Author Note: Hey guys. I know it's been a long time since I updated this story. There's a lot of reasons for it, but I will get to that at the end. Enjoy this chapter! Know that Adam was kicking my creative butt (along with other reasons). \_ -.- _/
Morning came all too soon for the resting girls. They had been used to sleeping in drafty apartments, cold and alone. This time though, they were much warmer than they usually were, along with a sort of comfort one can only find in cuddling with another. That morning seemed brighter than usual, even if they had stayed up way too late the previous night. The light couldn't actually reach the sleeping duo since the building was too close to its neighbor.
But that wasn't what woke up the blonde brawler. The neighborhood wasn't the most savory and was at times quite loud in the morning. Yang had first woken up with a start but could feel herself pinned to her in place. She peeked to what was the cause and stilled, heart beating rapidly.
During the night, Blake had moved towards the heat and gotten comfortable. She had nuzzled into the blonde's side, hands curled between them, and head tucked into the boxer's side. Her cats ears tickled the blonde's right arm and practically begged to be caressed once more.
Yang was torn between adoring their current positions and dismay that she couldn't move her arms to reciprocate the unexpected cuddles. But her arms, though already feeling better, were still trapped in slings. And it was torture. So the blonde devised a totally foolproof plan that would NOT wake up the Faunus and finally free her arms.
Tiny wiggles.
It was tricky as her fingers were in splints, but if she loosened the clasps holding the slings together, she could move her arms once more. The left side was easier as there wasn't anyone extra sleeping on that part. The wiggles weren't threatening to wake up anyone, so she was able to move more excessively. Her left arm was now free of the sling and able to help the one that was pinned by an adorable Faunus.
She attempted to reach the hardest clasp on her right arm, the one near a set of bandaged cat ears. Slowly, she reached over and undid the strap closest to her elbow, then in the same retracting move, undid the one by her wrist.
Both arms tingled slightly as they shifted after being restricted for hours. Yang fought the urge to shake them out and instead continued to move slowly. Her new goal of cuddles with the very cute girl curled into her side.
Blake grumbled at the movements, still asleep, but accepted a closer shift to the blonde brawler. Yang gave a tiny exhale of relief, smiling at successfully keeping the other asleep. She wrapped her right arm around the other's torso, gently pulling her close, while her left draped over Blake's shoulders. Yang was tempted to run her hand through the dark locks but felt it might be pushing her luck. For now.
But the reception to the the embrace was positive. The cat Faunus seemed to melt in the extra warmth, the last bits of tension leaving her form.
Yang was now even more tempted to run her hand through the dark locks but settled for nuzzling her face there instead. Comfortable, she went back to half slumber, the girl who managed to catch her eye in her arms. Her mind came to a stuttering pause as it analyzed the emotion behind the thought. Realizing it ran deeper than she expected from knowing the girl for only a few days, Yang felt a spike of anxiety. Would this burn me too in the end? Maybe… Maybe it's time to give it a shot anyways… She felt the rightness of the choice and enjoyed the spark of hope it lit in her chest. Smiling widely, she settled into the hug and fell back asleep.
A few hours later, Blake was regaining consciousness leisurely. A large warm hand was running through her hair while another was on her back, thumb rubbing back and forth in place. Adam hasn't done this in a long time… I forgot how it feels… Stretching in place, the girl took a deep breath, grin growing at the thought of having spent the night with another, before it slowly disappeared into a confused frown. The person in her arms didn't smell of metal, leather and a sharp masculine tint. They smelled of fire, gunpowder, and a light flowery scent. Breath hitching, Blake's eyes shot open as her entire body stiffened, trying to understand in an instant why the scent was so close.
A mass of gold blocked most of her vision. The large bosom of the boxer was acting as a partial pillow for the Faunus. The realization sent her cheeks aflame, especially as a tiny part of her mind thought that it was very comfortable. The hands that had been administering soothing touches stopped but didn't release her. Her mind sorted through the previous night's events at an agonizingly slow pace considering how their proximity. Light amber orbs trailed away from the other's torso and shifted up, stopping to lock gazes with the peace filled lavender.
"Hey… Morning. Did you have a nice cat nap?" Yang's face broke out into a shit eating grin at the first pun of the day. Especially at the groaned it had elicited.
