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Chapter Text

When Yang was 18, she would roll her eyes fondly at each new bruise that showed up. It was obviously from somebody into athletics. She recognised the bruises and their locations from her softball days as a young child. It catches her by surprise the first time and she accidentally cuts herself during a dissection class and needs stitches.

When she turned 20, she’s finishing her nursing studies when her lip begins to ache and a bruise forms there. She’s slightly concerned but is able to brush it off. A week later, a mark forms on her left cheek and her worry grows. She’s so distracted that her elbow hits the door on the way to class.

She’s 21 when she gets her first black eye from her soulmate. It distracts her during cooking and she accidentally cuts her finger.

She’s 22 the day that her nose becomes black and blue. The following day, Nora throws a dodge ball at her arm.

On her 23rd birthday, and the day she moves in with her best friend Pyrrha Nikos, she watches as her left shoulder becomes a map of her soulmate’s pain. A month later, she gets bitten by a neighbour’s dog.

When she’s 24, she smiles proudly as her kid sister introduces her to her soulmate; Penny Polindena. Yang likes the girl. She’s genuinely sweet and kind, if a bit awkward. A perfect match for Ruby. When she waves them off in Ruby’s car, she feels a dull ache along her left bicep and looks down to see what she knew to be a bruise formed by a too sharp grip. She prays that she’d meet them soon. The following day at work, a patient, high on something or other, strikes her cheek.

Yang Xiao Long is 25 when the worst bruise yet forms. And it is a bruise that will change her life as she knows it.

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Blake Belladonna is 18 and spending her birthday with her closest friends at college and playing a game of baseball, Sun Wukong and Ilia Amiltola, when a bruise forms on her finger. It almost looked like she had been cooking and cut herself. Who was it, she wondered, that had cut themselves? She hoped that they were taking care of it.

She’s 19 when she meets Adam Taurus. A year full of charm later, he strikes her for the first time during an argument about Sun and Ilia. She silently apologises to her soulmate and forgives Adam. A week later, a bruise forms on her elbow. Adam loses his temper when Blake’s seems to not be paying him any attention and snaps.

She’s 21 when Adam flails his arm angrily as he drives to their home. He said it was an accident. Blake chose to believe him. Two weeks later, she gets another cut-like bruise on her hand.

She’s 22 the day Adam slams a door in her face, striking her nose. As she waits for him to let her back in, a small bruise like that from being hit by a ball forms on her right bicep.

She’s 23 when Adam throws her against a wall and storms out. As she’s crying to herself in her room, a bite mark forms on her hand.

She’s 24 when Adam’s once again reminding her that’s she’s nothing without him. Her family thinks she’s a failure, her friends don’t actually care and she’s lucky to even have him. Her fingers grip her own bicep painfully tight. She wondered if her soulmate would agree with him. Two months later, a bruise forms across her cheek.

She’s 25 when she’s decides that she can’t do this anymore. She’s trapped and scared… but she wants out. So… she make a decision that changes her life as she knows it.

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One knew what love was meant to be. The other had been taught that it was nothing but pain.

When the fates that be decide that they’re the perfect match, will their meeting be full of the instantaneous joy and celebration that the soulmate bond is known for? Will a singular moment cast away the shadows that loom and heal bruised souls?

Let’s find out, shall we?

Chapter Text

“Oh my goodness, Yang! How accident prone is your soulmate?!”

Yang looked at her roommate and sighed as Pyrrha’s were drawn to the new bruise on Yang’s ribs as she pulled her shirt down.

“I don’t know, Pyrrha. But whoever they are, they’re getting hurt every day. I doubt that it’s anything to do with clumsiness.” Yang said, brow creasing as she left her room, her hand running though her long hair worriedly. It didn’t sit right with her. Not when she saw bruises on her wrist like hand prints. Not when her cheek look liked it had been struck. And certainly not when she developed a black eye the other week.

She was a nurse. She knew what it looked like when somebody sustained a punch to the face.

“You don’t think that-“

Yang interrupted Pyrrha with a loud hiss as the dull ache of a new bruise pulsed in her left hip and she quickly lifted her shirt to reveal what was perhaps the ugliest, meanest bruise that she had seen. It flared out across her hip, cutting just below her waist band of her pants and she looked up to see Pyrrha sporting a horrified expression.

“I think that, whoever my soulmate is, I will be very lucky if I ever get to meet them at this rate.” Yang said softly, placing a gentle hand over her bruise and carefully running her thumb over the mark.

‘Whoever you are… Please be okay.’

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“Nurse Xiao Long. Please check on the patient in room 207. Blake Belladonna. She was stabbed by her now ex-boyfriend so please retain a good bedside manner as you change her bandages. The police are trying to question her but she’s hardly in the state of mind for it. Keep them out. That’s an order.”

“Sure thing, Doc.” Yang nodded at the shorter woman as she spun on her heels, white ponytail bouncing as she left the front desk. Weiss Schnee was certainly clinical but Yang knew that she was able to be tender when the situation called for it.

“Shit. Domestic violence is never an easy case to work on.” Yang sighed to herself as she walked towards the room with the case folder and her gear. “Alright, Yang. Here we go.”
She entered the room slowly, keeping her movements slow and predictable as she close the door to give them privacy.

“Blake? My name is Nurse Xiao Long. But you can call me Yang.” She smiled kindly at the young woman in the hospital bed. Blake’s black cat ears rotated back anxiously, her amber eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion at Yang. Her hand rested protectively over her… her left hip. Yang swallowed thickly, a sudden wave of nausea hitting her at the possibility that this could be her. “Um… Doctor Schnee wants me to change your bandage. Is that okay? Can I do that?”

“Can’t you just force me to let you change it?” Blake said lowly, tone flat. Her amber eyes were dull, devoid of any spark at all. “Duty of care or something?”

