Sometime before dawn, the hum of a song roused Yang awake. She promptly sat up and scanned the dusky cabin through groggy eye's for the lullaby's source, finding it empty with the exemption of the curled up body beside her. Puzzled, she studied Leena's sleeping form wrapped in tousled sheets, unable to help the dopey smile that formed on her lips as flashes of the steamy night they shared played in her mind.
Still, there was no way Leena could be the source because the voice she heard belonged to a stranger. Yang massaged her temples, thinking she was off her rocker and just hearing things in her sleep. She supposed that a lullaby waking her was better than those jostling nightmares of Adam. Come to think about it, she couldn't recall the last time she saw him in one.
Leena stirred. "I can practically hear you thinking," she groaned sleepily through closed eyes.
Yang winced apologetically though the other woman couldn't see it. "Sorry," she whispered.
"Don't be," Leena assured while sitting up and wiping her eyes. "Do you… want to talk about it?" she wondered aloud.
Yang shook her head, brows furrowing. "I just... thought I heard something. Did you happen to hear a song?"
"No," the woman gave her a sympathetic look. "Maybe you've just been at sea too long? There are urban legends of sailors being lured to the water by Sirens with their singing. Supposedly they got stranded from the ship... and died."
"Maybe," Yang mused. "Also, that's really depressing."
Leena snorted. "Plenty of dour tales regarding sailors," she burrowed back into the blanket, still worn out from their nightly activities. Her eyes flung open with a realization. "You… you're still here?"
"Huh?"
Her face was the picture of patience. "I mean… I normally find people sneaking out about now."
"Why?" Yang's head tilted. "Your room is so cool! I love all the nautical embellishments. Plus your bed is way comfier than what I've been sleeping on," she nestled closer to Leena. "Oh," the subtext finally clicked, stalling the robotic hand she was about to place around the other woman's waist in midair. "Wait... do you want me to leave?"
"No, no," the brunette insisted. She grasped the suspended hand and wrapped it around her body while turning to her side. "It's…" her mind hunted through her lexicon for a word. "Nice," she decided.
"Good," said Yang, planting a kiss on her shoulder. "I think so too."
When the ship docked some time later, Yang said her goodbyes to the captain and crew. Afterwards, Leena helped her secure her belongings to her motorcycle. "Got everything?" she asked, straightening her stance.
"Think so," answered Yang, tightening the strap once more to stall. This goodbye was harder than she'd expected. She straightened as well, pretending to take inventory of her belongings in search of something to say.
"Be safe. Okay?" The other woman said softly.
Though Leena's face stayed placid, Yang could make out the hints of concern in her brown eyes. "Always am," the brawler assured.
"I watched Arun launch you in a cannon," she responded, tone flat.
The blonde's easy grin appeared. "Believe it or not, my friend sent me higher with a hammer!"
The other woman chuckled. "Well, I hope you find your friends… and your sister," she encouraged, crossing her arms. "And thank you… for being so wholesome. I almost forgot that people could be that way. It's refreshing." Something tender twinkle in Yang's eyes, making Leena's throat constrict. "You should get going," she blundered, her voice betraying her. In a rare show of awkwardness, she turned on a heel to leave.
Yang called her name, halting the other woman in place. "...turn around," she asked softly.
The brunette took a deep breath—feeling the need to steel herself for some reason—then turned slowly. To her surprise, the blonde arms wrapped around her in a warm hug that caught her completely off guard. When she finally realized what was happening, she couldn't help the sigh of relief that left her lips.
When Yang was younger, Summer had once told her that sometimes we have so many words we want to say to someone. To let them know that they're special to us. It can get overwhelming, but somehow, a hug communicates all those words in the best way. Yang hoped that was true now, because ultimately, she found Leena to be refreshing too.
Where Blake was normally cryptic or secretive, Leena seemed to value being straightforward and open. There was a warmth to her that simply felt different. Yang always thought if she were ever to fall in love, it would feel like fireworks and burning passion, but what if it was supposed to feel like this hug—soothing and cozy, as if you were sitting in front of a fire on a cold winter's day.
"I'll miss you," the blonde said quietly. There was no denying that they had chemistry, but more than that, the woman had given her the first stitch in mending her broken heart. For the first time since Blake ran, Yang felt like she was going to be okay. Maybe those that lose their way were supposed to find each other, so they could help one another navigate through the dark?
Leena returned the embrace tightly and Yang was shocked how her mind was flirting with the possibility of them having something more. The thought of being with someone other than Blake seemed preposterous just a few months ago, but with Leena, she began to care for someone else. Unfortunately, right now, neither time nor circumstance were on their side.
