Blake's determination to tell Yang the truth faded as the day progressed and longing replaced her guilt. After only a few hours apart, her thoughts focused instead on when they would see each other next, what it would feel like to greet Yang as her official girlfriend, and how that title - as well as what happened the night before - might change their interactions.
Knowing she would meet Yang's sister soon made her nervous, but knowing she would see Yang again made her excited. Excitement won out for the time being, as she hurried around the apartment getting ready.
"So…" Still grinning, Sun spun around in his chair and watched her walk behind him. "Should I expect you to be out all night?"
"Sun."
"What?" He raised his hands and laughed. "That's a legitimate question! I could be concerned about your whereabouts. What if I got worried?"
"Uh huh..." As she glanced at her reflection in the mirror, someone knocked on the door, and her heart skipped a beat. She and Sun both knew who it was, explaining his ear-splitting grin while she grabbed her bag.
"But don't wait up," she added as she hurried to answer the door, ignoring his crow of laughter with a smile of her own. That smile grew when she opened the door and saw the tall, blonde supermodel standing in the hall.
Yang's outfit was flawless, as usual. Her hair fell in long, gorgeous waves down her back. But the blush on her cheeks and flowers in her hand garnered Blake's full attention.
"Um, hey," Yang greeted her with an adorable, timid smile.
"Hey." When neither of them moved, Blake gestured at the flowers. "Are those -?"
"Uh, yeah, these are for you," Yang admitted, still holding them close to her stomach. "Now I'm thinking they're kinda lame."
What Yang saw as 'lame,' Blake found irresistibly cute. Determined to show as much, she kissed Yang's cheek and gently took the flowers from her hands. "I love them." After lifting them to her nose and taking a deep breath, she smiled and met Yang's gaze. "They're beautiful."
"Just like you," Yang replied, her confidence returning now that her gesture had been accepted. Blake, however, would never get used to Yang calling her beautiful. The compliment sent such a tumult of emotions through her heart that she stared at the flowers and waited for the feelings to calm.
"Let me put these in some water," she said, briefly meeting Yang's gaze before heading into the kitchen and finding a tall glass to put them in. Once she passed Sun, he grinned and spun towards the door.
"Hey Yang!" he called out with a wave.
"Hey Sun. How are you?"
"Oh you know, same old, same old." As soon as he smirked at Blake, she shut off the water, placed the flowers in the glass, and hurried back to the door. "So…" he continued before Blake could get Yang out of there. "I think it might be time for us to have 'the talk.'"
"'The talk?'"
"Bye Sun," Blake interrupted before he said another word, grabbing Yang's hand and dragging her out the door. The abrupt departure must have clued Yang in because she laughed and said "Maybe next time!" while following Blake into the hall.
"I swear…" Blake grumbled. "He's so embarrassing sometimes."
"But he's fun," Yang replied, lightly laughing as they headed down the stairwell. "Wait," she added before Blake walked into the lobby. "Before we leave..."
Feeling a tug on her hand, Blake turned around right as Yang stepped in and kissed her. Not a quick peck on the lips either - a real kiss. One that lit a fire in her veins while Yang's hand settled on the small of her back and pulled her forward, and grew when their lips seamlessly parted and their tongues tasted each other once more. In seemingly no time at all, Blake was scrambling to feel as much of Yang as possible - running her hands down Yang's back, up her sides, then through her hair while falling deeper into the kiss.
They had somewhere else to be, but neither of them wanted to leave. They would rather stay here, pressed against each other, lip locked in the stairwell of Blake's building.
The only thing pulling them out of that moment was a door banging open several flights above, followed by voices and footsteps as someone else entered the stairwell and headed downstairs. Their kiss quickly ceased, but Yang's hand remained on Blake's back while she met Blake's eyes with an expression Blake would never get enough of.
"I missed you."
"I...missed you too," Blake said, suddenly feeling quite breathless.
"Did you though?" Yang teased while tugging Blake out of the stairwell. "Or did you spend all day working on your project?"
Blake had done exactly that. After class, she went straight to the library and only left to change for dinner. As comfortable as Yang's sweatpants were, she wanted to make a good impression when meeting Yang's sister for the first time.
"My capstone revolves around you, remember?" she pointed out while Yang led her outside. "So, in a way, I thought about you all day."
