Author's notes: This was my first attempt at writing something like this, so if you dont like it, I'm sorry. I am open to constructive critiscism but do not appreciate screaming and swearing at me.
I know I can use some practice, but the only way I will get better is by doing.
Buried Feelings
Yang woke up in a cold sweat and instinctively put her hand on her chest, confirming her worst fears. Her heart was pounding a tattoo inside of her rib cage, threatening to break out of her chest cavity, and racing through her mind was a single, jolting thought: She had fallen in love with Ruby, her half-sister.
Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long and their father, Taiyang were outside in the yard training. Yang had adopted her father's fighting style because she liked to get up close and personal with her weapon of choice: Ember Celica, a pair of heavy duty gauntlets with a deadly surprise hidden in them: dual shotguns. Ruby, the younger sister by two years was working on her marksmanship using the rifle mode of her prized creation, Crescant Rose. Crescant Rose was a massive scythe/sniper rifle combo that was as deadly as it was beautiful. Ruby had built it with the help of her and Yang's Uncle, Qrow Branwen.
After about an hour of hand to hand practice, Tai and Yang sat down for a few minutes rest and to admire Ruby's dedication to perfecting her aim and overall technique. since it was a warm day, Ruby had forgone her usual outfit consisting of her red cloak and pants with the gothic red and black corset and blouse, instead opting for a pair of torn jeans and a tank top. Yang hadnt thought muh about the warm day, due to the act that her semblance made the air around her warmer as it was, but as she watched her younger sister hard at work, she began to feel herself getting a little flushed as she watched Ruby move with the grace of a dancer, and the precision of a trained marksman.
It came as a relief to Yang that their father hadn't noticed the increase in air temprature around him, or he might have asked if Yang was feeling alright. Yang stood up and casually walked into the house as Tai began setting up a picnic table so they could have dinner outside later. Yang turned on the shower, straight cold, as she would heat it up anyway, and began to strip out of her sweaty clothes. Stepping into the shower and letting the water wash over her body, her mind wandered back outside to watching her sister in the midst of rehearsing a deadly dance with Crescant Rose, and felt her cheeks flush once again. Yang started to wonder if her mind was playing tricks on her or if there was something else causing her to react like she was. When the feeling finally subsided, Yang finished her shower and was getting dressed when she heard a soft spoken voice ask "Yang, is everything alright?" Ruby had noticed that Yang had came into the house a little earlier than usual, which was strange for Yang since the blonde loved the thrill of combat. As Ruby finished her question, Yang felt her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. Trying to not sound troubled, Yang took a deep breath and answered "everything's fine, Rubes, I'll be out in a few". after a few minutes of controlled breathing and making sure her cheeks weren't the shade of Ruby's cloak, Yang walked outside to join her sister and father for dinner.
The next day back at Beacon Academy, Professor Goodwitch held practice matches to prepare them for a tournament that was coming up. Yang had drawn Pyrrha as her opponent, and they both agreed to not use their semblances, which Pyrrha agreed to with the blonde teachers blessing. With everyone watching, they were all surprised at how evenly matched the two young women were in terms of raw fighting ability. Yang was a little more heavy handed because of her kick boxing background, while Pyrrha was the faster of the two. after several mintes,Professor Goodwitch called the match a draw so the combatants wouldnt wear themselves out trying to score any substantial aura lowering hits and end the match. With a congratulatory hug, Yang and Pyrrha set off to sit with their teams and wait for the final match to be announced for the day. "Ruby Rose and Nora Valkyrie! Please enter the arena area".
Yang felt an uncomfortable knot forming in her stomach a Ruby's name was announced. She always loved cheering her younger sister on in practice, but there was something about today that was different. Yang's eyes suddenly started to tear up and before she knew it, she was quietly running out into the hall. Pyrrha had noticed this and quietly slipped out to go find the young woman who she had just sparred with. "Yang?" whispered the red-headed woman. Hearing gentle sobs from around the corner, Pyrrha knew she was on the right track. As she rounded the corner, she saw Yang sitting on the floor with her knees pulled tightly against her chest and a look of terror and regret on her face.
Pyrrha sat down beside Yang and placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong Yang?" she asked the blonde. Yang tried to calm herself enough to answer and finally said "I don't know whats wrong with me. Yesterday when Ruby, Dad and I were training, I started to feel like I had butterflies in my stomach and after I got out of the shower, my cheeks were all flushed". Pyrrha looked at her friend with a puzzled look and then asked, "What were you thinking about when you started feeling like this?".
Yang's eyes suddenly went wide as she thought about what she was doing when it happened. "I was watching Ruby practiing with Crescant Rose after my workout with dad, and then when she asked me what was wrong, because I had gone in to take a shower earlier than I usually do". The red-head suddenly started chuckling softly, causing Yang to look at her, very confused.
"Yang, my dear friend, It does sound to me like you are in love. What worries me though, is that it is your sister".
