Author's note: I am so sorry about that wait y'all, I blame Thanksgiving. That being said, I'm happy with how this turned out and I hope you enjoy!
"You know, you have much better taste in movies than Ruby," Yang said as she closed her laptop.
"I can't say the same for you," Blake replied with a smirk. She could feel a question on the tip of her tongue, but she was reluctant to ask.
"What's up?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow in concern.
"I have a question," Blake admitted. "But I'm not sure how appropriate it is."
"Lemme guess: you want to know why I don't use a prosthetic," she said, smiling slightly when Blake's surprise showed on her face. "If you're hesitating to ask, it probably has to do with my arm. Plus I kinda thought it would come up after meeting Mercury," Yang explained casually, and Blake couldn't help but be impressed. They'd met Mercury at their first rehearsal and while he wasn't Blake's favorite person in the world she was glad Yang had someone who could relate to her situation.
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to," she said.
"I don't mind," Yang insisted. "The short version is I don't need one," she said nonchalantly.
"And the long version?" Blake asked, raising an eyebrow as she sensed there was more to it than that.
"Is long?" Yang offered, chuckling at Blake's unimpressed look before growing serious. "I actually wanted one at first. We met with a doctor about a month after the accident to talk about my options for a prosthetic. I'd spent the last month unable to even get dressed on my own and I… I just wanted to feel normal again," she admitted, quieter than Blake was used to. She squeezed the blonde's hand in encouragement.
"She took us through the steps we needed to take, from getting fitted for a prosthetic all the way to the physical therapy I'd need to learn how to use it. And I was okay with that, I knew it would take time...but then she told us how long. If I went through with it, there was a good chance that I wouldn't graduate on time," she explained.
"And you just wanted out," Blake said, realizing what happened.
"The thought of being in Patch any longer than I had to terrified me. So, I jumped back into school even though I wasn't ready for it. Somehow I made it to graduation, but I didn't start really dealing with what happened until this summer. That's also when we started looking at prosthetics again," Yang said, seemingly finding it easier to talk about the more she continued.
"How did it go?"
"Well, functional prosthetics are really expensive for starters. I've got a single dad putting two daughters through college and insurance doesn't cover a lot. You have to pay for the prosthetic itself, which won't last forever anyway, and the physical therapy to learn how to use it. Plus I'm missing my elbow which makes it even more expensive. Turns out it's a pretty important joint," she joked. "Even if money wasn't an issue, I didn't want one. I still don't want one," she said more seriously.
"Would it bother you if asked why?" Blake asked.
"I don't need it," Yang said simply. Blake thought she was going to leave it at that until she let out a small sigh. "When we discussed it over the summer, everyone talked about it like it would help me get back to normal. Except that for the last six months living with one arm was my normal. Sure it's not the same kind of normal as everyone else but that's okay. It's just taken...it's just taking me awhile to get used to it," she said. "Besides, a prosthetic wouldn't magically fix the problems I still have," she added with a shrug.
"Like the stares?" Blake asked.
"Like the stares," Yang confirmed, a small but genuine smile on her face. "And other...stuff," she said lamely. Blake raised an eyebrow.
"Like…?" she asked. She could see Yang internally debating.
"It's not a big deal, don't worry about it," she said after a moment, clearing backing down from her previous statement. Blake easily saw the lie for what it was; the blonde's eyes were too expressive to hide that something else did bother her.
"You can talk to me," Blake urged gently, knowing it would do her good.
"It's dumb," Yang said dismissively, shaking her head before meeting Blake's gaze. Apparently Blake gave off the supportive air she was going for, because Yang let out a small sigh. "I...I'm still getting used to looking at myself," she admitted, her voice too small, too quiet. Blake's eyes widened, not expecting that answer.
"Yang…"
"It took me months before I could look at myself in a mirror, and when I did I-" her voice caught in her throat. Blake could see her take a deep breath and she steeled herself for what her friend would say next.
"I hated what I saw."
The amount of self loathing in her voice broke Blake's heart. How could someone so wonderful think so little of herself? Blake wasn't a hugger, but she knew Yang was so she wrapped her arms around her, hoping to give her some comfort. When Yang gave her a small squeeze before letting her go Blake knew she made the right decision.
