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Chapter 1 - An apple for your thoughts
Blake was in a good mood.
She was finally done with all the tiring promotion stuff for her newest book, which was already shaping up to be one of her most successful works, the weather was lovely and she finally had some hard earned free time. She finally could enjoy herself a bit, and what better way to do that, than going to the park to read a good book and bask in the summer sun.
Finding a perfectly situated, sunbathed bench, she sat down and pulled out her book with its cover wrapped in a newspaper stylized sleeve. Nobody had to know she was going to read the newest part of her favorite Ninjas of love series, right? She gazed around, and not finding many people around (it was the middle of the week and pretty early in the morning) she sighed in content. The bench was situated fully in the open, with a gravel alleyway separating it from a small pond. It was truly shaping up to be a perfect day.
This perfection lasted a whole of 20 minutes.
She heard the steps hitting the grit getting closer and she sighed. Obviously people would wander around the park, it was fine. They didn’t matter. She focused back on her book as the steps of whoever it was grew closer. Blake tried to ignore everything until sudden bark of the dog almost gave her a heart attack. Jumping slightly she dropped the book on her knees and clutched at her chest, trying to calm her frantically beating heart. Once she was sure her heart won’t burst out of her ribcage and land in the pond, she glanced around, but there was no one.
It was fine.
Whoever it was, was gone and she could go back to enjoy her book.
This time it only took ten minutes.
She heard the gravel rustle, with a bouncy steps again. A jogger, huh? Whatever. Blake thought to herself pointedly refusing to look up from her book.
It was her perfect, first day off. It was fine.
The dog happily barked again, making her jump, again, as the runner went past her. The only reaction aside from a jump were her fists, gripping the cover of the book tighter. It was still fine.
Another ten minutes passed.
The moment Blake heard the steps she mentally prepared herself. This time, not jumping at the bark she gritted her teeth in annoyance.
It. Was. Fine.
And it actually turned out to be true. The runner, whoever they were did not comeback for the fourth time, and Blake spent the rest of the day in a pleasant albeit slightly irritated way. Grabbing lunch with her friend and editor Pyrrha was always pleasant and finally not having deadlines, or meetings or books to sign was an added bonus as well. All in all, it was a good day.
***
Blake settled on the same bench she found yesterday, it was a really nice spot. Perfect for reading, or just chilling. It’s amazing what healthily sleeping through the night can do for you, She smiled to herself. It was shaping up to be another perfect, sunny day.
Almost.
She felt it before she heard it. She knew they were coming and it brought a frown upon her face. This was fine. It’s a public park, they can run wherever and whenever they want. Blake had her book, the weather was nice and it was FINE.
Even if she was expecting it, the dog’s bark still made her flinch. It’s fine, she told herself, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She was not going to let some random asshole make her day any less perfect. She is just going to ignore them and read her book and everything was going to be fine.
It was not fine.
By the time the runner and their dog passed her the third time, Blake was gritting her teeth, positively seething. It was a beautiful day, she finally had some time to herself and all she wanted was to read in peace for a bit. But no, whoever it was they were deadest on destroying Blake’s peaceful time with their running and their barking dog.
It meant war.
And yes, she could have just gone to find another bench, not like there was a shortage of those in the park, and the runner probably had no idea they were bothering her in the slightest, but she never said she wasn’t childish and overly dramatic not to mention stubborn.
And so Blake found herself the very next day, sitting on a bench, smirking to herself as she looked down on the apple filled Tupperware. And yes, maybe chucking pieces of fruit at an innocent jogger might not have been the most obvious choice for resolving this one-sided conflict, but the thought of it was, for some reason, immensely satisfying to her. And so she waited.
She couldn’t help but chuckle this time as she heard them, hiding her face behind her book. It was going to be perfect. She waited till they passed her, the stupid mutt barking as they did, and she immediately dropped the book and reached for apple piece only for her hand to stop midair and her brain top stop all function when she saw the runner.
A steadily receding silhouette, with incredibly toned back partially covered by a massive, high ponytail made of golden hair, and pleasantly chiseled arms, clad in what looked like a sports bra with one long sleeve over her right arm. Knee-length leggings pronouncing what was probably the most fantastic ass she has seen in a long while. All Blake could do was to stare in a stunned silence.