"'Revolves' around me," Yang repeated before laughing. "Good one!"
"What?"
"Because I'm the sun? And you're revolving around me?" Yang motioned her finger in a circle before Blake finally caught on.
"Oh." Seeing how pleased Yang was with the pun, Blake smiled and squeezed her hand. "Clever."
"I take what I can get," Yang joked before sneaking a shy smile Blake's way. "I'm, uh, glad you were thinking about me though. I was thinking about you too."
Blake loved that Yang was willing to make admissions like that. Each one confirmed she wasn't the only one with so many feelings so soon. Still, she didn't elaborate on how much and how often she thought about Yang throughout the day or what those thoughts were.
It was borderline embarrassing how much she thought about Yang. However, the obsession made her capstone easy. Most of the time, she felt like she was writing about Yang, and writing about Yang was incredibly enjoyable. Writing about Yang was so enjoyable, in fact, that she might finish ahead of schedule. She'd already made up for her delayed start and charged ahead by several weeks, in addition to spending more of her free time with Yang.
"Where are we going for dinner?" she asked as they walked towards one of the shopping centers near campus.
"Stella's - have you ever been?"
Spotting a white-and-blue sign bearing the restaurant's name, Blake shook her head. Her nerves chose that moment to appear, but she tried not to let them show when Yang glanced at her. She wanted to meet Ruby, but she also wanted Ruby to like her. Or at least approve of her.
"Any pointers?" she asked while they waited to cross the street. "Likes, dislikes, topics to avoid?"
"Ruby's a bundle of energy who loves everything, especially food. And Weiss is kinda like a cactus - she hates everything except Ruby."
"They...sound like quite the pair?"
Yang chuckled at the diplomatic response. "They make it work, somehow," she said before nudging Blake's shoulder. "Once you've seen them together, you won't be able to imagine them with anyone else."
When Yang squeezed her hand and led them towards the door of the restaurant, Blake wondered if anyone felt that way about them. Most likely not. The opposite seemed to be true, actually - most people imagined Yang with anyone but Blake.
The reverse could also be said, as Blake wasn't exactly someone who sought out popularity. That made this relationship a bit of a fluke, yet...that didn't change how much she liked Yang, and how those feelings grew with every second they shared. Yang might not be the type of person Blake would have imagined for herself, but now...she couldn't imagine being with anyone else.
"Don't worry. They'll love you."
Yang's encouraging smile put some of Blake's nerves at ease, and she nodded before taking a deep breath and walking into the restaurant. Yang was right behind her, lightly wrapping an arm around her waist in a comforting gesture that made her heart skip a beat.
"We're here almost every week," Yang explained, moving closer to Blake's ear to be heard over the drone of voices in the busy restaurant. "Ruby loves their milkshakes."
Learning that Yang came here often, Blake put more effort into studying the restaurant. It looked like a typical college spot, but more casual than the name or exterior suggested. A crowded bar was on the left, where a group of rowdier students watched a game on the big screens while others played pool or darts. The right looked like a typical restaurant - a combination of tables and booths that were mostly filled at the moment. The young boy standing behind the podium in front of them put his phone down as soon as he saw them.
"Hey Yang!" he greeted her with a familiar smile before turning towards Blake. "And you must be..."
"My girlfriend," Yang cut in, making Blake's heart thud loudly. "Blake."
"Wow." The boy nodded to Blake before turning back to Yang. "You lucked out, Yang. She's way out of your league."
"I know, right? I'm the luckiest person alive right now." While the two of them chuckled, Blake's blush increased when Yang tugged her closer. "Are Ruby and Weiss here?" Yang asked, and he gestured to the back of the restaurant.
"You know the way."
"Cool. Thanks!" Heading further into the restaurant, Yang dropped her arm from Blake's waist and held Blake's hand instead. "You don't mind if I tell people, do you?"
"Of course not. It's the truth, isn't it?"
"It is," Yang replied with a smile. "But maybe you want to keep it lowkey or something? I know people talk about me a lot, so I get it if you don't want to be a part of that."
While a sweet offer, Blake couldn't imagine making Yang keep this a secret. Honestly, it hadn't sunk in yet that Yang was her girlfriend, but it felt more real every time Yang brought it up. Besides, if Blake wanted to spend as much time with Yang as possible, which she did, people would make the assumption anyway.
