Chapter Nine: A Fragile Balance
Written by: JayEmEl
Edited by: Cowjump
Enjoy!
Blake didn't have the energy to make her footsteps as noiseless as they usually were. They sounded heavier than she would have liked on the ceramic flooring of the hospital corridor, but in the end, this was of little consequence. Her thoughts were preoccupied with a far different, more pressing issue entirely.
There was no denying that Yang's behavior had hurt Blake, and for more than one reason, too. Blake had purposely left the debriefing with Ozpin early, leaving Weiss to explain her perspective on the mission on her own, just so that she could be with Yang – specifically for the blonde's sake. She hadn't showered or unpacked yet, nor had she taken a moment of respite for herself so she could recover from the events that had happened at dawn. She was tired, hungry, stressed, covered in soot, her aura levels were still low, and she had abandoned her teammate during an important meeting just to be with Yang.
And even more than that, Blake was worried for her girlfriend and morbidly concerned about Ruby's state, too. She just wanted to help, to offer Yang some support despite everything. The brawler had looked to be in dire need of it.
But Yang had categorically refused Blake's shoulder. Worse, Yang had pushed Blake away.
The Faunus clenched her teeth and roughly passed her hand through her dark hair, pausing at the end of the hallway to lean her back against the wall. She closed her eyes for a moment. Blake knew she was blowing this out of proportion. Their interaction had been brief, after all. Still, it stung that even for such a small, insignificant topic, Yang had treated her like a nuisance. But it wasn't so much the action itself that bothered Blake as it was the bigger picture behind it. What if the subject had been a matter of life or death? Would Yang have reacted the exact same way?
Blake had to put things into perspective, though. Yang's adored and only little sister had been knocked into a coma thanks to Raven – the blonde's biological mother, if Blake had been listening correctly. She was already worried about her leader and friend as it was – she could only imagine how painful and destructive such a situation must have been for Yang.
They were all nerve-shot and exhausted. Blake admitted she could have been less insensitive and shown more understanding, and maybe just doing that would have made their altercation happen much differently.
She couldn't let this get to her. Yang needed someone to be there for her, whether she wanted it or not, and Blake letting such petty things get under her skin wasn't going to help. She was hurt, yes, but Yang was living something terrible and the raven-haired girl couldn't blame her partner for lashing out – she knew Yang wasn't like this by nature.
Blake opened her eyes and sighed quietly, already feeling calmer. Yang had consistently been there for her in the past, showing a care and devotion that Blake had rarely witnessed before. Her support and affection had even helped the Faunus feel better about herself as a person – and all of that had inestimable value in Blake's eyes. No one else had ever been so generous and kind with her, and she loved Yang more than anything for it.
It was time to return the favor that had been so unselfishly given to her.
However, Blake would have to help herself a bit, first, if she hoped to not let an incident like this happen again. She needed to shower and do something to get her mind off what was said. Plus, she figured that leaving Yang with her father and Ruby for just a few more hours would give the dust a chance to settle.
With that goal in mind, Blake pushed away from the wall, tied her bow back over her cat ears, and made her way through a few more corridors, down the elevator to the lobby level, and then out of the hospital. The sky had filled with grey clouds as the day had progressed, but it had yet to rain. She checked the time, determining that she'd have to hurry if she didn't want to miss the next airship to the academy. There were cabs already waiting outside – all she had to do was get in one of them and tell the driver to take her to the airship harbor.
It took about fifteen minutes to arrive at her desired destination. Blake swiped her scroll in the middle console, identifying herself as a huntress-in-training, and sent the transportation fees off to Beacon. She thanked the driver and then got out of the cab before hastily walking into the terminal, managing to get through the jetway just before the attendant closed the gate.
It was easy to find an empty seat. There were hardly any passengers present – which was normal. It was the end of their second school year and students were either completing their final exams or already heading home for the summer. Blake slowly shook her head and sighed, gazing out the window. She didn't know what kind of grade to expect on their catastrophic assignment. It barely seemed to matter at this point. Their mission had quickly stopped being about school and turned into a fight for survival, something no one could have predicted.
Everything about this was awful. Blake wanted to know why that facility had been there to begin with and why Yang's mother was involved in such suspicious activity – Merlot Industries, no less, which had been known for capturing Grimm in an attempt at studying them closer and experimenting on them. It was illegal – it was incredibly dangerous. And Raven had made that area twice as lethal by ordering her huntsmen to attack RWBY, too. It had been a veritable massacre with extremely tragic consequences. Blake wanted answers, too – if not for her, then for Ruby's and Yang's sakes.
Some half hour later, returned in RWBY's empty dorm room, Blake was slipping out of her clothes and getting into the shower. She didn't stay under the water any longer than necessary, as per usual, soon out and dressed in a sleeveless white cardigan over a black tank-top and a pair of dark blue jeans – casual wear. She was about to fix her bow over her head, but then she hesitated, looking down from the mirror and at the sink, where her fingers gripped the counter tightly.
Yang had, through several accidental slips and other more purposeful remarks, made it obvious that she liked Blake's cat ears. The Faunus also distinctly recalled Yang asking if she could touch them one time – scratch that, Yang had made that same request at least five times since she'd learned about Blake's origins. The dark-haired girl had caught the eternal goofball staring at them in wonder and innocent curiosity every single time Blake had let them free. Clearly, her cat ears meant something to Yang.
Blake sighed, trying to let go of her apprehension, and then tied the bow around her forearm. Anything to get her ray of sunshine back, it seemed.
