As much fun as it was rubbing Blake's head and bullshitting with Sun, Yang found herself growing more and more exhausted by the minute as her mind started to wander. Sex, good friends, cooking, and exploring the house could only distract her for so long, and as the night wore on, the huntress kept circling back to the unavoidable truths of their situation. She was down an arm, and it was her own fault for being so reactionary and stubborn. Salem's location was unknown, and likely a problem.

Ruby was dead.

The worst part about the loss was that Yang could bring herself to not quite forget, but set the situation aside for a while… only for the revelation to hit her almost as hard as it had when she had seen the plane burst into flames right in front of her each and every time. It was an instant mood-killer and immediately put her into a bad place mentally. Yang had also never been particularly skilled at hiding her emotions, so there was a high likelihood that Sun and Blake both knew what the problem was the second she had slipped off the bed and headed for the door with a weak excuse about 'being tired' out of nowhere. Fortunately, the pair of faunus had the grace not to question her or offer help.

Yang didn't want help, because nothing could help. All she wanted was distraction and comfort to help her through the pain… though it felt very much like it might never fade.

Upon reaching the upstairs of the house once again, Yang found the door to Jaune's room still closed. He had fallen asleep quite quickly after their last escapade, and she had left him to get some rest. Yang had every intention of simply entering quietly and joining him in bed… until she noticed that the door across the hall was cracked open ever so slightly with a light coming from inside. Slowly and carefully, Yang made her way to the opening and tapped her knuckles against the doorframe.

"…Corsac?"

There was a brief pause before the door opened, revealing the older faunus. He looked just as tired as Yang, and as injured physically as she was emotionally. The man wore only his baggy red pants, his torso and one shoulder wrapped in lengths of gauze. Light splotches of dried blood were visible through their lengths in a few places, as though his wounds had reopened themselves at some point on his trip home from the hospital. All the same, he gave Yang a small bow of his head and then his full attention.

"How might I help you?"

"…you're seriously asking me that after you spent most of today at the hospital?" Yang asked flatly. "You did more than enough for me last night, trying to make me feel better. How can I return the favor? It looks like your bandages might need changing…"

"They likely do," Corsac admitted as he looked off to the side.

"And what was your plan?" Yang pressed. "You were going to try to do it yourself so as not to bother one of us, weren't you?"

"That may have been my intent, yes," Corsac said before stepping aside to allow Yang into the room. "I suppose you're not going to let that happen."

"Hell no I'm not," Yang asserted as she strode inside and made her way for the bag of medical supplies upon the bed. "C'mon. Into the bathroom with you. I'll keep you company tonight, and this time we don't even have to sleep on a wooden table."

"While that does sound rather nice, are you sure that doing so will not cause problems?" Corsac asked as he led the way to the attached bathroom. "Is Jaune not expecting you back tonight?"

Yang rolled her eyes, following along as she carried the bag.

"Pretty sure he's asleep right now, and I can send him a text telling him to come stay with us if you're worried about it. If that's not what you're concerned about, then I'm just going to remind you again that we spent last night cuddled up on a picnic table. I have no problems with sharing a bed with you, man. Just relax and let good things happen sometimes, alright? Gods know we could both use some…"

"Yes, but I will need time before I can fully invest in such 'good things' and feel comfortable about doing so."

Yang stopped in the doorway to the bathroom, causing Corsac to run into her. The man braced his hands upon her hips to stabilize them both, and she raised a brow while giving him a smirk.

"…I think that's the first time you've ever asserted yourself with something you want to me… or maybe the group in general. It's not like you to put up boundaries and question things."

"Is it not?" Corsac asked, not yet moving his hands. "You do not know me particularly well..."

"Not yet, but I plan on getting to know you very well," Yang teased. "And besides- it was kinda hot."

Corsac let his hands fall with a sigh. Looking down presented him with quite the view of Yang's chest, and so, he pivoted to stare off to the side as he addressed her.

"Such things are hardly on my mind at the moment. Can we just keep this… professional?"

"No, we can't," Yang warned, though she sounded more apologetic than sultry. "I'm not a nurse, and I'm going to be fumbling my way through helping you, especially with one arm. But we can just keep it friendly and take anything to do with sex out of it. That, I can do."

"Thank you," Corsac offered as he looked back to meet Yang's eyes. "My apologies, but there is a lot on my mind right now, and I would imagine, on yours as well. Advancing whatever relationship we may foster in the future seems…"

"Yeah, I know," Yang jumped in as Corsac paused, uncharacteristically fumbling with his words. "It feels wrong, and frivolous. I know you're right, but… Corsac, I need something. A distraction. A lifeline. Anything to not feel so dead inside. Jaune and I fucked earlier, and it helped temporarily. Maybe I was just… gods, I'm sorry, Corsac. I think I'm falling apart at the seams and trying to use dicks to glue myself back together before the pieces hit the floor."

Corsac could only stare and blink as he listened intently.

"…I do believe that it is quite likely that this was the first time in history those words have been used in such a combination…"

Yang let out an amused snort, brushing a bit of hair out of her face.

"Yeah, probably. Still… it's the truth."

"Far be it from me to judge you, or anyone," Corsac began, "but… yes. Self-medicating with penis will hardly do anything but distract temporarily."

"I really hope this bit of sagely wisdom is the sort that comes with a 'so try this instead' attached instead of just reminding me that I'm pathetic," Yang replied.