“I don’t like doing that.” Yang said gently as she sat down on a chair across from Blake, keeping her hands visible at all times. “My patients are people. As such, I’m going to do my best to give them as much agency as possible. If I have to bring in back up, then I will. But that’s a last resort.”

“…you’re different to my other nurse.”

“Who’s your other nurse?”

“Uh… Fall, or something?”

“Cinder Fall?” Yang quirked an eyebrow and checked around her before leaning in conspiratorially. “I really shouldn’t be saying this… but you have my condolences. I wouldn’t let that woman touch me with a ten foot pole so you’re, like, way braver than me. Just hearing her name…” the shudder Yang gave wasn’t entirely for show.

Blake’s lips twitched slightly, the movement tense. It was as though the muscles around her mouth had forgotten how to smile.

“Now… I don’t want to force you into anything you don’t want to do. But I really do need to change that bandage. I promise, I’ll be as gentle as possible. If I hurt you, you can tell me and we can take a little break, okay?”

“Can’t you get in trouble for taking too long?”

“I don’t really care.” Yang said honestly, shrugging. “They can yell at me all they want for “poor efficiency.” My job is to care for my patients. That means doing what’s right for the individual.”

“I-“ Blake paused, almost seeming confused for a moment before she sighed, moving her hand hesitantly. “Do as you must, I guess.”

Yang quietly thanked her and began the task of changing the bandage, carefully watching her charge as she flinched at Yang’s touch. Her breathing quickened as Yang’s fingers touched her skin, her jaw clenched as Yang hovered over her hip. As Yang examined the stitched up stab wound, she could see other bruises along Blake’s torso. Every single one matched up with the ones on Yang’s own body. Yang bit her lip and focused on the task at hand. It might be her, but it was the wrong time. Blake was badly injured at the hands of somebody that was supposed to care for her. Her soulmate appearing now, of all times, might not be the best thing for her mentally. Yang had to be careful about this.

Right now, her goal was to provide care for Blake until she was ready to leave. Maybe by then, she’d have a firmer idea of what to do.

“Excuse me, is this-“
“No, no, no.” Yang said calmly to the intruding officer as he stuck his head in the room. She stood to her full height and marched over to the door and barred the officer from entry. “My boss has ordered that this patient is not to be questioned until she’s ready. Anything sooner could be a detriment to her health. You can leave now. We’ll inform you if anything changes, yeah?” Yang gave a sickly sweet smile as she pushed his chest and shut the door in his face and locked it, snorting indignantly. Her heart, however, cracked at the sight of a trembling Blake, her ears pinned in distress as her eyes locked onto the door. The poor woman was evidently terrified. Not that Yang could blame her.
“See? We’re not going to let anything happen to you. This will go at your pace, Blake. When you’re ready, we’ll bring the police in. But the moment you want them to go, they’re out.” Yang said gently as she approached Blake’s wounded hip and calmly finished pathing her up before stepping back to the folder on the bench and smiling back at Blake gently. “At this point, your wellbeing is our priority.”

“Thank you.” Blake’s said quietly, her gaze drifting down before landing somehow near Yang’s waist. Her eyes narrowed in confusion, making Yang look down and inwardly curse. Her shirt had risen up, revealing the dark and ugly bruising in her left hip. She subtly tugged it down and met Blake’s eyes with a slightly forced smile. “So… now I just need to ask you some questions and then I’ll get out of your hair.”

“I- yeah. Sure. Okay.”

Yang smiled gratefully and began.
She’d have to tread carefully. Blake had obviously just been through hell and still had to deal with some of the demons that had followed her out. For now, Yang would focus on being her nurse and helping her as much as she could.

Chapter Text

Blake inhaled sharply as a sharp pain flooded her hip as she shifted in the hospital bed. It was 3:00 am and she still had yet to fall asleep.

How could she? For five years, every single waking moment had been about Adam. And now, even when he had been taken in on assault and battery charges, her dreams were haunted by him. She wasn’t sure that she’d ever be able to sleep peacefully again.

“Oh… you’re still awake.”

Blake looked up as her nurse, Yang, poked her blonde head into her room, lilac eyes blinking curiously at her.
“Yeah.” Blake said, sinking into her pillows and staring blankly at the ceiling.

“Can’t sleep, huh?”

“No.”

“Hmm… if you want, I can check with Doctor Schnee. See if we can give you something?”

“I’d rather not.” Blake said dryly, amber eyes narrowing at the roof. “I already feel numb enough as it is. I would greatly prefer to be fully cognitive.”

“Okay… if you’re sure.” Yang said gently as she approached the machine that monitored Blake’s vitals. “I’m just doing my checks and I’ll get out of your hair.”

Blake hummed noncommittally. She glanced at Yang and felt her eyes drawn back to Yang’s left hip where she had noticed a horrific bruise marring her skin when the nurse’s shirt had risen up earlier in the night. It had been wildly confusing at the time, considering the location. But as Yang came and went, checking on Blake and her vitals and injuries, Blake started to notice other bruises on Yang’s skin. The pale yellow marring her right cheek, the purple marks around her lift wrist, the final fade around her eyes… they all matched up to Blake’s own injuries. And Blake suspected that, if you were to compare their torsos, there would be even more matching marks on their skin.

If Yang had bruises in the exact same places that Blake’s own injuries were, then there was only one possible explanation; Yang was her soulmate.

It was almost laughable, really. After years of being manipulated and hurt by Adam Taurus, foolishly believing that he loved her. That he was sorry and never meant any of it… it was he who led her to the soulmate he had tried to keep her from finding.
Blake wondered if Yang had put two and two together. The way Yang had tried to subtly pull down her shirt made her suspect that she knew. How could she not?

But why would she try to hide it? Did she not want Blake to know? Or was she hiding it from her colleagues? Did she not want to accept Blake as her soulmate? Was she ashamed?

