A/N: *crawls back from the grave* Oh my God. I hate myself for leaving you guys with chapter eleven. My apologies. But hey! Extra long chapter and a long note at the bottom! Please be sure to read it.
Chapter Twelve: Fairy Dance
Every single fiber of her body seemed to tear apart, causing her much misery and pain.
A throbbing headache pierced through Yang's skull as the girl sat up in her own bed, brown sheets pooling at her waist. She brought her two hands up and shielded her eyes from the light pouring in through the window, groaning in agony. The light hurt. Everything hurt. It must have been just before noon for the sun to shine in on her room like that. Clumsily, she rolled herself off the mattress and onto the floor. Moaning, Yang pulled at the curtains so that they could block out the light. She thought about staying right where she was, face pressed against the familiar carpet, feeling like utter crap.
Again. It totally happened again.
Yang muttered a few curse words as she struggled to pick herself up, gripping the window sill tightly. She couldn't remember anything, but she knew there was nothing to remember. That's what happens when you black out from drinking, you idiot. No matter how hard she tried, nothing came to mind about the previous night. The girl tried to run her hands through her hair, but it wouldn't do, as her fingers tugged on the knots. She hadn't showered. She was still in yesterday's clothes. Bringing her shirt up to her nose, she wondered how awful she must have smelled. That might be a good indicator of how trashed she was. As she did, she picked up on something she hadn't come across in a long time.
She smelled like him.
And then she wanted to throw up.
Yang remembered Ruby, when she was still small and even more curious about the world, telling her that scents were very powerful because they can easily trigger memories. She wished it wasn't so. She didn't want to remember him. She wanted to forget. What used to be, at some point in her life, the most wonderful fragrance in the world now transformed into a dreadful reminder of everything that had gone wrong. At that instant, Mercury Black came to mind—the slight upturn of his lopsided, arrogant grin, his back as he walked away, the way he never seemed to smile with those stony, gray eyes.
God damn, Xiao Long.
As she pulled her shirt off of her and angrily threw it across the room, Yang noticed the small, short figure standing at the doorway. Ruby wasn't smiling or frowning, lips pressed into a thin, straight line instead. She looked tired. Her normally gleaming silver orbs appeared lackluster and exhausted. The two sisters stared at each other, one in disbelief, the other in shame.
"Yang?" Ruby piped up, though her voice remained quiet, even timid.
Yang's lips quivered. She replied, "Ruby?"
Without wasting another second, Ruby made her way over to her older sister, sitting down next to her and wrapping her in a hug. "How are you feeling?" the younger asked, taking in the mess in front of her that was Yang Xiao Long.
The blonde wanted to cry. She hated looking and feeling like crap in front of Ruby. She was the older sister. She had the responsibility of looking after her sibling, not the other way around. Yet here they sat, roles reversed. It made her feel stupid to say the very least. "My head hurts a lot," was all she could say. It was a horrible understatement—everything hurt a lot.
"Well, that kind of thing does happen after a crazy night," Ruby mumbled, the smallest grin on her lips. "I'm just glad you're okay."
"But am I actually okay?" Yang bit her lip, feeling tears start to well up unexpectedly. "Ruby, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry," she repeated, breath starting to hitch. "I didn't mean to get drunk like that, I didn't, I-I…"
"No, Yang, please," Ruby murmured quietly, bringing her into a tight, but gentle hug. "It's going to be okay."
"No it's not," Yang replied, hiccuping as she struggled to keep herself in check. It wasn't working. "What I did wasn't alright, and I just… Oh, God, why do I keep screwing up?" she moaned, pressing her head into Ruby's shoulder.
The younger girl stayed quiet as Yang cried, feeling a warm dampness on her trademark red hoodie within a minute or so. For a while, the two sat there on the bedroom floor, huddled together as the dust started to sink and settle around them.
"Why didn't you just call me?" Ruby asked when Yang lifted her head a few minutes later. "I was with Weiss. We could have picked you up to see a movie or go to an arcade if you were that upset." She frowned. "Yang, you can always just tell us if you're not okay."
"I know, Ruby, I know. But… I wasn't thinking straight, at all." She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, knowing they were red and swollen. She hated crying like this. "I was angry. And you know how I am when I'm… when I'm upset. I just wasn't me yesterday."
"Was it Blake?"
Yang gave a lopsided grin, even if she was as unhappy as she could be. "Yeah. And Mercury, he's back."
