XI
Blake awoke to the warmth of her partner's arms squeezing her tightly around the waist. Against all instinct, she didn't scramble to her feet; instead, she nestled herself into her partner's embrace. The sun was perched high in the sky, casting bright golden rays through the window and giving Yang's hair a fiery glow. Even with her advanced hearing, all the Faunus could detect was the rustle of their sheets responding to their subtle motion.
Yang hadn't slept much longer. Soon, her heart began to pump faster against Blake's back as the previous night's events came flooding back to her. Blake's eyes squeezed shut at the gentle kiss on the back of her neck, relishing in the soft touch she had longed for. As much as she would have liked to have stayed right there, however, it would undoubtedly raise questions with their hosts. With agonizing slowness, she sat up and swung her legs around over the side of Yang's bed, climbing to her feet and crossing the room to gather her clothes.
Yang raised her head, leaning on one elbow to see her partner. Blake tied her bow back carefully over her ears, moving each one twice beneath the bow to check its stability. "Hey, come on… Ten more minutes?" Yang pleaded, looking devastated without Blake curled up against her chest.
"Not now. We stayed in late enough already. We'll have plenty of time this week to...catch up on lost time. The least we can do is show up for lunch downstairs, don't you think?" Blake's cheeks had taken on the slightest pink tint, of course causing Yang's to ignite with a deep crimson hue at the notion of a week to explore their new 'relationship.' With a groan, Yang climbed out of bed, although she elected to spend the day in her comfortable pajamas. Unlike Blake's robe-like garment, her nightclothes consisted of a more decent outfit.
While Blake was out of the room to change, Yang went through the simple process of fixing her hair. She raked her fingers through her own golden locks, forcing any knots loose. With a whip of her head from one side to the other, any traces of the dreaded 'bed head' disappeared, giving way to the trained voluminous structure that was Yang's most prized feature. When Blake returned, she wore her standard battle gear, restored to its full glory by the kindly old woman who waited for them below. It was clear that her advanced age hadn't damaged her dexterous fingers.
Together, they left their room and made their way down the stairs and into the kitchen where Hera stood hunched over the sink, scrubbing and rinsing plates. She turned to them and beamed when she saw Blake's outfit, absently drying her hands with a decorated blue rag. "You look absolutely gorgeous, dear," she hummed, approaching her to adjust the hem of her undershirt. "Don't go ripping this off again, hmm? It was the hardest part to stitch up. I'd hate for you to go back out there covered in patches."
Blake smiled softly at the woman, briefly cupping her frail, veiny hands in her fingers. "Thank you, ma'am. It feels perfect." She released the old woman, bowing her head respectfully.
"Yeah, thanks Hera! My gear has never looked better. Eheh, sorry about the socks." Yang took a seat at the table and drummed her fingers on its surface, ignoring the look Blake was giving her for her lack of formality. The elder woman simply let out a youthful chuckle, keeping herself in check with a hand on her stomach.
"Of course, you huntresses always manage to stink something foul!" She smirked for a moment. "It's my pleasure, dear, really, don't worry about it. Although I would like to actually see my handiwork on you sometime this week, hmm?" She chuckled again.
Yang shrugged, leaning the chair back onto its rear legs with a smirk of her own. "I'm going to be wearing that old thing for a while. I'll try it on before the week's out, no worries there, but I'm going to take advantage of this break as much as possible."
Blake sat down beside her with a pitcher of ice water in-hand. "This isn't quite a vacation. It wouldn't hurt to go out and see if we can't help the other refugees. I don't feel good about using rations without lending a hand in some way."
The blonde sighed, slumping her shoulders. "I guess you're right. Just nothing too difficult, alright? You're supposed to be relaxing."
"And staying hydrated!" Hera slid a tall glass across the table to Blake, taking the pitcher and pouring her a drink. "Really, you shouldn't worry too much about paying any of us back, girls. It's because of you two and all your friends that any of them made it out of the city at all! The Atlesian military couldn't do much without all you huntsmen and huntresses. There are a few still around here that help with local defense. Soon, they're going to start pushing to reclaim parts of the city, I hear!"
Blake bowed her head in thanks and raised the glass to her lips, taking small sips. "Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid. There's too much on the line now; we can't stay behind to rest any more than a few days and although it's unlikely to begin with, I'd personally like to take steps to avoid any seizures." She took a longer drink, eyes flitting over to meet Yang's. She seemed pleased, at least for the moment, that Blake was taking her diagnosis seriously.
