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"Would you like anything to drink?" the waiter asked while placing two menus on either side of the small, round table.
"Just a water. Thank you."
The young man nodded and hurried away while Blake took a seat and set her bag on the floor beside her. The dinner rush had just begun, as several other parties already enjoyed their meals and a small crowd grew at the entrance. Spurts of laughter interspersed the soft conversation and clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen. The heavenly aroma of fresh herbs and cheese filled the air, making Blake's stomach grumble while her gaze lingered on the front door.
Plenty of unfamiliar faces milled around the lobby. Some were engrossed in their phones while standing off to the sides. Others spoke to their friends or family while waiting for their chance to talk to the host. A lucky few followed one of the waitresses to their table for the evening.
Not seeing a burst of sunny, vibrant blonde, Blake pulled her phone out of her bag and checked for any missed messages. Finding none, she set her phone on the table and picked up the menu. She flipped through the clean, laminated pages, but nothing caught her attention the way the front door did every time it opened.
"Here's that water for you," her waiter said, carefully setting the crystal clear glass in front of her before greeting his next table. Groups of friends, families, and coworkers were quickly seated, and the soft hum of conversation became a livelier drone.
This time, she checked her phone and frowned.
Yang couldn't have forgotten - she'd never forgotten a date before and probably never would. She could get delayed sometimes if work ran late or fans delayed her, but she always sent a message in those instances. She 'didn't want Blake to worry,' she always said, which Blake greatly appreciated.
If Yang was running late, an apology and explanation would already be on Blake's phone. Unless…
Blake's heart fluttered while she looked around the restaurant with renewed interest. Were the waiters glancing her way more often than necessary? Did the host smile at her almost imperceptibly? Was there a reason they gave her the perfect table in the back corner of the restaurant without her even requesting it? Was this all part of the plan?
Almost as quickly as the idea rattled her heart, she dismissed it. Yang might be planning something, but she would never intentionally worry Blake - and Blake was worried.
Cold fear raced through her veins as she grabbed her phone, but she hardly unlocked it before it began ringing in her hand. An unknown number appeared on the screen, but it didn't even earn a hesitation as she immediately answered.
"Hello?"
"Hi, this is Brandon - I'm one of the set managers for The Dust Chronicles. Is this Blake Belladonna?"
"Yes, it is," she replied, her heart clenching as worst-case scenarios flooded her thoughts. "What happened? Is Yang alright?"
"There was...a bit of an accident on set." Blake's breathing briefly stopped, but she quickly grabbed her bag and rushed towards the exit while he added, "We don't think it's serious, but there was a car crash, and she was having some side pain so they took her to the hospital."
"Which hospital?" she asked while squeezing through the crowd at the doors.
"Vale Valley."
"Thank you," she said before hanging up, hurrying outside, and flagging down the first cab she saw. It hardly stopped at the curb before she slipped inside, and she didn't wait for the driver's greeting before saying, "Vale Valley Hospital, please."
The driver's gaze briefly met hers in the rearview mirror, but he wasted no time navigating back onto the city streets. "You alright?" he asked, and Blake quickly nodded.
"I am, but - I just got a call that someone I know is there."
Thankfully, she didn't need to say anything more than that. The man nodded and sped up ever so slightly - not enough to get in trouble with the law, but enough that Blake sat back and clenched her hands in her lap.
Realizing she still had her phone clutched in one hand, she unlocked it and sent a quick message to Ruby - or to the last number Ruby had called her from - before staring out the window and silently cursing herself for being so far away. If she'd still been at home, she would have been much closer to Vale Valley. Instead, she'd gotten to the restaurant early - or on time - and that delayed the trip substantially.
"I'm sure they're alright," the driver offered when he somewhat apologetically stopped at yet another red light. Blake mustered a brief smile in response, but her thoughts refused to stray from the worst possibilities.
'Side pain' could mean anything. When combined with a car crash, 'side pain' became more serious. That, and the production crew decided it was serious enough to send Yang to the hospital. Was there internal bleeding? Broken bones? Organ damage? Would Yang need surgery?