As the questions ran around in her head, Blake couldn’t blame Yang. As far as Yang was concerned, Blake was damaged. Why on earth would the universe decide somebody like Yang was perfect for somebody as broken as Blake?

It was unfair for Yang to be saddled with her. Blake was probably a burden enough as a patient, let alone…

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Yang’s concerned voice piped up, her brows pinched in worry.

“Ah-“ Blake stuttered, realising that tears had started to fall from her eyes. She quickly wiped her face, sniffing lightly. “Noth-Nothing. It’s just- just my hip. I’m fine.”

“Hmm.” Yang bit her lip, her gaze drifting over Blake thoughtfully. “Okay. We last gave you something for the pain…” she paused to glance at her watch. “Five hours ago. I can go check with the doctor. See what I can do for you, yeah?”

“Please.” Blake murmured, glancing away. It wasn’t a lie. Her hip did hurt. But it was nothing compared to the voice that had whispered harsh words into her ears for years that now echoed in her mind. Words that she didn’t want to be true but were starting to feel like reality. If her own soulmate wasn’t willing to accept her… then maybe Adam was right.

“Okay. I’ll be back soon, Blake. Try to get some rest, okay?” Yang said softly, her smile tender enough to break Blake’s already fractured heart.

When Yang walked out, closing the door behind her, Blake closed her eyes and pressed her hand to her mouth to muffle the pained sobs that broke from her chest.

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Hours later, Yang returned home, tired and drained. Meeting the one the universe deemed perfect for you was meant to be a moment of celebration and unparalleled joy. But how could Yang possibly celebrate when the only reason she met hers was because somebody betrayed Blake’s trust? How could she feel joy when the reason she knew who Blake was was because somebody had hurt her?

No. It would be selfish to try to feel any sense of joy in this situation. Even more so if she tried to introduce herself as Blake’s soulmate right now.

“Ouch!” Yang hissed, gripping her left bicep as a familiar, dull ache throbbed. She looked down and saw bruises form. They were shaped like fingerprints, as though somebody had gripped her bicep too tightly. But it was different this time. The bruises were smaller, as though done by a small hand. “What the hell?” Yang whispered to herself, her thumb tracing the bruises gently.

What the fuck just happened?

Chapter Text

“Xiao Long.”

“Fall.”

Yang returned Cinder’s blunt greeting, despising every second of interaction that she had to have with the woman. How somebody with so little regard for human suffering became a nurse, she’ll never know.

“Schnee wants you to focus on patient 207 tonight.” Cinder said smoothly, flicking her hair. “She’s rather unruly. You might want to get the bed restraints ready. And I recommend using a sedative if you have any hope of changing her bandage.”

“Really?” Yang said calmly, narrowing her eyes at Cinder suspiciously. “Because I had a pretty easy time working with her. But then again…” Yang smirked, quirking an eyebrow as she snatched Blake’s folder from Cinder’s hands with a knowing look. “I actually know what I’m doing.” She quickly made her leave, doing her best to keep her emotions under check. Cinder was a difficult woman to work with. But Yang did her best to avoid taking out her Cinder related frustrations on patients and their families.

“Morning, Blake.” Yang smiled warmly as she entered room 207, mentally frowning at the new bruise on Blake’s left bicep. It was as she had thought. “Oh… hey, what happened here?”

“Nothing.”

“… Nurse Fall said something about you being unruly. But I’d rather hear from you what happened.” Yang said softly, sitting across from Blake in a chair. “It’s okay. You can talk to me.”

“It’s nothing. I just… had a panic attack and she had to use force. It’s my own fault.” Blake said, her voice sounding flatter than Yang’s last shift. Yang felt her blood boil at the very thought of somebody laying a hand on the woman across from her.

“A panic attack is not your fault. Cinder should have been able to handle that situation without force.” Yang said quietly, chest tight. She smiled gently at Blake and sighed. “I’m sorry this happened. There won’t be a repeat performance, I assure you. This was not your fault. None of this is.”

Blake, for a moment, seemed like she was going to argue before she shook her head and shrugged, going back to staring blankly at the ceiling.

“I… hate to do this to you now, if all times, Blake… but I need to check your stitches and change your bandage. May I do that for you?”

“If you must.”

It made Yang’s heart ache painfully to hear Blake sound so apathetic but it wasn’t unexpected. She had been seriously wounded by somebody that was supposed to care for her, left with God knows how many scars, taken to a hospital full of strangers and needlessly manhandles by one of her own nurses during a panic attack and sedated. It was going to take some time for the poor woman to heal.

“Okay. Thank you.” Yang said softly and got to work. As angry as she was, there was a process that had to be followed.

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“Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Nurse Xiao Long.”

Yang nodded tersely at the older nurse as Glynda removed her glasses and wearily rubbed her eyes. The woman had been a nurse for over a decade and Yang knew that she had seen some of the worst come and go.

“I’ve had several families make complaints against Nurse Fall. Nurses have informed me of her… less than stellar bedside manner. I have issued her multiple verbal warnings. But this… this is the final straw. I will not have any of my nurses leaving marks on our patients when it could have been avoided. A panic attack is not reason enough to restrain somebody, lest of all leave bruising.” Glynda said with forced calmness, eyes narrowed as she gazed at the photos Yang had sent her. “I’ll have security pull footage from the security cameras. Nurse Fall will face the consequences for her actions, I assure you. How much depends on what we uncover in regards to her treatment of Miss Belladonna. In the mean time, you will continue your duties as her night shift nurse. I will have Nurse Arc take over the day shift.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Yang said quietly, her left leg bouncing anxiously. “Ma’am… what’s going to happen next, exactly?”

