It was five o'clock in the morning and Yang can't get herself back to sleep again. After what it felt like an eternal day, she decided to go home, to Ruby, to her dad. Her family. Two of the most important people in her life who can make her feel much better no matter how horrible her mood or her day has become. She has always loved sleeping, but there are rare moments, like this one, where her head's just buzzing with so many thoughts. She had been through much worse before, when she was still adapting to her new prosthetic arm. But this one has been too shallow to deal with, yet she can't help it.
Her first meeting with Sun frankly left a good impression on her, she wouldn't deny the fact that Blake seemed to be really happy with him, and they're very compatible and comfortable with each other. At the same time, it also left her this unusual feeling of wanting to be with Mercury more, not in a sexual or romantic way, but just to get away from her bestfriend's love life. She could spend more quality time with Ruby, or Weiss, Jaune or Pyrrha, or any of her friends, but it kind of felt weird that the first person that came to her mind was Mercury.
Getting her phone from under her pillow, her eyes took a minute before adjusting with the light that lit up her face. Her fingers slowly scrolled up and down, her mind debating whether to press his contact or not, but she really felt the need to call him, even at this ungodly hour.
Still, she decided to press those numbers, come hell or high water.
First call; pure ringing. What the hell is she even thinking? He would wake up just to answer her call? Nope. Of course, he won't. He must have been sleeping so soundly he wouldn't even hear his phone's alarm.
Second call; it was pure ringing again. Yang knows she's being a bother, and she's annoying, but she couldn't tell this thing yet to her sister, and the only person she could tell this, she can't think of anyone at the moment, so it had to be him.
Third call; "Mercury, answer the goddamn phone!" she whispered out loud, even though she badly wanted to shout, she wouldn't take the risk of waking Ruby up just the room next to hers, besides it's so unpleasant to be yelling over a phone at such an early hour.
"What the hell is your problem, blondie?" Oh. And so he woke up, his voice obviously sounded like he's pissed off, very pissed off, and Yang was a little grateful they were just talking over the phone, because she wouldn't want to see how irritated he is at her right now. But damn, his morning voice is hot.
She gulped, and shot upright in her bed when he answered, for a minute she almost forgot the reason why she dialed in the first place, "Are you busy?"
"No, but I'm sleeping and that doesn't excuse you from –"
"I need your help." she tried to sound relaxed, that it wasn't keeping her awake all this time, but her mind already screams so much desperation.
And, scratch that, she doesn't need his help, she just wanted his presence.
"For what?" Mercury found himself talking to this woman once again, ever so loud, and he certainly won't take up any of her shit this early, "Will that cost your life if I don't?"
"Come on, don't be an ass, this is a matter of life and death."
"You're over reacting, so why did you called?" he said, with a low grunt. Yang should be thankful enough that he answered her, even if it took him three times before doing so.
"Are you free today?" she bit her bottom lip, waiting for his reply that felt like there was a moment of deep thinking like her question would expose a deadly secret during an interrogation.
"And what if I am?"
"Good," she threw herself on her bed again, letting out a sigh of relief as if that will be so easy, "because Blake invited me over to her date with Sun and I don't want to be a fucking third wheel."
"And then?"
"And then in other words, I need you." Yang tightened her grip on her phone as she mentioned the latter. It felt so unusual of her to be asking so much for someone's presence, when in the past years, for all her life, she can pretty much handle herself and even beat dickheads with just her fists.
"You can just tell her straight up no. Why can't you refuse?"
She could have just said no, he was right about that, and his frankness was a mere form of slapping her the reality and how stupid she is, "It wasn't that easy, you know that."
"Well, what if I say no?"
"Oh, God…don't make this thing hard for me, please?" Fuck. She briefly closed her eyes, and then hugged one of her pillows as if those can give her enough emotional support. She kind of expected this one, knowing how she's aware of sounding so demanding and untimely, of course he's going to let her plead for it, "Please?"
He took a sharp intake of breath, and Yang was able to hear it so clearly, like he was being hesitant about it but then realizing immediately how he has nothing better off to do with the day so he might as well bite some thrill, "Just make sure this is going to be worth my time."
There was a shy smile that formed in her lips, and she can't help it, "I can't promise you that."
"Tell me the details."
"Six o'clock in the evening, at the classic restaurant near the bay? Are you familiar with that?"
