Just Tell Me To Stay
Summary: Yang and Blake have been in love with each other since the moment they met, but neither could ever reveal their feelings. But now that they're entering their senior year and all the talk is on colleges and plans for the future, their friends aren't sure they can just sit by and watch as they lose each other for good. High School AU. Bumblby, WhiteRose, Arkos
Author's Note: New chapter is here! Thanks to everyone for the feedback, there was really a ton for the last couple chapters and I'm super grateful for all of it, it definitely helps keep me focused on pumping these chapters out on this weekly schedule. This is the start of another multi-parter that I've gotten the overall plan for pretty good I think so stay tuned. Anyways, here is the chapter, hope you all like it!
Chapter 16: Unraveling Pt. 1
"Wow. Cuddling in the dark with a locked door? Sounds like a dream."
"Oh shush Yang, nothing happened."
Pyrrha shakes her head at the blonde's antics. She had certainly expected a fair amount of innuendos when she decided to tell Yang about her moment with Jaune the previous day, they were best friends after all, but somehow it doesn't do much to alleviate her growing embarrassment.
Especially considering the fact that they're sitting in the library at the closing hours of the school day which means any number of people could be overhearing their conversation. She checks the time again which tells her that they've been here for about a half hour. They had decided to carpool today because Yang didn't have to immediately go to work after school but they did have to wait for a bit while Ruby attended her Robotics Club meeting.
Which doesn't really bother her because she's always happy for a chance to relax with Yang like this.
"Still though," Yang says, "are you really telling me nothing crossed your mind at all? All alone in a dark room and a nice comfy couch?"
"It… may have…" she admits slowly, instantly regretting it when she sees Yang's eyebrows shoot up. "But nothing like that! I just… suddenly felt the urge to… kiss him."
"Oh my god, Pyrrha!" The blonde squeals, this time loud enough to definitely draw a few eyes in their direction, "that's awesome, why didn't you do it?"
"I can't just kiss him out of the blue like that! We've got to at least go on a date first right?"
"Well…" Yang replies, "technically you don't have to wait for anything but, I said I wouldn't interfere when you guys went on that lunch date and I'm going to stick to that. How did that go by the way?"
"It was fine. We got some homework done, had some sandwiches, it was… really nice."
She's sure Yang's noticed the dopey, lovestruck smile on her face but she doesn't really care. Plus she's seen the look on the blonde's face a thousand times in the past so it's not like she can really say anything.
"Have you guys done anything else since?" Yang asks.
"No… he spent all of break at his sister's house in Mantle so we haven't really gotten a chance."
"Well maybe you could go out again soon. Finals are coming up, gives you a pretty good excuse."
"Yeah…" Pyrrha replies, "so is Winter Ball."
"Wait. Are you going to ask him?"
"Well I've thought about it…"
Yang lets out another squeal and pulls her in for a hug. "How are you going to do it? Nora said she's going to shoot confetti cannons in the lobby when Ren walks in."
"When did you become such a girl?" Pyrrha asks with an amused laugh, "And there is no way Nora is going to be able to get permission to do that."
"Oh Weiss already approved it." Yang says, "She said that it's better to let her have this one now as opposed to denying her a couple times and then having to deal with whatever destructive idea she ends up going with. Ozpin gave his stamp as well."
"Wow, that's very… diplomatic of Weiss."
"I know, it's so unlike her right? Anyways enough about that, how are you going to ask Jaune?"
"I don't know," Pyrrha answers self consciously, "I haven't given it too much thought, I just figured I would keep it simple. Guys don't really like things to be too extravagant do they?"
Yang shrugs her shoulders. "That sounds reasonable but what do I know? I specialize in other fields."
Pyrrha rolls her eyes at her friend's infuriating grin and decides it's definitely past time to move the conversation in a different direction.
"Enough about me." she says, "have you made any progress on what to do with Blake?"
At that Yang lets out a deep sigh and slumps back into her chair. "No. I spent all weekend thinking about it and didn't get anywhere."
