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“Blake! Catch!”
She hears moments before seeing Ruby throw the Relic of Knowledge her way. She catches the lamp a bit clumsily but she keeps hold of it. They had been ambushed by a few of Salem’s underlings in a desperate attempt to obtain the Relic and things weren’t looking great. Team RWBY had split off from Team JNR+Oscar while Qrow scouted ahead, meaning they barely had an advantage numbers wise.
Both Ruby and Weiss were battling Hazel while Yang was taking on Emerald. When out of the corner of her eye, Ruby notices Mercury pull away from fighting Blake and coming towards them instead. Likely in an attempt to grab the Relic while Hazel has them distracted.
Ruby is just barely able to toss the lamp to a now unmatched Blake before taking a hard hit from Hazel. With all of their auras depleting quickly, the young team leader knew there was only one sure fire way to make sure Salem couldn’t use the relics power. “Blake, hurry, ask Jinn a question!”
Weiss looks over at her partner as if she’s gone insane. “What?! Are you crazy?”
Ruby ignores her, focusing solely on avoiding more of Hazels attacks and addressing Blake. “Just do it! It’s the only way to make sure Salem can’t use the relic, there’s only one question left.” Ruby can sense Blake’s hesitation. “I’m serious! Do it now!
“But I- I don’t- what should I ask?” Blake stammers.
Yang punches Emerald hard in the stomach, knocking her back a few feet and giving her the chance to briefly look over at Blake. “Ruby’s right. Do it, Blake. Whatever you think of, it doesn’t matter! Just use up the last question.” At that moment Emerald recovers and begins firing at Yang, whose mechanical arm takes the brunt of the attack but Blake can tell her fierce partner is losing energy.
“Noo! Yang!” Blake looks around desperately at her teammates fighting as hard at they can, unable to get the upper hand. She sees Mercury change direction and begin advancing on her instead. Just before he can reach her she yells out “JINN!” and time stops around her. Everyone is frozen where they stand, including the rest of Team RWBY.
The beautiful blue skinned woman appears in front of her, “What question can I answer for you, Blake Belladonna?”
Blake panics and, remembering what Yang said to her, asks the very first thing that comes to mind. The one question she has desperately been wanting the answer to but has been too afraid to ask the one specific person directly.
“Does Yang feel the same way about me as I do about her?”
Jinn looks at her knowingly. “Ah, young love. Why don’t you see for yourself, dear.”
The scene around Blake gets covered in blue fog and when it dissipates she is standing outside Beacon Academy.
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Blake appears right next to Yang and Ruby as they walk around outside Beacon. They both look so much younger somehow. Their time at Beacon wasn’t that long ago but it feels like a lifetime and all of them have grown so much both physically and emotionally since then. It’s not until Blake overhears the conversation between the two sisters that she understands when exactly this happened, not long after they all arrived at Beacon and became Team RWBY.
“Damn little sis I had no idea you were so badass! What were they teaching you over a Signal? Because damn, that was awesome! You took on that Nevermore as if it was nothing.” Yang wraps her arms around Ruby who blushes a bit over her sister’s praise.
“It wasn’t just me, you know. We all made a pretty great team. I definitely couldn’t have done it on my own.”
Yang gives Ruby a wide smile. “You’re totally right, Rubes, as usual. We’re all badasses. We should tell Professor Ozpin to make it harder next time cause that was way too easy. Bring it on, Grimm!” She yells out to the sky and Ruby laughs at Yang’s ridiculous overconfidence. “And did you see Blake? Man, that girl has got some serious fighting skills.”
“Her weapon is really cool.” Ruby agrees.
“Totally! But not just the weapon, it’s the way she uses it. It’s incredible! I just know that her and I going to come up with some sweet combo moves. I’d say between the two of us, I definitely lucked out in the partner department, little sis. You get stuck with the ice queen while I get this gorgeous, well-read, kick ass fighter. Watch out Grimm cause Xiao-Long and Belladonna are coming for you!”
“Hey! Weiss isn’t that bad and she…” But Ruby’s voice fades out as the fog descends on Blake.