Yang looked like she was going to be sick right there in the hallway as she realized that her Amazon friend might be right. "Oh my god, Pyrrha! Whatever you do, please don't tell Ruby. I dont want her to think less of me because of this". Pyrrha craned her neck and listened carefully to the crowd as it suddenly erupted in a raucus applause. Both the blonde brawler and the red-headed amazon then faintly heard Professor Goodwitch announce the winner "By a margin of 1% Aura, your winner is, Ruby Rose!".
Just then, Yang suddenly felt a pang of regret that she had missed her sisters match, but she was glad that Pyrrha was with her to listen.
Later that night, Ruby couldn't sleep. She knew that there was something wrong with Yang, because she had never ended her practice early, nor had she ever missed a single match that involved Ruby. As it turns out, Nora also noticed that Pyrrha was gone at the end of their match as well. Ruby had tried to ask Pyrrha what was wrong with Yang, but the Team JNPR member simply responded by saying, "I'm sorry Ruby, but I promised your sister that I wouldn't say anything to you. I'm sure she will tell you when she's ready".
Needless to say, that left Ruby worrying more than usual. Something else Ruby noticed that was out of the ordinary for Yang, was that the older sister usually snored very loudly when she was sleeping soundly. Tonight though, yang was thrashing around restlessly. Ruby was just about to roll over and try to go back to sleep when Yang let out a panicked scream that made Ruby's blood turn to ice. Without thinking, ruby instinctively activated her semblance and shot from her room to Yang's room like she was shot from a railgun, leaving a large cloud of rose petals in her wake. When she got into Yangs room, she saw her sister sitting straight up in bed, clutching her chest and sweating profusely.
Ruby felt her heart shatter seeing Yang like this, because the blonde had been the one primarily helping to take care of Ruby since the death of Ruby's mother, Summer Rose, when the younger brunette was just a small child. Ruby had always cared for her older sister, but for a while, those feelings had been growing to something beyond that of a sister. It was almost impossible for the young woman to express her feelings for the terrified blonde, mainly because of the various relationships Yang had been in over the recent years, Blake Belladonna, Neptune Vasilias, and a short lived fling with Weiss Schnee. Each one had ended in heartache for Yang, but against Ruby's better judgement, Yang had moved on to the next one almost as quickly as she had lost the previous one.
Ruby, who was beginning to cry as her sister laid back down almost unconsciously, decided to do the only thing she could think of to do; she climbed into the bed with Yang and held her tightly, softly singing their favorite lullaby to help soothe the terrified blonde. There was a moment of acceptance where every muscle in her body screamed at Ruby to hold her sister, and both heart and mind cried out for her to kiss away her sister's pain and tears. Ruby was 100% in love with her sister, and she knew that there was no going back at this point.
Feeling slightly uncomfortable for reasons she didn't yet understand, mainly from the foreign pressure against her back and the scent of rose petals in her room, she whispered, "Ruby?". The blonde got her answer in the form of Ruby wrapping her arm around Yang's waist, and kissing her on the shoulder. Yang thought she was dreaming, and laid her head on the pillow. Just as Yang was about to drift off into a deep sleep, she asked for no apparent reason, "Why are you in my bed, sis?".
Ruby stroked her sister's long blonde hair and clamly answered. "You had been thrashing around in your bed having nightmares most of the night".
The kiss on her shoulder sent Yang's heart racing as her eyes snapped back open. "How bad were they, sis?".
"Yang", Ruby said with tears in her eyes, "You screamed out and were clutching your chest when I got in here. I activated my semblance between our rooms because of the way you sounded last night. I climbed into your bed to try to comfort you and help you sleep".
Yang rolled over and looked into Ruby's bright silver eyes, only to see that the young woman was telling her the truth. Yang's heart was almost stopped by what her sister asked her next. "How long have you felt like this toward me, sis?". Eyes wide, Yang began shaking with a mix of fear and anger. "When and how did you know, Ruby? Did Pyrrha say anything to you?".
"No", Ruby said, "She didn't say anything specific to me when I asked what was wrong other than that she found you crying in the hallway. Pyrrha told me that you would tell me when you were ready, but seeing you like this told me a lot of what I was beginning to suspect already". Pausing to form her next thought, Ruby let out a soft sigh before she spoke again.
"Yang, you never quit practice with dad early, and you have never missed one of my matches at Beacon either. I saw the look in your eyes while you were watching me at dinner, during practice here, and also before my match with Nora. you usually look at me with pride in your eyes, but lately, there had also been a softer tenderness in them. The last time I saw it this strongly with anyone was when you and Blake were together".
Now Ruby's silver eyes were starting to glisten with tears as she prepared what she was going to say next.
