Chapter Eleven: Scatter and Burn
Written by: JayEmEl
Edited by: Cowjump
Enjoy!
The wind blew softly through the trees, swaying the smaller branches and rustling the leaves at their ends. The rays of the sun filtered in through the tops, spots of lights and lines of shadows on the forest bed dancing to the natural harmony of birds singing their daily, gentle songs. Somewhere nearby, lost in the foliage, a squirrel chattered animatedly, somewhat of a disturbance but equally calming in its own, strange way. The patches of grass were tall here, strewed with bushes and large rocks, and the scent of dirt and vegetation carried easily in the fresh morning air.
Golden eyes gazed on as cat ears flickered in sync with the sounds they heard, and Blake let out a small sigh. As long as there was music, there was nothing to worry about. Her Faunus senses weren't alerting her to any immediate dangers, either. Nevertheless, Blake was worried.
…Not that that held much weight, these days. It seemed to have become the mood she defaulted to ever since the accident.
Yang was standing a few feet away, partially turned from Blake, looking at…something – or, maybe, at nothing – between the large tree trunks further off. Stray strands of her unruly blonde locks flailed in the wind, and her stance was a bit more slumped than usual.
They were going to start the third year of their partnership two months from now. And Blake, true to her silent and reserved self, had spent a lot of that time observing and listening to her teammates – even more so Yang. Two years wasn't a great deal of time, but it was long enough that Blake had learned to notice the subtler changes and unspoken emotions in Yang's body language. This, at first, had come to be for the purpose of effectiveness in combat as partners, but Blake's interest had, over time, developed into something more familiar and caring in nature.
It wasn't like Yang was all that hard to read in the first place. On a general basis, what Yang felt and what Yang thought was what Yang showed. She was extraverted, sociable, friendly, and had her heart out on her sleeve. Whether she was happy about something or not, it was usually obvious.
Blake may have found this exasperating at the beginning of their partnership, but it was now far from being the case. It seemed that, somewhere along the course of the energetic brawler's life, Yang had felt the need to foster a secondary coping mechanism that did not involve open and honest displays of emotion. This deceitful façade of cheeriness only seemed to make its appearance when Yang was deeply, personally upset about something and didn't want anyone realizing or asking her about it. The act was alarmingly believable – and believed alarmingly often, too.
But Blake's watchful eyes didn't miss or skirt over the signs that Yang wasn't okay. She could smile, laugh, and show all the pep she wanted, but Blake wasn't buying it.
Unfortunately, Blake didn't know what to do, either.
"We should probably keep walking," Yang suddenly suggested, her tone casual. It occurred to Blake that she had been staring and that Yang had noticed. There was a bit of a smirk on her lips.
Blake blinked, remembering they had a job to do. Border patrol. They had left their dormitory about two hours ago to make their way to their assigned area at the outskirts of Beacon Academy's property. It was their second time out protecting a section of the perimeter, and the first time had been somewhat difficult when they had started, as the Grimm had insisted on going solely after Yang. After a while, Yang had just given up and suggested being used as bait. She had refused to admit anything about her negative emotions, though. Blake hadn't liked the idea, but it had turned the tides in their favor, and that's what they had been doing ever since – Yang, out in the open, a victim for the vultures to pick on until they were killed by Blake's swift intervention from the shadows.
There was something wrong about that, an uncanny parallel to Yang's personality and how she never hid, never even pretended to, as if she were prepared to take the world head-on and expect not to get harmed in the process. Except it wasn't true. She was hiding.
And still being harmed.
Today, Yang wasn't throwing random taunts out to draw Grimm to her. She was quiet, her bravado gone. Her strides were slower and lacked confidence. She would stop every now and then, finding interest with something in her surroundings, and then keep going, withdrawn.
They hadn't encountered many Grimm as of yet. The ones they had fought, though, were some of the more powerful ones. And Blake didn't like that, either. It was like that saying, that known truth: the bigger the demons…well, the bigger the monsters, too.
So, yes, Blake was worried.
"You're right. We should. Sorry about that," she finally responded, kicking herself into motion. But then she stopped and faced her companion again. "Yang," she almost stammered, "I have your back, alright? I'm here. I'll be watching out for you." It was awkward saying it because she knew it was a little out of the blue and the point of their strategy had already been established yesterday, but she meant what she said.
Yang seemed to grasp what Blake was trying to convey, though. She nodded, an appreciative smile gracing her lips. "I know you will. Let's get going."
They shared a look of understanding, agreeing, and then Blake headed further into the woods, out of direct eyesight, using her practiced stealth to blend into her surroundings. All the while, she made sure to keep Yang in her field of vision, refusing to let anything happen to her. They moved through the uneven terrain, and Blake kept her senses alert for any signs of danger while Yang continued her hike as if it were a casual stroll in the park.
Except…she wasn't casual. She was inattentive, and her pace wasn't regular, as if it followed the same rhythm as her thoughts – sometimes fast and brisk, other times slow and distracted. More often than not, she seemed to wander, lost. Like now.
Her head was bowed, staring at the ground instead of looking at where she was going, steps uncertain, almost tentative. Blake had to stop, even, and wait for Yang to move along before continuing. She seemed to get a grip pretty soon, though, shaking her head dismissively one time and quickening her pace once more. Blake creased her eyebrows, concerned, wondering how badly Yang's mind was harassing her. She seemed to be hitting a rough note, her strides stiff, her boots hitting the dirt harder.
Really, Blake wished she knew what to do. Was it best to leave Yang to figure it out on her own? Should Blake intervene somehow, try to get Yang to talk to her?
But they had a task to accomplish yet, and now wasn't the moment for conversation. They kept walking, and the brawler didn't seem to be calming down this time. Her fingers clenched and unclenched, and if Blake paid close enough attention, she could hear Yang breathing harsher. A twig snapped under a heavy footfall, and, after a moment of pause, Yang broke into a jog.
Confused, Blake went after her, moving more rapidly – and with more difficulty – through the shrubbery in her attempt to keep up and not lose sight of the golden girl. If this was some game Yang was playing, Blake wasn't finding it funny. This was putting them at a risk, making them less prepared in case of an attack. At this rate, Blake really would have to try and talk to her partner again.
