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Chapter Text

Yang has been quiet, and it is more than just her voice. She has been subdued since rising from the vault under Haven Academy six days ago. Blake is confused and concerned by the behavior of her partner. As Weiss, Ruby, and Oscar recovered from their injuries and exertions in the days after the Defense of Haven, Blake mulled over whether she should confront Yang, or talk to someone else. Unsure about how to broach the subject with Yang, Blake decided to reach out to Weiss. They had clashed in the past, but she knew that Weiss wouldn't hold anything back to spare Blake's feelings. Blake didn't want something important to be left out when it came to reconnecting with Yang.

Blake meandered through the house that their mismatched group shared, finding Weiss in one of the common areas. Blake brought a pair of mugs, filled with coffee for Weiss and tea for herself, to break the ice. She sat down next to Weiss and turned to face her. Weiss seemed surprised by neither the company nor the coffee.

“Weiss, do you know what's going on with Yang? She's been so quiet, and I think she's following me around. Whenever I leave the room, she usually appears wherever I go within a half an hour. It feels strange; Yang's never quiet around me. Would... Would it have been better if I had left with the Menagerie Militia?”

Weiss took a sip of coffee before responding, “No. I believe you made the right choice in staying, but Yang isn't the same as she was before the Fall of Beacon. The world is darker to her. Yang used to believe that things would eventually turn out alright, that the world is a bright place and can be made brighter. Ruby's optimism is still there, but... I'm getting off topic here. The humiliation of Emerald's semblance being used to vilify her in the fight against Mercury, followed by her losing an arm to a monster more vile than most Grimm, and then waking up from being maimed without her partner, without you. Yang thought you were dead until Sun told her that you fled.” Weiss paused to take another sip of coffee while Blake seemed to shrink in on herself.

Weiss continued, “Blake, Yang... Yang isn't sure what to think. She didn't believe you'd ever come back to her, to us. It was beyond her comprehension that you would leave her behind. I don't know whether the losing of her partner or of her arm hurt her more. Yang seemed nearly resigned to the sundering of your partnership when we spoke a week ago. Her heart is happy to have you back, but... I think, in her head, she's afraid that you'll leave again. She's not stupid. Yang has been left behind by almost everyone in her life, in various ways. She's afraid that the pattern of her life will continue, especially after her mother betrayed her and left again just six days ago. I think she's been following you around because as long as she can see you, she knows you aren't running away again. She tracked down her mother, where she found me, and forced her to use her semblance to quickly reach Ruby. It seems that no one comes back for her, she has to find her way back into their lives. She wants to believe that you came back, that someone finally did, but... She's not Ruby. Her optimism has limits.”

Blake's ears lowered. She had harbored a feeling that their reunion in the entrance chamber to Haven Academy went too smoothly. Of course Yang had set aside her doubts to appease Ruby. She was selfless to a fault, never putting herself before her sister or her team. “I should have known,” she said to Weiss.

Weiss nodded and pressed on. “When Yang rescued me from her mom and forced Raven to send us to Ruby, she was so strong, so forceful. A bandit clan and the Spring Maiden were simply obstacles to overcome for Yang, but she broke down later when Ruby mentioned you. Yang didn't believe you cared, or that you even wanted to see her again. She thought... thinks the world of you, and the idea that you'd leave without saying anything, telling her where to follow, or what your plan was, is anathema to her. Ruby wrote letters back to her. They didn't all make it in time, but she at least kept Yang aware that she was still alive and well. I don't think letters would have made it from Atlas, not with my family trying to cage me, but I wish I'd done something.”

Weiss paused, seemingly expecting Blake to say something.

Blake was speechless. “I... I was trying to protect you guys. He, Adam, said he would destroy everything I... starting with Yang. I couldn't,” She broke off before continuing further down the tracks on her train of thoughts, “The White Fang came after my family in Menagerie only after I came home.”

Weiss sighed, “I thought it might have been something like that. I couldn't understand why you left after the way you two were at Beacon and the way you held her hand and cried for her that night.”

Blake leaned forward, confused, “What do you mean the way we were at Beacon?”