Ruby nodded. "Weiss and I saw him last night."
There was nothing else to be said about him. Yang sighed, shutting her eyes. "I just… I can't even believe I let myself do that again." She rubbed her temples as she asked, "About Weiss… She's gotta be really pissed off with me, huh?"
"Yeah…" Ruby leaned against the wall, hand on her sister's. "Weiss stayed for a little while after she dropped you off, even though her dad was bugging her to come home. She had to explain the situation to dad. You might want to talk to her sometime."
Well, yeah. I owe her that much, and way more. "Where is dad?" she wondered, referring to their own and glancing at the clock hanging near the door. "It's Saturday."
"Dad's running errands. He said he needed to go grocery shopping."
"Is he mad at me, too?"
The girl shook her head. "No. None of us are really that upset, Yang."
"Are you sure dad isn't mad?" she asked, incredulous. Their overprotective father, not upset with his oldest's embarrassing and reckless actions? Not possible.
"I promise," Ruby swore. "He's just worried. All of us want you to be okay."
Us.
Silver met lilac, staring hard at each other. Yang gritted her teeth, fists balled up in her lap. A tear fell onto her lap. "This is just stupid," she sniffled as she rubbed her nose. "I can't go to Prom like this. I hate crying."
"Well, you do have almost eight hours," Ruby smiled, finally. "You can cry all you want! Anything to make you feel better. If it makes you feel better, of course… I mean…" She scratched the back of her head, unsure of anything else to say. "You are still going to Prom, right?"
Yang sighed. "I have to. I'm nominated for royalty and it would be bad if I didn't show up. I probably shouldn't be left alone."
"But Mercury is supposed to be there," Ruby whispered, knowing that simply saying his name would most likely offend, and piss off, the blonde.
Yang, however, just shrugged her shoulders. "It'll be fine. I don't have to talk to him, right? I'll avoid him." She shook her head, not wanting to think of him anymore than she needed to. "I'm not worried about seeing him. I'm worried about something else."
"You mean Blake," Ruby assumed.
"Yeah." That's an entirely different story. I don't know how to fix what I've done.
"I'm sure that you guys are going to be okay. At least, that's what I hope."
Yang lowered her eyes to the floor. "Me too."
Ruby patted her shoulder affectionately. "Let's just try to get through today. We can figure that out after we eat something."
Yang nodded, wiping her eyes. "I gotta clean up, Rubes."
The brunette stood up, beaming. "Right. I'm going to go cook us some breakfast. Cookies count as breakfast, right?" She gave her sister one last look before walking out.
Yang watched Ruby, wondering if this is how it felt to be the little sibling, the one being taken care of. She then wondered how she would deal with Blake later on, if she could.
"Weiss?"
The heiress stood right against the doorstep, surprising Blake greatly as she opened the door. She never visited Blake's house. It was always the opposite. Her eyes, which usually shined like beautiful jewels in the sunlight, appeared grim and dark, narrowed as grimaced. Blake noted that her shoulders were slumped and she appeared hunched over, like she was… tired. Weiss tapped her foot impatiently, her lips pursed.
"Are you going to let me in or am I going to stand here forever?" she hissed.
"Okay, sorry," Blake grumbled, pulling the door open. She sure makes one seriously pissed off angel.
The girl removed her high heels, placing them neatly by the frame, before walking to the living room and sitting down promptly on the sofa. "We need to talk."
"You said as much on the phone," Blake responded, taking her seat next to her. "Do you want anything to drink? Water? Tea?"
Weiss shook her head. "I'm fine, but thank you. Are you alright?"
"Me?" Blake arched an eyebrow. "Weiss, I'm okay." Shifting the conversation, she said, "You seem really upset. Are you okay?"
Weiss let out an exasperated sigh, crossing her arms. "No, not really. I'm irritated, and I'm upset that I have to be here to talk to you." She was being honest, at the very least.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
She ignored her question. "Where were you last night? Actually, where were you all day yesterday?" the girl questioned, her tone firm and authoritative. "It would have been immensely helpful if you had your phone turned on."
Blake backed away, somewhat surprised by the direction of their discussion and Weiss' current temperament. "Weiss, what are you talking about? I was home all day yesterday, and the day before that." Grieving. I was upset and unhappy. What a surprise. She had herself locked in her room, doing nothing but thinking, and even some crying. "I didn't notice that you had called me until this morning, when you called me again."