And then Yang was running.
It took a moment for Blake to react, she was so surprised, but then she cursed under breath and accelerated, too, deciding to ask questions later. She knew Yang tended to be brash on the battlefield, but this was a whole different level of recklessness. This was…this was stupid.
Yang was sprinting now, and Blake was forced to come out of concealment to keep up, dodging bushes and fallen branches, avoiding trees and sudden dips in the bumpy ground while trying to maintain – and even gain – her speed. "Yang!" she called out, focusing on the mane of wild blonde hair a few dozen meters ahead of her. "Yang, what are you doing?! Please, stop!"
But the brawler was unresponsive and only kept going. Fortunately, Blake could maneuver more easily and was steadily catching up. Her concern, however, grew exponentially when a sudden sense of dread overtook her and almost made her stumble. A branch scraped across her cheek. "Yang!" she winced and called again, this time more desperately, trying to warn her girlfriend of the imminent danger – a danger she couldn't even see yet.
She didn't have to wait long. The birds had gone silent.
Blake was only a few yards behind Yang when a small clearing became visible up ahead. Yang never slowed down, and Blake never saw the large, abnormal mound of dirt and moss until the blonde was actually running by it. Blake's eyes widened, but it was too late. The nest exploded, a Death Stalker leaping out and catching Yang between its sharp front mandibles.
"Yang!" Blake's voice tore through her throat as she grabbed Gambol Shroud from her back and started firing her pistol at the monster as she approached.
"I'm not hurt!" Yang shouted back, her voice strained. Blake saw that her girlfriend was trapped against the creature's mouth, mandibles keeping Yang prisoner as she struggled to escape. Her feet were dangling just above the ground, unable to provide any lift or extra power.
The news was of little relief. Both knew Yang had made a terrible mistake. That thing had already torn away at the clothes covering Yang's abdomen, and now it must have been chewing away at her aura. The brawler's arms were pressed against her sides, muscles wrenching and pushing, clearly trying to set herself free.
Blake had to roll to the side to avoid the Death Stalker's stinger as it lunged towards her, quick as lightning. She then jumped up high, narrowly escaping a swipe from one of the pincers, and doubled back, out of reach. Heart pounding, mind racing, Blake took a moment to think the situation over.
If she wanted to access Yang directly, she would have to act fast. Those pincers and the stinger would be used to keep her at bay, and if she got caught, too, then they were both no better off than dead. Further, Death Stalkers were strong creatures, and any hit would damage her aura greatly.
But Blake was on a time limit. Yang's own aura wouldn't last forever, and the Faunus didn't even want to imagine what would happen if the mouth ripped through her partner's torso. Elaborate plans were out of the question. Seeing Yang still struggling uselessly, Blake opted to go with the first idea that popped into her head.
She dashed forward and jumped, sailing through the air before landing deftly on the Death Stalker's carapace and firing her pistol at the monster's globulous, glowing orange eyes. The thing screeched and lurched, almost throwing Blake off. She managed to get down on one knee to keep her balance, right there in front of Yang, and jabbed her sword between two of the Grimm's armored plates, anchoring herself to her weapon as the Death Stalker shook with fury. "This isn't how I imagined this moment," Blake commented breathlessly, twisting viciously into the Death Stalker's body and eliciting an enraged shriek.
"If I say yes, will you look out?!"
Blake followed Yang's panicked gaze upwards. Her pupils became thin vertical slits in her fear, and the world seemed to come to a slow as images of her life flashed before her eyes. The deadly tip of the stinger was hurtling towards her faster than she could react, and Blake muttered under her breath, "I do..."
Yang shouted wordlessly, but it was too late. The stinger crashed into Blake, the world went dark, silent, and seconds later, Yang was released. She tumbled backwards, gained her balance, and immediately sprung up, golden mane aflame – literally – and slammed her heel down on the stinger with a furious yell and all the power she could muster. Shadow-clone now dissolved, the stinger dug itself even deeper into the Death Stalker's head, which was crushed against the ground. Yang proceeded to smash her fist into the arched tail, effectively breaking it, just as Blake came around the massive body, slashing at the monster's legs until it altogether collapsed.
The partners then retreated together and fired their weapons at the Grimm relentlessly until their chambers emptied. When all was said and done and the smoke cleared, all that was left of the Death Stalker were wisps of fading black tendrils, agonized screeches silenced for good.
Blake and Yang stood there, breathing hard and watching the remains of the Grimm slowly disappear. They kept themselves in fighting stances for a moment longer, nerves completely shot, until Yang then stifled a snicker. Blake stared at her like she was crazy, and Yang gave up, leaning her hands on her knees as she chuckled freely and panted at the same time.
When Blake was sure she could speak without interrupting herself to breathe, she asked, confused, "What's so funny?" For all intents and purposes, the raven-haired girl should have probably been raving at the blonde for running off without warning and getting them both into that dangerous situation. But for the life of her, Blake couldn't find it in herself to be angry with Yang at that precise instant. She was just happy her girlfriend was safe, and that laugh – although unexpected and probably related to stress – was genuine. That mattered more.
Yang glanced at Blake, grinning as amusement twinkled in her irises. "Those are your famous last words?" she asked, a note of amazement in her tone. "'I do'?"
Blake opened her mouth to retort, but then realized she had nothing to say in her defense. Instead, she rolled her eyes and mumbled, "I saved you. Be grateful." She then let out an impatient huff.
This made Yang snicker more as she started walking again, heading back into the woods. "My hero."
The Faunus followed behind, and finally finding her own saving grace, she was compelled to object, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you technically agreed to marry me."
Now Yang laughed again. "You're wrong! I didn't actually say I would. It was a hypothetical question. Plus, the word 'marry' was never used, so we could have been talking about anything."
Well, it had been worth the try. Unfortunately, Yang was much more talented at these word games. So, Blake gave up and just said, "Please, don't run off again – I mean it."
