Author's Notes: I'm cutting this really close.
Yang hit the training dummy again, hoping that the adrenaline would help take her mind off of what she had done. It didn't.
She had made a mistake. She got caught up in the moment and like an idiot let it get the better of her. She let her emotions do what they pleased and now here she was, suffering because of it.
The dummy bounced back up from the floor before being sent back down with her follow up hit, and so the cycle continued.
She wasn't certain how long she was there but the sun had fallen below the horizon at least an hour ago.
Yang thought back on her actions and felt another spike of anger directed at herself. She ran from Jaune in the moment, for what? What was there to be ashamed of? Neither of them were seeing anyone, they were both single, and yet it felt like she was doing something awful.
She had left him in just as much confusion as she had felt at the time. To top that off she had returned to the training room a couple hours later because she knew he would never think to look for her there.
She hated herself even more for the attempts at hiding, and yet she couldn't do the right thing.
"ARGH!" She hit the dummy again, this time launching it several feet back, before collapsing to her knees. "Why can't I just act like an adult."
The door to the training room swung open and Yang froze. She prayed that it wasn't who she feared it was, and it seemed someone had answered her prayers.
The familiar red and bronze color scheme leaving little room for questions.
Yang rose from her spot on the floor, dusting her hands off before moving to retrieve the dummy she had been taking her emotions out on.
The girl in the doorway didn't seem sure what to do, walking over the area Yang was in with hesitation. The look on Pyrrha's face could easily be described as complicated.
Yang moved the dummy back to its original location and resumed what she had been doing.
She wasn't sure how long they were there for, just sitting in relative silence. The only sound in the room being Yang's punches and heavy breaths.
Pyrrha did eventually speak however. "Will you at least tell me what happened?"
Something about her infliction on the word made Yang pause for a moment, only a moment though, before resuming her hitting. "Same thing as last time."
Yang couldn't see her face but she could tell the Pyrrha was confused by her voice. "What do you mean?"
"I messed it up… again." Yang emphasised her words with a punch and a pause.
"I don't understand, what happened?" Pyrrha's voice didn't sound demanding, nor did it sound forceful, and yet it succeeded in grinding on Yang's already frayed nerves.
"Ugh! I messed up, ok?!" Yang kicked the dummy, once again sending it flying, before turning on the only other person in the room. "If your partner didn't tell you what happened what made you think I would?!"
Pyrrha didn't seem frightened, or even surprised, she seemed worried. The complicated look from earlier giving way to concern. "Jaune has been looking for you all day, he's been worried sick." She paused for a moment, reluctant to go on, but after a moment she did. "He said he doesn't know what he did wrong, it all just happened so quickly… he neglected to mention what it was however."
Yang's breaths came out heavy, the slight rush of adrenaline she had managed to work up wearing off, as she felt drained. "I-I… Pyrrha, I…" Try as she might she couldn't say what she wanted. "I'm sorry, for snapping at you."
A small smile came to the girls face, though it never reached her eyes. "You have nothing to apologize for… and if it's what I think it is, I certainly won't blame you." Yang wanted to interrupt but was unable to, as Pyrrha went on. "Do you know what my greatest regret is, Yang?"
The brawler tried to speak but found herself unable, thankfully the question was mostly rhetorical.
"I regret waiting to be honest with my feelings."
Yang's eyes went wide. "I-I don't-"
"I regret it every time I see him with that grinn of his… and I regret it every time I see him look at you with that same smile… I've been paying close attention to Jaune and you, for quite some time actually." Pyrrha sighed. "At first it was because I was concerned you were trying to use or take advantage of him, and for that I apologize, but as you two grew closer… I became jealous."
Yang gulped quietly, finally managing to untie her tongue. "What would you have to be jealous of? You're the Pyrrha Nikos."
"Jaune and you grew closer faster than I could ever have imagined. It felt like you were trying to steal him away from me, but…" Pyrrha signed once more. "He was never mine to steal away. I made my peace with that, but I can't stand by and watch as you struggle with the same thing I have."
Yang wanted to deny her accusations, claim that there were no feelings there or that she was just reading into it too much, but in the end she was just too tired to try. Yang sighed and sat on a nearby bench. "I messed up big time."
Pyrrha wanted to ask for more details, it was clear as day by the look on her face, but she didn't and for that she had Yang's respect and thanks. "How long have you had feelings for him? If you don't mind me asking."
Yang thought for a moment, she didn't know where to begin, and for a moment she considered not answering. "I don't know, it all just… happened so fast."
Pyrrha exhaled sharply. "That seems to be the normal way. It took me some time to notice myself."
Yang sighed. "I… I don't know what to do Pyrrha… I-I just-"
"I know, Yang. I know." Pyrrha rested one hand on her shoulder. "But we can't turn back the clock, you feel what you feel… for better or worse." The smile she offered was far more restricted, and came with an underlying sadness to it. "Have you tried talking to him about… whatever it is you feel?"
Yang shook her head at the idea. "No, no that… that would be a bad idea."
Pyrrha sank slightly at hearing her words. "That's what I thought for the longest time… and then it was too late. You need to relax, clear your head… or as much as you can at least." She stood and took a few steps back into the arena. "How about a spar?"
It was a weak attempt at distracting her, the allure of battle and the adrenaline that came with it was enticing however. In the end Yang rose and squared off in front of the champion, at least Pyrrha would punch back.
