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“My sister is the greatest person I know. She’s always always taken care of me, especially after our mom died. I’ve never seen Yang even flinch, ever, even when in hindsight it’s obvious how hard it must have been for her. She’s my hero. I want her to have all the things that she wants and more. But she needs help for that.”
“When I met Yang, I thought she was the most annoying person I had ever met - and I met Ruby first, so that should tell you something. Yang loves three things: puns, Ruby, and her friends. She’s all about joking and laughing and calling me stupid nicknames. She’s a great friend, don't get me wrong. But she’s terrible at taking care of herself, and it got way worse after she got hurt.”
“My friend Blake had this terrible, abusive ex.” Yang remembers. “He was, well he was stalking her. One day, he tried to hurt her, and it turned out I was supposed to meet up with her that day. I was so angry, I didn’t think, I just… reacted. And well, things got out of hand.” She grins, and waves her right hand at the camera, showing off her prosthetic.
__
“Our nominee this week is Yang!” Tan exclaims from his seat in the car, reading the little blurb they get every week. “She was nominated by her sister Ruby, and her friend Weiss, who are also her roommates. She’s twenty-two year old and she’s currently unemployed. She lost her right arm in tragic circumstances last year, and her life has been an uphill battle since then.”
“Gosh, she’s so strong.” Karamo shakes his head
“Oh my god she is so strong,” Jonathan repeats.
“According to Weiss, she used to be both the life of the party, and the responsible friend, somehow,” Tan continues.
“That’s a good combination,” Antoni says.
“Obviously her life has been turned on its head and she doesn’t necessarily want to go back to that, but she wants to find herself back and be completely happy and comfortable in her new life.”
The Fab Five coo together.
“I can’t wait to meet her!” Bobby cheers.
__
“The first few months were very hard,” Ruby adds, “but Yang is the strongest person I know, and she started slowly picking herself back up. She was laughing, making puns.” An annoyed groan from Weiss can be heard. “We’re jogging together again, now, too! She’s really bad at accepting help, especially from me, but we spend a lot of time together. I love her. I want her to be as happy as she makes me!”
“She’s faced a traumatic event, and that changed her.” Weiss explains. “I think she’s accepted that at least, but she hasn’t come to term with everything that’s changed yet, and all the ways she’s been hurt. It’s hard to get her to focus on herself, because we’re her friends, and she’s so focused on us. She just needs a little push I think. Blake is coming back at the end of the week, and she and Yang haven’t talked since the accident. We just want her to be as… as well as she can be before she opens up this can of worm.”
“I guess I did a good chunk of the way on my own,” Yang muses, “but I’m not out of the woods quite yet. I’ve always been a fighter, but it’s sort of receded in the background.” She smiles. “Plus, I’m always happy to hang out with cool people, and we are going to have a blast, this week!”
___
“Which floor is it?”
“Last one.”
“I love last floors. Is it a penthouse? Does our girl live in a penthouse??”
“I don’t think this building has a penthouse,” Bobby laughs.
“Mh. Too bad,” Tan pouts. “So apparently the door, and I quote, “looks like it went through a three-round match with an elephant and lost.” I think that’s the one.” He pointed to a fractured blue door, bent from the inside out and clearly in need of repair.
“O-kayy. I’m scared now,” Antoni says.
Karamo opens the door, and Jonathan skips ahead, shouting happily, “Honey, I’m home!”
Yang’s head rises from where she is sprawled on the sofa, a magazine in her hand. She gets up with a smile on her face, and the Fab Five are already upon her, their arms wide open.
“You’re here already!”
“So nice to meet you!”
“Oh my god you’re gorgeous!”
“What happened to your door?”
Yang laughs warmly, “You know, Ruby and I are very active, we tend to roughhouse a little bit! The door was in harm’s way.”
“Well, barring the door, this apartment is incredible!” Bobby adds.
“Yeah, technically it’s Weiss’. She doesn’t really like living alone so she asked Ruby and I if we wanted to move in with her.”
“And that was the right move, clearly.”
“I mean, we’ve got enough space for everyone, and I get to live with my favorite people, so all around great stuff.”
“Can I see your space?”
“Yeah sure.” Yang leads him to her bedroom, Tan following along, interested in seeing her closet. The room is very spacious and painted with different shades of yellow.
Bobby gaps. “Where are your furniture? There’s literally just a bed here.”