"Well, something happened last night." She averted her gaze. "That's actually the reason why I wanted to come here and explain it to you. I didn't think telling you over the phone would have been sufficient."
"What is it?" Blake asked, her voice growing quiet. Somehow, she knew that it was not very good, especially if Weiss Schnee asked to come over to talk to her in person like this.
The ice queen gathered herself and spoke as diplomatically and tactfully as she could. "Yang got into some trouble last night. Neptune and Sun were leaving a party when they noticed that her motorcycle was parked in Cardin Winchester's driveway. Ruby and I left as soon as we heard and when we found her…" She shook her head once. "She was with her ex-boyfriend, Mercury Black."
Blake felt her chest cave in, her heart feeling so squeezed it might've burst right then and there.
"She was very, very drunk. I would be surprised if she remembers anything form last night when she wakes up," Weiss continued. "We got her out of there as soon as we could and I dropped her and Ruby off at their house. Hopefully she's alright, that dunce."
"I…" Blake was speechless, as well as feeling angry, disappointed, and despondent all at once. Typically she could keep herself in check, but this was…
Rash.
Stupid.
Unbelievable.
She could rip her hair out.
"I wanted to tell you so you knew," the other girl continued, bringing Blake back to Earth. "I'm upset, obviously, because I haven't slept more than five hours for the past week. Prom is tonight, and this whole incident is just another hazard to my health. My father pestered me all night about it and I had to instruct Ruby on how to take care of her sister." She turned her eyes back to Blake, now appearing a bit more sensitive, a bit more empathetic, almost. "I felt that it would be wrong if no one told you, if you were left to hearing about this through rumors. And given that tonight is Prom…"
"I'm not going," Blake decided as she stood, finished with the conversation. Now she was seeing red, not caring much that Weiss had just finished speaking. "I don't want to go." This is dumb. Her feet fell hard on the hardwood. This is stupid. She felt her blood boil in her veins, now upset more than anything, that Yang could have been so stupid.
"Blake, please," Weiss followed suit, trailing behind her as Blake carried herself to the patio outside.
"No! This is all so stupid!" the raven-haired girl shouted, never once turning to look at Weiss even as she went out to face the sea. In the distance, the waves crashed against the sand just as chaotically and tumultuously as her life that was, currently, in shambles, so she thought. "How could you expect me to go to Prom when you know that Yang is going to be there? I don't want to see her, Weiss! I don't want to be anywhere near her!"
"Blake, don't blow this out of proportion!" Weiss countered, standing in front of Blake so she could see her. Wisps of white tickled her cheek as a gust blew past them, shifting gray clouds above them. "I told you what happened so that you could fix your problems, not so that you can run away fr—"
"I am not running!"
Weiss' lips remained parted, shocked that Blake had cut her off so suddenly. Now she was actually starting to get even more upset than she already was. "Oh really?" she questioned, her words dripping in sarcasm and contempt. "Because it seems to me that you are, if you're not going to face her tonight and explain yourself and how you feel!"
"How do you know anything about the situation?" Blake asked, her voice starting to waver slightly. "What did Yang tell you?"
"Nothing, actually." Weiss gritted her teeth. "She hasn't told me anything. Neither of you have!"
"Why do you even care about what goes on between me and Yang? It's not your business."
"Because, Blake," the girl retorted, closing the distance between them and standing on her toes, "you and Yang are my closest friends! It might not be my business, but I can see when two people care so much about one another. And for you both to waste what you have between you would be upsetting to see!" She sank back down to Earth, saying, "Because this—this whole thing between you and Yang—not only affects you two, but it affects me, it affects Ruby, and frankly, it affects everyone around you. So help me God if we actually care about you two enough to help."
Blake withdrew, turning away from her and once more to the vast expanse of ocean. She had to take a moment to comprehend what Weiss had just explained, and she wasn't sure she could believe the majority of it. Weiss shouldn't have bothered. This whole situation wasn't worth her valuable time or effort, but she stuck around. She wanted to help. Ruby had done the same thing. If anything, she should have distanced herself from Blake, given how she had hurt Yang so much, but she remained kind and gentle as always. It didn't make sense, why these people were being so nice to her, or why they cared. The golden-eyed girl brought both hands to her head, rubbing her temples and hoping to fend off the impeding headache.
So maybe she should have talked to someone about what was going on.
And maybe she should have told Weiss, who was the person that brought her Yang in the first place, really. After all, she was the one person Blake could go to for all of this, given their similarities amongst stark differences.
