I haven't gotten my turn yet?!

*Blake whined since Kali stole her turn from her. Ghira rolled his eyes and looked at his daughter with a tired expression on his face. He just spent hours discussing wirh James, he was tired and wanted to end this reunion as fast as possible.*

Ghira: That can wait till after

Blake: Fine. So. I'm not gonna beat around the bush. What the fuck is going on? Why did a white fang member almost kill Ruby?

*Blake questioned, as the fun atmosphere in the room was all but destroyed with that question. Ghira took a deep sigh as he explained what was going on. And what he said wasn't something Blake was expecting*

Ghira: That's because.... because we're currently having a civil war

Blake: Excuse me?

*Blake asked, shocked. She almost didn't believe what her father said. Her island couldn't he having a civil war. They hate humans, sure, but not each other. They need each other to survive. But the hand on her shoulder from Kali and the grim face she gave her daughter told her that her father wasn't lying *

Kali: it's true, honey. People are deeply divided on the island. Theirs the side of the new white fang, they're on our side, and agree with the treaty, so long as the human don't try anything stupid. And then there's the other side. They want to return to the old ways with Sienna's white fang. They want to go to war, with all humans

Ruby: I see. Then why did it take so long for you two to agree to do this? The treaty will bring soldiers from the other kingdoms to help you.

*Ruby questioned since that was the main point of the treaty, a union that protects each other. If they had joined earlier, this war would've probably been finished by now. But Ghira shook his head, with a stubborn tone in his words*

Ghira: it's not that simple. We want to keep our independence. We didn't think they would drag this war this long. But they managed to stay hidden. Do the point where we don't even know who their leader is, but my position still stands. We don't need help from the outsiders to defeat them

Blake: Then what about help from my team? We can help you end this war

*Blake questioned, this would've been a perfect mission of her team, and yet she was kept in the dark since who knows how long. But Ghira's tone was becoming more frustrated at the suggestion of outside help*

Ghira: No. You have your own life to live, sweetheart. This is something our people can take care of for themselves

Blake: dad. Are you really so stubborn that...

*Blake tried to say but was interrupted by a fist slamming on the table, making Blake and Ruby flinch a little. It didn't help thay Ghira volume was quickly becoming loudly, do the point that he was screaming.*

Ghira: I said NO!!!

Blake:......

*Blake looked at her father, shocked that he would use that tone of voice to her. That shock quickly turned into anger from herself, too, since she knew why her father told her now. And she was disgusted at her father right now. She got up and walked out of the house, slamming the door hard. Kali and Ruby sighed as Ruby Wheeled herself back and gave them both a polite Atlas type smile*

Ruby: Well, that's some family trauma that I'll be dragged into. I'll see you two tomorrow for my speech. Kali, it was especially nice to see you again

Kali: Oh? And why is that?

*Kali asked innocently, completely forgetting the time Ruby caught her in a compromising position. Ruby gave a crooked grin at the memory, as her cheeks turned slightly pink, and as a final gesture, she winked at Kali*

Ruby: Because I missed you more than I missed him

Ghira: That's cold

*Ghira grumbled, he got up and walked to his office, Kali walked up to Ruby and kissed her cheek as a goodbye*

Kali: Take care of her, please.

Ruby: I'll do my best. Good luck with your own overthinking person

*Ruby said with a small grin, as she wheeled herself out of the house, Penny next to her, they didn't need to speak, Penny already knew that they were going to find Blake, and so they did*

To be continued, or read ahead 4 months 16 chapters on Patreon

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