“Now you’re being unfair. There’s a chair too.”
“Why isn’t there anything here?”
“We moved in less than two months ago, and I haven’t gotten around to buying anything yet.”
“Where are your clothes, though?” Tan laughs.
“Hum, the ones I wear everyday I keep in Ruby’s closet, because it’s way too big for just her clothes. But I also have a bunch in this trunk.” She pulls a huge suitcase from under the bed.
Bobby is still gaping. “Ruby and you moved in at the same time though, right? So you went shopping for Ruby but you didn’t get anything for you.”
“I didn’t really feel like it. I don’t spend a lot of time in this room, so I don’t really need it. And Ruby and I always shared a room, so it seemed like a waste anyway.”
“Okay, that’s not going to work. You need a space to yourself, where you can feel at home and recharge from the world. I’m gonna get you furniture." He looks sternly into her eyes. "Is there anything you miss? Something you had at your dad’s that you don’t have here.”
“I kinda used to play video games to relax. I can’t really do it on my scroll because it’s too small, though.”
“Say no more. I’m onto it.”
“Okay, this fridge is very well stocked. Tell me, what’s the situation here, who cooks?”
“I mostly cook for everyone. I’ve always done it with Ruby, and Weiss is the most spoiled person you will ever meet.”
“What about when you’re alone?”
“Yeah, I don’t really cook then.”
“Why not?”
“You know, it’s just… It’s a hassle to always have to put on my arm when I’m not doing anything. And cooking with one arm is not the most practical.”
At these words, the door open and Ruby and Weiss come in.
“A dog??”
“There’s a DOG?”
“His name is Zwei!”
“This dog is so cute! And so are you two, look at you!” The Fab Five go on and hug the new arrivals.
Tan comes up to Yang and takes her back to her room. “I’ve looked through your clothes, and I must say, I am impressed.”
“So are my clothes!”
“You’ve got impeccable tastes - wait did you just make a pun?"
"Yep!"
"Oh my god, sorry. It took me so long to get it. I was warned about your puns, I should have known," he laughs.
"It's fine, I'm used to it."
"Alright, I’ve seen the photos in Ruby’s room. I love the crop top/jacket combo, let me tell you. You know what your assets are, and you know how to show them off. You tend to go for the warm tones, but you’re not afraid to add some color for a little bit of pop. That’s great! But, we need to talk about this.” He gestures at her current clothes, an oversized hoodie and baggy pants.
“You don’t like it?” Yang laughs.
“I mean it’s nice when you stay inside all day, sure! But you said you only wear whatever’s in Ruby’s closet these days, and this is all there is in Ruby’s closet. That tells me you’re not making any effort on your day to day life to look good! You clearly like shopping, and you have a great sense of style, so why not try and look your best at least sometimes, even if you’re not doing anything in particular?”
“It doesn’t exactly look great now.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I don’t want the sleeve to just. Hang there. I feel like the jackets just highlight the missing arm. And there are a lot of buckles and buttons too.”
“Okay, okay I get it. You don’t feel as fierce as you used to be.”
“I guess, yeah.”
“Well, I think that you missing an arm - and the incredible story behind it, oh my god - I think it makes you the fiercest woman I’ve ever seen. A gorgeous, fierce, strong and incredible woman. And yes, with a little bit of vulnerability too, but that just makes you so much stronger. I’m gonna find a way to reconcile those parts of you, don’t worry. I’ve got it.”
Jonathan comes into the room, carrying a pile of products and creams in his arms. “Okay Yang, you’re gonna have to tell me what products you use because there are a lot in this bathroom. And they’re good products too! You’ve got so many conditioners to choose from I feel like I’m in Heaven with our lord and Savior and she’s telling me what a great job I did during my lifetime.”
“Weiss and I tend to go overboard, half of it is hers, the rest is mine. Ruby just takes whatever.”
“I see, I see, so how does that work, you wake up in the morning and what?”
“Well, I try and do everything, but it can be a handful when I’ve just woken up,” she gives him a winning smile, but he just hums and nods his head. “Because of the arm, you know.”
“Of course, right! So it’s physically tiring, and it what, takes too long? So you just skip it. Right?” At her nod, he continues. “What’s the hardest to use? Or the easiest, we gotta stay positive. What is the one thing that doesn’t annoy you or tire you out in the morning?”