Hera left the pitcher by Blake and returned to her chores at the kitchen sink. "Maybe take one last day to yourselves then. It's nearly noon; they don't like late assignments." The Faunus could have sworn she saw the woman wink, immediately feeling her cheeks burn a little hotter. She picked up her glass and pursed her lips, staring at the ground as she fled to the living room. Their elderly caretaker barely stifled her laugh through pursed lips of her own. Yang snickered before she stood to follow Blake.
Her partner was again curled up on the loveseat in front of the now barren fireplace. Her half-empty glass of water sat on a cork coaster on the coffee table in front of the small couch. She seemed to have taken another book, lost in her own world so quickly. Yang grabbed the back of the loveseat and vaulted over the back, landing in the seat beside her startled friend.
"G-Gah- Yang! What are you- Don't sneak up on me like that!" She had dropped her book on the floor and reached down to collect it before the pages were damaged. She shot the blonde a glare, but the soft look in her lilac eyes caused her faux anger to dissipate. Her composure faltered as her own lips curled into a smile. "Come here."
"With pleasure, kitty-cat." Yang crawled to the other side of the loveseat, filling in the space between Blake's back and the back of the couch. Her arms folded over the Faunus' stomach.
"Don't call me that," Blake hummed and leaned her head back against Yang's shoulder, closing her eyes and grinning. The sound of footsteps from the kitchen minutes later sent her sprawling to the other side of the couch with her book in-hand, though of course Hera had seen them cuddled up so close together.
"Don't mind me, you two. I'm going out for a bit; help yourselves to lunch whenever you feel up to it! ...Oh don't look so surprised, Blake, dear, I've seen you two making eyes at each other. That, and I made your bed this morning without you in it." Blake blushed yet again, turning her head from the door to face Yang after Hera had left. The blonde was laughing silently.
"You seem kinda embarrassed there, Blakey. Something wrong?"
"I didn't think it was that obvious… You didn't pick up on it either!" Blake rubbed her cheeks with her palms in a futile attempt to banish their rosy hue.
"I picked up on her figuring it out right away though, sooo…" She shrugged her shoulders and beckoned her flustered Faunus over to her side of the loveseat once again. Blake slowly scooted over, choosing to say nothing and spare herself any further embarrassment. Her head came to rest in Yang's lap. She sat up quickly, however, when she felt her bow come undone. Yang had pulled the ribbon loose at both ends and balled it up in her fist, setting it aside and returning to gently rub her soft, furry ears just as the soreness set in.
Blake hesitantly leaned back once more. Having her ears touched was odd to say the least, but her partner was able to ease her pain so easily. Soon, any pain drained from her ears only to immediately be replaced by pleasure. Her muscles relaxed all over her body as Yang gently kneaded the soft, velvety flesh between her thumb, fore, and middle fingers. Yang began working on only one ear at a time, stroking the young Faunus' hair with her nails just slightly grazing the top of her head. Blake raised one hand behind her head to cup Yang's cheek. Her fingers traced the blonde's smooth, cool jawline.
A deep, steady rumbling sounded through the air almost too quiet to hear. Curious, Yang guided one hand away from Blake's head down to her back. Her shoulder muscles were vibrating slightly. She hardly seemed aware of her surroundings; half-lidded eyes stared blankly up at the white ceiling and her lips had turned up in a satisfied smile. Yang leaned in closer, bending low until she was ear-to-ear with her partner. The quiet rolling hum was coming from her.
"Blake, are you...purring?"
"Hmm…?" Blake's eyes cracked open wide as she realized her mistake. All too quickly, she had melted into Yang's touch and become careless; this was an inexcusable error. The purring stopped. "W-What? No! I wasn't-"
"That's so cuuute!" Yang squealed in delight, waving both hands joyously in front of her face. Her voice had gone up an entire octave in half a second. Blake found herself blushing yet again that day. She folded her arms over her chest and averted her eyes, even standing as if she planned to leave. Yang was not one to give up, however; as soon as she was able to control herself a bit better, she gripped her partner's waist and pulled her back down, laying her flat across her lap. Blake's feet dangled over one armrest of the small loveseat while her head rested on Yang's hand on top of the other. She looked startled, though when Yang began to gently rub the soft, exposed flesh of her stomach, her wild eyes quickly slipped shut once more. Yang's fingers prodded her belly, pressing her skin down and massaging the hard, sore muscle underneath.