Blake shoved the girl and leaned back, though not far enough for the extremely warm arm to leave her back. Even as she tried to scowl at the out of context joke, her eyes showed the amusement she tried to push down, not willing to encourage the dad style jokes. "I see someone is feeling better."
"Loads! Thanks for the help Blake. I appreciate it." Yang couldn't stop smiling. She tried not to let the splash of disappointment show through at how the other moving away. They hardly knew each other after all. "How are your ears?" She was about to reach out with her left hand to touch the covered ears but stopped, not willing to push boundaries just yet. Though she asked with her eyes if she could touch them.
Amber orbs stared back wide and unsure. Blake couldn't maintain the contact and allowed her sights to wander. She noticed that the outstretched arm dropped back down, stretched across the blonde's stomach and resting barely over the Faunus' arms that were still curled up. Where it rested heated up pleasantly.
"My aura wasn't completely drained. I'm fine." Blake paused in her self analyse and realized a crucial fact. "Yang…" She drawed out the name, eyes squinted threateningly.
The blonde could sense the danger in the tone and tore her eyes away to look at the ceiling, attempting for nonchalance. She fought desperately to prevent a grin from spreading on her face even in the face of danger. She even felt a hysterical giggle try to bubble up.
"Why are your arms out of their slings?" Blake's voice held undercurrents of disbelief and annoyance, despite it's mostly neutral deliverance. Her brows shot up when she spotted bits of wrap on the bed and the straps still hanging off the blonde's neck. They came back down in frustration to punctuate the scowl she sent the golden maned girl.
"Well, I mean, they're much better! Hardly feel any pain." Yang flexed her left arm to demonstrate but halted at the glare she got. She put the limb back with a sheepish grin.
"How about we decide that after removing the bandages." Blake flatly stated as she reached for the ones on her our ears. She had to move cautiously as the two were still rather close on the futon.
"Ahh- wai-"
Hearing the cut off sputter from the brawler, the Faunus paused, ears halfway free. Yang's face was half shock and half disappointment that she quietly schooled back to neutral. She pulled even further back, biting her lip.
"Uh, never- never mind." The golden haired boxer stuffed the urge to help (and pet those soft ears again) to the back of her mind. She settled for watching the unwrapping and released her breath at how clear and free of nicks they were.
Blake saw and rolled her eyes playfully. She bunched up the bandages as she spoke. "See? I'm fine. Your turn." The girl tried to ignore the loss of warmth as she moved to sit up, out of the other's embrace. She waved up for Yang to do the same and reached out for the wrapped up limbs.
Together, they unwrapped the brawler's arms and head. The bruise colors were fading and much smaller across her whole body. Any cuts were now scabbed over and wouldn't need as heavy wraps on them. With each unwrapping, Yang seemed to relax as more of her body was no longer restrained.
Blake ran her hands over each of the blonde's limbs, trying to judge how they were after a night of rest. She kept her touch featherlight, not wanting to put unneeded pressure no any potential injuries. She had a half eye on the patient to see if there was an issue as she moved. She tried not to wonder about why there were goosebumps followed after her fingers and also studiously ignore how soft the blondie's skin was.
Finished with the arms, they shifted focus to the rough hands still in splints. The cat teenager tried not to think of how they felt running through her hair. Removing the pieces of wood and tape, they saw that the swelling was down around the knuckles, and were back to their normal white instead of the bruised purple and red. They were still as warm however. She turned them back and forth, studying the large palms, noting how despite the fights Yang got into, they were mostly unscarred. Calloused, but still incredibly soft. With a start, the raven haired girl realized she still hadn't let go after looking them over. She dropped them as if burned and tried to ignore the heat blazing on her cheeks. Blake leaned back and took a deep breath, building her center of calmness.
Yang clenched and unclenched her fingers, relieved. She gave the dark haired teen a cheeky wink. "I know I've got big ol' hands, but they give great massages I swear." Her grin expanded at the darkening of the other's cheeks. "I… I think I can get my ribs on my own, unless you want to help…?"
"It'd… It would probably make it easier and not hurt to do so…" The Faunus tried to keep her mind blank when it came to check the blonde's chest and stared directly into purple eyes instead.
"You just want to put your paws all over me eh?" Yang winked while reaching for the bottom of her shirt. "How can I say no to such a pretty face?"
"That's not-! Ugh, you are ridiculous." Blake rolled her eyes and huffed. She could feel the hairs on the back of her head raise up at the tease. She couldn't help herself and softly backhanded the blonde in the side, hoping to share in her 'misery'.