"You are not, and it does," Corsac reassured as he offered a hand. "If you do wish to connect with me, even in our current situation… perhaps something deeper and more meaningful than casual sex would be appropriate and serve as more effective healing. Perhaps I was wrong to ask that we keep this 'professional', and 'friendly' is not intimate enough. I trust you, Yang, and we can discuss whatever you wish throughout the process. I am an open book."

"Me too," Yang agreed as she took Corsac's hand and guided him into the bathroom. "Some of the pages are ripped, missing, or stuck together, but… yeah. I'd like to get closer with you right now, sure. To be honest, I feel a lot closer after last night… which is probably why I came on too strong. My bad."

"No apology is necessary," Corsac deflected as he moved to sit atop the closed toilet. Yang set the bag of medical supplies upon the counter and began rifling through them as he watched. "How are you feeling physically, by the way?"

"Like hell," Yang answered as she began setting out gauze, disinfectant, and a few other supplies. "The place Salem grabbed me around the throat in midair… the burn still kinda lingers. It's insane."

"Yes, her attacks seem to have a… lasting effect," Corsac agreed as he began unwrapping his own gauze as best he could. "The entire area from my left shoulder down to the center of my chest still aches even now, including the areas unaffected by her magic, claws… whatever caused this wound."

"I can't even imagine," Yang said as she got to her knees and focused on undressing the man. "I really shouldn't complain, but I know what you'll say to that. What did the professionals tell you?"

"I was given some antibiotics, some cream…" Corsac let on as the majority of his chest was revealed. "The doctors were somewhat confused by the wound, saying that some of it seemed to be made of grimm itself, but my aura was fighting it back. It should self-cleanse in time, but it has… already done some irreparable damage to my chest."

Yang couldn't help but suck in a breath as she looked over Corsac's skin and the aforementioned damage. The wound inflicted by Salem had crept down to just above his navel on the left side, consuming his entire pec in a grey, dead-looking patch of warped skin. The edges of the section were a rotting black and peeling, and the man's nipple appeared to be entirely gone. Odd gashes and smaller wounds were littered about the other side of Corsac's torso and occasionally peeked up through the discolored flesh, revealing that his natural skin appeared to still be there underneath. In some ways, the massive wound looked more like a mutation than a battle scar.

"…how the hell did she do this to you?" Yang asked in a low voice, not at all expecting an answer. "Can I… touch it?"

"You're going to have to," Corsac reminded, his chest raising and lowering subtly with each breath as though he was anticipating something. "Just… please, be gentle. The area is oddly sensitive, and the wounds in particular are… unpleasant. One will require packing…"

Yang nodded, reaching out to gingerly run her fingertips over the ruined flesh. Corsac hissed in pain, closing his eyes at even the lightest touch. The sudden vulnerability caused Yang to draw her hand back and bite her lip.

"Sorry! Just… how are you even functioning…?"

"It is… impact of any sort," Corsac explained with a heavy exhale. "Pressing, rubbing… I can tolerate walking, the feeling of the gauze, but… any variety of push…"

"Well, no wonder you don't want to have sex with me," Yang said sarcastically.

To the huntress' surprise, Corsac actually let out a small chuckle as he rolled his shoulder.

"Yang… please, never change."

"Really?" the blonde asked, taken aback as she raised a brow. "Honestly, I thought all of my dumb bullshit annoyed you."

"It does not," Corsac admitted as he closed his eyes and took a few more deep breaths. "You are a… constant, sudden light in the darkness, arriving at unexpected times to bring new perspective and point out things that would otherwise remain unseen, be it through humor or your endless passion. I appreciate it greatly."

"You've got a way with words, man," Yang said with a smile as she touched a hand to the faunus' thigh. His eyes opened immediately and locked with hers. "I appreciate that greatly. I don't usually get those sorts of compliments."

"You certainly should," Corsac insisted. "To be entirely honest, I am… rather pleased that you ended up doing this rather than Jaune. It is quite easy to relax around you, whereas my relationship with Jaune carries a certain… tension. Do not say it."

"I wasn't going to," Yang said, trying to keep a poker face and failing.

"You were."

"I was. Sue me," Yang suggested. "And it's too good not to say. There's definitely sexual tension between you two."

Corsac merely rolled his eyes, his bushy tail flicking to one side over the edge of the toilet.

"Perhaps. Oddly, I feel no such tension with you, despite your… attractiveness. I am drawn to you physically, but you are so much more easygoing and simply… 'fun', I suppose? I am missing that component in my life, and have been for some time."

"Usually," Yang agreed as she rose to standing. "At least, when I'm in a decent mood. Gotta say, I'm pretty attracted to you, too."

"Even with this massive infection, or whatever it may be?" Corsac asked as Yang braced her hand upon his good shoulder.

"Doesn't bother me at all," Yang answered as she bent slightly to put their eyes level. "Corsac, I know you already know, but I feel like I need to say it… this is going to suck ass."

"Yes, I am aware," the faunus replied with a grimace.

"I know we just had this whole big discussion about 'us' and boundaries or whatever, but… still. Can I give you something to take the edge off, at least a little? I don't know if it makes any sense at all to you, but I really don't mean it in a sexual way right now when I say I'd love to just kiss you."

"I…" Corsac considered for a moment, clearly caught off guard. "…would very much enjoy this sucking less…"

Yang's mouth turned up at the corner before she leaned in and gently pressed her lips to Corsac's. The contact lasted far, far longer than either of them had anticipated.

Author's Note:

Chapter events summary: Yang and Corsac walk about fifteen feet. This is crucial to the plot.

-RD