Yang didn't acknowledge the kiss, but there was a softness in her "Good morning," and in the glances she stole on the drive to the station. Almost as if she needed confirmation that Blake was still there, sitting in the passenger seat, happily eating breakfast. Blake, on the other hand, couldn't stop thinking about it. Nothing had miraculously changed, yet something was still there.
In a perfect world, she could devote every ounce of her energy to mending their relationship, patching holes with openness and honesty. Yesterday's events, unfortunately, left worry festering in the pit of her stomach. What was Adam up to? Was he desperate for money? Was he sending a message? Was he even in charge anymore or was Cinder calling the shots?
A soft scoff slipped through Blake's lips as they parked behind the police station. Adam would only give up power if he was dead, and he was definitely in the photograph that Detective Proud showed her. He must still be in control, so he had a goal in mind.
"Let's see if evidence got anything good yesterday," Yang said while leaving the car. Blake gathered up her empty takeout containers and followed, just as anxious to see the results of yesterday's raid as she was to spend another day with Yang.
"It's like waiting to unwrap presents," Yang added as they made their way inside. "You never know what you'll get."
"Is there something you really want?"
"How about the address of their next target along with when they'll be there and how they'll break in?" Yang waggled her brow at Blake, who smiled and shook her head, before chuckling softly. "Alright, that might be asking too much. How about a list of potential targets? Or a clue about what they're trying to accomplish - maybe a manifesto? I haven't read a good manifesto in a while."
"God," Blake half-scoffed, half-laughed. "I would not want to read Adam's manifesto."
"Psychiatrists would have a field day though."
Blake's laughter drew glances from a pair of officers in the hall, but Yang's delighted smile melted their invasive curiosity away. The corners of Yang's eyes crinkled when she genuinely smiled - like they were just now, though only for a moment before reality butted back in.
"Xiao Long."
Yang's attention dashed to Detective Proud, who nodded his head for her to join him. He then disappeared into the investigation room they had used on Blake's first full day back, so Yang took a deep breath and followed him.
If Blake didn't know any better, she would say that the room had been converted into storage during their absence. Stacks of evidence boxes had arrived, several of which had spilled various pieces of evidence, all secured in plastic bags or pinned to folders, across the table. Detective Proud returned to his seat beside Detective Morgan, whose furrowed brow suggested deep concentration on a paper leaflet.
"What do you have?" Yang asked as she and Blake reached the table.
"Don't get excited," Detective Proud said at the same time Detective Morgan grumbled, "Nothing."
"Nothing? Really? Not even in all that paperwork laying around?"
"Instruction manuals." Detective Morgan dropped the booklet he'd been inspecting onto the table and pushed it over to Yang.
"Ok…did we look in the manuals?"
"We were waiting for you."
"Oh, you leave me the best work," Yang joked as she pulled out a chair. She nodded for Blake to sit beside her while grabbing a pair of rubber gloves. "How many are there?"
"A dozen. Maybe more."
"Joy."
Yang's deadpanned answer prompted chuckles from the detectives, who separated more instruction manuals from the other piles of evidence.
"Here." Yang slid Blake a pad of paper and a pen before unzipping the plastic bag and removing the manual. "Write down what these are for so we can figure out if there's a connection."
Grateful for a useful task, Blake grabbed the pen and jotted down the title of the first manual when Yang showed it to her: EverSecure Ultra Vault ZX-7. Detective Morgan and Detective Proud followed suit, adding the Safelock ProVault 700 and the Vaultex Giant 3000.
She frowned at the list, seeing no connection other than being different manufacturers and models. Then her usefulness dried up, and she watched the detectives slowly and methodically flip through each manual. Yang's expression was so locked in that she probably wouldn't notice if Blake waved a hand in front of her face. Lilac eyes darted from one page to the next, searching for clues that only she would know.
"Someone definitely went through these," she commented, jarring Blake from her daze. Yang held up the manual and used a finger to flutter a dog-eared corner.
"What page is that?" Blake asked, squinting when Yang turned it for her to see. "'Anti-tilt prevention?'" she read aloud. "That's for -" She paused when all three detectives stared at her - Detective Morgan arching a brow, Detective Proud tilting his head, and Yang suppressing a smile. "You all know what it means," she concluded, hiding a blush by writing the topic down on her notepad.
The embarrassing snafu passed as the detectives returned to their quiet work. More dog-eared pages were discovered and noted down but, during the long stretches of silence, Blake searched for ways to entertain herself. Tapping the pen seemed too distracting and doodling seemed unprofessional, but one item had caught her eye and kept drawing it back every few seconds.
