Note: 25th of April, ANZAC day;
I acknowledge the ANZAC soldiers; those that fought or died, those still serving - for they do not deserve to suffer for the tragedies of war; no human does. The people of Australia and New Zealand deeply appreciate the sacrifices made. I wish those sacrifices didn't have to be made, but as Ned Kelly once said, "such is life". I truly wish that wasn't the case.
Lest we forget.
Summary: Blake and Yang sit down for some real talk post-Schnee intervention. Real talk may or may not include arguing about proper English and include the debut appearance of rando rude-jerk-face guy.
To her surprise, Blake heard her partner returning from her Schnee-hunt within ten minutes. At least Yang satisfied her blood-lust; the actual lust had been put on the back burner in favour of some well-deserved revenge.
"Back so soon?" came her question, "I didn't take you as the merciful type."
Yang gave her a 'what kind of savage do you think I am?' look. Alright, fine. Blake knew Yang was literally the nicest, caring person – only rivalled by Ruby – especially towards Weiss. They were all a family. Yang and Weiss just didn't always...get along twenty-four seven.
"In that particular situation," Blake added.
She motioned Yang back to the bed, moving closer as the now smug blonde thumped down perpendicular to the edge. Yang always was going against the norm (compared to herself); part of her charm, something Blake found oddly attractive. Totally had nothing to do with the fact she was half undressed at that moment.
Yang shifted to clasp her hands behind her head. "Well, Blakey, once Weiss agreed to my terms, I let her live."
Now curious, the faunus' ears fluttered as it was realised what exactly that meant. Yang took a bribe – and coming from Weiss, it could be good.
Blake gave a happy hum as she lay her head on Yang's shoulder, "Care to share?"
Yang happily explained, "I told her I wanted an all-expenses paid honeymoon for me and you to somewhere nice and secluded; where we could have plenty of time and no interruptions, to make up for the wonderful moment she just ruined with her insipid lunch plans. Did I mention she would pay for it?"
Of all the things she could have taken from that, Blake was most intrigued about there being a honeymoon. They weren't even technically dating. Even if they had been dancing around each other for years. Blake propped herself up to look at Yang with a questioning eye.
"Are you proposing to me?"
Slight shock washed over Yang's face. "Uh," she muttered, clearing her throat, "no? Just something to keep in mind when I do, I guess." Her expression read as slightly embarrassed; she had forgotten that the specifics of her bargaining included them having to get married.
The poor woman was just trying to have some fun; Blake didn't have the heart to seriously discuss the matter of marriage. For whose sake; she'd rather leave unsaid.
Blake made her tone inherently teasing, "Ignoring that you answered my question with a pretty vague 'no', I'm not sure if I would have said yes anyway," she shrugged as her finger idly traced over Yang's collarbones, "I didn't even know you had 'insipid' in your vocabulary."
"Oh, please," Yang huffed proudly, "I'm well educated, Blake!"
Now that, she thought, was a little bit ironic. "You said 'you and me', though."
Yang didn't see the problem, "So?"
Blake tapped Yang's chest. "You're supposed to say, 'you and I'."
"That's what I said," Yang gestured between them, "you and me."
"No, 'you and me' is not proper English," Blake shook her head. Well educated her fine ass, she thought.
"I'm not following you, Blake," Yang said with almost an insanely obvious amount of naiveté. She loved to argue with Weiss, but she loved to argue even more with her partner. Yang had to keep talking in these types of situations. Pyrrha called it a 'self-destructive' habit, Nora called it a 'fun' habit, she called it a 'fun, if not a little bit obnoxious' habit.
The little shit was doing this on purpose, Blake knew; again, she poked the stubborn dragon, this time pointedly to the words, "You and I!"
They had both returned to lay on their sides as Yang jabbed her finger into Blake's sternum in retaliation. Yang couldn't stop. It just kept coming up like word vomit. "You and I won't be getting married if this is what you're going to say to a proposal."
"But you said you weren't proposing!" Blake exclaimed, her hand flicking the air in exasperation. A shit eating grin was Blake's reward. Or punishment, in this case. The trademark for 'stupid shit eating grin' was surely already filed at this point.
