The debate wasn't a big deal. That's what Yang kept telling herself as the minutes ticked down to the opening statements. She had prepared with Qrow as much as humanly possible, she had drilled how to flawlessly articulate all of her positions, she knew the weaknesses in her opponent's. And yet she still found herself sitting backstage with her hands clasped and locked between her knees because they wouldn't stop shaking.
The past week hadn't been one of her best. The constant debate preparations were really wearing her out, and no progress had been made with Weiss on the plan to save Beacon Park. Brainstorming sessions with Blake and Ruby got nowhere, Qrow was advising giving up and addressing it post-election, and a second meeting with Weiss had been no more fruitful than the last one. If anything, it had been worse, although for once it wasn't Yang who lost her cool.
"Are you entirely incapable of compromise?" Blake had spat at Weiss during a particularly heated exchange.
"Are you incapable of rational thought?" Weiss said with a huff.
Luckily Ruby had stepped in to prevent further escalation and diffused the situation quite well. Yang was continually impressed by how great her baby sister was as a leader and mediator. Unfortunately, Weiss and Blake seemed to clash at every turn, and Yang had even started to seriously consider asking Blake to sit out for the next meeting.
Yang exhaled softly and bit her lip. Realistically, she knew she couldn't ask that. She could exactly picture the hurt expression that would flash through Blake's eyes, which she would then hastily cover up in feigned indifference. It was the same expression that she had seen two weeks prior, the day after the gala. When she entered the office that morning, Blake - on her way to the copier - stopped dead in her tracks to look at her. Clearly she wanted some follow-up, some mere acknowledgement of what had happened (or almost happened) the night before. But Yang just hit her and Ruby with some finger guns and the customary "how's it Yangin' you two?" And that's when Blake got that look in her eyes, and Yang got a feeling like the floor had dropped out from under her.
Yang shook herself out of her stupor. Clearly, she wasn't going to ask anything of Blake that would conjure up that expression again. Her hands were shaking worse than before now, and she checked the time on her phone nervously. Three minutes before she had to be onstage. She closed her eyes and tried desperately to calm down. It's not a big deal. Just a debate, You've done these before. Anyway, it's a mayoral race, barely anyone's watching. There's absolutely no reason to be nervous. Her hands stubbornly continued to tremble.
"Hey kid." Yang opened her eyes and looked up at her uncle.
"I know you wanted some time alone before it starts, but at least let me wish you good luck one more time." Qrow paused, scratched his chin, then shook his head. "Nah, screw that. Luck is bullshit anyway. You're gonna be amazing because you worked your damn ass off for this. And they're gonna love you out there, got it?" He offered her a crooked smile.
Yang smiled back. "Thanks Qrow," she replied, feeling slightly calmer. He ruffled her hair a little, but not enough to ruin her careful styling.
"There she is," he said, his voice gruff but warm. "Oh and before I forget, your 'employee' asked me to give me this. Said it might help with some nerves." He fished in his pocket for a second, then extracted a fancy black pen with silver detailing. "I dunno what she was talking about, but here you go I guess."
Yang gingerly took the pen from his hand, her smiling getting wider. By now, the weight was familiar to her, and she gave it a quick spin.
"Nice trick," Qrow stated, looking mildly surprised that she didn't drop it. He glanced at his watch and nodded. "Alright firecracker, time to get out there and kick that pretentious rich kid's ass."
"He'll never know what hit him," Yang said, tightening her grip on Blake's pen.
Blake fiddled with her shirt sleeve as she waited with bated breath for the politicians to enter the stage. It was interesting how much had changed in the past few months. The day she had met Yang, her primary feeling toward Vale's politicians had been annoyance. But now here she was, more invested in the mayoral race than she even could have predicted, her fingers shaking with nervousness on Yang's behalf.
A light touch to her shoulder brought her back to the present moment. "Don't worry Blake, Yang is gonna totally nail this!" Blake worked up a small smile in response to Ruby's grin. If there was one thing that made it obvious that those two were related, it was definitely that. At first, Blake found it hard to believe how often and how easily they could smile. At this point though, she considered the the optimism to be both endearing and a welcome relief from the stress of the campaign.