She only managed to shake it off, as the runner disappeared behind some bushes and she immediately felt a blush creep up her neck. This was fine. It was just a slight hitch in the plan. She was going to get her next time.
And so Blake waited.
Next time she heard her, Blake threw a sneaky glance towards the runner, before she reached her bench. Jesus fucking Christ, she has abs… Of course she does. She didn’t even register the dog barking this time, too busy staring at the disappearing runner.
She could totally do this. It was fine.
This time she was ready. It was her last chance today and she had to make it happen. She even grabbed a piece of the apple beforehand. Armed and ready she waited patiently for her nemesis, and when she saw the blonde getting closer, she immediately hid behind her book and waited for her to pass. The moment she did, the book went down and Blake swung her and watched fascinated as the piece of the fruit, flew through the air and missed horribly, going over the runner and onto the grass on her side. The runner seemed to completely miss the fact, jogging along her way, until she disappeared from sight. Blake quickly gathered her things, and ignoring the fact that she was probably as red as a tomato she almost ran out of the park. A sharpshooter she was not.
***
This was it. The runner already passed her once and this time, Blake was ready. She ate few pieces of the apple as she waited for the blonde woman to comeback. As soon as she heard her, the book went up, and a piece of an apple was clutched into her fist. She waited patiently. Few steps, a bark and she dropped the book and swung her arm. This time she was sure she had it and then to her horror the apple flew right past the runner’s head making her stop dead in her tracks.
Hiding behind her book, Blake tried to desperately figure out how to not have a stroke but it all came to a stop when she heard the runner take a few steps towards her. Okay, so her plan had few flaws, sue her.
“Did you seriously just throw a piece of a fruit at me?” The runner’s voice was laced with mirth.
Blake swallowed heavily and tried to compose herself. Plastering the most make fake, innocent smile she could, she lowered the book and pretended to be surprised.
“Are you talking to me?” She asked sweetly.
The blonde’s grin widened and she cocked one eyebrow up. “Seriously?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Blake played coy.
“So that thing right next to you is totally not the box that piece of an apple came from, huh?” The blond pointed her chin at the Tupperware and threw the fruit piece up with her right hand.
Blake felt her cheeks redden, as she hid behind her book. Okay, so her plan was more holes than a plan, so what. She looked up from her book, and saw the blonde still standing there grinning to her.
“Okay fine… I might have thrown that,” She sighed deflating a bit. “Sorry.”
“I don’t know… you might have seriously hurt me, you know?” The blonde said furrowing her brows.
“It’s a piece of an apple.” Blake deadpanned.
“Well yeah, but I might have gotten scared if I got hit by it, lost my balance, tumbled down to the pond and drown myself or something.” The runner explained dramatically.
“This pond is literally shallow enough, that ducks have trouble swimming in it….” Blake rubbed her temples, because the jogger was one of THOSE people. “Listen I said I was sorry.”
“I don’t know if that’s enough.” The blonde’s exaggerated thinking pose made the raven-haired girl groan internally. It was officially the worst. Plan. Ever.
Blake felt something wet on her palm and she almost saw the gates of Valhalla when she noticed a giant furry german shepherd sniffing her hand. She quickly withdrew her hand eyeing the beast with clear fear, until the blonde laughed bubbly and called the animal back.
“Here Bee! Come to mommy.” The blonde lowered herself with her arms spread and the dog happily trotted towards her, licking her face as she embraced it. “Who’s a good girl? Who’s a good girl? You are baby, yes you are!” She cooed to the dog.
Blake was suddenly glad she missed her apple because the stranger clearly had some significant mental deficits already and she didn’t want to make it worse.
“You don’t have to be afraid of Bee, she is the loveliest creature you could ever meet.” The blonde cheerfully said scratching the dog behind the ear, and she clearly missed what Blake was sure was a snarl and a show of teeth in her general direction.
“You named this… This thing Bee?” Blake asked apprehensively.