Blake didn't have those answers, but she had her wallet in her hands when Vale Valley appeared in the distance. She paid as soon as the vehicle stopped in front of the emergency room, and gave the driver a quick, "Thank you," before hurrying inside.
Cold air and bright lights greeted her on the other side of the sliding glass doors, and an assortment of unlucky people waited in small chairs while waiting to be seen. Directly across from the doors, an intake nurse sat behind a computer, talking on the phone and typing something at the same time. Blake hurried over to the desk and waited for the conversation to end, and for the nurse to finish typing her notes before finally looking up.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes, I'm here for -" Yang's name nearly slipped out, but Blake glanced around the lobby and lowered her voice. "I'm here for Yang Xiao Long."
Recognition sparked in the nurse's eyes, and she studied Blake a little more thoughtfully before asking, "Are you her spouse or relative?"
"I'm - no, I'm her girlfriend."
Ordinarily, Blake would appreciate such care and confidentiality extended to Yang, but she shifted her feet the longer the nurse leveled her with a dubious gaze. Just as she reached for her phone and the trove of proof stored there, the nurse finally nodded and pushed a small button beside the computer. Another nurse walked into the room moments later, and the intake nurse waved her over.
"Can you take her to Room 18?"
The new nurse gave Blake a curious look before nodding and motioning Blake after her. Relieved that the delays were finally over, Blake followed the young woman out of the emergency room and into one of several cluttered, busy hallways.
"Is she alright?" Blake asked as soon as they were away from prying eyes and ears.
"She has three fractured ribs and lots of bruising, but otherwise, yes."
The response caught Blake somewhere between horror and relief, but relief overwhelmed her as soon as the nurse pushed open one of the doors and she saw Yang inside.
"You have a visitor -" was all the nurse got out before Blake flew to Yang's side.
"Thank god," she sighed, setting a hand on Yang's shoulder and looking her over. For all the terrible scenarios that had flashed through her mind on the way over, she hadn't expected to find Yang alert and propped up on the hospital bed, looking like she was playing the part of a patient rather than a real one. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine," Yang replied with a tired smile. "Just a few broken ribs, is all."
Blake's heart finally climbed down from its ledge, especially when she found the familiar sparkle in Yang's eyes. Hearing the door close, Blake glanced over her shoulder to confirm that the nurse had left and, with the window blinds closed, offered them a moment of privacy. Only then did she sigh and weave her fingers through Yang's hair, savoring the familiar softness while staring into lilac eyes.
"You realize if you propose right now, I will kill you."
A startled laugh slipped through Yang's lips, but the sound quickly became a groan as she leaned over and clutched her abdomen.
"Sorry," Blake said, guilt bubbling up in her chest while watching Yang slowly recover. "Does it hurt that bad?"
"Not really." Yang shook her head but grimaced. "At least, not if I don't move. They just gave me some painkillers too, so I probably won't be feeling much of anything soon."
"Good."
Blake nodded and pulled a chair over to the side of Yang's bed, but she hardly sat down before her adrenaline wore off and tears bubbled up in her eyes.
"Oh no. Please don't cry," Yang said, but Blake's tears only grew. She turned away and bit her bottom lip, trying to keep it from trembling, but the white tile floor began to swim. "Come here," Yang added softly. When Blake looked her way, she smiled and held out her arms, grimacing at the movement but still waving Blake closer.
Blake hesitated but, when Yang motioned again, let those strong arms wrap her in a warm, tender hug. She tentatively returned the hug at first, afraid to cause Yang more pain, but closed her eyes and buried her tears in Yang's shoulder when gentle hands wove through her hair.
"It's ok…" Yang whispered while Blake quietly shed her tears. "I'm ok. Just a little sore and, you know, feel like I'm floating a bit, but I'm fine. I'm not going anywhere."
The soft assurances whittled away Blake's fear from earlier and, after lingering in Yang's embrace for several minutes, her tears finally dried up. Only when that happened did she pull away to meet Yang's loving, lilac gaze.
"You were worried about me, huh," Yang said while gently wiping away Blake's tears.
