Note: And it just gets spicier. Monthly reminder to join my discord to get chapters early and partake in fan discussions. You can peer pressure me into doing things you want, too. That cream pie joke last chapter? That was a fan request. So yeah. Think of the possibilities. We have over fifty members now and I'm always excited to see new people join, so check it out! Link in the first chapter and scattered throughout.
The third day of vacation.
9:15 AM
Pyrrha paced around her room, her fingers twitching against her palm. She was really doing this. It was hard to say what spurred her to action, and if she was interrogated on the subject, she knew she could not provide a straight answer. Yet, the compulsion had gotten too great to ignore, and during her sleep, she realized she would not have many other opportunities to act.
Seven minutes prior, Pyrrha sent a text message. Now, she heard a knock on the door. She let out a shaky breath and answered; Nora Valkyrie barged into the room with a rigid determination.
She had been summoned with a simple request: Can you come to my bedroom? We need to talk in private about something important.
"All right, Pyrrha, I know why you asked me to come," she said briskly.
Pyrrha shut the door behind them, barely hiding her nervous stutter. "You… you do?" The text message in question read.
"Yes," Nora said with a nod. "And I want to say… I really appreciate the offer. Flattered, even. But I have to refuse."
Pyrrha stared at Nora curiously. "You… what?"
"And I'm not saying it's your fault," Nora explained gently. "You're a very sweet and attractive person. Maybe, in another life, this would have worked out between us. But I'm not the wild, untamed lion of my youth anymore."
"Uh, Nora—"
"If I was, it would be a different story. I'd throw you on the bed and shatter your whole reality."
"Nora—"
"But I can't! I'm devoted to Ren now, and unless you can somehow persuade him to join some adventurous polyamorous tryst… which believe me, I've sent out signals that haven't been picked up at all."
"Nora—"
Nora placed her hands on Pyrrha's shoulders, shaking her as she continued her rousing speech. "Don't let that discourage you. You are a beautiful woman! One day, you will find someone who will make you the happiest person in the—"
"Nora!" Pyrrha screamed. She grabbed her teammate's hands and forced them by her side. "I don't want to sleep with you!"
Nora stared at Pyrrha in baffled silence, wide eyes dumbfounded. "You… you don't?"
"No!" Pyrrha insisted. "That wasn't what I wanted to talk about at all."
A few moments of silence passed as the two stared at each other. Eventually, Nora let out a whistle.
"Whoo boy, I misread that text then." She turned around, sat on Pyrrha's bed, and continued as if nothing had ever happened. "So, what's on your mind? Lay it all on Nora."
Pyrrha was actually starting to deeply regret this entire idea, but it was too late for her to back down now. As much as she hated to admit it, Nora might have been her best shot at this—or at least the only person she could confide in. It wasn't lost on her that before their alliance with Team RWBY, she and Nora barely got along. It was another twist in her destined road she did not expect, and soon, she would have to cross a different hurdle, one that made her stomach churn and her mouth become dry.
"Look, I… I wanted to talk to you about… someone else," Pyrrha admitted. She shifted nervously in place.
"Wait, so this is a romance thing?"
Pyrrha fidgeted, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Yes."
Nora's suspicion deepened. "And you want my help?"
"Yes. I don't… I don't really know where else to turn."
"Velvet," Nora said instantly. "She's actually in a successful relationship."
"But I can't—"
"Or Weiss. Or Ruby. Yatsu would be helpful too."
"But I can't talk to them about this," Pyrrha explained. "I don't know them well enough. And this is a… it's a team matter."
Nora didn't understand at all. Her confusion only seemed to grow. "Are you… are you trying to steal my man?"
"What? No. Nora, no," Pyrrha said, frustrated. She felt like she could barely get the words out. "It's… it's…" She had to lower her voice even further, speaking through gritted teeth. "It's Jaune."
Nora's eyes lit up. She jumped up to her feet, unable to contain herself, shouting at the top of her lungs. She screamed with excitement and bewilderment and a touch of outrage.
"You're in love with Jaune?"
Pyrrha rushed forward, clasping her hand over Nora's lips before she could speak any further. She hissed violently.