"I don't mind if you tell people. It makes me feel...special."
"You are special."
That only made Blake feel more special. As did the kiss Yang pressed to her cheek before nodding at a booth in the back corner of the restaurant.
"There they are."
The two girls sitting on one side of the booth looked vaguely familiar, but Blake couldn't figure out where she'd seen them before. She didn't have time to place them either, as one of them hopped to her feet the moment she saw Yang and practically crashed into Yang for a hug seconds later.
"Yang!"
"Hey Ruby," Yang said while rustling her sister's hair. Once the hug ended, Ruby turned to Blake and grinned.
"You must be Blake." Blake hardly nodded before Ruby threw both arms around her for a hug. "It's so nice to meet you!"
"It's...nice to meet you too," Blake replied, glancing at Yang before returning the unexpected greeting.
She thought Ruby would look like a younger version of Yang, but they actually looked nothing alike. While Yang had long, blonde, impeccably styled hair, Ruby's was short, dark, and ruffled. Vibrant silver eyes contrasted with Yang's vivid lilac. And a jovial, puppy-like energy replaced Yang's more reserved, hesitant aura.
"Oh!" Suddenly backing away, Ruby straightened her posture and pointed to herself. "I'm Ruby. Yang's favorite sister!"
"Only sister," Yang corrected. The instant Ruby stuck her bottom lip out, Yang backtracked. "And favorite! Definitely my favorite."
Grinning now, Ruby motioned Blake over to the booth, where the second girl stood to meet her.
"And this is Weiss!"
Weiss, whose long white hair, cool blue eyes, and perfectly coordinated outfit looked like the antithesis of Ruby, offered her hand in a much more subdued greeting.
"It's nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too," Blake replied while shaking Weiss' hand.
Their greetings proved Yang correct - they were opposites. Yet the quick smile they shared implied a deep fondness and comfort that came from being together for quite some time.
"We aren't late, are we?" Yang asked while motioning for Blake to slide into the booth first.
"No, Ruby wanted to get here early."
"To save our table!" Ruby explained while plopping down across from Yang. "I didn't want to wait or have to sit somewhere else."
"I made a reservation," Weiss replied, though she didn't seem disgruntled by arriving early.
"They take reservations?" Yang asked. "Because I swear the sign up front says they don't."
It must have been a valid argument because Weiss sighed and said, "That's why you hand them a twenty while asking for one."
"Of course you bribed them," Yang said, lightly chuckling and leaning against Blake's shoulder.
Blake wouldn't have thought to do that, but she appreciated Weiss and Ruby's forward-thinking. The booth they picked was in a quieter, more private section of the restaurant. Considering the number of students present as well as Yang's propensity to draw attention, the lack of tables in the vicinity offered a buffer free of stares.
"Did you have fun last night?" Weiss asked once they got settled, directing the question to Blake with an unwavering blue gaze.
"At the party?" Looking at Yang reminded Blake of everything that happened last night, so she smiled. "Yeah, it was fun."
Weiss nodded and nearly smiled at the answer, but Ruby started giggling.
"She means after the party."
"Oh -" A blush rushed across Blake's cheeks as she turned to Yang, who suddenly looked just as embarrassed as she felt.
"We saw your clothes in the living room," Ruby explained while Weiss casually stirred her drink and tried to hide a smile. "You should've heard Yang try to talk her way out of that one. She's a horrible liar."
When Ruby giggled again, Yang puffed out her cheeks and shook her head.
"I tried," she apologized, but Blake reached over and patted her hand.
"It's fine." Even though she was mortally embarrassed, her spirits lifted when Yang held onto her hand rather than let go. And, while still flustered, she didn't back away from the challenge in Weiss' gaze - as if Weiss didn't think she would own up to what happened. "But yes, yesterday was fun, in general."
Blake's cheeks warmed further, but Weiss' eyes flashed with amusement before sliding to Yang.
"Congratulations, Yang. I didn't know you had it in you."
"Hey!" Yang protested while Ruby giggled again. "You may have seen me epically fail like...a ton of times, but I'm not totally inept."
"Uh huh..." Weiss teased before taking a sip of her drink.
"Yang has a horrible track record," Ruby explained to Blake. "She's super awkward and constantly trips over her words and stuff."
"Or says the dumbest things," Weiss added.
