Chapter Two: The First Date
Written by: JayEmEl
Edited by: Cowjump
Check out the fully-casted audiobook on Youtube! The link is on my profile.
Enjoy!
Yang stopped outside of RWBY's dorm room and paused. She took a deep breath in, slowly exhaled, counted to three, and then entered. The room was empty save for Ruby who was probably on her bunk – the little, random noises she made when she studied betrayed her presence. Otherwise, Blake and Weiss' beds were neatly made, and there was no sign of them in the room. Yang's own bunk was in a bit of a mess, though. She should probably fix that later. Probably.
Yang stood there for a moment, thinking, and then finally took a few steps closer, clearing her throat in a manner that was probably unnecessarily loud. Here went nothing. "So, Ruby! There's something you should know, what with being the team's leader and my sister and all."
Ruby peered down at Yang from her spot, beholding her casual demeanor that most likely did not hide her troubled expression. Yang knew her emotions were always on her sleeve. Most of the time, at least. But she liked it that way. In this manner, her intentions – whether they were threatening or affectionate or anything in-between – could never quite be ambiguous. Plus, with Ruby, it helped to keep more open communication, too.
Yang suspected the reason why Ruby was currently alone was because Weiss and Blake had gone off to the library to do some extra research on the team's next Survival assignment. The two girls didn't often go out of their way to spend time together, but when it came to studying and academic efforts, Blake and Weiss worked extremely well as a duo and were excellent at keeping their respective partners from dragging the team's average down.
Because – and this had to be faced – Ruby and Yang might have been the strongest fighters in the group, and their skills might have been essential to the team, but the half-sisters' areas of expertise simply weren't in theoretical books and cramming an insufferable amount of knowledge into their heads while remaining in relative physical inactivity. That said, Ruby did try a little harder than Yang, as being RWBY's leader required her to perform at her best at all times. Nonetheless, it was often difficult to not get bored out of their minds while studying. They, by far, preferred training at the gym and honing both their tactical and fighting talents in team practice sessions.
If anything, Yang's intrusion was probably a welcome break for Ruby because she seemed to grasp that despite Yang's attempt at looking undisturbed, she actually had something important to say and needed her sister to pay attention. And, indeed, Ruby was prompt to shut her book and hop down from her bunk in order to sit on the edge of Weiss' bed, gazing curiously at Yang with her bright silver eyes. "What's up?"
Yang found herself fidgeting with the folds of her back skirt at her sides. Knowing she looked a little lost, she managed, albeit bluntly, "Um, so… Blake loves me. Like, romantically." There was no tactful way of launching a nuclear missile, really.
In any case, Yang had previously asked Blake if it was alright to speak with Ruby about their new situation in private, which the Faunus had hesitantly agreed to. Yang therefore wasn't going behind her partner's back in the matter. That would have probably not been a good start to their relationship. So long as Weiss and the others from JNPR weren't immediately made aware of the news, Blake had conceded that Yang wasn't being too premature in needing someone else to confide in. Ruby was someone they both trusted and was the wisest choice for reasons already mentioned.
That being said, Yang would have still preferred speaking to Pyrrha, as the two had become closer friends over the course of this past year, thanks to the amount of training they did in their off-time. And although Pyrrha had shown unmeasurable talent in the art of romantic frustration in regards to Jaune in the past, she was, ironically, gifted in giving good relationship advice. She was also older than Ruby and was on a higher level of maturity, too.
Yet, despite Yang's natural inclination to keep Ruby from worrying about anything in general, it was more important for the young leader to be the one to know. Maybe Yang could speak with Pyrrha later, if Blake was okay with it.
Ruby blinked a few times, apparently rather bewildered with the news. Once it sunk in, the look in her silver eyes started to darken. "Do I need to...talk to her?"
Realizing that her behavior had seemingly marked the revelation as a negative thing, that maybe it weighed heavily on Yang and therefore required her little sister to take drastic measures – as she, herself, might have done if the roles had been reversed – Yang promptly waved her hands, shaking her head vigorously. "No, no, no! God, no. It's just that...well, I've decided to date her. Sorta."
"Sorta? I thought dating was a yes or no kind of thing…"
"Yeah, well… Okay. Yeah. We're dating."