"Oof, hitting an injured helpless damsel!" The brawler raised a hand to her forehead as she swooned.
Blake could tell the jokes wouldn't stop and went for a 'cooler' option; staying silent and aloof. She waited for more of the shirt to rise up, keeping her eyes trained on the white of the wraps. She slowly undid the work and eyed the injuries there. The ribs were on the mend, though a little tender, and wouldn't need to be restricted either. All good signs.
"I guess, if you aren't lying, then you are probably fine to do anything today." Blake pulled back, collecting all the used bandages into a ball and setting them aside. She saw the other teen shift, smirk growing on the red cheeks, and guessed what the next comment would be. Blake snapped to face Yang head on and teasingly glared. "Except fighting. No fighting."
"Well darn, there goes my evening free time." Yang snapped her right hand with one eye closed, the other was full of teasing mirth. The playfulness drooped at Blake's unamused stare. "Too soon? Too soon." The boxer let go of the teasing nature only to be surprised at a shove from the dark haired Faunus.
"Come on, before you think of any other outrageous plans to try out." With a happy hop down, Blake went for her bag, mind on getting ready for the day. She paused when she remembered she didn't have anything extra here. No different set of clothes, no toiletries for morning cleanup, not even a book.
Yang noticed the stop and looked over. Gaze flipping between the teenager half way reaching for her bag and the bag itself, she smacked herself in the forehead as she figured out what was the issue. She dropped off the futon and shot towards the bathroom, hoping against hope that she had extra supplies to clean up with at least. She praised every lucky star she had; her family had indeed sent extra toiletries when she moved out.
She rushed back out, coming to a jarring halt in front of the dark haired girl, only barely out of breath. "I- I got some extra, totally not used, toiletries stuff! That you could use. My clothes probably won't fit though… Unless you find something you'd like?"
"I think I can survive one day without changing before work." Blake left the messenger bag on the ground and went for the bathroom. "Though I will take you up on a chance to cleanup for the day. So long as they are indeed one hundred percent non-used products."
"You betcha!" Yang winked with dual finger guns.
While the Faunus entered the only other room with a door, the blonde boxer rushed for the kitchen sink. She used cold water to cool off the red of her cheeks and the heat in her core. Hearing the door open up a little later, she spun around, all grins once more. Though it was starting to become a natural state in the mysterious girl's presence. Yang couldn't stop the amused glint in her gaze as she noticed the thoughtful frown on the other's.
"How big a fight did you get into last night?" Blake strode up to her bag and made sure it was still secure (and not rifled through). She noticed her scroll blinking but couldn't even look at it in public. Leaving it there, she stood up and stared amused as the brawler grow sheepish.
"It might have… caused a fire? And maybe a police set or two?" Yang bashfully ran a hand through her hair. She half-laughed at the dumbfounded expression on the other teen.
"Of all the…" Blake put a hand to her temple. "And a report of you in a fight would be…"
"Bad. Like, going to… lock down bad." Yang finished the sentence with a bitter tone. She leaned against the counter, arms crossed, as her mind spiraled.
"Right… Alright." The cat girl began to plan an excuse for the wild brawler. But it depended on what the girl answered. "If! If I help provide you an alibi, will you not get into a fight for the next week?" Blake held up a single finger as she questioned, watching the other closely. "At least?" She tacked on amendum after seeing the uncertainty on the blonde teen's face.
The boxer's breathing hitched as she heard the offer. Most wouldn't have bothered to try and help, let alone get her out of trouble she had caused for herself. She felt that earlier spark of hope settling in her center and catch, growing ever so slightly.
"Maaaaybe if I had a certain someone's help, I would be less inclined to fights." Yang tried to plead with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
Blake sighed as she shook her head. "I have prior… commitments… most evenings." She felt her heart sink at the flash of dejection on the the blonde's face but knew she could not back out of White Fang activities. This was already pushing the limits, even if she was enjoying the boxer's company more than she probably should.
"But not all night! Otherwise we wouldn't have seen each other last night." The boxer gestured with a sharp point to the other, hopeful smile back in place. A new, reachable goal was in sight, and she wasn't about to let it go just yet.
"Yang, I finished my- my work by then. And I won't know if it will always be that fast." The Faunus tried to argue, even as a part of her wanted to give in.