“We will carefully examine all reports in her behaviour. If we determine that she is in fact guilty of these claims, she can either undergo a training program or resign. If she refuses to accept her guilt, then we will take this to court. Such behaviour is not fit for this career, Nurse Xiao Long.” Glynda sighed heavily, before holding out her hand to Yang and shaking her hand firmly. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Please attend to your charges now.”

Yang shook her hand and nodded, returning to her nursing station and sitting with a heavy sigh.

She was glad that Jaune Arc would be taking care of Blake during the day shift. He was a kind, good natured man, if a bit of a awkward dork. He knew how to not come off as a threat to the more vulnerable patients and knew when he had to back off… for the most part. Doctor Schnee seemed to suffer most of his persistence.

Which meant that Yang could focus on helping Blake heal and recuperate without worrying if Cinder Fall’s improper bedside manner would negatively impact Blake.

Yang just hoped that Blake would let herself heal.

Chapter Text

The days into weeks slowly and painfully for Blake. Every day was a struggle to wake up, take her medication, interact with other people, deal with the occupational therapists… 

It didn’t help that Blake had nowhere to go. She figured her parents wouldn’t want anything to do with their daughter after she gave up law school for Adam. Her old friends probably had forgotten about her. 

What did she even have left, other than a bruised soul and stitches?

In saying that… there was one bright light amongst the dark…

“Evening, Blake.” Yang’s voice cut through the terrifying fog quickly bringing Blake’s attention to the present moment. “The doctor wants you to get some fresh, evening air. It’s still light out and it’s so pretty this time of year. What do you think?” Yang asked gently, smiling kindly at Blake. Before meeting her, Blake didn’t know that it was possible for your heart to break and feel whole simultaneously. But Yang seemed to prove that it could. 

“Uh… sure. I guess.” Blake said blankly, before narrowing her eyes at the wheelchair, feeling an old ember burn in her chest indignantly. “Is that really necessary? It’s just a flesh wound.”

“…I admire your tenacity, friend, but that is definitely more than a flesh wound.” Yang said slowly, tilting her head at Blake curiously. “Think you can walk to it or should I hoist you into it?”

“I think the fuck not!” Blake snorted, the old ember burning brightly for a moment before fizzling out, before she could filter her words. Apparently, her independent nature still liked to make itself known. She didn’t even know that she still had t in her. “Uh… I mean… no, thank you.” She corrected, feeling her blood run cold, her hands trembling. Adam had never liked her being so outspoken and forward.

“Somebody’s got a potty mouth.” Yang teased in a good natured manner, lilac eyes gleaming with amusement. “Don’t worry; I won’t tell. Your stoic, mysterious reputation remains intact as far as the rest of the staff is concerned.”

Blake felt her lips twitch, unbidden. An almost rusty sounding chuckle left her throat, taking her by surprise. When was the last time she had smiled, let alone laughed?

“Sure.” Blake mumbled, glancing away as Yang brought the chair closer and held out her hands to help ease Blake into it. Blake, as usual, couldn’t help but flinch at Yang’s touch, gentle as it may have been. “Thank you.” She added gratefully as Yang placed a freshly warmed blanket over her lap and carefully wheeled her out of the room.

“Nah, all a part of the Nurse Xiao Long service. I gotta give the powers that be a reason to keep me around.” Yang joked lightly, earning another barely there smile. “The pretty face routine only works for so long. If I didn’t give my patients reason to like me, I’d be out on my butt in no time. My roommate would not be happy. She’d probably challenge me to an old fashioned duel or something.”

“You… are very dramatic.” Blake noted, quietly, ears twitching anxiously at the sound of male voices before relaxing as they passed them and headed into a garden. 

“Maybe. But that’s a part of the charm, I guess. The kids love it, at least.”

“I’m sure.” Blake murmured, glancing around blankly as Yang placed her next to a bench and sat down with her, giving her plenty of space. Yang wasn’t lying when she said it was pretty. Blake could hear birds singing and bees buzzing… it was far more peaceful than she had known for a long time. She decided that she liked it. “It’s nice.”

“Right? I like to take my breaks out here.” Yang sighed softly, seeming pleased to hear Blake talking. “Things can get a little hectic so I take peace where I can. Plus, I’m a huge flower girl so I enjoy the flowers out here, too.”

“More of a chocolate girl, myself.” Blake said quietly, blinking in surprise at how easy it felt to talk to her. 

“Wait… let me guess. Dark chocolate?”

“With a black licorice centre.”

“I- Okay. Wow.” Yang sighed heavily, playfully clicking her tongue. “I’m trying to remember my nursely duties and refrain from judging you too hard. Dark chocolate and black licorice? Dear lord.”

“I thought that nurses were meant to save the judgements for when they get home and can freely bitch about us to friends and family?” Blake quipped before blinking in surprise at herself again. Where was this coming from? It had been years since she was able to feel free enough to sass somebody. 

“Ah… no comment?” Yang said with a cheesy grin.

Blake felt her heart ache painfully. While a part of her enjoyed interacting with Yang, it also hurt. It hurt knowing that Yang probably didn’t want her. It hurt knowing that Adam was right. What person would want somebody like Blake for a soulmate?

“Um… okay. So… serious talk time…” Blake held her breath before Yang spoke again and felt her heart drop. She didn’t know whether she should be grateful that Yang wasn’t rejecting her yet or disappointed that she couldn’t just try to move on yet. “You’re going to be put in the clear to go home soon, with careful home-care instructions. Is there anyone-“

“No.” Blake said shortly, eyes shifting to watch two bluebirds playing. “I have no one.”

“Really? What about old friends? Parents? Other relatives?”

“Not anymore.”

“I- Okay. That’s okay. We can figure something out. We’re not just gonna throw you out of our doors as soon as possible.” Yang said softly, smiling reassuringly at Blake. “You’ve got a safe place here. Okay?”