Anger subsiding, she swallowed her pride and looked over at her friend. She seemed so petite, so small and fragile. "Weiss," she started. "I appreciate you telling me what happened. I didn't mean to yell at you," she apologized, knowing that she was not the kind of person to burst in anger like she had. It just seemed that everything was getting to her.
"It's fine," she replied. "But I was being serious. Obviously something is going on between you and Yang. What are you going to do about it?"
"I…" Blake took in a deep breath, not knowing where to start. But she tried her best. "Let's go inside," she remarked, motioning for Weiss to walk into the house. If they were going to talk about it, Blake wanted to be comfortable at least.
Once they were seated in the living room, cups of coffee and tea in their hands, Blake recounted her story. She told Weiss about her decision to study in France, although she already knew, and how Yang took the news—their last conversation earlier in the week and the fall-out that was inevitable. Blake told her about how she stayed home for two days because she didn't have the courage to face Yang, because she didn't want to look at her and cause any more pain. More than anything, Blake wanted to take back everything she said, but she couldn't, because she knew those words had left scars on Yang.
The heiress was a bit surprised to hear it all, although she had her suspicions regarding the two. It wasn't difficult to deduce that Blake and Yang weren't okay. Mood dampened, she sipped her coffee, silent throughout all of Blake's story. Blake noticed that she had drank it black, much unlike her, and she wondered if she felt that way, too. Bitter, somehow, and dark.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Weiss offered. She knew that Blake didn't like pity any more than she did and continued, asking her, "Now what are you going to do?"
"I don't know." The girl reached up to her head and pushed her ebony locks back. "Has Yang really not told you about any of this?"
"Yang's been keeping to herself. I suppose I should have prodded her with questions… If I knew this was so bad." Weiss frowned. "Why didn't you say something, Blake? I would have tried to help you," she sighed, genuine and sincere.
"Because it's not your problem," Blake replied. "I don't want to get more people in this situation if they don't have to be."
Weiss shrugged. "It's unfortunate, then, that Ruby and I are your friends. After I left last night, Ruby was still a bit shaky. I'm sure she's taking care of Yang. At least, I'd like to think so." She set her coffee down on the table between them.
"If you're saying you need to take care of me… I don't need a babysitter."
"I wouldn't baby you, ever," Weiss replied, irritation flashing briefly in her cerulean eyes. "You're so stubborn."
Blake did not respond to that, instead setting her tea down on the table.
"Are you still going to Prom tonight?"
Blake felt her breath hitch a little as she turned her amber eyes away. The question was a bit sudden."Is it worth it?" Risking it. Being vulnerable again. Opening up wounds. Her worries were written all over her face and she knew it. "Don't you think Yang doesn't want to see me?"
"Yang's not like that," Weiss reassured her. "She might be hurt, but she's not going to push you away if you approach her, even after everything that has happened. If anything, she probably wants to clear up the situation with you. It's necessary. The details in your relationship are so convoluted."
She almost wanted to sneer at that last jab, although it was true. "I find that hard to believe."
"She's just as stubborn as you are."
Blake sighed. "You really think so?"
"I know so," Weiss nodded. "It won't do for you to hide your feelings away. Hasn't that already caused a fuss?"
Touché. "Well… I suppose that's one way to say it…"
"Exactly." Weiss rose, patting down her expensive, white skirt. "I'm going to get my stuff out of my car."
Blake blinked at her stupidly, brows furrowing. "Excuse me?"
The heiress didn't spare her a second glance as she put on her shoes. "What, you weren't expecting to get ready by yourself for Prom now were you?"
"Weiss, you—" Blake stopped, bright gold meeting deep blue.
"I, what?" she asked. The smallest mischievous grin graced her small lips. There it was, that keen, eager stare that was a little bit serious and a lot more teasing now.
And Blake understood.
As she drove down Highway 1, the major thoroughfare that ran along the Pacific coastline, Yang couldn't help but occasionally glance out the windows to her right, looking at the sun as it sank beneath the horizon. It was a dangerous action, given that the road in front of her twisted and turned often and required a greater amount of concentration than most routes. Still, she looked, and she thought about Blake and the way her strange, gold eyes seemed even more miraculous and ethereal in the light of the setting sun. She missed that. She loved that.
But Ruby caught her eyes each time, and she knew exactly what her older sister was thinking. She was pining. The brunette placed her hand on top of Yang's that rested on the gear shift.
