Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with RWBY.
Author's Note: And we've reached the halfway point! Thank you so much everyone for the reviews, favourites and alerts on the previous chapter. You've been making this author so happy reading all the sweet things you've said! Also, was it just me or did this week feel really loooong?
There's a bit of abuse talk in this chapter so heads up for that.
Thank you to my good friend Callum for proof reading this chapter for me. :D
I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Lots of bees!
Reeves3.
Chapter Six
"So, how did that feel?"
Blake let out the breath she had been holding in her tense stomach for the last minute. Yang had guided her to the deep end as she frog kicked using the noodle to stay afloat. It was nerve-wracking beyond belief but she had made it and was proud of herself.
"It wasn't too bad," she admitted, still she clung to the edge of the pool for dear life.
"Well I think you did swimmingly," said Yang, grinning. Blake rolled her eyes, but she smiled nevertheless.
"Are your puns always terrible?"
"Hey, my puns are great!" Yang argued, playfully.
Blake hummed, a smirk appearing on her lips. "Well I think you need to dive deeper."
The moment she said it Yang let out a laugh and proceeded to do as instructed because one minute she was there and the next she had dipped under the water. Blake watched her through the waving water, against the light blue tiles, as Yang pretended to search around at the bottom of the pool for something. She emerged a short while later, popping back up next to Blake, and wiped the dripping water from her face.
"Sebastian was right; it is better down where it's wetter!"
She winked at Blake who then blushed so deeply she had to hide her face in her hands while trying to shake off her grin.
"That was so bad," she groaned, into her palms while Yang laughed.
Eventually Yang's chuckles died down a little for her to get out her next sentence. "Alright, enough teasing. Do you want to try going back or get out here?"
"Let's try going back," Blake said, after taking her hands away from her face. Despite the constant butterflies in her stomach about being in the deep end, she wasn't going to cower out so easily and wanted to face her fears. Yang beamed at her answer and got in position in front of her, being a guide and to also take Blake's mind off everything else around them, before Blake gently kicked off from the back wall.
Yang spoke words of encouragement throughout the entire length she did and let out a cheer with Kit, who was sitting at the edge of the pool deflating her armbands, as Blake made it back to the shallows.
"You two have done amazing today. I'm really proud of how far you've come already," praised Yang, giving them both a grin.
"Well, we have a wonderful teacher," smiled Blake, in return. Yang rubbed the back of her neck and adverted her gaze, but her smile stretched from cheek to cheek.
"Miss Xiao Long's the best teacher, mum," informed Kit.
"Don't let Mrs Peach hear you say that," replied Yang, making Kit giggle. The blonde turned towards the clock and noted the time before facing Blake. "Looks like that's all we've got time for today. Is the same time next week okay for you both?"
"Yes, that's fine," said Blake, having already checked her diary that morning to make sure she was free next Saturday.
"Great! I'll see you next week then."
"We will," agreed Blake. "Kit, say goodbye to Yang."
"Goodbye to Yang," repeated Kit, sticking her tongue out, making Yang snort.
Blake shook her head hopelessly. "Alright you little munchkin, let's go get dry."
Kit giggled and stood up waiting for her mother to use the metal stairs to lift herself out. Blake noticed Yang standing behind her as she pulled herself up then watched as Yang got out the pool too, taking the pool noodle with her, as she stood at the side.
"Are you getting out too?" Blake asked, surprised. Usually Yang remained in the water waiting for her next learner to appear.
"Yeah," answered Yang. "My last session cancelled this morning because they weren't feeling well so I'm all finished here for today now. I just need to put away the floats."
"Oooh! Do you want to come to the park with us?" Kit asked, excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet by Blake's side.
Lilac and amber eyes widened as they stared at Kit before looking at each other.
"Uhh, I don't want to intrude..."
"You don't have to if you're busy..."
"I'm free. Are you sure you don't mind?"
Blake shook her head and gave a shy smile. "No, not at all."