“Okay.” Blake mumbled hesitantly. Trust wasn’t easy for her. Not anymore. But God, did she want to trust Yang. But could she run the risk of being burned again so soon?

“We look after our patients… even the ones that like dark chocolate and licorice.” Yang teased softly.

Blake felt that same rusty chuckle from before bubble up. Somehow, knowing Yang was both difficult and easy. She worked shaky smiles and rusty laughs from Blake easily, reminding her of the girl she once was. Maybe that was why it hurt so much. Yang didn’t treat her like she was broken like the other staff did. 
And Blake was so very tired of being broken. 

Maybe… she should take Doctor Schnee up on that offer to visit with the hospital therapist, after all.

Chapter Text

“Get out of my kitchen!”

“Our kitchen! I pay half the rent, Nikos!”

“And nearly burnt the kitchen down last month. Now get out before I smack you.”

“Get put before I smack you,” Yang mocked her redheaded friend as she collapsed on their couch, groaning as she sank down into the cushions. “You need to work on your threats, Pyrr. I’m a nurse. I’ve heard worse.”

“I’m sure you have.” Pyrrha called back, a smile evident in her voice. “Speaking of, how was work?”

“… you remember how I told you I met my soulmate?”

“And how you’re not going to push your advantage because she’s in a vulnerable state and you have a job to do? Yes, I remember.”

“Turns out, she has nowhere to go.” Yang sighed heavily, rubbing her face tiredly. “And we cant let her stay forever. Granted, we’re not judging going to kick her out but there’s only so much we can do.”

“And you want to help her.” Pyrrha said gently as she closed the oven and walked into the living room and sat beside Yang with a warm smile. “That’s natural, Yang. The soulmate bond is a powerful thing and you being such an empathetic, compassionate person only adds to it. What do you want to do?”

“I really don’t know.” Yang said softly, leaning on her knees and biting her cheek in thought. “I’m open to suggestions, though.”

“We do have that spare room. I’m more than okay with letting her stay here. Normally, I would say don’t bring your work home with you…” Pyrrha smiled softly and put her arm over Yang’s shoulder and gave her an affectionate squeeze. “But she’s not just your work, is she?”

“… you don’t think comes off as me taking advantage of the situation, do you?” Yang asked anxiously, fiddling with her hair nervously.

“No, because I know you. You would be nothing less than a complete gentlewoman, Yang. Plus, it might allow you to get to know her as a friend, rather than just a patient. Eventually, if she’s ready for it, then you can bring up the soulmate bond.” Pyrrha said calmly, tilting her head at Yang. “It sounds like she needs somebody in her corner. A friend, more than anything. I think that could be you.”

“Yeah… I guess.” Yang leaned into her friend and rested her head on Pyrrha’s shoulder wearily. “I have to speak with her first, of course. God knows what she’s been put through. I’m not going to take what little agency she’s got away from her.”

“Of course. Now, off your butt and go set the table.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Yang let out a small laugh as she ducked under the flying pillow, smirking when Pyrrha tumbled off of the couch.

“Your soulmate’s gonna feel that one.”

“Oh shush.”

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“I’ve had my suspicions regarding whether or not you and Miss Belladonna are a bonded pair, Nurse Xiao Long.” Weiss sighed softly as she sat behind her desk and met Yang’s gaze, her blue eyes boring into her. “Usually, I wouldn’t be comfortable with our staff opening their home to a patient but… considering that she’s your soulmate, I may be willing to make an exception… on one condition.”

“And that is?”

“You remain professional and friendly until she is fully healed. She’s in a vulnerable state and that, as you know, is not a good situation to be in when making big decisions.”

“C’mon, Doc. Give me a little more credit than that.” Yang snorted, narrowing her eyes at Weiss. “I’m going to focus on being her friend. And that’s only if she agrees to stay with us. I’m not going to force any issue with her.”

“I was merely making sure, Nurse.” Weiss nodded, seeming pleased. “Very well. If the patient agrees, she can stay with you and Miss Nikos. Send her my regards.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Yang nodded and stood up, giving Weiss a lazy salute and walking out and heading to Blake’s room.

Upon arriving she smiled at Blake as she entered, delighted to see her eating the dark chocolate coated licorice bullets she had left. It had been a week since Yang learned about Blake chocolate preference and she had felt like surprising the young woman and lifting her spirits. It had also doubled as a congratulatory gift on her first therapy session.

“I know it was you.” Blake mumbled, flushing, amber eyes narrowed. The blank expression still came and went, but Yang was pleased to find that today seemed to be… not so blank?

“Oh no. You caught me.” Yang sighed, quirking a brow. “I mean… I could take them-“

“Touch my chocolates and you lose that hand.” Blake growled, her lips twitching upwards slightly. Each day, Yang was able to get a lightly bigger smile out her, a slightly less caged laugh… it was slow but it was progress.

“Feisty.” Yang teased gently before coughing awkwardly into her hand. “Ah- Okay. So… Doctor Schnee and I have a… proposition for you.”

“What… kind of proposition are we talking about here?” Blake said cautiously, her ears flicking back for a moment. She was apprehensive. Not that Yang could blame her.

“You said that…. You don’t have a place to go after you leave here. Nobody to help you. But… my roommate and I have a spare room in our house that we could lend you until you can get up on your feet. Doctor Schnee has given her blessing but nobody’s going to force you to take it.”

“I- what? No! No, I can’t…” Blake struggled for a moment before glaring at Yang stubbornly. “No. You’ve already done too much as my nurse. I couldn’t possibly add to your burden like that.”

“It wouldn’t be a burden.” Yang said softly before tilting her head at Blake. “But I get that you don’t want to trouble your nurse… but how about a friend? You wouldn’t be the first friend that I’ve helped out like this, you know.”

“And what exactly would you ask in return?”

