Blake glanced through the front doors of Vale Credit Union while walking past. The lobby looked empty, unsurprising for such a small bank, but her gaze quickly moved elsewhere.
The building that Vale Credit Union occupied hosted several other establishments: a dry cleaner, a bakery, and a pet shop, to name a few. She had stopped at each already, memorizing their layouts as well as any potential use. Today, she strolled around the building's perimeter, studying every possible entrance. Windows, doors, vents - any break in the brick facade earned a thorough inspection.
The most important part of her day, however, centered around the claustrophobic alley separating the bank's building from its nearby neighbor. She entered the alleyway as if she had a legitimate purpose for being there, mulling over her excuse if anyone questioned her presence. Her eyes, meanwhile, locked onto a white delivery van that took up far too much space in the small corridor. The van's blue decal confirmed that it belonged to the bakery - the second time she had seen it parked in the same place.
She looked it over before focusing on the bank's back exit: a heavy metal door with a large, traditional deadbolt. Again, she searched for cameras and found none. The cameras were likely just inside the door instead, but Ilia would confirm that for her.
After reaching the far end of the alley, which emptied out onto another street, she turned around and made her way back to the beginning. Her plan became clearer every day, like fog dissipating under the rising sun. Soon, all of the pieces would be in place and they would only need to see it through.
Lost in those thoughts, she headed to the nearest train station. A silver sports car had been parked alongside the road since she had arrived, but she simply clicked her tongue and subtly shook her head at the brazen wealth. Most people could hardly afford a roof over their heads, yet someone spent more on this car than what most of them would make in a lifetime. The injustice bothered her just as much today as it had years ago.
"Blake?"
Surprised by her name, she stopped and spun around. Too late, she noticed long white hair and ruffled brunette. A designer handbag swung from the crook of Weiss' arm while Ruby carried a box bearing the bakery's logo.
"Hey!" Ruby's bright smile and wave were the opposite of Weiss' pursed lips and narrowed eyes. "I didn't know you wore glasses!"
"Oh." Blake quickly removed her glasses and dropped them into her bag. "Only sometimes. Eye strain, you know."
"Do I ever."
Ruby chuckled, but Weiss gave her a miffed look.
"Do you?" When Ruby made a face and shrugged, Weiss smiled and shook her head. The instant her attention returned to Blake, however, her smile fell. She glanced at Blake's bag, then at the bank, before finally settling on Blake. "Did we catch you at a bad time?"
"I just had to stop by the bank." Blake gestured to the door and then forced a chuckle. "After hearing Yang's stories though, I'm thinking about stuffing everything under my mattress."
"It'd probably be safer," Ruby agreed. "What with the White Fang prowling around."
"Please," Weiss scoffed. "The White Fang are a bunch of amateurs. They'll be lucky if they last another year before winding up in prison."
Indignation flared in Blake's chest, but she thought better of responding. "What're you two up to?" she asked instead.
"We just got lunch!"
"And now I have to get her back to work before she misses some pointless gathering -"
"A celebration of civic duty and justice," Ruby corrected, grinning while Weiss muttered something under her breath. "It's actually a big deal," Ruby explained to Blake. "Weiss just doesn't like when I have plans that don't involve her. She even tried to bribe me with this huge box of cookies!" Ruby grinned and held up the box. "Do you want one by the way? There's no way I can eat this many."
"I've seen you eat twice as many as that," Weiss half-huffed, half-whined. The tone convinced Blake to wave her hands in front of her.
"Oh, no. Thanks, but I'm not much of a sweet tooth."
"You're just like Weiss then!"
'Just like Weiss' was a misguided comparison that Weiss, based on her scowl, didn't enjoy.
"We're nothing alike," she even quipped, pulling a set of keys from her expensive purse while Ruby opened the box of cookies. One click of a button and the lights on the extravagant sports car flashed.
"Ah," Blake remarked without thinking. When Weiss' blue gaze snapped to her, she fumbled for a second before adding, "I should've guessed that was yours."