"Are you okay?" Ruby asked quietly.
"I"m going to be," Yang answered, forcing a grin. "If I don't majorly screw up again. I'm going to try to talk to Blake." Not that it'll change anything. But at least we can clear the air between us.
"You'll be fine. Right. You'll be fine."
Yang appreciated Ruby and her caring actions today that made the afternoon run a bit more smoothly than it would have without her. After cleaning herself up and eating a hearty meal, Yang found herself on the couch, watching a movie with Ruby, then later prepared for the evening. The film helped her relax and think through what she'd say tonight, if Blake was still going. The anxiety ate at her the closer the clock hands moved towards the end of the day. So even though the dance didn't start until eight o'clock, the two sisters finished getting dressed at five. Ruby took her time as she curled Yang's hair, wanting to make her as beautiful as she could, and she did a remarkable job.
Ruby herself wore a navy blue gown, not wanting to wear a dress similar to Yang's, even though red was definitely her trademark color. It was her namesake, after all. Still, this was not her night. No, her only objective was helping Yang, as she said so. Yang could not believe that this was her little sister, her biggest supporter and best friend. She had always been so kind.
"Rubes," Yang started, drawing in a deep breath. "Do you think Blake will listen to what I have to say?"
"I think so," Ruby nodded. "Just as long as you're honest, right?"
"Yeah."
Just as long as you're honest, Yang.
Just as long as you're honest.
Her job was to help Yang. That was all.
Soon, they arrived at the venue for their prom night. Ruby felt her jaw go slack a little, astounded as soon as she walked into the room. A famous spot for weddings and other large occasions, the Malibu Beach Club, facing directly out into the water, was large enough to hold hundreds of guests yet small and intimate all the same. The Beacon Student Council had worked extremely hard to put this together, decorating the tables with lovely, scattered petals, and tea lights in the center to create a warm atmosphere in the room. Above them hung intricate paper-mache creations that resembled stars, fitting the theme for tonight that was the Land of Enchantment.
There were a few people already dancing. Quickly, Ruby spotted Pyrrha and her dazzling pair of vibrant, emerald eyes across the room and the smile that came with her glance. Next to her was Jaune, tall and handsome is his tailored suit. Ren and Nora weren't too far away, moving and grooving to the beat of the music. Ruby smiled to herself, happy to see her close friends enjoying themselves. She tried to remind herself that she, too, should have some fun tonight, that even if things were to go wrong with Blake and Yang (again) she should at least have a good night. At least try.
But even then, she felt that it wouldn't matter if her sister couldn't even manage a smile.
As the brunette admired the splendor of the evening's scene, she caught sight of a familiar white figure standing a few feet away, greeting each guest as they passed by. Weiss appeared just as beautiful as she ought to be, dressed in a long gown the same color as fresh snow. As the main organizer for this event, she had planned every single detail meticulously and carefully. Now, it was only polite of her to make sure she said hello to each person. Everyone knew Weiss Schnee was the heiress of perhaps the biggest diamond company in the nation. And she made that very, very clear with her appearance tonight. Ice queen she might have been, but powerless she certainly was not.
"Whoa, she looks beautiful…" Ruby thought aloud.
As if she had heard her, Weiss snapped her head towards the sisters and made her way to them. Brow arched and arms akimbo, she smirked and said, "Both of you clean up so well."
"Clean up?" Yang chuckled. "I always look this good."
Weiss rolled her eyes and Ruby laughed.
"This place looks awesome, Weiss. You guys must've spent forever trying to decorate it," Ruby commented.
The snow angel sighed. "Indeed, it was a lot of work. But I'm glad that someone likes it."
Ruby looked over at Yang, who was shifting where she stood. Was she so uncomfortable with the small talk already? "Yang, Jaune and Pyrrha are already here."
"Yeah." The blonde reached up and tangled her fingers with her hair, lilac eyes focused on everything besides Ruby and Weiss. "It really is nice."
Weiss hummed before she replied, "If you want to get something to drink, there's a refreshment bar in the back of the room. You can also go out to the patio if you need fresh air."
"Thanks."
"You look like you need it," she followed up, pulling the clipboard in her hand closer to her chest.
Ruby glanced at both of them and opened her mouth to speak, but her sister cut in.
"I think I'm going to go do that, actually," Yang said curtly, regarding Weiss with a nod and Ruby with a small, seemingly painful smile.