“Nothing. The rent is already handled. I’d be able to know that my favourite patient is safe and sound. I get a new friend. Pyrrha gets somebody to help her cope with my dumb self and you get a safe place to stay until you recover.” Yang smiled reassuringly at Blake. “Wins all around. But I am not going to force you, Blake. If you don’t want to, that’s okay. But the offer’s there. Just… think about it, okay? I just don’t want to see you slip though the cracks.”

“I don’t know.” Blake said quietly, not quiet looking at Yang. “I’ll… I’ll think about it.”

“Okay. That’s fair.” Yang murmured gently. “Now… can I change your bandage, please?”

“You keep asking me for my permission despite knowing I’ll say yes.”

“And I’ll keep asking on the off chance that you might say no. My patients-“

“Are people and as such deserve as much agency as possible.” Blake intoned dryly, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Do you also offer them your home or am I just special?”

“Yup. How do you think I got stuck with Pyrrha? She won’t leave. At least I actually would want to be friends with you under other circumstances. Pyrrha’s so not my platonic type.” Yang joked, grinning and mentally fist pumping when a rusty chuckle left Blake’s lips.

“And I am?”

“Hmm… you’re right. The dark chocolate and licorice is a huge turn off.”

“Oh, fuck off and leave my dark chocolate and licorice alone.” Blake snapped playfully, pausing to blink at herself in surprise before glancing away sheepishly. Yang had noticed that, when Blake’s feisty side showed, she tended to appear surprised, as though unused to such a thing occurring.

On one hand, Yang was immensely flattered and touched that Blake felt comfortable enough to let that side out. But on the other…

It was just heartbreaking to think about why that was the case.

“Okay, Okay,” Yang laughed softly, silently enjoying the sight of the spark in the young woman’s eyes. “I’ll leave them be. Now… that bandage.”

Blake rolled her eyes and lifted the blanket, silently granting Yang access to the bandage. Yang noticed that Blake’s recoils and flinches, while still prominent, where slightly less than that first bandage change. She considered that to be a good sign.

“So… you had your first therapy session this morning.” She said calmly.

“… uh… yeah.” Blake said, hissing slightly as her wound ached. “It… was actually really nice to talk to her.”

“I’ve met her.” Yang said, quickly and gently changing the bandage and stepping back with a slight smirk. “She’s a real… peach.”

And that was when, what Yang considered to be, the most magical thing happened; Blake let out a loud snort and immediately dissolved into giggles, covering her mouth as helpless snorts left her lips and tears of mirth filled her eyes. Honestly, Yang felt pretty good about herself. It hadn’t even been that great of a joke. It was just a dumb pun about Dr. Peach’s name. But Blake was laughing like it was the greatest joke ever. Yang wanted to hear that laugh more, she decided.

“Ow! Oh, God, don’t make me laugh like that.” Blake huffed as her laughter fell away and she held her hip.

“Sorry, sorry.” Yang chuckled, secretly delighted by Blake’s amusement. “I’ll try not to make such amazing jokes until you’re better, okay?”

“Better. You really had me in stitches.”

Yang hummed as she picked up Blake’s folder and poised her pen to write her update in it before she froze, the pun finally registering in her mind and she slowly lowered the folder and narrowed her eyes at Blake.

“Did you just…?” Yang whispered in disbelief. Blake shrugged, her lips twitching back into that barely there smile that Yang was becoming more and more fond of. “You sly, little…” Yang let out a laugh and pointed her pen at Blake and smirked. “Oh, you’re good. You’re real good.”

Blake blinked slowly at her and looked away, a distinct blush coating her cheeks, her cat ears pulling back in embarrassment. She was, evidently, unused to compliments of any variety.

“Alright, Miss Belladonna.” Yang said, earning a grateful sigh as she changed the subject. “What’s your pain on a scale of 1-10? Please include humour induce pain on the scale.”

“Comedian.” Blake said dryly, before biting her lips thoughtfully. “Um… a four.”

“I- really?” A nod. “Alrighty.”

Yang bit her cheeks to restrain herself from pointing out that Blake never said that her pain was above a 5… despite having a fucking stab wound to the hip. Yang had heard of high pain tolerances. Hell, hers was stupidly high, herself. But if Blake was being honest, then hers was almost as ridiculous.

“Okay. And where is the pain located?” As always, Blake gave her a dull, blank look. “Don’t look at me like that. I have to ask these questions.”

“My stabbed hip.” Blake said slowly, narrowing her eyes with a huff. “Can’t we just bypass most of these questions? You know the answers by this point.”

“And incur the Ice Queen’s wrath? No, thank you.” Yang said without thinking before slamming her hand over her mouth and wincing. “Please… don’t tell Doctor Schnee I said that.”

“The… Ice Queen?” Blake said, quietly, tilting her head, causing one ear to cutely flop.

“And what Ice Queen are we talking about?”

Yang groaned and smacked her head with the folder. Just her luck.

“Hey, Doc! Hey! Is that a new scrub top? It really brings out your beautiful blue eyes.” Yang said charmingly, smiling at Weiss as she narrowed her eyes dangerously. “No? New stethoscope? New… haircut? Did you do your makeup differ-“

“Nurse Xiao Long?”

“Yes?”

“Finish your report.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

As Yang turned to her work, she couldn’t help but think that Blake’s adorable, quiet laugh was reward enough for Weiss’s irritation.

And a part of her dared to hope that Blake would agree to their proposition. She deserved to have a safe place to heal and the idea of this wonderful woman falling through the cracks terrified Yang in a way she had never known before.

Chapter Text

“Don’t be silly, Blake. We’re just having a silly little argument. You wouldn’t want to throw everything we’ve built, all of our memories, away over a little argument, would you?”