"Guys. Seriously. Trying to date this girl."
While Ruby and Weiss laughed, clearly enjoying the opportunity to embarrass their roommate, Blake smiled.
"I'm actually pretty fond of the strange things she says," she added in Yang's defense. "It's endearing."
"See?" Yang said before sticking her tongue out at Ruby. "Totally recovered from the handshake," she added, only to freeze as soon as Blake laughed.
"What handshake?" Ruby asked. Based on Yang's blush, which crept up her cheeks and turned the tips of her ears red, she hadn't told Ruby and Weiss what happened - until now, that is.
"What handshake?" Ruby repeated when no one answered, now even more curious than before. She looked between Yang and Blake, waiting for an answer. Weiss, however, looked directly at Blake.
"Spill."
Weiss didn't seem like the type to pry, but the sparkle in her eyes suggested she knew that she could. Before responding, however, Blake glanced at Yang, who motioned with one hand before burying her face in her hands.
"Well…" Remembering the moment outside her apartment, Blake couldn't help but smile. "A few days ago, Yang walked me home, and I thought she was going to kiss me. It felt like she wanted to, and I wanted her to, but she...shook my hand instead…"
While Ruby dissolved into more giggles, Weiss scoffed in disbelief.
"A handshake?" Ruby repeated before reaching across the table and shaking Yang's shoulder. "You shook her hand? Why'd you do that?"
"I panicked!"
"And shook her hand?" Weiss added. Even though she tsk'd the response, her smile gave away her good humor. "Honestly, Yang. You're lucky she forgave you."
"I made up for it," Yang said before meeting Blake's gaze. "Right? I made up for it?"
"You did."
Smiling now, Blake reassuringly patted Yang's leg. Honestly, last night Yang made up for every second of waiting. Now, that moment was just another funny story added to a growing list of them.
"See?" Weiss added. "Forgiving. I would've made you grovel."
"Do you make Ruby grovel?"
"Of course not." Weiss waved away the idea before smiling at Ruby. "But Ruby doesn't shake my hand."
"Not what I wanted to hear…"
"Oh." Ignoring Yang, Weiss leveled Blake with another one of those hidden smiles. "I have an important question...did you like the flowers?"
"God. You guys are the worst," Yang mumbled while her roommates laughed.
"She deliberated over them for almost an hour," Weiss informed Blake, who sent Yang another smile. Yang smiled back, but the blush on her cheeks suggested she was mortally embarrassed by the disclosure.
"I loved them," Blake said more to Yang than to anyone else, but she noticed the way Weiss smiled and leaned back in her seat while Ruby laughed.
"Told you!"
"Right, right. You're always right, Ruby." Accepting her embarrassment with a deep breath, Yang sat up and waved her hands. "But how about we stop talking about me, huh? Why don't we talk about you two?"
When Ruby nodded and Weiss shrugged, Yang turned to Blake and continued.
"Ok, so Weiss is a business major, but she's taking a two-year masters on top of the normal degree." Weiss nodded at the explanation, and Yang turned to Ruby next. "And Ruby's physical therapy - she also has two years left. What a coincidence."
Ruby beamed at Weiss, whose responding smile said she had no qualms with two extra years of school so long as they spent it together.
"Yang said you're in the accelerated sociology major," Weiss added. "I've heard it's...rigorous."
"It is, but definitely worth it."
"If you finish at the top of your class, you mean."
"Yes," Blake replied with a nod. "Which I have a good chance of doing. All I have to finish is my capstone project."
"Oh, tell them what it's about!" Yang grinned and squeezed Blake's hand to gain her attention. "They'll love it," she added as encouragement. Seeing as how Ruby and Weiss did look interested now, Blake explained.
"I'm writing about popularity and influence. A center of influence draws people in and creates a social circle, and the people making up that circle are separated into different layers or tiers. The analogy I'm using is like a solar system, with the sun serving as the central figure while planets and stars orbit around it, each at a different distance based on importance or closeness to the sun."
That was her project in its simplest form, which Ruby seemed to understand based on her nods. Weiss, meanwhile, immediately looked at Yang and said, "I wonder who that sun might be..."
"Can't anyone be a sun?" Ruby asked. "Like, we all have these different orbits, right? Not just popular people. But popular people would have a lot more, you know?"