Yang stared at her with a soft fondness in her eyes. "Then I'd love to join you."
"YAY!" Kit cheered, making them both jump. "Let's go!"
She began tugging at Blake's arm who had no option other than to be led by her daughter and she looked back at Yang who was grinning as she watched them while picking up the discarded armbands.
"I'll be there in a bit," she promised.
Inside the changing room Blake and Kit quickly stepped under the showers where chilled water splashed upon them, taking a while to warm up, as they rinsed the chlorine off themselves. After a quick wash they headed over to the lockers where Blake removed the locker key from her wrist and opened it up to remove their items. Kit took her bag and carried it off to one of the cubicles and Blake took the one next to her.
Blake finished getting dressed first, she honestly didn't know why it took Kit so long, and emerged from the cubicle rubbing her hair dry with her towel. She spotted Yang over by the lockers and watched her towelling herself off in front of them, making sure her stump was dry, then pulled out a mechanical prosthetic arm, partially painted yellow and slotted it in place over her stump. Yang and Blake, the latter extremely fascinated, both watched as the fingers slowly began to move then the wrist turned and when it appeared Yang was happy she grabbed the rest of her stuff with both hands.
Yang turned towards Blake and noticed her staring, she tried to cover her arm up with her towel but after a couple of failed nonchalant attempts she gave up and smiled tight lipped.
"I'll just go get changed," she muttered, embarrassed. She sidestepped past Blake and quickly entered the cubical she had just left, leaving Blake staring at the closed door with an arched eyebrow.
Kit popped out next lightly kicking her swim bag with each step she took then attempted to dry her hair with the hand dryers as Blake waited by the entrance to the changing room for Yang. When she eventually appeared out the cubical she was wearing knee high boots, topped off with orange socks, dark shorts that showed off her powerful thighs, and was in the process of slipping her hoodie over her head, but Blake caught a glimpse of her defined abdominal muscles before she pulled the jumper down fully. The hand on her robotic arm was once again covered with a black glove.
"We ready to go?" Yang asked, a little unsure of herself.
"I uhh," stuttered Blake, the image of Yang's abs in the forefront of her mind. She mentally shook her head, clearing her thoughts, and nodded. "Yes, let's go."
The two of them glanced over at Kit who was across the room from them.
"Are you coming Kit or are you going to set fire to your hair?" Blake asked, watching Kit putting the end of her plait up the dryer. Kit let out little squeak and rushed up to her mother and grabbed her hand then she glanced up at Yang, seemingly thinking about something, then ultimately decided to grab Yang's hand too.
Kit pulled the two of them along out the changing rooms and towards the main entrance where they said their goodbyes to Neptune at the desk where he sat munching on an apple.
"Hey Yang, don't you want your money from today's lessons?" He asked, holding up several lien.
"I'll come back for it," called Yang, over her shoulder, before being dragged out the front door with Blake.
It was a bright day out and was gradually getting warmer as the sun fought hard to melt the frost that had shown up that morning. A cool breeze made its presence known to the three of them which caused two sets of wet faunus ears to flick erratically. Halloween was only two days away and carved pumpkins sat outside the front of houses, some were covered with decorations of bats, witches, skeletons and other spooky items. They walked down the road for five minutes, commenting on how scary the faces in the pumpkins were, then crossed the street at the end and arrived at the playground which took up one corner of the large park.
Several owners were walking their dogs around the edge of the park following the footpath as a football match between two high schools was playing in the centre of the field. Families and friends watched from the sidelines but a few of the children who had got bored of watching their siblings kicking a ball around had gone to play in the park.
This was where Kit let go of their hands and ran on ahead to go join them playing pirates on the jungle gym. Blake and Yang walked around the park's waist high wooden fence until they came across an empty bench to sit down upon. They put their bags, and Yang's bright yellow motorbike helmet, by their feet where Blake noticed inside one of Yang's plastic bags was a rolled up pair of leather pants and a jacket.