On the table beside her, within arm's reach, sat a stack of manila files bursting with documents. One of those files made her fingers itch to know what was inside. 'SHROUD' had been printed on the tab in block letters - it was about her, or who she used to be - but she couldn't just grab it for no reason…could she?
She glanced at Yang, perusing another instruction manual, and fidgeted in her seat.
"While you do that, can I look through more of these?" She briefly pointed to the stack of files. Yang hardly glanced at them before saying, "Sure," and returning to reading. Permission granted, Blake pulled the pile over and started with the topmost file.
All of it was interesting. There were files dedicated to previous heists, suspected members, as well as photographs of every White Fang symbol spotted throughout the city. She knew most of the information from firsthand experience but was fascinated to see it from another point of view - from Yang's point of view. That was probably why, when she reached the file in the middle of the stack, the one with her old name on it, she hesitated and glanced at Yang. With Yang still preoccupied, she flipped open the file only to be greeted by her own photograph.
The police took it on the day that she turned herself in. She had longer hair then and the dark circles under her eyes reflected how much sleep she'd lost over her unwinnable situation, trapped in the White Fang while lying to Yang. Along with the picture was a sheet of paper listing almost every detail about her: where she grew up and went to school, her parents' names, and her known aliases. Behind that, there were news reports, witness statements, and a copy of the statement that she'd signed for the police. Notes and theories had been scribbled in the margins, most of the older ones in Yang's handwriting.
She stilled when she came across a newspaper article from one of the White Fang's earliest robberies. That was the first time a photograph of her donning the trademark mask ever got out, and the newspapers had printed it over and over again. But here, in the narrow margin, Yang had written, 'Misguided sense of justice?'
"Last few." Detective Morgan held up another instruction manual, so Blake quickly shut the file and shoved it aside. His brow furrowed, but he let her jot down the make and model before resuming his work. Blake, meanwhile, straightened the files but didn't read any further. Her heart raced from the glimpse into her past, and the realization that, even then, Yang had caught on to the big truth that Blake had completely missed.
The White Fang's purpose - fighting inequality - had always been a lie. Yang knew that years ago, yet Blake went along with Adam's plans until she found herself here, in the deepest hole she'd ever dug for herself.
She was determined to move on. She wasn't Shroud anymore. She wasn't quite Blake Belladonna either. She didn't really know who she was right now or what her purpose might be, but she knew that she had to cleave a new path for herself, as challenging as that would be. If that meant she sat here for hours jotting down random scraps of information, then so be it.
Mercifully, the manuals ran out before her sanity. Yang returned the last one to its plastic bag, zipped it closed, and then leaned over to read Blake's list.
"Any of this make sense to you?"
Blake stared at the light freckles dusting Yang's nose until Yang looked at her, causing a blink and hasty head shake.
"They must've been researching different safeguards, but I don't know why."
"Yeah, me neither." Yang bit her bottom lip and stared at the list for another second before shaking her head. "But they're clearly up to something. We just need more clues."
Yang sounded unbothered that more evidence yielded no useful information, but the kernel of worry in Blake's chest grew. The White Fang were clearly researching for something, but any number of jobs could be next on their list. What if the police couldn't find them in time? What if someone else got hurt?
"Hey, don't look so worried." Yang nudged Blake's elbow and then smiled. "Dead-ends are part of the job. We just keep pulling at threads until we find something."
Blake attempted a half-hearted smile. Yang bumped her elbow again, so she tried another, slightly better one and said, "Right. We just keep trying."
"We should probably eat something first," Detective Morgan added as he and Detective Proud stood up. "Want anything?"
"Actually…" Yang squinted at the evidence board before glancing at the time and then getting to her feet. "Time to talk to Pyrrha."
"Uh oh…" Detective Proud teased. "She's got one of those hunches again…"
"They've never led me wrong, right?" When the two men chuckled and headed out, Yang motioned Blake up. "Let me know if anything new comes up!" she called after them, earning acknowledging hand gestures before they disappeared. Only then did Blake arch a brow at Yang.
"A hunch?"
"I'm kind of famous for them." Yang's endearingly proud smile could have convinced Blake to commit any crime, but Yang only used it to lead Blake out of the room. "Before we do anything else, I need to talk to Ilia," she explained on their way through the station. "My gut says she knows something. She probably just didn't know she has something."
Blake's pulse raced at the thought of hearing what Ilia had to say, but she matched Yang's purposeful stride through the station. After checking several offices, which were empty, they stumbled into Pyrrha crossing their path.