She stepped out of the bathroom but then stopped in her tracks when she saw that Weiss had arrived. The heiress, still dirty and contradicted, was standing by the open window, tapping a message into her scroll with a bit of a frown on her face. She glanced at Blake, acknowledging her presence.
After a brief pause, Blake made her way towards her bed. "I'm sorry I left you to deal with the debriefing. How did it go?" She carefully sat down, crossing her legs.
Weiss finished with her message before addressing the bookworm's question. She turned her back to the window, facing Blake to lean against the bookshelf and crossing her arms. The level stare she then gave Blake made the Faunus crease her eyebrows in concern, cat ears leaning backwards slightly. Something was wrong.
"You shouldn't have left, and Yang should have been with us. If Ruby doesn't wake up…we're going to need a different leader."
The news hit hard, and Blake's tired mind strained to grasp the magnitude of its meaning. "What?" Her expression became flabbergasted. "They're already talking about that so soon? Why?"
Weiss exhaled heavily, making it evident she wasn't any more thrilled about the subject than Blake was. "Because we're a unit, even on break, and as a unit we need to be organized and know who to go to for orders if there is an emergency. With Ruby out of commission for who knows how long, Headmaster Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch deemed it fit to settle the matter as soon as possible."
Blake looked down at her lap, processing the information. This was ridiculous. Choosing a de facto leader so soon after the accident made Ruby's condition seem more permanent and hopeless. It was inexcusable.
"They want to put you in charge, Blake."
The Faunus' head snapped back up so she could stare at Weiss in shock. "I can't accept that. Why me?" Her heartbeat accelerated nervously. Blake had only ever been in charge of a group one time in her life, and that had been during her time in the White Fang. As Adam's partner, his second in command among organized criminals, it was only natural that she had been turned to for orders. But some of their operations had not gone according to plan, and Blake had deaths on her hands – Faunus she had seen as brothers and sisters. She had no will to return to a role that only had negative memories associated to it. Even when she had received her team assignation at Beacon, Blake had been relieved not be chosen as leader. And the sentiment was not about to change now.
Weiss gave a bit of a scowl. "According to both of our versions of the story and various other observations they kept on us over our time here, you were the one that qualified the most for the role. You can ask them yourself if you want the exact reasons why." She rolled her eyes.
Blake's bewilderment was turning into outrage. This made no sense at all. "I won't do it. This is illogical. What happens if I refuse?"
Weiss blinked, looking a bit puzzled that Blake was stepping down from the offer. "Then the position goes to me by default. We all know Yang couldn't take the lead, especially not in the state she's in."
Blake had to force herself to ignore that last comment. "Fine. Then take it." Actually, no. She wouldn't ignore it. Her gaze became pointed. "We all know you want the role anyway."
Weiss made a face and went to sit on the edge of her own bed, facing Blake. She lowered her head and massaged her brow for a moment before shaking her head and dropping her hand. "Believe me, I would. Not happily – think what you will, but I don't like this, either – but I'd do it." She regarded the girl in black and white evenly. "But I'm leaving for Atlas to deal with certain responsibilities with the SDC, among other things. I don't have time. And I think we both know you and Yang are going to be sticking around Vale for a while."
This was utter madness. Blake rubbed her face, wondering if all of this was just some cruel joke. They'd been fighting for their lives and protecting Ruby early that very same morning, and now the afternoon wasn't even over and Ruby's position as leader was being handed to someone else. To Blake – the teammate that should have been the least trustworthy among them. Couldn't they have waited at least a day? Let them recover, get their thoughts organized?
"Blake, it's not like you're going to be giving Yang orders or trying to reach me to give me some. This is a precaution for emergencies." Weiss stood back up. "Look, I get it. Ruby is in the hospital and this doesn't seem fair. But if something does happen, and we don't know who's in charge, then that could get the rest of us in the same spot as Ruby." Her tone softened. "You aren't taking her place. Nobody could do that. But she'd want you to do this for us."
There it was. Weiss might have seemed cold and haughty with her holier-than-thou attitude, but she cared about Ruby and she cared about the team. It was her family upbringing that had trained her to appear indifferent. And part of Blake knew that Weiss could have easily taken charge despite the distance and busy schedule, if the position really was as simple as she was putting it. In essence, Weiss was indirectly telling the Faunus she preferred submitting to Blake's leadership than being the one to look up to in case of an emergency – and coming from the Schnee heiress, that meant something.
Blake dropped her hands and sighed. She did not like or want this. But irrefutable logic was hard to refute, and Blake was tired of the conversation. She was tired, period. "Alright, fine." She slowly shook her head, unable to believe she was giving in. At best, this felt like betrayal. At worst, it was an egregious mistake and a horrific lack of foresight. Blake immediately regretted accepting, but she couldn't back down – as much as she loathed to admit it, Weiss was right. "I'll do it."
Weiss nodded. "Good. Ozpin still needs to see you and Yang, though. As soon as you can."
"As soon as I can convince Yang to leave Ruby's side, you mean," Blake corrected, dreading the moment already. How was she going to announce to Yang that their team was now called BWY or BYW…? Whatever. How would she deliver that news and also manage to get Yang to step out of the hospital? Without causing a scene, no less? Blake frowned as she stood and headed for the door. She had plenty of reasons for not wanting to be in charge of the team. "Are you going to visit Ruby today?"
"Yes. I'm going to get cleaned up first, though. I will join you later."