The two girls watched Yang as she walked away from them, long hair swaying and heels clicking loudly against the wooden floor. After she had gone, Weiss let out a sigh, long and heavy. "She seems very upset to be here."
"Well… I think she's just nervous about seeing Blake again. She is coming, right?"
"She's already here," Weiss responded. "I brought her here myself."
"Really?"
She nodded. "I had to tell her about what happened last night. I felt that she deserved to know, given that she cares so much about her. I managed to convince her to go and confront Yang as well."
"Wow." Ruby grinned. "I guess our plan is still working out, then."
"Hmm, with a bunch of convoluted, tortuous small details? Sure, you can think of it that way, Ruby." Sapphire met silver as Weiss smiled. "I am confident that they'll be able to overcome their differences and the problems they face."
Excitedly, Ruby nodded. "I think so too. But…" She looked towards the door. "What about…"
"Mercury Black? He purchased a ticket. That doesn't necessarily mean that he'll be coming tonight."
"But if he does…" Ruby clenched her fist. "What if he bothers Yang? I mean… They were really… They were…"
The ice queen frowned. "I'll see to it that he doesn't bother her if he does come."
"Wait, you can do that?"
"Well, one of our goals right now is to help our friends as best as we can, right? That's all we can do. If he's really a nuisance, then I'll have security escort him out. Blake and Yang need to sort things out alone. But everything else that happens between them isn't up to us. They'll have to work on it together." Weiss sighed. "Don't you think that we've been getting in the middle of this a bit too much?"
Ruby only stared back at her and nodded. "I guess you're right about that one."
Weiss turned her attention to the doorway. "They need space. Now come. I need help at the coat-check."
Blake leaned over the railing, watching the water crash against the shore. It was now past eight and the sun sank underneath the ocean at least hours ago. But with her sharp eyes and strong vision, she could see far, so she let herself fall into a bit of a trance as she gazed off in the distance. She admired the waves climaxing then ebbing, so rhythmic and tranquil. For a while, she stood, mind separated from body, content with her current situation, even though she felt worried about the evening all day.
Perhaps she was worrying too much. There were many things Blake was. She was level-headed and collected. She was structured, careful, and precise in everything she did. Having suffered from Adam's fickleness and caprice, she learned to take her time when making decisions. She hated changing her mind and she prided herself on staying committed to something she truly believed in. These were the pillars of her character. She was not impulsive. She was not impetuous. Blake knew this.
So, for her to change her mind…
She couldn't be sure she was making the right choice.
But if she was given the chance, it might be worth it. That was worth a try. Maybe it was fine that she worried this much.
Blake observed the beach for a few more minutes until she heard the shuffling of feet behind her. She turned and thought her heart had stopped beating as soon as she saw the familiar bright hair and kind eyes.
For a moment, time seemed to stop, Yang's beauty captivating and paralyzing Blake. They hadn't spoken in nearly a week after their falling-out on Monday. Blake felt an acute pain in her chest upon meeting Yang's gaze, intense and fierce, even under the soft light of the hanging lights above them. She felt guilty. Blake really loved her, yet she hurt her and had been hurt from her. Almost shyly, she turned away and brought her hands in front of her, keeping her eyes forward as Yang closed the distance between them. A minute of silence lingered between them. In that time, Blake could feel her heart racing, a hammer under the soft fabric of her dress.
"Blake," Yang murmured lowly, voice quiet and timid.
Unsure of what else to say, she said her name in reply.
"You really look beautiful," Yang offered, walking up to her side. She kept about a foot of space between them, careful and nervous as ever. Blake could sense the trepidation in her voice, much unlike her. "I like your bow," she added awkwardly.
Blake couldn't help but smile just slightly at her efforts. "Thanks. You look quite nice yourself."
The blonde blushed. "Y-You think so? Weiss picked out this dress for me. I'd usually wear something brighter but… I guess she really liked the color."
Blake turned to look at her. "It suits you. You look good like that, Yang."
The raven-haired girl was hyperaware of her clipped, short sentences, but she hoped that Yang wouldn't take them as a slight. She wasn't angry or upset—not even close. Blake was scared. She couldn't believe that Yang was giving her the time of day. She felt undeserving of the golden girl's time. Yang could be in the main room, dancing her heart out, laughing with her friends, kissing Mercury, or teasing Ruby, or otherwise existing without her. And yet…
Lilac eyes remained on her, filled with guilt and apprehension. It was if Yang knew precisely how Blake felt not because she could see it, but because she, too, felt exactly the same way.