The brawler let Blake catch up, and she smiled reassuringly. "I promise I won't. I was kinda scared for a sec there, too. Like, if that hadn't been one of your shadow-clones…"
It appeared that even in dire situations, Yang worried about others first. She was brash, spontaneous, and sometimes gave the impression of having no value for her own life. But she was Yang. She made up for her faults a hundredfold. Nevertheless, that past situation was a predicament Blake had no desire to repeat, and Yang sharing similar sentiments about it was a relief to hear. Still, if Blake had just spoken to Yang earlier…maybe it could have been avoided altogether. Or maybe it would have been worse.
Either way, Blake's inaction was a problem. She still had no idea what to do.
Somehow, that had to change.
Yang and Blake made an arrangement with Taiyang. Because Blake deemed it extremely unhealthy for both Yang and herself to remain at the hospital at all times – and Yang halfheartedly agreed – they would alternate with Taiyang to keep an eye on Ruby every day. So, when Yang's father came in, the couple could leave, take care of their border patrol duties if they were scheduled, or do something else with their time off. Later, they would return to the hospital and then Taiyang could depart.
Ruby's state remained stable and unchanging, much to Blake's chagrin. The bookworm had conducted research on auric comas while Yang had been showering one time, and what she had found out wasn't particularly encouraging. Auric comas lasted from anywhere between two days and a week…if the patient healed. If they didn't come to after a week, the chances of ever awakening at all were bleak. Aura was a strange, powerful force that continued to work in mysterious ways, but sometimes…
Sometimes the sustained damage was just too great, and all the person's aura could do was keep them alive in a perpetual state of unconsciousness.
And they might as well have been dead.
Yet there could be no solace or mourning because of that chance – no matter how slim – of waking up. It was an eternal cycle of hoping and despairing. And Blake couldn't bring herself to share the information with Yang right away. At least, not until a full week – and maybe a few more days – would come to pass. It was still too early to accept a reality in which Ruby may no longer be a part of. And Blake could barely shoulder this, herself.
Team JNPR returned from their end-of-year exam about three days after Yang and Blake had met with Headmaster Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch. The duo was just returning from border patrol to get cleaned up when they realized that there was activity in JNPR's dorm room.
Initially, Yang seemed to want to avoid meeting them at all costs by practically lunging for RWBY's own doorknob, but then JNPR's door swung open and out stepped Pyrrha, freshly showered and nicely dressed in comfortable and light summer attire. Blake watched with a mix of sympathy and amusement as Yang was forced to turn around and face her friend in the hallway, making it look like the most painful, painstaking action in the world. Blake quickly became sorrowful, however, when Yang grinned brightly – just a little too brightly.
"Hey, Pyrrha! I'm happy to see you guys are back!" Yang sounded jovial, pleasant, sincere, and absolutely not like herself all at the same time. "How did your mission go?"
Pyrrha smiled, gracious as usual and apparently oblivious to Yang's fake cheer, and glanced at Blake before replying, "It went well, all things considered. We were tasked with hunting down Grimm that were ravaging one of the towns at the outskirts of Vytal. They just kept coming, and the area was kind of large, so that's why it took us several days. Getting there and coming back took a while, too. We're exhausted." She paused and tilted her head curiously. "When did you and your team return? Today, too? You look a little beat up."
Blake supposed that if Yang could have escaped through the floor, she probably would have. She certainly looked like she wanted to, in any case. "Um, well, we came back five days ago…"
Pyrrha raised her eyebrows, surprised. "You…" But then she took a moment to really look at both Yang and Blake, and her eyebrows creased in wary concern. She knew something was amiss now, her eyes darting between the two girls in search of unspoken information. Finally, she asked, "…Where are Ruby and Weiss?"
Yang's gaze lowered to the floor, and her voice came out small and quiet. "Weiss is in Atlas."
Blake waited, and so did Pyrrha, but it appeared that Yang couldn't speak anymore. Blake therefore took a deep breath in and came a little closer. She suddenly understood Yang's reluctance at meeting JNPR in the first place. Announcing the awful news was a daunting task. "Ruby was severely injured at the beginning of our mission. We faced a situation no one was prepared for, and the consequences were…well, they were disastrous. We extracted as soon as we could. She's still in the hospital. Auric coma."
Pyrrha's reaction to this was to stare at Yang and Blake in shock for about two seconds before she stepped forward, her hand beginning to reach out. "I am…so sorry," she murmured, equally sincere and horrified. Her fingers brushed Yang's shoulder. "Yang, why didn't you just tell me…?"
Yang kept her eyes averted. "I'm sorry."
Pyrrha stood there, still under the spell of the bad news, but then she recovered enough to pull Yang into a tight hug. Blake remained a few feet away, giving them space. She knew Yang and Pyrrha were good friends and that this mark of affection would help her partner cope. Yang needed all the support she could get. Blake wasn't blind, after all. Still, she didn't want to pry or force her girlfriend to talk, so she humored Yang most of the time, if only because it seemed to help the golden girl's mood. That said, it couldn't go on forever. Keeping everything bottled up was going to poison Yang eventually, and Blake wouldn't let that happen.
It was so much easier said than done, though. If Blake didn't want to talk about something, all Yang had to do was offer warm embraces and a few kind words, and Blake gave in. The inverse was not true. In fact, these things only seemed to make Yang clamp up tighter.
So, if not support and reassurances of trust, what could Blake possibly give Yang that would make her lean on the quieter of the two?
"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Pyrrha asked gently as she pulled away from Yang but kept her hands on the brawler's arms.
Blake's eyes widened a bit as she stared down at the floor. She immediately resented herself for her inability to have even asked such a simple question. Thank goodness for Pyrrha.
Yang sighed heavily. "My dad can't always be at the hospital when we're not there. He has other responsibilities. Do you think you could…?"
"I can for a few days – and I definitely will – but I'm going back to my family in Mistral for the summer. Jaune won't be available, either. You can probably ask Ren and Nora, though."
"Who you talking to, Pyrrhaaa? I heard my name!" came a sing-songed, loud, and energetic voice from inside JNPR's dorm room. It seemed that if the devil was spoken of, the devil appeared. The door practically slammed open again and Nora came bounding out. "Hey! It's you guys! Hey, Blake! Hey, Yang! How's it rolling?"