"That's why they invented scrolls! We exchange numbers, we call when we're free, we hang out, and you help me not fly off the rails." Undeterred, Yang continued to make light of the situation with another round of finger guns. Anticipating the reality based wit the other teen was partial to, Yang held up a both hands peacefully. "I know, I know, it's more on me to control my temper, not anyone else." She even added some sagely nods to reinforce how much she understood the principal of the matter.
Blake relaxed, wind taken from her sails, at the acknowledgement. Without any remaining arguments, the dark haired girl slumped in place. "Fine. But I can't promise when I am able to help."
When all she got in response was a rapid series of head nods, Blake sighed and reached for her bag. She quickly cleared the notifications and opened the section for new contacts preemptively. The two swapped devices and inputted their information. Yang couldn't help herself and added a note (the pretty blonde girl) on her contact page. Blake kept her own contact short, using only her first name and a brief note that 'puns will be punished'. Finished, the duo returned the scrolls to their owners, and both smirked at the messages already there.
Blake shook her head, trying to refocus on her newly formed plan. "Ok. I'll come with you to the CCSP and say that we were hanging out after your service time yesterday."
Yang perked up, hope filling her eyes. "Yeah? Ok. Ok, cool, yeah… So how'd I get these?" She lifted up her arms, showing the fading bruises there as well as on her face.
"You fell." Blake wildly answered, waving a dismissive hand. She put her scroll away while double checking that her weapon was hidden in the depths of the bag once more.
"I fell?" The blonde boxer questioned with a brow raised up. She tried not to stare at the other teen's figure, facing the couch with a light blush.
"I may have pushed you after a particularly bad joke." Blake turned back around and glared teasingly, giving an example by shoving her once more.
It barely moved the taller brawler, but she was offset enough to sway in place. "You don't like my jokes? I'm hurt. Literally!" Yang put a hand to her heart before lifting both forearms with a wide grin.
"Exactly my point." Blake smirked but waved for the brawler to follow. She slung her bag along one shoulder and walked towards the middle of the room. "When do you need to be there? Do we have time for breakfast?"
"I can make us some eggs. I just need to be there by two to work until ten." Yang beamed over her shoulder as she walked to the kitchen area. "But I think you already know that." An eye roll was the only response she got, not that it dissuaded her.
Yang rapidly fried up some scrambled eggs for the two of them, adding a hint of spices to keep it interesting. She filled two plates worth and passed one along to the dark haired teen. Willingly leaving the pan on the stove to be cleaned later, Yang turned around and balked when she realized there was no space for them to eat or set their plates. She rushed over, food still in hand, and pushed the futon bed back upright.
"Ta da!" She half sang, taking a seat on the left side. She patted the other part, inviting her guest to sit down.
The cat girl sat on the other side and dug into the simple meal. She was mildly surprised to find it didn't taste that bad considering the short time it took to make but if one lived long enough on their own, it would make sense after awhile. Once finished, they cleaned what mess they had in the kitchen and living room, putting away the leftover medicine supplies. There wasn't an official place for the medicine but they reused the plastic bags at least to hold it all.
After that, they left for the day, Blake wearing the combat clothes from the night before and bag at her hip and Yang wearing much more relaxed clothing, to show her dedication to NOT getting into a fight. But to be on the safe side, she still wore her bracers. Instead of the brown jacket she had on a white overcoat with gold chains and long pants. Blake wasn't sure about leaving in her combat gear but they wouldn't have time for her to go home and change. Not if they wanted to provide a solid alibi.
Not willing to waste any time, they made their way to the Vale Community Correction Service Facility building. Yolanda was already waiting outside with a clipboard and staring intensely at the time on her scroll. The grownup sensed the two and glanced over. She was quick to see the last bits of bruising on the blonde and glared.
"WHAT have you done, Xiao Long?!" The adult in charge almost growled as she stomped closer. She pointed with her free hand to the remaining scruffs the brawler had gathered. "Does this mean you were involved with the fight at a club last night? We got a police report that claimed you were, but the others wanted to give you a chance. A moment to explain yourself." The woman leaned close, inches from the blonde's face. "But I knew you would still be a problem."
Yang felt heat build up, threatening to close her throat with rage at the admisition of the adult. The edges of her eyes began to shift color as she clenched her fists at her sides. She knew most adults didn't have trust in her, it wasn't very reassuring to hear it. She could practically feel the fuse of her temper get ever shorter. A smooth hand, timid and feather light, closed over top of the gloved one. It distracted the brawler from the adult in her face and gave her a moment to take a calming, if uneven breath.