"I know there's nothing wrong me. I know I'm more than my arm. And I'm okay with having just one, really I am," she insisted, and Blake knew enough about her to know it was truth, even if she could see her fighting to keep her voice steady. She rubbed her shoulders in soothing circles, letting her talk through it. "Which is why I know it's stupid and I shouldn't be insecure about it. And it's gotten better but...I still have bad days sometimes. I look in the mirror and all I can see is a stump," she admitted, her gaze focused on the arm in question.
"Well for what it's worth...I think you're beautiful," Blake said, offering her a small smile. Yang's head snapped up, meeting Blake's gaze with an expression she couldn't place.
"You don't have to do that," she said quietly as she looked away. Blake frowned.
"I'm serious. Yang, you're one of the most beautiful women I've ever met, inside and out, one arm or two," she insisted. Gently she place a hand on Yang's face, moving to look her in the eye. "And I'm not just saying that because I'm your friend," she added. Time seemed to stand still for a moment as they stared at each other, with less distance between them than Blake intended. The spell was broken when Yang hid her head in her knees, likely to hide the deep red Blake caught on her cheeks.
"No one's ever called me that before," she whispered, quiet enough the Blake might not have heard it without her second set of ears.
"What?" Blake asked with a flat disbelief. Yang lifted her head, cheeks not quite as red now.
"I mean, I know I was...am attractive," she began, and Blake was proud of her correction even if she was a bit saddened by the fact that Yang would use past tense at all. "But I've always been called hot or sexy. Well that or I'd be 'complimented' on my breasts," she explained, rolling her eyes. "I guess what I'm trying to say is...thanks," Yang said with a shy smile. Blake smiled back, when suddenly an idea came to her.
"Say, would you feel like going out tonight?" she asked. Yang stared at her for a moment.
"Who are you and what have you done with my roommate?" she asked, confused.
"I'm her evil twin and I'm planning to kidnap you," Blake deadpanned, giving Yang a smirk. Yang must've found it funny because she burst into laughter, causing Blake to smile. "Sun and Neptune are planning to check out Cosmos tonight and invited me along. I'd rather not be their third wheel," she said, trusting Yang to catch her meaning.
"Ooh, I've been wanting to check it out. They'll let us in even though we're eighteen right?" she asked. Blake nodded.
"They'll give us a mark so that the bartenders know we're underage, but yes. Have you ever been to a gay bar before?" she asked with a mischievous smile. Yang snorted.
"Yeah, we have tons back in Patch," she deadpanned. "What about you?"
"I have not."
"I guess there's a first time for everything!" Yang said cheerfully. "It'll be nice to share mine with someone special," she added with a playful wink.
"I would be honored to be your first," Blake said, playing along with a smirk of her own.
Once they'd agreed to go out, Yang declared that she was going all out. It wasn't until they were getting ready to meet Sun and Neptune that Blake understood what that meant.
...which was why she was currently gawking at her roommate. Her golden low cut top accentuated her curves in the best way, as did her black miniskirt and black thigh high stockings. Yang was already taller than her despite the fact that Blake usually wore heels, and the not-so-small heel on her black ankle boots made her even taller.
In short, she looked good.
A lot better than good if Blake was being honest.
Blake on the other hand felt a little underdressed in comparison. She'd gone with black skinny jeans and her favorite black boots, along with a simple gray and purple crop top. Apparently Yang thought she looked fine if the wolf whistle she gave was any indication.
"Daaaaamn girl," she complimented, looking Blake up and down.
"You're one to talk," she said pointed out with a smirk before a knock on the door caught their attention. "I hope you don't mind if I bring a friend," Blake said as she welcomed Sun and Neptune. She didn't miss the mischievous glint in his eyes as he looked from her to Yang.
"Not at all," Sun said, giving her a knowing wink. Blake rolled her eyes as they started the short walk to Cosmos. "I'm surprised you decided to come, Blake," he said, making small talk.