The girls turned towards the new arrival. Nora stared at them, expecting an answer, but then she seemed to take note of their saddened expressions, and her demeanor changed entirely. She straightened up and creased her eyebrows. "What's going on? Anything Ren and I can do?"
Even Nora had better social common sense than Blake about this, it seemed. The Faunus' chest tightened.
"Ren, Nora's including you into something without telling you again…" came Jaune's voice from JNPR's dorm, half distracted and half being a tattle-tale. They sounded pretty busy in there.
The only reply his comment got was a sigh and a "If I can't hear her, then it must not be terrible. Now, I need to use the shower, if you're done in there."
Nora waved her hand carelessly. "Ignore them." She paused. "But for real. What's going on?"
As Blake softly clasped Yang's hand, it was Pyrrha who turned towards her teammate to summarize the situation. After doing so, Pyrrha added, "It would be a huge favor to Yang if you or Ren, or both of you, watched over Ruby when she, Blake, or Yang's father can't be there."
Nora's eyes lit up. She saluted Yang, her enthusiasm returning. "Absolutely no problem! It will be done. Ren and I are staying around Vale anyway – probably sign up to kill more Grimm, too. Just tell us when to be there, and we will!"
Yang seemed visibly relieved, shoulders relaxing. "Thank you so much." She appeared as if she might have wanted to say more, but then she swallowed hard and remained quiet. Blake assumed that having the support of her friends like this touched her. Indeed, Yang wasn't alone. Maybe one day she would fully realize it. But for now, it was more important that she knew she had friends who cared.
…And also someone who loved her with their whole heart looking out for her. It would help – hopefully.
Blake turned towards the two young women from JNPR. "Yang and I want to get cleaned up. We're on the border patrol program already and just came back from fighting Grimm. We'll catch you guys later, alright?"
"Of course! We'll let you recover." Pyrrha was fast to give Yang another brief hug. She smiled genuinely at Blake and then headed down the hallway with Nora, who called back to the couple, "See you around!"
"See ya!" But as soon as their backs were turned, Yang's smile dropped and she quickly entered RWBY's dorm room, letting go of Blake's hand. Blake quietly closed the door behind them and watched as Yang came to a stop in the middle of the room.
A short, heavy silence followed, one the Faunus wasn't entirely certain how to break. Fortunately – or unfortunately, perhaps – she didn't have to.
"Thanks, Blake," Yang murmured. She attempted to say something else, but then she shook her head and went to collect the items she needed to shower.
Blake was left to stare after her girlfriend sadly as Yang shut the bathroom door behind herself, and the raven-haired girl wished there was more she could do to help. But there was very little left to try. The days were passing, Ruby still wasn't showing any signs of waking, and there was no way Yang didn't know the situation was degrading. Aura usually worked faster than this. Wounds healed entirely within three days if the injured rested the whole time.
And this…this wasn't it.
Yang wasn't stupid. Blake knew that. But Yang had also tacitly erected a wall between them by keeping her thoughts to herself, and it wasn't like Blake hadn't tried to prompt Yang to open up. There wasn't much else she could do than show continued support, but it killed her because it seemed so insignificant and useless. Yang knew that – had said so more than once. There was nothing anyone could do.
Blake quickly wiped her eyes from the mist that had accumulated unexpectedly and blinked several times to help herself regain her composure. The circumstances did affect her deeply. Ruby wasn't okay, Yang was in pain, Weiss was gone for a while…and Blake had to deal with all of it. Stressful didn't begin to describe the problem. But this wasn't about her. She wouldn't indulge in self-pity – not again. She had to be stronger than that.
Therefore, Blake walked towards her bed and took Gambol Shroud from her shoulder blades to start disassembling the weapon and cleaning it while she waited for Yang to come out of the bathroom. Anything to keep her thoughts occupied with practical endeavors.
Blake and Yang stepped out of the hospital building, letting the heavy glass doors close shut behind them. Golden eyes glanced at the sky, seeing the clouds that threatened to hide the sun, and Blake hoped it wouldn't rain any time soon. She sighed quietly and gazed at her companion as the two stood together by the large entrance.
A car slowly drove by, most likely a visitor among so many others searching for an empty parking space in the vast lot.
"So…what would you like to do?" Blake asked calmly, knowing that Yang still had Ruby on her mind. It was like this every time they visited. Yang would sit there, either on a nearby chair or on the edge of her sibling's bed to hold her hand, and silently stare at Ruby, never showing more than a hint of sorrow. Blake respected these moments by remaining quiet most of the time, lost in her own thoughts or sharing Yang's sadness. Sometimes, the couple would speak, but nothing significant was ever said. Regret and guilt continued to linger, painfully unaddressed. Today, it wasn't until Pyrrha and Jaune came along later in the afternoon that Yang brightened up enough for extended conversation. She never allowed the true extent of her upset to be obvious to anyone, though. Blake wasn't even sure she, herself, had a full understanding of just how much the circumstances affected her girlfriend.
But Yang wasn't sleeping well. The dark circles under her eyes and her growing sluggishness when she fought Grimm during patrol duties were proofs of this. And Blake could hear the brawler tossing and turning above her at night, the creaks and heavy sighs sometimes keeping the bookworm awake for a long while, too.
It was concerning. More than concerning, in fact. Yang continued to pretend and put on a brave façade, and Blake continued to feel useless and terrible about the situation.
Yang shrugged. "Whatever you wanna do," came her casual, unhelpful response. She wasn't looking at Blake, though. Her regard seemed lost somewhere amid the taller buildings of Vale – the business district, most likely, although the Faunus couldn't fathom why – out in the distance.
Blake pursed her lips, cat ears leaning back as she quickly came to the conclusion that no matter what it was they did, exactly, the important part was distracting Yang and getting her away from the hospital for the rest of the day. "We should walk," she proposed, taking a few steps forward and prompting Yang to follow her.
It worked. Yang caught up in a few strides, effortlessly matching Blake's pace. Within a few short minutes, they were already on the sidewalk and leaving the hospital behind. "Are we going anywhere in particular?" Yang wondered, peering at Blake curiously.
The Faunus attempted a small smile. "No. Just going on a walk downtown together."