Blake stretched her limbs and again settled herself comfortably in her lover's arms. The purring started up once more with only the slightest tight-lipped squee! from Yang. She turned her cheek, nestling with the warm hand that cradled her so lovingly. She felt the odd mechanical digits of Yang's other hand beneath her synthetic layer of skin kneading her flesh; each time a muscle would twitch, her finger would respond in kind as if it were real. Yang seemed to register this as well, glancing at the hand from time to time and smiling. Her nerves had connected with perfect timing.
Once Yang seemed to settle down a bit from the discovery of another of Blake's feline traits, the Faunus sat up on her elbows and pulled on her left arm. "Hey… Come here."
"Aww, but I wasn't done with you yet." She scratched Blake's stomach playfully for emphasis.
"Neither am I." Blake tugged on her arm again and Yang rolled onto her hands and knees, carefully positioning herself over her partner before leaning her weight on the other girl and tying her arms around her waist. Blake's arms slid up Yang's sides from her waist to her shoulders, then laced them around her neck. Blake stared up into the lilac eyes of her her partner, her savior, and her lover. Yang met her gaze, winking playfully down at her lovely pet. The brilliant smile she craved lit up her Faunus' face. She mouthed the words Yang still had a hard time processing: I love you.
For all of Yang's strength, she never felt quite so weak as she did when Blake pulled her down closer until their faces were mere inches apart. She fell as if she weighed nothing at all, much too distracted by the wide amber orbs staring up at her. She released a single shuddering breath and closed her eyes. That was when Blake struck. She reached to cup Yang's face in both hands, squeezing her temples in her fingertips to pull her head forward and close the last bit of distance between them. Their lips collided once again, and just as before, each of them knew instantly just what the other felt for them. Passion. Desire. Love. Trust. Nothing mattered more than their partner in all of Remnant. This time, they held the kiss for longer; each time one would come up for air, the other would attack again moments later. Yang surprised herself when she was the one to break away…though of course, she had a plan in mind.
Blake attempted to pull her in once more, but Yang moved her head away. Instead, she dove lower. Her lips collided with Blake's collarbone. The next kiss fell on her jugular vein. Then, further up her neck. Yang left a line of soft kisses trailing up her neck until at last she parted her lips and flicked out her tongue.
Blake gasped, taking two fistfuls of golden hair. Her partner blew a gentle stream of cool air over the wet spot, sending shivers down her spine and putting her at ease. Then she felt the most wonderful pain she could imagine. Yang had pinched her neck between her teeth and pulled on the skin until her breath hitched and she released a grunt. Her neck was released only to receive another swipe from Yang's tongue. She shuddered, gripping the clumps of hair tighter and pulling the blonde's head away.
Yang pouted at her. She wanted more. As far as she was concerned, her job wasn't complete until she had her Faunus friend mewling her name. Instead, Blake gave her a dangerous smirk denoting some sinister plan. Yang narrowed her eyes to suspicious slits, if only to show she knew she faced her doom. Blake's legs formed a stranglehold around her waist.
"Oh you clever little-"
They rolled off the loveseat together; Yang landed on her back, grunting in pain as Blake's weight fell on top of her. She was in no position to escape now. The raven haired beauty sat defiantly on her waist wearing a cocky grin. She pinned Yang's shoulders to the ground and leaned over the helpless brawler.
"You'll learn eventually, Yang…" Blake purred, inching her face closer inch by inch with agonizing slowness. Ever a master in all she did, the shadowy seductress licked her lips and swayed back and forth over Yang, so tantalizingly close but so far away just out of the blonde's reach. Finally she was close enough to seal a proper kiss, but still Blake would not allow it. Instead, she decided to exact swift revenge on her partner, digging her teeth into the woman's soft lower lip until she heard audible protests. "...It's time I taught you your place."
"Cute… My little Faunus trying to be feisty. You think you'll dominate me? Go on with your sexy little show, I can take it. Go on. Do your worst." Yang was determined to seem tough, dedicating all she had to retaining what power she could in the less than preferable position she was stuck in. She was powerless.
Nature, however, trumps all. Both of their stomachs quivered while pressed together in their closeness, releasing a roar worthy of the greatest of the Grimm. Their eyes widened in shock, staring first down at themselves and their stomachs, then into each other's eyes. Moments of silence passed, then both girls broke down into hearty laughter. Blake leaned down to lay her head on Yang's chest, letting her arms both hang over her sides and lie on the floor. She let out a contented sigh.
"Maybe we should see about eating lunch." They giggled together again before rising to their feet and making their way back towards the kitchen.