That was the worst possible response Blake could have come up with - Weiss confirmed as much by scowling and glancing at Ruby as if checking how closely Ruby was paying attention. With Ruby briefly preoccupied by baked goods, Weiss stared straight at Blake, and Blake tensed in anticipation of what would come next.
"Do you need a ride?"
Blake blinked.
"What?"
"A ride," Weiss repeated, gesturing impatiently with her keys. "You know, that thing where someone drives you where you need to go. Saves you time and wastes theirs."
Blake stared, fumbling for words, until Ruby tucked the box under her elbow so that she could hold a cookie in one hand and Weiss' hand with the other.
"She means that she doesn't mind giving you a ride. And we have time before I need to be back at work."
Blake wouldn't have interpreted the offer that way. She also didn't particularly want to spend more time with Weiss, but turning down the offer seemed like just as horrible of an idea as accepting it. Either she pissed Weiss off now or she got in the car and pissed Weiss off then. At least in the second scenario she could say that she tried to play nice if word got back to Yang.
"Only if you're sure," she replied, but Weiss scoffed and flipped her long, white ponytail over her shoulder.
"I don't offer if I'm not sure," she snapped while walking around the car.
"I'll sit in back!" Ruby called out only for Weiss to give her a dismayed look across the hood of the vehicle.
"I don't mind sitting in back," Blake interrupted before Weiss pointed out that Blake didn't deserve to sit in front. Fortunately, Ruby didn't protest - she just glanced at Weiss before pulling the seat forward so that Blake could slip into the slightly cramped backseat.
Despite the small space, luxury oozed from every inch of the vehicle. Leather seats, carbon fiber accents, windows so heavily tinted that they were nearly black, and an oversized center screen that welcomed Weiss into the car. The engine started with a roar before settling into a deep rumble, and Weiss made a show of clipping in her seatbelt before looking at Blake in the rearview mirror.
"Where to?"
"Oh, uh…" Blake hadn't thought this far ahead, but she quickly came up with a lie. "I'm meeting a friend at her office. Do you know where the Civic Center is?"
"Of course I know where the Civic Center is." Weiss lightly clicked her tongue before pulling away from the curb at a speed that convinced Blake to find her own seatbelt.
The next few minutes passed in uncomfortable silence. Blake pretended that she didn't notice Weiss glancing at her in the rearview mirror or gripping the steering wheel as if it was hiding secrets. Ruby, despite the palpable tension, hummed to herself and munched on a cookie.
Blake tried to distract herself by thinking about how much less painful this experience would be if Yang were here. That only worked for a little while though. Eventually, the silence got so uncomfortable that she had to say something.
"So…what do you do, Weiss?"
"Shouldn't that be obvious?"
"Weiss…" Ruby gently chided, so Weiss sighed.
"I'm independently wealthy," she quipped before meeting Blake's gaze in the mirror. "And you have a problem with it."
"I don't," Blake answered defensively, wondering how Weiss seemed to read right through her. "There's just…a lot of inequality in Vale."
"Which I'm blissfully unaware of?"
"I didn't say that…"
"You were implying it."
"She wasn't trying to insult you, Weiss…" Ruby tried again, this time lightly touching Weiss' elbow. Weiss' hands loosened around the steering wheel.
"There's a lot about my life you don't know," Weiss added coolly. "Just like there's a lot about your life that we don't know."
The pointed remark convinced Blake that it was time to change the subject. Thankfully, Ruby beat her to it.
"Yang said you two went to the kitchen last weekend. Was it fun?"
"Oh, yeah." Blake briefly paused when Weiss' eyes flashed to her in the rearview mirror. "It was really great. Hopefully, I can go back sometime."
"Was Rebecca there?" Weiss asked - more like demanded - from the front seat.
"She…was." Blake tilted her head and looked at Weiss, who simply clicked on the turn signal.
