Chapter Text
“Do you think there’s any correlation between intelligence and being good in bed?” Blake inhaled from the tiny remnant of rolled-up paper and held it in her lungs as she passed the joint to her best friend, Sun. At least this round she didn’t choke and cough for five minutes. Neither of them had smoked pot in ten years, not since high school. It seemed fitting to mark the official end of their childhood by lighting up what Neptune had stashed away.
“I’m about to marry the smartest woman I know, no offense! Of course I’m going to say smart people are better in bed, pfft. I mean, Weiss can solve a Rubik’s Cube in less than, like, thirty seconds, dude.”
“Her friend Ruby is sweet. But she spent the last hour talking to me about some algorithm she’s building for an artificial intelligence robot named after her girlfriend, Penny. My only contribution to the conversation was alternating between ‘wow’ and ‘that’s fascinating’. Can you tell her she needs to find stupider friends?”
Sun inhaled and spoke while trying not to exhale, causing his voice to rise two octaves. “She went to Beacon and works at a tech firm—not much of a pool of stupid people to pick from. Plus, you are far from stupid, Blake.” He bumped his shoulder with hers. “That’s why I need you to move out here. I can’t handle being surrounded by tech nerds all the time. I need my literature-nerd friend with me.”
“Very nice.” Blake sighed. “At least Bolin is sort of cute.”
“So, I take it you’ll be breaking your dry spell tonight, eh?”
“Maybe tomorrow night after the wedding.” She smirked. “If he’s lucky. I’m still on Anima time. Tonight I’ll be ready to go to bed alone by the time they serve dessert.”
She and the groom-to-be were hiding from the rest of the rehearsal dinner guests behind an ivy-covered lattice arch in the courtyard of the restaurant. A distinctly bright voice scared the crap out of her, and she almost knocked the damn thing over.
“He’d be the lucky one, huh?”
“Who the hell…?” Blake turned to find a woman walking toward them in the dark. “Why don’t you mind your own business?”
The woman took a few more strides and stepped into the overhead spotlight she and Sun had attempted to avoid. Her eyes nearly bulged from her head and the ears atop her head twitched. She was gorgeous. Tall, damn tall—she was five foot five and had on five-inch heels and still had to crane her neck to look up at her. She had long, golden hair that looked like it could use a haircut but totally worked for her. Her eyes were a sparkling amethyst that popped out from sun-tanned complexion, and tiny lines flawed the skin around her eyes in a way that made Blake think she smiled often. And that smile. It wasn’t really a full smile—more of a crooked, shit-eating smirk.
She was a lot to take in at once. But while Blake stood there speechless, Sun hopped up to give her a hug, tail swaying happily.
She hoped he actually knew her and wasn’t just more fucked up than she thought.
“Yang! Hey, you made it!”
Whew.
“Of course I did. Weiss would kill me if I didn't come. Sorry I’m so late. I was up in Mistral for work and had to rent a car and drive back when they canceled my flight this afternoon. Can’t exactly use my bike, y’know?”
The gorgeous eavesdropper turned her attention to Blake. She did an almost-imperceptible scan of her face. Blake swallowed while she watched her sunset-purple eyes darken as they traveled over her.
When she was done, their gazes locked. Blake was involuntarily pulled into the sunset, desperately trying not to end up like Icarus. “Yep, he would.”
Huh?
Reading the confused look on her face, Yang clued her in. “The guy you’re planning on sleeping with. Sounds like the lucky one to me.”
Blake’s mouth hung open. She couldn’t believe the nerve of this woman…yet her skin was beginning to tingle.
“Bolin,” Sun offered. “He’s her partner in the wedding. Weiss knew him when he was an exchange student, I think.”
Yang extended her hand to her with a nod. “Yang Xiao Long. And you?”
For some inexplicable reason, Blake knew in the pit of her stomach that putting her hand in hers was a bad idea. Yet... she started the beginning of the end anyway.
“Blake Belladonna,” she said, giving Yang her hand.
“Belladonna? That’s fitting.”