Weiss looked annoyed, “Come on Blake. You two were closer than any partners I could name, except maybe Ren and Nora. By the way, you sort of won that betting pool.” Weiss paused and, after consulting with something on her scroll, handed over almost 300 lien. “They got together after fighting a Nucklavee with Ruby and Jaune. I'd count that as 'after a hunt against a particularly nasty Grimm.'” Looking at Blake's flabbergasted face, Weiss saw that the lien wasn't the source of Blake's confusion and continued. “Really, you two weren't together? I wasn't sure, but I thought you two might have been hiding it to avoid attention.” Weiss started speaking quickly, as she ran through a list she seemed to have in her head. “You two were in sync from the start. I was a bit nervous and kept an eye on you for a while after you revealed your faunus nature. You and Yang say more to each other without using words than most people do with them. The only time you two detached from each other was when you ran off with Sun. The only difference between her following you around then and now is that she's quiet now. I don't remember Yang ever volunteering to separate from you. She 'loves it when you're feisty.' She is,” Weiss paused, trying to find the right word, “vulnerable and more open when you're around. It was you doubting her that brought tears after the Mercury fight. She was certain she could get you to go to the dance when even Sun gave up, and then she only danced with you...”

As Weiss continued, Blake froze and tuned her out as the realization hit her. Blake had seen her on the upper level smiling down at Blake and Sun. She shook at the realization that she had only seen Yang alone after their dance. Why didn't she dance with anyone else?

“And then there was the way she was so desperate to find you after you outed yourself as a faunus. She didn't care at all about your membership in--”

“She didn't dance with anyone else?” Blake interrupted Weiss's list. “She said she'd be turning heads that night. Yang was radiant.” She paused, remembering Yang promising to save her a dance. She had thought that Yang wanted to save space in a busy night for Blake. “Why wouldn't she dance with anyone else?”

Weiss sighed again, this time in disbelief, as her pale blue eyes met Blake's, “Blake... I think there was only one person's head she really wanted to turn towards her that night.”

Blake collapsed back into her chair as the memories assailed her. “I love it when you're feisty,” was followed by “If you feel like coming out tomorrow, I'll save you a dance,” and a barrage of smaller moments. Ilia was one thing. Blake felt terrible about that, now that her eyes had been opened and she could see the signs in her interactions with Ilia years ago. Yang was something else. Why hadn't she seen it? “She... I... I thought I was ready to talk to her about everything, now I'm not so sure. I...”

“I don't think you have a choice,” Weiss interjected before Blake could go on. “Yang and Ruby told us almost everything about their lives, shared everything with us. I held back some things about my family, but there wasn't much to tell given how much my family is in the public eye. You turned up with a family, as the heir to the Chieftain of Menagerie, and you were apparently in a similar position in the White Fang before your father stepped down. You're more of a princess than I am, now, and we had no idea about any of it. We thought you were an orphan who was taken in by the White Fang until six days ago. From those few faunus who were comfortable enough to speak to me, I learned that you also have a connection to the fiend who cut off Yang's arm.” Blake winced at that.

Weiss seemed to realize something as her eyes saw something. “We grew up on opposite sides of the conflict, but you and I were born into a life where we were surrounded by every knife society could muster. Outside of Schnee Manor or school, there was always a danger that something could happen. The possibility of violence was always in the air. I had to find ways to shield myself from the worst our society can throw at me, and it's clear you had to do the same. I don't think our partners had to do that. They don't know that world, and I hope it stays that way.” Weiss shivered as she refocused on Blake.

“I think the pain in Yang's life has been personal. Raven leaving twice, betraying her in person before fleeing the second time, Ruby's mother passing when they were children, her father burying himself in his work out of grief, and you leaving her without a word after that...” Weiss seemed to swallow a particularly nasty epithet, “after your previous partner crippled her. Many of these things could be, or perhaps once could have been, ameliorated by her parents, but only you can help her through what happened at the fall of Beacon. She doesn't know if she can trust in you. She wanted to be there for you, for you.”

Weiss's words hammered Blake, “How can she... Of course I trust her. More than anyone. I told the three of you everything I could bring myself to say. You, Weiss, accepted me even though I was a faunus formerly of the White Fang. I'm not sure Ruby or Yang even cared about either of those, they only cared about me. I had spent years in the belief that humans could not accept me, not like that. I was on the brink of despair, and you three dragged me back. I was something approaching whole after we fought at the Breach. Then... Beacon fell, and I felt more broken than ever.” The words came out in a rush as she tried to explain.