Blake glanced to her left - past Ruby and Qrow - to the other side of the hall. Emerald's green hair was easily visible even in the dim light. Beside her sat Cinder, smirking as always as she waited for the candidates to enter the stage. And past Cinder, Blake could just barely discern a third figure from the Black campaign. She squinted and leaned forward, but couldn't detect any features beyond a shock of red, spiky hair as the figure leaned in to converse with Cinder. Cinder smiled and shook her head at something before leaning back in her seat. Blake leaned forward again, pointedly ignoring the weird look that Ruby was giving her. But the crowd quieted before she could investigate the new character further.
On stage, the moderator Lisa Lavender (primetime anchor of the Vale News Network) had launched into an introduction of the candidates. Blake mostly tuned out as she fidgeted in nervous anticipation. It wasn't until Lisa stopped talking and the crowd applauded that Blake managed to fully return to the present moment. She clapped lightly as the candidates entered the stage, Yang from one side and Mercury from the other.
Yang took her spot behind the middle podium and gave Blake a quick look. She looked a bit pale, but still managed to give Blake a wink and a half-smile, tapping the pen lightly on the podium. Blake smiled back at her and mouthed 'you can do it,' though she was unsure if Yang would be able to see in the darkness of the hall.
Mercury had also taken his spot at the podium to Yang's left and was smirking and waving to the crowd. But the final podium, to Yang's right, was still empty.
"Ah, my apologies everyone! I've just received word that Dr. Peach, the remaining candidate in this debate, will not be making an appearance tonight." Lisa Lavender gestured to a couple stagehands to move the podium away.
"Seriously? Didn't even show up to the debate?" Ruby whispered to Blake, a drop of sweat forming on her forehead above a thoroughly exasperated expression. Blake just shook her head bemusedly.
"Well then, moving on from that change of plans - it's time for opening statements from our two candidates!" Lavender announced. "Mr. Black, you get to make your statement first. You have 1 minute starting now."
Mercury smiled and brushed his hair back smoothly with one hand. The crowd was completely silent as they all waited for him to speak.
"Good evening citizens of Vale, and thank you very much for joining us tonight for this debate. Local political processes are vitally important, and it is incredible to have so many who are engaged in the process. I am honored and humbled to stand before you today as one of the candidates to be the next mayor of Vale! It's easy to see why I am the best man for the job. I have business connections to Vale companies - big and small - and I know firsthand how to spur innovation and growth. My opponent, on the other hand, is woefully unprepared to deal with such real world issues. She doesn't understand how to help small business, how to protect our city from crime, and how to return Vale to the greatness of the pre-Ozpin era. I mean, it only takes a look at her hair to see how immature and childish Miss Xiao Long is!" He paused to enjoy the laughter from the crowd.
Blake gritted her teeth. All she wanted right now was to jump up onto the stage and punch him right in the nose. She glanced at Yang, who was standing still and gripping her pen, surprisingly calm in the face of Mercury's attacks.
"But seriously folks, this is the future of Vale that's on the line here. It's irresponsible for all of us to hand over our future and our children's futures to someone so young and hotheaded. Trust me when I say that a Black-led Vale will enjoy unprecedented security, economic growth, and prosperity for all. Thank you." The audience applauded loudly and Mercury gave them another smile and a wave.
Once they finally quieted, Lisa Lavender cleared her throat and turned to Yang. "Alright Councilwoman Xiao Long, go ahead with your opening statement. One minute on the clock."
Yang smiled and nodded to her. Her eyes darted to Blake - who gave her a gentle smile - one more time before she started to speak.
"Hello everyone! Thank you all for being here - it's really a privilege to be a part of the Vale mayoral race of 2016! I want to start by saying that my opponent's accusations about my inexperience are just not true. Take a look at my record - and yes I have a record!" Yang winked as the crowd chuckled. "- and you'll see how much I've already done to improve Vale. As for my hair, well..." She paused to give it a flip. "I think it's important for politicians to take concrete stands to support their constituents, and especially those most in need of our help. That's why I'm drawing attention to National Bullying Prevention month and Spirit Day in this way - it's not some youthful rebellion I assure you!" She smiled sincerely at the crowd, who clapped in response. Blake snuck a glance towards the Black campaign members where Emerald was openly glowering at Yang. Clearly she still couldn't believe that Yang had gotten the best of her. Blake felt a smile grow on her own face.
"In addition, I've got several ideas on how to improve the great city of Vale," Yang continued. "Like I said, it's extremely important for leaders to take concrete steps to better their towns, cities, or states. That's why I'm committed to expanding Mayor Ozpin's mental health programs, improving public safety - especially in more impoverished areas of town - and of course saving Beacon Park!" The last comment drew a rousing round of applause.