Blake can barely believe what she just witnessed. This isn’t like the last time Jinn appeared. For one, she's alone. Before everyone was there but for some reason this time only Blake was left unfrozen in order to interact with Jinn. Also, the last time felt like Jinn was simply telling them a story from so long ago it almost seemed like a fairytale. But this feels so much more real and so much more strange seeing her own friends as younger versions of themselves. And all the things Yang was saying about her. There’s no way that actually happened. They barely knew each other and Yang somehow already thought so highly of her.
She calls out. “What is this, Jinn? Where are my friends?” Blake can’t see the woman but knows she’s around. “Did...did that really happen?”
Jinn doesn't reveal herself but her voice still rings out, “You're friends are not a part of this, for this question is only meant for you. And of course it was real. I cannot lie to you, nor show you events that never occurred. I can only let the memories of Yang Xiao-Long show you the answer to your question.”
So this is happening then. Jinn is about to show Blake exactly how Yang feels about her and now she isn't even sure if she is actually ready for that.
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Blake doesn’t get a chance to question Jinn further before a new scene takes shape around her. This time she’s in their old Beacon dorm room and Weiss and Yang are fighting. Not just their usual joking around bickering, actual screaming fighting… and it’s about her. Well, it’s about past her, technically. Blake soon realizes this must be what happened after she ran from the room after accidently revealing she was once a member of the White Fang and thus a Faunus.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Weiss?” Yang yells.
Weiss crosses her arms indignantly. “Me? What’s wrong with me? Blake is the one who has been lying to us this whole time! She’s a Faunus and a member of the White Fang, she said it herself. There is something wrong with her, not me.”
“Just because Blake is a Faunus doesn’t mean there is something wrong with her. Maybe before you start casting judgment we should get the full story. And just maybe she lied to us for this exact reason! Because she was afraid we’d freak out like you just did.”
“Yang does have a point -”, Ruby tries to get a word in but Weiss just yells over her.
“I have every right to be freaked out. Who knows what kind of information she has collected on all of us in the time we’ve spent together. Information that she can take straight to White Fang in order to hurt us, to hurt my family!
“You cannot be serious? Blake wouldn’t do that!” Blake sees Yang’s eyes flash red for a moment before returning to their usual violet. It happened so quickly she doesn’t think Ruby or Weiss even noticed.
Ruby again attempts to mediate between her sister and her partner. “Guys c’mon, this isn’t helping. We should try and go find Blake to let her explain.” But it’s pointless. Both Weiss and Yang are too angry and too wrapped up in their argument to even acknowledge her.
Weiss just continues to shout, “We don’t know that! We don’t actually know anything about her. Who knows what she is capable of? We can’t trust her!”
Blake hopes this memory will be over soon. Even though she knows Weiss doesn’t feel the same way now it still hurts to hear the things she said in the past. She’s not even sure why Jinn is showing her this particular memory. Blake of course appreciates seeing Yang defend her but so is Ruby. They were both trying to be supportive teammates.
That’s when Yang interrupts her thoughts with what Blake assumes is the precise reason why Jinn is showing her this memory.
“Well, I trust her! I know Blake and I know she would never do anything to hurt any of us. Whether she was or was not part of the White Fang doesn’t matter to me because I know the person she is now. She is our teammate. She is my partner. And more importantly, my friend! So, you rant and be pissed all you want but I’m going out there to find her and make sure she knows that!” With that Yang storms out of the room.
Blake desperately wishes Yang had found her that night and told her those things. It would have been exactly what she needed to hear. But Sun found her first. And by the time her team had caught up with her, all was well. Even Weiss had accepted her. Blake can’t help but wonder why Yang never told her about this fight?
Her thoughts are cut short as the blue fog takes over again and Blake’s surroundings change once more.
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This next memory is easy to place. It's the school dance during their second semester at Beacon. Currently, Blake finds herself right next to Yang, who is standing by herself and away from the dancing crowd in the center of the room. Then Blake notices Yang staring off toward the dance floor. She follows the blonde’s gaze and finds that she is watching her past self dancing with Sun. This is the first memory Jinn has shown her that she has actually been in and it is especially strange seeing her younger self from someone else’s perspective.
