You know why I stayed away from one shots for so long? I thought that they weren't as satisfying as a longer story. But you know what...there's something really great about a quick little one shot! I've been enjoying writing them immensely.
The inspiration for this came from Tumblr, where I asked my followers to suggest a single word that I'd use for a one shot. Lots of great options, but I went with Firefly - and here's the result. I hope you all enjoy!
Stepping out onto the back patio, where the wood creaked ever so slightly with each step, she sighed while scanning the dark trees lining the far edge of their small yard. With her stomach pleasantly filled from a wonderful dinner of freshly caught salmon and no obligations in sight for the rest of the night, she was ready and willing to soak in a few precious hours of relief.
"Nice night."
Turning to her right, she smiled as Yang stepped out onto the porch with her - heavier steps causing the wood underneath their feet to protest a bit more loudly.
"It is," Blake agreed while meeting gorgeous lavender eyes. "Almost as nice as the company."
The words immediately brought forth a laugh - and those bright eyes sparkled in unconcealed glee.
"Look at you!" Yang replied, reaching out and resting her hand lightly on Blake's hip. "Who knew that Blake Belladonna would be able to spin lines like that?"
"Years of learning from the best," was the only answer Blake could give, leaning into Yang's hand ever so slightly while enjoying the warmth that was beginning to soak through her clothes. Again Yang laughed happily, the sweet sound adding an upbeat note to the warm summer air.
"You've become quite the charmer, you know that?"
From the way Yang was currently looking at her, Blake knew that that wasn't a bad thing in the slightest. Although 'charmer' suggested that Blake's words were meant to be flattery, which wasn't at all the case. It wasn't flattery - it was...honesty. Openness. Truthfulness. Three vital traits she'd had to learn the hard way - that they'd both had to learn the hard way.
A relationship couldn't even begin, let alone thrive the way theirs had, without these traits. It had been a learning process - it still was to this day - but once she'd figured out that that's what it would take to keep Yang in her life...well, she'd stopped keeping any thoughts of praise a secret. Yang certainly didn't shy away from complimenting Blake, so why wouldn't she offer Yang the same in return? Yang deserved to know how amazing she was…
"I'm only being honest," Blake replied softly, watching the simple word lift Yang's smile to an even brighter level.
Even if there'd been no moon up above lighting the night sky, that smile would have been plenty of light for Blake to see by. It could guide her home - just as it always had.
Feeling Yang's fingers gently grasp her side, Blake willingly stepped forward and tilted her chin up, meeting Yang's lips for a tender kiss that made her feel loved, treasured and secure. When Yang broke away, her eyes dancing merrily, she lifted her hand from Blake's hip in favor of tucking a runaway strand of hair behind Blake's ear.
"You've gotta be careful, Blake," Yang said with a grin. "With words like that, you're going to make me fall in love with you even more."
Her heart jumping at the word, Blake pulled out a pleased smirk and nodded once. "Good. That was my plan after all."
Again, that laugh played through the air, lifting Blake's lips into a smile right along with it.
"I knew -"
Yang's sentence abruptly cut off and Blake's adrenaline instantly spiked when Yang's eyes widened in shock. The next second, Yang jumped backwards with a loud squeal while frantically wiping something off the back of her neck.
"Yang?" Blake asked in concern, stepping forward and reaching out as if she might be able to help fight against whatever invisible force had just frightened Yang so. But the moment was already over - as Yang shuttered and pulled at her shirt while craning her neck to check the back of it.
"Dang - bugs -" she muttered to herself while swiping at her neck and shoulder several more times.
Understanding what had just happened, Blake couldn't help but to laugh - and laugh especially hard when she found the source of the giant freak out scuttling along the patio by Yang's foot.
"Was it this little guy?" she asked, stooping down and carefully scooping the tiny creature up into both hands and clasping them together so it couldn't escape. When Blake held her hands out, Yang took such a quick step backwards that she nearly tripped herself over the patio sofa.
After briefly stumbling and holding out a hand to catch herself, Yang pointed towards Blake's hands and took another step away.
"I can't believe you just picked that thing up!" she exclaimed in disbelief.
