The door to Cash Flow Consultants hardly shut behind Blake before Ilia hurried over to her.
"Hey! Haven't seen you in a few days."
Blake ducked her head, finding Ilia's smile almost too upbeat to look at. "Yeah, sorry. I've been working on something." Working tirelessly on something, she thought to herself, but Ilia failed to notice the dark bags under her eyes. "How have things been here?"
"Oh, you know, pretty much the same. Cinder's putting a lot of time into her plan, and there was a new guy here yesterday - I think he works with electronics or something?"
Blake's jaw tightened, but she hummed rather than voice her displeasure. Her gaze scanned the office, lingering for a second on the Vanguard 9000, but the lack of company didn't prompt peace and calm like it once did. If anything, her jittery energy only doubled.
"Have you seen Emerald?"
"Not today. Why?"
Blake glanced at the time and sighed. "She's supposed to meet me here…" she grumbled, glancing at the door as if the green-haired girl might stroll through at any second.
"I'm sure she'll be here soon."
Despite not sharing Ilia's optimism, Blake grunted and leaned against the back of the sofa to wait. She folded her arms across her chest so that she wouldn't fidget and reminded herself to remain calm. Executing any plan required composure, yet she felt more nerves right now than when breaking into a bank.
"Were you with, you know, the detective?"
Blake's heart jumped, but she closed her eyes and tilted her head back rather than risk giving anything away.
"Every once in a while," she lied. "Still helping out while she recovers. She doesn't have to wear a sling anymore, which she's ecstatic about, and in another week or so they might clear her for more physical activity at work."
"Wow. Not even getting shot keeps her down."
A genuine smile slipped out as Blake thought about Yang's attitude toward tackling these new challenges. It was a bit like how Blake felt when approaching a new security system: anything was possible with enough dedication and hard work.
"Blake…you don't actually like her, do you?"
Blake quickly erased the smile, but Ilia's brow had already furrowed.
"I think she's a good person, but I still have a job to do. We all do."
"Good." Ilia shook her head and then chuckled to herself. "Can't have Shroud falling for a dumb pig. That would be bad for business."
While Ilia found humor in the situation, Blake frowned at a remark that could have come straight from Adam or Cinder's mouths.
"Is that what you really think?" Blake straightened up and studied Ilia closer than she had in a long time. "That cops are nothing but pigs?"
"Well, they are, aren't they?"
Ilia looked confused about why Blake would claim otherwise, but the underlying certainty and borderline haughtiness in Ilia's tone made the back of Blake's neck tingle. Fortunately, before the conversation took another wrong turn, Emerald arrived.
"There you are." After sparing a second glance at Ilia, feeling as if she was seeing the girl for the first time, Blake met Emerald on her way to the kitchenette. "You're late."
"You want me to pickpocket a fucking cop. You're lucky I showed up at all." Emerald grabbed a drink from the fridge and then twisted off the cap, but Blake snatched it from her hands before she could take a drink. "Hey!" she yelped while Blake tossed it in the trash.
"Don't blame me; blame Cinder's stupid job." When Emerald scoffed, Blake crossed her arms over her chest. "And I thought you could pickpocket anyone."
"I can. Doesn't mean I want to."
"We all have to do things we don't want to do…" Blake grumbled.
"Wait," Ilia interrupted. "You're pickpocketing Yang?"
"See?" Emerald motioned both arms Ilia's way before laughing. "Why don't you just take it from her? You're the one dating her."
"Because I have to get Adam and Cinder into her apartment," Blake replied slowly, feeling her blood pressure rising. "So I need you to get her keys and give me the code on them exactly when I need it. Otherwise, she reports them missing and the department shuts off her remote access."
"Still - you want me to rob your girlfriend. That's kind of messed up." When Blake's scowl deepened, Emerald rolled her eyes. "Just tell me what to do."
"She'll be at Lavender Bistro in an hour. She'll get there early and will sit outside. She usually keeps her keys in her back right pocket and her wallet in her left. It's pretty warm out, so she'll probably be wearing shorts."
"Damn." Emerald chuckled and grabbed another drink from the fridge. "You know her clothing sizes, too?"