"Just who we were looking for," Yang said as Pyrrha joined them. "Is she here?"
"She is." Pyrrha dipped her chin to Blake before handing Yang a file and motioning down the hall. "Room two."
Yang flipped open the file and glanced over the front page before tucking it under her arm and heading that way. Pyrrha fell into step with Blake, who was too focused on Yang's confident stride to pay much thought to Pyrrha's curious glances. Yang opened a door and ushered both of them inside, leaving Blake little time to prepare to face her ex-friend and colleague again.
Soon, they entered a room that Blake had never seen: the room on the other side of the mirrored wall. Ilia sat in the interrogation room beyond, pulling Blake's heart out to her as she clasped her hands in her lap and hunched over the table. She looked nervous, anxious, scared, and everything in between. Blake remembered the feeling too well.
"Ok." Yang took a deep breath and then studied Blake for a long, indecipherable moment. "You stay here," she decided. As soon as Blake opened her mouth to protest, Yang slightly shook her head. "I need you to watch her. See if she's telling the truth."
Blake still wanted to argue - she felt responsible for Ilia's predicament, after all - but Yang set a hand on her shoulder and added a gentle, "Trust me."
She trusted Yang with her life and so, by extension, with Ilia's wellbeing. So she swallowed, nodded, and noticed the small smile flit across Yang's lips before Yang left the room. One deep breath and several seconds later, she watched Yang reappear on the other side of the glass.
With Pyrrha standing beside her and Detective Blaze slipping in moments later, Blake became nothing more than an observer as the young girl who she'd personally recruited to the White Fang faced Yang alone.
"How're you feeling?" Yang asked, her posture so relaxed compared to Ilia's tense shoulders.
"I…I don't know."
Yang nodded, then sighed and set her elbows on the table between them.
"So the address you gave us…it was empty when we got there."
"It was?"
Yang nodded and let the news sink in before continuing.
"Know what that tells me? Either you lied -" Ilia instantly shook her head. "Or they knew you'd tell. They cut you loose."
Blake wanted to look away when Ilia's lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears. Somehow, she didn't. She watched Yang reach across the table and gently cover Ilia's hand with her own.
"But that's fine," Yang added softly. "You know why? Because you don't need them anymore. You have a new team now. We wear blue and gold, and we want to help you."
Tears brimmed in Ilia's eyes but didn't fall. She looked at Yang like a beacon of hope. Blake knew, right then, that Yang just won Ilia's honesty.
"Is Blake helping you?" Ilia asked quietly.
"She is." Blake's heart thumped at Yang's quick, certain response. "I can't tell you much about that because -" Yang motioned away the logistics but then faintly smiled. "But yes, she is."
Ilia glanced at the mirror, seeming to lock eyes with Blake despite not being able to see her, before taking a deep breath and sighing as if the world was pressing down on her shoulders.
"What do you want to know?"
Yang, sensing Ilia's resolve, leaned forward.
"I want to know everything, but start with what's going on now. Who's in charge, who's involved. Names and places if you have them."
Ilia took another breath, whispered "Ok…" and then started talking. Her quiet certainty shocked Blake, but the horror of her stories soon swept that surprise away.
She had always assumed that the White Fang would change once she left but now, through Ilia's eyes, she could envision Adam and Cinder's reign of terror. She could feel the fear and apprehension as the list of crimes grew. As violence became the norm rather than the exception. As more people joined, each with a more checkered past than the last.
Ilia couldn't even list every member of the White Fang anymore. She got through a dozen or so names before resorting to descriptions, some of which came with a disconcerting caveat of, "But I don't know if they were with us or worked for someone else."
The bleak picture left Blake oscillating between wanting to scream or cry. She did neither. She didn't move a muscle. She didn't let Pyrrha or Detective Blaze see how much Ilia's statements hurt.
This was why Yang questioned Ilia alone. As Blake's emotions clouded everything, Yang carried on calmly. Thoroughly. Ilia, for the most part, fed off of Yang's unwavering support. She got choked up at several parts but overwhelmingly held herself together.
Blake absorbed as much information as possible, but she felt useless until Yang pressed Ilia for details on future targets. Any banks being discussed. Any safe models being practiced on. Any detail, no matter how small.
As soon as Ilia uttered one - Vale Community Bank - Blake's mind latched onto it like a lifeline. The rest of the interview passed in a blur. Yang thanked Ilia for the cooperation and set a hand on her shoulder before leaving the room.
Once Yang returned to the other side of the glass, her exhaustion became clear. Rather than dwell in it, however, she sucked in a deep breath and looked at them.
"So, what do we think?"