Yang leaned back casually against the bench while Blake sat up straighter on it peacefully surveying the surroundings before meeting Yang's eyes and smiling at her.
"This is nice," she said, and Blake had to agree.
"It's lovely to come here. I started up jogging after having Kit and used to come here to do a couple of laps. I only really jog when the weather is warmer now and Kit rides her bike with me," said Blake, smiling fondly.
The corners of Yang's lips twitched up. "Ah, you like jogging then? I've been curious, what do you like to get up to, Blake?"
"You've been curious, huh?" She saw Yang's cheeks go pink as she realised she had given herself away to thinking about Blake. With her heart aflutter Blake decided to spare Yang more embarrassment by continuing to speak. "Well, besides from work and looking after Kit, I enjoy reading and writing. I'm currently writing a book which is nearly finished. There's quite a few hobbies I like that would take too long to list."
"You've written a book? That's awesome!"
Blake blushed at the praise. "Well, it's not published or anything yet but hopefully one day."
Yang sat up bending close. "Yeah but still, you've written something and will get it out there at some point."
"True," agreed Blake, then asked interested. "What about you? What do you like to get up to besides from teaching and swim classes?"
"I'm usually hitting the gym, I'm always swimming, and I box for fun. I like going to the movies and gaming in my spare time when I'm not stressing over lesson plans," said Yang, stretching her arms out in front of her making her shoulders pop.
Blake recalled a question she had been wanting to ask since it had been mentioned the previous week.
"You were a swimming champion?" She asked, attentively, aware that it was a touchy subject.
Yang's shoulders slumped, and Blake's ears twitched as she heard her quietly mutter 'god dammit Sun.' Before Blake could quickly apologise for bringing it up Yang answered her question.
"I was, a long time ago," she sighed. "But not anymore."
"What happened?"
Yang simply lifted her prosthetic up and Blake's mouth formed an 'o' shape. Another thought occurred to her causing her to frown slightly.
"Well I don't think that's holding you back. When you raced those men the other day that was the quickest swimming I've ever seen," said Blake, honestly. "It was really incredible."
The faintest of smiles appeared on Yang's lips, if only for the briefest of seconds as she turned to look at Blake with shining eyes.
"Thanks Blake, I appreciate that," she said, and while Blake knew she meant it, she was pretty sure Yang was trying to quickly get off the topic. Her prediction came true when Yang took a moment to lean her forearms on her knees as she gazed out at the children playing before asking. "How's Kit doing? She seemed pretty upset the other day."
Blake followed Yang's gaze where Kit was swinging on the monkey bars to escape the burning ship and avoid dropping into the shark infested water below.
"We had a little talk and cuddle on the couch when I got her home, then after some lunch I took her to work with me. She's...I won't say she's fine because I know the issue with her dad still bothers her but she's accepting it."
Yang slowly nodded her head then shuffled slightly where she sat. "Do you mind if I ask about her dad?"
Blake stomach plummeted as she looked over at Yang. "What do you want to know?"
"Is he still on the scene?" Yang asked, inquisitive, the tips of her ears turning red. Blake felt her own cheeks flare up once more realising what Yang was hinting at.
"No, he's not," answered Blake, thankful. A reminding worry in the back of her mind dwindling on the fact he was now released from prison. She ignored it as best as she could and listened to Yang's next question.
"What was he like?"
Blake wasn't sure why she was willing herself talk about Adam to Yang, but she felt she could trust her. If her swimming lessons had taught her anything, apart from actual swimming, it was that the blonde was a patient and reliable person. She never pressured Blake into doing something she didn't want to and took the time to make it a happy experience for her. She always felt safe in her presence and she was sure a bond was forming between the two of them. Blake just hoped that Yang could feel the same thing she did.
"He was... He was a monster in disguise," she finally confessed. Yang looked vastly confused by that answer however, so Blake elaborated. "He used to abuse me, emotionally, mentally and physically."