"Rebecca thinks Weiss is the sweetest person in the world -"
"Rebecca manages a community kitchen. I don't think we should -"
"And I wholeheartedly agree," Ruby concluded with a grin that ended Weiss' argument. Weiss still opened her mouth as if she might argue, but nothing made it out. Ruby, who seemed to have expected the lack of response, added, "You know there's a speed limit, right?"
"Do you see any cops around?"
"What am I?"
"You're SWAT," Weiss replied with a flippant gesture. "You don't hand out tickets."
"I could though."
"Then pull me over."
"Oh, you're asking for it now," Ruby said, laughing as she swiveled around to see Blake. "Sorry, I should've driven. Weiss doesn't think speed limits apply to her."
"I've yet to be proven otherwise."
"You've seen your stack of tickets, right?"
"I'm pretty sure the officers just like stopping me to chat. I've been told I'm a wonderful conversationalist."
Weiss smirked with the sarcastic reply, but Ruby broke into delighted giggles rather than refute her. Blake's brow rose as Weiss' smirk turned into a genuinely adoring smile, realizing that they weren't arguing. They were…flirting. This was what Yang must have meant about them getting along well together, as weird of a combination as they seemed to be.
"You know how to get me to slow down," Weiss teased, though their speed had already slowed substantially.
"In front of Blake?" When Weiss shrugged, Ruby sighed and cleared her throat. "Ma'am," she said in a stern voice. "I'm going to need you to slow down."
Weiss shuddered - shuddered - but swiftly played it off with a smile.
"Anything you want, Officer," she purred while easing her foot so far off the gas that it suddenly felt like they were going painfully slow. If Blake had to guess, they were now traveling at exactly the speed limit - not a smidge over, not a smidge under.
"Ruby's the best officer in the department, by the way," Weiss added unprompted. "She can kick anyone's ass."
"You're my fiancee. You have to say that."
"I don't have to say anything." Weiss met Blake's gaze in the mirror. "Ruby can kick anyone's ass," she repeated just as confidently.
"I don't know…you heard Yang raving about what Blake can do…"
"She told you about that?" Blake asked.
"Of course she did," Weiss huffed. "It was all she talked about for days." While Blake's cheeks colored, Weiss scoffed and added, "I still can't believe her…taking you to the gym on your second date. Why can't she do normal relationship things?"
"You're one to talk!" Ruby said before laughing when Weiss playfully glared at her.
"It was fun," Blake added in Yang's defense. "And unique. We ended up having a great time."
Her cheeks warmed when she remembered their kiss on the training mat and got even hotter when Weiss and Ruby shared a knowing look. Weiss smirked and glanced back at Blake, but Ruby leaned forward and pointed out the large, domed building in front of them.
"There's the Civic Center. Where's the best place to drop you?"
"That building right there." Blake pointed at a nondescript office building across the street, so Weiss held back her comment on Yang and Blake's date in favor of navigating through traffic. Once the car stopped at the curb, engine still idling, Ruby quickly hopped outside and let Blake out of the backseat.
"Thanks for the ride," Blake told Weiss, but Weiss waved off the gratitude and remained in the car. Ruby held the door so that Blake wouldn't bump her head on the way out - such a Yang thing to do, but Blake kept that comment to herself. "Thanks again," she told Ruby, who smiled.
"Don't mention it." Ruby glanced at the car before dropping her voice so that Weiss couldn't hear. "And hey, I'm sorry about Weiss. I know it might not seem like it, but she's really protective of Yang. She just…shows it in a different way."
What Ruby interpreted as being protective felt like suspicion or outright dislike on the receiving end. Weiss was practically Yang's sister-in-law though. If Blake wanted to keep up this charade, she had to play nice.
"It's fine. I'm happy Yang has people who care so much about her. And I'll just have to prove that Yang doesn't need protection from me."
Blake ignored the pang of guilt when Ruby blew out a breath of relief.