"Okay." Yang gazed downwards at the cement for a moment, reflective and quiet, and soon after, Blake felt the blonde's hand tentatively slip into her own. Appreciative, Blake intertwined their fingers, gladly cherishing this sign that Yang was still trying, still reaching out for support in subtler, unspoken ways – whether she knew she was doing it or not. The reserved girl wouldn't give up on that – wouldn't give up, period. There was still hope, even if Ruby's state seemed bleak…and even if Blake sometimes felt like her relationship with Yang was teetering. But she had to keep trying, too. Blake loved that girl too much to just let their couple fall apart, and it was these seemingly minor gestures of both affection and trust that gave her this hope.
The hospital wasn't too far from the main road going through Vale, so it wasn't long before the couple started encountering more people going about on the sidewalks. Yang didn't let go of Blake's hand, though, much to the Faunus' joy. In fact, the golden girl seemed rather at ease, despite the faraway, tired look in her lilac irises. Blake wasn't really sure Yang was looking at anything in particular, though. Vale was a nice, charming place, trees lining the sides of the roads at regular intervals while the buildings were well-kept and inviting. Some shops had their products out on the sidewalk at their fronts, vendors enjoying the weather and keeping an eye on their goods. Vehicles were constantly driving by, adding to the general bustle and noise of city life.
At this time of year, though, it seemed a little quieter than usual – or rather, perhaps the correct way to describe it would be a noteworthy decreased amount of stress. Blake could hear the wind rustling through the leaves on the trees she and her partner walked by, could focus on individual conversations if she wished, and didn't feel pushed or rushed to get anywhere. Despite the greying sky, the colors of their surroundings seemed brighter.
And maybe, just maybe, despite the ominous circumstances of the present, there was a silver lining yet. Rain would never fall forever.
Yang was still here. She was still trying. Her gently clasped hand told true tales of this. In fact, even Blake's bared cat ears recounted a story of their own, of how Yang had everything to do with their now unconcealed secrets. And Blake had made a promise, too – one time on a lonely balcony, what seemed like an eternity ago, and a second time just on the brink of what had seemed like the end, mere days past. She had every intention of following them through.
With a slight squeeze of her fingers and a murmured "Hey," Blake caught Yang's attention. Lilac eyes turned to meet golden inquisitively, and Blake was about to open her mouth to share what she had on her mind but was interrupted before she could even speak. Her scroll played a brief tune, alerting her to having received a message. She creased her eyebrows in puzzlement, and Yang was immediately even more curious.
"Who is it?" she asked in a tone that sounded too intent for simple, general interest.
"I'm not sure," Blake responded, retrieving her scroll from her pocket as they continued to navigate on the sidewalk, making sure to not bump into anyone or anything. She pulled her device open and brought up the message, knowing Yang was most likely hoping for news from the hospital. Unfortunately, it wasn't the case. "Oh. It's a letter from Ozpin." This had been sent through the academy's secure channel, and Blake had to put in her password to access it. She quickly skimmed over the content of the document. "I guess it's officializing my role as the de facto leader and explaining why I was chosen for it. Among other things." A few words caught her attention, and she frowned. "Wonderful. My experience as an officer in the White Fang actually counted for something." Deciding to have a look at it later – and unwilling to be even more disgusted by it at the moment – Blake closed her scroll and put it back into her pocket. She slowly shook her head, biting her lower lip.
Yang was silent for a while, back to not-watching everything going on around them. She had lost her earnestness at the mention of Ozpin. Now she seemed even less inclined to comment. Blake was fully aware that it was still hard for Yang to accept the situation, and she felt the need to apologize again, but the blonde suddenly asked, "Blake, where were your parents?"
It was a fair question, although – like every other time Yang jumped from one topic to another without any apparent link between the two – Blake had trouble following the brawler's train of thought again. Still, this new subject did not, by any means, improve the Faunus' mood. Further, they were supposed to be focusing on Yang getting better – not talking about Blake's past. "They…were murdered when I was very young. The White Fang took me in and cared for me."
"…Oh. I'm sorry."
"It was a long time ago. Don't worry about it." The reserved girl tried to brush it off. If Yang really did want to know the full story, there would be a more appropriate time for it at a later date. Right now, bringing up tragic events was probably not in Yang's best interest. Blake may not have been as adept at conversation tricks as the social girl was, but she nevertheless quickly searched for a change of topic. Her eyes wandered, seeing how the street opened up to a plaza ahead and… "Hey, remember this place?"
Yang raised her eyebrows and reluctantly turned her head to look at where Blake was pointing. Her face lit up in recognition, the black-haired girl's history hopefully forgotten for the moment. "Yeah! This is where the Vale Carnival happened!" Her gaze darted around, as if seeking something, and then it stopped on its target somewhere up ahead. She suddenly tugged on Blake's hand – an excited gesture, although not quite a happy one, either. "C'mon!"
Blake almost stumbled but rapidly regained her balance and had no qualms with being pulled along to wherever Yang was going, and the sociable girl's excitement, muted though it was, infected Blake like it usually did. The couple crossed the street, Yang barely taking the time to look both ways, and made it onto the opposite sidewalk just before a car drove by. They arrived at the waterfront and the esplanade that ran along it in the next few moments, and Yang came to a halt near the front of a small lakeside weapons shop. She smiled proudly. "This is where you owned at being a ninja and got that panther for me."
They were on the far left side of the huge open and circular area, but this was where most of the booths and games had been. Blake could even smell the popcorn and fried foods again if she tried hard enough. It had been bustling with activity and children, music blasting through no-longer present speakers. Now, though, it was relatively unoccupied and quiet, a few people standing around and chatting, taking pictures by the rails or continuing on their way. The greying clouds over the water most likely discouraged visitors.
The corners of Blake's mouth twitched upwards, but she gave Yang a bit of a curious look. The extravert wasn't always aware of her surroundings; that Yang would specifically recall where that knife-throwing stand would be – and be right about the location, even spotting it from afar and with people obstructing the view – was…intriguing. "You remembered it was here?"
Yang beamed. "Of course! I mean, I kinda have to. You gave me a gift here, Blake!"