“I mean I don’t screw the toothpaste completely back on, so there’s that.”
“Mhmh, alright, awesome.”
“And the cream things are fine. It’s the tubes that pose a problem.”
“Okay so no tubes, tubes are bad, they’re all going to the trash, got it. What about your hair? Your hair is gorgeous, I’m jealous.”
“It’s harder to wash with one hand, so I do it less than I used to, like twice a week, sometimes one.”
“That’s fine with hair like yours. Do you want them shorter? Like, would that help?”
“It would, but I’m sort of attached to them.”
“Okay, I get it, no problem. We’ll let you be as gorgeous as you already are, but with an easier routine.”
In the living room, Karamo is sitting down with Weiss and Ruby.
“So, what’s the deal with this party?”
“Well,” Ruby begins. “It’s Blake’s homecoming party. All of our friends are gonna be there, it’s gonna be huge, and it’s all happening here. I’m making cookies, and Yang is probably gonna cook something.”
“Blake left after the… accident,” Weiss grimaces, reluctant to call it such. “She was gone before Yang woke up, said she needed to take care of it. We’ve had very little communication with her since then. She just told us she was safe back home. And then, two weeks ago, we got a message that everything was taken care of, and she would be back, well, at the end of the week.”
“And Yang hasn’t talked to Blake at all?”
Ruby shakes her head, “No. She was angry at her at first, for leaving. But then. I don’t know, she was sad for a long time. She hasn’t really talked about her in a long time, and even when we told her Blake was coming back, she just said ok, and that we needed to buy tuna. She just gets quiet now. ”
“Blake and Yang have something special. They were always drawn to each other. And Blake is the only one who was there when she lost her arm… We’re just not sure what’s going to happen.”
“She might get angry.”
“She might also just sweep everything under the rub and ignore how hurt and uncomfortable she is."
“And you’re afraid this is just going to set her back.”
“Yeah. We just want her to be happy. I think she needs Blake, but most importantly she needs to put herself first.”
__
“Yang is pretty good in the kitchen already, and she likes cooking! She’s just forgotten how fun it can be, even something very easy and practical! So she only ever does it when it’s for other people. Together, she and I are going to see how much joy the simple act of cooking can bring.”
“We’ve had a lot of gorgeous candidates and Yang is definitely one of them. She has this incredible long blond hair, and these amazing purple eyes - purple, whaaat?? Taking care of ourselves can be exhausting, especially when we feel like it doesn’t matter. But it does matter! Making yourself look pretty, and just, spending some time pampering ourselves, it is SO good for your brain. So we’re gonna try and make things a little bit easier for Yang, so that her brain can get all of the happy juice that it deserves.”
“Yang has a massive problem, and it’s that she never ever thinks of herself. She has been living in an empty room for two months. The girl needs a room she can spend time in. She’s been through a lot, she’s getting herself ready to get back out into the world, she’s so strong. She needs somewhere to recharge when the world gets too much for her, somewhere she won’t be bothered!”
“Yang… knows who she is, deep down. She’s not exactly the person she used to be, but she’s still this confident, fierce, independent, caring, beautiful woman. It’s just a question of finding the best way to dress herself to reflect that.”
“Yang has been through tremendous hurdles. Her life has been turned around more than once in her life, and the fact that she’s where she is right now, a loving, independent woman, it just tells you how strong and resilient she is. It’s never easy when our trauma get stirred up, but we can do something to make sure that we’re in the best place possible to face them. Yang has a great support system, and she needs to remember that it’s not just her against the world, that she is loved by so many people who are willing to take the extra mile for her.”
__
Tan
“How long has it been since you went shopping?”
“I don’t know… Before the accident, definitely.”
“Well are you excited?”
“Yes, actually. And anxious, too.”
“Anxious, why?”
“I always feel like people are staring at me, or that I’m taking too long. I’m just so clumsy with this thing.” She raises her right arm, which she’s decided to put this morning.
“You’re not completely comfortable with it, but how do you like it esthetically?”
“What do you mean?”
Tan gently removes her hoodie, and places her in front of the mirror. “Do you like seeing yourself? What do you think you look like?”
“I look… Kind of ridiculous? Definitely asymmetrical.”
