Summary:
"Let me get this straight. You broke up with Sun on the night of your six-month anniversary, after he spent hundreds of dollars to impress you, just because you got some texts from a total stranger?"
Weiss stares at her, an eyebrow lifted so high it's lost behind her bangs, and then she cracks up in the loudest laugh Blake ever heard coming out of her.
"Oh. My. God. And they say I'm the ice queen bitch!"
Blake is bathing in the late afternoon light, loosely lying on the couch, when her phone vibrates on the dinner table. She ignores it, turns a page of her book instead. She's so close to the end, she won't let anything disturb her from her reading right now. New buzz on the hard wood. Nope, nothing could make her put her book down. Third vibration and Blake keeps ignoring it. At the fourth one, Weiss slams her newspaper on the table, groans, tosses Blake her phone and Blake groans back. Sometimes, that's just how they communicate. But apparently her roommate is feeling more talkative today.
"Could you please put this on silent mode? Or at least shorten the suffering of poor loverboy there and answer him?"
Blake mumbles, takes the phone off her chest and checks her texts.
Unknown [5:17] – hey gorgeous
Unknown [5:17] – still on for tonight?
Unknown [5:18] – pick you up at your place at 7?
Unknown [5:18] – can't wait to see you!
She lifts an eyebrow. The last time Sun called her gorgeous was months ago, when he was still trying to win his boyfriend status. Now, they are celebrating their six-month anniversary and Sun has prepared—she quotes— "a mind-blowing evening" for tonight.
Blake [5:20] – Sure. 7 is good.
Blake [5:20] – When did you change your number?
Unknown [5:21] – oh, yeah, sorry. that's my work phone! mine died on me this morning
Work phone? Well, she supposes it was about time Dashing Spring Toothpaste gave a phone to their best sales rep.
Unknown [5:21] – save my number for later.
She does.
Sun – work [5:21] – i have a feeling we'll be using it quite a bit when i get bored at work.
That sparks her interest.
Blake [5:22] – Oh, really? And how would I help you get rid of this atrocious boredom of yours?
The three dots appear on the screen, disappear, reappear, and Blake pictures her boyfriend trying to come up with a sexy answer and she laughs. Sun was never good at this. Sexting, talking dirty, making her feel so desirable even miles apart. With him, she feels safe. Valuable. Fun and smart. Not sexy as fuck. But he's trying, and she knows she's beautiful and even if he never says it, not openly anyway, that's enough for her. It has to be.
Sun – work [5:24] – i'm sure you'd come up with creative ideas
Sun – work [5:24] – making me think of you in a very… unprofessional manner.
An amused smile curls her lips. Sun is upping his game. She shifts lightly on the couch, glances at Weiss who has once again disappeared behind the financial rubric of The Wall Street Journal, and focuses back on her phone.
Blake [5:25] – I've been told I'm good with words.
Sun – work [5:25] – not just words, i hope.
Blake [5:25] – Guess you'll have to find out next time you're bored at work.
Sun – work [5:25] – i am.
Sun – work [5:25] – bored.
Blake [5:26] – Yes, but you're not at work.
Sun never works on Fridays. As opposed to her, who usually pulls long night shifts, but she managed to take the day off after the harrowing week she just endured.
Sun – work [5:26] – playing hard to get, huh?
Blake laughs quietly and somehow it surprises her. Well, she always laughs with Sun, but not like this, not with that hint of anticipation, of not knowing what might come next. And surely, she's not expecting the following text.
Sun – work [5:27] – that's alright, gorgeous. cause i'm going to get you tonight, and i'm going to get you good.
Sun – work [5:27] – so good you'll remember it for a lifetime.
Blake [5:28] – Aren't we cocky today?
She teases, but she can't help the flush creeping pleasantly to her cheeks.
Sun – work [5:29] – it's hard not to be, when I have a date with someone like you tonight.
Her eyes widen. It's been so long since she felt that way. Almost… revered. She doesn't know what's gotten inside Sun's head but she hopes it will stay there.
Blake [5:30] – Cheesy, but I like it. You're getting a reward tonight.
Sun – work [5:30] – and what would that be?
Blake [5:31] – Now now. Let's not spoil the surprise, shall we? I leave it to your imagination.
Sun – work [5:31] – god, that's a bad idea.
Blake [5:31] – Keep it in your pants, stud.
Sun – work [5:31] – alright. for now.
Sun – work [5:32] – i'll leave you be
Sun – work [5:32] – see you tonight!
Blake [5:32] – Can't wait.