"She was marginalized," Detective Blaze concluded.
"Which makes sense if you're the one who recruited her -" Yang nodded to Blake, tone non accusatory. "Plus, it seems like there was a…a changing of the guard. Old White Fang and new White Fang."
"Something like that could've been in the works for a long time," Pyrrha suggested.
"You're right." Yang looked at Blake, but Blake ducked the thoughtful gaze. Imagining that Adam had planned to push her out years ago wasn't a road she could go down right now.
"What do you know about Vale Community?"
When no one else answered, Blake looked up and realized the question had been directed to her. Finally, she could prove useful.
"I never liked the location. It's too busy, but the size and deposit profile were always…attractive."
Blake grimaced at the term, but Yang just stared at her, not really seeing her but lost in some other thought. Eventually, Yang nodded and tucked the file under her arm.
"Ok, we'll check that out next, and then we'll figure out what to do with Ilia. We should probably get her out of Vale."
Pyrrha nodded while Detective Blaze grunted an approval, but Blake glanced at Ilia, still waiting in the room for someone to retrieve her, before speaking up.
"If she goes into witness protection, do you think…I could talk to her first?" When Yang and Pyrrha shared a look, Blake added, "I just want to make sure she's ok and…tell her I'm sorry."
Blake didn't deserve sympathy for ruining Ilia's life, yet Yang's eyes held plenty.
"Yeah. Yeah, we can arrange that."
"You could talk to her now if you want," Pyrrha offered.
"Oh, I -" Blake looked at Ilia, who sat pensively now, almost as if Yang hadn't interrogated her but rather provided a great therapy session. Having just heard everything that Ilia went through over the past year, could Blake really face her now?
"You can do it later," Yang added. "We'll make sure you get a chance."
"Thank you," Blake muttered, turning away and avoiding anyone's gaze.
As it turned out, she was still a coward.
"And she might not need to go into witness protection," Pyrrha said. "We might just move her out of Vale for now then bring her back once this situation is resolved."
"Basically, I need to get really good at my job, really fast." Faced with the daunting task, Yang gave a determined nod and tapped Pyrrha's shoulder with the file. "Thanks, Pyrrha. Keep her safe, and I'll keep you posted."
Pyrrha nodded and headed to collect Ilia.
"We'll take a look at Vale Community now," Yang told Detective Blaze. "Catch everyone else up while we're gone?" As soon as he nodded, Yang motioned Blake after her. Blake spared one last glance for Ilia, who listened carefully to whatever instructions Pyrrha was imparting, before following Yang to the front of the station.
"I don't want her to have to move," Yang explained on the way. "But we can't keep her here if she's in danger. I'd rather send her to Mistral for a week then bring her back when Adam's behind bars."
"I know. And…thanks for looking out for her."
"Blake, she's your -" Yang stopped and sighed as she caught sight of something over Blake's left shoulder. "Stay here. I'll be right back."
Confused, Blake turned around as Yang brushed past her. On the other side of the bullpen, Chief Fowler waited, hands on hips and expression sour. Yang hardly reached her before she started making frustrated hand motions, and - worst of all - jabbing a finger at Yang's chest. Yang nodded and fit in single-word responses, but nothing she said made a difference. Chief Fowler ended the conversation and strode off with a scowl. Yang watched her go then clenched her jaw and hurried back to Blake.
"She looks upset," Blake commented.
"She's pissed," Yang replied matter-of-factly. "Another robbery doesn't make her 'I'm going to get these bastards' speech age well."
"That's not your fault though."
"Yeah, well…" Yang didn't bother finishing the sentence. She ushered Blake to the parking lot, where they reclaimed their boring beige sedan and made their way to Vale Community Bank.
Yang acted like Chief Fowler deserved to be angry, but Blake disliked the Chief of Police more with each interaction. Blaming Yang for the White Fang's crimes accomplished nothing - supporting Yang with the resources to track them down would. And no one should speak to Yang like that.
In another life, Blake might have considered a little payback for the transgression. Emerald, despite her flaws, would have no problem stealing the police chief's car. Today, Blake merely imagined those possibilities until they arrived at Vale Community Bank.
Having witnessed chaos at another bank just across town, she could hardly fathom how normal the operations at Vale Community seemed. Cars in the parking lot. Customers strolling in and out of the building. The nearby shopping plaza swarming with families and teenagers in search of something fun to do after school.
Within that aura of normalcy, Yang found a parking spot and led Blake to the bank. Rather than head inside, however, she stopped on the sidewalk out front, set her hands on her hips, and stared at the cameras pointed at the entrance.