“Symmetry is so lame though.” He defends himself when Yang smirks. “I’m not kidding, it is! There’s a much greater beauty in being different, imperfect, and you’ve got it in spade. You look so fierce! And you know I’m gay, so, no hetero, but your breasts are a-mazing.”
“Thank you, Tan.” Yang takes a deep breath. “Okay.”
__
Antoni
“What we want for you, is to see how you can cook for yourself. First things first: you’re used to cooking for three, so you know how to make big meals. Your problem is that your disability makes cooking a hassle, so what you can do is to simply double, even triple the recipe when you do cook those big meals. You can keep a little bit for your lunch the next day, but most importantly you just freeze whatever’s left! That way you have a homemade meal ready to go. It does kill some of the nutrients, so that’s a thing to know, but it’s still so much better than those prepared meals you buy from the store.”
“And Weiss had to get the best and biggest freezer.”
“Right? So, not a problem. Now I have prepared the ingredients for our meal today. It’s super simple, and a classic.”
“Mayo, celery, onion, pickle relish, garlic, aaaand lemon juice?” Antoni gasps presents her with the final ingredient, which he had hidden behind his back.
“... Tuna? A tuna salad?”
“Tu-n’as pas tort!” he winked.
“I have no idea what that meant.”
“You call yourself the pun master, and you don’t even see the beauty of bilingual jokes.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t a very good one.”
“... You’re not wrong.”
Jonathan
“Okay, we’re going to take care of you now. You told me that you were very attached to your hair, mmh?”
“Let’s just say my dad still tells the story of my first haircut. It wasn’t pretty.”
“So your hair is a biiig part of you. No shame, no shame, my hair is like, 45% of me. The rest is my beard.”
"It would be so much easier to just cut them short, but it wouldn’t feel like me.”
“So we just trim them a little bit, and we’re just gonna thin it out a bit, because you’ve got a lot of it, and it’s not practical right now. It won’t feel as daunting when you have to wash them. We’re trying to get from “save China from the Huns” to “get your little sister to eat her vegetables” level of annoyance.”
“I don’t know which would be the hardest, I’ve given up on getting Ruby to eat healthy. Weiss hasn’t though.”
“What’s the deal between these two?”
“Oh, you really don’t want to know.”
“But I really do, I love gossip! Don’t starve me!”
__
Karamo
“So where are you taking me?”
“Well to start us off, we’re just going to meet some awesome people and talk, nothing more. Did you ever see someone?”
“After the amputation? Yeah, I did the meetings when I was at the hospital, and then I kept it up for a couple of months afterwards. It just fizzled out after a while.”
/
“Hey everyone! This is Yang.” Everybody in the room greets her, and Yang, for all of her extroversion, becomes nervous. “All of these lovely people get together when they can to support each other, talk about the problems they face in a world that doesn’t seem to care or understand about their differences, and also maybe how they try to overcome it.”
“Hello Yang, I’m Ivory,” a woman on the far right says. “I’ve been back from overseas for five years now, but I still get nightmares from the war from time to time. Sometimes I just freeze on the spot, because I get a flashback, and no one around me ever knows what to do in these situations. It’s funny, because the hardest part for them is accepting that they can’t always help, and the hardest part for me is accepting that sometimes I do need help. So for example, when I feel bad, I ask my husband to take the kids home. I go see my therapist whenever I feel myself slipping. I try and hang out with my friends when I want to shut myself in. It’s always about reminding myself that there’s a way to enjoy the world without forcing myself to do the things that take a lot out of me. Sometimes it’s inevitable, but most of the time it works.”
Everyone shares their story, and Yang gets more and more anxious as her turn approaches.
“I’m Grey”, the man in the wheelchair raises his hand in greeting. “I was in a bad car accident three years ago. My husband wasn’t so lucky, and he died in the crash. I was numb for so long afterwards. Everybody kept telling that I was going to be fine, that with the wheelchair my life wouldn’t be too impeded. I just wanted to yell at everyone that I didn’t care about my legs, that I just wanted him back. It felt like it was my fault, somehow. Now I know that I am the master of my own happiness.I know we would have been so happy if he had survived, he would have helped me get used to the wheelchair and he would have told off anybody who looked at me weirdly! I know he's proud of me. I miss him, but I know it wasn’t my fault.”