"Good. Yang deserves it." Ruby smiled, big and bright, while Blake wholeheartedly agreed. "And Weiss will come around," Ruby added. "I thought she'd be happy that Yang's busy with you all the time but, you know…" She paused and glanced at the car before chuckling to herself. "Weiss works in mysterious ways."
On cue, Weiss leaned toward the passenger seat and said, "Don't you have some useless event to be at, Officer?"
"Sure do!" Ruby beamed and backed away. "Maybe we can get dinner sometime? Like a double date!"
Blake glanced at Weiss, who watched from the driver's seat, before saying, "Sure. That sounds nice."
"Awesome! Then we'll see you soon!"
Ruby waved before ducking into the flashy car, which peeled away from the curb at a pace either intended to leave an impression on Blake or to convince Ruby to tell her to slow down again. Whatever the reason, Blake watched the car drive away, her brow furrowed and mind sorting through an avalanche of thoughts.
Ruby reminded her a lot of Yang. Similar mannerisms, similar bright and genuine smiles, similar sweetness woven into everything they did. Weiss, on the other hand…Weiss would probably prefer to shove Blake in front of a bus and be done with it.
Shaking her head, Blake turned around and walked the last few blocks to her real destination. Their new office had grown comfortable already - a pleasant and clear upgrade to their previous space. As much as she hated to admit it, she liked the location, and she didn't mind being in the middle of the city. If anything, the police would probably never expect them to lurk in plain sight.
But you could ask Yang, she thought as she let herself into the office. "Hey, Ilia," she said, waving before unlocking the door leading further into their hideout. "Want to practice today?"
"Really? Yeah, of course!"
"Just give me a few minutes," Blake added when Ilia practically jumped out of her seat. Cheeks reddening, Ilia slowly sat back down while Blake entered the main work area.
Blessed with a moment of solitude, she dug her glasses out of her bag and downloaded the new videos to her computer. She deleted the part where she ran into Ruby and Weiss - that was irrelevant to the plan - and typed down all of her new thoughts regarding Vale Credit Union. Thankfully, there weren't many - that was the mark of a plan nearing fruition.
Spotting a flash of green out of the corner of her eye, she glanced toward the door and then motioned Emerald over.
"I need you to do something," she explained when Emerald leaned over her shoulder to look at the computer. "I need this van."
Blake motioned to a photo of the bakery delivery van. Emerald pursed her lips.
"That exact van?"
"No, we can't have the police report. I just need one that looks exactly like it."
Emerald bobbed her head and squinted at the screen. "Should be easy," she concluded. "Can you send me the pics?"
"Sure. How long will it take?"
"A week, tops. Those vans are everywhere. Just need the decal and then have my guy stamp out the plates."
"Perfect."
Blake's hands went to the keyboard, getting the pictures to Emerald as soon as possible, while Emerald went to check out a commotion near the back loading bay door. Blake glanced over only after the photos were sent, but she left her seat as soon as she saw what was happening.
A forklift rumbled into the building. Yuma drove and Cinder directed him to an open spot near the far corner. The heavy machinery alone would have caught Blake's attention, but the sparkling vault door earned her frown.
"What's this?" she demanded, earning a sideways glance from Cinder while the Vanguard 9000 was carefully lowered.
"What's it look like?" As soon as the vault door reached the floor, Emerald and Yuma unhooked it and Cinder smirked at Blake. "Now, you can practice to your little heart's content."
"Are you -" Blake stopped and shook her head. "How did you even afford that?"
"Don't worry about it."
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"
Cinder's eyes flashed to Yuma and Emerald before returning to Blake. She then heaved a hefty sigh, as if dealing with Blake exhausted her.
"It means you have too much on your plate," she explained as if speaking to a child. "You don't need to know every detail of every decision. You just need to figure out how to get through the locked doors."
Cinder motioned to the vault before smirking as if Blake should love the patronizing tone. Blake, however, chewed over several unkind responses before letting one out.