And she means it. She wasn't that excited at the idea merely fifteen minutes ago, but somehow, Sun seems to be promising everything that's been lacking in their relationship since… Well, since it started. Tension, danger, praise, flirt. Mind-blowing sex. That physical passion they never quite shared, because he was too cautious, because she never dared to vocalize her desires for something more raw.
Blake gets up and disappears in the bathroom. She has one hour and a half to get ready, and she plans to use every minute of it to become the sexiest woman alive.
Somehow, she has completely forgotten about her book.
When Sun parks in the front yard, Blake is already smiling by the door. Weiss has given her her full approval when she saw her ("Well, I guess I have a wedding to plan, because there's no way he won't propose on the spot when he sees you in that dress.") and she's objectively stunning in her dark gown fitting her curves perfectly, revealing just enough cleavage so that the white of her skin would draw any gaze from miles away.
Sun gets out of his car, runs to her and gives her a light kiss on the lips.
"Hi baby! Ready to go? I'm SO excited, I can't wait until you see what I have planned for tonight!"
She excepted a compliment, a wide stare, an appreciation of how dazzling she is, but Sun being Sun, he's already running back to the car and opening the passenger door for her. Her smile fades away, but it's alright. There's still plenty of time tonight for him to admire how beautiful she made herself (all for him).
Blake settles in the car, soon joined by her ever-grinning boyfriend, and she can't feel mad at him. He's so… joyful. Oblivious. It's just who he is, and it's also whom she chose.
"So," she starts while he drives, "how come they finally gave you a work phone?"
"Huh?"
He's focusing on the road, trying to make a turn on a crowded avenue, and she thinks he didn't hear her. She's about to repeat herself when her phone vibrates in her purse. She reaches for it; she'll put it on silent for tonight. But then… Then she sees it. One new message from Sun – work. She glances at him, his two hands on the wheel, his face alert and focused on the traffic, and realization hits her like a truck at full speed.
Oh. Oh shit.
She unlocks her screen so fast her phone almost jumps out of her shaky hands.
Sun – work [7:06] – hey! i'm in front of your place
Oh shit, shit, shit. She was talking to, scratch that, she was sexting a stranger?
Sun – work [7:06] – are you home? there's no light inside.
Blake bites her lip, wonders for one moment how you usually tell someone their date is probably ruined because they were texting the wrong person, and just dives in.
Blake [7:07] – So. I just realized something.
Sun – work [7:07] – ?
Sun – work [7:07] – is everything alright?
She sighs, takes a minute to change the name in her contact info.
Blake [7:08] – I think you got the wrong number.
Unknown [7:08] – considering how we texted this afternoon, I doubt that
Blake [7:10] – that's what I mean. I thought you were my boyfriend. Now that I'm sitting next to him, I'm pretty sure you're not.
Unknown [7:10] – wtf?
"You okay baby?"
She looks at Sun.
"Yeah. It's just… Weiss. Weiss being Weiss."
She doesn't know why she lies. It would actually be a funny story to tell, and Sun wouldn't even care about the flirting part. He's not the jealous type, at all, and especially not when it concerns a stranger she'll never meet in real life. Her phone keeps vibrating in her hand and it drives her attention away from him.
Unknown [7:11] – wait, you're not cinder?
Unknown [7:11] – who are you?
Unknown [7:11] – i'm so confused
Unknown [7:11] – OHMYGOD i just checked my mail, i entered the wrong number
Unknown [7:11] – i'm so sorry
Blake laughs, and once again it's with a little knot in her stomach she can't quite place, but definitely acknowledges.
Blake [7:12] – Don't worry. I'm sorry too.
Blake [7:12] – I hope your date is not ruined.
Unknown [7:12] – pretty sure it is, but that's definitely not your fault
Unknown [7:13] – i guess i'll leave you to your boyfriend
Unknown [7:13] – please forget everything I told you this afternoon
Unknown [7:13] – i hope you didn't find it disrespectful or something
Blake [7:14] – I didn't.
Blake [7:14] – I'll go back to my date.
Unknown [7:14] – sure. enjoy your night!
She wets her bottom lip, hesitates a second too long, writes a last text, smiles at the answer and puts her phone away for the rest of the night.
Blake [7:15] – I'm Blake, by the way.
Unknown [7:15] – hi blake. i'm yang.