"Well," Yang said noncommittally, "not now I'm not."
This discussion was entirely pointless, if Blake wasn't trying to make a point about proper English. She didn't even know she wanted a proposal until now. Except she didn't. Mostly.
"Shut up. I'll propose to you with correct English, and you can answer with whatever you want in your barbaric vernacular." Blake could tell Yang had no idea what vernacular meant by the brief and confused blink she received.
Quickly, Yang feigned an uninterested manner, "And what if I say no?"
"You wouldn't dare," the Faunus challenged hotly.
Yang took Blake's words seriously, and then some. Like hell she would dare to refuse the one person she was pining for since...she could remember. A long time. It's not like she was aware that she was ass over tits for Blake this whole time. Well, she wouldn't admit that she had that suspicion to anyone, at least.
Casually, Yang relented. "Nah, I wouldn't turn you down. A girl's gotta settle down sometime."
But it was too late, for Blake was already on the train to Sassville; stopping all stations passive-aggressively, "Oh, so you're settling for me?"
Shit. Yang became panicked. "No!"
Employing her acting talents, though they were barely existent, Blake whined melodramatically "Woe is me! I'm heartbroken-"
Oh, no, it was coming up again. Word vomit. Yang interrupted abruptly, "I love you!"
"Yang, I am truly devasta-," Blake's face went such a deep shade of red, Yang thought she was about to explode. Blake jolted to sit upright.
Please, no actual vomit, Yang begged internally. She messed up, okay. She just goddamn shit...goddamn messed up really…goddamn shit bad. Goddamn shit, goddamn!
She sat up to join Blake, quietly adding, "Does it help if I'm completely serious about that?"
Blake couldn't look at Yang. How could she? This was much more disconcerting than she imagined it would be. Even if she kind of already knew they were completely in love with each other; saying it and hearing it were different to thinking about it. This was, although rushed and following on from two failed attempts at having sex, the closest thing Blake had experienced to a serious relationship. And it was a declaration of love – something you had to be incredibly dedicated to be able to say.
"It does help," she slowly admitted, somewhat awkwardly laughing, "who says romance is dead?"
She heard Yang mumble a jumble of words that seemed to sound like, 'they should if that's the way dumb people like me tell girls that they love them'.
As if she wouldn't pick it up with her hearing; Blake asked Yang to repeat herself anyway, "What was that?"
"You don't seem very shocked, I said."
A sigh left Blake's mouth unbidden as she chose to ignore the cover up. "That's because I don't think I am. You planning our honeymoon on a whim like it was second nature kinda gave me an," she paused, considering what would the best explanation, "an inkling."
"Ah. You were always the perceptive one, Blakey." As the still nervous woman finally glanced at Yang, the blonde was giving her the strangest look.
Not strange as in she looked odd, but strange as in Blake sensed her love from one simple glimpse. This was too typical. Yang made her flustered, pissed off, have the urge to do things probably unspeakable to her – her best friend – and feel in her heart why she was so prepared to, or have no choice but to do all those things in the first place.
In the space of less than a day.
What a mess you've become, Blake Belladonna, she chided herself. A hot mess.
She gently bumped Yang's shoulder, "Don't sell yourself short, Yang. You're all I'll ever need," Blake gently kissed the now smiling woman's cheek. Because boy, was she grinning like she'd won the lottery.
Blake felt the need to say it. "You look like you've won the lottery."
"If I had known I won the lottery, I wouldn't have made Weiss promise to pay for a honeymoon for you and m-," Yang swiftly corrected herself, "you and I."
An effort such as that to accommodate and learn from the bookworm's English lessons; Blake felt a little victorious for it. She'd had a good few minutes, after all.
She loved Yang. Utterly and completely. "Yang, I," but it was still so difficult to say it, "I, I-" Blake fumbled; trying to spit it out was not working.
"…I am not good at this."
Yang took Blake's quivering hand in her own. "Take your time."
"Yang," yet the three words would not leave her mouth. They were in her head but they wouldn't formulate into speech. Instead, Blake was just uttering nonsensical sounds.