“Hi, I’m Yang,” she said, her throat closing up, her voice stifled. “A year ago, I was supposed to meet with my best friend. She was always sort of secretive, never one to talk about herself, but we’d gotten to be very close. When she didn’t answer the bell and I heard a whimper, I just reacted. I kicked the door down and I saw him hurting her. I went in for the punch, but, well. Next thing I know, I was in the hospital, missing an arm, and Blake was nowhere to be seen. I got back on my feet, recently moved in with my friend and my sister. I want to get back to normal life, even though I know that “normal” isn’t what it used to be. I guess I’m just figuring out what it is.”
/
Yang has tears in her eyes when she and Karamo get back on the street. She decides to take a walk, to get her thoughts back on track.
“What are you thinking of?”
“I feel like I’m always left to pick up the pieces. Alone. It’s stupid. I wasn’t alone. I had my dad, and Ruby, and Weiss. All of our friends were there for me.”
“But they weren’t there when you got hurt.”
“No. They don’t really understand.”
“What would you have wanted then?”
“It’s like, with you five, for example. I know you’re going to leave. You’re going to be this positive influence in my live, and then, you’ll be gone. It’s fine, it’s how it’s supposed to be.”
“But sometimes there are people who you want to stay.”
“Yes. I know what it’s like to be left. My mom left me. Ruby’s mom left, too. Tai was always busy with school, and Ruby couldn’t even talk yet. I had to pick up the pieces. I had to keep things together. Alone.”
“You feel lonely. But you didn’t with Blake.”
“No. It felt like Blake got me. And sometimes it felt like I got her, too. Now I’m not sure. She was this mysterious, scarred, intelligent and beautiful enigma, and she chose to hang out with me, even though I annoyed her sometimes.” Yang stopped talking for a moment. “I’m still not sure what hurts the most.”
“What do you mean?”
“Is it that she left? Or that she hasn’t come back? When it was one and the same it wasn’t as hard to think about.”
“You don’t know how you’re going to react.”
“No. I don’t want to be angry with her, but she left me! I know she was going through something terrible, but she wouldn’t let me be there for her. What if I needed her?”
“You want her back.” she sniffed. “Yang, you want her back.”
“It feels like I need her.”
“You don’t need her. You’ve spent the last year taking care of yourself. We’ve spent the whole week telling you how strong and fierce you were. But don’t let the fear get in the way of your happiness. She’s coming back. Let her.”
“She might not want me.”
“According to Weiss, she really does.” He nudges her shoulder with his, waggling his eyebrows at her. She laughs tearfully.
__
Bobby
“You gave me a video game console?”
“Yes! And a left-handed controller too. You'll probably need to adjust to it, but it's there! The point is you have your own space to relax now.”
“It’s yellow! Thank you, Bobby.” The two hug for a bit.
“Alright, now we want a show. Put on your new clothes!”
“Do you need a hand?” Tan asks.
“Only the right one.” Yang finger-guns in Tan’s direction, who rolls his eyes as the others laugh.
“Should have seen that coming.”
“Now shoo, I need to get dressed.”
“I’m so excited! You did a great job with her hair, Jonathan, by the way, it’s so much more discreet than what we’re used to but it’s so great.”
“It’s just way more manageable now. She just needs to trim and thin out her hair every once in a while, maybe more than she was used to. But then she won’t feel like washing her hair is such a chore. And it can be tough, really, when life gets busy, aarrh, don’t even remind me.”
“Oh, here she is."
Yang steps out of her room, wearing a cream jacket with brown and black accents, a pair of fitted pants, and comfortable running shoes. The Fab Five all start yelling.
“You look SO great!”
“Your figure, woman, your figure!”
“I need a glass of water you’re burning up the whole room!”
“See, see!” Tan yells over everyone. “It’s not as tight as what you used to wear, but not as baggy as what you felt comfortable in at the beginning of the week. There is no buckle, no button, and the zipper is large enough to not be too much of a hindrance. The pants aren’t too tight, but they’re still fitted, so it’s comfy while still highlighting your figure.”
“I definitely can see myself wearing that everyday.”
“And you look GOOD!”
“And I look great!” She pauses, her hand on her hip, highlighting her silhouette.
“Okay, next look!”
Yang comes back with loose pants and a half open yellow blouse with prints. The boys all fan themselves.
“This look is so HOT.”
“Girl don’t go out in that outfit you’ll be worse than honey!”
“Did you have any trouble putting it on?”