Yang softly rested her hand on Blake's arm as a show of comfort and Blake glanced at the contact before putting her own hand on top of Yang's and continuing. "You're probably wondering why I ever got involved with a man who mistreated me so much, but to begin with he was nice and charming. I was young and in love and I thought we would change the world together for faunus rights."
Blake's hand squeezed Yang's tightly. "But that love turned to fear when he began to get angry at the world for the mistreatment of faunus. He would take it out on me because according to him, my peaceful attempts for equality were weak and pathetic and he wanted to show me how it should be done. It got to the point where I was too terrified to leave him. He used to hit me if I even talked to another man. What would he have done if I had told him I was leaving? I mean he..."
Taking a deep shaky breath Blake took her hand away from Yang's and used it to lift the bottom of her shirt up slightly revealing the scar along her stomach. Yang's eyes widened at the sight before they quickly moved back to Blake's which were close to tears.
"He stabbed me with a kitchen knife when he found out I was pregnant. I was such a coward for never leaving sooner."
Blake dropped her hands into her lap, noticing they were shaking uncontrollably, but Yang quickly scooted nearer to her and put her metal arm around Blake's shoulders while her other real hand clasped over Blake's.
"Hey, it's alright, I'm here and you're safe. I'm sorry you went through that Blake, but being the victim of abuse doesn't make you a coward so don't even think for a second again that you are. I honestly think you're one of the bravest people I know, to have put up with all of that. I just wish I had known you sooner, so I could have helped get you out of that situation," reassured Yang, gently rubbing Blake's arm.
Blake leaned into Yang, powerless to help noticing how warm she was, and breathed in the blonde's comforting lavender scent that lingered on her clothes. Yang's chin came to rest atop of Blake's head, between her dark velvet ears, and Blake heard her swallow and inhale deeply.
"I'm sorry, I really shouldn't be putting all my baggage on you like this. We barely know each other," acknowledged Blake. Yang gave her a small squeeze while running her thumb over the back of Blake's hand.
"If you need someone to talk to, I'm happy to be the person who listens. I'd really like to be friends if that's what you would like too? I think you're pretty fantastic," said Yang, in all honesty.
Blake lifted herself up off Yang's side and smiled up at her. "I'd like that. I think you're pretty fantastic too."
Yang beamed brightly, and they leaned back against the bench with Yang keeping her arm around Blake's shoulders and rubbing her hand until the shakes had stopped.
"I have a follow up question from what you told me about your ex," mentioned Yang, after a couple of minutes of silence.
Blake turned her head towards Yang. "What is it?"
"You don't have to answer if you're not comfortable but what made you decide to keep Kit?"
Ah, that question. The question Blake was badgered about frequently by her parents and Velvet wondering why on Remnant she would keep the child of her abuser.
"There was a moment in the hospital, after Adam stabbed me, and I had come too from my surgery where the doctors said it wasn't likely Kit had made it," started Blake. She glanced over at Kit who was now on the swings kicking her legs back and forth using the momentum to get higher in the air. "For a moment I thought that was fine, I didn't want a reminder of Adam living inside me after all he had done, but then the doctor did an ultrasound and I heard her heartbeat. The doctor said to me 'my what a fighter,' and I said, 'no, she's a survivor'. I knew then and there she would grow up and take after her mother. Obviously there are some parts of her that are taken after her father, but I don't see them as Adam's traits anymore; I see them as hers and she's wonderful. So what I once loved then feared is now something I can love again."
Yang sat enraptured by her story with a heartfelt smile on her face and followed Blake's line of sight where Kit was waving at them each time she reached the peak of her swing. The two of them waved back at her making her laugh.
"She's an amazing kid," said Yang, turning back to Blake. "You're a great mom."
Blake's heart soared at the praise. "Thank you."
The two fell into a comfortable silence taking in the scenery around them and going back to watch Kit who was now climbing up the rope pyramid and easily made it to the top. Blake tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and began thinking of what to talk about next. She thought about how well Yang got along with Kit and the other students she taught, and a question quickly popped into mind that she hadn't wondered before.