Ruby had just opened her mouth to start speaking again, when unexpectedly, Yang's lips crashed into her own. There was a fire in Yang's kiss that Ruby had always suspected was there, but always longed to confirm. Yang was crying as she kissed her sister, fiercely. As her shock wore off from the sudden, but welcome ambush, Ruby wrapped her arms around Yang's waist and returned the blondes kiss with a passion that was matched only by the warmth of her sisters semblance. After what seemed like an eternity in that single, first kiss, Yang pulled back to say the three words that were on the tip of her tongue, but before she could bring herself to say it, Ruby silently whispered "I love you too, Yang".
Yang woke up with a start, rather late for a Saturday, and asked herself "Was I dreaming last night?". Rubbing her eyes, she tried to remember what had happened and figure out if she was just dreaming or not. Something was slightly different in the room though. There was a faint scent of rose petals which always accompanied Ruby's semblance. Looking around quickly, and seeing nosign of Ruby in her room, Yang changed clothes real fast before going to the bathroom to splash some water on her face. The cold water helped to invigorate her body, but it did nothing to help clear her head, which was still wondering if she was dreaming or if last night had actually happened.
As Yang left the bathroom, she called "Ruby?". "In the kitchen, Yang", came the reply. Yang walked to the kitchen and looked around to see if their father was home, but Ruby started to speak almost at once.
"Dad isn't here. How are you feeling?".
Yang sat down at the table and rubbed her forehead, wondering now if everything she was thinking had been true. "I'm tired, and confused". Ruby turned and looked at her sister with tears in her eyes.
"Before you ask anything else sis, Yes, last night did happen, and I meant every word I said to you. If you are wondering how long I have felt this way about you? Then the answer is, for a long time. It began around the time you and Blake started seeing each other, but I didnt know that I was feeling this way toward you, so I just dismissed it. After you and Blake broke up though, I tried to talk to you about it, you were too brash and headstrong to listen. I cried myself to sleep each night for a week when you and Neptune started seeing each other, because that was when I accepted that I may be falling in love with you".
Yang just sat there with tears in her eyes as she listened to her sister. Wiping her own tears away, Ruby continued.
"I tried to advise you to be careful with Weiss, because I knew how she could get when she didnt get her way. once again, you let your heart rule you head for the wrong reasons, and forgive me for saying it, but you got burned. I have wanted to tell you so many times how I felt, but deep down, I knew that you were my sister and that you would never love me this way. I'm so sorry, Yang. I know I shouldn't have these kinds of feelings for you, but..."
Seeing the anguish in her younger sisters eyes, yang walked over to the sink and gently wrapped her arms around Ruby, holding her tight against her chest.
"Ruby, you have nothing to be sorry for. If anything, it's me who should be sorry".
Ruby looked into her sister's bright, tear filed, lilac eyes and asked, "sorry for what, Yang?".
"I'm so sorry that I didn't recognise your feelings for me sooner, not to mention that you were trying to help me avoid the heartache I went through with Blake, Neptune and Weiss. Most of our lives, I have spent looking out for you and protecting you, trying to help you avoid my mistakes, yet allowing you to forge your own path. Had I known that my actions would have resulted in your feelings for me, and had I not been so hot headed and stubborn, I might have listened to you better. All of these things I have done to help you and keep you safe mean very little in comparisson to the pain and anguish I have caused you. I dont want our feelings to come between us as sisters or compremise our ability to work together as a team. Dust, I'm rambling. Aren't I?". With a nod from Ruby, Yang finished her thought. "Ruby, I have always loved you as my sister, that will never change, but since our feelings have grown, I know what I have been missing as far as a relationship goes...it's you. You are the missing piece to my happiness, and I will cherish it always. I love you Ruby".
Monday morning back at Beacon, Pyrrha noticed that Yang was in a better mood than the last time she had seen the blonde.
"Yang!" she called out.
Turning her head, Yang noticed at once who had called her name and casually strolled over to where Pyrrha was standing with Jaune and Ren. "Guys, can you give me and Yang a miute please?". Jaune and Ren nodded and went off to try and find Nora, who was probably still in the cafeteria gobbling down pancakes.
"I'm glad to see you smiling again, Yang. I take it that you and Ruby talked things out?". Yang nodded.
"She knew something was bugging me when I had a really bad nightmare at our dad's house. She was so worried that she left rose petals from her room to mine when she heard me cry out". "It must have been bad if her semblance activated in such a short distance like that." Pyrrha said.
"Turns out, she has had these feelings for me for quite a while too".
She suspected when I walked out of training at the house early, and again when I didnt watch her match with Nora. They both noticed you were missing too".
"Ruby asked me if you were alright," the red head said, and I told her that you would tell her when you were ready. Seems like destiny didn't want you to wait before telling her, did it".
Pyrrha and Yang both started laughing merrily as Ruby walked over to them. "Ruby, I am glad that you and your sister had a chance to talk about things. I would be a poor friend if I didn't offer you my advice or my blessing on your happiness". Together, the half sisters both hugged the red head, and softly kissed her on each cheek in thanks.