Yang found herself leaning against the wall on the side of Downtown Diner, with her backpack slung over her back, and her helmet under her right arm. Her bike sat a few spaces away, in the area where employees were permitted to park. Normally, she would have just brought her belongings inside, but she really didn't want to have to go inside until her shift was supposed to start. She feared that if she did, she would somehow get roped into covering for someone and working early.
Instead, she was keeping her eyes firmly planted on the cars that passed the entrance. The few cars that had actually pulled into the lot in front of the diner in the fifteen minutes that she had been out there had made her jump, but two of them were customers, one was turning around, one was a coworker, and most importantly, none of them were Blake.
Well, it was still a little early. She'd gotten to the diner just five minutes after Blake was supposed to be getting out of class. She shouldn't expect Blake to come around the corner so soon after her.
She was just excited! She was going with Blake to buy cat supplies! As a friend!
It had been years since she'd done stuff with friends. She hadn't really been able to make any at trade school, and despite her relative popularity in high school, it was rare that she did things with friends outside of school. And the last two years? Forget about it. She rarely ever talked to anyone outside of Ruby and her coworkers.
And now Blake wanted to be her friend.
Yang was brought out of her thoughts when she noticed another car pull into the parking lot. She looked up, spotting the familiar girl with black hair and a… bow, which was unsurprising, but still disappointing. Not on Blake's part,, of course, just another unfriendly reminder of reality. She watched as the car pulled up next to her.
"Heya, Blake!" Yang greeted cheerfully with a smile.
"Hi," Blake replied, gesturing to the backseat. "You can put your stuff back there before you get in the front, if you want."
Yang nodded as she walked around to the other side of the car, putting her bag and helmet to the backseat before climbing into the front. "So, how's your day been so far?"
"Pretty good overall," Blake replied, navigating her way out of the parking lot. "Class felt like it took twice as long today, but it's over now."
"That's good! I forgot to ask, what are you studying?"
"Creative writing," Blake answered, turning the car back onto the main road.
"Wow, that's cool. Do you want to be an author?"
Blake nodded. "One day, hopefully. I'm still going to be working at the rescue for the foreseeable future, but that's the end goal."
"That's awesome," Yang replied with a smile.
"What about you? What's your end goal?" Blake asked.
"Well," Yang said, rubbing her right arm again, "I was going to trade school to become a mechanic. I had to stop two years ago, but I'd like to go back someday. But right now, it's just waitressing, barista-ing, and delivery driving for me."
"Is barista-ing even a word?"
"I dunno. You tell me, you're the author."
Blake laughed, causing Yang to smile again. Blake's laughter was like music to Yang's ears.
"Okay, I walked myself right into that one," Blake admitted, before pointing ahead. "We're almost there. The shop's right down there."
Yang focused on the signs ahead. A rather large sign for Oobleck's Pet Emporium was just four shops away from them. The store's logo had a rather cute looking grey and white corgi on it, sending a bittersweet feeling into Yang's heart.
"The logo looks like the dog Ruby and I had when we were really little," she commented.
"It's of the owner's personal dog. She's a real cutie. I've been lucky enough to meet her in person."
"The owner or the dog?"
Blake blushed. "The- the dog," she stammered.
"I'm just teasing," Yang replied with a smirk. "I wonder if she's related to Zwei. Not many corgi breeders in Vale, and grey corgis are kind of rare."
"Maybe," Blake said, trying to regain her composure. "If we're lucky, Oobleck will be there with her. I doubt it though. I heard he's taken on a second position in teaching history at UV."
"What a bizarre combination, owning a pet store and teaching history at a university."
"He's a very bizarre man." Blake pulled into a parking spot, putting the car in park. "Here we are."
"What made you pick this place?" Yang asked as she got out of the car, grabbing her wallet out of her backpack.