After waiting for Blake's nod, Weiss smiled at Ruby. "You're right," she practically cooed. "Everyone has their own tiers for the people in their lives. And you're the closest one in mine."
While the two of them shared that intimate moment, Blake glanced at Yang and gained another measure of reassurance from Yang's smile. It seemed like this was going well. At least, they didn't hate her or look down on her, which was a positive start. If anything, they seemed...curious yet welcoming.
Once the moment with Ruby ended, Weiss gave Blake a much more thoughtful look. "I'm assuming that in this version of a solar system there's movement amongst the planets?"
"Yes," Blake replied, briefly surprised that Weiss came up with such a good question while staring into Ruby's eyes. "People change orbits as their influence waxes or wanes."
"That sounds interesting. I'd love to read it when you're done."
No one outside of professors had ever asked to read one of Blake's papers before. Even if one of her classmates expressed interest, she wouldn't let them due to their propensity to be competitive rather than helpful. "It might be a little...academic," she said, but Weiss waved off the concern.
"I don't mind."
"Ok, then…" After glancing at Yang, who again smiled, Blake nodded. "Sure. If you'd like to read it, I'd love to know what you think."
The idea of someone from a different major reading her capstone, which was the most important paper she'd written in her life so far, made her nervous. At the same time, Weiss came across as highly intelligent, so her feedback could prove valuable in making the end result the best it could be.
"Does that mean I can read it too?"
Turning towards Yang, Blake smiled and felt her heart do another little flip in her chest. "You can be the first to read it, if you want," she replied, only to feel impossibly happier when Yang grinned back at her.
"I'd love to, of course."
"And I'd love for you to."
Considering Yang was the inspiration behind the report, Blake would love nothing more than to hear her thoughts. But not just on the end result - she wanted Yang's input early and often during the writing process. Who else could explain their experiences with worldwide popularity better than someone living with it?
Hearing someone softly clear their throat, Blake blushed when she realized she'd been smiling at Yang for a little too long. Quickly averting her eyes, she tried to think of something to say that wouldn't give away how hopelessly she liked the girl sitting beside her. Yang, thankfully, saved her from having to say anything at all.
"Let's order some food," Yang said before sliding a menu to Blake. "Let me know what you want? I'll get you anything."
After glancing at the menu listing an array of burgers, sandwiches, and salads, Blake looked around and realized it was the only menu on the table. "You're not eating?" she asked, but Ruby shook her head.
"We eat here so much we don't need a menu anymore."
"Oh." Sparing another glance at the extensive list, Blake decided to rely on the experts. "I'll have whatever you're having?" she asked Yang. "I'm sure you have good taste."
"You got it." When Yang winked, Blake blushed and hoped Ruby and Weiss didn't notice. Fortunately, they didn't say anything while Yang patted Blake's leg and slid out of the booth. "I'll be right back."
As Yang went to place their order, Blake's gaze followed her. Regardless of how much time they spent together, Blake still couldn't wrap her head around how much attention turned Yang's way. At every table or booth she passed, at least one person stared or gave her a second glance. Many of them then leaned towards their friends, probably to whisper about how Yang Xiao Long was here.
Yang deserved the attention but, at the same time, she was just...Yang. The girl who made Blake feel things she'd never felt before, who made her step outside her comfort zone time and time again, while also sending her heart flipping and cartwheeling through her chest.
She liked Yang a lot. Was it too soon to consider that it was more than that? Possibly, but she couldn't deny that she'd never liked someone the way she liked Yang, and they hadn't even known each other very long.
After Yang placed their order and stepped aside to wait, she caught Blake staring and sent a cute little wave her way. After returning the wave, Blake turned around and realized that Weiss and Ruby had been watching her that entire time. Or maybe they'd asked a question and were waiting for her response.
"Sorry," she said before focusing on them rather than Yang. "I got...distracted. Did you say something?"
"She tends to have that effect on people," Weiss joked.
"She does," Blake admitted, much to Ruby's delight.
"She's always been like that though." Noticing Blake's curious look, Ruby nodded and continued. "Even in high school, everyone knew who she was and wanted to be her friend. The whole modeling thing just took that to an extreme." After a brief pause, Ruby bit her lip and glanced at Weiss. "But it's...different now."