"To be honest, Blake," Yang opened up, almost startling Blake, "I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find you tonight. I'm guessing you know about what I did yesterday…"
"No need to say it out loud," Blake replied. "Weiss told me everything."
"Right, of course." Yang drew circles on the ground with her foot. "Somehow she always finds a way to tell someone about the things I do…"
"Well…" Blake wasn't sure what to say at this point. "I don't think it was out of malice. She just wanted me to know."
Yang nodded, closing her eyes and sighing. "I'm sorry about how I acted," she continued, honest and straightforward. The girl bit her lip. "I know that you weren't there, but I know that you were probably really ticked off with my behavior. I wasn't being myself." She opened up and touched Blake's hand that rested on the railing. "I don't drink like that, ever. But I was upset and I…" Yang shook her head. "I guess Mercury really didn't care if I was in my head or not, huh? I knew he'd be in town and that I shouldn't have gone." Her lips dipped into a frown. "I'm sorry."
Blake's expression softened and her fingers curled around Yang's. "You were hurt. People do stupid things when they're hurt. If anything, I should be the one apologizing to you. I've made it harder between us."
"I can't deny that one," Yang sighed, drawing back her hand. "I uh… I just wasn't expecting that kind of answer, I guess."
Blake deflated. Seeing Yang like this made her felt defeated. "I know. And I'm really sorry." I mean it. I promise.
"But that's not going to change your mind, is it?" The golden girl took a step back, putting her hands behind her back. "I'm… not sure what there is to work out between us, now that I think of it."
Her sentence caught Blake off guard. "What are you talking about?" she asked, surprised at the sudden turn of the conversation.
But Yang continued as if she hadn't heard her. "I mean, I'm glad that you're not as pissed as I thought you'd be, but besides that…" Yang swallowed thickly and locked gazes with the girl she admired and cherished. "It's still not going to change your mind," she repeated. "You're going to go to France and study to be a successful businesswoman. I don't belong in the picture."
Her heart felt like it was ripping at the seams. "Yang…"
"I get it. I mean, this is just high school. And eventually you're going to find a great person and marry them and things will be really, crazy great for you!" Somehow, Yang managed to put on a fake smile, even a fake laugh. "And that's what I want for you. I do want you to be happy, y'know? And if that means… If that means that I can't be with you, if that means that I'm not the person you choose—"
"Stop it."
Stop it.
This time, it was Blake's turn to interrupt her with a kiss. It was soft, chaste, and sweet.
As Yang looked down at her, confused and taken aback, Blake asked, "Who says I'm not choosing you?" Before the other girl could speak, the amber-eyed girl brought her hand to Yang's cheek and confessed, "I love you. That isn't going to change, whether I'm here with you or if I'm across the ocean away from you."
"W-what…?" Yang couldn't believe the words that she had just heard. "Where… where is this coming from, Blake?"
Blake removed herself from the embrace. "I don't change my mind when I make decisions. But for days, I've been without you. I avoided you at school and I didn't even go to school on Thursday and Friday because I couldn't handle seeing you. You don't understand, Yang. Seeing you upset and hurt was more than I could bear. I thought I could be strong and stay firm in what I said, but I kept thinking and thinking about you." She took a deep breath and adjusted the bow on her head.
"What I said on Monday was true. I don't want to hold you back. I want you to be happy. And if a relationship with you is going to keep you away from the best, then I'd rather part with you than have you. But Yang…" Blake paused, realizing that tears were beginning to well up. Oh, how she hated this, this great wave of emotions that tore away her facade of indifference and steeled appearance. It didn't matter now, though.
"You've proved to me, time and time again, that you really do care about me. I've never met someone so selfless. I really don't believe it sometimes, when you say that you love me, you choose me, but… It's true. I don't deserve you, but you've picked me. So for you, I'm willing to change my mind. I shouldn't have made the decision before talking to you. If I had been mature enough just to ask… then we wouldn't be here."
Yang blinked a few times, trying to speak but failing at forming a coherent sentence. She pushed part of her hair back, licked her lips, and looked at Blake, then at the ground, then out in the distance. Blake wondered if she had said too much all at once. Finally, Yang asked, "What made you change your mind? Why couldn't you have just said this before?"
"I wanted to, but I couldn't face you. I was convinced you wouldn't want to talk to me."