“A cute name for an even cuter pup!” The stranger exclaimed.
“I’m sorry but I hardly think Bee is an appropriate name for 3 ton, children devouring, walking ball of fur.” Blake voice was laced with skepticism. This was getting ridiculous.
“Her full name is Bumblebee, thank you very much. And if you think you’re so creative what do you think she should be named?”
“I don’t know… Demonic throat ripper? Innocent-devouring Hell beast? “ Blake leveled the said hell beast currently splayed on her back receiving belly rubs, her tongue hanging from her happily open mouth, with an unamused stare.
Yang let out an undignified snort and got up with a wide grin. “I’m Yang, and I just figured out what I want for compensation for you almost murdering me with a fruit.” She stretched her left hand towards Blake, who to her credit propped both of her hands on her sides and skeptically eyed the blonde.
“I am not telling you my name, just tell me what you want so we can end this ridiculous conversation.” She asked Yang.
“I will graciously allow you to take me for coffee tonight.” Yang said with a cocky smile. “You know Beacon Café? Meet me there at 7 PM, don’t be late!” the blonde threw her a wave without bothering to look back as she and Bee took off towards their usual route, leaving Blake completely dumbfounded.
***
“So what are you going to wear?” Pyrrha’s melodic voice sounded through the speaker.
“I am not going.” Blake said matter-of-factly.
“Blake…”
“No.”
“…”
“You are trying on outfits, aren’t you?”
“No I’m not. Shut up.”
“Wear that weird dark purple tank top that you like so much. I’m sure it will take you places.”
Blake groaned loudly and hang up in the middle of Pyrrha’s laughter. She was in fact, not going to the café.
***
“Stupid sun, stupid bench and stupid apples and stupid Yang and her stupid overgrown walking carpet.” Blake grumbled over her breath as her heels clicked on the side walk. She was late by 10 minutes which at least gave her some modicum of satisfaction.
She never said she wasn’t petty.
Once she got to the Café but she didn’t see Yang waiting for her outside. She dared a glance inside, but finding no bundle of golden hair in sight she started wondering. Did the blonde already leave? Or has she actually pulled one on her? Was she ever going show up? Was that her vengeance for Blake’s failed assassination attempt? Why was Blake even here? She didn’t even…
“Hey there, stranger. Missed me?” Blake heard a cheerful greeting and turned around swiftly to berate Yang for coming so late and…
Oh…
Yang was genuinely smiling. She was wearing a light white dress, with a delicate golden floral pattern on the side, the storm of her hair draped her back loosely.
Oh that’s why I came here…
“I was starting to think you won’t actually show up.” The blonde said, and while her voice still brimmed with energy it was much more delicate than in the morning. “Shall we?” She asked opening the door, and Blake only nodded completely forgetting to close her mouth as she entered the Café.
***
“So I need to know. Did you ride here on your dog-horse, and if so, where did you park it?”
Yang laughed loudly, and Blake found that it did not bother her at all. She hated noise, but apparently Yang’s noise was exempt from that contempt. She also seemed to have lost control of her eyes that roamed Yang’s body, and face. The blonde was truly a sight to behold.
“Bee’s at home with my sister, actually. And she is lovely, leave her alone.” Yang said giggling.
“She’s a mutated spawn of Satan is what she is.” Blake muttered under her breath and before Yang managed to ask what that was, a waiter came to take their orders.
“So, you still haven’t told me your name.” Yang asked as soon as they placed their orders. It seemed to shake Blake out of her open gawking session.
“What if I don’t wanna tell you?” She asked raising her brows.
“Aww come on, don’t be like that. You owe me this much, I barely survived our last encounter.” Yang said with mirth.
“It was a sunny, peaceful day, and I missed you with a piece of a fruit.” Blake sighed.
“Exactly! It was traumatic. I need therapy and shit now.” Yang grinned.
“Ugh fineeee. It’s Blake” The raven-haired girl said exhaling exasperatedly.
“Blake… I like it! I will call you Blakey!” Yang said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“You will absolutely not!” Blake said terrified. The idea of anyone calling her ‘Blakey’ was chilling to her bones.