Even stranger is how Yang is acting. She almost looks sad, which doesn’t make any sense to Blake. The way she remembers this night is how much fun they had. Dancing together, laughing, and just being carefree teenagers for even just one night. It’s one of her favorite memories of being at Beacon and she couldn’t be more thankful for Yang making the effort to convince her to come. It was also during that conversation Blake began to realize her feelings for Yang went deeper than just being friends and partners.
So, why doesn’t she remember Yang disappearing from the crowd to sulk that night? And more importantly, why didn’t her past self notice? Was she that distracted by Sun?
Before Blake can wonder further about her partners odd mood, Weiss walks up to Yang.
“You don’t seem like you’re having much fun anymore. What’s up with you? I saw you dancing with Blake earlier and it seemed like you guys were having a great time.”
Past-Blake may not have noticed Yang’s change in attitude but at least Past-Weiss did.
“I’m fine.” Yang replies shortly. Except her tone doesn’t match her words, which Weiss also notices. She just gives Yang a look like ‘I don’t believe you’. “Really, I’m fine. I’m having a fantastic time because we did such a kickass job of organizing this dance.” She puts on a big, almost fake, smile and gives Weiss a wink.
“Right, sure…” Weiss still doesn’t believe her, especially when she sees Yang’s gaze drift off somewhere else and the forlorn look briefly comes across the blondes face again. She follows Yang’s eye line and knows exactly what she can’t stop staring at.
“So, the bad mood you’re attempting to deny has nothing to do with the fact that Blake came to the dance with Sun?”
Yang looks at Weiss as if a Grimm just flew out of her mouth.
“What? What are you talking about? I do not care who Blake came to the dance with. I just wanted her to come and have a good time and if that includes having Sun as her date, then good for her.” But again Yang’s forceful tone doesn’t at all match what she is saying.
Weiss has known Yang long enough now to be able to tell when she is lying and Yang has also never been a particularly good liar.
“You know, you could have asked Blake to the dance.”
“Um I believe I did ask her to the dance. I told you and Ruby I would get her to come and I did. Mission accomplished.”
Weiss rolls her eyes. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
Yang gives a deep defeated sigh. Clearly she isn’t fooling Weiss, so why keep trying. Especially since she knows that other girl likely won’t leave her alone until she admits the truth.
“Look Weiss. I know you’re just trying to help. But just drop it, okay. Blake and I had our one dance and it was fun while it lasted but obviously that’s all it was for her. Blake made her choice and I’m just going to have to live with that.”
Weiss gives Yang a sympathetic look. “Well, maybe that’s because she didn’t realize she had another choice.” Yang just shrugs dejectedly. “Did you actually ask her to the dance, Yang? Or did you just convince her to come?”
She’s quiet for a moment and won’t look directly at Weiss before muttering, “I told her if she decided to come, I would save her a dance.”
“Oh Yang… ” Weiss attempts to put a comforting hand on her teammates shoulder but Yang shrugs it off and takes a step away from her.
“Just stop Weiss, please. It doesn’t matter now anyway. Blake is clearly having a great time with Sun.” She spits Sun’s name like it offends her. “And as much as it sucks, I really do just want Blake to be happy and right now she is the happiest I have ever seen her in a while. And that’s all there is to it.”
Yang walks off before Weiss can say anything else. The last thing Blake sees before the blue fog consumes her is Yang walking over to a random student and pulling them onto the dance floor.
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The more memories Blake is shown the more confused gets. How did she not already know any of this? Was Yang really that jealous of Sun? He’s Sun. He was a great guy but no one could compare to Yang in her eyes and she stupidly thought Yang knew that.
The fog clears and this time Yang is alone in what looks like the connecting bathroom of their dorm room. Blake appears behind her as Yang is standing in front of the mirror and is very strangely talking to herself.
“Sup Blake – no that sounds stupid.”
“Yo Blake, how’s it hanging? Nope. Even more stupid.”
“Hey Blake. You enjoying the Vytal Festival?”
“No. That’s too lame!”
“UGH!” Yang rubs her hands over her face and runs her fingers through her hair in frustration. “Why is this so damn difficult?!”
“Get yourself together, Yang. This is your best friend, you don’t need to make it so weird.”