Much to the Faunus' surprise, a delighted grin broke across her lips in response to that comment. It was such a simple thing, but Yang truly had appreciated the stuffed panther. She slept with it and had committed to memory the very place Blake had given it to her – and she was still happy about it. That was special. "I'm glad," was all she found to say, although it was the result of being genuinely touched by Yang's caring nature…again. But instead of hoping that her emotion had been conveyed in her tone properly, Blake gathered a bit of courage and went the extra mile to express herself further. "It was my pleasure, you know. You can…tell me if you'd like to have something from time to time." She turned her smile towards Yang. "If it makes you that happy to receive gifts, that is."
Yang blinked, but then she suddenly pulled Blake closer, chuckling softly and laying a brief kiss on the bookworm's forehead. "Blake, silly, it's not the gift that makes me happy." She grinned and actually sounded more like her normal self. "It was you. You were really sweet." Their faces were still fairly close, bodies nearly facing each other, and Blake had to put in a conscious effort to not remove the space between them, so entranced as she was by Yang's presence.
She didn't have to focus for long, though. Yang snickered again and was off, pulling Blake along once more towards the center of the plaza. When the Faunus snapped out of her smitten daze, both wondering if she had dreamt up that small moment and convincing herself that it was just her, she took note of where Yang was going. It was the fountain, the only grand decoration in their surroundings excepting the tall, leafy trees separating the line of shops from the lake before them. The fountain was circular in design, with three round basins supported and stacked on its tower, all made out of white marble – a monolith, simple but tasteful, if only because of its age.
There was a couple already seated alongside the lowest basin's edge, but Yang seemed to want to sit on the other side, facing the waterfront several yards further ahead. Blake lowered herself down next to her companion, keeping her eyes on the blonde for any signs of what Yang was up to next. But Yang merely leaned forward, presumably admiring the lake, looking content enough. A seagull, perched on the railing away from them, let out a few short cries and then flew off. Lilac irises followed its course until they caught gold watching.
Yang was always beautiful, strikingly so. Blake didn't break eye contact.
"This is where I would have liked to watch the fireworks from," Yang eventually admitted in a quieter tone of voice. She turned back towards the water, and so did Blake. The lake was calm, although the introvert could still hear it lapping on some rocks somewhere below the railing, and despite the darkening clouds, the vastness the waterfront opened up to definitely would have promised an excellent sight to the carnival fireworks. "We could have sat here together and just relaxed, you know, with Weiss and…Ruby…" Yang gazed down at her boots and idly kicked the cement. "We missed them this year. For the first time."
Blake chastised herself. This wasn't a date. It wasn't even supposed to be about them as a couple. It was about trying to help Yang and being there for her. Blake allowing herself to be enraptured and swayed by her feelings for her girlfriend was selfish, especially knowing that romance was probably not on Yang's mind at the moment. Ruby was still in a coma, and if it saddened Blake, then she could only imagine how much more painful it must have been for the older sibling. "We'll see them next year," Blake tried to promise, being careful to not expressly say anything about Ruby. False hope was worse than…well, it was worse than telling the awful truth. And Blake hadn't done that yet, either, out of fear of crushing Yang's spirits even more.
"Yeah…" the golden girl's lilac eyes shifted up towards the sky, and then she sighed. "We should get going, before it rains."
Blake tilted her head. Yang was right. They were still on foot, and getting caught in the depressing weather wouldn't be pleasant for either of them. "Restaurant?" Blake suggested, standing and offering her hand for Yang to take again.
"Sure."
The duo decided to take the boardwalk, following the line of trees and eventually making their way back onto the sidewalk where the waterfront ended for the docks. It was further down the street that they found a small but cozy seafood restaurant to enter. A waitress led them to a table near the front window and left them with the menus. By the time they chose their meals and had the plates set down before them – a lobster tail for Yang and shrimp linguini for Blake – dusk had begun to make itself known.
They had been keeping relatively quiet since leaving the plaza, and now Yang was halfheartedly poking at her food, eating bits and pieces, but she was quite evidently not so hungry anymore. The waitress had initially offered them some wine, and Yang had agreed to a glass, but Blake had kept to water. She had watched her girlfriend for a while, eating slowly in her concern, but then decided to break the silence. "Something on your mind?"
Yang glanced up in surprise and then furrowed her eyebrows. "I just… There's something I've been wondering. I wasn't really sure how to bring it up."
"I'm listening," Blake assured, noting that this must have been quite serious if Yang couldn't immediately talk about it like she usually did. The Faunus put down her fork, giving the blonde her full attention.
Yang took a sip of her wine, the glass almost finished already. She deliberated and then asked, "Why…why did you sign us up to patrol without telling me? Or Weiss?" Lilac met golden intently.
Oh. Blake took a deep breath in and exhaled. She wasn't all that astonished the subject was coming back to bite her. "You're right. I should have spoken to you about it. Nothing really excuses the choice. I'm sorry."
Yang put her fork down, too. "Blake, I don't care. It's too late now, anyway. I just want to know why."
The refusal of the apology, along with the leading hesitance, made the raven-haired girl realize that Yang was bothered by what had been done – or rather, by what hadn't been done, really. And it was understandable. They had mutually agreed to be honest with each other and Blake, yet again, continued to keep some information to herself. She looked down at her plate, suddenly feeling her own appetite dwindle. "I…actually hadn't been entertaining the idea for very long. And when we spoke with Ozpin, I figured I'd approach him and Professor Goodwitch about it as soon as possible." It was Blake's turn to sigh. "Yang, we aren't going to be leaving Beacon or Vale for a little while. I had to find something for us to do, something that would keep our minds occupied. It seemed appropriate to keep ourselves in shape and practice being huntresses while we're waiting around. And if Ruby wakes up, she would probably want to get back on her feet the moment she could, too."
"What do you mean, 'if?'" Yang suddenly glared at her partner.
