{Vale}
"Are you okay? You seem...tense." Blake allows from her seat next to Weiss' bunk. Her teammate has been uncharacteristically quiet and withdrawn since the battle at the breach two days ago. Blake herself is still drained and sore from all the fighting.
Yang's expressions hardens, her lips pressing together into a firm line.
Repair efforts to the breach in Vale's wall are almost finished—thanks in large part to help from Miss Goodwitch. The teams from Beacon have returned to the school, though Ruby is only now debriefing Ozpin about the happenings in Vale with the other team leaders.
Weiss is out cold on her bunk, her hand resting gently on Blake's leg. Blake is glad to see her finally getting some rest.
"Picked up on that, did you?" Yang snaps, her voice low.
Blake's excellent hearing picks up the sound of Yang's heartbeat, a steady, forceful rhythm in her chest. It's faster than it normally is—a telltale sign that Yang's anger hasn't yet subsided, if her tone hadn't been obvious enough.
"I'm just...I'm here, if you want to talk."
"I don't." Yang retorted, slamming the textbook she's been glancing at shut. The noise is uncomfortably loud in the small space, especially for Blake's cat ears, and Weiss starts next to her. Thankfully, she doesn't wake up.
Blake shoots Yang a withering look. "Okay. Chill. I'll let you be."
"Don't fucking tell me what to do, Blake. I'm not in the mood." Yang seethes.
Blake doesn't think Yang is even aware of it, but in the time it's taken her to speak, she's crossed the room, blatantly invading Blake's personal space, her eyes glinting with an unspoken challenge.
Blake feels herself shifting, her instincts prodding at her to act.
Even from her seated position, Blake can think of no less than four ways to take Yang down—and she is at once bristling for a fight. She's unwilling to let such a challenge stand—her pride demands that she respond, preferably with force, to the disrespect of having her space entered without permission. In the White Fang, displaying that kind of weakness would have dire consequences.
Blake takes a breath, letting it out slowly, reining in her wayward temper as she stands. A fight would just be a distraction. A welcome one, to be certain; there's something about the frenetic intensity of a fight that has a way of bringing things into focus for her. Combat has always helped her to vent at the very least, but given that she's trying to keep her instincts under control, it wouldn't be a good idea to provoke Yang into a confrontation. Even so, she moves to stand in front of Yang properly, imposing herself between Yang and the door to the dorm room.
"Alright. Sorry." Blake says, putting her hands up in a placating gesture.
Yang brushes past her, purposefully delivering a shoulder-check as she goes.
"Yang." Blake says, her voice firm; she can feel her ears flattening a bit as her eyes narrow. "If you want to fight me, just say so and we can take this to the sparring ring. Otherwise, knock it off."
Behind her, Weiss stirs, and both of them share accusatory glances.
"I'm going for a run." Yang growls.
"Okay. I'll see you when you get back." Blake replies evenly.
Yang, mercifully, doesn't slam the door when she leaves.
Blake lets out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, sitting back down in the chair next to Weiss' bed. She knows from experience that Yang should probably talk about how she's feeling—repressing those kinds of feelings is what had caused Blake herself to become trapped in a dark loop of violence and self-loathing.
However, the Faunus girl also realizes that she can't force Yang to open up to her. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little hurt by Yang's reluctance to talk to her, after everything they've been through together...But, in the end, it's Yang who must make the decision to talk to her; all Blake can do is be there.
Blake reaches down and rests Weiss' hand on her leg once more, smiling softly when Weiss gently grips the leg of her sweatpants. She reaches out and smooths a few hairs away from Weiss' face before settling in to read a bit—the sequel to The Man with Two Souls is even better than she'd expected it to be.
After what must be at least an hour or two, judging by the way her leg has begun to fall asleep, Weiss finally stirs next to her, sitting up with a jaw-cracking yawn and rubbing her eyes.
"Good evening." Blake says quietly. "Sleep well?"
Weiss nods, yawning again. "How long was I out?"
"About sixteen hours; that was a long nap." Blake says with a chuckle.
Weiss blinks. "Oh. Wow."
"How are you feeling?" Blake wonders, setting her book aside.
"Like I could singlehandedly eat all the food in Beacon's cafeteria. And, I really have to pee." Weiss says, getting out of her bunk and stretching.