"Thank you, and thanks for being here tonight!" Yang concluded with another grin. The crowd applauded one more time, and Blake was pretty certain it was louder than any acknowledgement Mercury had received. He was maintaining a perfectly pleasant poker face, although his eyes were cold and steely.
"Great, thank you both for your statements," Lavender said when the crowd quieted down. "We'll now move into the question and answer portion of the debate. These questions were sent in by viewers and selected for the debate. We will be alternating questions to each candidate, and you both will have 2 minutes to respond followed by 6 minutes of open debate and discussion." Mercury and Yang both nodded in response.
"The first question is about healthcare. Current Mayor Ozpin's mental health initiative has been functioning well in wealthier portions of Vale, but poorer areas have been left behind. How do you plan to address the mental health epidemic as Mayor? Councilwoman Xiao Long, you have the first response. Two minutes."
Blake bit her lip slightly and looked at Yang, who twirled the pen once then set it down. It wasn't a very hard question, and Blake knew that she had her answer down solidly. It was the open debate time that was the problem.
"Thanks Lisa - that's a great question. As I said in my opening statement, I'm a big supporter of Mayor Ozpin's program, and I definitely want to build on it as Mayor. Providing free basic counseling and anonymous support services is great, but those services only help people who one - " she held up a finger, " - have access to them, and two - " another finger, " - know about them." Blake nodded along cautiously as Yang proceeded through her talking points.
"Under the current set-up, the only locations to access these health services are available are at Vale General and at a satellite location in City Hall. Both of these are on the more...endowed side of town. Not to mention that some people may not feel comfortable receiving care at those facilities. As part of my mental health plan, I'd like to expand to include one or possibly two more locations in Vale. And I would of course poll community members to find the best locations for them before moving forward." From the corner of her eye, Blake could see Qrow and Ruby nodding along as well.
"We also need a more rigorous advertising campaign for the new services so that more people can take advantage of them. One specific avenue I'm looking into is a bus campaign, since we have several bus routes that go through target areas, where car ownership is statistically low. I've been speaking to my colleagues at City Hall about what else we can do to spread the word."
"That's time," Lisa Lavender cut in.
"So to conclude, I'm highly committed to expanding current mental health programs so that they're accessible to everyone in Vale, not just a privileged few," Yang continued calmly. "Thank you." Another convincing round of applause followed and Yang flashed her dazzling grin.
"Mr. Black, your response?"
"Thank you Lisa." Mercury smiled, and Blake noted how sinister and fake it looked after seeing Yang's genuine smile. Or maybe that was just her imagination.
"I think we all know that Ozpin's 'program' is a disaster," Mercury continued. "It would take an unreasonable amount of money to do what Miss Xiao Long here suggests to try to make it less of a disaster. As Mayor, I would repeal his attempt and replace it with something more financially feasible."
Blake watched tensely as Yang's "polite listening face," which Qrow had coached her on seemingly endlessly, started to falter.
"Jesus Christ Yang, you can't succeed as a politician if you plaster your emotions all over your face all the time!" Qrow had exploded a few days prior.
"Oh you mean EXACTLY what you're doing right now?" Yang shot back.
Qrow laughed humorlessly. "Yeah? Which one of us is debating in front of the whole city in a couple days, huh?"
"The whole city? I'll be lucky if ten people show up."
"Stop changing the subject," Qrow growled. "You need to keep your emotions in check if you want to win, got it?" Yang's face darkened even more.
"Well gosh Qrow, I'm sorry I'm a fucking human being!" she yelled, tossing her arms in the air angrily. Qrow huffed and rubbed his face with one hand.
"Control yourself," he said flatly. He brushed past her and left the office, not returning until hours later.
Now, he was sitting perfectly still, muttering quietly to himself as he watched the debate with full focus. Mercury was still droning on about why Ozpin's initiative was terrible, but Qrow was entirely fixated on Yang, willing her to continue to maintain decorum.
"-and that's why an education-only campaign will be a more efficient and cost-effective use of Vale taxpayer dollars. Thank you." Mercury finished and enjoyed his modest applause.
"We will now move to the debate and discussion portion of this question. Councilwoman Xiao Long, you can start us off," Lavender announced.