Blake pressed her lips together while Emerald and Ilia shared a short laugh. Yes, she knew Yang's sizes, but that had zero relevance to this endeavor.
"Once you have her keys, wait for my message and give me the numbers on the keyfob exactly when I need them. Otherwise, this whole thing's a wash."
"Got it." Emerald took a swig of her drink before turning to leave, but Blake grabbed her arm before she got far.
"And don't you dare hurt her."
Emerald met Blake's gaze, then glanced at Blake's hand and shrugged her arm free.
"That's not my style."
Emerald held Blake's gaze for another moment before heading out. Blake watched her go, pulse ratcheting up and nerves building. Despite having thought this through a thousand times, she hadn't conquered her oppressive uncertainty. Going through with this plan, unlike every previous plan, felt final. Yet she couldn't find a way around it - not with Adam breathing down her neck about getting it done.
She would get him what he wanted, and then she would convince him that it was in his best interest if they went their separate ways.
"You ok?"
Blake glanced at Ilia and then cleared her throat.
"I should get going. Need to meet Adam and Cinder."
"Good luck. Oh, Blake?" Ilia reached out but stopped just short of touching Blake's elbow. She grabbed her other arm instead, holding it close to her chest as her cheeks reddened. "Can we practice again sometime? I've gotten the Silver Star open a few times, and I really want to be more help next time. Maybe even work with Emerald on a few smaller targets on our own."
"Work with Emerald…?"
"Yeah! She knows a bunch of places - said we could get in and out no problem. She just needs someone to get into the safe."
"I see…" Blake had more questions than answers now but, faced with Ilia's hopeful smile and with precious time ticking away, said, "Let's talk about that later, ok? I'll text you."
"Ok, great!"
Ilia's winning smile suggested genuine excitement about the prospect of helping Emerald rob some small businesses. Blake stared for an extra second, wondering what happened to the shy, uncertain girl who wanted to help others, before shaking her head, flashing a brief smile, and hurrying out.
Things were changing so fast that she could barely keep up. Usually, they took a break after a successful bank run. Regrouped. Kept their heads down. Monitored the fallout and carefully searched for their next target. Not this time. While Blake was busy with Yang, trying to keep her cover as much as be supportive, the White Fang marched forward.
She needed the world to stop for a moment. Let her catch her breath and figure out what to do next. Instead, she was caught on a hamster wheel - if she didn't keep running, she would get thrown off. That was how it felt as she hopped onto the bus headed to Yang's neighborhood. Her thoughts raced so fast that she could hardly breathe let alone plan for the future. Focusing on the next second - the next minute - was the only way to hold herself together.
She just needed to get Cinder access to Yang's computer, then Adam would be happy and get off her back for a bit. That small window, with him distracted by Cinder's plan, was her opportunity to figure out her own plan. Like extricating herself from the jaws of a bear trap, she would craft an exit beneficial to them both.
No one could know what she was planning until then, which was why she didn't scowl when she spotted Adam and Cinder outside of Yang's building. Her stomach dropped and unease surged through her veins, but she maintained a neutral expression as she joined them.
"Look who finally made it…" Cinder was already hiding a smirk. "I was starting to think you decided to run off with that detective of yours."
"Clearly, you don't know me at all." Blake finally scowled - this one aimed at Cinder - before grabbing her phone and checking the time. Her heart clenched when her mind moved across town, imagining Yang sitting at the restaurant while Emerald lay in wait.
"Why are we outside?"
"In case Emerald doesn't get it." Blake stared at her phone, refusing to acknowledge the look Adam and Cinder shared. Truthfully, she didn't want either of them in Yang's apartment for a second longer than necessary, but waiting for Emerald made logical sense. In the unlikely event that Emerald failed, Adam and Cinder should leave without raising suspicions by bumping into any of the neighbors, some of whom might mention Blake's visitors to Yang.
Blake nearly dropped her phone when it buzzed in her hand, and her heart started racing when she saw who it was from. For a split second, she hoped that Emerald had determined that this was too risky and sent Blake back to the drawing board with more time. Instead, the message read, 'Got it.'