Sun did go all out for their date, just not the way Blake expected. He reserved a table in the fanciest restaurant in town, at the top of a tower with a panoramic view of the city, and after the meal he took them on a boat tour, pouring expensive champagne in their glasses and offering her an enormous floral bouquet. She doesn't even want to know how much all of this cost. They aren't exactly short on money; he earns a nice salary as a skilled sales rep, much more decent than hers as a police officer, but she is living with Weiss Schnee and she doesn't have to pay rent. Blake just wishes he'd save for a trip together, rather than spending it all in gastronomic food they can actually eat during the fancy—and mandatory—parties thrown by the Schnee family.
Overall, the date goes well. Like every time she's with Sun, it's pleasant and easy. But as always, there's something missing, and it's weighing upon her even more after that brief text exchange during the afternoon. She wanted that. All the things that were promised. She wanted dirty looks, devilish smiles, hot and light touches under the table, all resulting in too much tension that they wouldn't be able to bear it, that they would skip dessert and go home to fuck, or not even make it home, just fuck in the car, in the restaurant's restroom, anywhere. She wanted that electricity they never had, she never had with anyone.
When they get home, they kiss slowly, lightly, and there's no heat, no lack of control, no impatience. There's familiarity and safety and, for once in her personal life, Blake wanted uncertainty and danger. She wanted that spark in her body she never quite felt, but knew she could, at the right time, at the right place.
With the right person.
She doesn't want him to spend the night, so she tells him she's not feeling well. He worries, genuinely, and guilt tightens her chest so hard she loses her breath. That's the second lie she told tonight. And she knows they will multiply, they will swell every time. She knows she has to show kindness and set him free, as she should have done months ago. Sun is too dear of a friend. And maybe that's it. He's one of the best friends she could ask for. A friend, not a lover.
When he kisses her good night, she holds his hands and starts to cry a little, in silence, and soon they're both crying as she's speaking softly, as she's breaking up with him.
"Let me get this straight. You broke up with Sun on the night of your six-month anniversary, after he spent hundreds of dollars to impress you, just because you got some texts from a total stranger?"
Weiss stares at her, an eyebrow lifted so high it's lost behind her bangs, and then she cracks up in the loudest laugh Blake ever heard coming out of her.
"Oh. My. God. And they say I'm the ice queen bitch!"
"Ugh, could you like… I don't know… support me?"
"I'll pass, thanks. This is pure gold. Oh, I'm so using this for the rest of our life. Never again are you allowed to call me heartless!"
Blake sighs. She should have seen it coming. At least Weiss's reaction is distracting her from the devouring guilt that kept her from sleeping last night. Her roommate finally calms down, sitting next to her on the couch.
"Look," she says and her tone is softer. "I think you made the right choice, even if it wasn't in the best manner. You and Sun… It never really made sense to me. I love him, and I love you, but it just didn't click. It felt like you were dating your annoying little brother."
"Gross."
"You know what I mean. He was there after… Well, after Adam, and he helped you get you through it, but honestly? He could have done that as a friend too. And he wouldn't have had to do any comforting at all if I weren't abroad for a year."
Blake leans against her roommate and rests her head on her shoulder. Weiss never really forgave herself for being away when all that shitstorm with Adam happened. But she had to be, implanting a new firm in Eastern Europe for the Schnee Company, and she always called as often as she could to make sure Blake was okay.
"You're here now." Blake whispers, and she can almost hear the smile on Weiss's face.
"I am. You'll get through this. And I'll do my duty as your best friend and make sure you never forget how bad you are at breaking up."
It's 5 pm now and she doesn't feel any better. Yesterday, she hurt one of the sweetest guys she ever met, and even though she knows she made the right decision, she can't understand why. It all started with a text. A stupid misunderstanding, a few words from a complete stranger.
She scrolls through her phone, reads the messages for the tenth time today, and bites her lip. She shouldn't. She shouldn't, but then again, maybe she should. Maybe she should try to figure out who managed to call into question her whole relationship. All she knows is Yang. That's it. A name. That, and that Yang seems to be careless. And quite confident in bed.
She worries at her lip a few more seconds and gives up.
Blake [5:11] – Hey.
The answer is immediate.
Yang [5:12] – well, hello blake!
Yang [5:12] – i wasn't sure i'd hear from you again
Blake [5:13] – I was just wondering how your night went.
Blake [5:13] – I mean, did you patch things up with your date?
Yang [5:14] – don't get me started
Yang [5:14] – she legit insulted me when i told her about the little mix up
Yang [5:14] – like I cheated on her or something.
Yang [5:14] – i met her 3 days ago, we're not even in a relationship!
And there it is, that laugh that bubbles up in Blake's stomach and leaves her slightly delighted.
Blake [5:15] – She sounds like a handful.