"Alright. See you then." Blake walked out of the dorm room.
She had a few errands to run before returning to the hospital.
Blake could feel both Yang and Taiyang's gaze on her as she gently set the vase down on the desk against the wall, near the door. She took the time to fix the small bouquet before taking a step back to observe the way it looked in the room. The daffodil, the camellia, and the alstroemeria, accompanied by the asters, brought a touch of life and color to the otherwise dull surroundings. They were flowers that didn't smell too strong, either, so as not to cause an olfactory disturbance.
Satisfied, Blake turned to face the direction Taiyang, Ruby, and Yang were in. She kept her expression carefully composed while the two blonds continued to stare at her, unsure if her gift would be accepted.
Yang returned to look at Ruby, but then she lowered her head. She was hunched over and had her hands clamped together, signs of her exhaustion and stress. The bouquet seemed to have had no effect on her. "You came back."
She said it so low that Blake only heard thanks to her cat ears. Blake glanced at Taiyang – who was still observing her – and then quietly went to sit next to her girlfriend. "Of course I did," she murmured, glad that this seemed to have an importance to Yang. She gently rubbed the brawler's back in slow circles, trying to be reassuring. "I'm sorry about earlier. Ruby means a lot to you and I shouldn't have insisted." Blake paused, and then added hesitantly, "I did buy a few nutritional bars for you, though, when you do get hungry. You'll be able eat something without having to leave Ruby."
Yang nodded but didn't reply. She seemed calmer but definitely still out of it and preoccupied with her little sister's state. Blake continued caressing the blonde's back for a moment before gliding her fingers to Yang's hands. Softly, she pried them apart and then clasped one of them tightly, a gesture that Yang reciprocated.
"It's going to be alright, Yang," she whispered. Blake couldn't promise that Ruby would wake up – she wanted to have faith that it would happen and transmit that hope to Yang, but mostly she wanted Yang to know that no matter the outcome, they would get through it. They had been through a lot together already, after all. This was admittedly one of the harder challenges, but they could do it. They would be okay. Yang would be okay. At least, Blake hoped so.
A few minutes of silence followed, and then Taiyang eventually asked, "How long have you two been dating?"
Blake blinked, a bit surprised about being asked such a question. From Yang's father, no less. Did they not communicate on a regular basis? The young woman seemed to remember the half-siblings receiving letters from their dad every two weeks or so. This was…well. Hm. "It's been almost two months now," she replied, as Yang appeared far from being both willing or able to answer any inquiries.
The nature of this particular one made Blake take a moment to think about it, though. Their couple was still just budding, especially considering that they'd known each other and been friends for two years beforehand. Nevertheless…almost two months already. Time sure did fly when they were occupied. It was a bit of a victory for Blake to indulge in – she had been convinced their relationship would quickly fall apart within the first week or two because of the evident barrier their differing sexualities presented, among other, more minor reasons. But they had been taking it slow, being careful and respectful of each other, as well as trying to keep a good level of communication. Against all odds, these combined honest efforts seemed to allow both Blake and Yang to be comfortable and satisfied with the progress their couple was making. Not everything was perfect, clearly – and it would be unrealistic to expect perfection, too – but if they had made it this far and continued trying, then Blake supposed they really could manage to stay together in the long run. She had Yang to thank for such an optimistic outlook – Blake's pillar of warmth had believed in them from the start and had never given up on her, even when the Faunus had been bent on hating herself and erecting walls between them because of it.
Overcome with a wave of appreciation for her girlfriend, Blake raised their intertwined fingers to her lips and kissed the golden girl's knuckles affectionately. This caused Yang to stir and look at the bookworm, haggard and uncertain, and Blake caught her lilac gaze before smiling gently. "I'm here for you," she promised in a susurration.
"Thanks, Blake," Yang acknowledged and then refocused on Ruby, but her answer came across as mechanical, as if Blake's sincerity hadn't been grasped and the brawler was replying out of courtesy. It was better than nothing, and the raven-haired girl supposed it would take a while before Yang was well enough to be as perceptive as she usually was.
"Yang did tell me about you. I remember now. Ruby spoke of you, too," Taiyang suddenly revealed, catching Blake's attention again.
"…And what have they said about me?" Blake glanced at Ruby's unmoving form, chest constricting.
"I know you're Yang's partner and the quietest member of the team." Taiyang looked down. "Most of what I've heard is from Ruby, though." His regretful expression turned into a bit of a sad but amused smile. "They didn't really know what to think of you at first. Ruby said you were a mystery and Yang assumed you were just a tough shell to crack. Based on the little tidbits I got about you over time, though, I guessed that you had become a good friend and a trusted confidante. It made me think that you were probably a mature and reliable person. Ruby said you're an awesome fighter and she wouldn't hesitate to put her life in your hands." Taiyang's cobalt gaze met Blake's golden. "Thank you, Blake, for looking after them."
A persistent voice at the back of Blake's thoughts continued to insist she wasn't worthy of such praise, making the young woman lower her regard. She hadn't imagined that Ruby would have been regularly mentioning Blake's name in her letters, let alone showing that kind of admiration. It made Blake's heart sink more. Still, she said, quietly, "It's nothing. I consider them my family." And it was true. Having no one else to assign such a term to, it seemed only right that Ruby, Yang – and Weiss, too – had become her home. Yang especially.
A moment of silence followed Blake's response, long enough that it seemed Taiyang had nothing else to say, but then he asked, "Do you love her?"
