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“Adam's strong,” says Blake, “But his real power comes from control.”
Yang keeps looking down, averting her gaze. She comes closer to her, also looking down, even her ears are down.
“He used to get in my head. Made me feel small.” she gets more confident, her ears getting up, as she looks at her partner. “But now I see he only wanted to put me down to his size.”
Yang looks at her prosthetic hand and Blake's eyes follow. She grabs the hand with both of her own, making her partner look at her. She holds her glare.
“Hey,” she says, smiling at her, “I'm not leaving.”
She looks down at her hand, still holding it. Yang does the same.
“And if we ever see him again I promise I'll be there.”
She looks back at Yang and she looks back at her. Despite her melancholic gaze, she smiles gently at her words. Blake looks down at her hand again, her ears leaning forwards.
“I'll protect you.” she adds.
She responds surprised towards that phrase, then confused and finally angry, just in a few seconds.
“What?” she asks.
Blake looks up to her.
“What?” she asks too, oblivious.
“Forget it.” she says bluntly, as she shakes her off. Blake is shocked, ears straightening, as her partner walks off. “Let's just head back.”
She extends her hand towards her, even when she's turned against her. She instinctively tries to bring her back to her as she wonders what she did wrong.
Then she realizes. Her ears fold down, scared.
“Yang!” she shouts, dashing towards her, “Wait!”
But she doesn't stop, so she puts herself in front of her, forcing her to do it, though she still is looking exasperated.
“I'm sorry,” she says nervously and speaking fast, “I wasn't implying you can't take care of yourself. I know how strong you are, probably stronger than me. I only wanted to make clear that I'll help you in whatever you need if you are in danger.”
“Yang keeps glaring at her for an instant, but she appears to calm a little as she sighs.
“It's fine, Blake,” she starts to say, but looking away, “Actually… Not really.” She glares back at her, sternly. “I told you that you don't need to try so hard. You only make things awkward. ¿Can you promise me you've finally learned that?”
Blake looks down, a little relieved, though still nervous.
“I'm sorry!” she quickly reacts, thought she corrects herself, “I mean… Yes, I promise.”
Yang looks at her, a little more relaxed, though not entirely happy.
“Fine” she approves, looking away.
“It's just… ” mutters Blake.
“What now, Blake?” asks Yang, exasperating again.
“If we are going to say everything we need to say… ” she says nervously, ears folding down, “You must know I still feel like I have to protect you because of what happened at Beacon.”
Yang glares at her angry, but calmed, coldly.
“I don't want to be rude, Blake, but I’m the one that lost an arm.”
“But I had to watch!” she shouts.
She just let herself go a bit emotional, surprising Yang and herself.
“I mean…” she starts to explain, holding her tears, “I was lying on the floor, where Adam had me pinned down, at the place I considered a home, where I used to have fun with you. I saw you through the window and he saw how I looked at you and realized what you mean for me. She stabbed me to make me shriek in pain and attract you. And it worked. I couldn't warn you about what was about to happen. I couldn't move either. I had to watch, bleeding on the floor, as the monster I feared the most cut down the arm of the arm of the person I love the most. I watched you go flying over me incapable of doing anything. Only after that could I use the little energy I had left to take you away. But it could have been your head. It could have been Ruby or Weiss. And he only did that because of me. It made me feel…”
“Powerless.” her partner ended for her.
She didn't look that angry now; that retelling having made her understand. Blake was still shaken.
“I don't want to feel like that again, Yang. I left you because I didn't want to experience something like that again and because I though keeping a distance from the people I loved was the only way I could protect you from him.”
Yang nods, looking at her prosthetic arm.
“I understand you. He made me feel like that too. It's what I've been feeling while I learned to use my new arm. Heck, I just told you I'm still feeling a bit shaken because of that. But I did become stronger and it's not going to happen again.”
“I know” Blake agrees, feeling better “I also used the time I was alone to get wiser. I have returned to your side, because I realized it's place where I have to be. And I returned stronger too. I even punched Adam in the face when I met him again!” she lets a small giggle “Wish you saw that.”
“Wish I did, yeah” agrees Yang, with a little smile. “I will give him another punch myself, the next time we met him and this will be finally over.” she gets serious. “In the meantime, we only need to remind ourselves that we're strong. It's like you said: not let him or anything else mess with our minds. But being strong also means being strong together.”
She grabs Blake by the shoulder with her metallic arm shaking her, though she calms down when she sees the caring eyes with which Yang is looking at her.
