A/N: Bit of a long note at the end of the chapter. Please make sure to read it when you're done!
Chapter Ten: 1:17 A.M.
Two words rung in her head, over and over again, until she felt them come alive with every swing of her arm, every lunge in her step.
Attack it!
Attack it!
Her arm was no longer flesh and bone but a single, flexible rod of hardened steel. The sound of clashing metal seemed to her like a melody rather than random, sporadic noises. She found the rush of heat and adrenaline throughout her body to be the most euphoric feeling she'd felt in a while. She wished it could last forever. But this performance lasted only a few seconds at most. If she wasn't careful, she would lose herself and the round as well. In fact, she almost did. She nearly received a blow to her chest. But it wasn't like her to be so careless. Sidestepping, she took one stab and felt her blade kiss cotton. She stepped back, victorious.
A single cry from her coach signaled the end of the round. Gracefully, she brought her hand up to remove her mask. Strands of silvery-white hair fell across her forehead and near her eyes, despite having been tied up into a tight up-do. She steadied her breathing, forcing the staccato pants into longer, more drawn-out breaths. Standing erect with her arms by her sides, she let the old man advance towards her, his dark brown eyes searching for something she couldn't see. He'd be looking for mistakes, she knew, even after her opponent had stepped off to the side. He nodded once and folded his arms across his body.
"I think that will be all for today." The man graced her with a smile behind that unkempt, scruffy mustache of his.
She glanced at the clock. "But sir, it's not yet five o'clock."
He held up his palm, full of scratches and callouses from the many years of perfecting saber dancing. "That will be all," he repeated. "I've others to attend to." She knew not to bother him, even when he let her go an hour before she was supposed to finish.
Fencing seemed to be all she could do to clear her mind, lately. Weiss Schnee was never the type of girl to let her thoughts carry her into daydreams and wonderland, but that's where she found herself in the past few weeks. Since January, she had made it a goal to be a bit more optimistic for the sake of everyone else around her, but something was bothering her. Things were beginning to haze over her usually clear and accurate vision. She wasn't sure what this cloud could be, but it wasn't anything good if it meant it was distracting her. She would never let her grades slip, no, nor would she let herself slack on the projects she was managing. But things were starting to get harder for her. The pressure was really starting to break her back.
Jabbing and stabbing others with a non-lethal blade made her feel somewhat better. Somewhat.
As she walked out of the front exit of the training facility, which she had grown accustomed to after nearly four years of fencing practice, she caught sight of someone standing next to her Bentley. Weiss blinked a few times until her vision came in full focus. She felt her body relax when she realized who it was.
"Ruby?" she questioned, arching a brow. "What are you doing here?"
"Hey, Weiss," opened up the other girl. Dressed in a red hoodie and a pair of shorts, she tapped her foot against the ground. "I actually came by to see you."
Mildly surprised, the older girl let out a huff. "How did you know I'd be here?"
"You always talk about fencing practice!" Ruby's curious, silver eyes looked up and locked onto her own icy orbs. "And Yang told me you'd be here. So I thought I'd stop by. I took the bus."
"Why on Earth would you do that?" Weiss asked, walking towards her car and her… friend.
"Well, actually…" The brunette bit her lip and sighed. "I really need to talk to you."
She opened her door and set her equipment down in the backseat. "About?"
"It's about Blake and Yang."
What a strange notion. Looking at Ruby, she motioned for her to get in the car.
Outside, sheets of rain fell heavily against the bay windows of her bedroom. Nature was unrelenting the past few days, sending in black clouds and the occasional lightning strike in the distance. This was good for the plants, at least, though she wasn't sure if the flowers would take kindly to the intensity of the storms.
After her shower, the young heiress brewed a fresh pot of coffee to enjoy. The day was coming to a close and her muscles ached after practice, as short as it had been. Instead of dressing herself nicely in her overpriced, fancy clothes, Weiss wore a light blue, flannel romper,—comfortable for home and, more importantly, for sleep. The appearance was much more casual than she let herself be, but somehow she felt that it would probably set Ruby at ease. Weiss sat at the nook and brought her mug to her lips, carefully blowing on the surface of the liquid so it wouldn't burn her throat. The dark taste was so exquisite on her tongue. She let out a soft puff and brought her gaze back to the girl sitting across from her. She had been sitting still in the same attitude for some time.
