Chapter Text
"Ruby! Where's the party plates and cups?" Yang yelled into the house from the backyard.
"Um, oh no! I forgot them!" A loud clattering and slamming sounded from the kitchen. "I'll run to the store, be right back!" A few seconds later the front door slammed closed.
"Huh, I think she is really running to the store." Yang said to herself. She turned to the table she was setting up on the back porch, hands on her hips. "Well, nothing I can do here until she gets back."
Yang walked over to the grill, checking the coals to make sure they were still hot enough but not too hot for the grilling she was going to be doing later.
Today was her summer cookout, all her friends would be coming over for one last party before summer ends and school starts up again. The tradition never dying after graduation.
Leaving the grill, she moved over to the porch railing, lifting her self up, she takes a seat, feet dangling of the edge. She closed her eyes letting the heat of the sun wash over her.
The summer cookout was her favorite party of the year, ever since the first one after freshman year of college. She had gone back home for the summer like all her friends that first year, and she had been lonely, more than she had ever expected she'd be.
Sure, she had Ruby home with her, but she was use to being surrounded by the friends she had made in college. She had missed the constant positive presence of her roommate Pyrrha, the chaotic energy of her workout partner Nora, the icy but nice presence of her classmate/tutor Weiss.
Then there was Blake. Blake had a calming presence around her, yet feisty under the right circumstances. The two of them had become best friends right away, always bantering, winding Weiss up, and generally enjoying each others company.
She had missed her best friend over that first summer.
So, Yang came up with the idea for a summer cookout with all her friends, where they can all see each other while school was out.
That first one was everything she wanted it to be and more, the memories of Weiss and Ruby meeting for the first time in a clash of flying plates and barbecue, the memory of watching Pyrrha play horse shoes with Jaune, the memory of Blake by her side driving away the loneliness, replaced with a lightness she had never known before, like her heart was full ready to burst with ever smile and laugh from the raven haired girl. Like she was in love.
In love.
Sighing Yang opened her eyes, letting the memories fade.
Today was a day for celebration with friends, not to dwell on things that would never happen.
She swung around off the railing and walked back inside.
---
"So, there I was flipping through the air with a giant hammer," Nora said, waving her fork around, "and I come down right on the stinger embedded in the scorpion’s head, nailing it further in! Killing the beast and saving all my friends!" She finished with a flourish pushing her seat back to strike a pose.
"She's been having these dream for weeks now." Ren said, reaching out and guiding his girlfriend back into her seat.
"Oh, I know!" Ruby said practically vibrating in her seat, " you should write a script out of it and then make a movie!"
"Your right!" Nora said, turning to Ren, "Write down everything I told you; we are going to be famous!"
"Sure, why not." Ren said, giving Nora a small smile.
"Just don't forget us little people when you become famous," Yang said, standing up. "I'm going to start clearing the table."
As she reached out to gather the empty platters, she felt a slim hand grab her arm trailing down to hold her hand. Turning she finds molten gold eyes meeting her own, cause her heart to skip a beat at the intensity of the look.
"Wait," Blake said standing up, grabbing ahold of Yang's other hand as well. "I want to ask you something first."
"Okay," Yang said, head tilted as she slowly rubbed her thumbs along Blake's unusually chilly hands.
"Yang, you mean the world to me," Blake started shaky, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.
"More than I can ever put into words, so I'll just say this," Blake continued, dropping Yang's hands she kneeled pulling out a box.
"I love you Yang Xiao Long," Blake said, opening the box to reveal a ring, "will you marry me?"
Yang sucked in a breath, she could feel her heart pounding sharply in her chest as she stared down at her best friend, cat ears flat, face flushed red, looking up at her with those molten golden eyes.
She felt dizzy, her skin tingling as she looked at the love of her life, asking her to marry her, that she loved her.
"Yes!" Yang burst out, eyes shining, "yes, I'll marry you!"
At that Blake takes the ring, dropping the box, fingers shaking so badly she missed the first try, when its finally on she looks up at Yang, sending Yang's heart into a backflip, her own cheeks heating up.
Blake stood up, never breaking eye contact, hand coming up to Yang's face. Then Blake was kissing her, kissing her like Yang was the most important person in the universe, kissing her like her life depended on it. Yang never wanted her to stop.
"Oh. My. God!"
At Nora's exclamation, Blake finally pulled back, licking her lips, before dropping her hand from Yang's face and turning toward the table.
"Since when have you two been together?" Nora continued bounding out of her seat.
"She means congratulations,” Ren said, trying to pull Nora off them.
"Thanks Ren, Nora," Blake said, patting the excitable girl, shooting a glance at Yang, "we have been dating for the last few months."
A swirl of confusion rushed through Yang, her brows furrowing, Blake seeing her about to speak continued. "About five months now, right Yang?"
"Yeah, about that?" Yang said, more questioning than stating as the confusion continued to swirl, Nora finally released them as Ruby rushed up.
"Five months?" Ruby exclaimed, suddenly squeezing them tighter, "why didn't you tell me?"
“Sorry, Ruby,” Blake said, “we wanted to keep things private for a while, enjoy just being us, you know?”
Releasing her grip on the two, “Yeah, okay.”
Turning to look at Yang, “As long as your happy right?”
“Yeah, very happy!” Yang told her sister as cheerfully as she could muster under the circumstance, afraid that it would come off as hollow sounding as she felt.
The next ten minutes went by in a blur of congratulations and hugs and probing questions that Yang let Blake field.