"Great," Yang said, her expression a placid smile that Blake saw right through to the underlying snarl. "Mr. Black's idea of health reform is something that can't accurately be called 'reform' in the slightest," she began. "Instead of modifying or improving existing programs, he wants to gut mental healthcare at a time when it's more vital than ever that we-"
"Not true," Mercury interrupted, his irksome half-smile firmly in place. "I'm not 'gutting' anything Miss Xiao Long."
"Councilwoman," Yang muttered under her breath.
"In fact," he continued, ignoring her comment. "I'm improving mental health in Vale by cutting this unhelpful program from the budget. That means that we will be able to pass a Vale-wide tax cut, keeping more money in the pockets of the hardworking middle class." His smile looked to Blake like the bared teeth of some apex predator.
Yang took a deep breath and looked him directly in the eyes, her expression more serious than Blake had even seen. "You dodged the question there, Mr. Black," she stated simply. "The City of Vale property tax rate is 0.63 percent. Cutting this program will cut it by less than 0.02 percent. That's right, I crunched the numbers for you, Mr. Businessman. And you didn't mention that the tax cut will come from laying off the government workers currently employed at the mental health service locations. Now explain to the people of Vale why a 0.02 percent tax cut is worth sacrificing jobs and their mental health?"
"Too aggressive," Qrow hissed, loud enough for Blake to hear from two seats down. But in spite of his comment, the crowd erupted into applause after Yang finished. She grinned and raised her hands.
"Looks like they're curious too," she said. "Here's some more numbers for you, Mr. Black. One in five adults have a mental health condition, but more than half don't receive treatment. And those numbers are even higher for young people, with 75% not receiving treatment. So maybe-"
"I get it, Yang," Mercury interrupted again. Yang's face turned slightly red at the use of her first name. Blake felt her own blood boil at the disrespectful action.
"Look, I'm not saying mental health isn't an issue. In fact, I agree with what you've said," he said. Yang eyed him suspiciously. "Here's where I have a problem. It's not on the people of Vale to pay for mental health treatment for others, especially freeloaders who would take advantage of the system and leech off of the government. Health insurance will cover private services for most citizens of Vale. If people aren't receiving treatment, I believe that my education campaign will encourage those who feel alone and abandoned to seek out the help they need."
The crowd clapped relatively loudly for that one. One man yelled "hell yeah I'm not payin' for leeches!" Blake frowned and went back to fiddling with the bottom of her shirt.
"Ten percent of Vale's citizens are uninsured, what about them?" Yang questioned as soon as the crowd quieted. "Education is helpful, but people need access to psychiatrists and counselors. And if they don't have insurance, then-"
"Those who are uninsured are most likely to leech off of government services, my dear," Mercury explained in perhaps the most condescending tone Blake had ever heard. Use of "my dear" made her want to jump on the stage and knock his teeth in, and Yang's visible fuming made it clear that the feeling was mutual. Luckily the crowd was on their side, and a collective grumble followed his comment.
Yang closed her eyes for a second, then opened them. Blake audibly exhaled as she took in her expression. It was the same fiery look she had seen so many times before. Mercury was about to get demolished.
"So let them," Yang began. "It's doubtful that people will 'leech' off this system, as you claimed with absolutely zero evidence or reasoning, but even if a few people do - who cares? To me, supporting the people of Vale comes first. There are more important things than the bottom line, Mr. Black. But if you insist on dealing with money and not people, let's not forget that expanding to more locations will create jobs. And not just specialized medical jobs, but jobs for receptionists, janitors, working class jobs for the middle class. There's no problem with this program, Mr. Black. The problem is inaction. The problem is you."
Yang stood back and spun the pen a couple times as she enjoyed the loudest applause yet. Blake locked eyes with her and smiled broadly. Yang looked, well, radiant. Her eyes and hair, now a similar hue, both seemed to be glowing with excitement. Yang was excited for the future, genuinely thrilled with the idea that she could make a positive difference for the city that she loved. Blake felt something familiar fluttering in her chest.
The rest of the debate went smoothly for Yang, who had succeeded in getting the majority of the crowd on her side. Blake thoroughly enjoyed watching her answer the questions clearly and confidently, while Mercury's frustration mounted. The only tense moment came when Beacon Park was brought up again late in the debate.
"Please Miss Xiao Long, stop lying and just admit that absolutely nothing has come of your 'negotiations' with Weiss Schnee," Mercury said haughtily.