Blake instantaneously knew her mistake and regretted not taking the time to think before speaking. It was like this every time, wasn't it? She made mistakes when she acted or spoke too hastily. "I didn't – I didn't mean…" she stammered, and then stopped to try again more calmly. "That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?" Yang shot back, beginning to lose patience now. She leaned forward and said in a low, almost hissing tone, "You're acting like you're expecting us to be here all summer. We're not. As soon as Ruby wakes up and feels up to it, we're probably going to go back to Patch like we did last time."
It was in that moment that Blake knew she couldn't backpedal or extricate herself from the specific topic of the conversation without giving Yang another reason to not rely on her. As much as the introvert hated the present situation, she had to come clean – and even that wouldn't be damage-free. Proof of this was how Yang had just admitted to entertaining future plans with Ruby.
This was gut-wrenching.
"Look, Yang, I'm sorry. This is all so messed up and despite what the professors or what Weiss says, I hardly think I'm qualified to handle…everything. I am trying, but this isn't easy for me, either. I –" Blake interrupted herself.
She was trying her hardest to support Yang, to take on responsibility for the team and keep herself from cracking under the pressure, and every single time Ruby was mentioned, Yang attacked or distanced herself from Blake. It was one thing to command a group of individuals whom Blake had no attachment to and who, for all intents and purposes, knew almost nothing about her. It was an entirely different matter dealing with someone who had her heart in their hands and kept squeezing instead of being careful every time the situation seemed to totter.
"You what, Blake?" Yang insisted, still glaring.
And Blake was tired. She was trying, and Yang was putting Ruby first. It was normal, to a certain extent, but…
She happened to glance out the window, noticing how dark it had gotten outside. Most prevalently, though, the rain hitting the glass made everything seem heavier. "You aren't going to like this."
Yang opened her mouth, looking ready to challenge Blake yet again, but then her expression changed. It went from angered to reluctant in a heartbeat, and the blonde looked out the window, too. "Tell me anyway," she murmured, strained.
Blake put her napkin in her plate. She wasn't going to finish her food. "Auric comas last between two days and a week. The chances of waking up at any point past that are next to null." And there it was. The brutal truth.
Yang closed her eyes. She seemed fairly composed, but the pain was evident nevertheless, barely concealed behind those lids.
"Yang –"
"Can we…just go back to Beacon?"
Blake closed her mouth. There was nothing else she could say, and Yang wasn't sharing the thoughts on her mind. Returning to the academy seemed like their only sensible option now. Therefore, Blake slowly stood, glanced at Yang, and then went to take care of the bill.
When she returned to the table, Yang informed the Faunus that she had called a cab and that it would arrive within the next few minutes. Knowing they had to vacate the premises, they both then headed outside, staying near the entrance and close to the brick wall, where they were sheltered from the rain a little thanks to the restaurant's small awning. The pavement was wet, glossed over and pattering with rain, and bigger droplets kept hitting the ground in front of them, dripping from the awning's cloth. It was completely dark out, a street lamp illuminating the area they waited in. Blake supposed there might have been some beauty to be found in the scenery, but even with her night vision, she couldn't find it in herself to take the time to appreciate it. She was next to Yang, leaning against the wall, but there was a certain distance between them and it felt like miles rather than just a few inches.
This wasn't what she wanted.
The taxi parked nearby, and the girls hurried inside the car, quick to shut the doors. The muffled sound was abnormally loud after so much silence. Blake told the driver their destination and then settled back into the seat, crossing her arms. She wasn't angry. Well, she was, but not at Yang. She was angry at herself for those lapses of judgment, but she was especially frustrated with her inability to help.
Blake risked a glance at Yang. The golden girl was looking out the tinted window, melancholic, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. She might have been looking at Vale's bright city lights. She might have also just been looking at the trails of water gliding along the glass. Or…she could have been staring at absolutely nothing.
No, this wasn't what Blake wanted at all. She wanted Yang to be happy. This tension between them was the result of miscommunication, and Yang wasn't the only one to blame. Blake hadn't been forthright. She had assumed it better to wait, but clearly, that hadn't been the wisest decision. She wanted to make it better, to fix the problem and be close to Yang again…but the blonde was elsewhere now, the lost, absent look in her eyes sign enough that she wasn't ready for such a discussion.
Blake lowered her eyes sadly.
The couple didn't say another word the rest of the way back to Beacon. It was pouring by the time they disembarked from the airship, and even if they ran as fast as they could to get inside the academy, they nevertheless ended up a lot more wet than either of them were comfortable with. Blake's mood soured, intensely disliking the water, and was the first to get to the bathroom to exchange her damp clothes for her dry pajamas. She had every intention of just getting under the blankets, sleeping the night away, and making it up to Yang tomorrow.
But when Blake opened the bathroom door again, freshened up and ready for bed, it became obvious the evening wasn't quite over for her. Yang was up on her own bunk, but she hadn't changed. Only her boots were off, haphazardly kicked on the floor by the door. She wasn't even laying down – just sitting there against the wall, knees pulled up to her chest, gaze lost somewhere outside through the slit of the window that wasn't covered by the curtain. The darkness of the room did not hide from the Faunus the tears reflecting in lilac irises like little mirrors.
Blake's heart ached, and she knew she couldn't ignore Yang, couldn't humor her, or let this go on for another day. She had done enough of that, had believed that Yang would eventually come to Blake on her own if the bookworm was patient, but the situation was degrading. Tension between them or not, Blake would not idly stand by this time – she would go to Yang instead.
And so, Blake climbed up onto Yang's bunk, prudent and watchful of her companion's reaction, but there was barely an acknowledgment. She sat down, too, perpendicular to Yang, close enough to touch but not quite touching. A moment went by, shared in silence and stillness, but then Blake spoke – softly and without malice. "Yang, I'm here for you. Please, tell me what's on your mind. I want to help."
Yang sniffed, and at first it seemed like she was going to ignore her partner's presence since she didn't move or make any other sound. But then she turned her head and their eyes met. Blake's chest constricted when she saw the depth of despair looking back at her. Yang made a bit of choked noise, and then, "Ruby isn't going to…" her voice, already thick with emotion, broke. "She isn't going to wake up, is she?" A few tears – the only tears Blake had ever seen her cry – finally escaped and trickled down Yang's cheeks.