Caught off-guard by such a direct question, Blake's eyes widened a bit. "Uh-um –"
"I'm sorry," Taiyang apologized with a small shake of his head, "That was indiscreet of me. It's just that Yang has only had boyfriends in the past, you know…"
Blake recovered quickly. "It's fine. And no, she's not into girls." The Faunus glanced at her girlfriend tenderly. "But I do love her. Very much so. She's the one who suggested trying to reciprocate my feelings."
"I'm right here," Yang sighed with a bit of exasperation, leaning her chin on the palm of her free hand. This made Blake look at her in worry. For all intents and purposes, Yang's unfocused, faraway gaze on Ruby and general lack of speech or emotional response to exterior stimuli hinted at the blonde being very much not here. She was so unlike her usual self that it was more than a little concerning for Blake.
Before the bookworm could say anything, though, it was about then that Weiss made her entrance into the room. She'd bought flowers, too – one yellow, one red, one white, and one purple. She set the vase next to Blake's present, and then greeted the half-siblings' father politely. Her icy blue eyes settled on Ruby's immobile form for an instant, and her otherwise composed expression wavered, a mix of sorrow and regret making themselves known for a few seconds. "How are we doing?" she eventually asked, getting a grip and taking a seat as well.
"Fantastic," Yang replied morosely, not even glancing at her.
Blake squeezed Yang's hand again. Things were bad when the prankster was missing opportunities to make puns – Blake found herself wishing, for the first time ever, that Yang would make just one small, awful joke. At this rate, there really was no way Blake was going to get Yang to follow her to Headmaster Ozpin's office. "As you can see, not so great," she added unhelpfully.
"Have you…?"
"No. Not right now."
Weiss nodded. They lapsed into silence after that and remained quiet for a long while. At some point, Weiss left again to go have supper, saying she would come back later. Taiyang left as well, but made no such promise. In fact, he said absolutely nothing on his way out. Blake snacked on a few of the dry food items she had bought and convinced Yang to eat one nutritional bar, but the older sister refused to have anything else afterwards. True to her word, Weiss returned in the evening – something that Yang and Ruby's father did not do. For what reason, Blake didn't know, but he hadn't looked too great when he had abandoned the girls in the hospital room. She supposed it had been a lot for him to process and endure. That said, Blake also recalled Yang telling her that Taiyang had duties at Signal, so perhaps he was just busy.
Her impression was that he had been a lively, warm man once – he reminded her a lot of Yang – but that cruel events had taken their toll on him, creating the weary, faded person she had spoken to. It was actually kind of sad.
Despite this, it had become evident to Blake that Yang and her dad did not have a close relationship. Not necessarily a bad one, but there was a perpetual sort of tension between them. Yang had mentioned quite a while back that her father had shut down after Summer's death. Blake didn't fully know what that entailed, but even from the very beginning, it had been clear that Yang acted almost like a mother figure to Ruby. If that meant what Blake imagined it did, then Yang had been forced to bear a heavy responsibility from a young age. That the energetic young woman would still hold Taiyang accountable for that over a decade later… Blake wasn't sure what to think. It didn't seem right that Yang would hold such a grudge – her character was too selfless and loving. But could she really be blamed? She would have lost her entire chance at having a normal childhood because her father wouldn't properly take care of his family…
Now curled up on the armchair – where Taiyang had originally been sitting – Blake looked over at Yang through the dim lighting compassionately. The blonde had fallen asleep on the seat she'd been in all afternoon, her arms crossed and her head lulled against her own chest. Blake had tried to get her to move to the couch, but to no avail. Weiss had taken Yang's place there instead, blue eyes glinting in the darkness as she stared absently at Ruby with her chin on the palm of her hand. The heiress looked like she was about to sleep, too.
The quiet, regular heart monitor beeps continued, and in the silence, Blake could hear each of her teammates breathing – Ruby's the loudest through the oxygen mask, and then Yang snoring ever so softly once in a while. Blake closed her eyes, sighing deeply as she sought to relax.
Tomorrow will be better, she thought to herself, hopeful. Yang would accept the offer to go back to Beacon, have a shower, eat, and accompany Blake to the headmaster's office. They'd be able to find a distraction together afterwards, anything to help lift Yang's spirits. The young woman refused to let her girlfriend despair and stay morose – that just wasn't Yang, it wasn't right. And Blake would be there for her every step of the way.
Blake was, by nature, a light sleeper. Call it feline instincts, call it sensitive hearing or call it deeply ingrained training from a young age, Blake could wake at the slightest suspicious sound. Indeed, her first few weeks at Beacon Academy had been a bit of a horror show with the tightly strung nerves and les nuits blanches. In other situations – such as field missions – uncomfortable bedding arrangements made this issue/non-issue worse.
So, to say the least, when someone snarled, "Get back over here, Weiss!" followed by a door loudly slammed shut in a fracas, Blake nearly jumped out of her skin – and almost fell off her seat, too – fully awake but completely disorientated. Also – and, oh, dear – she was going to feel that night spent on the armchair later, in her lower back. Scratch that – she was feeling it now.
Groaning, Blake took note of Yang and Weiss' absence from the room. Her gaze traveled to Ruby, seeing how nothing seemed to have changed, but then Blake suddenly froze, Yang's scathing tone of voice registering in her mind.
Oh, wait.
Oh, no.