Unable to help herself, Blake reaches out and pokes Weiss in the stomach when her shirt rides up with her movement.
"Hey! I just said I have to pee, cut it out!" Weiss giggles, quickly moving out of range of Blake's fingers. "You're almost as bad as Ruby." she accuses, but there's no venom in her voice.
Blake grins. "Just keeping you on your toes, princess."
Weiss rolls her eyes. "I'm going to go shower. Did you want to get some food after that? I've heard there's a pretty good seafood place in Vale, and I was going to head in to town to get some new clothes anyway."
"New clothes aren't a bad idea, actually. Sure, I'll tag along." Blake replies, standing to change and make herself presentable.
"Sounds good." Weiss says through the bathroom door. "Is Yang coming?"
Blake shrugs, then remembers that Weiss can't see her. "I don't think so. She said she was going for a run; she's been a little...off since the breach."
"I'm sure she'll come around." Weiss says, and then Blake can hear the shower turn on.
"I hope so…" Blake mutters to herself.
*TCE*
Blake's keen ears pick up the sound of Yang pummeling the heavy bag long before she actually reaches the secluded sparring ring they use to practice away from prying eyes.
She fiddles with her bracelet, wondering what her parents would think of her actions at the breach. She hadn't joined the fight with the intention of killing anyone, but once she'd gotten involved, her instincts had just...taken over.
Blake's only consolation is that the White Fang members had been active combatants, rather than security guards just doing their jobs—or worse, innocent bystanders. The longer she's alive, the more she begins to think that her predatory nature isn't something she can successfully repress, any more easily than she can stop breathing…
The sparring ring comes into view, partially lit by the moon. The rest of the light is coming from Yang. Her Semblance is raging, bathing the ring in a soft orange glow. Yang's hair flickers like the flames of an inferno, her entire body engulfed in a pulsing golden glow. Her eyes are a striking red against the night. With a wild cry, Yang lashes out with an explosively powerful blow, sending the punching bag flying with a clunk.
It lands twenty paces away, leaking sand into the dirt like a dropped milk carton.
Blake just stares.
Since the first time they'd fought together, she's known that Yang is strong. But, knowing it and seeing it in action are two entirely different beasts. Yang is a ferocious combatant, a formidable opponent that most students at the school would be hard-pressed to keep up with.
It's captivating to watch her—there's an almost animal brutality in the way that she fights, a tenacity and a commitment to winning that drives her to press the attack at every opportunity—something that had been on full display during the battle at the breach two days prior. Even so, it's controlled. She's capable of astonishing violence, but her ability to keep teammates and allies out of the line of fire is something that Blake admires—it takes a lot of awareness to fight like that without hurting bystanders.
It's something that Blake herself is guilty of, and something she knows Adam has no qualms about. That's what makes it so refreshing to fight alongside her, the fact that she places value on the lives of everyone who's not a combatant, not just herself and her teammates.
Yang's Semblance subsides, her eyes returning to their normal lilac color.
"Damn it." Yang mutters.
"You alright?" Blake asks softly.
Yang stiffens, though she hides it well. She moves to sit down on the bench outside the ring, taking a long sip from her water bottle before answering.
"Oh. Hey, Blake." Yang answers. "Didn't know you were here. Have you, uh, been standing there long?"
Blake shakes her head, taking a seat next to Yang. "Not really." She replies, choosing not to address the fact that Yang is avoiding her question.
Yang sighs; it's a heavy, world-weary sound. "I'm sorry." she says. "For earlier, I mean. I was out of line, and I shouldn't have gone off on you like that. I just...I've had a lot on my mind."
Blake reaches out and puts a hand on Yang's shoulder. "I understand. That whole thing was...rough for me too."
Yang doesn't pull away. "I should be better than that." She says after a long pause. "I totally lost it at the breach. I could have hurt someone."
"But you didn't." Blake points out, surprising herself with her earnestness. "Everyone you took down was trying to hurt the citizens of Vale. It's not like you were out there killing everything that moved…"
"That doesn't make me feel any better!" Yang snaps, her eyes redshifting once more. Her hair flares to life, moving as though it's a living thing, animated by Yang's Semblance. "Do you have any idea how hard I've had to work to not just be a ball of repressed rage all the time? It's taken me years to get to this point, and I basically threw it all away. I could have fought them all without my Semblance, but I used it anyway."