Yang [5:15] – cinder is such an asshole. i'm glad i didn't waste my evening with her.
Blake [5:15] – Well. You're welcome.
Yang [5:16] – aren't we sassy today?
It's a direct reminder of yesterday and Blake can't help but blush, before feeling incredibly stupid to blush over the memory of a meaningless conversation with a perfect stranger. Hell, Yang might be a 60-year-old creepy guy for all she knows.
Yang [5:17] – so what about you? hope your date went better than mine
Blake [5:17] – well, it actually happened so…
Yang [5:17] – ha. ha.
Blake [5:17] – But no, it didn't go that well. We broke up.
Yang [5:18] – oh
Yang [5:18] – i'm sorry
Yang [5:18] – i hope it's not because of me
Blake [5:19] – It wasn't. Not exactly anyway.
There's a pause. Blake doesn't know how much she should tell, how much she wants to tell. She is the cautious type after all, and unloading her life to a random stranger isn't exactly the most cautious thing to do. And then, Yang texts her again, and her concerns seem to melt away.
Yang [5:21] – are you sad?
Blake stares at her phone until she can't read the message anymore because of the tears flooding her eyes.
Blake [5:22] – Yes.
Blake [5:22] – I really am.
Yang [5:23] – where are you living?
She blinks, thinks it's a terrible idea but answers anyway.
Blake [5:23] – Beacon City.
Yang [5:23] – well.
Yang [5:23] – if it isn't fate.
Yang [5:23] – i live there too.
"Weiss?"
Her roommate doesn't turn away from her laptop, fingers typing so fast they're actually blurred.
"Weiss, I need a favor."
"If it's money, my checkbook is in my purse."
Blake rolls her eyes. She has never asked her for money, but somehow Weiss always expects her to. She takes a few steps towards her best friend and closes her laptop.
"Hey! I was working!"
"Yes, and it's Saturday."
"So?"
"So, you made me promise to force you to chill once a week. This is me forcing you to chill."
Weiss crosses her arm over her chest, frowning so hard Blake actually finds her menacing. They lock eyes and battle silently for a whole minute, ice queen versus black panther, and finally Weiss sighs and leans on her chair.
"Fine. What do you want?"
"Let's go out tonight."
She snorts.
"You know I don't go out unless it's planned at least three days in advance, Blake. Ask Jaune, or Pyrrha."
"I did. They're coming. Nora too. But I want you there. I… I need you there."
This time, Weiss doesn't laugh. She probes Blake's face, notices her slight distress and sighs loudly.
"I'm only agreeing because I know it's difficult for you, considering the whole Sun debacle yesterday. But! Do not expect me to do this on a regular basis. When are we going? And most importantly, where?"
Blake fiddles with her t-shirt.
"Hmm. We leave at 7:15. And we're going to a kickboxing fight."
The drive to the arena is lively, to say the least. Jaune and Nora are so excited about the fight they keep throwing light punches at each other, for the deepest despair of Weiss, stuck between the two of them.
"I called shotgun!" she whines, leaning towards the front of the car.
"I know," Pyrrha retorts with her ever kind voice, comfy on the passenger seat, "and we're not eight anymore."
Blake smirks, Weiss mumbles and Jaune and Nora get even wilder, kicking their feet at each other behind Weiss's back.
"I can't believe you got us tickets to an actual kickboxing fight, Blake!" Nora squeals. "How did you pull that off?"
"Yeah, Blake," Weiss adds sarcastically, "how did you pull that off?"
Weiss is, of course, the only person who knows about everything, because as much as Blake likes to fancy herself a mysterious and solitary soul, she can never keep anything from the Schnee heiress.
"I just know someone there. They're performing tonight."
"Performing?" Jaune nearly shouts. "You mean you know a legit kickboxer?"
"I… think I do." Blake mutters, but luckily Nora and Jaune are back making a racket on the back seat, so loudly nobody could keep a conversation next to them.
Yang didn't tell her much, kept it simple. Blake checked her texts three times to be sure she didn't get that wrong.
Yang [5:23] – if it isn't fate.
Yang [5:23] – i live there too.
Yang [5:24] – if you need a change of mind, i'm performing tonight at the amity colosseum.
Yang [5:24] – it starts at 8.
Yang [5:24] – just say you're blake and you know me at the entrance, and they'll find you a seat
Yang [5:25] – you can bring a few friends too! max 5.
Yang [5:25] – sorry, i'm rambling
Blake [5:25] – Don't worry.
Yang [5:25] – i didn't scare you off?