Blake seemed to have an answer for everything, they started dating months ago, she asked Yang out, no they didn’t think they were moving to fast, they were ready to be start a life together, no they haven’t told their parents yet.
Each question and answer leaving her with a sinking feeling in her stomach. Why was Blake acting as if they had been dating? Was this not a confession of her love for Yang? Was Blake pulling an elaborate prank on her? The last thought sent her head spinning, her previous elation giving way to the growing void in her gut.
"Hey, Blake?" Yang said, tightening her grip on Blake's hand, meeting her golden eyes.
"Yang?" Blake answered softly, head tilting, ears flicking toward the blonde’s voice.
"Can I talk to you," Yang said, leaning in close, "alone?"
"Um...yeah," Blake said, turning toward the table, "let's clear the table and talk inside."
They gathered the dishes in silence and made their way inside. Yang watched as Blake started scraping stuck food into the trash, her ears were flattened, and she was avoiding even looking in Yang's direction.
"Blake, what's going on?" Yang asked, leaning against the counter behind her, eyes dropping to the tiled floor.
She watched as Blake's boots walked by, hesitate, then continue to the sick, faucet turning on. Yang looked up, staring at the black flowing waves of hair settled over hunched shoulders. Bringing her hand up to push the blonde hair from her face, she catches the glimmer of the ring on her finger.
"Blake, why did you ask me to marry you?" She said, gently twisting the ring, blonde hair falling past her face.
The sound of rushing water tapered off, the following silence lingered, the moment stretching on for an eternity, shattered.
"Because I," Blake said, nearly silent footfalls, a gently grasp on her chin, traitorous heart thumping in her chest as lilac meets molten gold.
"I need to get married."
She frowned and pulled out of Blake’s grasp. "Why?"
“I’m sorry,” Blake started, running her hand through her hair, “for putting you in this situation like this.”
Crossing her arms, Yang looks up toward the ceiling, “What situation Blake?”
“I need to get married,” Blake stated again, moving to lean against the counter next to Yang, “so I don’t have to marry Adam.”
Red. Horns.
Violence. Blake. Fear.
Hate. Rage. Pain.
She shook her head, grip white knuckled on her arm, where the jagged pick scar stood out in contrast against her skin.
Blake’s hand on her back was warm, chasing away the chill that had overcome her.
“Hey, it’s alright. He’s not here. I’m safe, you’re safe.” Her words, whispered in her ear, familiar, her breathing steadied, hands stopped shaking.
“Why would you have to marry him.” Yang whispered, leaning into Blake’s touch
“Long version or short version?” Blake asked.
“Short.”
“Stupid archaic company rule, I need to be married by 25 years old or have the board arrange one for me.”
“And they’ve chosen him.” Yang said, turning to look at Blake, her face drawn tight.
“Yeah.”
“Your birthday is coming up.”
“Yeah.”
Looking at Blake, images of her in a white dress, next to him, blood rushing through her veins her vision swam red. She took a shuddering breath, turning fulling toward Blake, one hand traveling to the back of Blakes neck, other gripping her around the waist, pulling her close, Yang whispered in her human ear.
“Of course, I’ll marry you.”
She feels Blake shudder in her grip, a barely audible thank you, hands gripping at her back, feeling the growing wet stain on her shirt, she squeezed her eyes shut, forcing back her own tears.
She could handle it. As long as Blake was safe, away from him. She would try to make Blake happy, be the best friend, fake lover, she could be.
She could pretend this didn’t hurt.
They stayed like that for a while, Yang’s hand stroking over black cat ears, down long hair, until the grip on her shirt loosened and Blake pulled free.
She watched as Blake straightened out, hands coming up to wipe her face, “God, I’m sorry I’m such a mess.” She said, turning away from Yang.
“Hey, it’s no big deal” Yang said, lightly hip bumped her, “I’d cry too if I had to marry me.”
The sound that Blake made at that sounded halfway between a sob and a laugh, then devolved into a fit of giggles, a smile sprung up on Yang’s face, laughter bubbling out of her along with Blake.
“Hey! Guys!” Ruby said, bursting through the kitchen door, skidding in her tracks as she saw the two giggling maniacs, “um…we got cake for you guys!”
Yang brought her hand up to cover he mouth, trying to contain the laughter, “Okay, we will,” a guffaw of laugher from Blake sent Yang into another giggle fit, she waved her other hand at her sister, “Be right there!”
“Okay.” Ruby said, and started backing out of the room, “I’m happy you guys are so happy!” She said smiling brightly at the two of them, then sprinted back outside.
As she left Blake’s laughter started dying down, “That wasn’t even that funny!” She exclaimed gasping for breath.
“Sure, it was,” Yang said beaming, swinging her arm over Blake’s shoulders, “you know I’m the funniest one here!”
“Sure.” Blake said smiling, giving Yang a look that had her heart skipping a beat, a look that sent a spark rushing through her chasing away the void that had started to fill her, a look that said I love you.
“Let’s go get some cake.” Blake said, grabbing Yang’s hand.
She smiled following Blake out of the house, a light feeling filling her head.
She could do this, she was going to be marrying her best friend.
She squeezed the hand holding hers, catching a glimpse of the ring, giving Blake a beaming smile and getting a soft smile back.
She was going to show Blake that she was in love with her, she was going to do this marriage right. And if Blake realized she was in love with her in the process? Well, then this marriage might actually stand a chance.