Disclaimer: RWBY and all affiliated characters/titles belong to Rooster Teeth, those wonderful geniuses.
Yang revved the engine as she waited for the light to change at the intersection. It stayed red and she put her other foot on the ground to balance the heavy bike, they might be here for a moment. She closed her eyes and rolled her head to one side cracking her neck, impatient to get where she was going. She felt a squeeze around her waist from the equally impatient redhead behind her and jolted her eyes open, the light was green.
She sighed internally, of course it had changed the moment she closed her eyes. She kicked off and let the engine carry them forward, toward their date. Since that night at the bar together Yang and Nora had not gone back out as a couple. They had spent lots of time together over the last week, walking to and from classes, working out together, plenty of time with their teams and after training in the dorms. But, this would be their first real date as a couple and Yang was more than a little nervous.
It had been Nora's idea to move the bike up to Beacon and not keep it by the airbus landing pad and Yang admitted it was nice to have it closer by. She had flown down to town and driven it back up, keeping it along with some other vehicles that students on campus had. Usually first years weren't permitted to keep vehicles on campus but, a message to Ozpin had gotten her a waiver. Now that they had the bike at the school, they could head to and from Vale whenever they wanted and their schedules permitted. The ride down from Beacon had been exhilarating but the traffic in Vale was agonizing. She slowed as they approached a turn, taking it easier than usual due to the denser weekend traffic in this part of town.
Nora rested her helmeted head on Yang's back and slid her arms further around the blonde's waist. Riding the bike together was something Yang knew she would enjoy every time they did it, how else would she find an excuse to have Nora hold her like this for this long. They had been taking their relationship one step at a time, Yang was new to being with a girl and still not totally comfortable with everything that entailed, Nora was respectful of Yang's hesitancy and wasn't charging in herself. Yang knew that the usually impulsive girl was really cautious when it came to relationships, Ren had told her as much, and so she understood that Nora didn't want to commit too much and then have Yang decide this wasn't for her. For now though, they were doing great and Yang loved the feel of Nora's strong arms wrapped around her waist.
They reached the little diner and Yang swung the bike into an empty space near the entrance. She idled the engine for a moment and then cut it off, giving Nora a chance to dismount behind her before swinging her leg off the bike and extending the kickstand. Nora stretched her arms while Yang stowed their helmets in the bike's interior. Yang shook her mane out, running both hands under it in the back to loosen it up after the long ride. She extended a hand to Nora once she was done and they headed into the small restaurant, hand in hand.
"Good Evening, how many?" the girl behind the counter had short, brown hair and large, bright eyes. The place was small and rather empty, neither Yang nor her girlfriend had thought to make a reservation at the diner but, it looked like they wouldn't need one.
"Just two." Nora held up her first two fingers and smiled.
"Okay, if you'll follow me to your table." the hostess grabbed two menus from the slot on the side of her podium and guided the couple back to a small table near the windows facing the street. She set down their menus and Yang thanked her before pulling out Nora's chair. Nora took her seat, flipping the back of her skirt demurely forward as she sat.
"Why thank you." Yang smiled in response and took her seat, leaning back comfortably in her chair. The small, unassuming venue was definitely helping her feel less nervous. Yang loved dressing up and getting fancy, like at the dance, but was far more relaxed in this homey setting.
"So why this place?" Yang picked up the menu and looked around the establishment then glanced at the front page. It seemed they specialized in breakfast and had an intense focus on large helpings of food and letting the customer pick exactly what they got to eat, at least she knew she'd enjoy the meal.
"Duh, can't you tell?" Nora opened the menu to the middle and showed Yang an insert, clinging to the inside spine. 'All You Can Eat Pancakes' it said, "They have like the best pancakes in Vale. It's the first place I came to eat when I got to Beacon." Nora shut her menu triumphantly and looked at Yang as if that settled the matter and they would eat nowhere else, ever. Yang laughed.
"I'm gonna tell Ren you said their pancakes are better than his." She looked down to her menu, trying to hide her smirk. Nora gasped.