"What? Why not? It's just a little firefly…"
Again, and only a little teasingly, Blake held her hands out towards Yang - only for Yang to take another step away. Understanding made Blake laugh happily, probably far more happily than she should have, but…
"Don't tell me..." she said, shaking her head softly. "That Yang Xiao Long is afraid of fireflies."
"Ok, I'm totally not scared of them. But they're just all - they like -" Floundering for words, Yang finally wailed, "It was on my neck, Blake! It's little legs were walking all over me!"
Giggling in delight at what must be the best discovery since Dust itself, Blake quickly peeked between her palms to make sure the firefly was still there before taking another step towards Yang - who was quickly running out of real estate with the railing of the porch growing nearer and nearer.
"Yang...Xiao...Long…" Blake breathed softly, the words rolling off her tongue so easily it was nearly impossible to remember the time when merely thinking Yang's name had been difficult to bear. "I've watched you crack a boulder in half with just your fist. I've seen you rip a tree right out of the ground and swing it like a baseball bat."
As she spoke, she inched closer and closer to Yang - who scooted away until the porch railing hit her back and she was forced to watch Blake approach with wide eyes.
"Uh...yup...that was me…" Yang added a little chuckle at the end and attempted one of her confident smiles.
"You were literally the strongest in our class," Blake added, holding her cupped hands up in between them and watching Yang's eyes train upon them. "Everyone was trying to figure out your weakness...and you're telling me that this is your weakness?"
When Blake gently shook her hands, Yang laughed nervously but still looked up to meet Blake's eyes.
"Actually, you're my weakness, Blake. And I'm pretty sure everyone knew that."
The disarmingly sincere response was followed by another nervous chuckle, but Blake immediately dropped her hands and felt any desire to tease flit out of her system.
With just a few honest words, Yang was still able to take Blake's breath away...to make her heart beat like a stampede...to make her wonder how she'd ever gotten so incredibly lucky...
Backing away, Blake walked over to the outer railing of the patio and delicately released the firefly from her hands. The small black insect dropped onto the wood and scurried away before opening its wings and fluttering out over the yard - blinking its tiny yellow light once before disappearing in the darkness, only to reappear again a few seconds later in a twinkle of light.
Feeling a warm presence beside her, Blake didn't move an inch as a gentle hand wrapped delicately over her own on top of the railing.
"Pretty sure you're my hero now," Yang whispered before pressing a kiss between Blake's ears, the words and adoring sensation making Blake briefly close her eyes and sigh in content. Leaning back into warmth that kept her grounded more often than not, Blake silently rejoiced when a strong arm wrapped around her stomach and tugged her gently closer - close enough that Blake could faintly feel Yang's heart beating with her own.
Opening her eyes and looking out towards the trees, the two of them watched the firefly and his friends put on a light show that was only theirs to see. Soft flickers of yellow sparkled into existence throughout the yard, swirling in patterns that were impossible to describe but a spectacle to see.
"You know…" she began quietly, never taking her eyes from the yard while feeling Yang nuzzle lovingly into her hair. "I love fireflies."
"Do you?"
The surprise in Yang's voice was clear, but thankfully she didn't let Blake go - instead, she pulled Blake even closer.
"Mhmm…" Pausing for a few seconds as comfortable silence enveloped them just like the warm spring air, she briefly considered her next words before realizing that there was nothing to really consider.
Honesty...openness...truthfulness...three qualities that presented opportunities in the most unlikely of moments.
"When I was in the White Fang…" she explained, not hesitating even when she felt the briefest flicker of surprise sneak through Yang's body. "Sometimes I felt so far away from...everything. I was trying to make the world a better place, but every now and then it felt like I didn't even belong here. When I'd look up at the stars…"
Briefly pausing, she craned her neck and looked up to find the stars twinkling brightly - strewn around the night sky as company to the glowing moon.
"And I'd think that...the stars might as well not even exist - they were so far from my life."
Sighing as regrets from her past came rolling back, she dropped her gaze to the yard and sought solace in the warm presence behind her - the never ending strength and stability that was ceaselessly shared with her.
"The stars were out of my reach," she whispered so only Yang could hear. "But fireflies…"
As she watched the small creatures lighting up the yard, she smiled and wrapped her hand around Yang's.