"What are you looking for?" Blake eventually asked, so Yang shook her head.
"I don't know exactly. Just…something."
Blake bobbed her head as if that answer made sense and trailed Yang closer to the building.
"This place is too busy…" Yang mused, her gaze flitting to the pedestrians streaming around them. "Even at night, you have to worry about the nightclubs and the bars…you're almost guaranteed to have witnesses."
"They don't seem to care about witnesses anymore…" Blake mumbled, her thoughts returning to the two bartenders who had interrupted the heist that brought her back to Vale. Yang's gaze flashed to her before returning to the bank.
"Probably since we already know who they are - they don't have to hide an identity anymore. The mask is symbolic, like a signature or a…calling card. A way to differentiate themselves from the 'average' bank robber."
"Adam never wanted to be average…"
"No one does. If you're going to do something, you want to be good at it." Yang frowned and then motioned Blake after her. "If Ilia's right - how would they ever make this work? There's no back entrance - and if Ilia couldn't handle the Diamond Guard, there's no way she could handle this. They installed a ProSecure 2000 last year."
"Almost like they don't care if they get the money or not."
"Right." Yang paused and then peered at Blake. "I'm not used to having someone with me on these things."
"Oh, sorry. Do you want me to shut up and let you think?"
"No." Yang shook her head and then let a small smile slip onto her lips. "No, it's actually kind of…nice."
"Oh."
Blake's cheeks warmed while Yang turned back towards the building.
"They don't care about getting the money," she repeated to herself. "Then they're after something else, but what? Making the news? Is this all just a recruitment push?"
If Blake had that answer, then they would be one step closer to stopping Adam. Instead, she grasped at straws while Yang stared at the bank. While she did that, Blake searched for anything else that might provide clues.
Despite the bank's subpar location, the sheer number of people around would make reconnaissance simple. Even now, as Blake's gaze swept across the shoppers and diners going about their days, she had to make a conscious effort to single an individual out of the crowd. Two high school girls talking on the phone in the shade of a nearby tree. A harried gentleman in a suit carrying a briefcase. A young mother holding her son's hand while he got chocolate ice cream all over his chin. A glimpse of wavy brunette hair that, when she turned towards the owner, made her freeze.
The woman had brunette hair, heels, a snuggly fitted black dress, and a permanently smug expression that only faltered when her amber eyes locked onto Blake. Those eyes briefly widened as the two of them stared at each other, neither moving a muscle. Then a smirk crept onto lip-sticked lips, and a step forward erased more the distance separating them.
"Yang -" Blake called out, reaching for Yang but never taking her eyes off of the ghost from her past. Those sharp eyes shifted to Yang, who turned when Blake's hand grazed her arm, and the standoff instantly ended.
"Cinder!" Blake said, pointing as the woman spun around and shoved past a group of college-aged students leaving the shopping center.
Yang needed no further explanation to take off, sprinting through busy shoppers while keeping her eyes locked on brunette hair ahead. Blake was right on Yang's heels, focused on keeping up while Yang dodged errant shopping bags, sidestepped slow-moving walkers, and narrowly avoided a child who stumbled into her path. Up ahead, Cinder shoved through a group of bewildered teenagers, one of whom lost her balance and hit the ground with a pained yelp.
Yang's path instantly veered to the fallen girl, whose friends crowded around her in concern. Blake looked after Cinder, who had disappeared in the dense sea of people up ahead, before clenching her jaw and following Yang.
"You ok?" Yang asked, crouched beside the girl and checking for injuries. Though visibly shaken, the girl nodded several times and accepted one of her friends' help getting to her feet. Crisis averted, Yang quickly returned to Blake.
"You're sure it was her?" she asked, her gaze flitting around the busy mall.
"Positive."
"Shit…" Yang pulled out her radio and held down the button. "Dispatch, this is Officer Xiao Long. I need eyes at the Valley Mall ASAP. Cinder Fall is on the premises. Female, approximately 5'5", dark brown hair, wearing a black dress. Last seen headed toward the food court. She's a priority one."
The radio immediately crackled to life.
"Copy that, Officer Xiao Long. We'll alert mall security and send units to assist."
Yang put her radio away and turned to Blake.
"Shouldn't we try to find her?" Blake asked, craning her neck as if she might catch a glimpse of Cinder in the distance.
"Too many civilians. We'll wait here in case she tries to double back and hope our units show up at the other exits in time."
The lighthearted chaos of the mall quickly returned. Men, women, and children carried on oblivious to a wanted criminal in their midst. Blake wanted to dive into the fray and search every nook and cranny for Cinder. Standing here was torture, knowing that Cinder was slipping away.