Weiss replied with a sad smile on her face, “I understand that completely. I think we were all broken by the Fall. You seem to have put yourself back together.”

“Finally returning to my parents helped. I hadn't seen them in years. I thought they would shut the door against me for scorning them for leaving the White Fang, but they hugged me and welcomed me back. It was more than I deserved. I guess Sun helped too, even if I didn't want him to follow me.”

“I'm glad you've recovered, but Yang is still recovering and finding a new normal. The question now is whether you're going to be part of that normal.”

“But I don't know how I feel about her. How can I help her when I don't know what to think?”

Weiss rolled her eyes, “That's where she'll be helping you, Blake, but I don't think you have much to worry about. What did you say earlier? Yang is radiant, and you owe her the truth, whatever it turns out to be.” Blake stewed on this as Weiss seemed to weigh whether or not to add something to the conversation.

“I will say that the pool on you and Yang was a bit different than Ren and Nora's.” Weiss's smile was happier at this. She continued, “No one was betting on 'how' you'd get together. 'When' was the question, but... Pyrrha was the only one to bet that it'd take this long for you two to get together. We should do something with it, no matter what happens. We can use it to celebrate or remember her. Ren was the bookkeeper for you two, so he has the funds.”

Blake smiled, “I'd like that. I'll add my winnings to whatever we decide to do for Pyrrha. She was unfailingly kind and humble. We can't build her a monument just yet, but it would make her happy to know that we are.”

“It would. Now, don't make her mistake. Go and talk to Yang. And.” She paused. “Remember that this is real, not like your books. There's no magic word, no perfect phrase to resolve this. This is just the first step. I think Yang will need you there for many of them.” With that said, Weiss gave Blake a brief hug. Weiss took their mugs and moved toward the shared kitchen after glancing at her scroll. “I'll take care of these. Yang is probably training with Ozpin and Qrow on the balcony at this time in the afternoon.”

“Weiss, thank you.” Blake was floored by the show of kindness from Weiss, but didn't entirely forget her own manners. She made her way toward the balcony and thought to herself, “What is Yang going to call her if she's not the Ice Queen anymore?”

Chapter Text

Blake felt some trepidation as she slowly walked towards the the terrace where Yang was training with Qrow and Ozpin. She knew that Yang needed things between them resolved, and she'd be lying if the same wasn't true for her. The openness and closeness they'd shared at Beacon had scabbed over. Weiss had given her some ideas, but Blake didn't know if she was the sort of person who could do this. Talking the Faunus of Menagerie into stopping the White Fang was a matter of morality, of societal ills that needed to be righted. Blake had spent a lot of time over the past few years thinking about that. Part of it was simple: when society, government, business, or people injures someone, that injury should be healed. The complicated part was how to go about the healing. Under Sienna Khan, the White Fang hadn't been strongly committed to a peaceful approach righting injustices. Maybe it was the same, Blake mused. The only difference is that no one needed to strong-arm her to help Yang.

She stepped onto the terrace to see Yang fighting in a bizarre style. She was shooting her arm off in close quarters against Qrow and reattaching it with a swipe of her arm before it hit the ground. The prosthetic was out of Blake's area of expertise, but she supposed that Yang's aura might play a part in the way the arm seemed to seek Yang out as it bounced off Qrow's chest and arms as he took blows and started blocking her unorthodox style. The tide turned when Qrow caught the arm before it reattached itself to Yang. He quickly swept Yang's legs, and there was a sense of finality to it as Yang took a few deep breaths.

Yang cursed, “Damn, that was going to be the last one. I knew you were adjusting and it would be a matter of time. You say you're unlucky but you caught it on the first try.” She held her stump toward Qrow and said, “Arm please,” with a bright smile that Qrow returned.

He grabbed the hand before extending the prosthetic to Yang. As it reattached, he pulled her back to her feet. “You might want to talk to your friend by the door.” Qrow pointed his thumb toward Blake over his shoulder. “I think the way you were using the arm might benefit from her perspective on a nimble weapon.”

“Yeah,” Yang suddenly looked more guarded. “I don't think I even tested any base weapons that can move like that at Signal. I already knew that the primary weapon would be something for close-quarters.”