"Your room is extremely nice," Ruby complimented as her eyes took in the settings around her.
Weiss allowed herself to smile, even just a bit. She always kept it neat and tidy. "I do my best."
The Ice Queen had invited the girl up to her room instead of the many sitting rooms and spaces, since they seemed so dreary and much more business-like. Those were the places where her father entertained his guests and negotiated deals. In the sanctuary of her bedroom—with what little comfort it offered her—she felt that a private conversation was better suited to be held here. The maids and butlers wouldn't bother them here.
Ruby hadn't touched her cup of coffee, suggesting that she either didn't need it or didn't want it. "Thanks for taking me in."
Weiss hummed and drank. "You talk about yourself like you're a homeless rat. What did you need to talk to me about?"
"Right, Blake and Yang." The younger girl nodded to herself before she could start. "I think I ran into them doing something on the beach."
It took everything in her control not to spit out the exotic blend of Sumatran coffee. Weiss set the mug down and cleared her throat. "I beg your pardon?"
Ruby nodded and continued. "Yeah! But I don't know what was going on. I just saw Yang leaning over. They were sitting down. I dunno what it could've been. I feel super bad for interrupting whatever it was. I think Yang was pretty mad for a bit."
The words sliced through her and stupefied her for a brief moment. The nerve of that girl. In public! She'd have to lecture Yang later. Shaking her head, Weiss pulled herself back together and asked, "You're certain of what you saw?"
"Yes, Weiss," Ruby nodded vigorously. "Positive."
She resumed drinking her coffee. "Although I feel somewhat sorry for you, I don't understand what this has to do with me. Quite frankly, I don't care too much about the monkey business they engage in, even if it's on a beach." She felt the corners of her lips dip down, knowing that she was grimacing again. In reality, she did care, but she didn't see the correlation between herself and the other two.
Ruby sat up straighter. "I don't think you understand. It means they need our help."
"What?"
"Blake and Yang need our help!" Ruby reached out to hold her hand.
Reflexively, Weiss drew back just a bit, not out of repulsion but more out of surprise. "Speak to me in plain English, Ruby Rose. What do you mean they need our help?"
"Blake and Yang really, really like each other. Can't you tell?"
Weiss glanced at the unfamiliar hand on her own but didn't bother to swat it away or move this time. "That's rather obvious."
"I know. But the problem is, they don't know that about each other. That's why we've got to help them." Ruby gave her a squeeze.
She felt her expression turn into something skeptical. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, definitely. Every time I ask Yang about Blake, she always gets so flustered. She's been upset for a while. Haven't you noticed how they haven't been talking to each other?"
She had to think about it before she could answer that question. She'd take some time out of her own day to notice things like that. Usually. But she hadn't been herself so much in the past few weeks. Weiss shook her head. "No."
"Well… Blake's been ignoring Yang."
Something clicked. Weiss hadn't been seeing her very much either after spring break ended. Their typical coffee (or tea) dates had gotten rain-checked much more frequently under the guise that Blake had to study for finals. She was aware of where she would be, as she'd often see her in the library after school had ended if Weiss' council meetings had ran over, so she assumed she'd been studying alone. She realized that she had noticed her behavior before Ruby stated so, not because she had observed it, but because she, too, was being ignored. But if Blake was avoiding Yang, that meant she must've been avoiding Ruby as well.
Weiss still didn't know if she had made her decision, after all.
How could you be so stupid? she berated herself. This is not the time to leave her alone.
She drained her cup completely, a bit disappointed with how quickly the liquid had vanished. "So, what do you want me to do about it?"
Ruby must not have thought that far. She bit her lip again and tried to think of a possible answer. "Don't you know what to do?"
"You dunce. I don't know what to do in every situation," she admitted. Bringing a hand to her chin, she pondered. "Why don't you suggest that they talk to each other? You have the power, since you're Yang's sister."