Dread settling in her gut, and cursing under her breath, Blake quickly stood and, ignoring the pain in her muscles, dashed out of the hospital room as fast as her groggy state allowed her to run. She had to get to her teammates before they got to each other, or else things would escalate explosively – and by that, literal explosions were implied.
Yang and Weiss had a bit of a strange love-hate relationship. Their interactions usually consisted of colorful insults, sarcastic off-hand remarks, and teasing. If Yang could poke fun at Weiss, she would. And if Weiss could mock Yang, she would. Somehow, that never affected their teamwork or their…camaraderie. Feelings were never hurt, grudges were never kept – no matter how terrible the comments.
That being said…both Yang and Weiss had awful tempers when incensed, and if they happened to be having a bad day or got up on the wrong side of the bed…
Well, it was safe to assume Beacon wouldn't cover any mindless off-campus property damage.
At least Yang was out of the hospital now.
This is not what I meant when I hoped for better… Blake internally grumbled as she took the stairwell, propelling herself over the railings one after the other on her descent to save time. A series of quick acrobatics later, Blake had arrived at the lobby level and hurried towards the exit. Through the glass doors, she could already see Yang and Weiss outside on the sidewalk, but the scene was not something she looked forward to stepping into.
Yang had grabbed hold of Weiss' forearm – tightly, if their stances and expressions said anything – and the brawler was shouting while gesticulating angrily with her other hand. Weiss, although glaring at Yang, was leaning away and appeared a bit fearful. Like this, Weiss' overall petite-ness was flagrantly obvious next to Yang's tall, muscled build.
Blake could hear what the enraged young woman was saying even before she pushed the doors open.
"…and you are her partner!" Yang jabbed Weiss in the chest with her index finger to emphasize her point, hard enough that Weiss had to bring a foot back to keep her balance. "If you think I'm just going to calmly let you leave Ruby behind like the ice bi –"
"Yang, let go of Weiss!" Blake commanded after making it outside, gripping Yang's iron solid arm and forcing the robust girl to look at her.
Yang's red-tinged irises were a force of their own as the blonde met her stare. However, Blake didn't budge. She did become aware of a few passersby watching, and her cat ears flattened against her head, her confidence wavering, but she rapidly forced herself to stay focused on Yang. "I'm serious. Let her go."
"Did you know she was leaving?" Yang growled, keeping her vice-like grip on the heiress. Weiss didn't have Myrtenaster with her and she wasn't dressed in her combat attire, so if the situation was to go south, she would be at a severe disadvantage. In the furious state the brawler was in, it wouldn't take much for Yang to punch through Weiss' aura and actually hurt her.
Blake measured her words carefully, not wishing to make Yang anymore angry than she already was. "Yang, listen to me. I don't know what's going on right now, but I'm sure this can be –"
"Did you know she was leaving?" Yang reiterated with a snarl, and Blake had to control herself to not swallow hard or step away. It was all very nice to have an extra-powerful ally on the team to fight Grimm beside, but when that power turned against the wrong targets…
Unfortunately, the ex-member of the White Fang had experience with that.
Blake had to find a way to disarm the ticking bomb before her. It wasn't just a matter of avoiding collateral damage or hurting Weiss, but also saving the reputation of both students and professors at Beacon. They were huntresses in training, and any destructive behavior on their part reflected badly on their school.
Plus, Yang in this state of mind worried Blake more than Yang being quiet and guarded.
This time, Blake opted for a more honest approach. "I learned about it late in the day yesterday," she said as calmly as she could, and after deciding that maybe Yang just needed someone to be on her side, she quickly added while sending a warning glance at Weiss, "But she didn't tell me when her departure was. Weiss, were you seriously about to leave for Atlas just now?"
The girl in white and blue was stiff when she replied, "I was going to pack the rest of my belongings and then get on the next airship, yes." She glowered at Yang. "And I'm going to be late if this brute doesn't –"
"You are in no position to throw insults at me right now, princess," Yang hissed, but amazingly, she seemed to have calmed down enough to not explode at the tiniest provocation. There was still some work to do, though, before she'd become reasonable again. "Ruby is in there, kissing death and by herself, and after everything she's done for us – for you – you're just going to up and go like she doesn't matter?"
Ah. Yang's excessive reaction was beginning to make sense now. The wound came from far and traveled deep. Judging by Yang's regular carefree, warm and friendly attitude, Blake supposed Yang didn't share or let others see her pain all that often, and now she was spitting vitriol at anyone who directly or indirectly attacked the place she was most vulnerable. Nonetheless, as much as she might have had experience with them, Blake wasn't used to handling these kinds of situations, and she felt the pressure of several pairs of eyes on them warily watching what would happen next. Part of her wanted to flee or hide, the other part just wanted to help. Yang did not deserve to feel like this.
"I was planning on coming back as soon as I could," Weiss explained, finally appealing to Yang but nevertheless looking a bit nervous. "Even if Ruby hadn't been hurt, I would have had to leave anyway. I have responsibilities as a Schnee, and as much as I loathe to prioritize them over Ruby, I don't have a choice." She seemed to want to leave it at that, but since Yang still refused to release her, she added with a pointed glare, "The sooner I can take care of this, the sooner I can return."
Blake carefully placed her hand over Yang's – the one holding Weiss – and pleaded softly, "Please, Yang. I know you're in pain, but Weiss isn't an enemy."
Yang didn't move, and for a few tense, concerning moments Blake thought the brawler would get mad again, but then she finally dropped Weiss' arm. "Whatever," she snapped, and turned to stalk back inside the hospital.
