Hello! Welcome back. Hi. How have you been? I've been doing pretty alright, actually. It's been a slow crawl, but here it is. The next chapter. And you know what else? I've already written down the next 2 chapters, and they'll be coming out very very soon after this one. I hope you really do enjoy this story as we come closer to the end.
Walking. One foot after the other. Two steps, left then right. Easy. Yang gripped the bars tight, the muscles in her arms flexing and she shuffled the first foot forward. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face, collecting at the point of her chin and dripping down onto the floor. She stared at her feet, intense and determined. She willed, willed with everything in her mind for her feet to move, and watching her toes twitch and slowly curl as she slowly lifted one foot, hovering it above the ground, moving it forward, and placing it back down.
Yang let out a laboured breath, then repeated the process with her other foot. Then repeated the process. And again. And again, arms still in their vice grip on the bar, moving in time with the motion of her body.
Walking. One foot after the other. Two steps, left then right. Easy.
Before too long, before Yang could even register it, the bars stopped. There wasn't any bar to hold onto anymore. She jerked her head up, looking forward. Then she let go, and leaned forward.
Ruby caught her, swift and easy and without hesitation. She grunted a little as she held the weight of her sister up, but the bright grin split on her face as Yang laughed breathlessly.
"Nothing to it," Yang breathed out, hugging her baby sister. "Nothing to it."
"Nothing to it," Ruby squeezed the blonde before leading her to her wheelchair. Yang sat down with a little thump, sweat matting her hair onto her forehead. She exhaled loudly, wiping the sweat off her brow. Ruby beamed endlessly at her, passing her a bottle of water, which she took a swig of gratefully.
Months.
Months of physical therapy, and here she was, barely able to walk again.
It was exhausting, and it wasn't much, but it was progress damn it, and she was happy. She was grateful, and she was happy. Yang leaned into the chair, more calm and relaxed than she had been in a long time, strangely.
"Blake's coming over in a little while so she's gonna bring you home," Ruby locked her phone and pocketed it, resting her chin on the bars as she eyed Yang cheerily. It was odd, but the kind of odd Yang had grown to expect from her baby sister. She could do anything with enough cheer if she tried hard enough. As a matter of fact, Ruby probably didn't even have to try very hard to achieve that. It was just one of those things she had easily inherited from their mother, almost like it was her birthright. Yang was alright with that. She shined in her own way.
Still, Ruby was looking at her, wide-eyed and smiling with her chin smushed into her arm, and okay, Yang was going to have to take the bait eventually.
"Something on my face, Rubes? You can't seem to get that smile off of yours," Yang cocked an eyebrow.
"Oh, well, y'know," Ruby said, pushing off the arm bars, kicking that easy gait around as she paced around the room, smile still plastered on her face. "Blake's coming over," she shrugged. "And the two of you are going to be here," Ruby stopped, turning to look at her older sister, her smile now both innocent and sinister. "Alone. Together. Alone."
"Oh. Yeah," Yang shrunk into herself a little bit, looking at her legs in thought. She flickered her gaze up to Ruby. "Yeah?"
"She's going to help you finish your exercises, and then take you home. Yeah," Ruby tucked a lock of her behind her ear. She paused, then nodded. "Yeah."
"Yeah?" Yang hoped her voice didn't betray the lilt of hope she had in it. It was... well, she wouldn't exactly call it stupid.
Oh, but it could be categorized into several different layers and levels of stupid, truth be told.
The thing was, it had been months, and Blake had broken up with Sun a while ago, but Yang hadn't thought to make any move.
That was a lie, Yang had thought about making moves. Many, many moves. Inappropriate, dirty moves. It wasn't her fault that the wheelchair was at perfect butt level, and that Blake's butt level was perfect too.
But more seriously, she had resisted any actual thoughts about her relationship with Blake past 'Caring Friend'. There was always something else to do, something more to focus on, and it never felt like the right time. Of course, that was basically the story of the Ballad of Blake and Yang, but in any case, Yang wasn't going to make the first move. Not in a wheelchair, not during physical therapy, not while Blake had only just broken up with her boyfriend like 2 months ago- basically just not right now.
Still, there was that little niggling feeling of why not?
And damn it all if that feeling, that little voice, wasn't the most tempting thing to give over to.