Pyrrha puts a sympathetic hand on her arm. Yang had called her Saturday night in absolute hysterics and she'd spent over an hour listening to the blonde vent about everything that she'd missed over Thanksgiving break.
Though even she has to admit it must be tough getting that kind of dating advice from a girl you used to be in love with.
"Well… what have you been struggling with?" she asks.
"I… I know Ruby's right and all, at this point I don't think I have any other options other than to confess… but I still can't make myself do it."
"Are you just going to ask her out or do you think you'll ask her to the dance first?"
"That's… another issue." Yang says dejectedly, "even if I do finally muster up the courage, I don't know how I'd do it. Do I tell her that I've been in love with her from the first moment I saw her or..."
"Yang." Pyrrha interrupts, "I hate to say this but I think with her possibly leaving for college and all, keeping it casual might not be much of an option anymore."
The blonde lets out a deep sigh. "Well… then I guess it's going to have to be a full on declaration of love."
…
Weiss lets her locker close with a weak thud and falls forward to rest her head on the door, relishing in the surprising comfort of the smooth, cold metal.
"Weiss? Are you ok?"
She looks up quickly, scrambling a bit to smooth out her hair only to be met with Blake's concerned golden eyes.
"Oh hi Blake." She says, letting out a sigh of relief, "it's nothing, I was just a little tired. I had to organize a second Student Council meeting for after school today because we still don't have the details finalized for Winter Ball and it's less than four weeks away! I mean honestly!"
Blake's expression quickly turns from mild worry to blatant amusement.
"I'm sure it'll all be fine Weiss."
"It better be." She grumbles before turning back to Blake. "So, did you need something?"
"Um… actually yeah…" Blake begins hesitantly, "I was wondering if you could take notes for me in Math for the next week or so."
Weiss blinks at her in confusion. "Uh yeah of course I will…"
"Ok thanks Weiss!" Blake says quickly, immediately making a break for the back exit.
Luckily, the girl's strange behavior had immediately put Weiss on edge and she deftly lunges forward to grab a hold of Blake's backpack before she can even make it two steps towards the door.
"Woah Blake! What are you doing?"
She yanks hard on the strap and Blake comes stumbling back to her, head hanging in defeat.
"Are you going to tell me what on earth that was just now?"
The girl mumbles something quiet and incoherent under her breath, seemingly refusing to look her in the eye and Weiss can feel her patience starting to waver.
"Blake. Enough. What is going on?"
"I… I scheduled some college tours." Blake says finally.
The answer hits Weiss like a pile of bricks and she can immediately feel her heart sink, her earlier frustration completely forgotten.
"Does that mean you're…"
"No." Blake interrupts, "I haven't given them any answers yet, I'm just touring a couple campuses with my parents."
"A couple?" Weiss asks quietly, her voice seemingly losing its power at the shocking news.
"Yeah… that's another thing… we're also going to look at some schools in Vacuo and Atlas as well."
Without another word she grabs Blake's arm and drags her down the hall. The girl doesn't struggle much, only voicing a small protest at the sudden movement as she stumbles along after her.
She finds an empty classroom and all but kicks down the door, at the same time whipping out her phone to type a quick message to the other Student Council members announcing a postponement of their meeting until tomorrow at lunch.
Finally she turns to see Blake sitting up against a desk, nervously fussing with her hair with eyes glued to the floor.
"Blake." Weiss says as gently as she can manage. "Why are you doing this? Before, at least it was somewhat believable that you had legitimate reasons for going abroad for college but now… now it just looks like you're running away."
"What does it matter?" Blake replies, her voice shattered and defeated.
Weiss narrows her eyes, walking up a little closer. "It matters Blake. This time there's no way Yang doesn't figure out that you're doing all of this to get away from her."
Blake doesn't respond. All she does is hang her head lower, allowing her long raven hair to fully cover her eyes as she digs her fingers into the desk.
"Blake. You're going to break her heart. Do you understand? This time it won't just be her taking your news badly and getting upset. If you do this, you will be actively hurting the girl you claim to be in love with."