Blake’s ears flattened. “Do you even know what that means?”
The blonde smiled again. “I do. It’s nice to meet you.”
Yang kept her hand cupped in hers as she turned her attention back to Sun. “So why is Bolin paired up with Blake and not me?”
Sun snorted. “Because you two would kill each other, dude.”
She seemed to accept that answer. Her eyes crinkled, and she returned her gaze to Blake. “Is that right?”
Blake felt electricity zapping between them, although something told her this was electricity harnessed from lightning in a storm. The last time she’d felt a physical reaction so strong to anyone was when she met Adam. Her heart still had a hole in it from that lightning bolt. She still chastised herself for being so stupid.
“Do you remember when Weiss’ brother, Whitley, lost his job and was having a hard time in social situations?” Sun asked her. “He started to stay in too often, and I was wondering if he was turning into some kind of agoraphobe?”
“Yeah,” Yang said. “I remember. It was a few years back.”
“I suggested he find a therapist to work with, help him get over a difficult time and his fears. And what did you say?”
“I said it was a good idea, considering he was probably used to being under Papa Schnee’s wing his whole life.”
The blonde man grinned. “Blake here is a behavioral therapist. She visits people with anxiety disorders and works on breaking the habits that cause them stress. She even wrote a book on it!”
Her blonde brows rose. “Really?”
Blake slipped her hand from hers. “Yes, really.” She’d always wanted to just help in some way, and people found it easier to talk to someone who went through the same things.
“Well, the more you know. I thought Sun was making you up.”
So Yang has heard of her before? She wondered how she never really met Yang.
“Yang builds things,” Sun continued. “She builds large projects like shopping malls. You know, the kind where they need to clear the land of all the trees to build a mile of stores and shit. She built the one that took over part of the park we used to go to uptown as kids—Forever Fall. She and Weiss grew up together. They don’t get to see each other often because Yang travels around the country for months at a time on projects.”
Miss Tall and Blonde seemed proud of that résumé.
The Faunus offered her a sugary smile. “I loved that park. Good job blowing up the carbon footprint of the Upper East Side and desecrating our environment.”
“Oh you’re one of those environmental activists aren't you? Sounds like Sun’s right. We might kill each other if we were partners since we’re mortal enemies.”
“Mmm…I want cheesecake. Are you thirsty? I’m fucking thirsty.”
Yep. Sun was definitely stoned. “We haven’t even had dinner yet,” Blake pointed out.
“Who cares? Let’s go get some food. Come on!” Licking his lips, he launched back into the restaurant without them.
Yang chuckled. “It was nice to talkin’ to you, Blake. And if things don’t work out with Bolin or whatever, I’m in room 341 at the hotel.” She winked and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “We might kill each other, but If I’m dying... might as well go out my way.”
Okay. So she hates her.
~ ~ ~
“So, these seats taken?”
She and Bolin were just finishing dessert when Yang walked over and pointed to two empty chairs across from them. The couple inhabiting them had, of course, skipped out a few minutes ago.
“Yes,” Blake lied.
Bolin was stupidly kind enough to correct her. “Actually, Robyn and Winter were just sitting there. They said their goodbyes to us about two minutes ago.”
A wide, gloating smile spread across Yang’s face. She pulled out a chair for her wedding partner and seated herself directly across from her. “This is Arslan. She’s super smart, graduated from Haven U. Have you met Bolin, Arslan?”
Bolin’s interest piqued. “We met briefly this afternoon. But I hadn’t realized you were from there. So am I, well, after I moved here from my home country. I work with Weiss and her company sometimes.”
Conversation between Bolin and Arslan took off like a runaway train. Neither of them even noticed the scowl Blake shot at the architect of the group.
Blake leaned forward and smiled, speaking through her teeth. “I know what you’re doing.”
Yang sat back in her seat with an ear-to-ear pompous grin. “I have no idea what you’re referring to, Ms. Belladonna.”
Her ears flattened in annoyance. “It’s not going to work.”
“Whatever you say. But I’m here if you need an alternate later.”
