Night had fallen, and despite the lengthening days it was still cold enough that a fire in the evening was more than welcome. Yang used to love lying on the couch wrapped in a blanket, watching the flames consume the logs in the fireplace, then die down to faintly-glowing embers.
Tonight, she had the added comfort of Neo curled up with her underneath the blanket. They were both lying on the couch, Neo with her head on Yang's chest while Yang stared at the fire. Neo's head would rise and fall slightly with every breath Yang took.
Yang sighed and glanced away from the fire, up at the ceiling, blinking tightly to banish the spots floating in her vision.
"We have to leave, Neo," she said reluctantly. Neo raised her head and gave Yang a look of concern.
"Like...right now?"
"No," she said with a chuckle, though she quickly sobered, "But...tomorrow. I think it should be tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Because we can't stay here forever...as much as I would like to."
Yang would like nothing more than to be with Neo, happy and comfortable, but...there was so much that needed to be done. And if they didn't leave as soon as possible, then Yang didn't know when they would finally do it.
Neo pouted, but she gave Yang a nod of assent. Yang reached up to run her fingers through Neo's particolored hair.
"You seem like you're not sure. This was your idea in the first place, remember?"
Neo shifted uncomfortably.
"It was. But that was before we were...together. A lot has changed. I've...changed. And even though when we started out, I just wanted to get you on your feet so you could help me...now I just want you to be happy. I want to make you happy."
Yang looked into Neo's mismatched eyes.
"Neo...I want to stay here together as much as you do. But you know we can't with those people still out there."
"I know. And I'm with you, but...it's not easy to leave."
"It'll be okay. We'll be together."
"Of course," Neo said. She leaned in to give Yang a brief, warm kiss, before settling back down, her head tucked under Yang's chin.
"Tomorrow," Yang sighed.
/
Neo stole through the house silently, her duffel bag slung over her shoulder. In it was the last of her carefully hoarded Lien, several vials of Dust, some spare clothes, and her small collection of personal items. She wore her newest set of clothes, her parasol was tucked under her arm, and Roman's battered hat was perched on top of her head.
She paused in the hallway and spared a glance at the kitchen and the living room. So many good memories, quite a few bittersweet ones… She'd spent several months here, including a week of what she could only describe as the happiest of her life, as she and Yang brought down the barriers between them and admitted their love for each other.
Neo let out a heavy sigh. It wasn't going to be easy, leaving here, but she knew that she had to eventually. There was still so much to do, and even the best days didn't last forever, Neo supposed. Despite how much she wanted them to.
And as she adjusted Roman's hat, she remembered why she had come here in the first place. As much as she loved Yang, Roman had been the first person to care for her, and she needed to find the person responsible for his death. If Cinder Fall was out there, Yang and Neo were going to find her.
They were going to find a lot of people.
Neo started as she turned and saw Taiyang sitting quietly at the kitchen table. Lost in her thoughts, she must have missed him at first glance, but now he stood up and walked towards her.
"Hey, Neo. Leaving all of a sudden?"
Neo stammered. She'd never gotten quite used to talking to him, even if she trusted him as Yang's father.
"Y-yes, I...we...were..."
Taiyang chuckled and went to one knee in front of her.
"Hey, it's okay. I know where you're going."
"Oh..." Neo felt her heart sink. Yang hadn't wanted to make a big scene of leaving, to spare her father, so they'd decided to leave at first light.
"But that's alright. I have some things of my own to take care of, so I'm afraid I can't be there for you two."
Neo tilted her head.
"You can't?"
Taiyang shook his head.
"I'm afraid not. Which is why," he put his arm on her shoulder, "I'm trusting you to look out for her. Take care of my daughter, Neo. She's strong, but you know more about the real world than her. You know how dangerous it can be. Keep her safe."
His voice was serious, but not without kindness. It was just as he said - he was putting his trust in her. Neo stepped forward and hugged him. She smiled and whispered into his broad shoulders.
"I will. I promise. On my life."
Taiyang sighed and returned the embrace.
"Thank you, Neo..."
Then, to Neo's surprise, he gave her a quick kiss on top of her head, then pulled away from the hug. Neo realized that more than finding someone she loved in Yang, she had found a family.