Yang sighed internally. It was a complex situation, and it was an awkward time, and it was a weird thought, and all the signs pointed to Wait for It, but the way the wind blew sounded more like My Shot. Or maybe she shouldn't take love advice from Hamilton.
"Yang," Ruby said, and her silver eyes met Yang's violet eyes, breaking her out of her train of thought. Yang couldn't help but realize again and again how much older that little munchkin had gotten while she had been lost in her own world. "Don't throw away your shot."
Yang scoffed, a smile blooming on her face. "Don't be a nerd," she shoved Ruby's shoulder.
Ruby held her phone up. "I can see your Spotify playlists. I didn't realize you would be so into musicals," she mock whispered, giggling. Yang swatted at her sister, who dodged easily out of the way, what with both of her legs fully functioning and everything. Some people really did have it easy.
"Go hang out with your billionaire girlfriend, you little monster," Yang folded her arms in mock-grump. Ruby giggled again.
"That I will do," she checked her phone, then smiled, pocketing it again in her hoodie. "Your lady is here, and so mine awaits," Ruby bowed a little bit, turning it into a firm hug, before grabbing her bag and dashing out of the room. Yang smiled. Mature as she was, she was still dorky little Ruby Rose. And that was good.
Yang had to stop the little hitch in her breath when Blake gripped her by the waist, helping her hoist herself up onto the passenger seat of the car. Her fingers were warm, and her presence was a little more than welcome, and her tank top had ridden up just so, and the bare skin contact was-
Maddening. Absolutely maddening. Yang settled into her seat properly, bucking her seat-belt as Blake shoved the folded up wheelchair into the trunk, and slid into the driver's side.
It was like this sometimes, when spending time with Blake turned from enjoyable activity to unbearable situation.
Not because Blake was boring, or overbearing, or annoying. No, Blake was the perfect companion for Yang in her time of need. She was accommodating, thoughtful, and helpful beyond, far beyond reason. She wasn't pitying or overly worried about Yang. Blake knew when to swoop in and when to pull back, and Yang was eternally grateful to her for being such a fantastic person. None of these were the reasons why being with Blake was becoming unbearable.
It was how many times they got close- so close to each other, and that all Yang wanted to do was take Blake's lips in her own, and finally have a proper way to convey all the feelings she felt- gratitude, relief, happiness, passion- without any complications. Of course, even the thought of it was enough to drive Yang up a wall as she stewed in something like guilt. It was driving her insane. She was half convinced that Blake knew this and was just doing it on purpose. Because Blake would do things like lean in close to fix the topmost button on Yang's shirt, her face just inches away, or help yang re-dress the bandages on her arm or worry the little scars on her neck. More than likely it was Yang being more than hyper-aware of Blake and Blake's every little movement.
"Are you hungry?" Blake asked as she drew her own seat-belt. She paused for a second, drawing up a finger to silence Yang's response. It was probably going to be a sarcastic one too. "Don't answer. I know you are. How about sushi? My treat," Blake smiled one of those muted little smiles she had as she cast a little glance at her passenger, who had equal parts happy and confused written on her face. Blake silenced her again. "The nurse was telling me about the good progress you've been making. So, yes, I'd say this would be cause for celebration."
Yang nodded once. "Yes please. I love you."
Blake blushed, and Yang couldn't have been happier. The peeled out of the parking lot, the air filled with comfortable conversation. There was a spark that was struck with Yang's comment, both of them could feel it. Something dangerous had started.
"It's raw fish," Yang poked at it with a chopstick, her nose scrunched up a little bit. Blake quirked a brow.
"And?"
Yang shot her a look. "You don't have any problem with eating raw fish."
Blake's gaze narrowed at Yang, her bow twitching a little bit. Yang bit her tongue, trying to suppress her smile.
"I don't have a problem with eating sushi," Blake swatted Yang's chopsticks with her own, and grabbed the piece, popping it into her mouth in one swift motion. Her face was impassive as she chewed, almost daring Yang to speak. Yang only smiled wide, propping her chin firmly in her palm. Her expression was something like dreamy, and her gaze never left Blake's. Blake swallowed. "What?"
Yang shrugged, clumsily grabbing hold of her own piece of sushi. "Oh, nothing," she said, and if Yang being Yang herself didn't already betray the authenticity of those words, her smile certainly did.