They lingered like that for several moments, unsure if they'd ever see one another again. "I'll miss you too," Leena breathed. "But... if you ever need to travel by boat in the future…" she let the implication hang in the air with a knowing smirk.
Yang returned it. "I know just where to go," she winked. "Y'know—."
The brunette pressed their lips together into a slow, deep kiss. "Don't ruin the moment with a joke," she whispered against the other's mouth.
"C'mon," Yang coaxed, reinitiating another kiss. "It's the last good one you'll hear for a while," deciding this would be a 'see you later' instead of a 'goodbye.'
The brunette kept her eyes closed, though she couldn't help a smile. "Shoot."
"I saw the past, present, and future walk into a bar once," Yang beamed. "It was tense!"
The journey across the large continent felt both long and monotonous. Countless hours were spent on her motorcycle, riding from dawn til' dusk, and settling down in villages or settlements for the night only to do it all again. The days began to bleed together, but the growing number of bandits informed Yang that she was close getting close to her destination.
On the umpteenth day, Yang stopped her bike at a small mart for gas and supplies. Inside, the only occupants were an elderly man behind the counter and a younger man at the bar. The other patron's eyes widened upon seeing the brawler. He watched her walk up to the shopkeeper with hungry eyes.
"Hi," Yang greeted. "Can I have a drink?"
The shopkeeper squinted. "Aren't you a little young to drink?" He asked.
Yang removed her sunglasses, resting her elbows on the bar. "Of water," she clarified. "It's hot out."
"Oh! Right!" The elderly man agreed and walked away to fetch Yang's order.
"Are you telling me you're too young to drink?" The man beside her laughed, unconvinced. Now that the blonde got a good look at him, his long, greasy hair looked as though it had never known the magic of shampoo. "You look like a regular Huntress… and a beauty at that." His gravelly voice became huskier, making Yang's skin crawl.
"I'm good," Yang warned, returning her attention towards the bar. "Thanks, pal."
To her annoyance, the creepy guy got up and advanced closer. "Seriously… not too bulky, not too lean, you're—"
"Just right," she finished for him with an eye roll. It was at that moment Yang knew, her vagina was drier than Arun's feet. "Yup. Like I said, I'm good," she reiterated in a tone that conveyed she wasn't messing around.
Once more the guy didn't take the hint. "And your hair," he breathed, excited. When he set out to reach for a golden lock, Yang's hand latched onto his wrist. She peered straight into his soul through crimson eyes, then blessed him with a punch to the face so holy, it knocked a tooth out. His body bounced around the store like a ping pong ball, eventually making its way out the door, and hopefully into the trash where he belonged.
The shopkeeper poked his head up from behind the bar, showing his gratitude by offering the water on the house. Once Yang's hand stopped shaking, she took the offer gratefully then returned to her bike.
"Hey blondie," the greasy man grunted as he got up before Yang could start the engine.
Yang's shoulders slouched heavily over the handlebars. "Seriously? This isn't over?" she groaned.
When the shady guy explained that he could take her to the Branwen tribe, Yang replied, "That's a hard no."
"Think about it," he urged. "I can save you precious time." His mouth formed a malevolent smile, showcasing his missing tooth.
"I don't want you anywhere near me... or my bike." She was about to start the engine and take off, then sighed loudly. He wasn't wrong about saving her time. It could mean finding Ruby in a matter of hours versus days or weeks. Another audible sigh left her lips. "Fine," she said through closed teeth.
Luckily, the guy wasn't stupid. He sat as far away from her as possible on the motorcycle and kept his hands to himself. "Head east. There will be an access road that'll take us around Grimm territory."
"Scared?"
"Please," he scoffed. "Fear isn't in my vocabulary."
"Neither is consent," Yang spat, not bothering to hide the snark.
Blake walked purposefully to an open area by the water, eager to get some sparring in with Sun. This morning, her father had addressed the island, telling everyone of Adam's plan to attack Mistral, with the ultimate goal of persuading the Faunus to protect Haven against the White Fang.
Unfortunately, the effort had been completely butchered by Ilia, who managed to denounce the Belladonna name—calling them traitors to the Faunus—and swaying the island's trust in Blake's family.
The chameleon Faunus had been not only a former colleague, but a friend as well. Blake feared that Ilia would lose her way like Adam had, becoming so ruthless that she wouldn't blink at the death of humans. After all, she didn't seem the least bit remorseful after hurting Sun, and he was of her kind. But Blake felt it in her gut that there was still hope for her old friend. There had to be.