Blake wanted to ask how things were different but didn't feel like she could. They only just met, and the way Ruby said it made it seem like a sensitive subject. That only filled Blake's mind with more questions, beginning with how Ruby felt about her sister's popularity growing out of control.
It was one thing to be popular in high school, but the popularity Yang had now was much more all-encompassing. How did Ruby feel about that change and the effects it had on her sister? Those weren't 'first meeting' types of questions though, so Blake asked something less weighty.
"Did she always want to be a pediatrician?"
"She told you that?" When Blake nodded, Ruby glanced at Weiss and grinned. "She pretended to be my doctor when we were kids," she explained. "She was the only one who could get me to take my vitamins, and I wouldn't even consider getting a shot if she didn't come with me. I think she really liked feeling responsible, and that's why she wants to be a pediatrician."
Blake couldn't decide if it was a slip of the tongue or just a thoughtless comment, but she noticed that Ruby said Yang 'wants' to be a pediatrician. As in, she still wanted that right now, at this moment. Even as her modeling career took off, she had another dream. That was how Blake had always felt about the subject. Now, she had reason to believe Ruby felt the same.
"Have you met Yang's handler yet?" Weiss asked.
"Handler?"
"Mel," Weiss explained before setting down her drink and holding up a finger. "I'm sorry, I mean Melissa." Weiss flipped her hair as she said the name, looking every bit like a textbook sorority snob until Ruby melted the veneer with a giggle.
"Oh, yes." Blake rolled her eyes just thinking about the girl. "I've met her several times."
"And?"
"And I don't think she likes me," she answered honestly. Sensing that the response only partially reverberated with the pair sitting across from her, she offered her full opinion. "But it's probably hard to like anyone when she's so busy looking down on them."
Just like that, Weiss smiled.
"I think we'll get along," she added while Ruby chuckled beside her, both of them looking pleased with the summation.
"What're you laughing about?"
The three of them turned as Yang set two trays of food on the table and returned to her seat beside Blake.
"How snobby Mel is," Ruby answered.
"She's not that bad."
"Yang, she's a walking cliché," Weiss replied while sliding a chocolate milkshake to Ruby. "Everything she does is blindingly self-centered, and she wouldn't bat an eye at pushing her best friend in front of a bus."
"Ok, that's true, but she has some good qualities!"
While grabbing a salad from the tray, Weiss gave Yang a dubious look. "Like what? And appearances don't count."
When Yang shut her mouth and puffed out her cheeks, Ruby laughed again.
"Oh! I have one good thing she's done!" Now that she had everyone's attention, Yang smiled at Blake. "She led me to you."
Blake's heart threatened to melt right out of her chest at the endearing comment, and Ruby's soft "aww..." only amplified that feeling. "Then I guess she's not all bad," she whispered.
"I bet that kills her," Weiss mused with a pleased smile. "She thought you'd be upset. Instead..." Weiss smiled at Blake. "You went from gossip to girlfriend."
"That's what they'll call our book," Yang joked while setting a chicken salad in front of Blake and another in front of herself.
"Aww...I want a book…" Ruby sighed.
"I'll commission one for you right now. What do you want it to be about?"
"About us, obviously!"
"Yes, but what exactly about us?"
Ruby paused for only a second before launching into the premise of their story. Yang, meanwhile, shook her head and speared a piece of chicken with her fork. "This is where Weiss spends a lot of money making Ruby's wishes come true," she whispered to Blake, who smiled at the couple sitting across the table.
They were meant to be together because they were better together than on their own. Weiss' surly, unapproachable side melted away. Ruby's hyper, scattered side focused on Weiss.
Blake couldn't help liking both of them. They were nice and easy to get along with. Most importantly, they didn't treat Yang like everyone else did. They needed and wanted nothing from her except for her presence. This put Yang more at ease than Blake could remember seeing her in a social situation. She was, for once, completely herself, completely relaxed, with the people she trusted the most.
This was the innermost circle. The closest orbit to Yang's golden sun. And Blake was included.
The realization made her feel like an imposter. She hadn't earned this place like Ruby, through growing up with Yang. Or Weiss, through what seemed like countless hours of spending time together.
Yang treated Blake like she belonged here, but did she? What if she never told that lie? That was the only reason Yang sought her out in the library. The only reason they ever started talking. The only reason she sat here right now. Not because of who she was, but because of something she made up.