"Actually, the bruises are my fault." Blake narrowed her gaze at the audacy of the 'guardian' to jump to the worst, even if it was true. She took a half step forward, hand raising up to rest on the blonde's shoulder. "Last night, Yang was with me." She half turned, eyes turning playful. "Someone took her puns a little too far. But I hadn't meant for Yang to fall down the stairs…"
"Luckily, I have a thick skull." Yang stuck out her tongue while knocking on the side of her head. She tried to ignore the heat she felt from where the other teen had her hand. "It was a good shove though, went all the way down." The blonde couldn't help herself and re-enacted the 'scene' with sound comic book sound effects to enhance it, sending one hand riding a steep 'hill'.
Yolanda scowled. She leaned back, staring into the two girls' eyes, trying to spot the lie she could feel was being told to her. But the teens kept up their light hearted act and didn't flinch at the glare. Giving up, the guardian huffed in annoyance, and shifted in place to focus on the 'new' girl.
"I see… And you are…?"
"Blake. I work at the library as well and was getting to know Yang afterwards. I hadn't realized how much she loved puns." The dark haired girl teasingly glared at the boxer. "I may have to rethink our 'friendship'."
Yang jerked back, eyes wide. "What?! No! Don't give up on me yet! I could get better, I 'paw'mise!" She held up her hands clasped together and pleaded with the other girl. She couldn't help the large grin at the pun that still slipped out. It was as Yang beamed that she realized that the cat ears she was using as a pun point, light hearted that it was, were hidden away. Her brows twitched briefly but stayed silent.
Blake groaned, willing with every aspect of herself to not twitch her hidden ears at the pun directed towards her Faunus heritage. She gave the slightly taller teen a shove and silently pleaded for her not to say anything. She had seen the gaze that twitched to her hidden ears and could guess what was the cause. "Thin ice Yang, thin ice."
The guardian let go of her stiffer stance and glare, settling into a more neutral one, at the playful banter the two shared. She glanced between the girls as took silent note of how they were acting together. Friendly, carefree, and open with one another. Maybe not too bad of a change, though it would have to be monitored. She gave an internal huff at the likelihood of the new 'friend' giving the troublemaker an alibi but made no further comment, already having tipped her hand. The grownup made a note on her board of the new development before turning to the raven haired girl.
"If you work at the library, will you be needing a ride today? In fact, why did you decide to join Yang on her trip here?" Yolanda questioned with a sharp gaze. She hoped with a quick enough question, she could trick one of them into a truthful answer.
"If you don't mind, I would appreciate it." Blake nodded once and gave a 'guilty' half grin. "I came by today because Yang was worried she'd be blamed for getting into fights when she promised to be on good behavior." The teen squinted at the brawler, a hidden reminder in her words.
"Yup!" The blonde didn't hesitate to agree with every word her friend stated and slung an arm around the lithe shoulders. "I won't be breaking any promises any time soon." She tried to not think about how close they were, nor the tiny shiver from the dark haired girl, or how she practically could whisper anything into the human ear right by her face.
The grownup pressed her lips together but made no further comment. Together, they waited for the other correctional kids to arrive. They didn't have to wait long as the others were dropped off or walked up on their own. Most seemed to want to comment on the visitor, more than likely to be either sarcastic or rude in general, considering the teens' natures, but a heavy glare from the blonde boxer prevented any comments. The dark haired Faunus noticed but ignored the action, not wanting to deal with bullies while out in the open.
Their usual vehicle wasn't even that much more crowded with one extra person. Yang signaled for Blake to hang back; the two waited for the others to enter first. Blake wasn't sure why at first but then noticed. The rebellious teens went for the last seats, the ones farthest from the guardian in the front passenger place, leaving the middle row to be empty. It also meant that the two girls were the closest to the doors, a reassurance for an escape route for the more anxious Faunus that she hadn't even realized she appreciated until after it became apparent. She gave the blonde brawler a thankful smile and sat on the right side, ignoring the stares that came from behind them.
The ride to the library was short but utterly silent. None of the teens wanted to risk saying anything within easy range of the grownup and the guest wasn't about to break the stillness. When they arrived, the librarians only asked to be informed if Blake would like to change the hours she worked so they would have an accurate list of those working for safety and regulatory reasons.