Blake frowns. "I-" she begins, unsure of how exactly she means to comfort Yang, but unwilling to sit by and say nothing.
Yang's Semblance fades, though her frown is still etched into her features
"You eliminated the threat." Blake says after a pregnant pause. "If you hadn't used your Semblance, they might have gotten past you and done even more harm. Or, one of them might have gotten a lucky shot in, and given your abilities away."
"I guess...you have a point." Yang admits grudgingly, refusing to meet Blake's eyes.
"And...I didn't come away from that with clean hands either, Yang. I swore on my parents' graves that I was done with killing, but once the fighting started, I just...I got carried away. My instincts just...took over. It's so easy to just, let go when I'm in a fight like that. And you know what the worst part is?" Blake confesses, her voice thick with emotion.
The weight of her guilt and shame sits heavily in her stomach, tying it into an uncomfortable knot. Her throat is achingly tight, almost as if her body is trying to physically prevent her from saying the words that come out of her mouth next.
"I liked it. I felt...powerful. Unstoppable, even. I know that probably makes me sound like a psychopath, but, it's true." Blake looks away from Yang, ashamed.
"Hey." Yang says, her voice almost unbearably soft. "Look at me."
Blake does, though every fiber of her being is screaming at her not to.
Yang's lilac eyes are warm and kind and inviting, a far cry from the furious red they'd been only a moment ago.
Blake's so captivated by the difference that she almost misses what Yang says next.
"I know what that's like. I felt the same way. It's...intoxicating to look at an enemy and know you can just crush them." Yang says. "But...I don't think that makes you a monster or a bad person, Blake. You didn't kill anyone who wasn't trying to kill you. You...you can't help but to be who you are."
Blake blinks, surprised at Yang's ability to excuse Blake's actions, but not her own. "I could say the same thing to you, you know." she replies.
Yang sighs. "I know...I still feel like I've failed somehow though."
Blake shrugs. "We did what we had to do. Vale is still intact, the wall is being repaired, and we didn't blow our cover. I think...I think we're just going to have to be satisfied with that."
"That's...kind of unsatisfying, honestly." Yang points out, taking another swig from her water bottle.
"I know." Blake says quietly. "But it's all we've got."
It's quiet for a few moments, not a comfortable silence so much as an absence of conversation, until Yang speaks again.
"I really fucked up…" Yang says. "I lost control, which is bad enough by itself, but I did it in front of Ruby. She knows I have a temper, but she's never seen me like that. I try so hard to keep that part of me under control, to set a good example for her and I-" Yang's voice breaks.
Blake squeezes Yang's shoulder in a way that she hopes reads: It's alright.
I'm here. I'm with you.
Yang shifts a bit closer.
I know. I'm glad. Thank you.
It's strange, how they can communicate so effectively without speaking, but it's nice to be around someone who just...gets her.
"I'm the only family Ruby has left, besides our uncle. I've tried so hard to be different from him—he's not...he's not a bad person. He just...he's different. He's the cool uncle. But he's, uh, not the greatest role model for a kid." Yang admits. "Dad always said I had to lead by example, to show Ruby right from wrong; teach her how to be a good person. And, I'm ruining it." the blonde's voice is bitter and she swipes roughly at her eyes.
"Hey," Blake interjects softly. "I think Ruby's a great kid! And I know a lot of that is because she has you as her big sister. I've never had any siblings—I'm an only child, so I can't say I understand exactly how you're feeling...but Yang?" she takes a breath, hoping that what she's about to say doesn't end up making her teammate more upset.
"Yeah?" Yang wonders, finally meeting Blake's eyes.
"Your dad told you to be a good example, not a perfect one. Everyone screws up sometimes and showing Ruby how to deal with those kinds of things is part of being a good role model...Learning what to do when we make mistakes or when we react poorly to something is part of growing up. I think what she sees you do after the fact is a lot more important than the fact that it happened."
Yang is quiet for a beat, and Blake is terrified that she's somehow made the situation even worse, at least until Yang looks at her and smiles.
"Thanks, Blake." she says, reaching up to give Blake's hand a squeeze.