The girl in red grinned at first, happy for Yang now that she knew it was actually positive news, but then Ruby's eyebrows creased in confusion. "But...you never said you were –"
Yang interrupted her with a motion of her finger, indicating for Ruby to be quiet and listen. "I'm not. But, honestly..." She plopped down on Blake's bed, now sitting across from her sister, and sighed a little. In her past relationships, even if they were very few, Yang had never told Ruby about the guy unless it had become meaningful to her. Which, actually, had only happened once. So. She had been happy to share, though, and had even danced her little sister across the room with her on that one occasion.
But Blake was different, the whole everything about the situation was different. And also completely, utterly foreign to Yang – sort of like a language she didn't speak. All she knew was that she wanted to give it her best, but to say that she was excited was altogether the wrong term to describe how she felt. Confused, or nervous, might have been more appropriate – she couldn't make a display of confidence about it when she literally had nothing to rely on concerning the matter in her past. And although she was aware that Ruby wouldn't be able to really offer any advice or examples of experience, Yang felt that she could still help sort things out.
"Honestly," Yang repeated, her foot beginning to jitter against the floor – more because she felt the need to move than out of anxiety, "I've thought about it in more detail, and I'm actually kind of honored that I attracted Blake. I wasn't doing it on purpose and I definitely didn't see it coming, but Blake doesn't go throwing her affection around like it's no big deal for her. She's super careful about that. I mean, you know and saw for yourself how long it was before she even trusted us, her own team! Plus, I think I've been pretty clear about which way I swing, myself…" Yang had her hands clenched together on her lap, but she loosened them as she chuckled briefly. "So, it's like...it's huge. Everything was playing against her."
"Yang, you sound like you're regretting your decision..." Ruby appeared worried, tilting her head to the side with her eyebrows still furrowed attentively.
The blonde tapped her knee as she pondered. Finally, she said, "No, that's not the problem. I just... I feel that I'm...rather terrified about hurting her. I agreed at first because I do care about her as a friend, and you know me – act first, think later, right? I want everyone to be happy, so I sorta thought we could be girlfriends no problem. But now that I've put some thought into it, I've come to the same concerns that Blake had and still may have." Yang paused, passing her hand through the thick locks of her hair. "Since she already loves me, and that she knows I'm aware of it but that I just don't feel the same, and because I'm known for my impulsiveness, I could, like, super easily say or do something insensitive without even realizing it. I could –"
Ruby had already been smiling, but she guffawed now, cutting Yang off in a manner that absolutely flabbergasted the social girl. The youngest of the two didn't even try to apologize. "Yang, just...Yang." Ruby snickered, pulling her legs up under her and getting more comfortable on Weiss' bed. "You're, like, the most caring person I know, and based on that, I'd be more worried about some random store clerk hurting her feelings. Maybe you don't love her like she loves you, but if you're still the Yang I know, you'll find a way to compensate." She beamed confidently. "Even when you were furious, you never treated me wrong. You were always able to make me feel safe. So, I think it's kinda funny how you're suddenly scared about this."
A smile slowly curved Yang's lips until she was grinning. The brawler was proud of her little sister to an extreme, always had been. And although Yang still experienced a great deal of uncertainty, Ruby had indeed helped her feel more confident about the situation with those reminders. It seemed Ruby had been gaining maturity somewhere behind Yang's back, that little cape-wearing munchkin.
Some of her pep returning, Yang hopped up from Blake's bed and rushed over to grab Ruby and give her the tightest hug the older sibling could muster, even lifting her off the bed and laughing heartily when Ruby tried to struggle and breathe and, ultimately, fail. But Yang let go soon after, cackling more when her sister gasped for precious air.
"Thanks Rubes! Love ya," she smirked and winked cockily.
"...There you are..." Ruby wheezed, as if accomplishing some heroic feat before dramatically flopping to the floor.
Yang raised her hands like a predator, grinning like a maniac. "Now you're just asking for it..."
Ruby glanced up, and then her eyes widened. Too late.
Yang tackled her, fingers merciless as they tickled Ruby's sides.
"Noooooohoohoohahahahoo...!"
The weekend was over. It was time to focus on classes and homework and training. As of late, Team RWBY barely had time to do much more than study, eat, shower, and sleep between their academic obligations.
Yang was, by nature, a person who was easily distracted when even mildly bored. She preferred staying active and just doing something fast-paced rather than sitting in class, listening and taking notes. This was quite the contrast to the intense and undivided attention she could give when something interested her. Throughout the week, this was the way she found herself observing Blake, now regularly and often with a curious look on her face. In the mornings before classes, the breaks between classes and lunch, when they were doing homework in the evenings, or whenever they were talking, usually in a group, Yang made it a point to notice things about her partner that would have been giveaways about her feelings, had she known to lookout for them before.