"Yeah, but when does Yang ever listen to me for relationship advice? I've never dated anyone!"
"Neither have I," Weiss hissed, her eyes narrowing. This was pointless. "If they're not talking, then that's that."
But Ruby was persistent. "Is there really nothing you can do about it, Weiss? You're the Ice Queen!" Ruby almost sounded desperate. Weiss nearly forgot that Ruby was holding her hand until she felt a squeeze. "Please, you've got to do something to get those two to talk. It's bugging Yang so bad. I'll help."
Oh, if only money could buy her everything. She'd just pay for it all. She'd pay for life and its stupid problems to leave her the Hell alone, at least until graduation. And for this crap.
A bit of silence settled in.
"Yang is my sister." Ruby grinned but her eyes remained sad. "Weiss, she really likes Blake. I don't even really have to ask her about it. I know that she does. But she doesn't know how Blake feels or if there's something wrong. She's starting to beat herself up for Blake ignoring her. I know that she really wants to get this right, but she doesn't know what she's doing wrong, and neither do I. I hate seeing my sister like that. And you were there last year when she had her bad breakup too! So…" She dropped her gaze.
For the first time in a while, Weiss felt her chest tighten. She hated the feeling because it meant that she wasn't her usual self. Something had infiltrated that cold, icy exterior. This isn't even my problem, she thought. But it would be if it meant that her best friend was being more despondent than usual. She couldn't stand the idea of Yang upset either, since she had spent a good portion of her last summer scraping pieces of her off the floor. Those were not pleasant memories and she wouldn't be happy to do it again. In fact, she meant not to. Ruby stayed silent, thinking back to the same time and the same, unhappy situation that Weiss remembered. They couldn't have that happen to Yang again.
There were so many pieces to this intricate jigsaw puzzle that just weren't fitting.
Looking out the window, she imagined a similar, dark sky and a slender figure across from her, sitting up on the edge of the bed. Three months had died away so quickly.
You realize that I'm your friend, right?
You've… brought me Yang. And that means a lot to me.
I love you.
A shiver ran through her. I owe her that much.
Steeling herself, she looked at Ruby. A frown did not look good on her. Really, nothing did besides a happy expression, she judged then. Funny, how she once thought she hated that face just a few months ago.
"Ruby," she started, catching her attention. "I might be able to do something about it. But, I need you to cooperate with me."
"Really?" the brunette piped up, bringing Weiss' hand to her face. "You can?"
"Yes," she answered, a bit exasperated. "But you have to keep this a secret."
Ruby nodded. "Alright. What do we do?" she asked excitedly.
Weiss pulled out her phone and opened her calendar. Her sapphire orbs scanned the screen before lifting up to Ruby. "You're free May 7th, right?"
The girl tilted her head to the side. "Sure?"
"Well, if you aren't, you are now." The snow angel's fingers danced around her screen before she placed it off to the side. "You do know what day that is, don't you?"
"Uh…"
Weiss almost smiled. "That's Prom night."
The plan, in theory, was rather simple.
Weiss was going to talk to Yang and convince her to go get a Prom dress, since neither of them had done so yet. In doing so, Yang might pluck up the courage to ask Blake to go with her, they hoped. They knew that she wasn't going to say yes to any of the boys that would ask her and that she'd be much happier anyway. Ruby, on the other hand, would visit Blake some time to receive some (necessary) help on her Calculus homework. During that time, she would also learn the reason why the girl wanted to keep to herself so much. That way, they may be able to connect some of the dots lingering between the two and, hopefully, get them to attend Prom together.
Simple.
In theory.
Simple, the brunette thought to herself as she climbed off of Bumblebee. The hardest part is going to be talking to Blake. Hopefully she opens up. Ruby looked at Yang and noticed her unusual, downcast look. The blonde kept her head turned away from the beach house, staring instead at the ground. She didn't even bother to turn the vehicle off, meaning that she wouldn't be asking to come inside like she normally would. Ruby gave her arm a quick squeeze.
"Thanks, Yang."
The beauty smiled weakly at her little sister. "Just call me when you want me to pick you up, alright?"