The rest of the workday went by without incident. The city was still mostly quiet, shocked by the White Fang attack, but it was ever so slowly going back to it's lively state. Except for those who lived in a separate world from those of ordinary citizens. They knew it was only a momentary quiet and took the chance to soak in the peacefulness.
Except for one.
Adam didn't shift from his crouching position, surviving the road below him from seven stories up. After a fruitless search the night before, he had gone for the next likely location of his quarry, waiting across the street from the library with a solid vantage point to watch everything below him. If Blake was ok like she had claimed, which she obviously wasn't since she never went home the previous night (Adam checked), then she would still go to the library to volunteer as part of her 'cover'. And if he didn't find her, he would tear the city apart to teach them all a lesson.
Blake didn't arrive at her usual time of ten. She wasn't there even at noon. It was at two pm that she finally arrived, in a van full of other teenagers. The white vehicle had no markings, though he memorized the license plate to check where it was from and who owned it. She was the first one out but had waited for the others inside to step out as well. If that wasn't bad enough, one of the teenagers who exited was a blonde female human. Who showed signs of having been in a fight recently.
To expand on the issue, he noticed that Blake still wore the battle clothing she had on from the previous night. It wasn't dirty or out of place, but Adam knew that the girl took care to change outfits to help her cover should anyone see her outside of the White Fang activity. She even had her bag with her, which should have still held her personal scroll. But still there was no response to his messages!
The young man growled at the realization and recognition. He watched, furious, as the two girls talked amongst themselves, not in any sort of hurry to get inside. They entered the building side by side, with the blonde bimbo holding the door open for the dark haired teen and not any of the others who also entered. No one made a fuss. No one commented. No one saw how wrong it was but him.
Hands clenched, he stayed there, observing. For a half second, he considered changing spots to try and catch sight of his targets inside through windows, but knew it would be fleeting at best and extra frustrating at worst. So he settled into waiting for the end of their shift instead. Ignoring the need for food, drink or rest, he watched, cataloguing all these aches and pains to be pointed out to the cat Faunus at a later time. It showed his dedication and concern, that he was willing to put aside all else to be sure she was safe.
Hours later, Adam leaned forward, eyes sharp behind his mask, as he watched a bunch of teenagers walk outside once more. It was late at night, the sun having set three hours ago, and the library was to close in the next few minutes. No one else had entered in the last hour, which helped highlight the movement. Whipping out his scroll, he zoomed into take a picture of the blonde when she exited. Seeing her right beside Blake caused Adam to take a deep breath through his nose, chest popping forward. His gaze narrowed as he watched the interaction.
The blonde human walked closely beside the hidden Faunus. She had a hand on the dark haired girl's shoulder as she spoke. Whatever she said caused the Faunus to laugh. The sound was almost lost to the open air but the lad's heightened senses still picked it up. The blonde didn't seem to want to part for the night if how she lingered was any indication. And Blake did nothing to dissuade this notion. She gave the human a playful shove and waved sarcastically goodbye. Whatever she said in a parting fashion caused the blonde human to laugh heartily.
Adam growled softly at the interaction. His sharp sights noticed the lingering gaze of the introding human. The bull Faunus debated for a second whether to go after Blake or this human who thought she had a chance. It was as Blake went around the corner that Adam decided to start with the girl who should have already known her place.
He traveled along the rooftops, following the dark haired teen, trying to find the correct time to confront the girl. No one was out at this hour but he knew timing was key. He had to build the case before laying down the law. Each time he was about to go down, the bookworm received a text on her scroll. A scroll he unhappily noticed she pulled immediately from her bag and yet he still got no answer to his many questions and messages.
Whoever was messaging Blake currently caused her to have an almost permanent smirk as she responded. She looked like a typical teenager, nose in her scroll and barely paying attention to the streets around her. If it were for tiny twitches of her ears, Adam would think she was indeed lost in thought and messaging. But the excitement and happiness on the girl's face didn't waver. It was a combination that Adam couldn't recall seeing in his presence in a long time. He had prided himself on being the one those sorts of smiles belonged to and now he was being replaced with some stranger. The desire to know who caused the reaction built in his chest, tinged with the hot burn of anger.