"Dammit," Yang swore under her breath. She then paced back and forth, clenching her fists and shooting frequent glances at the people streaming past. Eventually, she ran her hands through her hair and sighed. "Well, they know you're back now."
As that reality settled like tacks in Blake's veins, two officers jogged over to them. Their presence finally alerted the mall goers that something was happening and garnered curious glances from all passerbys. The officers' attentions, however, were solely for Yang.
"Any sign of her?" one asked while the other dutifully scanned the crowd.
"Last saw her headed that way," Yang pointed in the direction Cinder went. He nodded, then he and his partner dove into the fray. Yang turned up her radio and held it to her ear, listening as updates began filtering in from other units.
"Please tell me someone has eyes on her," she spoke into the radio after several seconds. She then waited, her eyes never leaving the crowd, as the other officers relayed their statuses - all of which were negatives.
"Shit," she breathed out, listening for another minute - long enough for another set of officers to arrive - before grabbing Blake's elbow and pulling her away. "Come on, we're getting out of here."
"But -"
"They'll keep searching," Yang assured her. "We need to go."
Yang's tone left no room for negotiation, and her firm grip of Blake's elbow offered no opportunity to pull away. She made some hand gestures to the officers who had just arrived - they nodded - and then she hurried Blake back to the car. She cast frequent glances over her shoulder on the way and checked every corner or alcove they crossed as if Cinder might jump out at them. Her extreme caution set Blake's nerves on edge, making her look over her own shoulder multiple times before they reached the car. There, Yang opened Blake's door, ushered her inside, then jogged around to the driver's seat.
"I shouldn't have brought you with me."
"It's fine -"
"It's not fine. If we don't catch her, she tells Adam you're in Vale, and who knows what he'll do with that information. My bet is nothing good."
"I wanted to come with you though."
Yang glanced at Blake, her expression pained yet remorseful, and then sighed.
"Let's just get back to the safehouse, ok?"
Unwilling to argue in the face of Yang's disappointment, Blake nodded and remained quiet for the rest of the drive. She glanced at Yang every few seconds though, wishing that she could say something to loosen Yang's tense posture or stop the little headshakes suggesting a silent scolding taking place.
Yang was too hard on herself. She accepted none of the accolades yet all of the blame in nearly every situation. She would beat herself up over the mistake all night, which she continued to do even once they returned to the tiny apartment with no decorations or homeliness to speak of and checked every room as if their lives depended on it.
"Ok," she said after rejoining Blake in the living room. "I'm getting another sentry posted in the lobby, and you're not leaving until I've assessed the damage. We'll get the fridge stocked so you can eat."
"But…if I'm stuck here, how am I supposed to help the case?"
"You won't." When Blake scrunched up her face, Yang shook her head. "You need to worry about your safety first. Nothing else matters."
Plenty else mattered to Blake, none of which she could accomplish if she was trapped alone in this tiny apartment.
"I just have to find them," Yang added more to herself than to Blake. "Once I find them, and arrest them, then you'll be safe."
Yang nodded, her resolve renewed, but Blake grabbed her hand as she turned to leave. This time, she didn't let go when Yang looked at their joined hands, but instead offered a fleeting smile when Yang's gaze finally made it to hers.
"Before you run off to be all 'determined detective'…can you stay for a bit? It's…a little lonely here."
Yang's posture suggested that she wanted to race to the precinct and solve the case tonight. Instead, she took a deep breath and sighed, her shoulders slumping as the breath left her lungs.
"Yeah, of course," she whispered, squeezing Blake's hand before sitting on the sad, sagging sofa. Blake hesitated, wondering if she should sit on the flimsy coffee table, before Yang patted the cushion beside her. Blake immediately accepted the invitation and, as the two of them sat quietly together, tried to calm her suddenly pounding heart.
For the first time in over a year, Yang felt reachable. Not just physically in reach - though Blake curled her fingers against her legs to prevent even an attempt - but also emotionally within grasping distance. Plenty still clouded the space between them, especially conversations they had yet to have, but Yang was here, beside her, entertaining her company when she could easily be reassigned to someone else.
Of course, Yang stared down at her hands, clasped on her knees, before heaving a big sigh.
"Ilia was right. They're after Vale Community…or they were." Yang bit her lip and then looked at Blake. "Think they'll change their plans?"
"Most likely…" Blake admitted, cringing apologetically as Yang clicked her tongue and shook her head. "They're taking risks that I never would have, but I don't see them going after a target the police know about. That's walking into a trap."