She began to look irritated with herself, "This is unfair. I'm thinking it, I want to say it. Yang I-"
Her failed efforts were silenced as Yang pressed her lips tenderly to Blake's. As if she were trying to take the words right out of her mouth. Maybe that would work. Because she couldn't say it for shit, despite wanting to.
And Blake kissed her back, because maybe, if she tried, Yang would understand what she meant.
Yang pulled away shortly thereafter, but only slightly. It didn't matter to her if Blake didn't say what she had; she blurted it out when it was uncalled for. It could have gone a lot worse, though. Yang – one, universe – approximately one million…alright, it wasn't a good record.
Time for damage control. "I know, Blake."
"I'm sorry- wait, you what?"
Apparently Yang still had some form of surprise in her. Admittedly she was perceptive just like Blake; likely picked up from her in their time together, or she just cared enough to realise that Blake hadn't had the easiest time trusting people – humans in particular – and that distrust had probably set itself in her subconscious so profoundly that it tried to defend her even when she didn't need it to.
"You're forgetting that I know you better than anybody. Besides, I didn't choose an appropriate time to bring this up, and it's up to you if, and when, you want to continue it,"
A tell-tale sign that she had hit the nail on the head was Blake's faunus ears folding in embarrassment, which she tried to hide by snuggling her head into the crook of her quite perceptive partner's neck.
"I wouldn't be against it if you wanted to show me what you meant to say, though."
The blunt statement provoked a muffled scoff and a, "No, thank you," from the still hiding master of stealth.
Blake didn't miss the sound of disappointment that originated in the hollow of the neck she was conveniently next to. It wasn't her fault that she had lost all drive and hope that they could accomplish anything close to what Yang was probably imagining. Goddamn Weiss had better pay for a honeymoon after that stunt.
She lay an apologetic kiss on Yang's throat, making sure it was not insinuating she had instantly changed her mind. "I'm suddenly apprehensive at the idea, if that's hard to believe."
"It's not, I understand, Blake," Yang gave her a brief rub at the base of her feline ears for reassurance, "I guess I'll settle for a late breakfast."
Tearing herself away from any temptation, the dark-haired woman pulled Yang up as she stood. "We'll pretend I didn't just let you pet me, and I'll agree that I'm up for a meal."
"Last chance to eat-out," came the cheeky offer.
"Wha-", Blake's confusion lasted only momentarily, "shut up."
- ..- .-. .-. ... -.- .-. ... / .-.. .- .-
Somehow they had ended up going out for their 'late breakfast'; one of them had decided it was too much work to make their own food – they'd both argue it was the other – and were on their way out of the small café.
Yang surreptitiously grazed her fingers against Blake's, for if she held her hand she'd undoubtedly just follow her home. "I better head back. Explain to Rubes, in very little detail, where I was and what happened."
"Does Ruby have to know?" Yang could tell that Blake was still very much self-conscious about the situation. As much as she wanted her to be comfortable, it was kind of a moot objective when the whole world by now was aware of their complex relationship.
Not to mention Ruby was her baby sister, and Yang still heavily relied on her for talking about all things-Blake related. Poor kid probably was sick to death of those conversations. "Weiss most likely already complained that I almost sent her to an early grave."
It was at that point Blake realised that she would just have to come to terms with the consequences of them taking this next step into 'dating' territory – the consequences being their circle of friends knowing about it and still teasing them.
For fuck's sake, that was going to be difficult to deal with. "Yang, I'll be honest with you," Blake started as she tugged her partner slash whatever it was she was to the side of the path.
"I can deal with a lot of problematic situations. But not the one where everybody incessantly butts into our personal life – the intimate part – and I die of embarrassment and feel like we're doing something wrong."
Yang gave her the out she wanted, "I'll deal with everyone, okay? I'm fine with that," and a nod to continue. At least that was appreciated and comforting.
"I know that this all has taken too long to happen, and now that we've experienced difficulties so soon, I don't want you to get the idea that I'm going to take it all back." Because she had stopped running away from things, and wasn't about to start again now. Not when they had this opportunity.
Lilac eyes stared in earnest. "What is the idea you want me to get, Blake?"