"Yang," Blake said, with one of those inflections, the little furrow of tone, burying a demand and a question into the word. Yang had long since grown used to it, already well versed in what each call of her name asked of her. And Yang would provide, inevitably, Blake with whatever it was she asked for. She always did. The thought made her want to sigh.
"Blake," Yang began, her tone measured, like she was stepping on a frozen lake, trying to test the ice, seeing if it would hold her weight. It was a peculiar thing, seeing Yang being slow, cautious, tempered. It was almost antithetical to her entire attitude. But it figured that the firecracker would be the one most careful over a thin sheet of frozen water.
And this certainly felt like it. Iced over, slippery and cold, crackling here and there. Whatever Yang was about to venture into, it was to be a careful, slow process. It made the hairs on Blake's neck stand on end, clenching her gut with anticipation. Some part of her recognized the direction the day was about to head into, and some part of her enjoyed it, anticipated it excitedly. A part of her that cried out God, yes, finally!
Blake's more cautious, doubtful side took the wheel. It always did.
Yang put her piece of sushi down, tapping the plate with her chopsticks as she searched her mind for the right words. This had to be done right. This was something important. It was one of the only things that actually mattered. God help her, she wasn't going to mess this up.
"I-" Yang looked up, and her eyes immediately locked onto Blake's own, those golden orbs speaking volumes on their own. Suddenly she didn't have to think so hard to find the right words. They were right there, written in the dancing colour of Blake's eyes. The right words were her next words, and Yang's fear rose inside her. At the same time, so did her will. It was paradoxical, it was stupid, and it was what Blake did to her on a daily basis. Yang swallowed thickly, composing herself, never letting her line of sight wander from Blake.
"I meant what I said before," Yang said, her voice holding no hesitation, her conviction never lacking. "I meant it when I said I love you," she was convinced, she was absolutely certain that this time, this time, it would be better. "I've always meant it, Blake. I can't imagine a life where I don't."
Blake remained still, absolutely still. A boat in open sea, suddenly finding itself in a hurricane, only she quite enjoyed the rain, and the waters weren't as choppy as she had thought it would be. She didn't say anything, wanting to let Yang say her peace first. The sushi was all but forgotten, and the restaurant faded to black, and it was only the two of them there. It was only Yang and Blake, and they were almost back in a closet, with the roar of a party outside, and the terribly strange, terribly quick thumping of their hearts in sync with each other.
"Blake, I'm terrified. I've never been this scared, about anything," Yang's voice was barely a whisper. "I love you so much it scares me. That's never happened to me before," she ran a hand through her hair, the first sign of her nerves showing. "I don't know what to do about it."
Yang sighed, clenching a fist and leaning back, almost shrinking into herself. "I've never felt like this before about anybody, and when-" she swallowed thickly, shaking her head slightly. "When you- when it didn't work out. I could have just... burst into flames," Yang laughed airily. "I couldn't handle the thought that you didn't feel the same way about me. I felt like I was going to die if I couldn't be with you. And I couldn't be with you, so I guess I almost did die. It was stupid, and it was my fault."
"So we're here again, and I want to try again, Blake. I know I was an idiot. A big idiot. But I'm crazy about you. I'm sick in love with you."
The blonde's hand came down onto the table, a slight and quick motion of her arm, just a hair's breadth away from Blake's own. There they lay, palm down, fingers slightly uncurled. They were rough and calloused but the act betrayed the tenderness that Yang possessed. It showed the vulnerability that Yang only dared to show her. It didn't move from it's spot, but there it was. There she was. Blake broke their gaze to flicker a quick look at Yang's hand. When she looked back, she knew the ball was in her court now.
"Yang," Blake said, and she hoped she didn't give away too much just from the tone of her voice alone. She knew how well Yang had gotten at reading her, even though to an outsider, her tone seemed to be stuck in between monotone and monotone plus.
No, she hoped Yang hadn't picked up on what she wanted to say before she said it.
After all, she didn't want to give away too many spoilers.
Blake moved her hand forward, placing it over Yang's own. Her thumb brushed against Yang's palm, and her index managed to find Yang's pulse point, which she was exhilarated to find was beating just as fast as hers. She grabbed hold, and the barest of smiles graced her features.
Well, maybe just one tiny little spoiler.
"Let's go home, Yang," Blake said, her smile slowly growing as she watched Yang's expression morph through the various stages of shock she was going through. Blake got up, fishing some money out of her purse before grabbing the wheelchair and wheeling an almost catatonic Yang out of the restaurant.