It was when Blake got a call that the boy made a move. Adam could barely make out what they said but could hear at least the name 'Yang' mentioned by the dark haired girl; a name he didn't recognize. Concern grew at what else Blake might be hiding aside from new 'friends' that she wasn't willing to introduce to the actually important person in her life. Adam was supposed to know everything about Blake. She was his girlfriend. His beloved. A fact he was going to have to remind her.
Even though the main road had decently spaced buildings, some were still closer than one would expect, especially as they left the mainstay of the city. Using the ones that were close enough to one another, the bull Faunus bounced between them, kicking off the brick walls to descend at a decent rate. His landing was the epitome of silence; except that meant that his entrance went unnoticed by the cat Faunus. Growling under his breath, he stomped up towards the girl, hunched forward, and eavesdropped on the last of her conversation.
"...I'm sure you'll recover just fine." Blake didn't realize she wore a large grin at the whining of the other but could feel when it dropped away. Her ears twitched at the sensation of another's presence. When she saw who it was, her eyes widened in alarm. "Uh, I have to go. I won't be able to talk, I'll see you later." The last part was said even quieter but she knew it had to be loud enough for a human to hear it, which meant that Adam definitely heard it.
Adam squinted behind his mask, fighting the harsh sneer that wanted to appear at her words. He continued to step forward, directing their walk to the side alley instead of the main roads. He watched as the girl rapidly closed and stashed away the scroll into her back pocket, looking off to the side as she did so. Adam memorized it's location as he strode well into the girl's personal space and stayed there. The lass still wouldn't lok him in the eye, requiring him to reach out and cupping the side of her face. Rubbing his thumb along her cheek bone, he kept his voice a neutral low.
"You haven't responded to any of my messages."
Blake leaned into the touch even as she closed her eyes. "I wasn't in a place where I could talk communicate freely with anyone in the White Fang." She winced as the grip tightened.
"Except that I am more than just a White Fang member… Aren't I?" Adam's voice took a sharper edge as he allowed his disappointment to show. He leaned closer, mask almost touching the girl's forehead as he half-whispered. "I thought I was important to you…" He then moved back to get a clearer view of any facial twitch she may give.
"You are!" Blake covered the hand on her cheek with one of her own, golden orbs pleading as they sought out Adam's own sights. "I… You mean a great deal to me Adam… I just couldn't contact anyone." Her gaze filtered to the left as her ears tilted down.
Adam's tempter spiked. Had he been anyone else, had he not already witness the facts to cemented the lies, he would have been fooled. But no one could fool him. He could easily tell when the girl was hiding something and this was never more evident than now. "Why do you do this to me Blake? I thought I meant more to you…"
"Adam…" The girl tried to argue but couldn't find any words.
The boy could practically see the swirl of confusion in the amber eyes, another reason he wore a mask. He didn't bother waiting for her to try and think of a defense, stopping her with a succinct, "no."
"No." He continued on, forceful, with a muted heat to his words. "I was worried for you my love… I searched the entire night."
The two teens stopped moving, now a block and a half from the main roads and out of direct line of sight of anyone traveling there. They were facing each other but merely inches from each other. Adam's posture was straight as he bent forward while Blake was starting to slouch down, ears going flat.
"But instead of telling us, telling me, more about where you were, what you were doing, you were being selfish!" Adam followed the girl's faltering steps as he spoke. The cat girl tried backing away but he didn't allow it. "You didn't consider how others would react to your report! You didn't think of how painful it was to ME!"
Adam's voice began to rise as he got more upset. His hand moved from Blake's cheek to grip her upper forearm tightly, pulling her closer. "You only think of yourself! Not of anyone else who have your best interests at heart and who you didn't respond to last night!"
The last part of the bull's rant came out as a roar. Arms shaking in fury, Adam flung Blake to the ground and spun to face the back alley wall, striking the stonework with a fist. "You never think things through." His words were soft, weaving, though just loud enough for the sensitive ears to pick it up.
His words had the desired effect. A rush of pleasure shot through his center when he heard the gentle sobs that broke out behind him. He didn't turn around though, holding his 'pained' position. Blake choked up, hand to her mouth, as she tried to force reassurances through her tears.
"You're right, I'm so sorry, you're right… Please Adam, I didn't mean to…" She inched closer, hands trembling as she reached for the stiff back of the other. "I'm sorry." She only managed to lay one hand on the tense back before the lad reacted.