"I think it's an understatement to say that we both want to just have sex like we've always wanted to, but now I'm just mortified at myself. I've been so set on finally doing it, and it's ended up in disappointment for us both. So, maybe we should slow things down, take our time to do it right? There's nothing I want more than to make it work between us, Yang."
The corners of Yang's mouth quirked ever so slightly. She'd waited this long – by choice – she could wait a little longer. Blake made a good point, anyway.
"If there's anything I could want more than you, it'd be having you for the rest of my life. No matter how long it takes," Yang leaned down, intending to kiss the blushing woman in front of her before she stopped short, "to be clear, that wasn't a proposal. I just love you."
Instantly, Blake was on her, wrapping her in a tight hug, stealing the kiss before Yang could deliver it.
A passer-by was unimpressed, as he disgustedly and loudly screeched on approach, "Get a room, bitches!"
Whether he was rude because he didn't like gay people, or faunus, or both, he scuttled past angrily complaining, "You're cluttering the sidewa-" Blake couldn't stop her foot jutting out to catch the verbally abusive man's, Yang erupting into rambunctious laughter at the sight of the rude-jerk-face's jerk face hitting the concrete.
Between frantic giggles, Yang managed to offer her a high five. "Sorry buddy, guess she didn't see your worthless ass there," said worthless ass was up and taking a step towards them; Yang wasn't going to tolerate such a bigot, and shoved him back with force, "You best keep walking, I'm going to be more pissed off if I have stop kissing my hot as fuck girlfriend to reacquaint your face with the ground again."
Taking in the distance that he was pushed, the man conceded and raised his hands in surrender knowing he was indeed better off leaving, and scurried off in a pathetic display.
Bouncing with adrenaline, and mostly pride, Yang scooped up and twirled Blake around, laughing like a madwoman. "What a chump! I'm seriously holding myself back from you right now, Blake! I just wanna do you right here and now to spite that asshole!"
"As great as that sounds, being arrested for public sex isn't on my to-do list," Blake said stoically – though her smile and blush said something different. Yang then recalled that she'd agreed to slow things down not two minutes ago for some inane reason; this was not going to be easy. She should at least try to make good on her promise to Blake, right? Not drag her into an alley for things that were better done in privacy. Not even if it looked like Blake had considered it for a minute second.
"But," she added a 'heh butts' under her breath, "I think I'll just ask you on a date instead. A real, proper, date! Whaddya say?"
"I say we did everything in the wrong order. Usually sex and marriage comes after asking someone to be your girlfriend and asking them on a date," Blake replied.
"Well if you recall, technically, we didn't do two of those things," the blonde countered.
Blake rolled her eyes. "And technically, I didn't say yes to the remaining two things."
"If we're getting that technical, I didn't even ask you to be my girlfriend Blake."
"You don't have to," she booped Yang right on the nose. "You're stuck with me regardless."
Yang snorted and imitated what her girlfriend had said earlier. "Woe is me!"
The raven-haired beauty turned her in the other direction and smacked her butt lovingly. "Okay, go home, Xiao Long."
Blake watched as the still chuckling woman turned the corner with a spring in her step. "I love you."
A/N:
Coming off the serious beginning note,
I'm gonna apologise for the delay with this. I went on a short holiday, did some things, forgot about having to write a chapter, delayed some more, wrote 1000 words and wanted it to actually be substantial, then had to do other things, then finally did it because I was frustrated and mad at sports (yes Australian tradition commemorating a tragic war includes having a fucking sports game, because why not).
ALSO if you didn't recognise the pop culture reference/s you're either too young to be reading this, or you haven't seen one of the best movies of all time, either way, what are you doing with your life? AND 10/10 managed to chuck in a reference to my own username because fuck yeah I am that meta 100% fire emoji
The Morse code inspiration came from me knowing Morse code for SOS, smartphones can't even do Morse code pfft LAME 0/10 would not buy. I wanted to make a line break look interesting so that's why there's Morse code in the middle of the story. I do what I fuckin want
By the way, no, I had no intention to turn this into such a fluffy mess with attempt at plot but here we are
love ya *kiss kiss*