“No, no, not at all, it’s very loose, and kind of revealing, but in the best way? I feel like it’ll look even cooler with my prosthetic on, actually.”
“Yes! Get some cold as heck metal on this outfit to get the temperature down a little bit. Oh, who am I kidding, metal is super hot.”
“I feel like… like I’m accepting these parts of me that I didn’t really want to acknowledge before. I’m not the same as I was, but I’m not different either. I feel more vulnerable, but I’m also stronger, and you guys have made me see that. I’m so happy you guys came into my life and helped me deal with this. It was such a tightly knit inextricable knot of issues, and I didn’t know where to start. Turns out, it starts with the little things, taking pleasure in doing simple things, taking care of myself, feeling cool and confident, and simply talking about what I’m going through. I don’t know what I expected, but I’m really thankful to you all.”
“Ooooh, come here.”
“You’re going to get through this.” “We love you.” “Never forget how strong you are.”
____
At the Fab Five Loft
“This was such a great week.”
“I know right? I’m super sad it’s over.”
“Yang is such a sweetheart. I really hope they edit all of her puns together.”
“And now we get to see the partyyyy.”
“I am so curious about Blake. Did you see the pictures?”
“Weiss and Ruby will be there first.”
“What’s the deal between these two? Are they dating?”
“I know right? I couldn’t get the story.”
“Let’s see.”
Bobby turns the TV on. Yang is in her room, looking at her prosthetic.
“Is she gonna put it on, or is she going without?”
“That’s a strong statement right there,” Karamo says. “Whatever she does, it’s a reminder of what happened. The prosthetic means that time has passed, that things have changed and she’s weathered every storm that came her way. Going without shows her resilience, how much strength it took to get where she is now, and how she never ever gave up.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
“No, it’s not!”
“She’s putting it on!”
“YAAAS QUEEN. Put. On. Your. Arm. And get your girl!”
“Okay, now she’s going to the kitchen. Tuna salad, right. I really wanted her to do something simple that people would like. She’s supposed to have fun too. And Blake loves tuna.”
“Weiss and Ruby are here. Oh, they’re so excited!”
“Yang, you look amazing! But you need to go now, come on, you’re going to be late!” Ruby exclaims.
“Late? Late for what?”
“What are they doing? What’s going on?”
“The taxi’s waiting downstairs, you look great. Here, put on this coat. You’re going to get Blake at the airport,” Weiss commands.
“But the food…”
“Will be there when you get back. Shoo now.”
Yang, confused, does as she is told.
“Oh, oof, the camera is following her! I was afraid for a second.”
“She’s going to get Blake? Alone?”
“Did Weiss and Ruby arrange that? This is such a fantastic idea. So romantic!”
“She’s so nervous. She’s trembling!”
“Don’t get a panic attack, baby girl!”
__
At the airport
Yang is walking quickly through the airport. Arrivals from Kuo Kana. Right there. The plane has already landed, but no one has come out yet. Does Blake need to wait for her luggage? Yang doesn’t even know how long she’s staying! No, that's not true, she knows Blake is staying a while. Weiss said so. She goes over the breathing techniques her therapist taught her, closing her eyes while she calms down.
“Y-Yang?”
Yang opens her eyes in a flash. In front of her, carrying black and purple luggage, stands Blake. She’s in loose sweatpants and a band T-shirt, her hair let down, her eyes wide open. She’s breathtaking. Yang remembers all of her strife, all of her doubts, and she lets them go. She came back. Time to see where this goes.
“Hey Blake.”
“You look amazing.”
“Ahah, thanks. I had help. So do you. Look amazing.” She clears her throat. “I uh. I came to take you home,” she offers a lopsided grin, and after a thought, offers her hand to lead Blake out of the airport. Blake stares at it.
“How-” She lets go of her luggage and takes Yang’s prosthetic hand with both of hers. ”How are you doing?”
“I’m fine, all things considered. You? Did you- Did you do what you wanted to?”
“I did. It’s all gone now.” She inhales violently, almost like a sob. Her head is down. “I’m so sorry Yang. I missed you so much.”
Yang reacts instantly. She tightens her grip on Blake’s hands, and puts her left hand on Blake’s shoulder, caressing it with her thumb.
“Nononono, it’s fine. I know.”
Gently lifting Blake’s head with her hands, Yang stares into her eyes, slowly lowering her forehead to hers.
“I missed you too.”