"Do you have any idea how a vault works?" When Cinder's smirk faded, Blake roughly gestured to the Vanguard 9000. "It's not just a fucking door. The other pieces matter. What are the walls made of? The ceiling? The floor? Is it underground? How far? Is it in a building or buried in the earth?"
Blake crossed her arms over her chest and waited for Cinder to answer any of those questions. Cinder opened her mouth before scowling and shaking her head.
"Just figure out the door."
"I don't take orders from you," Blake shot back. "And I'm working on the CU. That's our priority."
Cinder's gaze flitted Yuma and Emerald's way before her scowl deepened.
"And I'm working on the next job," she hissed. "We can do more than one thing at once, can't we?" Before Blake pointed out the statement's fallacy, Cinder leaned forward and whispered, "Or are you too preoccupied with that busty bimbo you've been seeing?"
If Blake hadn't been raised to respect others, she might have resorted to physical violence at that moment. She would have broken Cinder's nose and twisted her arm until it broke. Instead, she clenched her teeth and growled, "That wasn't my idea."
"Shouldn't you be thanking us then?"
Blake glared, weighing her responses, while Cinder scowled at her. The impasse ended when Adam arrived, followed closely by Ilia, whose eyes widened when she took one look at Blake and Cinder's postures.
"Oh, good." Cinder was smirking by the time Adam joined them. "Blake was just about to update us on how things are going with her girlfriend."
The word burned through Blake's veins. Cinder didn't know - she couldn't know because Blake hadn't told anyone. She was just needling Blake any way she could find. Unfortunately, it worked. Adam turned expectantly towards Blake.
"And?"
"I don't have anything new," Blake got through gritted teeth. "But she doesn't suspect anything, and she takes work home sometimes - I might be able to read some of the files if she's ever distracted."
Adam stared at her - everyone stared at her. Except for Cinder, who smirked and then watched Adam, waiting for his response.
"Is that all?"
Somehow, Blake knew that was coming, yet she still sighed and threw her hands in the air.
"I can't exactly bring up the topic out of nowhere. I don't want to get arrested, you know."
"I was under the impression that you enjoyed her company."
"Because she's emotionally available, unlike some people." When Emerald snickered and Cinder continued smirking, Blake clenched her hands into fists and scowled. "I'm working on it," she told him before spinning on her heel and angrily motioning Ilia after her.
Rather than acknowledge the new vault like Cinder and Adam wanted her to, she grabbed her tools and carried them over to the practice safe. As much as she needed to blow off some steam right now, she set the bag beside the black metal box and gestured for Ilia to take the chair instead.
The rest of the room carried on as if nothing had happened. Maybe nothing had, but Blake's blood boiled for a reason. And her frown only deepened when a young girl with silver hair cut in a short bob arrived and looked over the Vanguard 9000 with everyone else.
"Who's that?" she asked Ilia, nodding to the new girl.
"Oh, that's Trifa. Yuma brought her in."
Blake bit her tongue and shook her head. She would talk to Adam about it when there weren't so many people around. For now, she watched Ilia carefully set up the tools in front of her. When Ilia picked up the stethoscope, however, Blake stopped her.
"Let's just work on touch today."
Ilia hesitantly set down the tool, nodded, and turned toward the safe.
"It's not just about hearing," Blake explained when Ilia touched the dial. "You can feel the resistance or 'give' in the dial. Every tiny movement matters."
"Right."
"Remember to stay calm and focused," Blake added. "Rushing only leads to mistakes."
"Got it."
Ilia took a deep breath before slowly exhaling and closing her eyes. She spun through the dial at a painstakingly slow pace, one digit at a time. She was, by no means, a natural, but she made up for lack of innate talent with enthusiasm and determination. Even now, her brow furrowed as she searched for an elusive feeling that few would understand.
When Ilia suddenly paused and made a note of the number on the dial, Blake smiled and grabbed her laptop to do some of her actual work. No one seemed to care about a 'small' job that would net a huge payout and was almost guaranteed to succeed. All they wanted to do was waste time and effort on the riskier, flashier jobs.