"You wouldn't. I meant they were the best restaurant pancakes." Nora crossed her arms indignantly, "Nobody's pancakes are better than Ren's." Yang dropped the menu back down and met Nora's haughty gaze.
"You haven't had mine yet," she smiled, "I got a lot of practice cooking for Ruby while we were growing up. I'll just put less chocolate chips in yours." Nora giggled and the waitress returned with two glasses of water.
"Can I get you started with something to drink?" she looked back and forth between the couple.
"I'll take a large strawberry shake." Nora smiled enthusiastically.
"Can I have a coffee?" Yang looked up from her menu, the waitress nodded and jotted their orders down.
"Alright, I'll be back in just a minute to take your orders." Yang dropped her eyes back to the menu and the waitress went to pocket her receipt tab but Nora caught her attention.
"Actually we're ready. Two 'All You Can Eat Pancakes' please. My first plate is gonna be strawberry." Yang looked back up from her menu at Nora this time in confusion and then just let out a light sigh and shook her head.
"I'll have blueberries." Yang grabbed Nora's menu from the table and handed them both to the waitress. She smiled and accepted the menus.
"Thanks. I'll put that in and have your drinks right out." with that she turned and headed back for the kitchen. Yang folded her hands on the table and looked across them at a smiling redhead who was extremely proud of herself.
"What?" she held a hand up to her mouth in amused shock, "If you don't like pancakes, then I just don't think this is gonna work." she giggled behind her hand and Yang smiled. She stretched a hand forward and Nora dropped hers to meet it.
"Well if that's the deal, then I can eat pancakes every day." The two girls both laughed.
"I just had to have you try them. Like I said, they're the best in Vale."
"I trust you, I do. I just hope when they say 'All You Can Eat' they understand that I take that as a challenge." Yang smiled and looked over to the kitchen where the line cook was just getting their order, he looked like a worthy opponent.
"They can keep up, don't worry." Nora smiled and squeezed Yang's hand.
"So you came here right when you got to Beacon?" Yang looked back to her smiling girlfriend.
"Oh yeah. Ren and I were looking for some food and it was still technically summer break for Beacon so the kitchens weren't quite up and running yet, plus we were only first year students and didn't even have dorms yet. We were like a week early for classes. We came here a lot." Nora smiled on the memory.
"Oh wow, you guys stayed at a hotel or what?" Yang didn't realize anyone had gotten here before the first day of school. She and Ruby had been in town with their Dad but just to see the city and explore before Yang started at the academy. It was during their visit that Ruby was attacked by Torchwick and his goons and earned her early entrance to Beacon.
"No, we didn't have to. Ozpin wouldn't break his whole team building arrangement thing and so we couldn't have dorms. But, he let us stay in the same room we all stayed on the first night." Yang thought back and remembered the giant room, it was big and open and they had all slept in sleeping bags on the floor for their first night at Beacon. She couldn't believe Nora had spent a week like that just because she and Ren got to school early.
"That must have been rough." Yang traced her thumb along the edge of Nora's pinky where their hands lay on each other in the center of the table.
"It was actually really fun. Like a crazy weird inside camping trip." Nora smiled and Yang chuckled, she could take even the most out of place situation and make it something fun. The waitress came back carrying their drinks. A steaming hot mug of coffee and two other cups, one glass full of pink shake and another metal one full of even more pink shake. Nora's small smile split into a wide grin as the waitress set her drink down. Yang accepted her coffee happily.
"Thank you." Nora gave the waitress a taste of her giant smile and immediately began drinking the shake, inhaling it through the straw. Yang nodded her thanks at the waitress and grabbed her coffee with both hands, feeling the warmth radiate into her hands.
"I'll have your pancakes out in just a minute." she gave the couple a polite smile and moved on to another table.
"I never thought I'd meet somebody who eats as many sweets as Ruby." Yang smiled at the familiar sight of someone with brainfreeze from drinking their shake too fast.
"Yeah well, your sister just knows how to live." Nora smiled and dove back in for more, obviously ignoring the dull freezing sensation in her skull. Yang smiled and took a sip of her coffee, the dark hot liquid felt pleasant despite the warm weather. Yang never had issues being too hot.