"So, any children on your end?"
Yang's eyes widened, and she let out a little laugh. "Ha, nah. I mean don't get me wrong, I'd love to have a kid one day but..." Yang gestured to her robotic arm once more. "A lot of folks tend to get kind of put off by the stump."
Blake frowned, appalled that people would ignore dating this wonderful woman simply because of having one real arm.
"It's their loss," she said, hoping to reassure Yang somewhat.
It seemed to do the trick as Yang perked up slightly and stared at Blake with an unsure but hopeful look in her soft lilac eyes.
"You really don't mind it?" She asked, a little uncertain.
Blake wriggled her cat ears. "Do my ears bother you?"
Yang shook her head vigorously. "God no! They're a part of you and you're great so why should I judge you based off your ears?"
"Vice versa about your arm," replied Blake, pointedly. Yang seemed stunned for a minute and Blake continued. "I used to hide my ears, you know? It took me years to realise that I didn't have to hide who I was and that I didn't have to pretend to be human. There's still racism against faunus out there but why should I have to hide who I am? It took me having Kit to fully understand that. I never wanted to be ashamed of myself in front of her. I wanted her to grow up with the confidence that she should never have to hide who she is."
Yang remained quiet for a moment. "I understand. I mean, I'm never going to understand what it's like being a faunus and being discriminated against for who I am. But I understand the looks people give. They either look at me with pity in their eyes and they feel sorry for me or they look at my stump with disgust and make fun of me. I just find it easier to keep it covered and let no one know rather than have anyone treating me differently because of it. Unfortunately I can't wear it in the pool because the water will break it, so I have to put up with the staring there."
Blake rested her hand atop of Yang's mechanical one and their eyes met. "You shouldn't have to hide it. No one worth your time will think less of you for it."
She was sure she could see Yang's eyes watering over before the blonde suddenly leaned forward and wrapped both her arms around Blake in a massive hug. Blake remained motionless for a second before circling her arms around Yang's muscular frame. Their embrace didn't last for long as Yang pulled back a couple of seconds later.
"Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed. "I can get pretty touchy-feely sometimes."
"It's alright," smiled Blake, wishing for Yang to hug her again. "I get the feeling you needed that."
"You have no idea," laughed Yang, wiping at the liquid in her eyes.
For another ten minutes they sat talking with one another about little things that they liked and disliked. Yang found it partially amusing that Blake loved tuna so much and promised to make her famous tuna pasta bake one day and Blake laughed at Yang's story of when she lost her prosthetic arm in someone's shopping trolley and had to track it down at the supermarket. Kit eventually wandered back to her mother and cuddled close saying she was cold so the three of them set back on walking to the car park.
When they got there Blake let Kit sit in the car with the ignition on, so she could warm up with the heater as Yang quickly popped inside to get her money. She came back out a couple of minutes later and came to stand by Blake's side who had stood guarding the blonde's bags.
"Thanks Blake," said Yang, kneeling down to get out her rolled up leathers.
"It's no problem. So, I'll see you on Wednesday for volunteering, yeah?" Yang asked, hopping on the spot as she pulled her leather pants up.
"Yes, I'll see you then," promised Blake.
The two of them stood in front of each other for a moment before awkwardly going in for a quick hug. Kit watched closely from inside the car as the two of them pulled away from one another with pink cheeks that had nothing to do with the cold weather.
"Thanks for the talk Blake," said Yang, smiling. Blake opened her car door and turned back to Yang before stepping in.
"You too. It's nice to have a new friend."
Her words got the desired effect as Yang grinned brightly at her and Blake got into the car, smiling to herself, and slowly started to reverse away. Yang waved goodbye, continuing to wear her goofy grin, as the occupants inside the little black car waved back before driving off home.
These two have been through a lot but now they're friends. :D YAY!
Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you thought! More to come next Friday!
Reeves3.