It was only in the car when Blake decided to take pity. Before pulling out of the parking lot, she flickered a glance at her right hand. Slowly, cautiously, she reached over, intertwining her fingers with Yang's own. She said nothing more, and started the drive home.
In the occasional glance to her right, Blake's heart almost jumped when she saw Yang's dopey little smile. Especially since she knew her own face carried the same expression.
"I'm sorry," Blake had said once they were on their way up to the loft.
"What for?" Yang had asked, craning her neck to look at the raven-haired girl behind her.
"For everything that happened," Blake shrugged slightly, biting the inside of her cheek. "I'm sorry."
"It wasn't your fault," Yang smiled. Silence hung still in the air for a little while, before Yang spoke again. "Hey, don't be so down on yourself. Here, let me cheer you up. How would you like to go out tomorrow?"
Blake had given her a look. "Go out?"
"Yes, go out," Yang wrung her hands. "On a date with me," she flashed a winning smile.
"Well you've already told me how you feel Yang, so all the mystery's already gone," Blake smirked.
"I'm not hearing a no."
"You're also not hearing a yes."
Yang turned around in her seat, with more than a little effort. "Blake. I'm taking you out on a date."
Blake laughed a little bit. "Okay, Yang."
And that was how Yang found herself in her room, restless and stumped. She'd been more than a little excited at the prospect of an actual date, but it had only now come to her that she didn't actually know what to do.
Rather, she had some very very grand ideas that seemed to always fall short in the execution. She supposed it would be too expensive to hire a skywriter on such short notice, and she didn't think she had enough money or time to bring Blake to those fancy restaurants Uncle Qrow had sometimes fancied bringing his nieces to, if only to laugh at the stuffy suits that occupied the place. Yang supposed she could bring her to the pizza place that Mom had always brought Ruby and her.
But Ruby had already done that to score with Weiss, and no way was Yang going to cop her little sister's moves.
Although, it had worked really really well...
No, Yang decided. She didn't want to bring Blake there just yet anyway. This was going to be their first date. Yang wanted to give Blake an amazing time, something she had never done before.
"Rubes!" Yang called out, wheeling her chair back to poke her head out of her door. There was a faint bang and crash, before light footsteps sprinted their way down the hallway. Ruby appeared in her room, breathless and wide-eyed in panic. Yang chuckled.
"Don't worry you spaz, I'm fine," she waved a hand dismissively.
Ruby visibly relaxed, breathing out and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Whaddaya need sis?"
"Well..." Yang leaned into her chair, wheeling back in what could only be described as a cocky manner. No easy feat for regular people, but luckily she was Yang Xiao Long, and she was the woman of impossibles. "Yours truly may or may not have scored a date," Yang waggled her eyebrows and flashed a grin.
Ruby quirked a brow. "What? With who?"
Yang paused, going silent and giving Ruby a moment to put two and two together.
Realization slowly dawned on Ruby's face, her mouth slowly forming an O, and she gasped in a huge breath. "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-"
Yang wheeled past her catatonic sister and shut her door. It had a marginal effect on her little sister's squeals of excitement. She had no doubt the other tenants of the loft had heard it, but they were all already so used to Ruby's various sounds and squeaks, nobody would bother.
"You'regoingonadatewithblake?" Ruby whisper-squeaked, bouncing up and down in excitement. Literally bouncing up and down. Yang reached up and steadied her sister, placing her hands on her shoulders. Yang shushed her baby sister up, laughing all the while. Her excitement was a little more than contagious, and she didn't deny her own excitement over the prospect.
"I'm going on a date with Blake," Yang giggled, almost giddy at the thought. "Okay, yes, I am. Okay. I need your help."
"You need my help?" Ruby stopped bouncing, her face morphing from the unadulterated excitement to incorporate a little bit more than a smidge of cockiness. Truly, the pair were sisters. "You've come to the right place. I suppose you've heard of my legendary first date with a certain billionaire heiress CEO cutie?"
Yang wrinkled her nose. "Gross," she said. "But no, I'm not going to cop your idea. I just need your help coming up with a plan."
"A plan."
"Yes, Ruby. I want to give Blake the best first date she's ever had. I want to do something that she's never done before," Yang said.
Ruby held up a hand, silencing her sister. "Say no more, padawan. Here's the plan..."