There was also the issue that no one seemed to have any interest in helping defend Haven, which was probably the worst thing of all. Sun faced her, sporting a rare grimace on his face. When people began circling around them to watch, the Wukong boy brightened, flashing the crowd a confident grin. Several females all but swooned, tossing him unabashed flirtatious smiles in return.
Blake rolled her eyes playfully, but maybe sparring in front of the masses wasn't such a bad idea. Perhaps they could influence some of the onlookers to join their cause after all? They went at it for several rounds, earning impressed cheers from the crowd; Sun had always been a fun opponent and top notch fighter.
They were squaring off for another bout when Blake noticed her parents approaching. "Hey," she greeted, raising a brow.
Her father stood beside her. "Care to let me go a few rounds with your friend?"
"You… want to spar?" Blake looked as bewildered as she sounded.
Ghira's massive shoulders shrugged. "Well, if we're going to help you defend Haven, I think I should shake some rust off my fighting. So to speak."
Sun came to stand beside Blake. "It's not a bad idea," he mused. "People may get swayed to help?" He gestured to himself with his thumb simultaneously wrapping an arm around Blake's shoulders. "Leave it to me! I'll get the Belladonna's combat ready," he grinned.
Blake shot her dad an appreciative nod, then stood by her mother who wore a wide smile, looking giddier than usual. "You look… excited?" Blake noticed.
Kali beamed as bright as the sun overhead. "Oh! I am, dear! Do you know how long it's been since I've seen your father fight?"
"...No?"
"Too long," the older woman ensured, rubbing her hands together zealously. "Watching him fight was one of the things that made me attracted to him." Her eyes glossed over Sun and his ogling female entourage. "I just hope I didn't look as obvious as those girls," Kali blushed.
Blake laughed. "You and dad were made for each other."
The older woman's brows furrowed, but her eyes didn't leave the sparring men. "I don't know about that. Some days he makes me want to bang my head against a pan, but I think we do our best." When Ghira and Sun finished a round, Kali clapped her hands and yelled, "Great job, honey!" They faced each other to go again and Kali offered an apologetic look. "Anyway, I was never really big on the whole soulmate concept; that you're supposed to find a perfect match and live happy ever after. Sometimes things get hard, and then what?"
Blakes lips became a thin line. "I used to think me and Adam were soulmates," she said quietly. "I think that's why I was so scared to let anyone else in. He showed me that you can't change someone by loving them harder."
Kali's eyes became empathetic. "Love is so many things…" her words were quiet. "But I think the most important kind, is the love for yourself." Blake tilted her head. "I know it sounds selfish, but relationships aren't some magic key to happiness. The things you don't like about yourself will manifest and corrode what you've built with someone." Her hand cupped Blake's cheek. "And no one should ever have the power to determine your worth. Because you are a gift, and you get to choose who you'd like to share that with."
Blake blinked back tears. "Thanks mom," she breathed. Her mind couldn't help but drift to Yang—the girl who had so much light and positive energy, that people couldn't help getting drawn to her.
Kali returned the smile. "I'm a wealth of knowledge, dear. I've got over two decades of experience with your father," she chuckled.
"No kidding," the younger Faunus agreed, wishing she'd heard this advice a long time ago. Better late than never she supposed. "Can I ask you one more thing?"
"Anything."
"Say you do find someone worth your time… how do you make it last?"
"Hmm," the older woman pushed her lips out. "I think some people assume that love will make their lives easier. However, one one of the biggest things I've learned, is that you're going to have your problems and disagreements. Choosing commitment means you both find ways to work through issues and grow," her shoulders shrugged. "It can take a lot of work… but, love is a choice you make every day. And I think it's worth it."
Ghira was panting heavily after another round. He straightened, then began removing his coat, revealing a hairy chest glistening with sweat. "Look at all that man!" Kali bellowed, igniting fire on Blake's cheeks.
"Mom!" she hissed. "Calm yourself."
Ghira's enormous muscles flexed and rippled in preparation for another bout. "Put a baby in me!" Kali shouted thirstily.
"Yeah, we're done," Blake began walking away. "Good talk, mom," she said over her shoulder.
Notes:
I think the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a good example of the point I want to try to make. When you first break up with someone and it's still fresh, you remember all the good memories with your ex. As time goes on and you start having hope that there could be love someone else, you begin remembering the negative aspects of the relationship and why it didn't work. At least, that has been my experience and I wanted to show Yang hitting that point.
This is just my personal opinion, but I don't think Yang and Blake would have worked out while they were back at Beacon. Blake needed to grow out of her self-loathing and she did that in volume 4. To me, that's why her character development was so great. We see her transform from this moody, stubborn teenager to a warm, compassionate, good-natured person we all knew that she could be.
I hope everyone is safe out there during these troubling times.