Blake obviously realized what Yang was doing, at first raising her eyebrows questioningly when the blonde was caught staring fixatedly, but then over time Yang graduated to impatient huffs or frustrated glances. Still, Blake never said anything about it, and since Yang knew her partner wasn't afraid to speak her mind – especially when irritated – she could only guess that the Faunus wasn't truly bothered by her persistent, searching gaze.
So, Yang continued being a total creep.
By the middle of the week, she had made several discoveries, and each time she did, she wanted to smack herself for not discovering them sooner. For one thing, now that Yang was doing most of the staring, she found that Blake had a tendency to glance at her – and just for a little longer than what would be considered insignificant, as if she were routinely making an overall visual checkup to see how her friend was doing. Yang wouldn't have otherwise made a case out of it, but Ruby and Weiss didn't have that kind of concern for each other during lectures, let alone during the ones given by Professor Port, so she had to conclude that there were deeper feelings than just camaraderie involved.
For another thing, whenever Yang was speaking, Blake's cat ears consistently flickered towards her, something that did not occur with anybody else half as often. Even in public, despite wearing that blasted bow, Yang would see it subtly twitch in her direction the moment she started talking. This allowed the girl in yellow to assume that her partner was keenly aware of her, in a manner that she definitely wasn't towards others.
Next came Blake's touches. They were never anything strange, just small things like a brief tap to get Yang's attention or a bump on the hip to get her to smarten up when she was being excessively foolish around her friends – simple, mundane gestures that otherwise wouldn't have been questioned. Except Blake never touched anybody. Ever. That had to be a sign and one Yang should have clued in to way earlier. Because, like, duh.
But it said something about Blake's ability to conceal her emotions that even these small signs of uncharacteristic behavior had not raised any suspicions. Or maybe Yang was just incredibly dense. She liked to think she wasn't, though. It made her wonder if she would have thought much of it had she noticed these things before the Faunus confessed her love. Maybe, maybe not. If she'd figured it out on her own, though, Yang would have been a lot more prudent about the way she showed Blake she cared about her, probably refraining from most of the physical affection Yang tended to prefer. Actions spoke louder than words, after all, and the sociable girl had always been honest and natural about such things.
It had been clear that Blake hadn't planned on falling in love, and had even sought to fight it. Still, Yang had to admit that although there was no way she wasn't guilty in part, no matter how unconsciously, Blake's feelings did make her feel rather special and humbled at once, for all the reasons she had voiced to Ruby.
Since that last Saturday, the duo hadn't acted much differently around each other, apart from Yang's tactless and obvious staring. The energetic girl figured easily enough that Blake wouldn't initiate anything until she knew it wouldn't cause any discomfort or awkwardness for her straight partner. Therefore, Yang took it upon herself to take the first steps, thinking up an idea for their first date that would put Blake at ease and offer moments for the two to talk about their expectations concerning their couple. It would probably be good to get the basics laid out before something regrettable happened.
By Friday, Yang had thought of what could potentially be an excellent first date with Blake. She didn't want to start off with anything too romantic, but nothing too platonic either. It couldn't be too noisy, nor could it be too private. And they needed to be able to stop and talk for a while and be comfortable doing so. From there, Yang figured they could do something more engaging and enjoy each other's company for a bit and then be back in their shared dorm room before Weiss became suspicious.
That was how the couple found themselves in Vale sometime shortly after classes, sitting at a table against the window in a small diner on the first level of a very large bookstore. There weren't too many people, and those present were either speaking quietly out of respect for the building they were in, browsing for books, or reading. The diner was more of a coffee shop, but it did serve small meals such as, say...fish and chips. Emphasis on the fish.
"This is...thoughtful of you," Blake commented with no particular intonation, glancing towards a display of books further off. Her sharp golden gaze then settled back on Yang. "Is this compensation for staring at me all week like I grew a second head?" Her slender fingers wrapped around the hot cup of tea she had ordered, as if searching for heat. Although Yang was aware of the air conditioning the building provided, her semblance constantly kept her body at a comfortably warm temperature and was therefore unaffected by it. Perhaps, though, it was a little cool for her friend.
"Oh, you noticed that?" the goofball asked with a far too innocent grin, knowing perfectly well that the Faunus had caught on the very first day.