A small crack appeared in Blake's heart, but she took a deep breath and said, "Alright, let's go." She motioned Adam and Cinder after her and, with heavy footsteps, led them inside. Her two lives crashed together in the lobby, one crying out while the other coolly moved the plan forward. One foot in front of the other, one step to the next. She faltered when her phone rang as they stepped into the elevator.
She didn't even need to look at the screen to know who it was. She answered the call, lifted the phone to her ear, and said, "Hey you."
"Hey. You aren't on your way, are you?"
Yang sounded out of breath but otherwise none the worse for wear - a small blessing that Blake clutched onto.
"Just about to leave the office. Why? What's wrong?"
"Someone just pickpocketed me."
"What?"
"Yeah. Swiped my keys and wallet." Yang sighed. "Now, I have to file a report and try to figure out who it was and…yeah. I'm sorry. Can we reschedule?"
"Of course," Blake said while motioning Adam and Cinder after her. "How about I meet you at your place later?"
"Perfect. And I promise to make this up to you."
"I like the sound of that." Somehow, Blake laughed while leading Adam and Cinder down the hall. "What do you have in mind?"
"I'll think of something…but dinner's obvious."
"Obviously," Blake replied. "I should let you go though. Text me when you're free?"
"The very second. Love you."
"Love you, too."
Cinder rolled her eyes, but Blake hung up and briefly frowned at the photo of Yang on the screen. Then she put her phone away and shoved the key into the lock. "Be fast," she said while pushing open the door to Yang's apartment.
A fist tightened around her heart as Cinder and Adam went inside, both of them surveying the small, clean apartment as if searching for something to steal. Adam passed by the dining table where Blake and Yang had shared dinner last night while Cinder moseyed over to the bookshelf, scanning the titles before pausing in front of the photograph of Yang and Ruby.
"Who's this cutie?" she asked, picking up the frame and then smirking at Blake. "Looks like you have competition."
"Don't touch anything."
Blake snatched the frame from Cinder's hands, replaced it on the shelf, then hurried over to the desk and unlocked Yang's laptop. With Cinder and Adam hovering over her shoulder, she double-clicked on Vale P.D.'s remote access portal, messaged Emerald, then typed in the code that Emerald sent her. There was hardly time to hold her breath before the system loaded a variety of screens and menus, all with the Vale P.D. logo emblazoned on the top corner of the screen.
"Now we're talking." Cinder brushed Blake aside and took the chair. While she clicked through the screens, Blake sent Emerald a message reading, 'Everything better still be in her wallet. Leave it at CFC for me.'
'Spoilsport,' Emerald replied, but Blake lost all interest in Emerald when Cinder plugged a portable memory drive into the computer.
"What're you doing? I thought you were looking for something specific."
"We are. But I'm not going to sit here for hours reading through this shit." Cinder gestured roughly to the screen before floating Blake a smug smile. "Besides, why take a sample when we can take it all?"
Adam smirked while Cinder downloaded folders upon folders of information onto the drive, but Blake struggled to breathe. Her heart felt like it was bleeding, seeping hot blood throughout her chest while her mind wept at the crime taking place. She had never cared about stealing information before, but this wasn't just any information. Yang poured her heart and soul into her job, yet there they were…invalidating every minute of research, effort, and intuition.
They were tearing Yang's career down in front of her eyes, yet she just stood there and let it happen. She didn't just let it happen, she made it happen. They couldn't have done this without her.
She used to consider herself to be a decent person willing to do some questionable things in the interest of helping others. Now, she couldn't escape the suffocating fear that she wasn't the hero of her story. She was actually one of the bad guys. A villain.
"Adam…" She tore her gaze away from the computer, unable to bear the heartbreak any longer. "The department found an informant…they said someone in the White Fang just bought a bunch of guns. Is that true?"
"That's need-to-know."
"And now I need to know." When his expression remained impassive, she threw her arms in the air. "What the hell are you thinking, Adam? What do we need guns for?"
"It's contingency planning." When she scoffed and turned away, he grabbed her arm. "You said it yourself - the cops will come down hard on us now. We have to be prepared."
"This wouldn't have happened if we hadn't shot anyone to begin with," she argued, jerking her arm free. "You promised no one would get hurt, and that we'd only use the money for good. How is buying guns good for anyone?"