“I remember, Firecracker.” Qrow started toward the door. “Get some rest if you can tonight. Oz should be shipshape tomorrow, so we might finally get out of this house.”

“I can't wait,” Yang replied, before turning to Blake. “Hey.”

“Yang, I wanted to ask you something, but I think we should talk somewhere private. It'd be easy to be overheard, here.”

“My room?” Yang asked.

“Lead the way.”

Yang took a seat on the bed, and looked warily at Blake as she carried the chair from the desk near the bed and sat facing Yang.

Before Blake found the words she needed Yang started talking. “Kali and Ghira remind me of what my dad and Summer were like before we lost her. They flipped around what my parents were like. Ghira is calming. Kali is warm, but anyone can see that they're wonderful. You're lucky to have them.”

Blake softly smiled and agreed, “I appreciate them a lot more than I used to. Seeing how you, and Ruby, and Weiss didn't have the best parents made me realize how good I had it. I wish I hadn't left them behind. I have an idea of what those years were worth, now.”

Yang looked down, “Growing up, we didn't realize how bad it was. Our place on Patch is a bit remote, so we didn't see many examples of how other parents raised their kids. I didn't pay enough attention to what Summer did for me before we lost her.” Her eyes lost focus as she reminisced. “I learned to ride a bike after Ruby, because Tai wasn't there to teach me. There were a lot of things we had to figure out for ourselves. We didn't know what was normal. I didn't know what to do other than try to do for Ruby what Summer had done for me. It was just us, trying to have fun and learn to fight monsters so we'd be the best at Signal and Beacon.” Yang let out a deep sigh. “Most of these realizations came after the fact. Almost getting myself and Ruby killed searching for my mom was what started Tai down the path of being a real father.”

“Now, it seems even worse. I tracked down my mother,” The word mother came out like an curse. “after 18 years, and all that she wants is for me to join her bandit clan. I knew it might have been a waste of time. It would have been if Weiss hadn't been there, and I hadn't forced mom to use her semblance to send us to Qrow.” Yang looked up, and Blake saw that her eyes were turning red. “Her damn semblance could have brought her to me at any point in the past 18 years. At no point during my life was I more than a single step away from her, and Raven was never there.”

Yang took a few breaths, but it didn't seem to calm her. “Then she joins Cinder and Lionheart in trying to kill all of us to try to get to the lamp. I was half-hoping I'd never see her again, and then she tries to kill her daughter and her brother. When I confronted her in the vault she tried to say that she had hard choices to make, that she was being merciful when she killed the last spring maiden, that backstabbing and betraying everyone in her life made her strong... To think that I spent so much of my life wanting to find her.”

“Yang?” Blake sounded meek to her own ears. “Are you–”

“Then you walked in through a hole in the wall and I don't know what to think. You came back, but you looked surprised. What did it mean when you said my name like that?” Yang wasn't able to slow down. The words hit Blake like a torrent. “What makes it hurt so much is that you knew. I told you about Summer and Raven, raising Ruby, and Tai shutting down. I even told you about almost getting Ruby killed. She doesn't remember that day, the day her sister almost got her killed. I've tried, but I've never been able to tell her. You heard all about my pain, my shame, and it didn't. mean. anything. I was left behind again!”

Yang's breath was harsh and spluttering. It sounded like she had just surfaced after a long swim underwater, except... a swimmer's breath would usually calm after a few deep breaths. Yang was like a furnace that was running out of air, faltering and wheezing as her fire burned within.

Blake was torn. This wasn't going how she'd hoped. She hadn't found the words, but she had wanted to explain everything to Yang. She wasn't sure how to help with this. Should she seek out Ren? Ruby had mentioned something about how his semblance masked emotion from the Grimm.

No, hiding Yang from the Grimm wasn't the same as alleviating her pain or stilling her emotions. And... Taking the pain away like that would do nothing to keep it from coming back. Weiss was right. There was no magic word here. Blake thought about what her mother, or Yang herself would do in this situation. The solution was obvious. Neither had ever hesitated to hold Blake if they thought she needed a hug.