Blake raised her eyebrows, appearing rather unimpressed. "A Goliath would be subtler than you. What gives? I was beginning to think there really was something wrong with my face."
Yang had to laugh, although she kept it at a subdued volume. "Nah. Just checking for all the signs I missed. Speaking of which, you are very good at hiding the way you feel for me. I'm glad you said something."
The bookworm started to shrug, but then she paused, uncertain. She finally admitted quietly, looking down at her tea, "I'm glad I did, too."
Yang beamed appreciatively before taking a sip of her scalding, black coffee, which did not burn her. Again, her semblance proved to be useful in many everyday events. "Does that mean I'm starting off Yangtastically for a first date?" She winked emphatically, all too aware that her puns created almost physical pain in others. In truth, they were utterly harmless, which was what made them so funny to keep spouting.
Blake gripped the bridge of her nose, shutting her eyes tightly. She didn't even need to groan. "I swear to God, Yang. Every time," was all she muttered, causing her partner to start snickering again.
"You know all your exasperated reactions just encourage me, right?" she chuckled. "And, I mean, if you hated them for real, it would be kinda hard to love me..." They were such an integral part of her personality, after all.
"I tolerate your puns," the raven-haired girl corrected, but there was an amused glint that had appeared in her regard now that she had opened her eyes again. "That said, your believing yourself hilarious is what I find comical. Don't abuse that knowledge."
Yang put a hand over her heart and faked a solemn look. "Yes, ma'am!" She couldn't hold the act, though, and started giggling after. She was rewarded by a smile that was slowly curving Blake's heart-shaped lips. With that expression on her face, the blonde noted, she looked interestingly more feline, especially with the sunlight making Blake's pupils take the shape of thin, vertical slits. The gold of her irises were so bright they seemed to be faintly glowing.
It was about then that their table number was called, letting the girls know that their meals were prepared. Yang immediately stood, announcing that she would get it and that Blake wasn't allowed to move.
The way Yang saw it, the best thing she could do was treat her new...girlfriend (it was very strange to apply that term to Blake) the way she would have liked to be treated in a relationship with a man. And really, a true romantic couple was composed of two close friends who shared things and did certain things together they didn't do with anybody else. Yang and Blake were already friends and had shared quite a bit about themselves with each other over the two years of their partnership. It wasn't like they were complete strangers who had just decided to start dating and needed to begin from scratch...which, now that Yang thought about it, might have been easier. Maybe. Probably not. But maybe. Whatever the case, being straight to begin with complicated things. Yang just needed to focus on trying to change the way she viewed her long-term friend.
And to be honest, she wasn't entirely certain she would be able to on her own. Which was why it was important for her to have that conversation with Blake.
Therefore, when Yang returned to their table with two plates of fish and chips, utensils and napkins included, and after settling down on her seat, she first allowed a few moments of silence to occur while they began eating. After taking another sip of her coffee, however, she said in a more serious tone, "Blake, I don't want you to feel shy about expressing your feelings."
Blake met Yang's gaze, careful and pensive as she tilted her head a little, but remained quiet.
"I mean, I'm not totally dumb about this. I know strong emotions incite actions. You can't honestly tell me you don't struggle with any urges to show your affection." Yang paused, thinking. Automatically, her fingers began drumming on the table. "I'm not saying, like, kissing and stuff. But, you know, any holding or cuddling you feel like doing – that's okay. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you like my 'scent,' so...smelling me is purrfectly acceptable, too." She was about to grin and wink again, maybe to help break the ice, but then she realized that Blake was blushing, and quite darkly at that.
The young woman in black was clearly embarrassed, the bow flatter on her head than it usually was.
"Blake?" Yang blinked, not quite sure about what was causing her partner's discomfort but concerned nevertheless, hoping she hadn't crossed a line.
Blake mumbled something, but it was too low for the blonde to understand. After being asked to repeat her words, Blake sighed heavily and said in a louder tone of voice, shoulders slumped in a dejected manner, "I can't help it if my Faunus heritage grants me super developed senses and prompts me to act like a cat sometimes. Don't make fun of me."
In that moment, it took all of Yang's willpower to not get up again and go hug her friend breathless whilst cooing at how cute Blake was. Call it aggressive love, call it nonsensical, but with the reddened cheeks, the discouraged posture, the almost childlike complaint...although being part feline, Blake looked like such a kicked puppy it was nearly just as irresistible.
