#chilltobember

Ruby sat up, still clutching the blanket around herself. The warmth of the Cotta-Arc house was nothing like the farmstead’s cold, though her hands trembled nonetheless. She squinted in the dark, needing to reassure herself that her friends—her family—were still there. Yang snored softly beside her. Weiss and Blake shared the other bed, but Ruby only saw Weiss’ sleeping form. 

She hadn’t planned on roaming the house. Worry compelled her to check on her other teammates and find Blake. Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Oscar slept in the second guest room. Ruby cracked the door and counted all four in their places. No Blake. 

She found Qrow sprawled out on the couch downstairs. She readjusted his fallen blanket and moved to head back upstairs. 

A figure caught her notice outside. Relief washed over Ruby as she recognized the silhouette. She pulled on her boots and wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. Argus’s winter chill hit her full force when she stepped outside. 

“Blake?” she whispered, not wanting to disrupt the silence. 

Blake’s cat ears swiveled toward her voice, and Blake turned around. “Ruby? What are you doing out here? Is everything okay?”

Ruby sat beside Blake on the porch. “I was just going to ask you the same thing.”

Blake sighed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you. I just . . .”

“Couldn’t sleep.”

“Yeah.”