The red haired boy allowed his smirk to last only a second before turning back around, keeping his arms limply at his sides. His face was now set in a long and dejected frown. He allowed the weight of his anger to pull his limbs and shoulders down, to bring more duress to the girl.
"Why Blake, why did you ignore my messages? Who is the woman who 'saved' you last night?" Adam shifted closer, presence growing darker and foreboding. "If you are so sorry, then you'll answer my questions."
"She's just some-some human who happens to work at the same library I do." Blake shook her head, tears trailing down her face freely. She wrung her hands anxiously, unsure of where to put them. "She recognized me while I was fighting and tried to help. She… She insisted I get looked at for injuries, which is why I couldn't message you. Or anyone."
"And were you? You know we have our own medical facilities, why would you trust some humans to help you?" The boy growled, not bothering to scan the girl's form for these 'injuries'.
He had been watching her close enough to know they weren't an issue. But to top it off, she would have gone for help had it been. But instead, she allowed some human to try and 'help'. As if some random human would know how to help them. And it hadn't been an issue according to her in the first place! A temptation to make it an issue began to rise in the boy. He could feel his fists shaking but he kept them by his sides.
"No, no of course not." Blake denied weakly, exhaustion beginning to set in. A tiny blush spread over her cheeks, something that was almost lost in the darkness and the red tinge that the boy was starting to see. The dark haired teen pressed on, shaking her head as she wiped at the tear tracks. "She-I… I couldn't get away for long enough to look at the messages. Please Adam, I won't do it again…"
"That's right, you won't." The red haired Faunus raised a hand and put it around the back of the girl's neck. "Humans are all liars and can't be trusted. Violent, racist, they only pretend so they look better in front of the world. But they're not." He tightened his hold on the slim neck. It was a position they were both familiar with but with a stronger grip. An almost threatening grip.
"They attack Faunus whenever they think they can get away with it. Sure, one human 'helps', but then they force you to go with them without any consideration for you or who truly care about you." Adam took heavy steps forward, hand still in place. He used it to direct the girl to the other wall, pinned between the wall and himself. When Blake tried to speak, to make any sort of retort, he cut her off harshly along with a squeeze of his hand.
"If they could have been trusted, you would have immediately messaged me! But you didn't." Adam growled as he restated the fact. He moved his face closer, snarl full grown. "Don't waste your time with some human you can't trust enough to tell them about your place in the White Fang. About your place with ME." He continued to order as his hands went from the girl's throat to capture her face, keeping the focus on him where it belonged. "You are VERY important to me. And if they can't understand that, then they aren't worth your time!"
"I want you to promise me that you won't go with her anymore Blake… I want you to promise me you won't hurt me like that again…" He pulled her closer, voice a threatening low. "And you won't let some human prevent you from talking with those who really care about you, right?"
"Y-yes…" Blake whispered raggedly. "I won't talk with her any more than I need to…" Gold amber orbs dipped to the bottom left. "An-and I won't see her outside of work…"
"Good… good… That's my girl." Adam murmured as he collapsed the distance between them, giving her a slow and passionless kiss. He kept his emotions in control while drawing a shiver of feeling from the other teenager. He knew he succeeded as the girl in his arms trembled. Her ears rose up from where they had been flattened though he didn't bother to touch them, focusing to keep his hands around her shoulders instead. It meant he could dictate how long their embrace went.
Once they parted, he kept a hold of the pale girl's hand as they walked deeper into the city. Each were preparing themselves for the night to come as they lead further protests and attacks to show how serious they were. Adam knew things were back in order as they should be, but was already planning on how to enforce this idea with the foolish human who thought she could be close with HIS girlfriend...
Author's Note: Soooooo. Life wanted to just come back and kick me while things were meh. My car needed repair (over $600 worth!) and then decided to break AGAIN afterwards. And I couldn't fix it. So then I had to spend more money I don't have (yay debt! -.-) and hope to recover any sort of amount from selling my now dead car. AND THEN RUDDY ADAM! I had such a hard time with this chapter guys. I really did. And first I thought it was the stress of cars. But then I did a test. Skipped finishing this chapter and went on to the next. Next chapter is coming along great. Flows smoothly, doesn't irritate me, perfectly fine. It's the villains. I HATE villains (especially when they are done right) and I apparently hate writing from their point of view. Bloody ruddy *insert more curses here*...
Anyways, hope you liked the chapter, let me know how I'm doing if you can (I like to know and improve), and I'll see you guys in the next one!