Instead, the prankster took a fry from her plate and threw it lightly at the bookworm, effectively getting Blake's attention and a totally adorable confused frown along with it.
"I wasn't making fun of you," Yang smiled reassuringly. "Your Faunus traits are part of who you are and I completely accept what's natural for you to do when it involves me. If you want to smell me, then smell me – whether it's because you enjoy it or if there's some other reason behind it, I don't even care. I'm, like, the last person who's gonna think you're strange. If anything, I actually find it cute. And don't be afraid to tell me whatever crosses your mind, either."
Her face was still a bit pink and her expression was still a bit confounded, but Blake eventually found the courage to meet Yang's lilac eyes and ask, uncertain, "Are you sure?"
Seizing the opportunity, the girl in yellow was prompt to reply with a huge grin, "I'm pawsitive."
Yang received a fry squarely to her forehead.
Later, after the couple had finished eating and had done a bit of browsing in the bookstore, the taller of the two being patient enough to allow the bookworm to buy a new novel for herself, the two girls headed out for their next destination. Yang took the lead, enthusiastically guiding her partner to the place she had in mind, chatting about random subjects and generally trying to keep Blake entertained.
To be honest, the date didn't feel too different from just hanging out with Blake as a friend, the only exception being a closer attenuation to the raven-haired girl's feelings. Yang was enjoying herself, especially because Blake seemed to be acting a little less guarded, responding to the energetic girl's eccentricities more openly and showing her amusement more often.
As much as Blake was calmer, quieter, and more reserved than the goofball, she also never made Yang feel bad about being herself. In fact, Blake seemed to encourage it in a way, the simple act of playing along every now and then being key to that observation.
The stores were beginning to close for the day as they kept walking, but a window display case filled with different rings made Yang slow down. She didn't stop, though, but Blake still turned and arched her eyebrows inquisitively when she realized Yang was lagging behind.
Yang merely grinned, catching up. "Sorry, I was just thinking about a convo I had with Pyrrha. I told her she should be the one to propose to Jaune because, I mean, let's face it, he's never gonna do it, himself."
Blake's regard became somewhat critical. They started walking again, side by side. "Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself? They just started dating at the beginning of this year."
Yang's eyes widened. "Exactly, Blake! It took a full year before Pyrrha decided to kiss him – and she had to because nothing else she did opened his eyes to her feelings!"
Blake's gaze narrowed, but she looked vaguely amused. "So, let me see if I'm following your logic. Because Jaune is dense and blind, then obviously Pyrrha should be the one to propose?"
Yang turned her head and bobbed it insistently at her partner. Blake merely continued to observe her skeptically from the corner of her eyes. "Yeah!" Yang exclaimed, as if it might somehow be the ultimate convincing statement Blake needed to believe her.
She was wrong.
"I'm sorry, I don't follow. They're dating now – I'm sure Jaune knows how the steps work."
"You'd think so, but Blake!" Yang protested dramatically, "Don't you see the humor in Pyrrha proposing? Like, it would legit be the best."
Blake's amusement turned into a smirk. "I see. So, it has nothing to do with Jaune at all – or even Pyrrha, for that matter. You just want to get a kick out of their relationship."
"Um, duh." Yang laughed, and Blake slowly shook her head.
"Am I going to have to tie you to your chair at their wedding?"
"What chair? Kitten, I am crashing that party so hard Pyrrha will disown me as her friend forever."
Blake was visibly bewildered. "Why would you crash a party you're probably going to be invited to in the first place?"
Yang only laughed, and they continued like that as they walked, talking about things of no real consequence and enjoying each other's company. It took them a little while, so the sun was beginning to set when they reached Vale's community garden and park. It was a few acres in size, filled with beds of flowers and forest to walk among. It was also kind of a touristic area, as it featured statues and symbols of the past war set among the beauty of the surroundings. There was history here, and Yang was well aware that her knowledgeable partner would find it interesting.
She proved to be correct. Blake wanted to stop at every monument and read the inscriptions on the plates. She often had a few comments to offer, sometimes even some extra information she felt compelled to share. In those instances, Yang made sure to listen to what her teammate was saying, genuine curiosity prompting her every now and then to question her friend further on the subject, which seemed to please Blake. If the blonde was honest with herself, this wouldn't have fallen into her list of preferred activities, but for the sake of her partner she felt it was appropriate. And it wasn't all that bad, either. Blake was a lot of fun in her own introverted way, as she had always been with her somewhat dry humor, and never took the prankster's teasing to heart – occasionally choosing not to acknowledge the gibes at all when they were too awful.