With that, Ruby watched her zip away on the yellow motorcycle and walked up the steps leading to the front door. In a few seconds, Blake answered the door. Ruby noticed that her appearance seemed somewhat more disheveled than normal. Her hair sat on top of her head in a messy bun and she wore a tank-top and sweatpants instead of her usual t-shirt and jeans. Dark circles appeared under her golden eyes, meaning that she hadn't been sleeping lately. She didn't look okay.
"Hey Blake!" Ruby showed her a cheeky, wide smile. "Ready to get your Calculus on?"
"Sure," the raven-haired girl replied as she let her guest inside.
They made their way to the kitchen table, which is where they normally did homework together in Blake's house. "I'm sorry you've gotta help me with some of this stuff. It's probably pretty easy for you, huh?"
"On the contrary, I'm glad for your company. I've been struggling too." Blake took a seat.
Ruby pulled out her notebook and the two got to work.
The first hour ticked by slowly. It was good that the plan had included study time—since it was orchestrated by Weiss—because Ruby felt that she could really use it. Thus, the two girls went through basic strategies in handling complicated problems. Ruby wondered more than a few times when on Earth she would ever need to know the volume of a 3D figure in real life, but she dealt with the tough questions. Math was not her weakest area by any means, but at this time of year, even the brainiac sophomore was tiring of school.
Their conversation had been kept strictly to calculus until Ruby found the right time to set the plan in motion.
When Blake returned with two glasses of water for them, Ruby asked, "Blake, are you going to go to Prom?"
The question disarmed her. Blake paused before setting down the glasses on the table. "I haven't really given it a lot of thought."
Ruby pulled her legs in and hugged her knees, looking at her friend curiously. "Why not?"
Blake took a long drink of her water. "It's not really something I thought I would go to. Most people have big plans for Prom. Atlas didn't really place an importance on the event. So, I haven't."
"Oh," Ruby murmured. Why did she need to be the person to talk to Blake? Weiss was closer, after all, and Yang was her sister, so she would've done just fine convincing her to go dress shopping. Didn't Weiss know that she was probably the last person who knew what to say in conversations like that?
"Why do you ask?" Blake questioned her, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.
She scrambled to find some excuse. "Well, uh… I was just curious!"
The look in Blake's golden eyes told Ruby that she was not, in the slightest, convinced of that lie.
Ruby hated how awkward she was. Okay, so maybe honesty is actually be the best way to do this. "Actually, I'm asking because… I'm pretty sure Yang wants to go with you."
Blake pursed her lips. "Is that so?"
"Yeah. I mean, she hasn't said so, but," she chuckled. "She's not going to want to go with any of the boys that are going to ask her." She imagined Cardin Winchester and his buddies trying to go after her. Maybe Scarlet or Sage would ask too, even though they probably didn't have any luck either.
Blake tucked some loose strands of her hair behind her air. "How interesting," she replied with an eery sense of indifference.
Ruby frowned. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
The girl continued to scribble away, numbers appearing at random all around the page. "No, Ruby. Not really."
For a while, they didn't say anything else. Ruby thought she'd just drop it there and text Weiss, telling her that she just couldn't do it. She couldn't convince Blake and she didn't know what was up with her. Five minutes later, though, as destiny would have it, the golden-eyed girl set her glasses aside and rubbed her temples. Maybe she was getting a headache.
"Ruby, I don't know what to do about Yang."
Her eyebrows arched. "What do you mean?"
Blake sank in her seat. "I have a choice to make and I'm worried that I'm going to hurt your sister."
Ruby stayed silent, showing her that she was ready to listen.
"I'm either going to be staying in the country to study or I'm going to go study abroad."
Her memory jogged back to late March, back to when her friends had opened their acceptance letters. "Mhmm."
"The problem is, I know that Yang is most likely going to go to a college in the area. They're all really good in the field she wants to go into." This much was true. Ruby nodded and let her continue. "She's expecting me to stay around here too. But I'm not."
Ruby felt a frown find its way on her face. She looked at her hands. "Oh. I see. You're worried that that'll damage your friendship with Yang."
