Hey guys, welcome back. Just to clarify the timescale, this fic starts sometime soon after the events of the Battle at Beacon (so in the fall/autumn). Therefore, Ruby hasn't left for Mistral yet. This chapter might be a little more angsty than the last one at the beginning, just as a heads up. There will be some more light-hearted stuff afterwards, though. So, it'll all balance out in the end.


Chapter Two: From the Shadows

"Yang…" the disembodied whisper reverberated around the void-like space Yang found herself in. She had no idea where she was or who was calling for her but unease gripped at her heart. A figure emerged out of the darkness. The man who appeared was very tall, with spiked red hair and bull horns sticking through the front. He wore dark clothing and a Grimm-style mask to hide his eyes. She recognized him almost immediately as White Fang member Adam Taurus.

He came to stand in front of her, an arrogant aura surrounding him, "Hello, Yang. How are you? Feeling pretty bad, I imagine." Enraged, she went to go and punch him with her dominant right fist… completely forgetting about her injury in her anger. Adam grinned smugly, waiting for a hit that would never come. "Is that all you have? Pathetic. You'll never be able to protect your family or friends like this. Not Weiss, not Ruby… and definitely not Blake."

"Shut up!" She struck out with her left hand this time with all the might she could muster, eyes burning with hatred for the man who had almost killed her. Without even trying, he side-stepped her attack. Unable to stop the momentum she careered forward, catching herself off balance when she didn't connect with her target. Narrowly avoiding falling flat on her face, she somehow managed to regain her balance only to be knocked down a second later.

Adam's foot stomped down on her stomach, holding her in place as she gasped for air from being winded. "When will you learn that it takes more than anger and strength to fight? You don't deserve the title of Huntress." He spat these last few words, filling them with as much venom as he could. "Blake won't want you like this, broken. No-one will, but especially not her. She just feels guilty. That's the only reason she's with you now."

"Wrong. You're… wrong," Yang managed as she felt her consciousness faded.

"We'll see who's right in time, won't we?" Those bitter, malicious words were the last thing she heard before the darkness overwhelmed her.


Someone was lightly shaking her shoulder, trying to wake her. Her eyes opened abruptly and it took a few moments to realize where she was. The empty void had been replaced with her room. Yang carefully turned over and was met with a familiar face. Not Adam Taurus but Blake Belladonna.

Concern lined Blake's face as she examined her friend's paler than usual complexion and noticed the flickers of fear in her lilac eyes. "Yang… you okay? You started yelling and thrashing around in your sleep."

Yang could lie, but it would do her little good. Blake would see right through it. Besides, she didn't want to lie. Not to Blake. She let out a shaky sigh, closing her eyes momentarily. "You want the truth? No, I'm not." In fact, she was far from okay.

Not certain how to respond to that, Blake answered the only way she knew how. "Want to talk about it?"

There was a question. Yang wasn't even sure if she could talk about it. Not so soon after the incident. She needed… time. How much, she didn't know. "Not right now, no."

It was worrying to see her so uncharacteristically closed off, but understandable. They had all lost something at Beacon, Yang being among the highest of the casualties. Hesitantly, Blake reached out to take hold of Yang's left hand, giving it a light squeeze. "Okay then. If you do want to talk about it, I'm here."

Just knowing that helped a lot, more than Yang could ever express in words. She returned the squeeze, actually managing a small smile. "I know, thanks."

Blake shook her head, looking directly into her teammate's eyes. Thankfully, the glints of panic and fear had mostly disappeared now. "No need to thank me, Yang. If there is thanks to give, then you deserve it all."

"I thought I'm supposed to be the one with all the cheesy lines. You're stepping on my turf," Yang chuckled softly, feeling a little better already. Without Blake here, she definitely wouldn't be handling things as well as she was now. Sure, she was still struggling but having the support helped a lot.

The two girls laid there, just letting time pass them by. From the sounds outside and the invasive light, it must be morning now. Another day they had survived to see. Their hands were still loosely intertwined, neither willing to pull away right now. The contact provided a comforting warmth, reminding them both that the other was safe. For a while, that had been extremely uncertain.

"Am I interrupting anything?" A voice carried over from the doorway, hints of humor present. Both girls looked over to the door seeing Yang's father, Taiyang Xiao Long, leaning against the doorframe with a light smirk plastered to his face.

"No," Blake answered too quickly, incriminating herself further. Realizing that all too late, she stuttered over her words. "I n-need to use the bathroom." With cat-like reflexes, she darted across the room and out of the door to escape the awkward situation. For all her talk of not running away anymore, it seemed that in some situations she couldn't help but revert to that defensive mechanism.