"You're thinking too small," he shot right back at her, forcing her to take a step back. "Robbing a small bank here and there is hardly a drop in the pond. We have a chance to change things. I thought that's what you wanted."
That was what Blake wanted, but they were in dangerous territory now. Any disagreement could be construed as wavering loyalty, and wavering loyalty put a target on her back.
"That is what I want."
"And this is the way we'll do it." Sensing her acquiescence, he squared his shoulders and smiled down at her. "I'm going to get us there just like I promised."
"Right…I know."
Blake bit her lip and nodded to the floor, wishing that it would open up and swallow her whole, while Adam stared down at her and Cinder glanced between them.
"Are you two going to kiss and make up or can we get the hell out of here?" Cinder held up the memory drive, which Adam took before motioning to the door and saying, "Let's go."
"I'm staying here," Blake quickly said.
"Suit yourself." Adam led Cinder into the hallway first before glancing back. "Good work. I didn't think you'd do it."
"I said I would, didn't I?"
Rather than acknowledge that she followed through on her word, he gave her a thoughtful look before walking away. He left the door wide open, forcing her to close it as Cinder's heels clicked against the metal stairs heading down to the lobby.
Blake shut the door and locked it as if that would somehow keep everything bad outside, though her mind reminded her that she was the one who should be locked on the other side. Wrapping her arms around herself, she stared at the floor, seeking comfort in a space that she had just violated in the worst possible way.
As soon as her vision started swimming, she dropped her arms to her side and looked for something to do. Locking Yang's computer came first, and making sure that nothing on the desk had been disturbed. Then she tidied up the stack of mail on the kitchen island, put away some clean dishes and, finally, dusted any horizontal surface she could find.
Yang typically kept the apartment clean, but her injury had slowed her down enough that she had accepted Blake's help with the little things. And Blake loved helping. In a way, taking care of these small chores made it feel like this was their space.
Her heart jumped when she heard a key in the lock and she turned that way as the door swung open. Yang stepped inside, took one look at her, and beamed.
"I knew giving you a key was a great idea."
Blake tried to smile. Tears welled in her eyes instead.
"Oh - I'm sorry!" Yang dropped her bag on the floor and rushed over. "What's wrong?"
Everything was wrong, but Blake melted into Yang's arms as if they were the only thing keeping her safe.
"Y-your wallet…"
"Oh…Blake…it's no big deal. I'll get new cards and stuff in no time." Yang pulled away and smiled while gently brushing Blake's tears away with her thumb. "It's just pretty embarrassing - a cop getting pickpocketed. The guys at the station will never let me live that down."
Yang chuckled, but a sob slipped through Blake's lips.
"Shit - sorry. Please don't cry…"
Blake would have stopped if she could, but the dam had broken and her guilt had nowhere else to go. She clung to Yang instead, burying her tears in Yang's shoulder while Yang held her close and assured her that everything was fine.
If Yang knew what Blake did today - first, setting her up for lunch only to have Emerald pickpocket her, then letting Adam and Cinder into her apartment to steal every shred of research they could get their hands on - she would shove Blake away. Instead, she rested her cheek on Blake's head, tenderly rubbed a hand up and down Blake's back, and remained the calming, steadying source of comfort that she always was.
And her calming presence worked wonders, as usual. Before long, Blake's sobs slowed to tears, which eventually gave way to sniffles, and finally she pulled away to wipe her eyes.
"S-sorry…I'm just…having a bad day, I guess."
"That's what you have me for - to make the bad days better! And to beat up whoever made your day bad, so if you give me a name and address, I'll go do that real quick."
Blake somehow laughed before burying her face in Yang's shoulder when another sob slipped out. How could she say that she was the one who Yang should beat up? The one who just betrayed Yang in a way that no one ever had. She didn't deserve Yang's comfort, yet she greedily accepted it.
"I have an idea…" Yang whispered while Blake tried to clamp down on her tears. "How about I make dinner and we watch one of those sappy movies you love? Does that sound good?"
Yang searched Blake's eyes and smiled when Blake eventually nodded. She then wiped away Blake's tears and gently kissed Blake's forehead. More tears welled up, but Blake held them back with a few sniffles and ample heartbreak. She could only watch sadly as Yang walked away, but her pulse spiked when Yang paused in front of the photograph of her and Ruby.