This is definitely the most confused Blake has been during a memory, so far. She figures Yang must be talking about her but why does Yang feel the need to practice what she is going to say in the mirror? If she is talking about the Vytal Festival then they must be well into their second semester and have been partners for months. So, what the hell is she doing?
Yang takes a deep breath. “Okay. Just be yourself. Just be your usual witty, bad ass, confident self and that’s it.”
From Blake’s perspective, Yang is looking anything but confident at the moment and it was actually very endearing to watch her try.
“So, Blake… see how easily I won the tournament for Team RWBY? Like what you see?” She winks in the mirror but then shakes her head.
“No no. Too cocky. Blake will just think I’m messing with her and I need her to take me seriously.”
She takes another deep breath. “Hey Blake. Got any plans after the Finals? I hear there’s this great sushi place in Downtown Vale.” Yang rolls her eyes. “No! That’s too causal! She might just think I’m asking her to hang out like we’re just normal best friends.”
She sets both hands on the counter and leans in closer to the mirror with a serious look on her face. “You can do this. You are Yang Xiao-Long. You can take on multiple Grimm and not even bat an eye.”
Blake is actually finding this very assuming. Watching her fearless partner give herself a pep talk in the bathroom mirror is definitely not something Blake thought she’d ever see. However, her amusement is quickly halted by what Yang says next.
“This shouldn’t be so hard! I just need to figure out the perfect way to ask Blake on a very non-platonic romantic date.”
Blake audibly gasps and for a second she impossibly thinks Yang might have actually heard her because the blonde whips her head around and stares right at her.
Or more accurately right through her since, at the same time Blake gasped, Past-Ruby had called out to her sister from the other side of the door.
“Yang, c’mon, hurry up! We’re gonna miss the first round of the Finals if we don’t leave now!”
“Coming!” Yang yells over her shoulder before looking back at herself in the mirror.
“You got this Xiao-Long. You’ve been getting up the courage to ask her for months and now’s the time to finally do it. You’re going win this tournament with ease and then you’re finally going ask the girl of your dreams out on a date.”
Yang ridiculously fist bumps herself in the mirror and walks out of the bathroom to join her sister. The ambitious blonde having no idea that she isn’t ever going to get the chance to win the tournament nor ask her partner on that date.
Devastated, Blake’s knees give out on her and she drops to the ground. Yang was going to ask her on a date. Her. They had been so close to actually getting a chance to explore their feelings for each other but instead it all turned into chaos. That night Adam and the White Fang had taken so much more than just Yang’s arm. They had stolen their chance to finally be together.
Frustratingly, Blake doesn’t get any more time to process because the fog is already billowing in a new memory.
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“Seriously?! Can’t I at least get one damn minute to sort all this out before you throw me into the next memory!” Blake yells out in anger. She doesn’t get any response from Jinn, not that she really expected one.
Blake slowly gets up off her knees and takes in the environment around her. For the first time, Blake has no idea where she is. She’s standing in the middle of a forest, the sun is high in the sky and nearby is a single modest sized home. But what really catches her attention is Yang angrily wailing on a punching bag that is hanging from a thick tree branch a few feet away from the house.
Considering Yang now has her mechanical arm, this must be after the Fall of Beacon and based on the unfamiliar surroundings Blake assumes this is most likely Yang’s childhood home in Patch.
For a few more seconds all that occurs is the continuous ‘thwack’ sounds as each of Yang’s punches hit the bag. Then Blake hears footsteps behind her and turns to see Taiyang walking towards his daughter. Blake instinctively steps aside, moving out of his path before realizing it was pointless since she isn’t technically here.
“Hey, kiddo. You’re punching that thing like it’s done something to offend you. Everything alright?” He goes to stand behind the bag to keep it steady for her.
Yang rolls her eyes. “I’m fine. Just still trying to get used to the new arm is all.”
“You sure that’s all?” Tai clearly doesn’t buy it.
“Yes. Now can you please leave me alone to continue training?” Yang doesn’t stop punching the bag over and over again.
“You know, Yang, sometimes beating the crap out of things doesn’t actually help. You can talk to me.” She keeps punching without responding. But Tai stares her down in a way only a father can. Looking at her as if to say ‘I’m not going anywhere until you talk to me’.
