A/N: Holy crap, it's another RWBY fanfic from me! Wonders will never cease! Originally intended as a one-shot, this might actually have the potential to be a series, so let's see what happens. As with a lot of fanfics I think, I'll be ignoring the canon from vol.3, taking this story from just after the end of Vol.2. So, with that said, please read, comment and let me know what you think. I won't carry on a story people don't want.
Blake Belladonna was not a girl to whom things like 'love' came naturally. In fact, she was exceedingly cautious in letting anyone get too close to her, ever since Adam becme a person she no longer recognised. However, spending so much time with the other members of Team RWBY was bound to have some kind of impact. She just wished her emotional reawakening could have happened with less vigour, and when they weren't fighting for their lives.
It was funny, really. When she'd first met Yang, attempting to make awkward small talk with the subtlety and tact of an angry Beowolf, Blake had thought the tall blonde was an idiot. It wasn't until later on, during their intiation in the forest, that she'd seen a different side to her - she was a fearless fighter, headstrong and light-hearted, each encounter little more than a joke to her.
Unless something happened to her hair. Then all bets were off.
After that, she'd seen a lot of her love for Ruby, as well as her pride and admiration for what her sister had accomplished. It had seemed there were hidden depths to the tough brawler, and Blake had felt something stir even then.
That stirring only increased the day Yang took Blake aside and lectured her about tiring herself out. Blake had been annoyed at the time, but she had been forced to admit that she was running herself into the ground.
And she had to admit, seeing Yang in that pure white dress and high heels had been well worth any number of lectures, even those given by Professor Port.
Ruby was adorable and energetic, but everything about her was on the outside for all to see. There was little mystery to her, and while Blake cherished her friendship with her leader, she doubted they could have anything meaningful together.
Meanwhile, Weiss was the polar opposite. So aloof it hurt, she was too reserved - Blake felt as if she barely knew the heiress, despite having fought beside her for just over a year. But Yang...
Yang was strong, affectionate, exceptionally beautiful, and while Blake would never say anything of the sort to anyone else ever, seeing Yang in Beacon's school uniform gave her ideas that would have put her Ninjas of Love books to shame.
But why, why in the name of all that was sacred and sane could Blake not have realised she loved the blonde idiot while they were somewhere safe?
As part of their ongoing training, Team RWBY had been sent on a mission to cull some of the Grimm in the Emerald Forest. They'd split into their respective pairs, because after the attack on Vale they were confident it would be enough. Blake and Yang had wiped out a beowolf pack with ease, with the brawler not even needing to activate her semblance, but then a group of Ursae had lumbered through the undergrowth and things had gone south.
They'd handled them well enough to start with, but a momentary distraction - caused by Blake losing focus and wondering what kissing Yang would be like - saw Blake get swatted aside by one of the brutes, slamming hard against a tree and stunning her momentarily.
It had looked worse than it was - her aura had taken the brunt of the hit, leaving Blake with some hefty bruising and maybe a broken rib or two, but she would live. However Yang wasn't aware of those facts, and with a shout of "get away from my girl!" her semblance had flared into life, and she'd launched into a surge of violence against all of the massive creatures within range.
Blake pushed herself to her feet, seeing that her friend, partner and object of her affections was getting surrounded, and despite the spikes of pain stabbing through her right side she ran to assist. She couldn't help but smile, though, as the thought she called me her girl cycled through her mind.
Snatching up Gambol Shroud from where it had fallen, she pulled the sword free from its sheath and ran at the first of the creatures, creating a copy and using it to boost her leap towards the beast. She twisted in mid-air, delivering a pair of scything strikes against the ursa's back before she landed. The impact sent fresh agony down her side and she staggered briefly, leaving her unguarded when the ursa turned its attention to her. With a speed that belied its bulk, the massive creature spun around and dealt her a massive blow to her left side, and she cried out in fresh pain as she hit the floor.
Good going, Blake, she told herself, as the immense Grimm charged towards her. You got yourself killed because you were daydreaming. Rookie move, you idiot.
She was doomed, of that she was certain. She had just enough time to regret not talking to Yang sooner, before the girl in question launched herself from the trees, dropping towards the ursa like a comet of flesh and violence. She swung a punch down at the creature's head, triggering Ember Celica as she connected, and the combined force knocked the ursa off-course. Its unexpected change in direction caused it to stumble, and Yang was quick to follow up on the opportunity. A flurry of semblance-fuelled punches, a few kicks and a shotgun-powered uppercut finally put the beast down for good, and the flames from Yang's semblance died out at last.
Blake attempted to rise again, only to slip back with another pained cry. Yang hurried to her friend's side, her face a picture of concern as she helped Blake to her feet.
"Easy Blake, easy," she said gently, easing herself under Blake's right arm to give the fuanus some extra support. "What happened to you, huh? You've never had that kinda trouble before," Yang asked, her tone troubled. Blake attempted to shrug, but winced as the movement caused another stab of pain.
"I don't know, I just...got distracted, I guess," Blake half-lied.
"Distracted? By what, anything good?" she laughed, and Blake attempted to laugh it off as well, but stopped when the pain got too much.
"So," the faunus started, pausing as she winced again, "I'm 'your girl', am I?" Blake's smile as she asked the question was almost shy, and she hoped it meant what she wanted it to mean.
"Ah, you know me," Yang replied, helping her partner to sit on a broad tree stump, "I go with the flow, say whatever comes to mind. Seemed like a good idea at the time."
Blake suppressed a sigh. So that was it. It was just 'a good idea at the time'. She should have known it was too good to be true.
"What's wrong?"
Blake looked up at Yang's sudden question, unaware that her thoughts had coloured her expression.
"Oh, it's...it's nothing," Blake answered, retreating back into her 'quiet, moody and anti-social' self. She didn't begrudge Weiss that assessment, but it was more a set of labels than actually identifying Blake's traits...and right now, those traits - well-worn and familiar as they were - seemed like the safest place to be.
She had dared to hope for something that was never going to happen, and she'd paid the price.
She decided it would be the last time.