"Of course," Blake replies easily. "Do you want to head back?"
"That's probably a good idea. It's getting late." Yang says. She stands, moving to collect the broken heavy bag. She dumps out the rest of the sand and tucks the bundle of cloth under her arm. "Walk with me?"
Blake grins despite herself. "I'd planned on doing that anyway, since we're heading back to the same place." she says with a chuckle. "Sure."
Yang sighs dramatically. "Here I am trying to invite you on a nice, moonlit walk…"
Blake laughs and stands, hip-checking Yang. "You're too much sometimes, you know that?"
"You love it." Yang points out.
Blake doesn't argue.
*TCE*
Ruby had headed into town initially with the intention of visiting a specialty Dust shop in the hopes of being able to get supplies for making Crescent Rose's specialized ammunition. However, as she discovers upon reaching the shop, she's arrived more than an hour past closing time.
Rats. She thinks with a sigh. Why can't the specialty shop keep non-specialty hours?
"Salutations!" The phrase has become as much a warning as a greeting, and Ruby barely has time to think:
What?
Let alone brace herself before Penny barrels into her. The impact against the ground isn't any more forgiving than Ruby expects..
Ow.
"It's good to see you too, Penny!" Ruby laughs, returning Penny's squeeze. "I heard you were back from visiting your dad! Welcome back! How is he?"
Penny's bright, joyful expression fades a bit at the question. "Thank you, Ruby. I was hoping to run in to you." The carrot-top says with an expectant wink in Ruby's direction.
Ruby giggles despite the terrible joke. "Mission accomplished, I'd say!"
"My father is...not well. His...condition seems to have stayed about the same since I last saw him. But I worry about him—he demands too much of himself, especially when it comes to his job."
Ruby pulls Penny into another hug. "I'm sorry Penny. That must be hard."
"It will be alright, I am sure. I only wish that he would…'take it easy' for a while. I know he would feel better if he would just let himself rest." Penny says. "But, enough about me. How have you been, Ruby?"
"I've been alright. Things have been kind of nuts around here lately. I'm sure you heard about what happened in Vale?"
Penny nods. "I am sorry I missed the excitement." she says earnestly.
"It was crazy! We fought a Goliath, Blake and Yang took out, like, a hundred guys by themselves, and Weiss' summon body-slammed the Goliath so we could win the fight. I'm still sore from all the fighting, but it was nice to be able to help out. I need to start training with Yang and Blake, and Weiss though—they've been doing this mega-hardcore exercise thing and they're like...machines now. Seriously, you should see them fight sometime!" Ruby gushes.
"I am sure they would be more than happy to let you join them, if you asked. And I look forward to seeing you and your teammates in action at the upcoming Vytal Festival." Penny answers, smiling at Ruby.
"Oh that's right! That's next month, isn't it? I guess I have an excuse to see this crazy workout they've been doing now." Ruby replies. "Things with the team are finally starting to come together, actually so that's been good."
"I am glad to hear that. Has the situation with Weiss gotten any better?" Penny wonders.
"Sort of? I had a talk with her while we were away on our assignment, and she's been a lot better since then. I think that's mostly because she didn't want to be sent back to Beacon and fail the assignment though. We'll have to see how things go over the next while."
"I see." Penny says, her brow furrowing. "Well, I hope that things continue to go well for you. What brings you to Vale?"
"Oh, I was hoping to see this dust shop so I could get some stuff for Crescent Rose. But, turns out they closed like an hour ago. I'll have to come another time to get what I need."
"I am sorry that you were unable to procure your supplies, Ruby. But, I was wondering if perhaps you would like to get some ice cream with me?"
"You know me, I'll never say no to ice cream!" Ruby answers, grinning. "My sweet tooth won't let me."
"I am sure your tooth is just as sweet as the rest of you, Ruby." Penny says, and leans forward to kiss Ruby's cheek.
Ruby can feel her cheeks warming, a pleasant warmth radiating out from where Penny's lips had touched her. Her fingers ghost over the spot as she stares at Penny, dazed.
"Wow," she murmurs.
Penny takes her hand. "Ruby? Are you alright?"
Ruby blinks, embarrassed. "What? Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. I was just surprised, that's all."
Penny smiles. "You are adorable, Ruby."