"That's bullshit and you know it," Yang replied. "I've been wanting to talk to you too. But things between us have been so damn complicated." The girl played with a few strands of her hair. "I really couldn't think about you without getting upset after Monday." She chuckled. "Oh, man. If you knew how nervous I am just to stand in front of you here…"
They smiled at each other as Blake responded. "I think I can sense it a bit."
"You think? Ruby had to give me a few pep talks. Usually I'm not so bad! But I've never been one for talking so much, I guess." Yang looked at her feet. "Everything's just different with you."
Blake's smile faded, her expression turning earnest once more. "I wanted to apologize to you."
Lilac met gold. "For what?"
"For what?" Blake almost laughed. "Yang, for everything that's happened. I wish that all of this hadn't happened. If I had just been open with how I felt, this could have been avoided. But it's because of my childish actions that we're here where we are. If I had been honest with you and communicated properly, then I could've spared us both a great deal of heartbreak. You don't understand how horrible it feels to hurt you."
Yang remained silent, so she continued, saying, "I thought I loved Adam when I met him. I was only fifteen, and I was different then, but I really did think that he was everything I needed. So when he left, when he said goodbye, I swore to myself that I would never again love another person, that I was too good for that. I could be alone." Suddenly, her throat seemed to close up and she was starting to choke on her words. "But with you, Yang, it's so easy. It's just so easy to love you. So even if you feel different, I still love you. I mean it."
Moved by Blake's clear, honest admission of love, with utmost tenderness and gentleness, Yang took both of Blake's hands and held them to her chest. It took her a minute to form a solid response. So stirred was she by Blake's words that she forgot, momentarily, about the dance going on inside, her mistake from the previous night, and the pain from her earlier rejection. Smiling, Yang kissed Blake's hands. "If you've forgiven me so easily over something so bad, you can't expect me to not forgive you. Of course I forgive you. And you're more than enough." Her smile weakened, but she whispered "God, Blake. It almost feels too easy. I really didn't think we would be able to get through to each other like this."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I didn't know how tonight was going to go," the blonde answered. "To be honest, I was kinda clueless about what I was going to say. I didn't know that you were going to change your mind, so that was a big help, y'know," she mumbled. "What would have happened? I was expecting you to reject me again. I was gonna ask you if you wanted to start over, or whatever, or at least just clear the air, but, I mean, it just looks like you've kinda done that for me—us, sorry, us…" She was babbling, she knew, and she cursed under her breath.
Blake grinned. "I'm glad I can do something to help you." She realized that her hands were still being held in Yang's as she asked, "How do you feel? About this, about all of it."
Yang took her time to answer. "Surprised, for starters. I really wasn't expecting you to change your mind, like I said. I mean, you're such a solid person. You don't go back on your decisions like that, so it was a serious surprise. But you know, Blakey, I couldn't be happier. I don't want you to be held down. I want you to be free. But if you choose me, then I promise you, Blake, that you won't regret it.
"Y-you know that I've never felt this way before, not like this. Because, I mean, you had your Adam, I've had my Merc. Things are a little different but they're kinda the same, right? Well… I didn't know I really loved you until I thought I lost you." Tears threatened to fall, surprising them both. Grasping Blake's hands tighter, Yang ducked her head and pressed her forehead against the other girl's, whispering, "I want you, and I choose you. I've said this before. I can't be just friends with you, Blake. I forgive you. I forgive you a million times over. All that matters to me is that you choose me, and that can't disappoint me because… because…" She bit her lip and whispered, "I love you, Blake. I mean that."
Both girls understood that there was little left to be said after. Assured that they were alone and that no one was looking in their direction, Blake raised herself onto her toes, leaning forward. Slowly and gently, they kissed underneath the lights that danced above them like fairies, feeling nothing else but each other, if for a moment.
A/N: Someone is plotting my murder for leaving you guys for *months*. Ugh, I am so sorry. As you know, I've just started uni this past fall and there's been a lot going on in my life. I've had to put my stories on hold for a bit and at some point I couldn't even look at my manuscript for this fic. I'm very sorry if the quality is lacking; I tried my best to get back to where I was.
I'm determined to see this through. There are two more chapters to this story, including the epilogue at the very end, so please stay with me! Again, I'm very sorry for being absent. I've been going through a lot and I'm surprised I've managed to get this up.
Thank you again for the support, even as I've been gone. The amount of people that read this fic seriously give me a lot of joy and I haven't stopped thinking about how I've needed to finish for you.
`Lex