The room was arid. Blake wasn't sure if this expression of Yang's semblance (if that is what was happening here) could start fires, so she tried to calm Yang down the same way Yang would for others. Blake threw herself onto Yang and squeezed Yang in the strongest hug she could muster. It was like squatting by a fire trying to grab something you'd dropped near the coals.

Yang seemed too shocked to protest. She almost seemed to melt as the tension leaked out of her and she buried her face in Blake's shoulder. “I don't remember. I don't remember the last time. I'm always the one doing the hugging. I forgot... I forgot how it feels.” Neither spoke for a long time as the air slowly cooled down along with the girl in Blake's arms. Blake felt tears on her shoulder as Yang seemed to let go of some of what haunted her.

“Yang, I'm sorry. I thought you'd hate me. I thought he'd hunt you down if I didn't leave. I thought a lot of things, and it took me too long to sort the good thoughts from the bad ones. I thought you'd never want to see me again. I thought none of you would. I couldn't believe that anyone would need me. I wanted to turn back and find you. Beg you to let me stay if I had to, but I was too afraid.”

“It doesn't matter what you wanted to do, Blake.” Yang pushed Blake back so that her arms fell off Yang, but she wasn't displaced from Yang's lap. “It's what you did that hurts. All the good intentions in the world won't give me my arm back. It won't change the fact that you left me behind without even a goodbye. You could have said something. Did I not deserve that?”

The question was rocked Blake. Yang's voice sounded plaintive and wounded. It reminder her of the doubts she'd voiced after Yang's fight with Mercury.

Yang continued, “What was it about throwing myself at the monster who stabbed you... What about it made you think I wouldn't want you around anymore? If it took more than my arm to drive him off and away from you, Blake, I would've given it. I lost my arm, and you just. ran. away.” Her voice trailed off as she shuddered.

“I knew he was dangerous, Blake. We spent enough time training together that I know it'd take more than just some grunt to defeat you. After almost dying against that nimble bitch on the train, I wasn't taking victory or survival for granted. I knew he was dangerous, Blake, if not as well as you. I threw myself into the fight because there was no time for anything else.” Yang's breathing was labored as she recounted the event from her point-of-view. “You screamed, and I turned to see him pulling a sword out of you. I didn't know you would survive, and... I had to stop him. I... Losing you...” Her eyes shifted from red to a purple that verged on gray, as she fought not to sob.

“The doctors... They acted like I should have been having nightmares about losing my arm. Those were nothing compared to the nights where I heard you scream in pain. Every damn night where I didn't get there in time.” Yang's voice was full of pain, but her eyes didn't redden. “How? How was I supposed to heal without you? How could I get back into the fight when no one was there to fight alongside me? How am I supposed to keep going when every dream reminds me of losing my arm? When I wake up every morning after dreaming of having my arm again? How was I supposed to bear that alone?”

Blake's vision started to waiver as the tears began to build in her eyes as well. “I'm going to be here, Yang. I haven't done a good job of showing it to you, but I need you.”

“Last week, we had driven Adam off and captured the worst of the White Fang. I should have been happy about it. Happy to see him run, to see him flee into the night. But... I was sad because I wasn't sharing that moment with you. You deserved to see him humbled, too. You deserved to drive him away. It should have been us, together, showing Adam and his corrupted followers what strength truly is.” Blake's face was sorrowful and apologetic. She could not bring herself to meet Yang's eyes. “I know I ran into you and the team all of a minute later, but... Fighting him without you didn't feel right. It should have been us.”

Yang briefly looked pleased at this. “I was furious at you, Blake, in the beginning. It didn't last, but the despair that replaced it was no better. What was the point of pretending to be fine when everyone leaves you behind?” Yang shifted and leaned back to look at the ceiling. “I was empty, until I overheard Tai talk to Oobleck and Port. He implied that he wanted to chase after Ruby, but he couldn't because of me. Then... I got angry again. Angry at my mothers for leaving me behind. Angry at my dad for checking out, for forcing me to be a surrogate parent at the age of four, and for calling me a burden. Angry at Ruby for leaving on an adventure before I was able to follow. Angry at the world for never giving me any respite without my seizing it. And... Angry at you!” She looked up at Blake, who saw that her eyes weren't fully red. They blazed with an amaranth light as Yang took a few breaths before the light slowly subsided and Yang's eyes returned to a comforting lilac shade. “Angry at you for running away before I woke up, before the blood was even dry. Blake, I don't want to be angry anymore. It's not what I want, and holding it like that is so corrosive.”