It was heartbreaking, gut-tearing, to see Yang in such a state – vulnerable, trying to hold herself together but ripping apart at the seams. And for all the world, Blake wished she could promise everything would be okay – but that was one thing she could not do, because it was a lie.
Yang's façade was crumbling piece by piece before Blake's very eyes.
And unfortunately, Blake's lacking response was an answer in itself. She felt horrible, and Yang stringing those few words together hit Blake harder than a train. Only now did she fully understand that Ruby's silver eyes might have become a thing of the past. There would be no more youthful encouragements, no more awkward yet equally charming conversations, no more innocent or adorable moments to laugh at… Ruby – their leader, their friend, their family – was going to be stuck in an aura-induced coma until she died.
"I failed, Blake," Yang suddenly croaked, and the bookworm's eyes widened.
"Why?" How could Yang have possibly…?
"I was supposed to take care of her!" Yang leaned to the side, resting her forehead against the wall as her legs uncurled a little. She shut her eyes tight and began to shake – Blake realized the blonde was still trying keep control. This lasted only a few seconds before she gasped and covered her face, her entire body racked with agonized sobs. "I promised her… I promised…"
Yang was inconsolable, unable to form complete sentences, whimpering between cries and still trying to breathe. Blake's vision blurred, but she reached out to Yang and pulled her trembling, damp form into her arms. Yang clung to her desperately, harder than she ever had before and feeding her tears to the Faunus' shoulder. Blake held on, too, wanting Yang to know that she didn't have to cope alone, that there was someone who cared enormously for her to lean on. "I'm here, Yang," she whispered, although she hardly believed it would help. "Come back to me." A ball of emotion in her throat was making her own voice thick, and she held her girlfriend closer. "Yang…? Hey, breathe…"
Yang was practically rasping, she was so choked up. And she seemed to try to calm herself, if only to pitifully moan, "Blake…" before collapsing into more tortured sobs, her grip on Blake never loosening, as if mortally afraid of being left alone.
It was all Blake could do to not fall apart, too. Teeth clenched, heat behind her eyes, she gently ran her fingers through Yang's hair, trying to comfort her the best she could. How long had Yang been pushing down her sorrow? How many times had she been forced to stop and convince herself over again that Ruby would open her eyes soon, just to keep from coming undone like this? It must have been her only anchor left. Her current state was such a torn mess, it was clear she'd lost her inner turmoil against hopelessness.
"She's all I have, Blake…" Yang's weeping had become quiet, pathetic cries, and she was still struggling to breathe without gasping for air.
Blake didn't take offense to this. Ruby held a greater place in Yang's life than she did, after all. "This isn't your fault," Blake murmured, but it had little effect on reassuring her girlfriend. She continued to hug Yang quietly and realized that she had even been rocking her a little, but she didn't stop. She waited, saddened and pained by Yang's hurt, knowing she had to be patient. It seemed so wrong for the brawler to be curled in on herself, clutching Blake to keep a hold on reality and regressed to the point of being just a scared, lost child. But Yang had been pretending to be strong, had been putting on a brave façade and smiling so that no one could imagine she carried a heavy burden of her own.
"I'm not going anywhere, Yang." Blake swayed softly, cradling the blonde in her arms and vowing the same words in her heart. She kissed the mane of gold by her face and sighed. "Shhh…"
And Yang, slowly, eventually, little by little, began to calm and breathe more regularly. Her grip loosened, her quivering became less pronounced, and after a while her crying receded to short snivels and difficult swallowing. They huddled together in mostly silence, preoccupied by their own thoughts, until Yang finally spoke again, voice hoarse and weak, "I don't know what I'm going to do, Blake. Ruby – I… I'm nothing without her." She took a shaky breath in and whimpered, "I couldn't save her…"
Blake may have been affected by the situation, too, and there was a part of her that felt the loss deeply, that wanted to mourn, but she needed Yang to stop blaming herself even more. Whatever was going through the golden girl's mind at the moment, it wasn't rational. "I couldn't save her, either," Blake replied, low and careful, "I tried to, like you did. Do you blame me for that failure?"
Yang turned her head, resting her cheek against Blake's shoulder. "…No. But you didn't have a responsibility towards her. She's my…she's my baby sister…"
"Yang, it was beyond both of us. Please, don't do this to yourself." Blake bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes, adamantly wishing her companion would just see her own worth.
Yang didn't say anything in response for quite some time, and Blake knew she would have to work on convincing her partner there was nothing else that could have been done. She would not let Yang be that harsh with herself.
After sniffing and leaning her forehead on Blake's shoulder this time, Yang managed to articulate in a small, broken voice – much to the raven-haired girl's distress – "I'm tired, Blake."
So am I. They were both exhausted. The past week had been hard on them on so many different levels. They needed some rest. "I know, Yang… I know." Blake took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled. An unrelated kind of pain took her, but she knew it was best if she asked the question. "Do you want me to stay?"
Yang's answer was given through a slight nod and by tightening her arms around the Faunus' waist. Blake's relief was instant, and she gently prompted Yang to move away enough so that they could lay down. It seemed that the blonde didn't care to change her clothes first – she just took her jacket off and let it fall to the floor before lying down on her back, one hand going up to cover a part of her face. Blake hesitantly reclined as well, and this time, it actually felt okay to not put so much effort into ensuring they weren't touching at all. Yang didn't flinch, and her arm came down to rest across her abdomen. Two lilac irises still reflected tears in the darkness, but at least she wasn't sobbing anymore.
"Goodnight, Yang," Blake whispered.
Yang was silent, and the raven-haired girl thought she would stay that way, but then she replied, "'Night, Blake."
It was with the rain pattering against the window and the distant rumbling of thunder that Blake drifted off into sleep. Her final thoughts were of Yang, hoping her girlfriend would find enough peace of mind to rest, too, if only for tonight.
I'm over here, like, "How can I edit this to make it as miserably tense and sad as possible?"
What did you guys think, my lovely readers? Anything I could have done better to make you cry? ^-^
I also added a few minor details to the conversation that happened with Pyrrha and Nora. Well, I mean, the whole chapter underwent minor edits, but that scene has the larger ones. Hope you liked it!
Stay tuned for the next chapter!