She made it partially through her new video before noticing Ilia somewhat mindlessly spinning the dial.
"Stuck?" When Ilia nodded, Blake gestured to the tools on the table. "Use the stethoscope now."
Ilia started again, this time aided by sound as well as touch, and turned the dial more confidently. It still took longer than expected, but eventually Blake heard the tell-tale sound of the lock sliding out of place and looked over as Ilia swung the safe door open.
"Great job!" She patted Ilia's shoulder before scrambling the code and shutting the door. "The more you practice, the more comfortable you'll be. Eventually, it'll feel like second nature."
"I hope so…" Ilia sighed. Rather than start on the lock right away, she leaned back and looked at the plans on Blake's screen.
"How's the plan coming along?"
"It's coming along," Blake repeated before cracking a small smile. "I think it'll be fine," she added, answering Ilia's underlying question. "How're things at the bank?"
"Pretty good. I'll be training for the next few weeks - just following other people around, watching what they're doing."
"It's not bad, is it?"
"It's actually kind of fun." Blake's brow rose when Ilia smiled. "Everyone's really nice, and I'm learning a lot."
"That's…good. I'm glad. I'll let you know what I need once I have everything set."
Ilia nodded, but then her gaze drifted to a large, thick book lying nearby.
"'Introduction to Accounting?'" she read aloud, her brow furrowed as she pulled it closer.
"That's my 'job,'" Blake explained. "At least, that's what I told Yang, and she likes asking questions. Figured I should learn about it so I don't sound like an idiot."
"Is it boring?"
"Incredibly."
Ilia nodded, then bit her bottom lip.
"You're learning it for her."
"I'm not learning it for her," Blake argued. "I'm learning it because if she suspects anything, she'll start looking into my job, and then I'd end up in prison."
"Still…" Ilia tapped the book's cover before leaning back. "How're things going though? Not planning-wise but, like…relationship-wise?"
'I want to be your girlfriend, and I want you to be my girlfriend, too.'
"Good, I think." Blake shrugged off Yang's words, which lingered so clearly in her mind. "She's easy to be around."
"At least you don't have to pretend to enjoy her company, right?"
"That's true." A little smile appeared the longer she thought about Yang. When Adam stalked past, however, that smile fell into a scowl. "Adam's pissed I don't know everything she knows already," she added, scowling at him as he left. Ilia glanced after him before shaking her head.
"It must be hard to date someone when you have to hide such a big part of yourself."
"It is." They weren't dating, Blake reminded herself. Except they kind of were, so she should continue to act as such. "Any suggestions?"
Ilia pursed her lips and mulled over the question, hands clutching her knees and shoulders hunched forward.
"If I was dating someone…I'd want to see glimpses of them that no one else does. Then I'll know that I'm…special."
Blake considered the advice before eventually nodding. "Good idea," she added before glancing at the time. "I should probably head out now. Want to walk together?"
"Oh, thanks, but I think I'll practice a little more."
Ilia gestured to the safe, so Blake nodded and stood up.
"You'll be an expert before you know it."
After patting Ilia's shoulder, Blake collected her belongings and headed out. Her gaze slid across the Vanguard 9000, prompting her to shake her head, and Vale greeted her a few moments later.
For the first time in what felt like weeks, she went home before night fell and without any evening plans. Her lifeless apartment greeted her like an old friend, recommending a glass of wine or a nice book as soon as she turned on the lights and dropped her bag by the door. Skipping the wine, she went to the chair by the window, sank into the comfortable cushions, and sighed.
Relief didn't last long, as her thoughts immediately drifted to Yang. Wondering what Yang was doing right now. What Yang was doing tonight. What Yang expected now that they were 'official.' What being someone's 'official' girlfriend even meant these days.