"Fireflies are kind of like stars, aren't they?" she asked. "And they were always right there - close enough to catch. When I couldn't reach the stars...a little bit of the stars came to me. In those moments, they helped me believe that maybe I wasn't as far away as I might think. Maybe one day I could also reach my dreams. Maybe one day I could also reach the stars."
When her words trailed off, her admission out in the open, Blake turned in surprise when Yang suddenly dropped her hand and walked towards the edge of the porch.
"Yang?" she asked in confusion while Yang hoped down into the yard. Finally stopping, Yang looked back at Blake and smiled.
"I'm gonna catch you a jar full of those little suckers," Yang replied easily. "Because you deserve all the stars in the world, Blake. And I'm going to get them for you."
When Yang smiled lovingly back to her, Blake felt the threat of tears prick behind her eyes at the caring gesture. Leave it to Yang to take in one of Blake's vulnerable moments and turn it into...a moment that would only prove how close they were - how Blake would never feel that alone ever again.
"But, uh...maybe you could help me?" Yang added, her eyes begging Blake to agree. "Ya know, in case one of them decides to get a little...bitey?"
Laughing happily, Blake stepped onto the grass and quickly walked over to Yang - watching lavender eyes track her every movement as she drew nearer. When they were only inches apart, Blake reached up and wrapped her arms around Yang's neck, pulling herself up onto her tiptoes to kiss Yang on the lips - attempting to tell Yang through more than words how much the simple gesture of acceptance meant to her.
Because honesty...and openness...and truthfulness...meant nothing in the absence of acceptance and understanding from the other party - acceptance and understanding that Yang gave Blake in endless droves.
Placing two quick parting kisses on Yang's lips before finally breaking away, but staying within breathing distance of one another, Blake refused to let Yang go - not yet, not ever.
"Fireflies don't bite," she teased while soaking in the love shining down at her. "Although they might make an exception for you because you're so sweet."
"I know you're joking...but if I get bitten by a firefly I'm going to scream like a little girl."
Laughing at the image, Blake shook her head and failed to prevent a big smile from growing.
"I hope you'll still love me if I say I kind of hope that happens," she admitted, earning another heartfelt expression from Yang in return.
"Nothing you do is ever going to make me stop loving you."
As her heart thumped lovingly in her chest, Blake smiled and ran her fingers through Yang's hair before finally releasing her.
"Let's see if Yang Xiao Long is as good at catching fireflies as she is at plowing through Death Stalkers," Blake commented playfully, nodding towards the next flash of light she saw. She then watched in amusement as Yang crept cautiously towards the tiny insect - displaying far more caution than she did when approaching a full grown Ursa. Taking a deep breath, Yang slowly reached out one hand and gingerly curled her fingers around the firefly in midair.
Having been successful, Yang turned towards Blake with a giant grin - a grin that sent a surge of love flickering and glowing through Blake's chest.
"Totally got him!" Yang said gleefully, walking quickly back to Blake so she could see.
"And he hasn't bitten you yet?" she teased, making Yang break out that trademark confident smile.
"Maybe he already has - I'm just too strong to feel it!" Yang boasted before grinning in open joyfulness and hopping back onto the porch. "I'm going to go get a jar to put him in!"
Tilting her head to look up at the night sky, Blake picked out the brightest stars and smiled when she heard rapid footsteps heading back towards her.
"One star for the beautiful girl!" Yang called out while pressing a small glass bottle into Blake's hands. "And another one coming right up!"
Turning away from the stars, Blake watched as Yang picked out another firefly and crept towards it carefully.
She could still remember the days when she'd been convinced that happiness would never be within her reach - when those stars, those endless hopes and dreams, had seemed impossibly far. But the life she'd wished for had been closer than she'd ever believed - and it had been within her ability to grasp and hold onto all on her own.
Honesty...was difficult for her on a good day.
Openness...went against her innate desire to remain in the shadows.
Truthfulness...hindered her ability to hide, to run away.
Even though they didn't come to her naturally, she did her best to keep these special traits at the forefront of her thoughts and her actions. They made her a better person, a better teammate, a better partner. They helped her grow and learn and love in a way she'd never believed in before - and the result of her effort was standing right in front of her - laughing under the moonlight while doing anything in the world to make her smile.
Once upon a time, she'd settled for fireflies. Now...she could reach for the stars.