Blake finished off the alcohol in her cup and adjusted the front of her dress. Then she took a napkin from the table and discreetly dropped it on the floor. Picking up her fork, she scooped up a small piece of cheesecake and accidentally dropped it onto her cleavage.
Yang watched the entire show with interest.
Leaning in, she wrapped her hand around Bolin’s bicep. “Do you have a napkin? They must’ve taken mine when they cleared dinner, and I seem to have made a mess.”
Politely, Bolin excused himself from his conversation and turned to give her his attention. His eyes dropped to the cheesecake, and she knew instantly that she’d won. Triumph roared from her smile as she allowed him to help her clean off. Yang’s stare felt like a victory.
To be honest, she wasn’t sleeping with Bolin anyway—there was no chemistry there, and she wasn't really all that interested in being more than friends. She’d mainly only been joking around with Sun about it.
But she enjoyed screwing with Yang anyway.
“I’m clumsy when I’m tired,” she said to him. “I’m still jet-lagged. I think I’m going to head back to the hotel.”
“I’ll join you,” he promptly replied.
Yang didn’t give up easily—she’d give her that much.
She stood. “I have a car here. I can give you two a ride. You ready to go, Arslan? The four of us are all at The Huntsman, I’m assuming?”
Blake flashed her pearly whites and hooked her arm through Bolin’s. “I have my rental car here, so he and I are good. Thank you so much for the offer, though, Yang.”
“Right.” She smirked back.
~ ~ ~
The hotel was only a mile up the road. As they entered, she spotted a few familiar faces—friends of the groom—in the lobby bar. The party seemed to have moved from the rehearsal dinner to the hotel. As they passed, one of the guys she recognized yelled for Bolin to join them for a drink.
His pretty brown eyes turned to her. “What do you say? You up for a nightcap?”
“I’m actually wiped out—time difference and all. But you go ahead.”
“You sure?”
“Absolutely. I’ll be sleeping before my head hits the pillow.”
Bolin gave her a quick hug goodnight, and Blake headed to the elevator alone.
She really was exhausted. Weiss and Sun had reserved the top floor of suites for guests traveling in from out of town, and she’d forgotten that she needed to insert her room key into the little slot on the elevator panel to gain access to the floor. After pushing the button a few times, she finally realized and dug into her purse to find the swipe card. She was preoccupied with the search until she heard that charming voice.
“Blake.”
Her head flew up to find Yang standing in front of her with a shit-eating grin.
“You…”
“Me,” she said.
She looked around her muscular frame. “Where’s your partner?”
Yang winked. “Left her at the bar with yours, so the two of them can get to know each other better. All that good stuff.”
“Won’t you be lonely, then?” The Faunus said with sarcasm.
“I might. But I have you don’t I?”
“Going to take matters into your own hands, huh?”
Blake finally located her room key in her messy purse. Yang laughed and took it from her hand to slip it into the slot. Of course they were on the same floor since they were part of the same wedding. When the doors slid closed, the elevator suddenly seemed very small. It didn’t help that Yang hadn’t bothered to turn around when they started to move. She faced her, standing very close. Her body definitely took note of the proximity.
“Don’t you have any elevator etiquette?” Blake asked. “Turn around and stare at the numbers like a normal person.”
“Why would I waste my time looking at that when the view is so much nicer facing this direction?”
“I’m not sleeping with you, you know.”
“You said it, not me. The offer still stands, though...and I don’t see Bolin anywhere.”
“He’s different.”
“How so?”
“I’ve actually met him before.”
“So?”
“I barely know you.”
Yang crossed her arms. “Yang Xiao Long, age twenty-five, single, never been married. Went to Beacon for undergraduate and grad school. Degree in architectural engineering. Grew up next door to Weiss’ nanny, who she spent more time with than her own parents, been friends since we were in the carriage. She’ll vouch for me on that. Though, I’m originally from Patch. Own a home in Vale the city, about an hour from the happy couple, with no mortgage. I also built it myself and have lots of trees on my property—that should get me extra environmentalist points, by the way. And, most importantly…” She took a step closer to her; their bodies were practically touching. “I think you’re extremely beautiful. Your eyes are the most gorgeous shade of gold I’ve ever fucking seen. There’s some insane chemistry here, and I think we should explore it. Nothing has to happen, of course, but I’d like to get to know you better. Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Sound good?”