"Of course I was," Blake whispered. "I was waiting at the restaurant, then your producer called and said you're in the hospital and I was on the other side of town -"
"But I'm perfectly fine," Yang said before Blake got too emotional again. "The doctors got me all patched up. I can go home soon."
"And I'm not leaving your side until you're better."
"Not - as in, not even for a second?" When Blake shook her head, Yang laughed - softer than usual but enough to lift Blake's spirits. "What about when I have to shower and stuff?"
"I'll shower with you."
Yang's brow shot up, but Blake shrugged one shoulder and snuck a sly smile Yang's way. Then, like watching a sunrise, Yang's expression brightened. First, a big, radiant smile. Then a soft pink blush on her cheeks. Finally, a sparkle leapt into her eyes.
"Maybe I should've gotten hurt a long time ago…" she mused while Blake leaned in and captured her lips for a kiss.
If the hug soothed her frayed nerves, kissing Yang restored her happiness. Yang poured emotions into every kiss, a sometimes overwhelming but always welcome torrent of love and affection that Blake greatly needed right now. Knowing that Yang couldn't, or shouldn't, move too much, Blake pressed closer.
Yang deepened the kiss, catching Blake slightly off guard, but she smiled and willingly obliged. The air warmed between them. Their breaths grew deeper. And, somewhere nearby, a steady beeping sound quickened.
Blake's focus turned towards the noise the faster it went, and another smile slipped onto her lips when she realized it was the heart monitor standing beside the bed. Testing out a theory, she carefully trailed her fingers down Yang's side and grinned when the beeps sped up. Running her hand down Yang's stomach, she finally laughed and pulled away when the sound became near-frenetic.
"Really Yang?" she asked, looking deep into those purple eyes she loved so much.
"I can't enjoy my girlfriend's company?" Yang replied with a not-so-innocent smile.
"The nurse didn't even believe I was your girlfriend," Blake huffed, rolling her eyes at the memory.
"I bet that annoyed you," Yang replied, the mischievous glint never leaving her eyes. "Why don't we show them just how...familiar...we are with each other?"
The wink shouldn't have worked as well as it did. But after the frantic rush over here and overwhelming worry that something heartbreaking had happened, Blake was just happy to see Yang acting like herself. And if Yang acting like herself meant making out in semi-public settings, well...Blake had a decorated history of accommodating those desires.
This time, passion fueled their kiss, and Yang added desire by slipping her tongue into Blake's mouth. The fast-paced beeping in the background only pushed them further, but Blake paused when Yang leaned forward and groaned. Realizing this position wasn't the best for someone who needed to stay as prone as possible, Blake easily figured out a solution.
Briefly breaking the kiss, she hauled herself up onto the bed and straddled Yang's legs. Their new position made Yang's eyes flash with delight echoed by the heart monitor, but Blake just smiled and leaned down to continue where they left off. The background beeping added fervor to the moment, making it feel like they were running out of time.
So determined not to let that happen, Blake was so engrossed in Yang's lips, and feeling Yang's hands under her shirt, that she had no time to react when the door suddenly burst open, flooding the room with the sounds of the busy hospital hallway. "Oh god, sorry!" someone shouted before the door slammed shut, once again leaving them in peaceful silence broken by rapid beeping.
Frozen in place, Blake and Yang shared a similar wide-eyed look.
"Please tell me that wasn't your little sister," Blake said, but her hopes were dashed when Yang smiled timidly.
"Uh...ok. That wasn't Ruby. And Weiss definitely wasn't with her."
Blake groaned and shoved her face into Yang's chest but quickly sat up when Yang yelped. "God, I'm sorry," Blake apologized while carefully getting off the bed. After running one hand through her hair and straightening her shirt, she turned towards Yang. "How do I look?"
"Sexy and disheveled," Yang replied with a suggestive wink.
Rolling her eyes at the comment, which did nothing to ease her burning blush, Blake took a deep breath and walked over to the door. After opening it, she saw Ruby and Weiss waiting in the hall. "Hey," she greeted them as nonchalantly as possible before motioning them into the room. "Thanks for coming. She's ok."
"Thank god," Weiss said. "I was worried when we saw you giving her mouth-to-mouth."