"So they might be arrogant criminals, but they aren't stupid criminals." Blake winced at double use of 'criminals,' but Yang pursed her lips and tapped her fingers against her leg. "We'll have eyes on Vale Community, just in case. Maybe we'll get lucky."
"Hopefully…" Blake mustered a fleeting smile before ducking Yang's gaze and subtly rubbing her aching heart. Any hope of the action going unnoticed disappeared when Yang's hand, warm and calloused from years of hard work, settled over hers.
"Hey…what's up?"
"It's…" 'Nothing' flitted to the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed the lie and tried again. "It's just…I'm one of those criminals, too, you know."
"You aren't the same as them."
Despite the soft conviction in Yang's tone, Blake sighed.
"I appreciate that…but I was." She tightened her fingers into fists and took a deep breath. "At least, I think I was. Ever since Sapphire Bank though…it feels like I can't do it anymore. Like I lost it - whatever 'it' was. Like that part of my brain just…shut off. And without it…I don't really know who I am."
That was the issue she'd struggled with in Vacuo, and it had followed her back to Vale. When Yang gently guided Blake's gaze to her, however, Blake found nothing but support in soft eyes.
"None of us really know who we are, Blake…we're all trying to figure it out. Making mistakes along the way, learning from them, and trying again. Probably failing again, too." Yang's quirky little smile pulled a soft scoff from Blake, and Yang patted her hand before pulling away, adding, "But you'll figure it out. Know how I know that?"
Once Blake shook her head, Yang met Blake's gaze straight on, with a small smile rather than an accusatory stare.
"Because I've seen your work. I've seen how smart you are. How dedicated you are. Someone like that figures it out. It might take longer than you want, but you've been through a lot over the past year. Give it time."
It was a compliment and absolution rolled into one, and it nearly pushed Blake to tears. How Yang knew that that was exactly what she needed to hear, she had no idea. All she knew was that, for the first time in what felt like ages, the dark clouds of fear plaguing her thoughts - the ones telling her that she would spend the rest of her life adrift in a sea of guilt - lifted.
"I'm not the only one who's been through a lot," she pointed out.
"I know." For a moment, it felt like Yang would leave it at that, but then she met Blake's gaze. "I have so many questions, but -" Blake's heart stopped when Yang trailed off, scared and hopeful for where the sentence might lead. Yang shifted in her seat, opened and closed her mouth, and ultimately shook her head.
"You can ask me anything." Blake scooted closer, hoping that Yang would open up to her, even just a little. When Yang's eyes met hers again, she saw it: the ocean of questions, confusion, hurt, and sadness.
"Everything was perfect…" Yang whispered. "Then suddenly…everything's upside down. You're at the station, the White Fang are at Sapphire Bank, and then you're just…gone." Yang frowned at her hands, clasped in her lap. "It was probably for the best. I was so…angry. But not knowing where you were…I knew you were alright, but sometimes…it felt like…like you'd died. Like I lost you forever."
Hearing the anguish in Yang's voice, Blake set her hand over Yang's. Yang stared at their hands and then turned over her palm so that Blake's hand slid into her own. Black and yellow fingers folded over Blake's and squeezed, as gentle and reassuring as ever.
"Even something simple like this…" Yang sighed before meeting Blake's gaze. "Was any of it real?"
The question caught Blake so off guard that she momentarily balked at the suggestion that one of the most important relationships of her life had been anything but real. "Yes," she choked out, her heart clenching. "It was real, Yang. All of it. The only thing I made up was my job. Everything else…every time we were together…I never faked anything."
Yang nodded but let her gaze fall to their hands. Blake couldn't tell if Yang believed her. She hoped that Yang believed her. The contemplative silence offered no answers but, eventually, Yang squeezed her hand.
"You were never an accountant."
A laugh slipped through Blake's lips, and a smile tugged at Yang's.
"No. I would be a horrible accountant."
Yang's smile briefly brightened, and she held onto Blake's hand for a moment longer before letting go. Blake instantly missed the cold, smooth metal against her skin, but she looked up as Yang stood and walked to the window. Blake took a deep breath and, despite her aching heart, followed.
While Yang stared at the traffic winding past the building, Blake watched her. Waited for her.
"I wanted to hate you," Yang eventually said, her gaze never leaving the street. "Instead, I missed you. I wanted you back. I wanted us back."
Yang's shoulders slouched as a sigh escaped her lips, but Blake rested a hand on her cheek and gently turned her away from the window. Once lilac eyes looked up, Blake offered a small smile.
"I'm right here."