"Hmm, you just said not to lie though?" Yang replied with more than a little cheek. The crowd laughed and she smiled for a second too before resuming her seriousness. "I can assure you all that Miss Schnee and I are working closely to ensure that Beacon Park can stay for future generations, and that the Schnee Factory is able to become a center for growth and innovation at the same time."
Mercury scoffed but Yang pointedly ignored him.
"It's a tough process, but by working together I'm sure we'll be able to find a solution that works for everyone," she finished.
Mercury opened his mouth to argue, but he was thankfully cut off by Lisa Lavender, who announced that it was time to move onto closing statements.
Blake smiled from her spot in the audience as Yang launched into her practiced closing speech, with a few modifications to account for the night's discussion. This was definitely a win for the Xiao Long campaign, and a quick glance at Emerald and Cinder's matching scowls confirmed that. Blake leaned back and watched Yang finish up, her small smile growing into a wide grin rivaling Yang's trademark display.
The crowd applauded at Yang's triumphant finish, and Blake joined in enthusiastically. Even Qrow seemed satisfied, if not actually pleased, with Yang's showing.
Once Lisa Lavender had officially ended the night's debate, Blake followed Ruby and Qrow up to the stage to congratulate Yang in person. She was amicably shaking hands with Mercury, who somehow had his smirk back in place despite Yang's strong performance.
"YAAAAANG! That was AMAZING!" Ruby gushed earnestly, latching onto her sister as though she hadn't seen her in years. Yang laughed and flashed a grin.
"Thanks Rubles," she said, ruffling her hair comfortably.
"Not bad," Qrow grumbled. But a half smile crept up onto his face in spite of his efforts to keep it contained. It was probably the happiest Blake had ever seen the man. Yang just grinned wider and punched his arm - too lightly to hurt. She glanced past him at Blake expectantly.
And Blake suddenly realized that she didn't have anything planned to say. Yang had been amazing, but a simple "congrats" didn't come close to cutting it, obviously. Shit. She was a journalist for godssake, and she couldn't think of a single word to say, instead opting to stand silently with her lips slightly parted. How could she possibly express what she had felt watching Yang debate her ass off and win over an entire hall full of Vale citizenry?
"Thanks for this." Yang spoke before Blake could get her shit anywhere near together. She held out the pen to Blake.
"No, you keep it," Blake responded, somewhat impressed with her ability to speak normally in spite of the internal crisis she had been having only a few seconds prior. "There's still one more debate after all." Yang nodded and slid the pen into her pants pocket with a soft smile.
She opened her mouth to speak again but was cut off by a smooth voice to their left.
"Good work up there, Councilwoman. Seemed like a fun debate." Cinder Fall had materialized seemingly from nowhere. Yang jumped a little and turned 90 degrees to face her. Blake stayed where she was, tilting her head just enough to aim a glare at the other woman.
"Ah, yes of course! It's always great to talk policy," Yang responded nervously. Cinder smirked at her. Did the entire Mercury Black campaign practice their smirks together or something? Blake fought the urge to roll her eyes at Cinder's overconfident expression - she had clearly already recovered from the debate outcome. Then she leaned closer to Yang, who froze immediately in place.
Blake felt blood rushing past her ears as Cinder-fucking-Fall pulled Yang into a half-hug, half-shoulder bump embrace. Yang's face turned a deep shade of red, nearly matching the dress shirt she had on under her blazer. As Cinder pulled back, she lingered near Yang's ear to whisper something before breezing away without so much as a glance at Blake. Yang ran a hand through her hair and let out a breath.
"Uhh, what the hell was that?" she whispered to Blake, stepping closer to her. It was almost as though she felt some security being near Blake, which would have been cute ordinarily, but Blake was too busy fuming to fully notice.
"What did she say to you?" she forced out through clenched teeth.
"Just 'enjoy your evening'...but it felt kinda like a threat," Yang said. She shivered in spite of the lights and her layered clothing, inching even closer to Blake.
"God, I hate her," Blake growled. And before she had the sense to stop herself, she was wrapping a protective arm around Yang's back.
"Heeey guys, Pyrrha's having a little get-together at her place to celebrate, do you - oh, what happened?" Ruby skidded to a stop in front of them, Qrow trailing her by a few steps. Blake hadn't even noticed them leave, she had been so focused on Yang.
"Nothing," Yang said a little too quickly. She slid away from Blake, but not before Qrow had time to look at them both and fix Blake with a piercing glare. Ruby eyed them too, clearly suspicious, but mercifully decided to drop it.