"It's one of our favorites. They don't sell any pets here, only supplies, which is kind of crucial to the whole adopt-don't-shop attitude we try to push at the rescue. They usually has decent deals, which is pretty important for any store, but doesn't sacrifice quality. It also has one of the widest varieties of cat supplies, and, of course, they're Faunus friendly." Blake pointed to a sign proudly posted in one of the front windows, complete with the logo of the cute dog, that read Faunus Welcome!
"Awesome," Yang replied with a nod. "So, I need food and water bowls, dry and wet food, a crate, a bed, a litter box, litter, toys, a collar, and… I think that's it?"
"Mostly," Blake answered as they entered, waiting for Yang to get a cart. "A mat for the food and a litter mat are important too, but we'll find those near the bowls and boxes. We'll supply you with some food when you get the cat, and I suggest you buy the same litter we do, at least at first, until the cat gets adjusted in a new space. You don't want to mess with the litter box at first. There's a few more things that I'm forgetting, but we'll go down all the cat isles, just to be sure."
Yang waved Blake forward into the store with a smile. "Well, lead the way!"
Forty minutes later, Yang and Blake had made their way back to the front of the store with a full cart. They'd picked out two cute black and white bowls shaped like cat faces for water and dry food, and a smaller red dish also shaped like a cat face for wet food. The wet food bowl had a tiny cat face with sunglasses painted on, which Yang absolutely loved. A rubber food mat had accompanied that, as well as Blake's recommended dry and wet food that they used at the rescue. They picked out a covered litter box, and the litter that Blake said they used at the rescue. They got a carrier, collar, treats, a brush, nail clippers, and a cat-sized harness and leash set. Yang had picked out a cute cat tent for a bed, and Blake had helped pick out a few different types of toys. Yang wanted to get a laser pointer, but Blake told her she should buy one online that could recharge so she didn't have to spend a fortune on those tiny batteries.
Yang had called her a beautiful genius at that comment.
Blake's cheeks remained the same shade of red as the wet food dish for the rest of the shopping trip.
One bill that had made Yang slightly cringe later, the duo were packing the bags full of supplies into Blake's car.
"And you're sure it's okay you hold all this for me?" Yang asked for what Blake thought was the fifth time that day.
"Yes, Yang, I'm sure. We've held more for longer periods of time," Blake replied, getting into the driver's seat.
"I just hope everything goes well. I want it to be perfect for her. Or should I say, purrfect."
Blake didn't need to turn her head to know that there was a toothy grin on Yang's face. She chuckled, rolling her eyes with a smile. "I promise you, I'll be spending personal time to make sure it all goes smoothly. Your sister's surprise is in good hands."
"Thanks. I really appreciate it."
"So back to the diner, then?" Blake asked, pulling out of the parking lot.
"Yeah," Yang said with a sigh. "I still have to eat lunch before my shift starts."
"No problem." Blake turned onto the road, back towards the way they had come. "I wish Oobleck was in today. That dog is enough to make anyone's day twenty times better."
"Yeah, I bet." Yang looked out the window at the rest of the shops on the road. "I'll have to go back sometime and see if I can meet her."
"For sure. If you sign up for the rewards program next time, you'll earn points for free when you buy food and litter and stuff."
"You sure you work for the rescue, and not for Oobleck?" Yang asked with a smile.
"Oh no, you've figured out my secret!" Blake replied with a smirk. "All along, I just pretended to work at a cat rescue with my last name just to promote the rewards program at a pet store in an entirely different district."
"Hey, for all I know, Belladonna might not even be your real name! Maybe the cat rescue doesn't even exist. The application wasn't actually to adopt a cat, it was to sign up for the rewards program."
"Yep, you've figured it out. I even went to your house, just to get you to sign up for rewards."
"Yeah, and on Saturday, instead of a cat, you're just going to hand my sister a rewards cat-rd."
Blake burst out laughing. "Okay, out of all the bad jokes we've made today, that was the worst."
"My puns are always spe-cat-ular!"
Blake rolled her eyes again as she turned the car into the diner parking lot. Yang's smile began to fade as she realized that they were already here.
"Well, I believe this is your stop," Blake said, pulling up close next to Yang's bike again.