“Ugh. You want to talk? Fine.” She finally drops her arms and Tai steps out from behind the bag. “I’m pissed actually! I lost everything all at once! So I came out here to blow off some steam. Happy now? Can you just let me be?”
She gets back in position to continue pounding on the punching bag.
Taiyang still isn’t convinced at all. “You’ve been out here a while. So to me it doesn’t seem like it’s working. Just actually talk to me, please.” No response, just more punching. He lets Yang go on a bit longer before asking the question that briefly halters Yang’s relentless punching. “Is this about your partner, Blake?”
Yang recovers from her momentary pause and her next hit is significantly harder than the last. “I don’t have partner anymore.”
Ouch. Blake obviously knew Yang was angry with her for leaving and honestly she deserved it. But hearing it out loud felt like Yang was punching her instead of the bag.
Tai sighs sympathetically. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
Yang gives out an annoyed huff. “She just left.” Punch. “No goodbye.” Punch. Punch. “No note.” Harder punch. “I woke up in the hospital missing an arm and she was just gone!” Every single blow keeps getting progressively more intense. Tai just watches, knowing Yang needs to let this out.
“You know, the last time I saw her she had been stabbed in the stomach. So, when I woke up and she wasn’t there I thought she was dead.” Her fists continue to connect with the bag forcefully.
“But she wasn’t. She was perfectly fine.” Punch.
“She.” Punch.
“Just.” Punch.
“Fucking.” Punch.
“Left.”
On the last blow Yang eyes flash red and she hits the bag so hard it rips off of the tree branch entirely and slams onto the ground with a loud heavy thud. Yang just stands there breathing heavily and staring at the place where the bag landed.
Taiyang looks at his anguished daughter with complete understanding. “You really care about her.”
Both Blake and Yang share the same confused expression. How did Taiyang come to that conclusion after everything Yang just said? From Blake’s perspective Yang sounded as if she hated her. But this is her dad after all and Yang always talked about how close they are. He obviously must have been able to infer something that Blake didn’t.
Yang is definitely caught off guard by her dad’s response but she finally looks up at him and sighs in defeat, knowing her dad can see right through her defenses.
“Yeah, I do.” She rolls her eyes and huffs in annoyance. “Damn it. How do you do that?”
Tai stands in front of Yang ands puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Cause I’m your dad, kiddo. I know you. And if there is anyone who understands the pain of a teammate leaving, it’s me. Especially when that person is so much more than just your teammate.”
Blake didn’t even think that. Of course Taiyang would have some idea on what his daughter is going through after Raven did something so similar to him. Both Blake and Raven just up and left Yang without a word and that realization wrecks Blake. Now more than ever, Blake knows she’ll always keep her promise and never put Yang through that again.
“Right…” Yang’s face has a look of guilt at not considering her dad might have some insight on how she is feeling. “Honestly, I don’t even know how to talk about it because half the time I don’t even know what I’m feeling. I mean, I’m angry obviously. How could I not be? Everything went to shit and Bla– she just bailed.”
Yang tries to cover it up but Blake notices. She notices how Yang didn’t even have it in her to say Blake’s name out loud. Another stab to Blake’s heart. She hates this memory.
But then the anger Blake saw in Yang’s eyes melts away and is instead replaced with what Blake can only guess is immeasurable sadness.
“And it is so frustrating because I’m pissed. I’m so incredibly pissed at her but then at the same time, I…I miss her. A lot. And I worry about her. About where she is, what she’s doing…” she pauses briefly, “if she misses me too. And I hate it because I just want to hate her and I can’t.”
All of the emotions Yang was trying to hold in coming rushing out and she finally breaks down. Tai wraps her in a hug and holds her close.
Blake can’t bare to watch anymore and turns her back to them. This was something so personal between Yang and her dad and she was never meant to be here.
This entire experience Blake was already feeling awkward being shown these glimpses of private conversations Yang was having. But this memory in particular makes Blake the most uncomfortable. This one feels so much more intrusive then all the others. She has never seen Yang so vulnerable and it feels as if she is betraying Yang’s trust by having witnessed it.