"It's more than that, Ruby." Blake sighed. "I know that people always say goodbye at the end of high school, but…" She said nothing for a few seconds. "I really like your sister," she mumbled awkwardly.
"I could kind of tell, yeah." Ruby chuckled quietly to herself and took a drink of water. "Have you told her that?"
Blake shook her head. "I don't know how to. She'll be upset if I say that I'm going to study on the East Coast but she'll be even more upset if I tell her I'll be in Europe."
"Well, what are you thinking?"
Ruby wasn't sure why she was expecting her to answer that question. Instead, Blake just turned her head away from her. That should've been enough to indicate her answer, but the younger girl didn't understand and asked, "Are you going to study abroad?"
"I can't just let my parents' work go away in vain," Blake defended herself, hoping that Ruby wouldn't be too disappointed in her answer. "I'm still not sure."
Instead, the brunette gave a reassuring smile. "Well… You do have some time. A little bit of time. April isn't over yet."
"It's not enough time." Blake sat up and leaned onto the table. "I'm going to end up hurting Yang and I can't face her for that reason. She must be upset with me."
"No, she isn't," Ruby interjected. "She's really not! Actually, she has been wondering why you've been so distant."
She couldn't believe it. "Really?"
Ruby nodded. "Really." She elaborated. "Yang's not usually the type of person to let her friends be distant. But with you, it's different. I can tell, because she's my sister, and I've ever only seen her like this before once in her life. Blake, I think you mean more than you give yourself credit for. When you get the chance, you should talk to Yang and tell her everything you told me."
Blake weighed her words carefully. "Ruby, I'm not one to run away and keep secrets. But are you sure that she would really listen to me? You're sure?
Silver met gold, and for once, Ruby knew just what to say. "I promise."
"This is stupid."
"Shut up."
Weiss pulled the doors toward them, walking into the familiar boutique. She had been here a dozen of times before and she couldn't remember the last time she had purchased a dress that hadn't been from this small, humble little shop. Having a Schnee as a patron was a great honor, so the owners typically lowered the prices of each dress. Normally, Weiss would reject the discount and pay in full. But, since she felt rather generous and wanted to buy Yang's dress, too, she decided to take up on the offer.
She pulled off a long, navy blue dress off of the rack. "How about this one?"
"My Homecoming dress was blue," Yang muttered. She sat on a chair a few feet away, looking as disinterested as a cat would be at that moment.
Weiss rolled her eyes. She picked at another dress. "This one?" she asked. It was dark green.
Yang grumbled. "I'm not trying to go to my Prom looking like my school's mascot, Weiss."
She counted to three in her head to let herself cool off before saying something indecent. "What color do you want, then?"
"I don't give a shit," she waved, letting her blonde hair fall over her face as she leaned forward.
It's like babysitting a monkey! "Yang."
"What?" she barked. "This is stupid, Weiss. I don't want to be here."
"What would you rather be doing, then? Prom is in a week and a half, Yang, and you're going whether you want to or not."
"That's a crime, I swear." She got up on her feet. "Why do I need to go anyway? Did you ever think, hmm, maybe I don't want to go?"
Weiss rolled her eyes and observed a maroon dress, feeling its soft fabric on her fingertips. "Since when did you not want to go? It's totally your event! And you're nominated, Miss Xiao Long, for royalty, so you better be there."
Yang gave her the most dubious look, as if it was the most surprising thing she'd heard. "How do you know that?"
"I'm on the council, you dolt." Weiss walked over and held up the same dress to the taller girl's body. "Try this on, will you?"
Yang kept her eyes on the smaller girl, now slightly more inclined to the subject. "Who else is on court?"
"For the girls, there's Pyrrha, of course, you, and Nora." Weiss pushed her friend into the small dressing room nearby. "And for the boys, there's Sun, Cardin, and Neptune."
"Oh, I've got a pretty good feeling for who you're voting for," Yang mused mischievously from behind the door.
Weiss rolled her eyes, gritting her teeth. "And who might that be?"
She could hear Yang fumbling her clothes and putting on the new dress. "Neptune!"
"You're crazy," she barked.