“Adam…” Blake swallowed thickly, watching as Adam leaned against the kitchen sink and gave her a smile that used to charm her. The one that had left her spellbound for years, reduced to a sight that left her feeling sick. “This… neither of us are happy. I think… I think that it would be better if we went our separate ways… because this isn’t working.” Blake felt her breathing pick up when a muscle in Adam’s jaw twitched. “We- come on. We haven’t been happy for a long time. I think… I think we both need to move on.”

“You know what I think? I think that you’re just a coward that doesn’t want to put in the effort to make this work.” Adam sneered, standing to his full height and glowering down at her. “I thought that you loved me.”

“I do! But that’s why I’m doing this. This…. relationship is only hurting us both.” Blake spoke carefully, her ears pinning anxiously as Adam picked up a knife and toyed with it. “We… we both deserve better… don’t you think?” She said, her voice fading quietly, focusing on the weight of her phone in her back pocket. She already had the emergency services on speed dial should something go wrong. “Adam. Please. Let this go.”

“There’s only one way that I’ll let you go, my love. It’s a pity that your soulmate never got to be as disappointed by you as I am.”

Blake felt a strong hand grab her shoulder, pulling her forward as a knife plunged into her left hip. Blake cried out, her left hand moving to scratch at Adam’s face. He let out a pained snarl as her nails raked across his left eye, momentarily blinding him and giving her enough time to run to the apartment’s bathroom and lock the door.

“No, no, God, no.” She whimpered painfully as she slid down the door. She gasped in pain as she grabbed her phone with trembling, bloodied hands.

“199, what’s your emergency?”

Please! You have to help me!” Blake gasped out frantically, tears blurring her vision as Adam sent something crashing to the ground. “My- my boyfriend- he just stabbed me! I- he’s going to kill me! Please! I don’t want to die!” Blake muffled her sob, hyperventilating breaths leaving her lungs.

“Okay, baby girl. It’s okay. You’re not going to die. Breath for me.” The operator soothed, her voice oddly reminding Blake of her mother. It was almost… reassuring, in a way. Blake whimpered out her address and muffled a tell as Adam punched the door. “The police will be there soon, sweetheart. It’s going to be okay. You’re not going to die.”

Blake let out a terrified sob and pressed her hand against her wound, her vision starting to become hazy. 

“Please hurry!”

/////////////////////////////////

Blake stared blankly at the wall as Yang ushered the two police officers. It had been… painful to relive her trauma over again… but she knew it was necessary so she could be safe from him. That didn’t make it any easier, though.

“Blake? How are we feeling?”

“Numb.” Blake said bluntly, her right hand clutching at her left tightly. 

“I don’t blame you.” Yang said softly, biting her lip thoughtfully. “Do you need me to leave you alone for a bit? I’ve already checked your bandage so that’s not a worry.”

“I… don’t know.” Blake mumbled flatly, ears pinning. She had broken down multiple times throughout the police interview. Thankfully, Yang had stood in as her advocate at Blake’s request. She hadn’t wanted to face the police alone and, as always, Yang’s presence proved to be very grounding. Plus, neither cop seemed to have the nerve to protest when she ordered them to give Blake a break. Blake was immensely grateful to her. 

“I don’t-“ Blake felt her lips tremble for a moment and closed her eyes tightly, hating how weak she felt. She felt her breathing pick up as tears stung her eyes. She tried to bite back a sob but it escaped her, racking her body as her mind played back that night in slow motion.

“Hey, shhhh.” Yang soothed gently kneeling by her bed and slowly curling her hand over Blake’s. “You’re okay. You’re safe. You cry as much as you need to, okay? Nobody is going to judge you.” Yang murmured tenderly as Blake instinctively cling to her hand, chest clenching as her body began to shake. “Blake… is it okay if I hug you?” 

Blake managed to nod weakly and let out a gasping breath as Yang stood up and sat on the edge of her bed and pulled her into her arms. Blake was hit with a smell that she could only describe as home. It was overwhelming and terrifying and welcoming and safe all at once. Without hesitation, she burrowed her face into Yang’s firm shoulder, as Yang ran a hand up and down her back soothingly, with her other cupping the back of Blake’s head.

“Shhhh. It’s okay, you’re safe.” Yang mumbled into her hair. “you can cry, okay? You’ve been so brave for so long. You cry for as long as you need to. You’re safe now.”

Blake clung to Yang and cried. She cried tears of grief and loss. She cried tears of hurt and fear. She cried until she ran out of tears. When her eyes had run dry, she weakly and tiredly pulled back.

“Sor- I’m sorry.” She mumbled as she leaned back into her pillows, unable to look at her nurse out of shame.

“Don’t be. You’ve gone through hell. You have nothing to apologise for.” Yang said quietly as she stood and pulled a paper cup from the cupboard and filled it with water from the sink before passing it to Blake. “Here, drink some water. You’ll feel a little better.”

Blake nodded numbly, slowly sipping at her water before sighing heavily and passing it back to Yang.

“I’m… actually pretty tired.” She mumbled, her body feeling heavy.

“Of course. I’ll get out of your hair.” Yang smiled gently at her, lilac eyes shining with concern. “If you need me, just press the buzzer, yeah?”

Blake hummed and let her head sink into the pillows as Yang lowered the lights in her room and left, shutting her door quietly. As Blake drifted off, she couldn’t help but recall how safe Yang had felt. 

Was it wrong of her to want to feel that safe again?

Chapter Text

“PYRRHA!”

Yang watched as Pyrrha tipped back in the kitchen chair with a startled scream before crashing to the floor, groaning in pain as Yang hung up her coat and closed the door.

“Oops?” Yang grinned sheepishly as her friend sent her a death glare as she clambered to her feet, bright green eyes narrowed dangerously. “I’m sorry?”