What would Yang think if Blake told her now? Could she even bring herself to tell the truth, knowing it might ruin this?
Feeling a nudge on her elbow, she looked over and caught Yang's concerned gaze.
'You ok?' Yang mouthed.
Blake nodded and forced a smile before trying to eat. But she felt the gravity of her lie like never before, as she sat at a table she never should have been invited to. While she talked to people she never would have spoken to.
Those thoughts made it hard to enjoy the rest of their meal, but she did her best to participate in the conversation, answer every question, and ask some in return. She learned about Ruby and Weiss in the process, and observed much more about their relationship.
By the time their plates were empty and Ruby took everything over to the garbage and tray collector, Blake was grateful that Yang had at least two true friends in her life. Two people who had her best interests at heart. Blake wanted to include herself in that group because she truly wanted Yang to be happy, but...
"What're you two up to next?" Yang asked while they waited for Ruby to join them outside the restaurant. When Yang's hand casually sought out Blake's to hold, Blake willingly accepted the gesture and intertwined their fingers. The contact reassured her. It convinced her that what she felt was real - her feelings for Yang were real. A lie could never feel like this.
"Going to a movie."
"What're you seeing?"
"I don't know." Unperturbed by the lack of a plan, Weiss shrugged. "Whatever she wants to see."
"You're so whipped," Yang joked, but her affectionate tone implied this was a frequent conversation between the two of them. Weiss easily accepted the term but, after glancing at Blake, smirked at Yang.
"You're one to talk."
Blake blushed at the response, but Yang laughed and kissed her temple.
"You're right. Now I know what it's like to be you!"
If that was supposed to bother Weiss, it didn't. But very little seemed to bother her when Ruby was nearby.
"'K!" Ruby called out shortly after she burst through the door and returned to Weiss' side. Their hands immediately found each other, and Weiss' smile grew brighter when Ruby beamed at her. "Ready?"
"Of course." After sharing that smile with Ruby for a second longer, Weiss turned to Blake. "It was nice to finally meet you, Blake," she said, her eyes and smile just as warm and welcoming as her words. "And I assume you'll be around quite often from now on, so we'll see you soon."
"What Weiss said," Ruby agreed before hugging Blake again - this time with only one arm because Weiss still held the other. Ruby held on for longer than expected though, and Blake understood why when Ruby whispered "Please be good to her," in her ear.
When Ruby pulled away, her expression could only be described as beseeching. Guilt immediately swirled through Blake's chest, because she didn't deserve such kind acceptance from the two most important people in Yang's life, but she still nodded. That nod was a promise, and she meant it with every fiber of her being. Yang deserved happiness - Blake knew it, Ruby knew it, and Weiss knew it. Together, they could do their best to make sure it happened.
Satisfied with the response, Ruby grinned and waved once before walking away with Weiss. "See you later!" Yang called after them, but Blake's remorse grew stronger as they left.
Not only had Yang accepted the lie and incorporated it into their origin story, but now Ruby and Weiss were involved. Blake hated lying to them too, especially when they seemed like nice, honest people. They were the inner circle - the final line of defenses protecting Yang's feelings - and Blake had circumvented them.
"Is everything ok?" When Blake looked over, Yang's thoughtful, worried gaze looked back at her. "You've been a little quiet," Yang gently explained. "I hope they didn't bother you with all the questions..."
"No, that was fine. They're very nice, and I had a great time." Hoping to erase the worry from Yang's eyes, Blake forced a smile she didn't quite feel and wished that the gnawing feeling in her stomach would go away.
"Did you really?" Yang didn't believe it until Blake nodded. Then, she grinned. "Good! Because I think that went great." Blake's brow rose at the comment, and her heart fluttered when Yang clutched her hands. "They like you! Even Weiss, and Weiss hardly likes anyone."
"You think so?"
Hearing that she'd earned their approval only made Blake feel worse, but she couldn't let Yang see that. Instead, she held Yang's hands and accepted that warm, happy smile.
"Yes!" After pausing for a second, Yang grinned. "You know what this means, right? We can go on double dates!" The thought of going on dates at all was enough to make Blake's heart flutter. She loved the idea even more when Yang chuckled and shook her head. "Never thought I'd want to do that, but spending time with my three favorite people sounds awesome."