Blake decides she’s seen enough. Her question has mostly been answered at this point anyway. Plus she thinks she has a pretty good idea of how Yang feels about her. So what if Jinn has more to show her, she doesn’t want to see it.
“I’m done, Jinn! I don’t want too see anymore! I shouldn’t be here, it’s not fair to Yang.” She calls out but gets no response. “Jinn! I know you can hear me! I said I’m done!” Blake yells forcefully.
Jinn unsurprisingly doesn’t appear but her voice still sounds out. “I’m sorry, dear, but we’re not done until your question is fully answered. But be calm, there is only more left you need to see.”
With that, she is transported to the next memory, thankfully for the last time.
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Even as the fog dissipates, it takes a moment for Blake to recognize her surroundings due to the low light. It’s the middle of the night whenever this memory is taking place. The only light comes from the moon shining in through the windows. But once her eyes adjust she realizes she’s in the living room of Saphron and Terra. They weren’t in Argus for long, so Blake figures this is most likely the night before they attempted to steal an airship and also before her final fight with Adam.
Jaune’s sister wasn’t exactly expecting nine extra people in her home, so Yang and Blake had volunteered to sleep on the floor while Ruby and Weiss took the couches.
Her past self is fast asleep and Blake can’t help but feel a little jealous of her. This version of her has no idea what is come, the battle that she is about to face. Blake remembers that even though she was sleeping on the hardwood floor, she had never been more comfortable finally being surrounded by her team again.
However, it would seem not everyone is sleeping as peacefully as she did that night. Yang tosses and turns onto her back before just giving up on sleep altogether. Her eyes open and she stares up at the ceiling for a few minutes. She then turns onto her side towards Blake, who is also sleeping on her side, so that they’re now facing each other.
For a few seconds Yang just watches Blake sleep before releasing a deep sigh. She then very slowly lifts her hand and brushes a stray strand of Blake’s hair behind her human ear. She does it so reverently, taking as much care possible to not wake her partner.
Yang looks so lost in thought Blake wonders what she could possibly be thinking about. She anxiously awaits whatever Yang is about to do next because whatever it is, it must be significant. Significant enough that Jinn believes this is the last memory Blake needs to see for her question to finally be answered.
She watches intently as Yang looks as if she is about to lift her arm and put it around her past self’s waist. Instead, she hesitates and thinks better of it, putting her arm back at her side. Blake is almost disappointed Yang changed her mind. She wishes she could have woken up that morning wrapped in Yang’s arms.
Another heavy sigh escapes from the blondes mouth as if mentally preparing herself for something.
“I love you, Blake.” She whispers quietly. “I wish I was brave enough to say it to you in the morning but I’m so scared you’re not ready to hear it.” She closes her eyes for a moment then looks back at Blake’s sleeping face before turning back onto her opposite side and attempts to fall asleep.
Tears come to Blake’s eyes as she takes in what Yang just said to her sleeping past self. She almost can’t believe what she just heard, can’t believe that this actually happened all while she was fast asleep.
This is the exact answer she was looking for. Blake should be ecstatic to finally know once and for all how Yang truly feels about her. But she isn’t and she desperately wishes it felt as good as she thought it would. Instead it now feels tainted and stolen. This isn’t how Blake should have found out and in a few moments this is all going to be over.
After every personal moment she’s seen, how is she supposed to face Yang? How is she supposed to admit to her everything that just happened and expect Yang to understand?
Then more of that damn blue fog surrounds her and Blake is finally finally back in present time.
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Blake gets zero time to reflect on anything because once time resumes Mercury is still charging at her. He is milliseconds away from roundhouse kicking her when Nora comes out of nowhere. She smashes into Mercury with her hammer, sending him flying backwards. The rest of Team JNR, Oscar and Qrow appear as well to join in on the fight.
Except Blake barely registers the battle commencing around her. She is frozen where she stands; attempting to mentally put herself back together after the whiplash of emotions she just experienced. She vaguely registers Hazel, Emerald and Mercury all beginning to retreat. They were now greatly out numbered and the item they came for can no longer be used. As they flee, Qrow turns into a bird in order to follow them while everyone else stays behind to catch their breath.