"So," Nora popped her mouth off the straw with a satisfied gasp, "How are you feeling after a whole week together? I mean about your choice and everything." Nora was still smiling and jovial but there was a steel behind her eyes that let Yang know she took the question very seriously.
"I couldn't be happier." Yang grinned from ear to ear. She really couldn't be, her week with Nora so far had been fantastic. She relished every moment they spent together and found herself missing the girl in her short absences. The more that happened between them, the more comfortable Yang was with everything. She had never even considered being with a girl before Nora, but now that she was here she couldn't understand why. "I'm having a great time with you." Nora smiled.
"Good, because I like you way too much to let you get away now." Nora reached over and put a hand over Yang's on the side of her coffee cup. Yang blushed and looked down into her drink, "Now, you have to try some of this." Nora retracted her hand and pushed her shake out to Yang. She grabbed the metal cup and topped of the glass with some of the extra. Yang laughed and took a sip. It was sweet with a strong strawberry flavor. Nora had gotten a strawberry shake and strawberry pancakes, strawberries were obviously something to remember, she made a mental note. The cool icecream in her mouth helped calm the raging heat that had rushed to her cheeks and Yang smiled as she released the straw.
"Oh wow. That's really good." Yang slid the shake back to the middle of the table, not all the way back to Nora though, she really had liked it and was hoping to steal another sip. The waitress returned carrying a large tray with two plates stacked high with pancakes. Nora's eyes went from the caring humor she had for Yang to an intense, flaming hunger at the sight of her vice. The waitress set the plates down and smiled.
"You," Nora locked her eyes on the waitress, "You are such a good person." The waitress laughed as Nora dug into the pancakes, cutting and chewing simultaneously to power through them. Yang laughed and thanked the waitress as well before digging in herself.
The girls tore into the pancakes with a vigor few could match. Nora was right, these pancakes, while not the first thing Yang thought of for a late night romantic date, were outright delicious. The batter was light and fluffy, the dough slightly sweet and the blueberries were so fresh they were still crisp and rich even after being baked into the pancakes. Yang glanced up from her plate and saw Nora as happy as could be, a bit of pancake and strawberry goo on her cheek beside her mouth and a light in her eyes Yang hadn't seen since she got the chance to spar Cardin in Goodwitch's class. Yang smiled at the wild abandon with which Nora attacked the pancakes. She grabbed the cloth napkin from her lap and reached across the table to gingerly wipe the bit of sticky food from Nora's face. Nora paused in her eating to watch Yang and let her wipe at her mouth. After she swept away the last bit of food Yang let her hand linger for but a moment and Nora took full advantage. She twisted her head slightly and gave Yang's thumb a light peck, then smiled and returned to her eating. That little kiss could have sent Yang to pieces if she hadn't had to immediately collect herself and continue eating or risk falling behind.
The redhead seemed consumed by the eating and Yang was happy to sit there and eat with her. It was a pattern the two had fallen into because of just how much they ate. When they were sharing a meal, they basically ate in silence, powering through their piles of food and talking after. If someone else sat with them they would slow their pace and try to make conversation but when it was just the two of them, they made way for the food. Nora finished her plate first and relaxed into her chair, content to sip at her shake while Yang finished up. She didn't have long to wait though as the waitress soon returned with two more plates.
"You girls looked like you had plenty of room for more." She set the plates down and Yang stuffed the last of her first serving into her mouth to make room for the next. The waitress smiled and took their dirty plates away. Yang swallowed hard and looked at the steaming pile of hotcakes.
"Wow, you weren't kidding. They have great service." Nora smiled at the surprised blonde.
"They only messed up one part." Nora grabbed both plates and switched them.
"No they didn't. You just took my blueberries." Yang gave her a playful glare.