Blake's eyes widened. Oh no. That can't happen. She gave Weiss a withering look, saying, "We're talking about this later. Go." She didn't wait for the heiress to respond. Blake hurried after Yang, ditching Weiss outside, and caught up with the blonde just as she was entering the stairwell. The space was constricted, but Blake still bodily put herself in front of Yang before she reached the steps to halt her progression.
Yang came to stop and narrowed her eyes at the Faunus. They defied each other, neither moving, both daring the other to protest. The silence stretched on, the space between them growing thick with tension. "Blake," Yang finally said in warning tone. "Get out of my way."
Blake had no desire to face her girlfriend's wrath again, but this was important. Yang had finally left Ruby's room – if there was any time to convince her to take care of herself, it was now. And so Blake steeled herself and responded with, "Yang, please, listen to me. No one wakes up from an auric coma two days after they go under. You know that as much as I do. It takes a while. Come back to Beacon with me, have a shower, and please eat. We can come back here tonight, I promise."
But this had an adverse effect on Yang - a horrible one. Her nostrils flared as her eyes filled with crimson. "What? So, you want to abandon Ruby, too, and make me come along with you? No! I swear to God, Blake, if that's how it's going to be –"
The blonde's tone of voice held an impending ultimatum that struck a fear so intense in Blake that she found herself almost choking on her words as she interjected with an immediate sense of urgency, "N-no, Yang! No. I'm not abandoning anyone, and you aren't, either. Please, h-hear me out." Blake's mind was reeling, trying to keep control over her panic while simultaneously coming up with reasons to convince Yang. This was going nowhere near the direction Blake had hoped. "Do this for Ruby. Would she want you neglecting yourself for her? She's going to be worried about you when she wakes up and sees you so bent out of shape. You don't want to add on extra stress, do you?" Her voice hitched and altogether almost broke. She couldn't lose Yang. Not now. The mere thought of it made Blake sick to her stomach.
Yang's breaths were seething, her expression caustic with her crimson eyes and clenched fists. All Blake could do was desperately meet her stare, gaze wide and injured. It seemed so long ago now, but Blake remembered placing her closely guarded heart in Yang's hands. She remembered Yang promising such ridiculous things as never hurting her, trying if Blake tried. Blake remembered putting her faith in this ray of sunshine because of her steadfastness and honesty – all the warmth and love she gave so generously.
But Yang seemed to have forgotten those promises.
"That doesn't matter, Blake," she hissed. "You're being selfish. If you can't see that and let me get back to my sister, then we're through." She took a step closer, her stance unfriendly. "Now, get out of my way, or I'll move you, myself."
Blake trembled, her eyes misting with tears. "Yang," she pleaded, and her voice was more affected than she would have liked but a hole was ripping open in her chest. "I understand how much Ruby means to you. She's important to me, too, and I'm worried about her state. To tell you the truth, I'm…scared – maybe not as much as you are, but I'm still scared. But, Yang, if we don't take care of ourselves, then we're going to be useless to Ruby. This isn't what she'd want from us."
Fiery red pierced golden, unstirred. "Move," Yang growled, gripping Blake's shoulder and shoving her roughly to the side to begin to climbing the stairs.
The raven-haired girl's back hit the wall with a hard thud and tears spilled from her eyes. Blake might not have exhausted all of her arguments, but there was nothing else she could say, nothing convincing enough she could think of that would somehow change Yang's mind. And now she was losing the woman she loved with her whole soul because her efforts had failed. How ironic that she'd known this would happen from the start, yet still agreed to doom her heart to breaking. She couldn't stand this.
"I need you, Yang," she murmured hoarsely.
For some reason, Yang came to an abrupt stop.
Blake's throat felt constricted and her heart was racing. She didn't even know what she was uttering anymore. "I realize that's selfish of me to say and that I'm just proving you right, but it's also the truth. It hurts to see you like this, and I feel so awful right now because you and Ruby are stuck this way. I don't expect you to prioritize me, but I'm just trying to help. I need that, Yang. I need to see you feel better." Maybe she really was a masochist, putting her heart on her sleeve just to be rebuked more. Selfish, petty, and useless – that's what she was. It made perfect sense that Yang wouldn't want her around anymore. Still, Blake had rarely experienced such acute pain.
The blonde slowly turned and stared at the Faunus.
Unable to meet her gaze, Blake looked down. It was only fair, wasn't it? She had never deserved that golden beauty. If only for herself – if only to know she had said it at least one time before everything fell apart once and for all – Blake added in a small, strained voice, "I love you, Yang. Please, don't leave me."
Her words seemed hollow and empty in the silence that then stretched on, and if it hadn't been for her sensitive hearing picking up on the brawler's thudding heart and rough breathing, Blake may have thought Yang had left her for good. She shut her eyes and quickly brought her hand to her mouth, attempting to muffle the sob that suddenly wracked her entire body. Her shoulders shook with the effort it took her to keep a semblance of composure.
She had tried. She had actually poured her heart yet again into a cause she had believed was worth fighting for, and she had yet again messed it up. Blake had lost. She was alone, as it was only meant to be, and it was entirely her fault - because Blake was nothing worth forgiving.
Against her expectations, Blake heard Yang descend the two steps she had ascended earlier, bringing her in front of the raven-haired girl. She didn't know what Yang was doing, but Blake couldn't bring herself to look up. That apparently didn't matter, though, as Blake felt Yang's fingers softly graze along her cheek, cupping her jaw and brushing away unwanted tears. Yang's other hand took hold of Blake's, gingerly inciting the Faunus to lower it from her mouth.