"No… I mean, yes," she clarified. "It is Jaune. I'm not… I'm not in love with him though, that's… that's crazy."
"Mmmmhmmmhmmmhhmmm," Nora said into Pyrrha's palm. Pyrrha released her on the condition she could keep her mouth shut. Nora gasped for breath, and though she was still dealing with this mind-blowing revelation she had literally never considered before, she did her best to stay quiet. "You want to date Jaune though? Why Jaune? Like, I'd actually get it if you want to date Ren, because Ren is mmmmm, but Jaune? Our Jaune?"
"I don't have to explain myself to you," Pyrrha said defensively before promptly explaining herself. "Jaune has been… he's been very kind to me. In ways that are hard to describe. I want to do… I don't know, I want to do something nice with him, but I don't know how. I was hoping you could help me."
Nora went quiet again, but only briefly. "You want me to… seduce Jaune with you?"
Pyrrha—a person who famously had a difficult time understanding anyone—could not believe her teammate was this dense.
"I want to have a nice dinner with him tonight. A date," Pyrrha said, so slowly and distinctly that it was literally impossible for anyone to misunderstand her. "I want your help to plan it and set it up, for just the two of us. Ren can help, too. I just really want tonight to be special. Please."
Nora was still processing the entire conversation. She was being tasked with something of the utmost importance, greater than any Fable quest or Grimm catastrophe that had been wrought before. She had to be a romantic, a wingman, a true friend in the pursuit of love. Did she understand why Pyrrha liked Jaune? Not even a fucking tiny little bit. Pyrrha might as well have said she wanted to fuck an octopus. At least Nora could see the appeal in that—an idea that immediately left her brain as soon as she thought it and she would never care to think of again. But Jaune, yes… ol' Jaune-y boy. All scraggily and nervous and so very plain, and apparently, the perfect man for the greatest Huntress prodigy of a generation. It was apparently Pyrrha's desire to get all snuggly and dreamy with the clumsy, somewhat oafish, and unspeakably plain Huntsmen student, and Nora couldn't quite understand that mindset. Yet, she did not have to. It was not a requirement. She was asked here to merely be a friend and counselor, someone capable of dreaming up an exotic, highly romantic evening that would be sure to sweep Jaune off of his feet and into Pyrrha's enormous biceps. That was something more plausible. She was, after all, a dreamer. There were many days she imagined herself in the exact same situation, astonishing Ren with her charms, bedazzling his life with acts of splendor, and eventually seducing him into an idyllic love affair that would last their entire lives. She would simply have to take that concept and apply it to Jaune. But what did Jaune like? Huntsmen… things? Cooking? Maybe fire. Boys liked fire. She could probably do something with the fire pit. And flowers! Boys loved flowers—no wait, that was girls. And she didn't have flowers. Okay, so she now realized she didn't actually know Jaune all that well. But whose fault was that? Jaune's? Yes. She could blame Jaune for that. He was not particularly forthcoming about his life unless it pertained to that which made him miserable, like his training or his lack of ability. Nora would likely have to investigate this subject deeply, get inside his head, peruse around the mysterious, scraggly skull of Jaune Arc to find all the juicy bits. That was her plan, formulated on the spot—use her charm and subtly to extract all the romantically exploitable knowledge from Jaune's head, feed it into Pyrrha, and then create an ultimate Jaune seducing weapon. Then, she and Ren could get the two of them alone, and Pyrrha would do her things—whatever they were—and Jaune would fall head over heels in love with her, and then hopefully the spirit of romance would seep into Ren's brain and the bastard would finally realize what had been directly in front of him for the past decade—
"Nora, are you all right?" Pyrrha asked suddenly. "Your face is making a lot of… movements."
"Huh?" Nora said, snapping back to reality. "Oh, yeah, don't worry about it. I'm all in. Pyrrha, I promise you, tonight…" She smiled proudly and jabbed her friend in the chest. "I'm gonna get you laid, sister!"
Pyrrha blushed and shrunk in front of her eyes. "I just… I just want a nice date."
"That works, too!"
"If you ever change your mind, my offer stands. Just remember, it's probably going to be hard to have sex without individual rooms. If you want to hook up, let's do it before the vacation's over."
