[Author's Note: This is actually the first fandom that's inspired me to write fic about it! I thought the reunion in the V5 finale was good, but a bit unsatisfying. This takes place immediately after the end of Volume 5, and is told in two parts. The second part will focus on Yang's point of view. Hope you enjoy!]
.
In her dreams, their reunion went differently.
Blake, of course, chose not to think about her dreams. But dreams come whether you think about them or not.
It's a peculiar feeling to wake up and realize that what you held in your arms just moments before is suddenly gone. And by peculiar, I mean it feels like ice rushing into your veins, coupled with a cruel lurch in your stomach. Blake grew to hate her dreams. She grew to hate the creeping visions of Grimm masks, of blood red blades, of crimson eyes flashing in firelight, and of a single hand soaring above her, clutching desperately at thin air. She tried so hard to put them away, to suppress the memories burned inside her. But even if she was successful, her mind had nowhere left to go, except Yang. She tried not to imagine the apology she wanted to give, or the smile she desperately wanted to see again. She tried, valiantly, not to think about it.
But dreams come whether you think about them or not.
In her dreams, they were always alone. There was no need for a setting, really. An empty field somewhere would do, because these dreams weren't about where - they were about who. In her dreams, Blake cried. She would fall to her knees, she would beg for forgiveness, and Yang, so bright and so warm, would grant that wish. Most of the time. And most of the time, Blake would feel that golden mane in her fingers, and two strong arms holding her, and she would be safe.
Very often, dreams are wrong.
For example, they hadn't been alone. There was Weiss. There was Ruby, too. Nora, and Ren, and too many enemies for her to comprehend. As Blake turned to the girl she tried so hard to forget, she realized ("Yang?") that her dreams were very wrong indeed, and that location did matter, really. It would have been wonderful if that had happened anywhere but there. But real life doesn't really care what you want, either.
Even now, in an apartment that was now shared by Qrow, Oscar, Jaune, Nora, Ren, and the entirety of Team RWBY, Blake still felt... Unsatisfied. This was supposed to be different. After their team wide embrace had ended, the stories had begun. And by the time they reached the apartment, everyone was in the loop of how everyone else had come to arrive at Mistral. But Blake still found herself glancing over at Yang, and still found Yang glancing over at her. Something still had to be said, something still had to be done. The question was, what?
Blake mulled this question over in her head all night. She quickly discovered that the problem with sharing a small space with eight other people was that everyone had to be somewhere, and as a result there wasn't a room unoccupied by another person. She wanted to be alone so she could mull over everything that had happened. That was kind of her trademarked way of handling new information - to mull. That was how, on the night of Blake's reunion with her team, after crying and hugging and sharing and dinner, she found herself alone, on the roof of a tiny house filled with more celebration than she could bear. She sighed, her eyes drifting upwards to the star filled sky. The stars were shining brightly tonight, as if sharing in their victory. Despite everything that had happened, Blake still didn't quite feel victorious.
"Hey."
Blake jumped, turning to face the woman standing behind her. "Yang. I..." She was standing there, looking at her with an expression that was damn unreadable. "I didn't hear you come up."
Yang stepped over to Blake delicately, as if not wanting to offend the ears of whoever walked below by stomping, and sat on the edge of the roof next to blake. "It's a nice night out," she said quietly.
Blake looked down at her hands. "Yeah..." There it was, that cold snake of guilt in her stomach. It knew what it wanted. "Yang, I'm sorry for -"
"You know," the blonde interrupted, "I've always liked staring at the stars. Ruby and I used to do it with my dad when we were younger. Ruby got bored too easily. Of course, I would always get bored, too. But it was nice, the quiet. I always felt like maybe the stars were looking back at me. Maybe I shine as bright to them."
"Yang -"
"I know why you left." Yang kept her eyes on the stars. "I know. About what Adam is capable of." She laid her metal hand inside her real one. "I guess knowing and understanding are two different things."
Blake looked over at Yang with wide eyes, but Yang only had eyes for the sky above her.
"That's why, even though I knew the reason, I was angry. I woke up, and I wasn't a whole person anymore. It wasn't just my arm that had been taken from me. You were gone, too."
Blake felt her eyes fill with tears. "Yang, I'm sorry." She hated the way her voice broke, but she continued. "I was so afraid of Adam hurting you again, of him hurting Weiss, or Ruby, or -"
"We could have fought him together!" Yang's voice sounded equally as emotional as Blake's. "You could have stayed. You should have stayed. But you didn't." Finally Yang turned to look at her partner, and Blake recoiled to see that for a split second, her eyes burned red before fading to a cooler lilac. Now, instead of sounding angry, she sounded almost pleading. "I don't understand, Blake. I wish I did. I... I missed you."
Blake lowered her head. "I missed you too," she said quietly. "I'm sorry. I was afraid, and I ran away. But I'm done running. Adam doesn't have any power over me any more. I'm not going to run away anymore, Yang. Not from anything. Especially not you."
Silence fell between the two girls. It wasn't quite an uncomfortable science, but a ponderous one. Briefly, Blake wondered if she had gone too far, if she had come too close to admitting how she truly felt. Finally, Yang spoke.
"I forgive you." Blake looked up, and was surprised when her eyes locked onto Yang's. "Blake, I cried over you. I was angry. I was distraught. But now that you're here, I can't make myself feel any of that anymore. I'm tired of being in pain. I just want my teammate back."
Right. Teammate. Blake looked down uncertainly, but was ambushed by two strong arms wrapping around her and pulling her closer into a hug. Maybe her dreams weren't entirely wrong after all. But as she put her arms around Yang hesitantly, she realized that they weren't done here yet. There was still something that needed to be said, and it was bubbling within her ready to leap from her mouth. This had to be the time, this had to be the place. She had to tell Yang how she felt, now when they were high on victory and reunion or else she might never work up the courage again. She gently pulled herself from Yang's embrace and took a deep, steadying breath.