It was only then that Blake finally raised her eyes, confused and disbelieving of what was happening. Yang's expression was sorrowful and apologetic, and taking advantage of the interruption in Blake's crying, she susurrated, "I won't leave you. I'm sorry."
Blake wasn't sure she actually comprehended what Yang had just said. She just stared, not understanding, searching Yang's now tired lilac irises for a hint of what this meant.
But Yang only sighed heavily, pulling Blake into her arms firmly and making the dejected girl's golden eyes widen in stun. "I'm an idiot," she whispered into Blake's hair. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean what I said."
The Faunus' eyes filled with tears again – of relief this time – as she finally registered that Yang was being mindful and sincerely apologizing for her behavior. And it wasn't so much the regret that made Blake so consoled as it was the reassurance that she was, in fact, not losing Yang. She wasn't losing Yang. Blake wrapped her own arms around the golden girl, pressing herself closer and burying her face against Yang's shoulder, holding her as tightly as she possibly could. They weren't breaking up.
Blake could not describe how afraid she had been. The prospect of life without even Yang's friendship made her feel lost and empty. She didn't know what she would have done without her pillar of warmth, nor did she know why Yang had changed her attitude after Blake's spilling her heart out – it shouldn't have had such an impact on the brawler. Blake didn't care to question it at the moment, though. She just wanted to focus on Yang, to make sure this was real and that the strong young woman wasn't going anywhere. Blake wasn't losing Yang. They weren't breaking up. Yang hadn't meant it.
"God, I'm stupid," Yang breathed guiltily, and repeated, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was angry and –"
"It's okay, Yang," Blake murmured, voice still thick with emotion. "I understand. It's okay, really." She exhaled and closed her eyes, drawing as much comfort and strength as she could from Yang's embrace and presence if only to start stitching the bleeding wound in her own heart. "I'm just happy we didn't –"
"Shh. I know. I'm sorry. I'm staying."
Blake sighed again in relief, breathing easier already. They fell silent after that, clinging to each other tightly until they were both convinced neither of them were going anywhere. Blake didn't blame Yang for her actions. She knew the circumstances put a lot of stress on the blonde's shoulders. Nevertheless, her heart continued to beat rapidly in her chest. The close call made her realize how frail their couple still was and how extremely careful she had to be with Yang. The older sibling could say she valued Blake all she wanted, but it had become abundantly clear that Ruby held the first place in Yang's heart. And that was okay. It was only normal.
Eventually, Yang gently pulled away but remained in close proximity to Blake. She laid an apologetic kiss on the top of the Faunus' head before resting their foreheads together. Her hands glided to the sides of Blake's neck and jaw, thumbs caressing her skin in small motions. Blake kept her eyes shut, leaning into the soothing touch. She felt drained now, emotionally and physically, and just hoped that their argument was done and over with. She didn't have the energy to confront Yang all over again.
"I should probably shower, right?" Yang suddenly prompted quietly.
"Probably," Blake replied in the same soft tone, opening her eyes to meet her girlfriend's wondering gaze.
"That bad?" the blonde asked a little sheepishly.
Despite the strain, Blake felt the corners of her lips twitch upwards slightly. "Let's see…" She purposely inhaled through her nose, long enough for Yang to take notice. "Yeah, you definitely stink," Blake decided. Yang's scent wasn't actually all that bad, though. She mostly smelled like smoke, gun powder, and earth – reminders of the battle in the Emerald Forest. Her sweat was the least noticeable odor. Nevertheless, it had still been three days since Yang had last cleaned herself – a shower was indeed in order no matter what the scent.
Yang cracked a bit of half-hearted smile, finally, before stepping away from Blake. "You're probably right. I do feel pretty gross." She slowly shook her head, bringing her fingers up to massage her brows as the ghost of the smile on her lips vanished. "I'm so sorry, Blake. What I said…"
"Forgiven already, Yang," Blake assured once more, tentatively reaching for her companion's hand. "I promise I don't blame you. Now, please, don't blame yourself, either. Let's go get you cleaned up and find something to eat. It will help you feel better."
Yang hesitated, looking up the stairs in worry, and Blake feared the golden girl would try to go back up to Ruby again. But then Yang sighed and took the bookworm's outstretched hand. "Alright. Let's go."
Relieved and together, Blake and Yang finally exited the hospital to return to Beacon.
I am…a fool. A blind fool. First, a perfect stranger, then a partner, a good friend – and now more. Two years. And in all that time, in all the moments spent learning and growing together, I failed to see. I saw your qualities, I saw your beauty, and I saw your potential, and I convinced myself you were whole. Or maybe you convinced me, instead. But that does not excuse my faux pas. I assumed nothing was amiss, that you were strong, and in so doing, utterly forgot that the kindest souls are oftentimes the ones who have suffered the most.
My eyes are opened now, though. That it took Ruby's comatose state and your rejection of me to notice your surface is flawed and broken is unforgiveable. Yet you still sought my forgiveness – over and over – as if my own shortcoming somehow didn't exist and you were the only one making a mistake. Where – and when – I wonder, did you start believing that the faults of others were your burden to bear? That you should feel so inclined to keep all your pain hidden behind walls of joyful smiles and selfless encouragements is not fair, and it certainly isn't right.