Blake swallowed. She was bold.
”I could be straight for all you know.”
”Yeah, sure. You’re straight and I’m the Queen of Atlas. My Sapphic Senses have yet to fail me. Even if you thought you were, Blake, I’d be happy to prove how straight you aren't.”
Luckily, the elevator dinged, and the doors slid open on the top floor. Needing some air that didn’t smell like Yang Xiao Long and whatever aphrodisiac she had to have in her perfume, she sidestepped around the tree of woman and exited. She followed right behind her. When Blake abruptly stopped, realizing she was going the wrong way, Yang walked right into her. Her hands caught her, fingers pressing into her hips to stop Blake from falling forward.
“Wooo. You okay?”
“What the hell? You almost knocked me over. You’re like ninety percent muscle, are you trying to kill me?”
“Um, you stopped short. Don’t bring my guns into this, they’re innocent.”
“If you weren’t up my ass, you wouldn’t have walked into me.”
They were still standing in the middle of the hall, and Yang still had a firm grip on her hips…and it felt really good. God, it had been a long time for her.
Those long fingers squeezed a little harder, and her head dipped to whisper next to Blake’s ear. “You smell incredible.”
A fire burned under her touch. Blake shut her eyes. Hmm…. She and Weiss have been friends since they were little. She can’t be that bad of a person. Her own judge of character probably wasn't to be trusted considering Adam, but Weiss—
Thankfully, the other elevator saved her from almost doing something stupid and gave her a bout of sexually frustrated clarity. The universe was giving her mixed signals at this point. First, everything lined up perfectly in Yang’s favor. Same wedding, same hotel, same floor, to the point where she’d always be nearby. She kind of had to.
Now, this.
Maybe stopping her from answering this particular siren’s song was a sign? She wasn't about to go down with the ship and meet her demise.
Would her supposed demise have been a mind-blowing orgasm? Who knows? If she was anything like Adam, though, it probably would have been awkward disappointment.
A few people Blake recognized stepped off and didn’t seem to notice what was going on between her and Yang. Or the intensely sexually-charged energy that surrounded them that Blake found hard to miss. Yang seemed to agree with that sentiment, seeing as soft lavender eyes turned to darkened violet.
They literally just met, except...it didn't feel that way. She was just so fucking...extroverted; like they’ve been friends for years and are past the point of getting each other out of their systems.
“Xiao Long!” A tipsy Coco yelled. Her arm wrapped around Yang’s shoulder. “Shots in our room.”
Blake shook some sense back into her head and used the opportunity to escape, practically running down the hall toward her room. Of course, her room had to be the last one at the end. Yang called her name as she fumbled to get the key in the door. She ignored her and rushed inside. Leaning against the closed door, she let out a sigh of relief.
What the hell was she doing?
Get a grip, Blake. Literally running away from her instead of just declining her offer or telling her to fuck off? She usually had no problem telling people off when it’s deserved. She used to protest all the time, she knew how to debate and get her point across. She could be reserved, yes, but far from shy.
But something about Yang made her feel wary– she was definitely someone who could get any girl up to her room; a heartbreaker—and Blake felt like she needed to run the other direction. People like that always got what they wanted and she allowed Yang to get into her head way too easily.
A soft knock at the door she was still leaning against made her jump.
“Blake.”
She hated the way her name fell off her lips. “I’m sleeping.”
She heard the blonde laugh. “Just wanted to tell you, my room is right next door. Even the hotel thinks we should bang.”
”You can’t behave for two seconds, can you?”
”Oh, you don’t even know the half of it. I can be really good when I want to be. I bet you can give me some incentive to.”
Blake shook her head, but a smile still found its way onto her face without her consent. “Goodnight, Yang.”
“’Night, Blake. See ya tomorrow.”
Fuck.