“Blake, you can protect me when I need you and I'll do the same. It's what I did back then. It costed me an arm because I was reckless. I've learned to act wiser. Still, next time you're in danger and you need me I'll jump to protect you the same way, even if I take just a moment to think before attacking. I'll do that because we’re not only teammates, or partners, but best friends.”
Blake lets those words sink in her and nods, smiling happily at her best friend.
“Yes.”
She smiles back.
“So… Anything else you need to say or ask?”
She pauses for a moment.
“No, I'm fine. What about you?”
“Well, there’s a thing I need you to explain me.”
Blake looks curious, ears leaning forwards, as Yang puts her arms on her hips and smiles mischievously.
“What do you mean by me being the person you love the most?”
The faunus looks shocked, straightening up from toes to the tip of her ears.
“I…” she stutters, blushing, “I can’t believe I said that. I was being emotional.” she tries to explain “You know… You are my best friend, so, yeah, I think of you as the person I love the most. That's all.”
She looks at Yang, trying to keep a serious façade, despite her blushing cheeks. Yang holds her glare while smiling amusingly.
“Fine. Just asking.” she concludes.
Blake sighs relieved, looking away.
But then her best friend grabs her by the shoulder.
“On a second thought… Are you sure there's nothing else you want to say? You know, since we're trying to be honest for the sake of our relationship.”
Blake looks back at her, a little angry for being joked this much, but she sees Yang holding a serious expression this time.
“I…” she tries to say “Yang, this is something private.”
“This whole conversation was already very private, Blake.” she points out, with a calm tone, “What makes this secret different? It's something bad?”
“No, it doesn't need to be bad.” she tries to explain, nervous, “But I don't know how you are going to react.”
“Only one way to find out. I can only guess what you’re keeping, but I promise you that if you think it's something good, I'll react accordingly.”
Blake keeps looking at her, diverting her gaze nervously. Every second more nervous.
“Fine!” she finally shouts. “You want to know so badly, you feisty rascal?” she keeps shouting, approaching her as she holds an embarrassed but determined glare. “I'm in love with you! I'm sure I already was back at Beacon and if I didn't realize it when I almost lost you I definitely did when I missed you all that time I was away from you. Now I'm back but it hurts me so badly that we cannot recover our relationship, but what really bothers me is that I want us to be more than we already were and I don't even know if that's possible.”
She gasps, like she had run a marathon, tears running from her eyes. Yang’s face is a few inches from hers, her expression inscrutable.
“Well?” she asks, her ears folding down, scared “Please, Yang, don't get offended.”
“Sorry I made you say all that, Blake.” she says.
And she hugs her, enveloping her so strong both of their heads are resting over both of their shoulders. It makes Blake go both scared and cozy.
“I feel exactly the same.” she whispers at her ears.
“What?”
Yang retracts herself in order to look at her in the eyes.
“You're right, you deserve me to say it too. So, listen: Blake, I'm in love with you too.”
The girl needs a few seconds to react.
“Really?” she asks, finally reacting, smiling timidly.
“There, let me show you.”
And she kisses her. And she kisses back instinctively. They make their lips touch together in a need they both needed to express. It's a short kiss, but even when they part their lips away, they remain close. Both of them have watering eyes now, this time out of happiness.
“That feel good.” admits Blake, who feels like she was flying, both body and soul.
“Same there.” says Yang, holding at her so she doesn't fly away or at least she can do it with her.
They remain hugging for a little more, looking at each other lovingly, happy of being together closer than ever.
“Well, we'll have to return.” laments Yang. “Before the others start imagining what we must be doing and they guess right.”
“What about finding a vehicle?” asks Blake, also lamenting.
“We're fine. We can hitch that cart to Bumblebee in the morning. Should carry everyone. I ride her while the rest of you go in the cart.”
She grabs Blake's hands, smiling at her.
“But now that we're more than friends, I can give you the privilege of riding with me. What do you say?” She pushes her back against her. “You can lean against my back.” She pulls Blake's hands around her, “As you hug me firmly. With this snowstorm, wouldn't you need a Yang to keep you cozy?”
Blake can't keep herself from laughing.
“Yang, you are too much.” she says, but she doesn't stop hugging her.
“Oh, sorry, did you bite more than you can chew?” asks the blonde, also laughing. “You wanted our relationship not only to be the same, but even better. That includes the jokes, Blake. Now you can enjoy me in all my glory all the day, you like it or not.”
“But I don't like it.” protests jokingly the brunette, freeing herself from the reverse hug.
Only to give her lover another hug.
“I love it.”
The couple leaves the cottage, locked by their arms. The cold doesn't matter anymore, as they keep themselves happy and cozy with the help of their embrace and love.