Blake [5:25] – It takes a lot more to scare me off. Trust me.
Yang [5:26] – oh. good. so you'll be there?
Blake [5:26] – I'll be there.
Of course, she immediately checked the Colosseum's website for tonight events. A singer, she thought, and wasn't she surprised when she found out kickboxing fights would be held at the arena this evening. She searched for Yang's name, but only found crazy stage names instead, such as Gianduja or StormFlower, and she finally accepted that, if she wanted to know more about this stranger, she'd have to go see it for herself. But not alone.
She parks the car, laughs out loud when Weiss vociferates "Finally!" and literally kicks Nora out of the vehicle, and joins her chipper friends as they walk towards the entrance. Amity Colosseum is gigantic. She heard about it, saw it from afar, but never had she stood beneath it, almost crushed by its size and the magnificence of those colossal arched walls painted in silver and blue by dozens of spotlights.
They wait in line, and when they reach the ticket desk Blake is more nervous than she'd care to admit. What if Yang tricked her? What if she's about to make a fool of herself, in front of her friends? But she doesn't lose her calm demeanor. She owes it to her years in the force, having to stay sturdy so that no one would see her weaknesses, so that she would always control her own emotions. Lives depended on it. So, as she leans over the counter, she appears as collected and assured as ever.
"Hi. I'm Blake. I know Yang?"
She's immediately greeted with a smile, and before she knows it she and her friends are dragged into the colosseum, placed on front-row seats and taking in the best view in the arena.
"Wow, we're like, VIPs!" Jaune marvels.
Even Weiss seems satisfied, and that says a lot considering her luxurious standards. She's sitting at Blake's right, as elegantly as if she was occupying a throne, and Pyrrha is sitting at Blake's left, a genuine and happy look on her face.
Blake feels safe. Not at all nervous about, somehow, meeting this infamous Yang. Why would she care anyway? She's just here to change her mind, to forget about Sun and the horrible way she crushed his heart not even twenty-four hours ago.
"I can't wait to see him," Weiss whispers in her ear so that no one else would hear. "I'm warning you: if he's ugly, I'll laugh."
"Ugh, that's not why I'm here!"
Weiss just snorts quietly, obviously enjoying the situation and being the only one knowing about mysterious Yang. Pyrrha, Jaune and Nora only know Blake and Sun broke up, and after hugging and listening kindly to why Blake did it, they all decided the best thing right now would be for her, for all of them, to enjoy this unexpected night.
And so they wait, they chat, they laugh, and an impressive crowd gathers in the arena, darkening the seats, filling the air with impatience and excitement. As it turns out, tonight is a huge event. There are cameras, sports journalists and so many spectators it's overwhelming. Blake never knew kickboxing could spark that much interest (really, who knew?), but she starts to understand why.
Spotlights suddenly enlighten the center of the arena and, above their heads, a huge screen displays the order of the four fights. An announcer yells in the mike while the referee enters the ring, and it's like a wild fire suddenly sets the colosseum ablaze. The public stands, roars, claps and whistles, and Blake can't help but do all of that too, smiling brightly, energy flooding through her veins.
The first two contenders enter the ring under a thunder of applause, and Blake unconsciously grips her white tank top while she scrutinizes their faces. How can she recognize Yang amongst those two large men, all muscles and hard glares, when she knows nothing of them except that they don't put capital letters in their texts? She secretly hopes it's none of those two. But then again, what does she hope for? Why does she care?
Suddenly, she thinks about Sun. About him, curled up in his bed, not eating, not sleeping, not doing anything. She shouldn't be here. She shouldn't be enjoying her night with her friends, with their friends, she shouldn't be excited by the perspective of meeting Yang. Sun sure isn't.
"Hey."
It's Weiss, looking at her and her blurry eyes with concern. She puts gentle fingers on her forearm.
"I shouldn't be here," Blake whispers, and it's a wonder Weiss can hear her within the cheering crowd.
"It's okay, Blake. You have every right to be there. And Sun is probably not alone, I'm sure Neptune is taking good care of him."
The thought comforts her, but not enough. The ten rounds of the fight end quickly, Blake half paying attention, half worrying about Sun. She doesn't register the two boxers leaving nor the two girls taking their place in the ring, or the announcer screaming "And now, ladies and gentlemen, make some noise for Gianduja and Bumblebee!" She's disconnected from it all, until a sharp scream springs so close to her she starts.
"Yeaaaaah! You go sis! Kick their asseeees!"
It comes from a short red-haired girl sitting—well, jumping—right next to Weiss, who's now looking at her like she's having a seizure.