Blake shrank away from the doorway as the sounds of combat rang out from inside. She had come looking for Yang but arrived shortly after Pyrrha had. In the end she thought it best to let the two talk alone and undisturbed.
In the end she felt she made the right decision, Pyrrha was able to offer words Blake never would have thought of. This wasn't something she was excessively familiar with… whatever this was.
Blake sighed and lef the two fighters alone, she would talk with Yang later but for the moment she would let Pyrrha try her hand at it first.
A few hours passed after that. She saw Pyrrha reunite with her team but Yang seemed to be off somewhere else still. So that meant it was her turn.
In the end it wasn't difficult to find her. When she was upset she loved to spar and sit on the roof of the dorms to clear her head. The doom roof was too close to the reason she was upset so she went someplace else.
The best spot Blake could think of was the cliff side overlooking the ocean, and that was precisely where she was.
Yang heard her approach but only looked to make sure it wasn't Jaune before turning back to the view.
Blake sat next to her partner in silence, hoping that she would say something to prompt a conversation. She had no such luck.
The two sat in silence for some time that way as Blake racked her brain for the right words to say, none of which came to mind, thankfully Yang finally spoke.
"The bet's off." Yang didn't look over to her. It took Blake a moment to remember what she was referring too.
With a roll of her eyes Blake ran with the topic. "And why is that?" She knew perfectly well why, it hadn't been difficult to figure out even before she heard Yang and Pyrrha talking, but Yang didn't know that.
Yang looked over to her finally. "It's off, ok?"
Blake hatched a plan. "I don't think so, we had a bet… and I've held up my end of the bargain. Weiss and I will be going to the dance together, it's only right that you hold up your end of it."
Yang shook her head and was about to interrupt but Blake continued. "Besides, you're practically done as is."
Yang glared at her partner. "He beat Cardin, I won. It's over."
"I don't know about that. Call Cardin what you will but he isn't stupid enough to fall for that ring out plan twice. I don't think Jaune is quite ready to beat him in an actual fight yet, and if he can't…"
Yang sighed. "Than I haven't won yet." She brought her knees up onto the bench they sat on, resting her head against them. "I can't do this Blake." The words sounded weak, none of the usual energy or emotion behind them.
It was the first sign Blake got about how Yang truly felt and it worried her.
It pained her that she didn't know how to help her friend. "Can't do what?"
Yang groaned. "Please stop playing dumb, Pyrrha saw you watching us from the hall. I know you heard everything."
Blake blushed at being caught. "I um-"
"That also means you know why I can't go ahead with this."
Blake took a moment to think. "I don't think I do. Yang… this isn't how I'd expect you to react to something like this."
Yang gave a soft and sad chuckle. "Always been one to do things the hard way… why not keep it up, right?"
"Yang, why can't you go talk to Jaune?" The question was rather blunt and for a moment Blake feared Yang wouldn't answer.
"Because I messed up Blake." The chuckle returned though this time it had something else to it that Blake couldn't identify.
"You've said that a few times, but what does that mean?" Blake shook her head slightly to buy herself a second to think about what to ask next. "Two people developing feelings for one another after time spent together isn't uncommon, especially when you throw life and death into the mix."
Blake didn't have very much to compare to this. Her relationship was nothing like this, perhaps because it was more… something she couldn't quantify. "Why can't you and Jaune… you know what I mean, would it really be so bad?" The two had grown close, and it was clear they enjoyed each other's company.
Blake was missing something important, something that Yang was keeping back.
"Because I don't want to end up like my dad, or worse my mom." Yang hid her face in her knees, hiding her expression from view.
Blake thought back on the conversations Yang and her had on the subject. "I don't see how that connects to this." The story about Yang and Ruby's father was a sad one, but that was different from this.
Yang didn't pick her head up from her knees. "He fell in love with half his team, he fell in love with my…" Yang couldn't say it. "He lost my mom, or drove her away, or she never loved him in the first place. That broke their team and almost broke my dad."
"Yang, that's not go-"
"And I refuse to allow that to happen because of me!" Yang finally lifted her head up from her knees, giving Blake a good look at the expression on her partners face. "I don't want to lose Jaune! I don't want to drive him away because of how I feel!" It was the first time Blake had ever seen tears in Yang's eyes. "I don't want to be the reason Ruby stops hanging out with her friend! I don't want to lose anyone else!"
Blake looked away and was prepared to let Yang out of the bet. She considered allowing Yang to run away from the problem in the hopes that it would fix itself while she was gone.
In the end she couldn't let her partner do that.
"You're not gonna run away from this Yang, I won't let you." Blake set a hand on her friend's shoulder. "That won't fix this, running never does. Please, don't just back out because your afraid."
Yang's lip quivered and for a moment Blake thought she might actually cry. She didn't however, the expression was pushed aside as she regained her resolve. "You're right, Blake. You're right."
For a moment Blake allowed herself to relax. She had done it, she had been able to knock some sense into her partner without a fight. Something she was almost certain would be necessary.
Yang rose from her spot on the bench. "There's only one thing I can do."
Authors Notes: I SHOULD have everything done on time... *sweats profusely*
I know people are probably going to question some of my choices, and if so please let me know what you think, but always keep in mind that this is fanfiction. I go to great lengths to try and make things flow with a logical progression but that can only go so far.
Hope you enjoy, please review and let me know your thoughts.
Sincerely SE