Yang sat on the shore in her bathing suit. The water lapped gently against her toes. The sun was covered by scattered clouds, but its warmness permeated through. She felt none of it though. The events from the night before were still broadcast on a loop in her head.
Coco's eyes… her legs… her strut…
No, Yang did not sleep. Not really. When it came, it only stayed in short bursts. She hadn't been able to still her heartbeat, not once, and she did not eat breakfast. She hadn't felt like this in a long time, not since…
Well, it was better not to think of that. But thinking of Coco just sent her head spinning.
Two days. They had only been together for two days. And those were two really fun days, she couldn't deny it. But it was fast. Too fast. At least, it should have been. She hadn't formed any real bond with Coco. They were hardly friends. They got along decently enough, and Yang thought of her like most of the student body thought of her: as this cool, mysterious figure, who played by her own world and took the things she wanted. Right now, the thing Coco coveted was her, and she wasn't sure she could handle that. She couldn't imagine herself devoting a relationship to the older Huntress, actually spending their nights together, becoming all that close. Coco was an ideal more than a real person in her eyes, and she couldn't date an ideal.
But that wasn't the offer, was it? They didn't need to spend nights together. Just one.
No strings attached.
Nothing between them.
She took a deep breath, trying to clear out her thoughts. Despite Coco's generosity, Yang knew she would have to make a decision tonight. If she did not, Coco's words, her body, would haunt her for the rest of the vacation. She needed to make the right call. She had to stop the sickening feeling in her stomach every time she thought of making the next move. She needed to be strong and confident in only the way that Yang Xiao Long could be… or at least the way everyone thought Yang Xiao Long was. Unfortunately, confidence required clarity, and that was the one thing she lacked. And unfortunately, her mind did not become any clearer when she heard a voice from behind her. Her tongue became caught in her throat. Of course, it was the one person she really didn't need to distract her.
"Wow, you're so moody I thought I was sitting on the beach for a second."
Yang did her best to smile, but Blake saw right through her. Without waiting for an invitation, Blake kneeled at Yang's side and looked out over the open ocean. Yang shuddered.
"I heard you, Weiss and Ruby got in a little pranking incident?" Yang started.
"Yeah, it was deserved," Blake admitted. "But that's just me. What's going on with you? You look troubled."
"Nothing."
"Bullshit," Blake said plainly. "You got something on your mind. You might as well tell me before I pry it out of you."
Immediately, Yang's instincts told her to bury the problem deep. It wasn't Blake's to deal with. In fact, it had nothing to do with her at all; if she wanted to sleep around, why would Blake need to be informed? Yet, Yang realized quickly it was short-sighted. Blake was her best friend. As strange as it was, she needed someone to speak to. Blake was experienced with these sorts of things, and if anyone was capable of giving her a clear answer, it was her. It did not make the words come out any easier.
"Um… Coco came onto me last night."
Blake was expecting mental illness. With Yang, it was usually her psychological problems that weighed her down. Familial problems were a close second. Blake did not see this coming at all.
"Wait, really?" she asked. Yang couldn't tell if she was concerned or confused. "You sure?"
"She told me she wanted to have a one-night-stand," Yang stated. "So, yeah. I'm sure."
"And did you… accept?"
Yang shrugged. "I told her I would think about it."
Blake quietly sat down, blown away by the reveal. Yang thought she would be more… sarcastic? Dismissive, even? The shock rebounded off her and resonated back into Yang, making the pit in her stomach hollow even further. Blake muttered under her breath.
"Damn… didn't see that one coming."
"We're not sure what to do," Yang admitted. "She didn't want to date. Just sex. She was very upfront about that. But it's just… well, what do you think I should do?"
"Me?" Blake said, shaking her head. "Why the hell are you asking me?"
"You know these kinds of things," Yang claimed. "The only time we ever were intimate with anyone was with you. You probably know better than us. At least you can help us talk it through."