Ruby immediately giggled at the dry comment, earning Weiss' smile but deepening Blake's blush. After closing the door, Blake returned to Yang's side and sat on the very edge of the bed, avoiding all eye contact out of embarrassment.
"Pretty sure Blake was trying to get my heart monitor going fast enough to get the nurses scrambling," Yang teased before reassuringly squeezing Blake's hand when Ruby giggled some more and Weiss' amused smile lingered.
Blake wouldn't have minded at all if one of the nurses walked in on them; she might have felt rather vindicated by that. Ruby and Weiss, on the other hand...she cared about their opinions.
Ruby, thankfully, looked nonplussed. As soon as her laughter died down, she hopped onto the foot of the bed and squeezed Yang's foot. "So what happened?" she asked, and they all turned to Yang for the explanation.
"It was just a dumb accident." Yang made a flippant motion with one hand but grimaced midway through. "I'm in a car trying to escape the police - who are wrongfully trying to arrest me, I might add. So I floor it through the little fake street they set up, then slam on the brakes and jump out. But right as I'm jumping out, the airbag went off, and let's just say...my ribs cracked under the pressure."
Yang grinned at her pun, especially when Ruby giggled, but Blake frowned.
"They shouldn't be letting you do stuff like that. What if you'd broken more than a few ribs? Like hit your head on the door or had internal bleeding?"
"I had it under control -"
"Before or after you ended up in the hospital?"
The question came out snappier than Blake intended, so she immediately shut her mouth and shook her head. Yang, however, studied her for several seconds before nodding.
"You're right. I shouldn't have done it. I'll have my double do it next time."
When Yang squeezed Blake's hand, any hint of frustration dissolved. "Well, if it's safer, that's ok…" Blake muttered, trying not to sound so controlling with Ruby and Weiss watching. "But you don't need to put yourself unnecessarily at risk. You have people that care about you, you know…"
"I know." Yang's smile asked for Blake's forgiveness, which Blake willingly granted with a smile of her own. "I can't die, anyway," Yang added now that the moment had ended. "If something happened to me, who'd take care of Ruby?"
"Hey!"
"I'd take care of Ruby," Blake said while running her fingers through Yang's hair, but they both looked over when Weiss scoffed.
"I could take care of Ruby, you know," she said. Blake's eyes widened, but Yang laughed and nudged Ruby's leg with her foot.
"Looks like you're going to be in a custody battle, Ruby."
"You realize I'm not five, right? I can take care of myself!" While Yang chuckled at the whine, and Blake smiled at the soft but happy sound, Ruby picked at her sleeve and glanced at Weiss. "Not that I wouldn't mind a little help, I guess…"
Weiss' cheeks reddened at the comment, which seemed to have been directed solely to her, but Yang missed the interaction entirely. "What were the two of you doing?" she asked instead, and Weiss and Ruby exchanged glances.
"Pyrrha invited us to dinner," Weiss answered.
"But then she got called to a late meeting," Ruby added. "So we were just...hanging out."
"Pyrrha stood you up?" Yang asked while Blake suppressed a knowing smile. "Or wait...why didn't I get an invite? Is she cutting me out?"
"You're in the hospital," Ruby pointed out, but Yang laughed.
"Pyrrha didn't invite me to dinner because she knew I'd be in the hospital? Something's fishy about that…"
When Weiss' brow furrowed at the offhand comment, Blake quickly shook her head and said, "Pyrrha knew we had plans tonight - that's probably why she didn't invite you."
Yang nodded and Weiss' brow relaxed at the plausible explanation. With the crisis averted, Blake made a mental note to bring it up with Pyrrha later and glanced between Ruby and Weiss. The two girls looked none the wiser. In fact, from the look Ruby snuck Weiss' way, they were eager to return to their unexpected get-together. Pyrrha had done most of the work getting them in the same place at one time; now, Blake could ensure their evening didn't end early.
"The nurse said they're just waiting for a few test results, then we can go home," Blake explained. "So if you want to leave…"
Ruby and Weiss shared a look, but neither of them seemed willing to admit their desire out loud. "If Yang's not dying, I guess we can go?" Ruby finally said, earning Weiss' smile and nod at the same time Yang scoffed.