"Okaaaay, well are you guys coming to Pyrrha's or not? Qrow's bailing because he's old and tired."
"Hey, watch it." Qrow pushed his hair back dramatically. "Old? No. Tired? Always." He smiled fondly down at her. "But nah, you kids deserve a chance to relax for a night without your uncle breathing down your necks."
Yang and Ruby looked up at him with matching grins.
"Thanks Qrow," Yang said sincerely. He patted her on the head, flicked Ruby's forehead, and gave Blake a customary head nod before taking his leave.
Yang and Ruby moved quickly in his absence, dragging Blake along as they gathered up their things and barreled to the parking lot to head over to Pyrrha's. Yang hopped into Blake's passenger seat the second she unlocked it.
"I don't recall inviting you to sit there?" Blake teased, taking her own seat.
"Oh really? So you don't need directions then? Okay, guess I'll go with Ruby then." Yang made a big show of taking off her seatbelt and reaching for the door handle.
"Oh, shut up," Blake said, locking the door before she could grab it. Yang stared at her with wide eyes.
"You've trapped me inside? It's a kidnapping then!" She clawed frantically at the window as Ruby pulled past them. Her sister merely rolled her eyes and continued to drive. "Forsaken," Yang gasped. "By my own blood."
"You're certainly a kid," Blake mumbled. She turned the car on as Yang refastened her seatbelt. "How are you so poised and serious onstage but so...like THIS, the rest of the time?"
Yang scoffed. "No idea what you mean, Blakey. Turn left outta here by the way. I'm ALWAYS poised."
Blake rolled her eyes. They were silent for several minutes while Yang messed with the radio and gave Blake occasional directions.
"Hey Yang?"
"Yeah?"
Blake paused. She knew what she wanted to ask. She wanted to know what Yang had been trying to do at the gala, why she hadn't mentioned it since then, what exactly was going on in that stupid blonde head of hers. She wanted to confirm that what Jaune had said was true, that Yang really was "crazy about her" or whatever. Blake almost huffed aloud at the thought. Even if Yang was into girls, it seemed more likely that Jaune had misread things than that she had a genuine...interest.
"...Blake?"
Shit, she had been silent for way too long.
"Um, who else do you think will be at Pyrrha's party?" Blake could've kicked herself.
"Oh." It seemed insane, but was it possible that she was hearing a note of disappointment in Yang's voice?
"Just the usual suspects, y'know. Us three, maybe Penny, Jaune obviously, Nora and Ren if they're not too busy."
Blake nodded along as though this was the most riveting information Yang could have shared, trying to disguise her internal turmoil. There was no point in saying anything, right? Yang was clearly content to pretend that nothing was going on. So why should she dredge things up? Resolved to keep herself in check after her near slip-up, Blake tightened her grip on the steering wheel and remained silent throughout the rest of the journey.
They pulled up beside Pyrrha's apartment building 10 minutes later, Yang quietly guiding Blake down a side street to the free parking area. She found a spot without incident - a bit of a miracle in this part of Vale - and they silently exited the car and made their way to the building. Blake reached for the door, but Yang stopped her with a gentle touch on her forearm that sent a chill through her entire body.
"What?" Blake asked, her tone and expression completely neutral.
"Nothing, it's just...are you okay? You seem a little, uhh, off." Yang ran a hand through her hair three times in succession.
"Fine." Her answer sounded terse, even to her. Blake sighed. "I'm tired, that's all."
"O-oh, okay," Yang responded, her expression brightening slightly. "I was worried you were mad or something. But hey, if you're tired, you don't have to stay. This isn't exactly in your job description." She gave her a trademark grin and wink combo. But for once even the classic Xiao Long charm couldn't cheer Blake up.
"No, it's alright. And why would I be mad?" She raised an eyebrow. Maybe Yang wanted to talk. Maybe she finally wanted to move out of this weird limbo of almost-kissing, casually-touching, highschool-crush garbage. Blake pulled herself back forcefully from that line of thought, reminding herself that Yang's feelings were a totally mystery. It was looking pretty likely that all of this drama was only in Blake's own head.
"I dunno, just a feeling I got." Great, so a hard no on escaping the limbo. Blake sighed inaudibly through her nose.
AN: Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it! And to everyone else, hope you're enjoying all the stuff on sale :3 This chapter long af (I had to split it up lol) which means the next one will be coming your way soon! Thanks for reading you guys!