Author's Note:

As I'm writing this, I've yet written the Qrow chapter I will (hopefully) publish before this. That chapter is very important and, if I wrote it right, should reveal Yang's feelings and all. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy.

Strangers: Become Lovers

Act II

BL4K3

05:58

FRIDAY

Rapid knockings from the entrance door startled the android. She'd arrived in the shop herself only a few minutes ago. She wasn't even opening up to the public until eight.

"Blake…"

That voice. It compelled her to abandon her broom and quickly open the door. "Yang? What are you doing here? It's six in the morning."

"Yeah. And I need emotional support… and also alcohol."

Yang was dressed in her yellow pajamas, which, for some reason, was lightly stained blue. Her hair was unkempt and messy, cowlicks poking in every direction.

Overall, Blake's favorite human - besides her owner, of course - didn't look too great.

In spite of it all, she'd managed to put her jaw back in its place and keep her voice flat as she said, "You won't be getting the latter."

Yang groaned as Blake ushered the unusually-flustered human inside. "I guess your strawberry sunrise is good enough…"

"I'm glad you prioritize my drink over me. Really shows how much you care for me."

… Sarcasm had always been her favorite kind of humor.

Though… it didn't seem to lighten the human's mood. In fact, it did quite the opposite.

"Blake!" wailed the uncharacteristically-moody blonde. "I need emotional support! I need a 'Blake' support!"

"Oh." Blake guided the human to sit and went to the counter, playing her bartender role. "Tell me what happened."

Yang put her hands on her face, bringing her elbow down to the counter to support her tired self.

It was all… dramatic.

"My sister came home carrying an unconscious girl in her arms. Turns out, she passed out after my sister kissed her, and I'm struggling to comprehend that my sister managed to kiss someone into unconsciousness."

It took her five whole seconds to fully comprehend the human's words.

-[ADDRESS SITUATION]-

-[SHIFT CONVERSATION]-

Blake tried moving away from that subject - it clearly frustrated Yang. "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

Yang responded with an incredulous look.

"Do I look like I've eaten breakfast?"

That tactic didn't work; the yellow blink of her LED confirmed that.

-[ADDRESS SITUATION]-

Well...

"I doubt your sister kissed a human to unconsciousness." Yang looked away briefly. Blake paid it no mind. "Did you or your sister take her to the hospital? Or at least call her parents and/or legal guardians?"

With each word, Yang sunk more and more into her seat, hissing guiltily, leading Blake to believe there was more to it than meets the eye.

-[ASK]-

-[STAY QUIET]-

… Yang was still distraught. Not to mention she shouldn't pry too much into the blonde's personal life, not when she didn't want to say anything.

If Yang wanted to tell her something, she would. That was just the kind of human she was.

She half-listened to the blonde, opening each of the cabinets, searching for something she knew she'd put in one of these cabinets right as she arrived.

"Well, she doesn't have a phone. At least, I don't think she has a phone… Even if she did it probably has a passcode or something. And as for her 'parents', I… err..."

A thud signaled the plastic bag being placed on the counter that separated them.

"What's this?"

Blake crossed her arms, giving the human an expectant look. The human looked up at her for a couple of seconds before relenting, opening up the bag.

"Breakfast is important," the android said, smirking at the human's gob-smacked look.

She hesitantly pointed a finger to the bacon and eggs - wrapped in a lunch box - brought out from the bag, still fresh.

If Blake were a human, it would've looked delicious to her.

"Is this… yours?"

She gave a gentle smile. "It's for my owner." Upon noticing the human's guilty look, she added, "Don't worry, I can buy him another one. He rarely eats his breakfast anyway." Which never failed to concern her.

Eventually, the human began to eat. And on the first bite, she already hummed in delight. "Even your eggs taste good."

Blake chuckled at this doofus.

She watched as Yang played with her food, only occasionally taking a bite.

It was obvious that whatever was on her mind clearly bothered her.

And… well… she was the bartender.

"I have a feeling this has more to do than your sister charming a girl into passing out."

Yang stopped in trying to cut the bacon, looking up at Blake, biting her lip.

Blake gave her an encouraging smile that showed she was okay with whether or not the human decided to tell her.

Slowly, Yang looked pointedly away from her, lowering her plastic knife and fork.

"... She really loves her." There was a small pause. "My sister. She loves the princess. And I can tell Princess loves her too. Even if I haven't met her yet."

For some reason, nervousness hit the android.

"Yang?"

The human didn't seem to hear her, chuckling bitterly. "I wish I could kiss the girl I love. That would be nice."

And then she looked at Blake. Right in the eyes.

"I wish the girl I love loves me back. That would be even nicer."

Was her LED flashing yellow? Or was it already on the red?

She truly didn't know.

Yang had abandoned her food, standing up and bending forward, closing their distance.

Was she leaning forward too?

"Have you ever fallen in love?"

A beat passed.

And another.

And Blake didn't know how to answer.

Yang shook her head, heaving a withering sigh.

"... Of course you haven't."

And for some reason, the answer she didn't give didn't sit right with her.

"Close your eyes, Blake."

-[DO IT]-

-[DON'T DO IT]-

Blake hesitated. She feared what would happen.

"Please, do it."

So she chose.

And everything was black.

She heard shuffling.

She smelled lavender.

And then she felt something warm, gentle, and soft pressing against her lips.

And then another beat passed.

And Yang was back to where she was.

And nothing seemed to have happened.

But…

Something did happen.

"Yang…"

Blake didn't know what to do. What to say.

She was at loss.

But the human seemed content to do all the talking for her.

"Maybe it's hopeless, but I can't help but hope that one day… well… there would be an 'us'." Something within her moved. And suddenly Yang walked to the door, stopping when she was a shy away from closing it to look over her shoulder and at the android. "When I come here later today… I'll pretend this never happen. For both of our sake."

And just like that, Yang Xiao Long disappeared, leaving Blake to think about the kiss they'd shared, however brief it may be… and why she liked it so much.

Author's Note:

If Qrow's chapter didn't exist, then this would look like it came out of nowhere and was forced. Hopefully, I'll manage to salvage Yang's character and intentions and reveal her true feelings about Blake.

So we have drama from both Bumblebee and Whiterose. I hope the Bumblebee drama doesn't feel very forced. The writing style I chose for this story limits me at times, but I quite like how it forces me to always pick up the pace, to always move the plot and characters forward, and to never include something that isn't essentially important.

I really like writing this way, even if I'm only limited to writing from 3 people's point of view.

But I do also miss writing the old-fashioned way XD

The next chapter will be… interesting, to say the least.

See ya!