Yang looks around at everyone to take stock of any injuries when she notices how quiet and detached Blake looks. As if she is in her own world. Yang goes to take a few steps toward her partner and calls out to her. “Blake, are you alright? What did Jinn show you?”
For Yang no time passed at all but she heard Blake call out Jinns name and the now far-off look Blake has must mean she asked a question. And whatever the answer was, it has seriously affected her partner.
It’s the sound of Yang’s voice that sends a shock through Blake’s system, reminding her of where she is and what just happened. She immediately drops the lamp onto the ground as if it burned her and locks eyes with Yang. But the second she does, it all becomes too overwhelming. So instead of responding to her, Blake turns and runs. Just like she always does. Only this time she will be back. She made a promise to Yang that she intends to keep but for right now she needs to get far away.
There isn’t any specific direction or place Blake is heading. She just knows she needs to get away from everyone. She knows they are going to have so many questions and want answers to her strange behavior but Blake has barely had enough time to work through it all herself. She isn’t ready to face the others, especially Yang.
She keeps running for a while before stopping to catch her breath and sits down on the ground. She has no idea where she is but doesn’t really care. She’ll find her way back to her team eventually but for right now she just sits and reflects upon all of the different emotions swirling inside her.
Blake has no idea how much time passes. Minutes, hours, she can’t be sure. She just witnessed so much is so little time she gets lost in her own head trying to make sense of it all. Yang loves her. Yang is in love with her. It’s everything Blake wanted and yet now she wishes she could take it all back. None of those moments was Blake meant to experience. Except she did and now she has no idea what to do. She can’t lie to Yang, she would never. But at the same time, will Yang think she betrayed her trust by invading her memories like she did, even if it was unintentional? But then again Blake did ask the question. She could have asked Jinn literally anything and that is what she chose.
As much as she tries, she can’t stop the tears from flowing. Yang may have been in love with her before but after Blake tells her what happened she’d likely not even be able to look at her. Not that Blake would blame her.
At some point Blake’s heighten sense of hearing picks up a noise coming from not too far off. At first, it only sounds like footsteps but then she hears a voice.
“Blake? Blake!” Yang yells out.
Blake can hear how anxious Yang’s voice sounds and can’t stand letting her partner worry any longer. She has been hiding for long enough and it’s time for her to face it. As soon as it sounds like Yang is relatively close, Blake calls out.
“Over here.” She whimpers.
It was barely loud enough but Yang hears it and as soon as she does she sprints over to where the voice was coming from. When Blake comes into view it breaks Yang’s heart at how fragile and upset she looks huddled up on the ground. Her golden eyes are rimmed in red as if she has been crying the entire time she’s been gone.
Yang approaches Blake slowly, afraid her partner might bolt again at any second but instead Blake doesn’t move at all. She won’t even look at her. When Yang gets close enough she crouches down to Blake’s level and immediately pulls her into her arms. As soon as she does, her Blake’s soft cries turn into full on sobs. Yang can practically feel the sorrow coming off her and hates seeing Blake like this. Obviously, whatever Jinn said to her must have been extreme in order to cause this kind or reaction from Blake, who is normally so stoic and levelheaded.
Then Yang realizes that through Blake’s sobbing she keeps mumbling something.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I’m sorry.” Over and over again.
Yang’s concern for Blake skyrockets. What the hell did Jinn tell her? She doesn’t care that Jinn is an all powerful being she will kick her ass for putting Blake in this state.
She pulls back from Blake slightly and puts both hands on her shoulders. She tries to make eye contact with her but her head is down.
“Hey, Blake. Look at me, please.” She doesn’t respond. So Yang puts two fingers under her chin and delicately lifts Blake’s head so that she finally meets her eyes. “Sorry for what? What happened? What did you ask Jinn?”
She can barely get the words out between sobs. “I…I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know.”
“Didn’t know what, Blake?” Yang asks frantically.