"You'll always be welcome here," Taiyang said, "Whenever you two decide to come back home."
/
Yang cast her eyes over the early morning forest. The sun was rising in the east, no more than a faint band of golden light above the horizon, but it was enough to see the landscape. The trail leading off between the trees, the patches of grass and new wildflowers between the last stubborn and scattered patches of snow, and the first green leaves, bright spots of color in the thicket of dead tree branches above.
There was birdsong in the air, and somewhere Yang heard the sound of running water.
And the sound of footsteps on gravel behind her.
Yang checked her mechanical arm. She had just put a new canister of Dust in it, and given it a thorough tune-up the night before, so it was in full working condition as far as she knew...but it was still just a piece of machinery. It wouldn't be the same, even if it did hold up in a fight.
Yang tucked the arm back under her half-cloak, adjusted her backpack, then turned and saw Neo, duffel bag slung over one shoulder and parasol perched daintily on the other. Yang's mouth parted open but her greeting caught in her throat when she saw Neo wearing Roman's distinctive hat, but she shook her head - whatever Roman had done, he had helped Neo when she needed it, and that was enough for Yang. The hat was a reminder of that, a tie to the person she knew in the past who had been selfless and caring to her, if to no one else.
"You ready?" Yang asked as the shorter girl approached her. Neo stepped up next to Yang's right side, and slipped her hand into Yang's robot one.
"Of course I am."
The two of them paused as Yang gave Neo's hand a gentle squeeze with her mechanical hand. After a moment, Neo blinked and looked down the trail.
"Where to first?" Neo asked.
Yang gave her a curious look.
"I thought we were looking for Cinder?"
Neo's eyes went to the ground.
"Yang...I don't know where she is. I don't even know where Emerald and Mercury are. That's why I came here in the first place..."
Yang frowned and looked at the road. Somewhere out there were all of those enemies, as well as Adam and the White Fang. And Grimm. Lots and lots of Grimm.
"So we don't know where to start..."
Neo gave her a hesitant shake of her head. Yang squeezed her hand and smiled.
"Hey, it's alright. We'll figure something out along the way."
Neo returned the smile, but didn't look completely reassured.
"Alright. So...what do you want do? Wherever you go, I'll follow you."
Yang blinked in surprise.
"What do you mean? Wasn't this all your idea in the first place?"
Neo shrugged.
"Things...things were different then. A lot's changed. So I thought I should ask what you want to do. It only seemed fair."
Yang furrowed her brow thoughtfully. She thought for a moment about finding her mother, finally tracking her down and finding out why she left….but she'd waited seventeen years to find her mother. Yang supposed she could wait a little longer.
"I want to find my teammates," Yang said quietly.
Neo paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright. We'll see if the information brokers in Vale know anything. And if anything's come up about Cinder and her crew since then, we'll find that out too."
Yang smiled and turned to face Neo.
"I know just the guy. We'll do this together."
"Every step of the way."
"Great," Yang said, turning to face the road, "Then let's do this."
"One more thing," Neo said. She unslung her duffel bag from her shoulder and set it on the ground next to her feet. She stood on her very tip-toes, grabbed Yang by the collar, and gave her a quick, sweet peck on the lips. It was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. Just as quickly as it had begun, the kiss ended, and Neo stepped away and smiled at her.
"Alright. Now I'm ready."
Yang laughed, and once Neo picked up her bag Yang set off down the road.
She was finally leaving. After everything she had been through, she was back on her feet, back on her game, and ready to face the world again.
And she would face it with Neo by her side.
When Neo had come to her all those months ago, Yang had felt cold and dead inside. But Neo had seen the burning coals that still lurked in her spirit, and kindled them into a fire once more. And somewhere along the way, she'd ignited the flames of passion between them as well. That warmed Yang more than anything else, the knowledge that Neo loved her.
Yang kept walking, putting one foot in front of the other. Neo slipped into place next to her, giving her a reassuring smile. Yang spared a glance back over her shoulder at the house, already growing smaller as it fell away behind them, and sighed. It was a big, strange world out there, but Yang knew that she and Neo could survive it.
Wherever the road took them, they would be together.
The End
AN: Yes, Burning Coals is over. Of course, Yang and Neo have many more adventures, enemies to fight, friends to reunite with...but that's another story.