“Awwhh, don’t worry about it Blakey, it’s going to be fine.” The blonde grinned.
“I’m leaving!” Blake spat out.
“Okay, okay fine. Geez. You need to loosen up a bit.” Yang said almost blinding the raven-haired girl with her smile.
“Ugh, I am perfectly loose, thank you. You are just insane. I don’t even know why I’m here.” Blake said exhaling slowly. She really wasn’t sure why she hasn’t left yet. She knew one thing, tough. Whatever the reason for her staying was, it had nothing to do with the fact that there was a literal goddess sitting right in front of her smiling all the time. And it totally didn’t make Blake’s insides dance rumba every time she heard the blonde’s laugh. Definitely not.
“What do you mean, you don’t know. I wooed you into inviting me to coffee.” Yang said proudly.
“You what now?” Blake asked dumbfounded.
“You know how tiring it is to run so much? I thought I was gonna die by that third day.” Yang said blowing some air at few hairs that dropped on her face, and Blake totally did not fell in love with how goofy she looked eyeing the hair and huffing at it instead of just swiping it with her hand.
“Wait what do you mean? Isn’t that how you usually run?” Blake asked frowning.
“Ummm… It might have not been my usual route.” The blonde sheepishly rubbed the back of her head.
“Yang.”
“Okay listen, Bee kinda run off and I was chasing him, and I saw you sitting on the bench. So I may or may not have done 3 laps just take a better look at you. And then I may or may not have gone out of my usual running route that doesn’t even go to the park to see if you were there again. Also the fact that Bee barked every time we passed you might also not be a… coincidence?”
Blake jaw fell slack at the admission. This absolutely ridiculous bundle of energy and blonde hair went out of her way for three days straight, just to check her out? What?
“Let me get this straight… So instead of stopping and maybe striking a conversation, once you saw me be complete accident, your first thought was to creepily run-stalk me and annoy me until what, I talked to you?” Blake felt what was probably early signs of stroke as she tried to wrap her head around how utterly nonsensical it all was.
“Basically.” Yang nodded seriously.
“You are ridiculous!” Blake said with slight apprehension.
“Nu-uh, I have game!” Yang said waving her finger.
“You have a mental problem and frankly I think it’s getting worse at a terrifying pace.” Blake deadpanned.
Yang barked a laugh at that and Blake started contemplating the best ways of beating her heart into a pulp so it doesn’t do triple somersaults whenever her blonde companion laughed.
“Hey it worked, right? You asked me out.” Yang’s disarming smile was quickly shattering whatever doubts Blake had about any of this.
“I distinctly remember you setting up the time and the place, so technically you asked me out.” Blake raised her eyebrows.
“Well that works too.” Yang said clearly endeared by the idea. “Don’t worry about, you can ask me out on our second date.”
“Oh there is going to be a second date, huh?” Blake asked amused.
“I hope so.” And Yang’s straight, honest answer is all that it took to make Blake finally surrender.
“Yeah, I hope so too.”
***
“Yang.”
“Yes, Blakey?”
“Can you please tell your cow to kindly get the fuck off my face?” Blake’s muffled voice made Yang snicker.
“Bee, my lovely honeybun, my sweetpea, my lovely lady, my little ball of fur…”
“Yang. I swear to god.”
“Girl, get off my girl please.” Yang said lightly pushing Bee off frowning Blake, lying in her bed with arms crossed, leveling the blonde with an unamused stare.
“Aww there you are Blakey, I missed you!” Yang said joyously spreading her arms.
“I hate both of you.” Blake muttered.
“There there.” Yang said pulling Blake on top of herself and pressing her face into her cleavage. “See? All better.”
“We have apples, and I will not hesitate to throw them.” This time Blake’s voice, muffled by Yang’s skin quickly lost its bite, as the smaller girl, quickly relaxed and snuggled even more into the blonde.
“Hey look where it got us the first time around. I have high hopes for your fruit throwing skills.”
“What you have is brain damage from all the fruit that I didn’t miss throwing at you.”
“Nu-uh, what I have, babe is game.”
“Yeah… Yeah you do.”