Taiyang watched her skulk away, chuckling softly to himself. He was carrying a tray with two bowls and glasses. Carefully, he set it down on the bedside table and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "I just came to see how you were doing and to bring breakfast."

"Thanks. How's Ruby?" Yang asked, trying to draw attention away from Blake's swift exit. That and she was curious to see how her sister was doing. As tough as Ruby was, everyone had their limits.

His expression became slightly troubled as he answered the question. "She hasn't come to yet. Still out like a light. The fighting must have taken a lot out of her…"

"She will be okay, though… right?" she pressed again, anxious to know for certain.

He nodded slowly, keen to ease her worries. "Yes, she will be. You know our Ruby, she's a fighter. Just like her sister. I do worry about her, though."

"I think you have good reason to be," Yang agreed knowingly. Ruby had about as rough a time as she had. Watching both Penny and Pyrrha die right in front of her, fighting their enemy face to face and passing out as a result of overexertion… all these circumstances would have an effect on her. Not a good one either.

Her father was quiet for a few seconds before he spoke again. "I'll keep an eye on her and let you know when she wakes up. If she doesn't tell you herself first. How are you doing?"

"Not great," she admitted with a sigh. Denying it wouldn't help her.

"That's what I figured," he gently placed a hand on her shoulder, reassuring her. "Take as much time as you need. There's no rush." His eyes shifted back to the door, hearing a slight rustling sound. "Anyway, I'm sure my presence is keeping Ms. Belladonna away. I'll leave you to it." He stood up and, after offering up a smile, left the room.

"Is he gone?" A small voice asked moments later as Blake poked her head around the door, ears pricked up as she listened intently for warning signs. Her cheeks were still a bit flushed from the previous embarrassment.

"He is," Yang confirmed, unable to help a smile quirking at the corner of her lips. Blake could be so transparent sometimes. It was kind of cute when she let her guard down.

Cautiously, she stepped inside the room, closed the door behind her and hurried back over to the bed once more. She refused to look at Yang for a while, still flustered. Only Yang seemed to get her like this. So worked up.

Suddenly, Yang's stomach growled loudly and she grinned sheepishly. "Guess I'm kind of hungry."

"When aren't you?" the dark-haired faunus asked amusedly as she took one of the bowls. She stuck a spoon in the porridge, ready to help her friend.

"Are you going to blow on it for me?" The blonde huntress asked cheekily.

"You are such high maintenance." Even if she was joking, Blake found herself blushing all over again. Yang was just too much sometimes. Half-jokingly, she blew near the spoon and offered it to her friend. Obediently, Yang opened her mouth and took the spoonful she was offered.

"You know I could get used to this whole 'being fed' thing," Yang mentioned playfully once she finished her mouthful.

"And I could get used to 'accidentally' spilling it all over you," Blake teased as she put the spoon back in the bowl, giving the food a quick stir to help cool it.

Yang shook her head with a smirk. "So cruel…"

Blake narrowed her eyes with mock annoyance. "I haven't even begun to show you cruel, Yang Xiao Long."

"Using full names, huh? I am in trouble," Yang chuckled softly.

"You will be if you don't finish every single spoonful of this." Once Blake had finished helping Yang eat, she picked up her own bowl and tucked in. She could feel Yang's eyes on her as she ate, watching her with hawk-like intensity. "What are you staring at me for?"

"Who said I was staring? I wasn't staring," Yang objected unconvincingly just to mess with her.

"You so were," Blake replied accusingly.

"…Okay, maybe I was a little bit. There's not really much else to focus on in this room, I hasten to add. I can stop if it's making you feel uncomfortable," Yang offered, not wanting to push her luck.

"I don't mind particularly…" Actually, Blake didn't mind at all. She wouldn't dare admit that to Yang, though. She'd never hear the end of it.

Yang allowed herself a grin at the hesitant reply. "Well, I guess I'll keep doing it then."

Blake's lip quirked upwards into a gentle smile, expression softening as she looked at Yang. She'd definitely made the right choice staying. "I guess you will."

As much as Yang appreciated the company, she didn't want to restrict Blake. Maybe she was worrying too much. Still, she couldn't shake the doubt. "You know I really don't mind you being at my side pretty much twenty-four-seven in the slightest but… you don't have to. If there are other things you have to do, then…"

The faunus shook her head, dismissing the worry as she placed the now empty bowl on the tray. "There is only one thing I have to do right now. Well, not so much have as want to do."