“I'm better by your side than I am alone. We're stronger together, Blake.”

“We are.” Blake agreed. “I was surprised to see you, Yang. We didn't know what was inside Haven Academy or why the White Fang was attacking. We only knew that if they wanted it destroyed, we wanted it preserved. Then some juggernaut got knocked through the wall and I saw an icy stinger pull him back through the hole. I've never felt so relieved as when I saw you. I was afraid I wouldn't get to see you again.”

“I was expecting anger or even hatred, but your eyes never darkened or reddened. I couldn't believe it. I... I don't deserve to be welcomed back like this. You even kept the purple band on your leg.” There were tears in Blake's eyes as her fingers brushed the band. Blake had a warm smile underneath her tears. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Yang. “I'm sorry I doubted you, before the fall. You've given me so much, done so much. You're so strong. I only hope I can follow your example.”

Yang froze. “I don't feel strong. I feel brittle. Since Beacon, everything was drab. I've been one misfortune away from breaking for so long. Even when things go well I can't help but wait for the other shoe to drop.”

“I don't think that's true. Even after everything with your mother, you kept going. You might have been broken by the fall, but...” Blake paused. “You put yourself back together. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I think you're more resilient now than before. If you really think you're in pieces, tell me what I can do to keep them together.”

Yang looked almost afraid. “I wish I could see what you're seeing. I see the broken girl, the one who would have been a pariah if not for what they did to Pyrrha. I'm just Yang: the girl left behind.”

“Yang. I'm here. I'm not leaving.” Blake wasn't sure she'd ever been so sincere. “I didn't leave because of you, and I'm going to prove it to you, somehow.” She tightened her arms around Yang.

Yang sank into Blake's embrace. She didn't scream or yell, sniffle or sob. Yang seemed to have expunged much of her anger and sadness, for the moment. Blake hoped that some of her fears had been assuaged. This hadn't gone how Blake planned, but it might have been better this way.

“Yang, can I ask you something?” At Yang's nod, Blake canted her head to the side as she asked what been bouncing around her head since shortly after their conversation started, “How much have you been reading since the Fall?”

Yang sighed, “Once I was able to look at a book without crying, I read everything in the house and more.”

Blake winced and seemed to shrink in on herself.

“Before I got the new arm... Before I was able to put it on, there weren't a lot of things I could do one-handed. Reading was one of the better ones. I could hold a book open with my stump if I needed to. There are a lot of other tasks that you think you do one-handed, but actually take two. Tying my shoes and opening jars and bottles were the first things I worked on, but I found out that it's hard to write on a single sheet of paper if you aren't steadying it with your other hand. There's a lot more, but I know you'd rather hear more about the books.”

“I stashed a few books in Bumblebee's storage. She saved me weeks of travel, so I wasn't going to drive her through the wilds in the dark. I don't have your eyes.” She smiled at Blake, who couldn't help but smile back. “I tried to set up camp before dark if I didn't come across a town in the evenings. Usually I left the finished books with people I met along the way. That gave me room for replacements. Most of the books I read were picked from the ones you had that I didn't get to at Beacon. I needed something to pass the time at night when I was going from Patch to Mistral.”

“How did you remember all those books if you didn't read them yet?” Blake froze in place as her ears perked up, “Did you take a picture of my bookshelves?” At Yang's nod, Blake elaborated. “My collection is in its infancy again thanks to the Fall. Half of Menagerie's library came from my parents' collection. I'd already read most of that, and I didn't have much time to explore the rest of the library while I was there. Would you send the list to me?”

“I could do that, for the right price.” Yang's grin and its accompanying wink were nearly salacious.

Blake knew that Yang enjoyed these sorts of exchanges too much to react the the wink. Yang didn't bother to collect on most of these agreements if she bothered to ask for anything at all. She seemed to view their back-and-forth as payment enough. “How about a calm and peaceful night? If you've got any books left I'll read one to you.”

“I'd like that,” Yang's voice was very soft. “But I don't think you'll be able to finish any of the books I have left in just one evening, Blake.”

Blake had to smile at that. “I know.”