“I didn’t know she would show me all of that. I thought it was an easy question. A yes or no answer. And instead she showed me so much and I’m so sorry. I wish I had never asked Jinn at all. I just wanted to know so bad and I was too scared to ask you. But everything she showed me…it wasn’t fair to you. I’m so sorry. Please. You have to understand, I never would have asked if I had known. It was stupid. I was stupid. I could have asked anything but I panicked and I’m so so sorry.” Blake is struggling to let it all out at once and explain everything but between her constant cries and babbling she knows she isn’t making any sense.
Yang’s confusion is written on her face. “Blake, you’re scaring me. Slow down. I don’t understand. What did you ask her? What did she tell you? What did it have to do with me?”
Blake has faced terrifying countless Grimm, Roman Torchwick, multiple members of the White Fang, even her psycho of an ex-boyfriend but this is the most scared she has ever been. Because this is it. She has to tell Yang what she did. And once she admits this, there is no going back. Whatever happens next, good or bad, is going to change everything between them.
Blake swallows her tears and takes a deep breath to steady herself. “I…I…” Another deep breath. “I asked her how you felt about me?”
Blake watches as the confused look on Yang’s face turns into complete shock.
“Oh…” is the only response Yang seems able to give, too stunned to be able to say anything else.
“And…and instead of just telling me the answer, she…she showed me some of your memories.” Blake finally admits.
The confession knocks Yang out of her stocked stupor. “What?! My memories? Which ones?” But Blake is silent and won’t look her in the eyes again. “Which ones, Blake?!” Yang’s voice rises slightly in desperation.
And so, Blake ashamedly recounts all the memories Jinn showed her. She tells Yang every detail because she deserves to know everything Blake saw. Then when she’s done, she apologizes over and over again.
“Stop.”
Yang finally speaks up, disrupting her partner’s constant string of ‘I’m sorrys’. Blake immediately quiets and looks at Yang nervously. She is prepared for Yang to start yelling, to get angry, for her eyes to change red and to say how she can never trust her again. But Yang doesn’t do or say anything like that. Instead she looks into Blake’s eyes thoughtfully.
“Stop apologizing. You already said didn’t know that was how Jinn would give you your answer.”
“I didn’t, I swear.” Blake replies quickly.
Yang gives her a reassuring smile. “I believe you. I know you wouldn’t willingly do something like that. But Blake I need you to tell me something.” The look of understanding and sympathy Yang is giving her right now is almost too much for Blake to handle.
“Of course. Whatever you want to know.”
Yang looks at her seriously. “What was your exact question for Jinn?” Blake is caught off guard by her odd question and it must show on her face because Yang clarifies. “You said you thought Jinn would answer you with a ‘yes or no’. But asking her how I feel about you isn’t exactly a ‘yes or no’ question. So, what exactly did you ask her?”
Oh… right. Blake did intentionally change the wording of her question a bit when she confessed it to Yang before. She was terrified of revealing her feelings towards Yang only for her to reject Blake out of anger. But of course Yang would catch on to such a small detail and want an explanation for it. Blake has no choice but to tell her now though.
So she looks into Yang’s striking lilac eyes and admits the full truth of her question for Jinn. “I asked her ‘does Yang feel the same way about me as I do about her?’”
Yang simply nods her head, almost as if she was expecting that’s what Blake was going to say. “And Jinns answer to that question was all those memories she showed you?”
“Yes.” Blake answers. She is completely thrown off and very confused by how calm Yang is, as if that version of the question was no different than the last. She also has no idea where Yang is going with these questions for her.
“Okay. Then I have one more question for you.” Yang stops and there’s a charged pause. “Do you feel the same way about me as I do about you?”
Blake looks at her in surprise and smiles widely. “I hope you know what if I could, I would show you all of my memories to give you your answer. But since I can’t… yes, Yang, I very much feel the same way about you.” She can’t help but bring her hands up and wrap them into Yang’s gorgeous blonde hair at the base of her neck.
Yang’s smile in return is blinding. “Will you say it? Please. I just…I need to hear you say it.” She asks her pleadingly.
This is everything Blake ever wanted but thought she would never have.
“I love you, Yang.”
This time it’s Yang who starts softly crying. “I love you too.”
She pulls Blake in close and does the one thing she has desperately wanted to do for so long. She kisses her. And Blake responds eagerly. The build up to this moment has been such a long journey and now that the two of them have finally have each other, they’re never letting go.