"Yeah," Yang sighed. "I'll see you Saturday, yeah?"
Blake nodded as Yang stepped out of the car. She paused for a moment before speaking again. "Yang?"
"Yes Blake?"
"I know you're really busy and stuff, but if you ever have some time off and want to do something like this again, or just hang out… I think I'd really enjoy that."
Yang smiled at her through the open passenger's side door. "I'd really enjoy that too. I'll let you know when I get my schedule for next week, and we can compare open times."
"Sounds good," Blake replied, matching Yang's wide smile as she watched Yang pull her backpack and helmet from the backseat.
"See you Saturday!" Yang called over her shoulder as she walked towards the diner's entrance.
"See you Saturday," Blake replied, not moving from her spot for another minute.
Her heart was beating a million miles a minute.
But why?
Friday nights meant Yang found herself working at University Pizza. It was the job she spent the least time at, and the job she liked the least. The boss was kind of a… word that she would never repeat in front of Ruby. The pay was pretty decent though, and usually drunk college kids gave pretty decent tips to the hot blonde who delivered them their life-saving pizza.
Occasionally, they'd get an order for somewhere outside of the University District. The delivery range wasn't large, so it barely really reached into the other districts, but there was still the occasional order that meant not only a longer ride, but less of a chance to be able to do what the boss called "chain deliveries". Chain deliveries were deliveries that were so close to one another that the drivers were able to leave with more than one order at a time, and the boss loved them. The more chain deliveries a driver did in a night, the less likely the boss was going to criticize their efficiency that night.
That was the thing about working for University Pizza. There was no such thing as getting praised by the boss, only less criticism. This, among many other things, is what made Yang hate the job so much. Yet, despite her best efforts to search for another delivery job, it was the only one around who would let her deliver on her motorcycle and only work on weekend nights.
Usually, when an Out-of-District order got placed, whatever delivery drivers that were waiting had to argue over who would take it. Those with chain orders setting up tended to get away with not taking it, since they were just waiting on one more call from a dorm to complete their chain, and those who had already taken an OOD order that night could get away with it too.
Unfortunately, the only one who did not meet either of those criteria was Yang.
"Yang," the manager overseeing the drivers that night called out as soon as Yang reentered the store from her last delivery, "you've got an OOD. Faunus District. Order 2337"
She let out a groan. "That's on the other side of the University District!"
"Yep," he replied, tapping on a large scroll in front of him. "The order will be ready in a few. The address was sent to your scroll."
Yang sighed, popping in her wireless earbuds before sliding her helmet back over her head. She leaned against the counter, waiting just a few more minutes before two pizzas were placed in front of her with the number 2337 written on the side of them both.
She picked up the pizzas, heading out the back door towards her bike at the end of the line of delivery cars parked behind the building. She slid the pizzas into the delivery bag that was firmly attached to the back of her bike before getting onto the bike herself.
She pulled out her scroll, opening up the app her workplace used to distribute orders to their drivers. Pressing a single button, she began the navigation to her destination before sliding her scroll back into her pocket.
Another day, another damn OOD.
"Take the next left onto Menagerie Avenue. In a quarter mile, your destination will be on your right."
Something about this felt extremely familiar to Yang, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Oh.
It hit her the moment she saw the sign. Belladonna's Cat Rescue. Kuana Plaza and Apartments.
No way.
Yang turned her bike into the plaza parking lot, parking near the door marked Kuana Apartments. Her eyes lingered on the rescue for a few moments. The cat she'd be getting her sister tomorrow was in there, right now. She just didn't know which one yet.
She slipped off her helmet, taking out her earbuds and shoving them into her pocket. She pulled out her scroll, opening up the app again. The phone number was at the bottom of the app, right next to the name of the orderer.
Blake Belladonna.
That sly little…
Yang shook her head, pressing the button and connecting the call. She raised her scroll to her face, listening to the ringing.
"Yang?" Blake asked as soon as she picked up.
"Long time, no see. I have your pizza order downstairs."
"My pizza- what?"