She didn't want to mess this up, and not only because Cinder and Emerald would never let her hear the end of it. As her plan for Vale Credit Union came together, she needed a forewarning if the police caught wind of anything - that information alone was worth the time and effort.
But sharing as much as she could…she actively tried not to share too much. She kept everything compartmentalized - the White Fang in one box, her personal life in another, and Yang in a new box that seemed to grow by the day. Obviously, she could never share the contents of that White Fang box, but what about the other one…her personal life?
What about her personal life would Yang even want to know?
While searching the room for answers, she stumbled across the perfect solution: her home. Yang had been hinting that she wanted to see Blake's place but, in typical Yang fashion, hadn't forced the issue. Blake always pretended that she didn't pick up on the hints, unwilling to accept such a huge risk. If this went sideways, Yang would know where she lived. She would have to move, and she liked this place. It was decently priced, in a decent location, and Marie didn't pry into anyone's business.
She told Adam long ago that she was willing to do anything for their cause. That was still true. And, admittedly, she was curious to see where this could go. So she unlocked her phone, opened her ongoing conversation with Yang, and sent a simple message: 'Free tonight?'
If Yang was free, then maybe Blake tried moving this…whatever this was…forward. If she wasn't -
An incoming message buzzed Blake away from those thoughts.
'For you, always.'
Her heart fluttered whenever Yang made comments like that, but she brushed past the butterflies.
'Want to come over?' she asked before tapping her phone against her palm, waiting for the response.
'Like…to your place?'
'Yes. I'll text you the address?'
'I'll be there right after work!'
Smiling at the enthusiasm, Blake sent Yang her address before she could talk herself out of it. Now, she could do nothing but set her phone aside and anticipate Yang's arrival.
And clean. She cleaned as much as she could in what time she had - dusting, vacuuming, and lighting a few candles so that her apartment smelled like cinnamon and apples. Anything that might be considered 'weird' was shoved into drawers, but a variety of lockpick sets, stethoscopes, and keycoders went straight into the safe in her closet.
Once done, she surveyed her apartment from an outsider's perspective and found it to be cozy if not a little boring. Perfect for an accountant.
Then she sat on the sofa and waited. Then cleaned a little more, then waited, and waited, and waited some more. She had just checked the time and frowned at the hour when the doorbell finally rang.
As soon as she opened the door, her breath left her.
"Oh," was all she got out when she found Yang standing in the hall wearing a full officer's regalia.
The deep blue jacket contrasted beautifully with her golden hair, which had been drawn up in a high ponytail. Silver buttons sparkled. Several ribbons and commendation bars were pinned to her left breast pocket. A polished nameplate reading 'Xiao Long' sat below them. A crisp white dress shirt and black tie peeked out from beneath the jacket. A glossy black belt settled around her hips, carrying her weapon and other tools of her trade. Below them, she wore dark blue trousers with defined creases running down each leg to polished black shoes.
"I'm so sorry," Yang said, her lilac eyes remorseful as she spun a shiny black cap emblazoned with the department's logo in her hands. "We had this work thing and it ran way over. Was supposed to end an hour ago but we all got stuck there until the Chief said we could leave."
"That's…that's fine, really." Blake let her gaze wander across Yang's outfit before realizing that she was being rude. "Sorry, come in." She stepped aside and motioned Yang into the apartment, and Yang kissed her cheek before walking further into the room. Blake closed the door and bit her lip when she took a good look at Yang's butt, which looked incredible in the fitted pants.
"This is nice." Yang nodded slightly as Blake joined her in the living room. "Doesn't feel like you're here that often, but it's still very…you."
Yang's gaze landed on the bookshelf, and she lit up. "This is more like it," she said while walking over to the shelves, holding her cap by her side. "This is you." Yang nodded to herself, somehow very confident in the statement, before noticing a photograph nearby. "Are these your parents?" she asked, peering closer before grinning at Blake. "You look just like them. Especially your mom - wow."