"I accidentally knocked it over while dusting," Blake blurted out when Yang straightened the frame.
"You don't have to clean, you know. I want this to be someplace you can relax."
"But I want to help. We spend a lot of time here, so…" Blake trailed off and bit her quivering lip. Yang, thankfully, simply smiled at the sentiment and headed to the kitchen. Blake drifted after her, feeling the need to be close despite everything.
"How was work?" she asked while Yang pulled food from the fridge. "They didn't make you do anything too stressful, did they?"
"Like force me to recertify for combat duty?" Yang chuckled but then winced and rubbed her still-healing shoulder. "I pretty much sat at a desk staring at video footage all day."
"Video footage?"
"Yeah, from every camera in the vicinity of Vale Credit Union. Hoping to catch a glimpse of them without the masks or anything that might lead us to them." Yang pursed her lips for a second before shaking her head. "Nada so far."
That should be relieving. Instead, the chasm of guilt in Blake's stomach deepened.
"I'm sorry you have to deal with that…" she sighed, but Yang came over and kissed her temple.
"Don't worry about it. Eye strain is part of the job." Yang waited for Blake to crack a smile before returning to the stove and setting a pan on the burner. "Doubt I can find video of the wallet snatcher either. Apparently, there isn't a working security camera within four blocks of the restaurant, and it happened right as Vale U. let out. Talk about wrong place at the wrong time…or right place at the right time for the thief."
Yang scoffed and shook her head, too focused on cooking dinner to notice Blake's flimsy smile. Before Blake came up with another topic of conversation, the doorbell rang.
"Can you get that?" Yang nodded that way before motioning to the meat she was stirring in the pan. "It's probably Ruby."
Grateful for something to do, Blake answered the door but froze when she suddenly found herself face-to-face with Weiss. Weiss looked, briefly, just as surprised as Blake, but then she noticed Blake's red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks, glanced at Yang, and shoved a long, black garment bag into Blake's arms.
"That's for Yang."
"Weiss!" Yang called out as Weiss was mid-heel turn. "You can't even say hi?"
Two steps from freedom, Weiss sighed and turned back around.
"Ruby's waiting downstairs, so no."
"Why didn't she come up?"
"Because there are never any spots on this horrible street, so I parked in a loading zone. And Miss Gold-Star Officer refuses to leave the car because then we wouldn't technically be loading or unloading."
"So you haven't completely sullied her yet."
"Oh, I've sullied her plenty, trust me…" Weiss muttered under her breath. Fortunately, Yang didn't hear the comment as she wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and came over.
"Before you rush off, I wanted to tell you that I got pickpocketed today!"
Blake's heart clenched, but Weiss waved a perfectly manicured hand through the air and said, "And I'm supposed to care why?"
"Because it's news?"
"You mean it's the lowest level of crime committed by the lowest level of criminal," Weiss snipped as Yang's arm slid around Blake's waist. "And this is what happens when you keep your wallet in your back pocket. At least put it in front next time, or hide it in your bra - you have plenty of room there."
"You're just a wellspring of good advice, you know that?"
Weiss scoffed and rolled her eyes, but then she briefly froze and studied Yang.
"First shot, then robbed - you're being targeted."
Blake's heart stopped, but Yang laughed and said, "Paranoid much? Why would anyone target me?"
"Gee, I don't know," Weiss replied, her voice dripping in sarcasm. "You're only the youngest detective in the department, in charge of investigating the White Fang, who you just barged in on during one of their robberies. I wonder who might target you."
"Let me get this straight…you think the White Fang shot me then sent someone to steal my wallet? Why would they do that?"
"Isn't it your job to answer that, Detective?" When Yang's brow furrowed, Weiss sighed and added, "I'm just saying…crime is supposedly declining in this wretched city. What're the chances that you have a violent run-in with this fledgling gang and then become a victim of a crime a few weeks later?"
"Why would they want my wallet and keys?"
"I don't know, Yang," Weiss sighed. "Maybe they were sending a message. Letting you know that they know where you are and when. And if they know where you are, they know where to find the people you care about."