After walking for a while, the couple began making their way back, aware that it was getting dark and that they did have to be on time to catch the next airship to Beacon. They strolled leisurely side by side, enjoying the soft breeze and admiring the waning light of the setting sun, listening to the leaves rustle and the birds chirping. The dirt crunched under their footsteps, and Yang eventually interrupted the comfortable silence they had lapsed into.
"So…I had a little chat with Ruby."
Yang glanced at Blake in time to see her raise an eyebrow. "About us?"
"Yep."
"How did it go?"
Yang's lips quirked upwards as she remembered the conversation. "It went well. She reassured me. And she won't hurt you or anything."
This made Blake smile slightly, too, accompanied by an ironic eye-roll. "Because that's what I was scared of, obviously." They both laughed a bit, but Blake quickly sobered and asked, "Why did you need reassurance?"
The question quieted Yang as well. She hesitated. It would only be normal for her partner to be worried about that, probably, considering the circumstances. Plus, Yang had kind of brought up the subject first. "I just don't want to hurt you, is all," she tried with a casual shrug of her shoulders, attempting not to make a big deal out of it so Blake's concern wouldn't increase. To further appease her companion, Yang added honestly, "Sometimes I wonder what I'd do without her. Everything's all good now."
Blake looked at Yang from the corner of her eyes, but the blonde was hard-pressed to guess what she was thinking. The Faunus remained silent, though, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Yang, and the golden girl immediately searched for a way to distract Blake so the mood didn't darken. This was their first date, after all. They were supposed to be having fun, and Yang would make sure of that.
She took in their surroundings, and it was as she was doing so that Yang was inspired with an idea. In fact, if there had been a light bulb atop her head, one would even say it was a pretty bright one. Well, maybe. But being in a hurry to move away from their previous conversation, Yang didn't really take the time to think it through – she just figured it would work one way or another.
"Hey, Blake." A smile began to play on her lips.
Beside her, Blake beheld her expression and immediately appeared suspicious. "Yes, Yang?" she replied warily. She was no fool, after all. But there was no way she would expect what Yang was about to do, not after the general calm the two had been keeping since the beginning of the date.
Yang grinned hugely before stepping in front of her friend, forcing her stop moving, and deliberately poked Blake's nose, making her frown and go cross-eyed briefly. It was hilarious. "You're it," she announced simply and immediately took off running, laughing like a maniac and abandoning Blake to stand there, stunned.
She knew for a fact the cat Faunus would chase her. It made things a lot more thrilling to sprint as fast as she could, her strong legs carrying her across large distances with each bound, nevertheless fully aware that despite her best efforts, Blake had always been the lighter, more agile of the two, therefore making her the swiftest. Being caught was inevitable, but the social butterfly was set on trying not to be. Not until they reached the main clearing of the park near the entrance, at least. There, after having saved time by running, they could spend one last bonding moment before needing to leave. Yang had just wanted to render it more exciting.
The golden girl could practically feel Blake on her heels, and it made the adrenaline pump in Yang's veins, her semblance activating if only to get more power out of her legs. The trees on each side of the dirt path became a blur as she whizzed by, and she was still laughing like a madwoman, this definitely being the highlight of her evening. As strange as that was. But Yang was a thrill-seeker, after all.
It should have raised alarm bells in the brawler's mind when she made it to her desired destination without being caught, some five minutes later. Instead, she came to a stop just beside the large map kiosk and turned, panting and still snickering while she leaned herself against her thighs, expecting her pursuer to not be far behind. Her eyebrows creased when she realized there was no sign of Blake anywhere.
Slowly, Yang straightened her posture, recovering quickly from the run, as it was nothing compared to what she did in training, and searched her surroundings. It was much darker out now, the area illuminated by a single lamp post not far away, which caused the lighter colored flowers to glow faintly. It was also very quiet except for the sound of crickets chirping and her own still rough breathing. There were a few fireflies, too, Yang noted. Had she lost Blake? Impossible. Had her partner decided to not chase her? That couldn't be. Was she perhaps...hiding?
"Oh, Blaaaaake... Here, kitty, kitty," the extraverted girl murmured, absolutely certain that her friend had played along. She was one-hundred percent convinced of it.