Of course Yang was going to be sweet and considerate when all Blake could think of was tearing that uniform off of her. She looked like an actress playing the role of a police officer, but it was real. She had the brains. She had the brawn. Her beauty was just the cherry on top of an already perfect, incredibly attractive package. And in that outfit…
"Ruby said she and Weiss ran into you today," Yang continued, unaware of Blake mentally undressing her. "She mentioned something about glasses…?"
Only when Yang's curious gaze landed on her did she realize that she needed to say something.
"Oh. Right. I wear glasses sometimes."
Yang stared at her with wide eyes before motioning with both hands.
"Any chance I get to see them?"
"Maybe someday," Blake teased. She didn't know where her glasses were right now, but she was very aware of where Yang's breasts were - pushing against that jacket, the topmost silver button tilting outward as if wanting to give way.
Yang returned to her and picked up one of her hands, forcing her to draw a thin breath through her lips as her heart fluttered and her senses were quickly overwhelmed.
"Thanks for inviting me over," Yang said, pulling Blake towards her like a moth to a flame. "I've been thinking about you all week."
Heart thumping, Blake briefly averted her gaze and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"I, uh, thought you might want to see where I live."
"I did. It's nice to see where people go home to, you know?" Yang fiddled with her hat in her hands. "So, what do you want to do tonight? Dinner? Movie? Dancing?"
Blake's cheeks warmed the longer she watched Yang spin that cap, deft fingers flexing and unflexing in subconscious rhythm.
"Maybe we can stay in?" she heard herself asking. Yang smiled.
"Sure! I can make something? Or should we think of take-out options?"
Blake hummed and stepped closer.
"Are you an option?"
She didn't realize the thought slipped out until the cap abruptly stopped spinning.
"Uh -" Yang blushed and cleared her throat. "In the interest of clarity…you mean, like -?"
The redder Yang's cheeks grew, the bolder Blake became. Before the opportunity slipped by, she grabbed the front of Yang's jacket and tugged her closer.
"I didn't realize this would do it for me…" she mused while running her fingers down Yang's sleeve. It was a police uniform. She should not be as attracted to it as she was, but Yang looked so good in it. Like she'd been born to wear it, and Blake had been born to strip it off of her.
First, she took the hat from Yang's hands and tossed it onto the coffee table. Then she unsnapped the button on the holster but paused when Yang stiffened.
"Careful," Yang softly warned, but she didn't stop Blake from pulling out the gun - heavy and powerful in her hands - and setting it beside the cap. Blake removed the badge next, running her fingers across Yang's name before tossing it aside. Then she found the handcuffs, held them up and let one end drop, snapping the chain taunt.
"You have the key?" she asked, her voice breathy and her pulse racing in her ears.
"Of course." Yang pulled out a set of keys, which Blake took and shoved into her back pocket. Then Yang watched - her pupils blown wide and her lips partially parted - while Blake secured one of the cuffs around her wrist and smiled. Blake then pulled that wrist behind Yang's back, grabbed the other, and locked them together.
"How's that?" she breathed into Yang's ear, her skin burning from that action alone. "Not too tight?"
"N-no, they're fine."
"Good." Blake nipped the bottom of Yang's ear, earning a soft gasp, before spinning Yang around, pushing her onto the sofa, and climbing onto her lap. "You might be wearing them for a while."
Reaching behind her, Blake grabbed Yang's cap, set it on her head, and grinned at the speechless officer pinned beneath her. The silver buttons unfastened in the blink of an eye. The starchy white undershirt met a similar fate. Impatient, Blake shoved both down over Yang's shoulders, leaving them hanging on Yang's elbows while exposing her breasts.
Yang stared up at her, eyes darkening with hunger, and Blake suddenly realized that they were about to cross a line that she couldn't uncross. But right now, she didn't care. Tomorrow, maybe. The day after that, sure. Right now? She smiled as she captured Yang's lips in a deep, greedy kiss.
'Fuck the police,' Emerald always said. Blake never agreed more wholeheartedly than right now.