"Go Yang!" she shrieks again, and time stops.
Weiss exhales a sharp breath, turns to the girl and asks: "Wait, who's Yang?"
"My sister!"
"I don't care about that, which one is it?"
"Bumblebee, of course! The one in black and yellow!"
Blake's eyes snap back at the ring, noticing the new contenders for the first time. And sure enough, now she's all Blake can see. Her attention zeroes in on her, on Yang, and nothing can break her focus, not even the blasting laugh escaping from Weiss's throat or her out of breath exclamation "Oh my God, Yang is a girl!" Nothing can distract Blake from Yang.
So, here is the thing. Blake tried not to picture Yang. She really did. She didn't want to have expectations, because she didn't have the right to. She just broke up with Sun, she needed time for herself, for healing and for letting him heal, and this crazy and quite frankly unhealthy curiosity about Yang, a complete stranger with no face, no age, no voice, no gender, nothing had to be just that, a curiosity, maybe a hint of interest, and that was it.
But even if she tried not to, she was still expecting something. Or so she discovers right now, the moment she sees her for the first time, because she feels utterly dumbfounded, as if any expectations she might have were just shattered to pieces.
Yang is a girl.
What's more, Yang is an inconceivably stunning girl. With her golden hair, wild and shiny, with her lilac eyes, so bright Blake can feel their spark, with her dashing smile, ferocious, teasing, honest, with her freaking visible abs, her freaking long legs, her freaking perfect breasts almost overflowing from her sports bra, her freaking everything.
Yang is a girl.
Blake is straight.
And one of those two statements is incredibly wrong because, right now, there's nothing Blake wants more than to be bent over and ravished by this girl.
Yang turns towards them and Blake's heart skips a beat, but the boxer doesn't seem to notice her. Instead, she waves happily at her sister, still screaming her support beside Weiss. And then…
Then the fight begins. And hot, sultry Yang metamorphoses in fearless, mighty Yang. She's light on her feet, dodges every strike, hits faster than lightning, and she throws several spectacular jumping kicks and uppercuts before knocking out her opponent in a single, precise, powerful punch.
When the crowd chants her victory, she puts on a show, lifts both arms in the air, gloves shining with the sweat of her opponent, her own perspiration gliding on her neck, her shoulders, her arms, her abs. The next nine rounds are pretty much the same, Yang fully dominating the ring, with an ease, a confidence that ignites a small fire in Blake's stomach.
Yang is dangerous. In every sense of the way. She's fucking dangerous and Blake already feels intoxicated, poisoned, corrupted. She wanted passion. She wanted sexual desires so strong she wouldn't even comprehend it, well there it is. There's her fucking chaos, her loss of control, her aberrant incomprehension. She hasn't even talked to her once. She hasn't locked eyes with her. She doesn't know anything about her life. And none of it matters.
The fight ends with a crushing victory for Yang, and she runs out of the ring, all grins and power poses, before disappearing backstage.
"Wow." Weiss says.
"Yeah, wow." Blake whispers, heart in her throat.
"No, I mean wow. You were basically eye-fucking her the whole time. Aren't you supposed to be straight?"
Blake is so shaken by her near out-of-body lust experience she can't even fight her friend's sass. Luckily, Yang's sister is so psyched by her sibling's triumph she tugs Weiss by the arm and giggles.
"Did you see her? She was so cool! God, she's the best! I'm so proud!"
Weiss drops a threatening gaze on the fingers pressed on her forearm, and after a few frightening seconds her expression softens. She smiles, and Blake recognizes this smile oh too well; it's her business smile, the one she uses to seal millions-of-dollar-worth deals.
"Well, she was quite impressive, yes. Yang, you say? Actually, my friend here knows her. Do you think we could meet her backstage after the last fight?"
"Oh sure! She'll be so happy to see you! You know her from work?"
The last part is addressed directly to Blake, who's a little unsettled by the perfectly ingenuous expression on the red-haired girl's face.
"No. Not from work. It's a long story. Anyway, thank you… hm…"
The girl smiles and extends her hand.
"Ruby."
As soon as the last fight is over, Ruby drags them backstage. She knows every worker here and none of them care that she's guiding five strangers towards the locker rooms. On the way, she's excitedly chatting with Jaune, Nora and Pyrrha, as if they already were best friends, and even Weiss seems to soothe around her, smiling more sincerely at her enthusiasm. Only Blake remains silent, almost meditating while walking so that she could keep her emotions in check. She hasn't really met her yet, but she is certain of one thing: Yang is definitely one of the coolest persons in the world, and there's no way her first impression of Blake will be that of a fidgeting, panic-struck, sexually confused little girl. So, she has to up her game, wear her officer mask, appear confident, in control, unfazed.