"You're crazy in love!"
Weiss ignored her. At least she was talking. Still, Neptune was the last thing she needed to think about, first because he made her head hurt, and second because he was not her biggest concern right now.
When Yang opened the door, Weiss felt her jaw go a little slack. She looked beautiful. With the way the dress hung loosely off her shoulders, flowing down to her ankles and hugging her upper torso nicely, Yang simply looked breathtaking, enough so that the Ice Queen had to remind herself to stop gawking. She smirked, taking one more look up and down. "I do so well."
"I gotta say, this one is pretty nice." Yang smiled, for the first time in the half-hour that she had been with her friend. "How do you always get it right the first time?"
"I don't know, but I think that's the one." Weiss nodded in approval. "Alright. Time to find my dress."
Yang closed the door to change. "So, what are you going to do for Prom, then?"
For a moment, Weiss hesitated to answer. "I'll take Ruby."
The blonde was stupefied. "Ruby? Why Ruby? Don't you want to go with a dude?"
"Yang, you know as well as I do that boys only care about the perks of my last name." The girl selected a purple dress from the rack. "Besides, Ruby, er…" She cleared her throat. "Ruby and I are friends, and I've decided I should go with friends. Boys are so replaceable."
The blonde emerged from behind her and took a look. "Not that one. Anyway. You could totally go with Neptune. I mean, it's really nice that you're taking Rubes, but, Neptune! Vasilias! He likes you a lot."
"I don't care," she lied, a blush betraying her cruelly. Not. My. Priority. No, her priority stood right next to her, and she needed to stick to the plan, because Ruby was counting on her, and so was Blake. "Ask Blake to Prom, will you?"
The sudden shift in the conversation stunned Yang. "Where the Hell is that coming from?"
"Me, Yang, I'm the only person talking to you," she replied sardonically. "It's not in your character to go to Prom stag anyway."
"I…" Yang sighed. "What's the point? Blake's not talking to me."
"Then talk to her!" Weiss inspected another dress. "Did you ever think, hmm, maybe she's waiting for you to talk to her?"
"I don't know why she would be. She's been avoiding me like I'm the plague or something."
"You may as well be." Weiss turned her eyes to her. "Yang, she likes you. A lot. A lot, a lot, a lot."
"Bullshit."
"I may be one for insincerity every so often, but really, I'm not lying." Her hand found the hook of another hanger, this time holding up a white dress with some sheer and sequins. "I'm going to try this on."
When she got into the dressing room and started to free herself of her clothes, she heard Yang ask, "Why does it matter to you so much, Weiss?"
She stopped moving, her sapphire eyes locking onto her reflection in the mirror. Why wouldn't it matter to her? These were two of her closest friends—two of her only friends, really—and she wasn't just going to watch them fall apart. There was an ending to this chapter of their lives, and the clock until they'd say goodbye to Beacon forever was counting down. Weiss wanted them to enjoy it together. She felt obligated because these two had shown them kindness. But more importantly, they showed her love. And that was enough for her to do the same.
Weiss could tell when two people really loved each other, even if she herself hadn't been privileged enough to share her love with someone else.
"Because, Yang." She turned away from her own visage. "You guys are my friends. It wouldn't be fair for me to leave you be when I know you could be happier." She opened the door. "And it's Prom."
Yang showed another smile, a small one, as she looked at her. Dressed like that, she really did look like an ethereal snow angel. "Well damn. I guess you're right."
Weiss let out an haughty chuckle. "Indeed I am. Come on, let's go to the counter."
Everything was going according to plan.
So far.
Of all the ideas she had generated in the past two and a half weeks, this one, by far, was the dumbest.
Still, she let her beloved motorcycle carry her further into the night, racing past neon lights and empty streets. Besides going to a bar or clubbing, there was hardly anything to do in the city at this hour. The majority of sensible people found sleep, as the following weekday promised work and required energy. She turned right down the last block nearest the town's park, heading towards the water. If her engine weren't running so loud, she'd probably be able to hear the crashing of the waves.