Weiss actually looked disturbed by the thought as she glanced at Blake. Yang's eyes widened, staring at Blake as if she had never considered that Blake could be in any danger.
"You're the detective though," Weiss huffed before nodding to the bag in Blake's hands. "I don't want to alter it again, so don't let your chest get any bigger."
"Because that's something I can control…"
Weiss leveled Yang with a deadpan glare before glancing at the time. "If anything happens to Ruby because of this, I'll make your life hell," she casually added before dipping her chin and offering a cordial, "Blake," on the way out. She shut the door behind her, leaving Blake in stunned awe in the living room. Once the shock passed, she looked at Yang, whose eyes were still wide.
"Ok, she freaked me out," Yang admitted. "How would you feel if I have an officer tag along with you for a few days?"
"What?" As soon as Blake realized that Yang was serious, she shook her head. "That's overkill, Yang. It was just bad luck and a horrible coincidence. Weiss is overreacting."
Police protection would be significantly worse for Blake's well-being, so she held her breath as Yang frowned.
"You're probably right." Blake exhaled as soon as Yang nodded. "It was just bad luck, but I get where Weiss is coming from - in her world, there's no such thing as a coincidence like this. Besides, if the White Fang wanted to send me a message, it'd be way more blatant than swiping my wallet."
"Exactly."
Thank god, Blake thought to herself as Yang's gaze slid to the door and a small smile lifted her lips.
"She makes things interesting though, doesn't she?"
"I think you mean she's interesting." Blake glanced at the door before holding up the bag in her hands. "And she's bringing you clothes?"
"Bridesmaid dress."
"Oh." Blake looked at the bag again before carefully hanging it on an empty coat hook and returning to Yang. "Are you excited for the wedding?"
"You mean, am I excited for my little sister to marry the daughter of Vale's most notorious crime lord? Sorry - alleged crime lord?" Yang paused and, ultimately, chuckled. "I am, actually. Ruby's been over the moon for months and Weiss is somehow spoiling her more than usual. Pretty sure she's trying to buy cooperation so Ruby doesn't bolt at the last second."
"Like that would ever happen…"
"Right?" Yang returned to the kitchen, drawing Blake right along with her. "Like it or not, those two are glued together for life. I'm happy for them. But I'll be extra happy when I get to see what you're wearing."
"It's just a regular dress -"
"You realize I've never seen you in a dress, right?"
Blake paused and then blinked.
"Oh." Another second passed before a smile snuck onto her lips. "I've never seen you in a dress either."
"Exactly. That's exciting, right?"
"And you just got your dress…" Blake added, glancing at the garment bag. "Why don't you try it on?"
"Are you going to show me yours, too?"
"Sure. But my dress isn't here and yours is, so…"
"So it sounds like we'll be making a stop by your place tonight," Yang teased. When Blake blew a puff of air through her lips, Yang laughed and kissed her cheek. "I guess we'll just be waiting until the wedding," she concluded before hesitating. "Oh, and just a reminder that my dad'll be there."
"Right." Blake paused and exhaled. "Right. I remember."
"Are you nervous?"
"Not really…I just…" She just didn't want to meet Yang's dad because that only further complicated things. But she also wanted to meet Yang's dad. She wanted to meet the man who raised such a wonderful daughter and, maybe selfishly, wanted him to approve of her as Yang's girlfriend. "I just hope he likes me," she concluded.
"He will." When Blake sighed, Yang grinned. "He will. I know he will. But how could he not when you're so gorgeous and smart and perfect in every way?"
"You started talking about yourself in the middle of that sentence…"
When Yang laughed and returned to the stove, Blake watched the detective put together a delicious spaghetti dinner. Spaghetti was, apparently, Ruby's favorite meal, so Yang had mastered a hundred different ways to prepare it. Blake had yet to experience even a fraction of those, but she wanted to taste them all.
That goal would require time that already felt precious. If she wanted any hope of sticking around for every variation of spaghetti, she had to press forward with her latest plan no matter how risky it felt.
"Speaking of dads…" she began while pulling plates from the cupboard. "Wouldn't arresting Weiss' dad be an even bigger deal than catching the White Fang?"