Yang's eyes narrowed. "Did you not just order from University Pizza? I just happened to get your delivery order."
"No, I didn't…"
A second voice appeared in the background of the call.
"Oh, is that the pizza?"
"Mom?" Blake asked, still extremely confused. "Did you order pizza and give them my number?"
"Well, yes. Go on, send them up here!"
"Uh, yeah," Blake said into her scroll again. "Sorry about that. There's a box right inside the apartment entrance that you can buzz in on. We're apartment number 3."
"Gotcha," Yang replied. "See you in a few," she added, before hanging up the call.
Blake's mom had ordered pizza? From Yang's shop? And used Blake's number without telling her?
What was happening?
Yang shook her head, climbing off her bike and pulling the pizzas out of the bag. Holding them in one hand, and her helmet stashed under the other arm, she walked towards the apartment entrance.
Buzz buzz!
Kali tapped the box instantly. "University Pizza?" she asked.
"Yep," came through Yang's voice on the other end.
"Come on up," Kali said, pressing another button that unlocked the main door for Yang.
The moment her mother's finger was off of the box, Blake spoke again. "But why?"
"Well, why not? We can't eat from Full Circle all the time," Kali said with a shrug.
"They're literally downstairs. Why waste money on delivery from a shop that mostly just sells to drunk college students?"
"Because," Kali said, her ears twitching towards the door just before a knock. She opened the door with a smile.
"Hello Yang!" she exclaimed to a stunned Yang.
"Uh, hello," Yang replied, blinking several times. Kali looked incredibly similar to Blake. She supposed they were mother and daughter, after all.
"Sorry about the confusion," Kali said with a smile. "I selected the wrong autofill by accident."
"That's quite alright," Yang replied, handing over the pizzas. "That'll be $24.39."
Kali handed off the pizzas to Blake, who muttered out a small "Hello," when making eye contact with Yang. Yang gave a small smile and nod back at her.
"Here you go," Kali said, handing over a stack of money to Yang. "Keep the change."
Yang counted the money quickly. Two twenties and a five. "But that's nearly $20 in change, are you sure?"
"I'm positive," Kali replied with another smile. "Keep the change."
"I- th-thank you!" Yang stammered, her eyes lighting up as she stuffed a twenty and the five into the logoed fanny pack around her waist, pocketing the other $20.
"You're quite welcome. We'll see you tomorrow morning, yes?"
Yang's smile grew even wider. "Of course! I'm super excited. It's going to be great. I'll see you then, Blake and Mrs. Belladonna."
"Please, call me Kali."
"Okay. I'll see you then, Blake and Kali."
"Drive safe!" Kali called after her as Yang headed back down the hall towards the exit, a spring in her step.
The moment the door closed, Blake began talking again.
"What was that?"
Kali smirked. "That was me wanting to do something nice, and to get to tease you about your crush."
"I don't have a crush on Yang!" Blake insisted.
"Yeah, that's why you lose your voice every time food gets delivered."
"I-I-"
Kali laughed. "Let's eat, Blake. Who knows, if it's any good, we might make this a weekly thing."
Blake blinked again at her mother, still stunned by the entire interaction. She shook her head as she placed the pizzas down on the kitchen table. "What did you even mean by autofill? We got rid of all the autofill on the computers last year after that incident with the cards!"
"Oops," Kali replied with a wink. "Guess you'll never know."
Downstairs, Yang was climbing back onto her bike and getting ready to head back to the store. She glanced over her shoulder, up at the apartment above the cat rescue before starting up her bike and driving out of the lot.
Perhaps not all OOD orders were the absolute worst things in the world.
AN: If you'd like updates on this work, as well as others, you can follow me on tumblr at SuperbBirbFics , or my main for spicy rwby memes and other various content at PancakesWithKetchup . And, if you'd like to help support me and my writing more, you can buy me a ko-fi ! My username there, as with most places (except for tumblr, because the url is taken rip) is SuperbBirb ! Thank you all so much for your continued support in my works, I endlessly appreciate it and love you all!