Blake pursed her lips. The change in pronouns did not escape her notice. Yang tended to slip into it under duress—at least, that was her working theory. She did not make any effort to bring it up to the team. This was a problem, and while Blake did not want to engage it with, she recognized it needed solving. An unstable Yang was bad for everyone, mostly for Yang herself. She told herself she didn't need to make a judgment; just help Yang consider all of her options, and then leave her to make a responsible decision for herself. She… she could do that, at least. Perhaps therapy wasn't so bad when she wasn't on the receiving end.
"Okay, so… Coco. You don't want to date her, right?" Blake began.
"I barely know her."
"But you think she's hot?"
"Have you seen her?"
"Yes, and I don't get the appeal, but whatever. So, that's really the one positive here, I guess. You get to have sex with someone hot."
"Yeah," Yang said, exasperated. "Which is… I mean, wouldn't you?"
"Hey, it's not about me," Blake reminded her. "You do think that's a positive, right? Because I don't give a shit about casual sex and don't see anything wrong with it. And I would assume you're not prudish either, given…" The fact they've slept together many times. "…things."
"No, that's… that's not it."
"Okay then, what's the issue? Because I'm really not getting it."
"Because it's… it's something new. And exciting. And dangerous. And I think I really want to do it," Yang stated, trying to capture the feelings of guilt, fear, and lust that hung over her like a cloud. "Like, it's flattering. It feels really nice to be wanted by someone." She didn't see the subtle sneer on Blake's lips before she continued, laughing at the absurdity of it all. "But that's… that's probably a terrible idea, isn't it? Rushing headfirst into a relationship, putting the excitement before everything else. That's such an us thing to do. And those usually don't work out too well… do they?"
Blake hated to admit how much she understood the point. It didn't take much to remember what Yin had done to them, and how her carelessness had pushed them over the edge. A memory crept back into the forefront of her consciousness: Yin, face bloodied and body broken, pressing their lips together. She had done her best to suppress it, but it returned now as the worst of Yang's impulses, as well as Blake's failure to contain them. Still, she found herself encouraging Yang, resting a hand atop her knuckles.
"Okay, but a lot has changed since the last time we were… whatever we were," Blake noted. "You're way better than you used to be, and you're still improving."
"I'm improving, but I'm not better," Yang said, her frustration turned inward. "I was thinking about... What if Dr. Noetal was here now? What would she say to me? She would probably say, 'Yang, the last thing you need in your life is instability'. Like, maybe I feel fine now, but I know myself well enough to know that I don't know. What if I get attached? What if we say it will be a one-time thing, and then it spirals into something bigger? We were a one-time thing, Blake, and well… we weren't. We aren't."
"But like… you do realize that counters your argument, right?" Blake pointed out. "I mean, I get it. I'm not trying to make it sound like I don't get it. You can be a reckless, impulsive mess, and that's really bad. You shouldn't be making any sudden decisions, especially with something so personal. I'm just suggesting that the fact you are asking yourself these questions now instead of going ahead and doing it anyway… maybe you're further along than you thought. I don't know. Just my take on it."
Yang considered Blake's theory and thought it was brilliant, if not cruel. She had a point. If this was several months ago, she probably would have taken up Coco's offer on the spot, consequences be damned. If she would sleep with Blake in a nurse's office, she really wouldn't have any reservations now. But the conclusion was still a damning one. If she was approaching this responsibly, did that truly give her permission to do something inherently irresponsible? Sleeping with Coco was probably disastrous for her mental health. She knew she would wind up regretting it. But recognizing that she shouldn't, understanding its harms on her psyche—that was growth. It made her believe in her own judgment. She was caught in a damn catch-twenty-two, and she groaned in frustration, slouching forward toward the sand.
"Ugh, I don't know. I don't know!" she gasped. "You're making it sound good, but like… is it? There have to be more cons to this we aren't considering."
"The cons are all the usual consequences of having casual sex," Blake shrugged. "It's messy and awkward, and it can damage friendships if you aren't careful. Hell, I don't think most people are ready to be having sex, period. But I also believe in letting people make their own choices, because I'm not an asshole."
"Well, what do you think I should do?" Yang asked bluntly. "Yes or no?"
"I don't know."
Yang frowned, frustrated. "That's not an answer."
"Of course, it's an answer," Blake insisted. "I don't know."
"Would you do it? If it was you, she was after?"