"We're here!" Ruby chirps, and she doesn't even knock before slamming the door open and bursting in the locker room. Yang is wiping her hair, dripping from her shower, and she traded her sports bra and short for perfectly fitting black leather pants and a light blue tank top with a plunging neckline. She's outrageously sexy, and Blake has to summon all her training years in the academy to keep her eyes on the boxer's face.
"Yang! You were aweeeesome!"
Ruby literally jumps in her sister's arms and they both squeeze each other. Ruby takes a step back and turns to the group waiting behind her.
"I brought some friends!"
Towel now resting on her shoulders, Yang's gaze slides from Jaune to Nora, Pyrrha and Weiss, and finally lingers on Blake. Her smile darkens, teasing, knowing, pleased, and she takes a step towards her.
"Blake," she says, and the way her tongue wraps around each letter of her name nearly sends a shiver in her spine. But no, Blake remains collected. She has to be cool, after all. "I'm so glad you came."
"Thank you for inviting me. Us. Those are my friends, Weiss, Pyrrha, Nora and Jaune."
As soon as the introductions are made, Jaune and Nora lose all the restraint they barely maintained so far, dash to Yang and start flooding her with questions and compliments about the fight and her extraordinary performance. Yang laughs, answers a few interrogations, but the words don't register in Blake's brain, because Yang laughs and that must be the huskiest, sexiest laugh in the world.
"Okay kids, that's enough," Weiss intervenes. She grasps their collars and drags them away from Yang, who keeps laughing lightly, positively amused by the sketch. "Come Pyrrha, Ruby, those two have some catching up to do."
Just like that, everybody follows her orders and within seconds the two girls are left alone in the now-closed room, and Blake both curses and blesses Weiss for her initiative. Yang combs dexterous fingers in her wet hair, trying to tame its wildness, her eyes fastened on Blake's.
"Sorry about that." A dash of pride surges in Blake's chest as she speaks nonchalantly, not showing in the slightest how destroyed she feels inside. "My friends can be… a bit much."
"That's okay. They seem nice!"
It's sincere, as everything about Yang. Her words, her smile, her confidence, her beauty, everything is sincere.
"I wasn't sure you'd come," she continues. "I'm really happy to see you."
Oh boy. It's a little too early for Blake to say the same, as she feels she's embarking on a chaotic journey with a still unknown destination.
"So, how did you find out who I was?" Yang asks.
"Ruby screamed your name the second you entered the ring."
The boxer chortles, and it's so spontaneous and adorable that Blake marvels at the sight. So, in addition to being gorgeous as fuck, Yang is also cute. Really cute.
"Yeah," she finally breathes out, "Ruby is my biggest fan."
Her smile is now tinged with this darker, dangerous shade, and she slightly leans forward, brushing the frontier of Blake's personal space.
"Well, she was until now," Yang almost purrs and Blake doesn't move an inch, doesn't shake, doesn't swallow. She remains centered, only allows the ghost of a smile at the corner of her lips.
"What about you?" she counters to keep her composure as much as to satisfy her curiosity. "How did you know who I was?"
"Well, you seemed like the only one in the room who would give me that kind of reward for saying something cheesy."
This time, Blake can't contain her sharp intake of breath. Yang notices, of course she does, and her eyes gleam with amusement and satisfaction. But, as it turns out, Yang is also merciful and she chooses to let it go, pointing out instead, "You don't seem sad anymore."
"Well, I am rather enjoying my evening so far."
"That's too bad."
Blake raises her eyebrows, even further when Yang takes one more step forward, narrowing the gap between them. They're so close she can actually feel the fighter's heat radiating from her (ravishing) body.
"I've been told I'm quite good at comforting pretty girls."
Blake takes it back. Yang is everything but merciful. Yang is a player. Yang knows exactly how to get in someone's pants just as she knows exactly how to knock out an opponent in the ring, and Blake will not give her the satisfaction. She will not be easy. She will not be one of those "pretty girls". So, she lifts her chin in a defying stance and, voice chill and soft, she strikes, "I'm straight."
It's not denial, because after tonight there's no way Blake will ever consider herself strictly straight again. It's more of a challenge. I'm straight. Prove me wrong. Yang smiles. She seems to read between the lines, to accept the defiance, to be pleased with it, even.
"I've been told I'm a pretty good friend too."