"Isn't college supposed to be about trying new things?" Blake shot back easily. "Besides, I'm sure it will be fun," she said, sharing a smile with Yang. She didn't miss the smile that grew on Sun and Neptune's faces but fortunately Yang did. They got into the club with no incident, albeit with stamps that identified them as underage.
The inside of the club wasn't as loud as Blake was expecting, which she was immediately grateful for. Some people danced to the music, some chatted at the bar, and some were scattered throughout the club, making conversation with whoever was around them. There was a nice mix of human and faunus patrons, which Blake was immediately grateful for. She'd read that Cosmos was a faunus-friendly environment, but reading and seeing were two different things. Unsure of what to do, they were soon greeted by a pair of women, both brunettes but one a human and the other a rabbit faunus.
"I take it this is your first time at Cosmos?" the human woman asked, clearly amused as she wrapped an arm around her companion's waist.
"That obvious?" Yang asked with a nervous chuckle.
"There's nothing to be nervous about; we're all friends here. I'm Velvet, and this is Coco," Velvet introduced. "Aren't you four in the Theatre program at Vale? I swear I've seen you around the department. Coco and I are second years," she said.
"Yeah, we are!" Sun replied, with an enthusiasm shared by the rest of the group. They shared small talk for a while and soon the group's initial nervousness faded away. Eventually Sun and Neptune went to dance while Coco and Velvet met up with some other friends. Yang and Blake fell into a comfortable silence as they people watched, until Blake spoke up.
"You're awfully quiet," she observed. She would've have been concerned had it not been for the look of wonder she saw in Yang's eyes.
"I'm not used to seeing people being so open," Yang admitted, eyes dancing from couple to couple. "It's...really great," she said, unable to hide her happiness. Blake couldn't help but smile.
"See anyone you want to flirt with?" she teased, satisfied when she could see Yang flush despite the darker lights of the club.
"N-no, I'm fine just watching tonight," she stammered before something caught her attention and she gasped. "I love this song!" Yang said, almost jumping in place. "Dance with me?" she asked almost shyly, offering her hand to Blake.
If it had been anyone else, Blake would have said no, she doesn't dance. If it had been anyone else she probably wouldn't be in a club in the first place. But this wasn't just anyone asking; it was Yang. Sweet, kind, beautiful Yang, with an endearing nervousness and a hint of hope in her lilac eyes. God, Blake could get lost in those eyes.
"I would love to," Blake said with a genuine smile, a smile that grew bigger as the already sunny blonde lit up. She took Yang's hand and let the girl lead her to the dance floor, and it didn't take them long to find their rhythm together.
"You're a great dancer!" Yang complimented as they moved in time with the beat.
"You're not bad yourself," Blake returned, comfortable enough to wrap her arms around Yang's neck as they swayed, and she soon felt a hand on her hip. To her surprise the intimate gesture felt natural, though she could see the question on Yang's face: Is this okay? Blake merely smiled in response, content to keep on dancing with her.
It didn't take long for Yang's nervousness to seemingly fade, and soon Blake swore she heard her start to hum along with music. They danced like that for the rest of the song, and for the rest of the next song and the next song, until Sun and Neptune came over to them.
"Hey guys, we're about to head out," Sun said.
"What time is it?" Blake asked as Yang pulled out her phone.
"Oh shit," the blonde muttered, showing the time to Blake: it was almost two in the morning. "Yeah, we should probably go too," Yang said and Blake agreed.
"You two looked like you were having fun," Sun said with a knowing smirk as they started the trip home. Blake fought back a blush and she could have sworn she saw Yang do the same.
"It was nice," Blake admitted, sending a glare to Sun to tell him to drop it. When he held up his hands in self defense she knew he received the message.
"Oh shit," Yang repeated as they got to their door, her cheeks now a shade of red that rivaled Pyrrha's hair as she looked at her phone. Blake raised an eyebrow, frowning when Sun and Neptune immediately fled the scene looking very guilty. Reluctantly she pulled out her own phone to find a couple dozen messages from the groupchat they had with their friends when she found the source Yang's blush: about five or so pictures of the two of them dancing very closely.
She was going to kill them.