The idea that she was one of Yang's favorite people made Blake's head spin. Before she responded, however, Yang gave her a more hesitant expression.
"You don't have class on Saturday, right?"
"No -" In the midst of shaking her head, Blake remembered her meeting tomorrow, and remembered why she'd avoided thinking about it for most of the day. "I just have that meeting…" she added.
"Worried?"
"Just a bit…" Feeling Yang's thumb run across the back of her hand, Blake sighed. "But you're right. It's probably nothing."
"I was hoping to take your mind off of it." When Blake's brow rose, Yang said, "I was going to ask...if you want to stay over again...? At my place?" Blushing now, Yang still finished the question with a shy smile.
The implied offer wasn't lost on Blake, who knew she should decline. But if she went home right now, she would spend the night pining after Yang anyway. Besides, being together again would remind her of how real this was, and make her feel better, and definitely keep her mind off of tomorrow's meeting.
"I'd love to."
Yang lit up at the agreement. Sometimes, it felt like she didn't understand that she was a model. That anyone would love to spend the night with her. Then again, Yang's obliviousness to her beauty only made Blake like her more.
"So glad you agreed to come out tonight," Yang added while they left the restaurant behind. "Can't remember the last time I had such a good time...with other people."
Blake blushed at the last-second addition when Yang winked at her. Before Yang added to that blush, however, a phone call interrupted them. "Dammit…" Yang muttered while fishing her phone out of her pocket. After glancing at the screen, she turned it off and put it away. "Not talking to him tonight."
"If you need to answer though…" Blake offered, but Yang shook her head.
"I'll call him tomorrow. You're more important to me right now."
The comment slipped from Yang's lips easily, warming Blake's heart as they crossed from the shopping center to the neighborhoods beyond. Whether Yang realized it or not, she could be quite smooth and charming. Of course, that only made her awkward moments more adorable.
As they lapsed into comfortable silence, Blake glanced at Yang and smiled upon seeing her contemplative expression. From how long they'd known each other, Blake shouldn't already feel this strongly, yet...she did. She liked Yang so much, her fear of bringing up the lie only grew. She knew that she should tell the truth, but...
"You know what? I don't think I want to be a model."
Surprised by the comment, Blake looked up and asked, "Really?"
"Really," Yang replied with a nod. "I hate it, actually. Everyone's fake. Everyone uses you. I can't stand it, and I don't need it."
After wishing so dearly for Yang to reach this conclusion, Blake couldn't believe it happened. "But...what changed your mind?" she asked, her heart thumping while Yang stared at the ground and lightly swung their joined hands.
"I guess...I finally realized that my life can be good without it. My life can be great without it. I have you to thank for that."
When Yang looked up and smiled, Blake's heart melted. Part of her was overjoyed that Yang could see her unhappiness and was willing to make a change. The other part of her...was less important right now.
"If that's what you want to do...then that's what you should do." Blake didn't want to tell Yang what to do, but she certainly wouldn't discourage Yang from considering it further. "I'll support you regardless," she added. "I just want you to be happy."
"I'll think about it some more." Holding Blake's hand a little tighter, Yang looked up at the sky and sighed. "But when I imagine being free of it…it feels so nice."
That was all Blake needed to hear to know exactly where she stood on the matter. If Yang ever asked for her input, she knew what she would say.
Knowing that Yang was considering leaving the fashion industry, however, made the idea of telling the truth even harder to bear. What if Blake admitted her lie and it impacted Yang's decision? Could she risk that when Yang was finally thinking about leaving that world behind?
"Do you think you would feel the same if...if we hadn't met at that party?" Blake asked while they approached Yang's building.
"I think so. I mean, I'm sure we would've met sometime, right?"
That answered Blake's question in the worst way. Even if they met at another point in time, she wouldn't have talked to Yang unless they somehow found themselves locked in a room by themselves or forced to communicate for some reason. Always surrounded by sorority girls, attention, and fame, Yang wasn't someone Blake ever thought she could hold a conversation with, let alone be with.
But Yang was sweet, caring, and didn't deserve to be led along like this. Still...Blake couldn't bring herself to tell the truth. She didn't want to lose what they had. She didn't want the truth to ruin this monumental decision Yang faced.
She knew she should tell the truth. Instead, she would spend another night in Yang's bed, accepting the affection she in no way deserved.