She winks, drops the towel in her duffle bag, throws the bag over her shoulder and opens the door.
"Ruby and I are going for a drink with a few others in a bar nearby. Wanna join?"
And there isn't a parallel universe where Blake doesn't agree.
They don't talk for the rest of the night, not really anyway. They're all sitting around a large table, Yang's friends and Blake's friends hitting it off over cocktails and beers, and all Blake can do is steal glances at the fighter and hope no one notices. Well, no one except for Weiss, who spends half of the evening glaring at her with both judgmental and amused eyes. Blake knows her roommate will never, ever let this go, not that she can blame her.
The only moment Yang and Blake find themselves alone together is when they both go to the bar for a refill.
"Not much of an alcohol person?" Yang asks when Blake orders her mango juice.
"I can enjoy a nice glass of wine," Blake smiles, "but not tonight. I have to drive my friends home. What about you? You're not drinking anything but coke."
"I have a shooting soon, I need to stay in shape."
Blake nearly drops the glass the bartender just gave her.
"A shooting? Wait. Are you an actress?"
Yang laughs, pays the bartender for her own drink and leans on the counter, not inclined to go back to their friends just yet.
"Sort of. Just not the kind you're thinking about."
Blake's eyes widen and her throat suddenly dries out, so much she has to take a hasty sip she almost chocks on. One second too late, Yang realizes what's baffling Blake's mind.
"Oh, no! Not that kind of actress! Though it would be fun to try," she chuckles. "No, I'm a stuntwoman."
Oh. Of course. Of course, Yang's job is cool as fuck, of course she's doubling actresses for their most dangerous scenes, and of course being a kickboxing goddess is just a hobby. Blake even manages to forget that she's a police officer herself, quite the dangerous profession too. All she thinks about is how bright Yang is in every single aspect of her life.
"That's…" Blake's voice becomes hoarse, and she fights to regain her impassivity. "That's kind of cool, actually."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Yang grins, genuinely pleased, as if Blake is the first person to tell her that.
"What about you, Blake?"
She tries not to shiver when she hears the way the boxer pronounces her name, like she's tasting it.
"What do you do for a living?"
Okay. Time. To. Shine. Well, time to tease, actually.
"Hmm… I'm not sure you've proven worthy of that information yet. Be good, and maybe I'll show you someday."
Yang straightens faintly against the counter, her lilac eyes gemmy, shimmering, devouring, and Blake knows she sparked her interest.
"Oh, I can be good."
She edges closer, golden—or godly—curls suddenly brushing against Blake's bare arm.
"I can be really good."
And just when Blake is about to lose this round, overpowered by Yang's burning gaze, Ruby saves the day. She barges in between them, spilling nonsense and clinging to her sister, obviously drunk.
"Alright kiddo," Yang laughs while catching Ruby firmly, "time to go home."
"Fiiiine… Sorry, Blake."
"That's alright."
Truth be told, Blake has no idea why Ruby is apologizing. The next thing she knows, they're all saying goodbye to each other, Jaune and Ruby swearing to the gods they'll meet again real soon, while Nora is almost forcing her number in Ren's phone, one of the fighters performing that night and a close friend of the sisters.
Yang and Blake don't say goodbye to each other, not really. They lock eyes, longer than what would be considered appropriate, and Blake turns around first. They don't need confirmation they'll see each other again. It's obvious. So obvious that by the time Blake has driven everyone home and is tucked to bed, Yang already sent her a few texts.
Yang [1:16] – so. i think ruby is like… in love with all of your friends.
Yang [1:16] – she keeps fangirling about them
Yang [1:16] – i can't even get her in the shower
Blake [1:21] – Well, I do have great taste.
Yang [1:21] – oh, I'm sure you taste great.
Dear lord this woman will be the death of her. But she won't go down without a fight. Literally.
Blake [1:21] – Nice wit. But I'm straight, remember?
Yang [1:21] – oops. my bad.
Yang [1:21] – i totally forgot
Yang [1:22] – might be the way you kept ogling me tonight
Blake [1:22] – I did not.
Oh but she did. She completely did. And she's not even sorry, but Yang doesn't have to know that.
Blake [1:23] – I'm going to sleep.
Yang [1:23] – alright gorgeous. sleep tight!
Blake [1:23] – Good night.
She turns off the light, rolls on her bed, ignores the wet warmth between her thighs and takes a long, long time to fall asleep. Later on, when she remembers that night, she'll notice how she didn't think about Sun once since she saw Yang for the first time, and how that might have been the first of many, many signs.