"What's that?" Yang asked hesitantly. Even though she wanted to give Blake an option, ideally she would prefer if her friend stayed close by. After everything that had been through, she didn't want to lose Blake. Now more than before. Equally, she didn't want to be selfish.

"Stay with you, of course," Blake responded simply. She'd had plenty of time to think about what she wanted to do next. The answer to that particular question had come fairly easily to her. It didn't really matter where she was or what she was doing, as long as Yang was there. She knew that much with unwavering certainty.

That reply made Yang's heart soar. She'd hoped that would be the answer, but didn't want to get her hopes up too much. "I just don't want you getting bored or anything."

Blake couldn't help but chuckle at the ridiculous notion. Ever since she had met Yang, she'd never experienced a dull moment. "Bored around you? Not likely. Our time together so far has been far from that."

That summary was more than justified. "You can say that again. So long as you're sure."

"I am. Don't even give me the chance to wander off on my own." Blake's answer to conflict and uncertainty had always been to run away. That only ever made the outcome worse. She didn't even want to think about what would've happened if she'd left Yang to deal with the trauma on her own.

"I won't. Hell, I'll track you across the whole of Remnant if I have to," Yang mentioned half-jokingly.

"Good," Blake could've just as easily been part way to Menagerie by now instead of at Yang's side. That would have been a huge mistake. "Maybe when you're better, and if we get the time, you should come with me to Menagerie. It's mostly desert, but the what we've managed to make habitable is really something. Especially Kuo Kuana, my hometown."

As far as Yang could tell, she seemed a bit homesick. "I bet it is."

"Then you could meet my parents. I think they'd like you." The thought of Yang meeting her parents made Blake both excited and nervous for all kinds of reasons.

"You sound confident," Yang pointed out. Blake hadn't really talked about Menagerie or her parents much. Part of that had to do with the fact that she'd been trying to hide her faunus heritage ever since she'd started at Beacon. Even when she had revealed her secret, it had been more accidental than anything.

"I can't think of a single reason why they wouldn't like you." Sure, Yang could be a little hot-headed and gung-ho sometimes, but she was loyal and caring. She would do anything to help and protect someone she considered a friend. That much she'd proven time and time again. Her condition now proved it most of all.

"Oh, I don't know about that…" Yang could think of a lot of unlikable traits she possessed. Mostly her hot temper and recklessness.

"Well, I do," Blake reassured as confidently as she could.

"Then I'll trust your word. And I'd really like to go. With you." What Yang really wanted to add was 'I'd go with you anywhere' but decided against it. That had the potential to sound a bit stalkerish and creepy, however true.

"Good, because it wasn't really a choice. I already promised my parents I'd come back sometime, before… Beacon," her ears drooped just thinking back to such a horrible experience. So many people had died or got hurt that day. Yang noticed this and lightly squeezed her hand again. The young faunus was glad for the comfort. "I'm not going without you."

Trying her best to stifle the huge grin threatening to hijack her face right now, Yang tried to play it cool. "Well, how can I refuse such an invitation?"

"You can't," Blake pointed out smugly.

She did have a point. There was no way Yang could refuse even if she wanted to… which she didn't. "I suppose I should try to get better asap then."

Blake narrowed her eyes sternly. "You'd better, otherwise I'll be mad."

"We wouldn't want that. Angry Blake scares me," Yang mentioned teasingly. Blake normally seemed so in control of her emotions, never liking to show them. When she did have her rare moments of emotional explosion, they were an extremely intense built up over several days of silent brooding relating to various annoyances.

"Not as much as angry Yang terrifies me." When Yang got angry, it was like she was literally on fire with rage.

Yang winked at her. "I may look sweet and innocent but I have a fiery streak."

Blake tried her best to stifle the laughter threatening to erupt from her throat. "Sweet and innocent? If you say so…"

"Rude. When I'm better you are in so much trouble." Although Yang did her best to make this sound threatening, she failed miserably. Blake giggled at the threat, clearly not worried. She knew that Yang would never really hurt her, no matter how much she joked about it. Unlike people such as Adam Taurus. Out of everyone in her life, Yang was the person she trusted the most.


So, we'll end the chapter there. I'm probably going to do around 5 chapters or so for this. That's the plan for now, anyway. I'll try and come up with a few other ideas for RWBY (I might have one or two already). Probably including more Yang/Blake, maybe some Ruby/Weiss and some other f/f pairings. So, stay tuned for more. Have a great day and see you next time.