"Yeah they did. We have to trade, duh." Nora stuck her tongue out at Yang and began pouring an unhealthy amount of maple syrup on her plate. Yang laughed and picked her silverware back up, ready to attack again. It took the girls longer to finish the second round but it was just as delicious. Yang found that the chunks of strawberry were cut and spread evenly enough that every bite had some, but no bite was overpowered by the taste. She didn't use any matching syrup like Nora, but enjoyed the meal all the same. As they approached the end of their second stack the waitress returned with the full coffeepot for Yang.
"More coffee?" she held the pot up to Yang who smiled and nodded her head, mouth too full to speak. The waitress deftly filled her mug and turned to Nora, "Are you going to want another plate?" Nora looked at Yang who shrugged.
"I think one more," Nora gave their server a smile, "I'll have strawberry again."
"I think I'll have strawberry too." Yang swallowed and grinned at the girl, then at Nora.
"Alright, coming right up." she flashed them both a polite smile and headed back towards the kitchen, coffee pot in hand. Nora turned to the grinning blonde.
"Strawberry huh?"
"Oh yeah, you won me over to your side." Yang forked another mouthful and ate it as if to prove her point.
"Not the only side I won you over to," Nora gave Yang a knowing wink and returned to her meal as well. Yang laughed to herself and kept eating. They finished their second round of pancakes and the third round had yet to arrive so they had a moment to talk.
"You were right Nora, these are pretty good pancakes." Yang took a sip of her coffee.
"Pretty good? Pretty good? No, I told you they're the best." Nora crossed her arms and gave Yang a terrible attempt at a stink eye.
"They're just not as good as mine." Yang set her mug down and regarded her girlfriend smugly.
"And when are you gonna make me these legendary pancakes? Hmm?" Nora tried to maintain her immovable certainty but was undoubtedly intrigued.
"Well, they're not just for anyone you know? Only for really special people." Yang again sipped from her mug, calm and collected.
"Special? Am I not special to you?" Nora delivered her best pouting face, hoping that by imitating Ruby she might get the pancakes that had been developed for her.
"Oh you're plenty special and you know it." Yang let her indifferent mask break and gave Nora a stupid smile, "Just find a time when we can make it work and get in the kitchen." Nora bounced in her seat and clapped her hands together.
"Ooh I bet we could tonight. No one else will be using the kitchen when we get back." her eyes lit back up with that gleam Yang had seen right when the first order arrived, she was just glad she had caused it this time.
"Tonight? Don't you think this is enough for one night?" Yang gestured to the plates before them, "And we have more coming." Nora's excitement dropped and she became very serious.
"You can never have too many pancakes Yang." she leveled a stony stare at the blonde.
"Okay, okay," Yang threw her hands up defensively, "Not tonight though. I want my pancakes to have a shot at winning." Nora relaxed and smile again.
"That sounds fair." she looked sadly at the empty shake cup and back to Yang, "Soon though?"
"Soon, I promise." Yang reached over and grasped Nora's hand. The waitress arrived with enough commotion to bring them apart. They lifted their plates up and out of the way so she could set their third order down and then handed the empties to her.
"Enjoy." she smiled and carried their things away. Nora retrieved her fork and knife and gave Yang a competitive glare.
"This time, it's a race." the petite girl didn't wait for a response and dove directly into the pile, cutting and shoveling faster than before. Yang went at her pancakes in a panic. This, this she would not lose.
A/N - What a fun date night, I'm not sure if it was Denny's or IHOP or Waffle House. I didn't put a name (even a punny name) on it because I want you to insert your favorite pancake house and imagine it as that.
What's this though? Two days in a row? Well yeah, like I said this is my new publication schedule and instead of robbing you of one to put me on sync with the schedule, I thought it would be better to give you an extra. So the next one will be up Thursday and it will be every Tuesday and Thursday from there going forward as well as both days on the weekend.
We are at over 1,000 visitors (way more views) and over 20 follows and 15 Favorites here now. Thank you so much for the outpouring of support I'm getting, this is a great community. I really hope I can continue to live up to some of the praise I'm getting and continue to improve for those who aren't convinced yet.
I hope you continue to enjoy it, please let me know what you think. Go Team Collateral Damage!
-Zach