"How romantic." he deadpanned, with a subtle tone of sarcasm because he was never one to do something like that, not even once with Emerald.
"I know, right?"
"And it's dinner."
"Yeah, well, can we meet ahead of the time?" she tried to sound like she was just asking him out casually, but maybe a lot eager than what she intended to be.
"Why? Already miss me?" he chuckled, and partly he wasn't wrong.
"I – I want to go look for a dress."
"Yang, are you kidding me? I'm not going on a shopping galore –"
"Can you let me finish talking first? We'll buy clothes together, and I'll bring my little sister with me. She might help, she knows how to dress especially in these kinds of occasions."
If she can only visibly see him right now, he would have rolled his eyes already, "Why the need to dress up for people?"
That question came out as if that was such a terrible thing to do, and Yang didn't know how to respond before she mustered up something again, "It's not like that, do I even have to explain this?"
"Of course, I know, I was just testing you out."
"What do you mean?" somehow, she can feel her chest thump faster because of his vague answer, it was probably out of uncertainty and for whatever reason, she really hoped he wasn't mad at her or felt like he was being forced.
"To make sure you're not pleasing her, but you're dressing up because you already have a partner."
Yang sighed, "Of course, you're my date!" she wanted to see the look on his face, and she wanted to stop herself from giggling as an initial reaction, but she did. Mercury sounded someone she can't decipher, was that supposed to be jealousy? Or someone who was just trying to be friendly? Who knows, it could be difficult knowing especially talking over the phone, without seeing their faces in particular, "Don't get me wrong."
"So you'll introduce me later, finally." the way he said the latter wasn't subtle anymore with the sarcasm. Things were going pretty fast, and it wouldn't take so much time for them to actually spend a lot of moments with only each other as fake partners. Little did the both of them know how it would pan out, until it ends. One could probably tell, but it's not always in accordance to what was originally planned.
Just go with the flow, they said.
"Yeah."
"If you want this to turn out how you wanted it to be, if you want this convincing enough, then don't hold back."
"Okay, so are you giving me tips now?"
"Just some reminders, or you're going to put us both in the most awkward and embarrassing display ever later on. You wouldn't want that, would you?"
"I never said I wanted that."
"Good. So, see you later, sweetheart?" a wide, beaming smile plastered on Yang's face as Mercury called out to her an endearment, which was of course, a joke, but she did not expected that. Thankfully, there was no one with her right now and she's completely alone in her bed, she could smile all she want without having to think of somebody seeing her. It was a relief, a huge relief, to have him now.
And she can barely wait to see him. Again.
"See you, honey." she dropped the line thinking of so many possibilities happening with their date, but maybe with him, it might work out neatly.
"Yang?" Ruby's voice coming from her door almost made her jump out of bed, Yang didn't notice somebody actually opening it or knocking, for she was engrossed in talking to Mercury.
"Hey, Rubes, good morning." she pretended that didn't surprised her to death, and scarred her for life. It would have been a lot creepier if she had noticed her figure before she spoke, for it was still a little dark in her room and the sun was just gradually rising.
"Good morning, sis."
"What makes you up this early?"
"I was just checking if you're already here, I think I fell asleep trying to wait for you last night."
"Yeah, I'm sorry, I think I should make it up to you." she gestured Ruby to come in and sit beside her, when she did, Yang never have to think twice of actually telling her about it and felt like a child on the inside when she clutched her arm.
"I have a date!" Yang felt a bit weird but nonetheless still enthusiastic, since when did she feel so excited about having a date? The teenager feels are rushing back to her in an instant, and it felt quite nice. At least she's feeling all of these youngster stuff again other than satisfying her bitter self in shady bars or clubs.
"With whom? A friend?" it wasn't the first time as long as she could remember that Yang told her anything about having dates, or friendly dates, to be exact. So she really wasn't the most interested about it, because it could be just someone she knew of, too. Although her surprisingly good mood tells otherwise.
"With my boyfriend!"
"Oh my gosh, what?" Ruby's eyes widened and held her cheeks, realizing it wasn't a friendly date, but a romantic date, this time. This is definitely something new for her, and she won't let it pass, "You have a boyfriend?!"
"You will meet him later." Yang made silly finger guns and winked at her, as Ruby felt so giddy about this whole thing because finally, her sister is having a love life.