Blake was never much one for fawning. In the past whenever she had a thing for a guy she would make it clear enough for him. Even with Adam. He was her superior in rank even back then, but she made it clear where he stood when it was just the two of them. Blake had never quietly pined over a guy she was too afraid to confront.

Girls were another matter entirely.

Blake had noticed the crazy blonde even in a crowded hall. It was hard not to. Bright blonde hair, tall, and the loudest person she had ever met. Yes, Yang was certainly noticeable. Blake had no trouble locating her in the Emerald Forest during orientation. She figured it might have been interesting to have a partner that ferocious in a fight. Now she wasn't sure if she was regretting it or not.

Yang was definitely a good person. She was a bit abrasive and reckless at times, occasionally tactless, but at the end of the day she was a good person. She was also a tremendous opponent, albeit a tad brash. No, that wasn't why Blake questioned her decision. It was for the very fact that she had to spend countless amounts of hours with her partner, who she also happened to find very attractive.

Blake watched quietly as Yang whaled away at the punching bag, every punch having enough force to send it swinging. She had been going for a few minutes now and was starting to sweat. She had pulled her hair back into a ponytail at some point to cool off, but it didn't do much other than distract Blake even more. Yes, admittedly, Blake was staring. Then again, how could she not? Nearly everyone in the school agreed that Yang was gorgeous, and nearly all of the guys wanted in her pants. Some had even managed to slither their way in, much to Blake's envy. They all left the morning after with a new bruise thanks to the faunus "accidentally" tripping and sending a hard object into their face.

Blake was almost certain that Yang had no idea about the girl's feelings for her. Blake really didn't blame her. Blake had always been antisocial, standoffish, and reserved. Yang had absolutely no reason to suspect that Blake had any feelings for her. Really it was Blake's own fault for never pursuing her. Blake had never secretly fawned over anyone before, but when it was her partner and closest friend Blake just couldn't bring herself to risk it.

"Yo, did you see that?" Yang approached her with a grin, pointing over her shoulder to a torn punching bag leaking onto the floor. "Man, Oz is gonna be so pissed!" She laughed and Blake couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her. Yang was the only one at Beacon that could make her laugh.

Blake Belladonna was never one to fawn. She preferred facing her infatuations head on and making it very clear when she was romantically interested in someone. Well, she was with boys. With girls it was a much different story.

/

Yang hated having feelings. She knew it was stupid to bottle up her emotions, but she hated feeling vulnerable. She hated crying, she hated shame, and most of all she hated love. She had held crushes for a few girls over the years, but they never returned her feelings. They were always weirded out by her infatuations or downright disgusted. There wasn't a very large dating pool for Yang back home. She had figured it would be easier to date guys instead of bothering with girls, even if she never had feelings for them. She only ever had feelings for girls, and she hated it.

She hated romantic feelings even more when they were directed at a close friend. It had happened to her before, and when she fessed up her friend had disowned her and never spoke to her again. Blake didn't have that option. She was stuck with Yang for the rest of the school year, and the last thing Yang wanted was to make her best friend uncomfortable every day. So Yang stayed silent. She acted towards Blake as she would any other friend. If she flirted with Blake, she would flirt with Weiss just to throw her off. And when Yang was having an especially bad day she would blow off steam with some random dude who wanted to mess around.

Sometimes she would get frustrated and angry with herself for falling for her partner of all people. Those times Yang would take her anger out on a punching bag. Luckily Beacon had plenty of punching bags to go around, because she usually destroyed them. This time was no different. Yang had grown frustrated with herself after she caught herself staring in class. She was ashamed and took her anger out on the poor punching bag, even as Blake watched.

Yang told herself that Blake would see this and know that Yang was fighting these feelings with everything she had. Yang tried so hard not to grow fonder of Blake, but every day reminded her just how much she cared. Just how hard it is to get over someone without solid rejection. She needed Blake to tell her that it wasn't going to happen, or she would just keep dreaming, and she would just keep destroying punching bags.

With one screaming blow Yang's fist ripped the worn bag open and sand spilled out around her feet. She panted and leaned over, laughing as an idea came to her. These punching bags were just like her heart. She would pound at them and every day she would break them, but the next day it would just be good as new. And the entire time Blake would watch, completely blind to her feelings.

"Yo, did you see that?" Yang forced a smile on her face, wanting to act normal with Blake. The raven haired beauty looked up from her book, a small smile on her lips. Suddenly Yang felt her smile grow more genuine. "Man, Oz is gonna be so pissed!" Yang felt herself laugh, mostly at the irony that she had broken ten bags already and yet Ozpin had said nothing to her. Blake giggled, smiling up at her, and Yang felt her heart melt.

Yang Xiao Long hated feelings, and Blake Belladonna did not fawn