But there they are, the consequences of a stolen childhood. They're naked to the eye, now that I've witnessed and experienced the fruits of your parents' abandonment firsthand – your insecurity, your pent up anger, your fear. It's all there, and although you may never tell, it does poison you slowly.
I cannot allow you to continue like this – on your own, believing everyone will leave you eventually. What happens, Yang, if Ruby doesn't wake up? I love you far too much to watch you fall apart completely. You won't be alone, and that is a promise I intend on keeping. You will always, always have me.
Blake was sitting on the edge of her bed when Yang came out of the bathroom. She had tried to read while she waited, but her mind was too preoccupied to focus on her book. The words had just blurred together, and their meanings were obscured by the haze of problems she had to deal with. So, Blake had taken out her journal and written instead. Now, though, she was staring absently at nothing in particular and was caught by surprise when the door to the bathroom opened. She hadn't thought enough time had passed for Yang to have both finished showering and gotten ready.
The tall blonde was wearing a simple black halter top under a short-sleeved olive jacket and a pair of low-cut skinny jeans. The tips of her hair were still a bit damp, but it seemed it was taking its regular, disheveled, and slightly curly shape again. Actually, Yang was shaking it out as she stepped into the room. She already appeared fresher and more like her usual self, a detail Blake was glad to see. Only the dark circles under her eyes and the lack of carefree amusement in their lilacs betrayed her somber mood.
Blake closed her journal and put it on the bookshelf. "Feel better?" she asked with concern.
"Cleaner," came Yang's reply. She paused, and then asked, "Can I take a nap before we go see Ozpin? I didn't have a good night."
Blake tilted her head a little, taking in the fatigue in Yang's posture and the dullness in her eyes, and then acquiesced with a movement of her head. "Sure. I might sleep a bit too, actually."
Yang nodded and then, unlike what Blake presumed her partner would do, let herself fall onto Blake's bed. "Is this okay?" she wondered unenthusiastically into the pillow.
Blake had turned to stare at Yang in bewilderment, but the choice wasn't difficult to make. In fact, despite Yang's haggard state, Blake felt quite pleased with the request. At least Yang was already demonstrating that she didn't want to be alone. It was a start. The raven-haired girl refrained from smiling, though, as best she could. "It is," she consented, keeping her tone composed. Glad to oblige, Blake then deliberately laid down on her side, facing Yang but being careful not to let their bodies touch, and propped her head up on her hand. She didn't want to take advantage of this moment – didn't want to take advantage of Yang.
The blonde rolled onto her side as well, wordlessly meeting Blake's gaze. Absolutely straight-faced, she unexpectedly said after a brief instant, "You know that's creepy, right?"
Blake blinked. "Uh, what's creepy?"
"Watching me try to sleep."
Blake felt the heat rise to her face. She looked away, muttering, "I was – um, just… I wasn't watching you."
Yang cracked a small smirk, but her expression quickly became more serious again – a bit inquisitive, too, with one of her eyebrows arched like that. "You aren't wearing your bow?"
The Faunus became aware of her bared feline appendages again and made them twitch in response. Still trying to recover from the leftover embarrassment, she murmured while looking anywhere but at her girlfriend, "No. I… I know how much you like seeing my cat ears, so…"
Yang was silent at that, and Blake forced herself to meet the golden girl's lilac eyes again to find out why. Yang looked thoughtful, if not a bit sad, too. "You know you don't have to do that," she replied quietly, almost sorrowful.
Blake softened her gaze. It was rare to see Yang so reticent, so dismal, and Blake was seized with how fragile she seemed like this. It made no sense to her that someone like Yang – beautiful, lively, and kind – could have been hurt so deeply. Blake reached over and gently tucked a few strands of Yang's hair behind the blonde's ear, letting her fingers glide along Yang's smooth jaw as she withdrew her hand. "I want to, though," she whispered sincerely. "It's about time I did, anyway. I'm alright."
Yang nodded a little, but it was clear she was getting sleepy. She yawned shortly and sunk into the pillow, apparently getting more comfortable. "Your skin cream smells nice," she mumbled, her eyes fluttering shut. "Sorta like…that soap there? …Clean…"
If it hadn't been for the circumstances, Blake might have thought the compliment was bafflingly random. But she allowed herself a small smile this time. "The subtle smell of fresh air?" she offered helpfully. "With natural, rejuvenating ingredients?"
But Yang had evidently drifted off into slumber, making Blake's joke fall flat. Her breathing was slow and even, her lips parted only slightly. If anything, she finally looked calm. Blake could therefore forgive her for missing that awful attempt at humor.
Blake didn't watch – admire, really – her for long, though. The Faunus carefully turned onto her back so as not to disturb her girlfriend, propping one knee up and linking her fingers together over her stomach. Even if they weren't touching, Blake could feel Yang's warmth, could smell the vanilla in her scent, and it was as reassuring as it always had been.
Things might not have been perfect, and Blake might have been feeling a nagging stress despite the moment of serenity, but in this instant, her resolve was of iron. Even if it took years, she would prove to Yang that she could be relied on. For now, though, her priority was to help Yang feel better, to keep her distracted in the hope of improving her mood. Just as she had told Yang, herself, Blake needed that, because if Yang was unhappy, then so was Blake.
She just needed a little patience.
"I'm here for you, Yang."
I'm a little worried the almost-break-up scene isn't as tense as it could be, but you'll have to let me know, dear readers! Any and all comments are welcome.
Stay tuned for the next chapter!