"What'll you do now?" Blake asked before Yang ruined the moment.
"Maybe we could go see a movie?" Ruby suggested.
"In theaters?" Weiss asked, and Ruby's eyes widened.
"Oh! Is that like, bad? Since you're…you know?" Weiss frowned when Ruby waved at her rather than state her celebrity. "Why don't we rent a movie instead?" Ruby offered. "I don't want to brag, but I make some killer popcorn."
"Should I be concerned?"
"Only if you're worried you'll never be satisfied with regular popcorn again!"
"I've never been satisfied with regular popcorn regardless."
Again, Weiss' dry comment earned an infectious giggle, and she nearly beamed at such a positive response. Before the smile fully slipped out, however, her gaze flitted to Yang, and she regained her composure. "I'm glad you're alright," she said, offering a sincere nod to Yang before turning to Blake. "Let me know if either of you need anything?"
"Of course."
While Weiss nodded and politely stepped towards the door, Ruby popped to her feet and hugged Yang extra carefully. "I'll call you later," Ruby said, and waited for Yang's nod before grinning at Blake. "Let me know if she gets, like, extra unruly or something. I know a few tricks to make her behave."
"'Tricks?'" Blake repeated, looking between the two sisters before settling on Ruby. "It sounds like we have things to talk about," she said before sneaking a teasing smile Yang's way. "And I will. Pretty sure she's only going home and sleeping tonight."
"Sounds boring," Ruby quipped while joining Weiss by the door. "Meanwhile, Weiss and I are going to watch zombie movies!"
"Zombies?" Weiss asked, blushing when Ruby linked their arms and tugged her out of the room. "Trust me," was all Ruby said before waving and shutting the door.
"They get along well..." Yang mused as relative silence settled over the room. Her furrowed brow suggested deeper observations lurking beneath the comment, but then she shook her head and smiled. "Pyrrha must feel so bad about canceling on them."
Rather than lie, Blake hummed and played with Yang's long, golden hair. The undeniable attraction between Ruby and Weiss still eluded Yang, but that likely wouldn't continue for much longer. Eventually, Yang would notice the way Weiss lit up whenever Ruby laughed at one of her subtle jokes, or the way Ruby gravitated towards Weiss whenever they were in the same space.
"Feel better now?" Yang asked, drawing Blake's full attention back to her.
"That depends…" she replied while holding Yang's hand in both of hers. "How do you feel?"
"Tired and sore. Going home and going to bed actually doesn't sound that bad."
Blake gently set one hand on Yang's cheek and smiled at the honest admission. "I'm sure we can go soon," she assured Yang before sneaking a sly look at the heart monitor. "While I have you here though...why don't you tell me what you and Pyrrha have been planning?"
The beeps sped up at the same time Yang's eyes widened, and Blake was chuckling to herself before Yang even started sputtering.
"It's - uh, it's a surprise, remember? And you don't want me to ruin the surprise, do you?"
"I suppose not…" Blake sighed in pretend impatience. She expected her acceptance to slow Yang's heart; instead, Yang stared at their joined hands, tenderly playing with Blake's fingers, and the beeps quickened.
"If you're going to be glued to my side...it'll be hard to plan anything..."
"That's fine. I've had more than enough surprises today."
"What if it's a good surprise?"
When Yang lightly squeezed Blake's ring finger, Blake's heart briefly matched the beeps emitting from the machine hooked up to Yang's pulse. In almost any other circumstance, she might have offered a forward answer. But they were in a hospital, and Yang wasn't in any condition for that type of celebration. So, rather than speak aloud what her heart wanted to say, Blake tucked several strands of hair behind Yang's ear and said, "I'd rather you get healthy first. I can wait for everything else - promise."
After searching Blake's eyes for assurance, Yang softly exhaled and nodded. Satisfied with that response, Blake held Yang's hand while they waited for confirmation that they could go home. Her heart wanted to fly right out of her chest, but her thoughts focused on what was most important right now: mentally clearing her schedule and making lists of everything they might need to make sure Yang healed as quickly and comfortably as possible. Once Yang was better, they could start making plans for their future.