"I don't like Coco, so no."
"But if you did?"
"Again, I don't know. A lot of this is very specific to you."
"We want to know your opinion."
"My opinion is it's none of my business. I'm not the one who she wants to sleep with. If you want to do it, then why should I care?"
That was the wrong answer. Blake hadn't quite realized why yet, but something inside Yang turned sour. She narrowed her gaze and focused on Blake, holding back some kind of scream.
"You mean… you don't care at all?"
Blake hesitated, trying to hold true to her principles despite her emotions crawling over her. "Like, well… I don't want to see you get hurt. You know I don't really care for Coco. We've never gotten along or anything. And you know, I don't want you to have sex just to do it. But also… no? Why should I care if you have sex with someone else? We're not dating. We're not going to date. If you want to sleep around for a night, then… fine."
Yang… did not enjoy that answer. She finally received her dismissive response, only it was laced with a rejection that she didn't ask nor care for. She also noticed the clear hesitancy in Blake's voice, coupled with her refusal to look directly at her. It made things messy, messier than they already were. As much as it hurt, she needed clarity.
"Blake, there's something I need to know. Honestly, it's something I've wondered for a really long time."
As spontaneous as it was, Blake could sense the question coming. She was tuned into Yang's thoughts enough to know what still rattled her, which insecurities she had accidentally prodded. She instantly regretted her choice of words and tried to walk them back to no avail. "Yang, I know what you're going to say…"
"Okay, then clear it up," Yang said desperately. "Was there ever a time when you had feelings for me? At all?"
Blake sighed. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Yang, come on…"
"I just… I need to know," Yang pleaded. "And look, you're straight. Fine. I get that. I'm not going to push on that. Your identity is whatever. But did you actually, really feel nothing toward me?"
Blake closed her eyes. "Yang, listen. You have to understand… whatever answer you are looking for, it shouldn't matter. You can't refuse to sleep with Coco because you think it'll stop you from being with me. We aren't going to happen."
"That's not it," Yang admitted, heartbroken. "I know we aren't, just… I need to hear you say it."
"Why? Why does it matter at all?"
"I can't move on unless you tell me the truth. Otherwise, it would feel like cheating."
"Then that's stupid. I'm not going along with that."
"I know it's stupid, but that's how it feels. You're saying it's impossible for us, so let's bury it then. I'm not going to get my feelings hurt. I promise. If you just tell me, flat out, you never cared, I can put it behind me."
Blake screamed in frustration. "Of course, I…" She gasped, pained, resting her head down in her palms. "Of course, I had feelings for you."
Yang braced herself for rejection. She had been ready for it for months now. Blake's confession floored her. She was left speechless, watching helplessly as Blake tried to hide her frustrations with herself. Her emotions were eating her alive, and when Yang tried to guide her hand forward to touch her friend, Blake recoiled away.
"Why? Why didn't you tell me?" Yang asked pathetically.
"Because you'd get your hopes up," Blake admitted. She was tired. So fucking tired. "My feelings aren't relevant. They have nothing to do with why we aren't together. You know that. It's trust. It's always been about trust."
"Trust with what? Two seconds ago, you were talking about how much I changed, how I'm ready for something like this. You trust me to sleep around with Coco, but you don't trust me to take care of you?"
"Yeah, actually. Because you fucking Coco is meaningless. She's normal and uncomplicated."
"And I guess you are just too complicated for me, is that it?" Yang spat. "You've just got so much baggage and so much trauma that I wouldn't be able to handle it? I'm not capable of supporting you."
Blake only looked at Yang once. Her golden eyes were calm, unangered. She was merely defeated.
"It's not you who isn't capable."
Yang softened. She drew her hand inward, revolted with herself. Blake casually stood up, brushing the sand off of her legs. She looked back over the ocean. Despite the calming waves, she felt nauseous.
"You want my opinion, Yang? Take up Coco's offer," she said coldly. "Have fun. It'll help take your mind off things. I'm going to go get a drink." She paused, only for a moment. "Want anything?"
Yang curled her knees into her chest, holding them close. She took her frustrations and disappointments and let them release her through her breath. She didn't look up at Blake at all.
"Yeah."