Yang couldn't even be sure Blake would be awake nearing one in the morning. But she might be. Yang noticed that she was so lethargic and inert at school recently, but she didn't know why. Was she studying herself to death again? She'd like to think that she had gotten into a really good book series or that she was watching movies, but in her gut, she knew it not to be true. Somehow, she felt that she was responsible, that she was the problem.
It had taken a few days for Weiss' advice to seep in. During that time, she had tried to converse with Blake here and there, but it just wasn't the same. It was an improvement, though. At least she acknowledged that Yang existed. It still wasn't enough, however. Until they could talk freely and laugh joyfully together, it wouldn't be enough.
She turned off Bumblebee, parking it just outside the steps leading up to the porch. Casting a glance at the front door, she thought to ring the doorbell, but resorted to an even stupider approach to the problem. It had been months, maybe even a year at this point now, since she had done something so impulsive and ridiculous. Sneaking out of the house required stealth she didn't know she had. Ruby was out cold, and so was her dad, but the trick was always having to get by Uncle Qrow. That old fart woke up to every sound, she swore. She was amazed she managed to get out without alarming him.
Yang walked around the corner to where Blake's bedroom window faced the sea. Her eyes scanned for some type of boost up onto the top of the porch so that she could get in, finding a few chairs. Carefully, she dragged one to where she deemed it fit, then proceeded to climb atop and hoist herself up and onto the roof. The dark purple curtains fluttered as a breeze blew from the ocean, and for a split second, Yang thought she could see Blake in her bed, sleeping. She froze. Maybe this was a really, really dumb idea after all.
But she decided to pull back the fabric and slide her way into the room anyway.
Surprisingly, Blake was still awake at this time. After hearing movement, the raven-haired girl had sat up quickly and put her glasses on. They weren't that much of a boost to her vision, but somehow they let her focus those golden eyes faster. The look on her face couldn't capture the mixed feelings of shock, frustration, and relief that woke in her all at once. Yang could only tell that she was surprised to see her. Awkwardly, they stared at each other, Yang feeling unsure if she should stay.
"Uh… H-hey…" she stammered, bringing her hand gingerly up to her head.
Blake cast a glance to the clock on her bedside table. "You realize what time it is, don't you?"
Her words cut through her like a knife. Yang turned herself back towards the window. "Yeah… Sorry."
Her feet shuffled against the carpet as she made her way back from whence she came, her heart sinking.
"Yang?" Blake called out. "Please, don't leave…"
The blonde looked back and found herself sitting on top of the queen-sized bed soon enough. It was definitely a bit big, if not too big, for one person. The thought of her laying down sounded really, really nice, so she did so. Stretching her legs out, she laid down on her side so that she could face Blake. The girl sank back down into her covers and sheets, shifting so that she could see Yang. Lilac and gold stared, unblinking, at each other for so long, they might have fallen asleep in that time.
"What are you doing here?" Blake asked, breaking the silence that had settled in.
"I…" Yang sighed. "I wanted to talk to you. I haven't been able to."
Blake frowned. "I'm sorry."
She shook her head. "It's fine, Blakey. I just wish you'd let me know what's going on, y'know? We're not on the same page."
"No." Blake found the girl's hand under the blanket and took it. "No, I suppose we aren't."
Their fingers laced, as if it was the most natural thing for them to do. "Will you tell me? You said you promised to on the beach." Three weeks sure seemed like a long time ago…
Without releasing her hand, Blake rolled onto her back, looking up at the ceiling. "You have to listen to me. Don't interrupt and wait for me to finish."
"Okay."
She breathed in. "I have to make a choice, and neither of my options are going to be good for us."
Yang wanted to say something, but she felt some invisible hand forcing her to be quiet.
Blake continued. "I know that you're going to college within the area. I'm happy for you. I know that you'll do well. But… I won't be so close by. The only school I applied for here rejected me, but the other schools in Boston and in France accepted me. Decision day is next week and I have to make up my mind. But in doing so, I know that I'm going to sever our relationship in two. That's why I haven't been talking to you. I don't know what to do about it."