And then her nape began to prickle – and very intensely at that – in a clear warning of imminent danger. Heart pounding, Yang spun on her heels, coming face to face with the map board, and then looked up...
...just in time to see Blake propel herself from the top in a cat-like fashion, claws out – or so to say – and tackle the energetic young woman to the soft grass beneath them, causing Yang to yelp in surprise and, at first, struggle to free herself, her initial instincts wanting to fight. However, she instead soon found herself laughing again, becoming a helpless heap of hilarity, completely allowing the Faunus on top of her to have the upper hand.
"You play a very dangerous game, Yang Xiao Long," Blake muttered, indifferently gazing at her nails and apparently comfortable to sit on her partner's abdomen with no clear intention of standing. This should have come across as a sign of something bad, but once again the goofball was just too occupied with being amused to notice.
She was still giggling. Blake had really gotten her, she had to give her credit. "Didn't know tag was classified under the 'extreme sports' category," she snickered.
Blake's eyebrows shot up skeptically, glancing at the girl beneath her without appearing impressed. "Everything is relative, Little Sun Dragon. You just decided to play a game of cat and mouse...with a feline Faunus. That's called tempting the devil, which you seem to adore doing for some reason. Guess who was the mouse?" Her glowing golden gaze locked with bright lilac, and Yang didn't miss how she had voiced the question as a statement.
And suddenly the golden girl became extremely aware of the position they were in. Her chuckling stopped, and her eyes widened substantially. If Blake had to be compared to anything at that moment, the term 'predator' undoubtedly applied, and it was a little intimidating. "Blake...don't do it."
"Why shouldn't I? You insist on provoking my Faunus instincts. Maybe you'll finally learn not to." Blake innocently glanced at her nails again.
Yang shifted uncomfortably and tried to give the raven-haired girl the cutest kicked puppy look she could muster. "Please don't...?" she squeaked meekly.
Blake blinked, and just when the blonde thought she was going to taste what revenge felt like on the receiving end, shutting her eyes tight, she instead felt a light and pleasant scratch on her jaw, near her chin. Confused, her eyes flew open again, this time seeing that Blake was smiling apologetically, displaying a set of perfect white teeth with sharp canines. "I would never hurt you. Although you are a pain. You can quit the act."
Immediately, Yang started laughing again, her entire demeanor returning to her regular carefreeness. She was, however, once again stunned into silence when Blake carefully leaned over and laid her cool lips against Yang's forehead in a tender kiss, slender fingers gently gliding along her jaw and then stopping to rest on her chin. Yang became very still, staring at her partner's pale throat, unsure what to do, exactly, especially because the Faunus' touch lingered for a little longer than a mark of platonic affection. Not that kissing someone on the forehead like this was a platonic gesture to begin with or anything.
Blake hesitantly pulled away, eyes closed, eyebrows furrowed, an expression that betrayed a much deeper emotion.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, opening her golden gaze. "The alternative would have not only been more awkward, but also against your wants." She sighed, slowly shaking her head and then moved off Yang, standing up and offering her hand, that same sad look in her regard.
Yang could only stare, the information of Blake already being in love with her at the forefront of her mind in that particular instant, her words registering and making her realize that the 'alternative' in question was…an actual kiss on the lips. But Blake had fought with herself and opted for something more innocent. The gravity of it wasn't lost on Yang. She took her...girlfriend's hand and stood up as well, only to then pull Blake into her arms and hug her tightly, wanting her partner to know she wasn't unaffected by the efforts made to respect her wishes. "Don't apologize, kitten. I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to do that. It's okay."
The only response Blake gave was a nuzzle against the crook of Yang's neck and a return to the embrace with the kind of force only desperation could give. "Thank you, Yang," she whispered, her breath tickling the blonde's skin. "This was a very considerate first date, and I had fun. Next time, though, let's do something that's a little more up your own alley."
It concerned Yang that Blake had chosen to not further talk about her feelings – much like she had remained enigmatic about her thoughts during their earlier conversation – but Yang figured it would probably only make it harder for her companion if she insisted. And she did not, by any means, want to cause poor Blake more heartache than she must have already felt.
Yang was seriously going to have to put a lot of work into this. That was a promise she had made and was going to keep.
I'm looking forward to reading what you guys thought of the chapter!
Also, in reply to:
Guest, chapter one -Thank you! One of the main things I try to do the best I can is keep characters in character, and that means I gotta know their minds. I'm glad you think I did well! ^-^
See you all in chapter three!