Yang searched Blake's eyes, looking for something, before she sighed again and nuzzled her cheek against Blake's palm.
"You know, Weiss thinks this is all your doing." When Blake's brow shot up, Yang nodded. "She said you probably orchestrated the whole thing from Vacuo so they'd bring you back."
"Why would I do that?"
"Well…according to her, it's so you can win me back." Blake scoffed while Yang chuckled and bobbed her head. "Which, if that's true, is kind of flattering in an awful way."
Imagining the work that would go into a plan like that - not to mention breaking every promise she'd made to cut a clean path for herself - Blake huffed and shook her head.
"I guess I'm flattered that Weiss thinks I could come up with something like that."
"Blake, you're one of the best strategists I've ever tried to track down, and I didn't even find you. You had to turn yourself in for us to catch you."
Yang's clear gaze prodded Blake's heart into overdrive, but Blake let a smile slide onto her lips and gently cleared her throat.
"Well…I'll stick to traditional ways of winning you back, thank you very much." Considering everything she would do for Yang, however, she paused and added, "But if those don't work, maybe I'll plan an elaborate, cross country heist. I hope I don't have to though."
Yang's smile fell slightly, but her gaze bored through Blake as if trying to read her thoughts.
"We'll just have to see, huh."
"I'll wait. However long it takes." When Yang blinked, Blake smiled and added, "I'm dedicated, remember?"
But do I have a chance? she wanted to ask, but she couldn't form the words under Yang's disarming gaze. Yang answered anyway - in the form of a soft, sweet kiss. It was a 'thank you' as much as an 'I'm not sure,' but Blake gently pressed closer, embracing Yang's uncertainty because it was better than refusal. And, as the kiss lengthened, Yang's hesitation melted away.
Her hands, that contrast of cold and warm, tugged Blake's hips against hers. Her tongue slipped across Blake's lips, requesting entry that Blake willingly granted while her arms wrapped around Yang's neck and savored every touch, every sensation.
Kissing Yang felt so…right. As if they were made for each other. Completed each other. The only thing that didn't feel right was Yang ending the kiss early, pulling away before they lost themselves in the throes of desire.
"I wish it was easier to keep my hands off of you…" Yang sighed, lingering so close that her breath dusted across Blake's lips.
"I don't."
"Oh, really?" Yang's nose crinkled with a big smile as she pulled Blake's hips against hers and let one hand wander under Blake's shirt. Blake's eyes fluttered as cool fingers glided across her stomach, and a soft sigh slipped through her lips when Yang pressed a firm kiss to her neck. Yang trailed those kisses up to her ear, which earned a nibble before a shiver-inducing tongue flitted inside.
"One of us needs some self control," Yang whispered, pulling away while Blake stifled a full moan. Suddenly bereft of Yang's warmth, Blake blinked back to reality as Yang pressed a quick kiss to her lips and backed away.
"Wait. You're kidding -" Blake began as Yang went to the door, leaving Blake shell-shocked by the window.
"There's a lot to do. I need you to stay here, stay safe…and try not to think about me too much."
"Yang -" Blake whined while Yang winked and shut the door behind her. Blake sighed but couldn't feel too put-out when she heard Yang's light laughter in the hall. She smiled instead, biting her bottom lip and staring at the door as happiness buzzed through her veins like a horde of bees.
Hardly a moment passed before she spun to the window and waited for Yang to appear. As soon as Yang reached the sidewalk, she looked up, caught Blake's eyes, and waved. Blake motioned her back upstairs, but Yang just smiled and returned to the car.
Once the car turned the corner, Blake collapsed onto the sofa and pressed a hand to her pounding heart. Every inch of her burned with desire while her mind raced with thoughts.
She had never possessed much self control when it came to Yang and she didn't want to learn any now. Maybe when this was over…when they found the White Fang and stopped Adam…they could discuss some type of future. Yang might not want to try again - Blake had betrayed her once, and trust wasn't easily rebuilt - but maybe…maybe there was hope.
As jubilant as that thought should make her, a pressing worry soured the moment.
Cinder.
Cinder would tell Adam that Blake was in Vale. What would Adam do? How would the news alter his plans? Was Blake in danger now? Was Yang?
The more that the ghosts of Blake's past returned to haunt her, the more she feared that her and Yang's future couldn't coexist with the White Fang. There was too much for them to work on already - they couldn't have that albatross hanging over them, and she couldn't spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder.
Like it or not - and she most certainly did not - her future was intertwined with Adam and Cinder's. The only way to disentangle herself would be to do what she should have done long ago: find a way to stop them.