A few seconds died away. Yang wasn't sure what to say, so she spoke the first thing that came to mind, as slow as that had been. "You're going to 'sever our relationship?' Blake, what's that supposed to mean?" She scooted closer.
The other girl turned her head. "You know what that means."
Not entirely. She had an idea. "I really don't."
Blake swallowed thickly. "You already know that I love you. I'm not willing to give up my feelings for you unless I have to."
Yang felt herself stop breathing.
The words echoed in her head for what seemed like eternity. Blake loved her? Like a friend, right? Like something else? Everything ran through her head, from the way she held her hand at the drive-in, the many times they'd laughed at a story, the smell of her perfume—every little thing that had totaled to this, this cat's cradle of heartstrings. Yang inhaled deeply, trying to revive herself after dying a bit on the inside from the intensity of Blake's confession. She knew, but to hear it spoken made her weak.
"Blake…" she whispered, her voice catching in her throat. "I…"
"If you don't feel the same, then just tell me. That way, it'll be easier when I have to go." Golden eyes remained staring upwards, but as the moon lent some of its silvery rays into the room, Yang could see small pools threatening to spill. "It's ridiculous, anyway, Yang. And if you don't see me as anything more, then just say so."
Every rehearsed verse that she was supposed to say vanished from her mind. Yang only looked at her best friend, her close companion, like she had broken her, completely shattered her. She saw tears running down her temples. It felt like her heart was ripping open. What was she supposed to say? She racked her brain, trying to find something, anything to say. But nothing. There was nothing.
Pushing herself up, she looked down at Blake and called her name. The girl responded by locking gazes. It was all too much at once for them both to bear, she knew. When Yang dipped down, she didn't stop her, and let her eyes shut when she felt that it was time.
When Yang's lips finally met Blake's, the blonde thought she might faint. They were so, so much better than she imagined them to be, and she reveled at the feeling, shivering just a bit. Her hands found Blake's cheeks, holding her close, while she kissed her again. The raven-haired girl's fingers wrapped around the back of Yang's neck, beckoning her closer, if that were possible. They kissed again, then again, and again, pure adrenaline shooting through their bloodstream, their minds going completely blank. All that mattered was each other right now.
Yang pulled away for air, but she could only catch a breath for a second or so before the girl underneath her drew her back in. But she didn't care. She wanted more. She needed more. Yang's hands wandered, eventually finding their way to Blake's sides. Her skin seemed smoother than porcelain and burned under her touch. It sent shocks all over Blake, firing each and every part of her all at once. A soft, shallow moan escaped between Blake's lips before Yang kissed her again, hungrily, as if there was nothing in the world more important.
But if she got too close to the flame, Yang realized, she might burn.
When they parted, they were breathless, faces flushed and lips swollen. Blake's golden eyes were half-lidded, her chest rising then falling, rising then falling, ebony locks surrounding her. It took everything in Yang's power not to kiss her again, not like that, because if she did, then she really wouldn't be leaving at all.
"You have me, Blake." She granted her a chaste kiss, wanting to linger, but not letting herself. "You have me."
Blake watched her athletic figure slip out of the room just as easily as she had only a while prior. Her lips tingled, no doubt wishing for Yang's. When she turned onto her side, she listened to an engine roar in the quiet of the night. Blake sighed, her golden eyes staring at the little alarm clock on her desk. It glowed 1:17 A.M.
A/N: Well! I hope you guys enjoyed this update. I had a very hard time writing this chapter, and I suspect that it's not the best that it could be, but this was an overdue wait given the last chapter.
A bit of a note before I post chapter eleven:
First of all, I'm gone for Labor Day weekend, which means I won't be updating until about a week's time (sorry!). Second of all, please remember that this is a T-rated fic, meaning that I have the liberty to include some material that some readers might find graphic or disturbing. The scene above (heh) is definitely not meant for anything below a T-rating. There are other elements pertaining to that rating (in the next chapter especially). I don't want to be cliche and give away the plot, but be wise. Or, should I say, be Weiss? heh
Thank you all so much. I cannot believe I have so much support for this story! Please leave me some feedback as to what you thought, how I can improve, and the like. I always read it. Thank you guys so much. 3
-Lex