"I do love her!" Blake snaps, finally raising her head to deliver a venomous glare. "I love her enough to take myself out of her life so she doesn't have to deal with me anymore."
"What does that even mean?"
"You said it yourself Weiss!" Blake shouts, pushing herself off of the desk to pace back and forth at the front of the room. "I'm not good for her! When I'm in her life the only thing that happens is that she gets hurt. She deserves someone better like Winter or that girl Neo."
She can feel her blood start to boil as Blake's words slowly sink in.
"Is that what this is about?" Weiss says incredulously, "you're doing all this because you're jealous she gets attention from other girls? Newsflash Blake, Yang is really attractive. There has literally always been an army of people chasing after her but all she ever does is shut them down!"
"You don't have to remind me how popular Yang is Weiss. I see enough of it as is. But that's not why I'm doing this ok? I didn't just decide all of this yesterday, I've been making these plans for weeks now."
That catches her off guard, stunning her into a shocked silence. She blinks twice, suddenly unsure that she'd heard her correctly and by when she finally finds the strength to speak up, Weiss has to fight to keep her voice level. "Weeks? What do you mean? You guys have been fine this entire time. Are seriously telling me you've been faking it all?"
"No!" Blake shouts.
"So… what? All that stuff at Thanksgiving and going out to dinner together… that was all an act?"
"I didn't… fake… anything…" Blake repeats, losing the fire in her eyes and reverting back to the solemn, depressed tone from before, "I just wanted to have a few weeks where everything was fine and we could be happy before… before I tell her."
"Ok." Weiss sighs, walking up to where her friend is now leaning against the wall. She firmly grips Blake's shoulders as she sinks down to try and meet her eyes. "Listen to me Blake. You mean so much to that girl. Ok? I'm telling you right now, Yang loves you. If you do this it will kill her."
She can feel Blake's body start to tremble in her hands and a quick look shows that tears are starting to flow freely as well.
"Stop it Weiss." Blake says, her voice so choked it sounds to be on the verge of breaking completely.
But the heiress decides that it's time to double down, because this moment here might very well be all or nothing.
"She loves you Blake." Weiss repeats, "she organized that entire Thanksgiving dinner just for you. I was the one who was stupid enough to invite my sister."
"Stop." Blake sobs.
"She spent an entire day cooking food for you. Why do you think she did that Blake? She took you out to dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in the city when she has to work almost full time during the school year just to get by. Why do you think she did that?"
"Why are you doing this?" Blake wails, struggling violently against her grip.
"I'm doing this because you and Yang are two of the most important people in my life and I am tired of sitting by and watching you two be torn apart by your feelings for each other. She loves you Blake. Is this really how you're going to reward that love? By abandoning her? She can't take that kind of pain Blake, not after everything that's happened to her already."
With that Blake gives her a painful shove that sends her stumbling backwards. By the time she regains her senses, Blake is already gone, leaving behind her phone and backpack in the process.
Weiss takes a moment to process everything as she slowly and subconsciously backs up into the wall, sliding down to the ground the second she hits it.
She's not sure when their conversation had devolved into an all out screaming match but she is certain now that pushing her like that was definitely not the right move. And now, not only had she possibly ruined weeks and weeks of work to try and smooth things out between Blake and Yang, but she had also driven her best friend to tears.
She lets out a sigh and hangs her head between her knees, letting her hair fall like a veil in front of her face and trying desperately not to cry herself.
Honestly how had it come to this?
She's doesn't know how long she sits there but the second she tries to get up she's hit with the entire thing again and sinks back down, casting an empty look at her phone laying on the floor until her mind starts to kick back into gear
Finally the events playing over and over again in her head lead her to a decent, coherent thought.
She has to call Pyrrha.
Author's Note: I've really been loving all the wholesome and fluffy moments of the last couple chapters but unfortunately we've gotta get through some angst to get the actual story moving so this is the first part of that. Stick with me! I swear the Bees are going to have their moment too! Anyways, hope you all liked it. Thanks for reading!