"Definitely. Whoever brings him down will get the keys to the city and whatever job they want for the rest of their life. Maybe even a statue in front of City Hall."
"Why don't you go after him then?" When Yang glanced over, Blake nonchalantly motioned with the silverware in her hand. "I mean, couldn't you get enough from Weiss to put him away? Wouldn't that be better than chasing the White Fang?"
With the suggestion out in the open, Yang pursed her lips and Blake held her breath.
"I mean, yeah…of course. Getting Jacques Schnee off the street would be a huge win for the department." Yang thought about it for a little longer - long enough to get Blake's hopes up - before shaking her head. "But I can't do that to Weiss or Ruby."
When Blake frowned, Yang turned off the stove and strained the pot of noodles in the sink.
"Their relationship is…complicated," she added as a cloud of steam billowed into the air. "They love each other, and they make it work, but it's not easy like ours is, you know? I'm really grateful for that. I don't know if I could do it."
When Yang sadly shook her head, Blake's heart seized.
"You mean…you don't know if you could date a criminal?"
"I would never date a criminal." Yang's light laugh masked the knife that just lodged in Blake's heart. "And Weiss isn't even a criminal - unless you count the speeding tickets. Her family though…I don't think I could handle it like Ruby. Being patient, understanding, somehow believing that it'll all work out…"
Yang shook her head again, and Blake struggled to let go of that comment in favor of pressing the important issue.
"If something just fell into your lap though - like some evidence of wrongdoing - wouldn't you have to investigate?"
"Yeah, pretty much." Blake nodded, but Yang chuckled and added, "Let's hope that doesn't happen until Weiss is good and ready though. She's not her dad's biggest fan, but I don't want to be the one sticking my nose up that tree if she's not ready for it. She'd bite my head clean off."
Blake's brow furrowed as she processed that new information, but she blinked when Yang kissed her cheek and squeezed her elbow.
"How 'bout I just take down both?" Yang's smile was bright and earnest as she looped her arms around Blake's waist. "Then you'll be dating one of the most successful detectives in the history of Vale."
"I like the sound of that…" Blake hummed as Yang tugged her closer. "The best cook in Vale's history, too."
"Now you're just flattering me." Yang pecked Blake on the lips and then smiled. "But dinner's ready. How do you feel about eating in the living room while we can get our movie on?" Yang pulled back and, as soon as she had Blake's nod, collected their food from the kitchen.
"We can watch whatever you want, ok?" Yang added while arranging dishes and silverware on the coffee table. "I'm your captive audience tonight."
Yang's sweet smile reminded Blake of everything she had to be ashamed about but also everything she was trying so hard to protect. Humming softly to herself, she scrolled through the selection of movies until coming across one that looked vaguely entertaining yet predictable.
"How about this one?"
Yang read the title - "Happily Ever After" - and laughed.
"Absolutely." She pressed play on the remote in Blake's hand before setting it aside and replacing it with a dish of mouthwatering spaghetti. As the movie began, however, Blake set the plate in her lap and rested her head against Yang's chest.
Yang's strong, steady heartbeat reminded her of the clicking dial of a vault waiting to be opened, but she liked this sound better. That became especially true even when Yang's arm draped over her shoulders and her heart clenched so hard that it hurt.
After what she did today, she didn't deserve to be anywhere near Yang let alone enjoying this closeness or intimacy. She needed to fix this, but Yang's response to the idea of targeting Jacques Schnee rather than the White Fang hadn't instilled her with confidence. If Yang wouldn't give up the White Fang, Adam wouldn't let Blake leave. And if Blake didn't leave, she couldn't be with Yang.
She wanted to keep this so very badly, but the walls felt like they were closing in. Like time was running out even though she had no plan and dwindling options. If this were one of her strategies, she would have aborted the mission long ago. Given up and lived to see another day. But giving up meant giving up Yang, and she couldn't do that.
There was still hope…but it rested on Weiss and Ruby's wedding. If she could find Jacques Schnee's fabled safe filled with contraband, she could hatch a plan to open it and somehow get the evidence to Yang. Yang would be pulled from the White Fang case to pursue an even bigger target. Then, and only then, did Blake have a shot at convincing Adam that she could walk away from the White Fang without repercussions.