“Yang. Why did you came barreling into the house, yelling, like a bat out of hell?” Pyrrha said slowly, her hands on her hips as she stared down at Yang.

“You remember the whole letting my soulmate stay here as a friend until she’s up on her feet thing? Guess what? She agreed!” Yang said, her words tumbling out quickly and nervously, her hand running through her hair anxiously. “But she wants to meet you first.”

“Understandable. But please refrain from giving me a heart attack. My coach would have your head.”

“Oh please. I can take Nora.”

“Not if I give her caffeine first.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Is that a challenge?”

The two powerful women glared at each other for a long moment before Yang sighed and sat at the table across from Pyrrha with a pout.

“Ass.” Yang muttered, despite the good natured smile that crossed her face when Pyrrha giggled. “But you’re still cool with her staying here, yeah? I don’t want to put you out.”

“Yang, I’m the one that suggested it.” Pyrrha said gently, reaching over to grip Yang’s wrist softly. “I’m always ready to help someone in need. Plus, she’s your soulmate. Why would I stand in the way of that?”

“Um… thanks, Pyrr.” Yang smiled gratefully. “I said that I’d see if you can come in with me on my next shift. Can you make it?”

“Of course.”

“And keep the soulmate thing under your cap.” Yang said as she leaned back in her seat and rubbed her neck. “She still doesn’t know and I’m not gonna spring that on her yet.”

“If that’s what you want, I’ll respect your decision.” Pyrrha said as she leaned back in her own seat before smirking. “But I’m still going to embarrass you.”

“Why would you do that to me?”

“It is my sworn duty as your best friend and roommate to prepare this poor girl for the grievance that is sharing a living space with you.”

“I hate you with every fibre of my being.”

“That’s a funny way to say “love,” Yang.”

Yang groaned and let her head hit the table. Sometimes, she regretted this friendship.

///////////////////////////////////

Yang fidgeted from foot to foot as Blake stared blankly at Pyrrha before turning to face her with narrowed eyes.

“You didn’t tell me that your roommate was Pyrrha Nikos.” Blake said dryly, her ears pinning back slightly. “I would have liked some warning before meeting Vale’s champion javelin thrower, thanks.”

“You didn’t tell her my name? Yang, I’m hurt!”

“You shut up.” Yang pointed playfully at Pyrrha. “And I’m sorry. I could have sworn I told you.”

“You’ve made several comments about your mysterious roommate challenging you to an old fashioned duel but that’s it.”

“Oh.”

“‘Oh,’ she says.” Pyrrha snorted before smiling at Blake and holding out her hand slowly, her smile growing a little when Blake hesitantly shook it. “I am so sorry about Yang. She may be intelligent but she’s just as much of an idiot as the rest of us. I’m sure you’ll see that side of her much more.”

“You’re fine.” Blake said before her ears pinned and a flush covered her cheeks before she turned away with an embarrassed cough. Yang bit back a laugh. Pyrrha tended to have that effect on women.“You’re good. I, um… thank you so much for offering your spare room. I assure you that I’ll be out of your hair as soon as possible.”

“Don’t worry about rushing. The room’s just been sitting there for a couple of years now. It’ll be nice to get some life into it.” Pyrrha smiled kindly at Blake. “Plus, I’ll be able to talk to somebody other that the blonde stereotype here.”

“Hey!”

“I’m sure it’s horrendous.” Blake chuckled quietly, her ears slowly shifting forward curiously.

“Excuse me?!”

“It really is. You’re doing me a favour!” Pyrrha laughed, her eye glinting with amusement as Blake’s lips twitched upwards. “She’s very annoying.”

“Hello? She is standing right here and can be directly spoken to!”

“You’re very annoying.”

Yang felt her jaw drop as both Pyrrha and Blake turned to her and deadpanned their reply. They shared a look and let out a laugh at Yang’s insulted expression. Yang, herself, had to fight back a smile at the spark in Blake’s eyes and the way her smile lit up her face.

“Oh boy.” Yang sighed dramatically, playfully glaring at the two. “What have I signed myself up for?”

At least Blake had the decency to give Yang a sheepish look. Pyrrha merely smirked knowingly at Yang, most likely having caught how Yang was hopelessly endeared by Blake’s laugh.

“Hey, Yang I just… Uh… sorry… am I interrupting something?”

They all turned to look at Jaune, who was currently sporting a new bruise on his right bicep. Yang quickly turned to Pyrrha when she let out a gasp, her eyes locking into the bruise.

“Wait a minute…” Yang glanced from to the other before letting out a snort when Pyrrha suddenly walked towards Jaune, her eyes shining brightly.

“Can… can I speak to you outside? Please?”

Yang quirked a brow as Jaune allowed Pyrrha to drag him away, stuttering and stammering at the pretty redhead as he did.

“Um… so… that was a thing.”

“Yeah.”

Yang turned to see Blake watching after them, an almost pained look in her eyes. It tugged at Yang’s heart terribly as she realised that it probably brought up painful memories for the young woman.

“Hey, you okay?”

“Ah… yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” Blake mumbled, looking away for a moment before turning to Yang with a shaky smile. “I… guess a congratulations are in order for those two.”

“All thanks to you and me. Pyrrha totally us coffee now.”

“First off, I doubt that it had anything to do with us.” Blake sighed, rolling her eyes. “And secondly, I drink tea. Coffee is nothing more than caffeinated tar and should not be consumed by any rational creature.”

“Rude.” Yang scoffed, internally breathing a sigh of relief. Blake hadn’t shut down. That was certainly an improvement. “She can buy you your leaf water, then.”

“Rude.” Blake huffed, her lips twitching lightly.

“So… Pyrrha’s fine, huh?” Yang said after a moment, her grin teasing and playful as Blake flushed.

“I- you- shut up!” Blake stammered, her cheeks becoming darker by the second.

“What? Is she your celebrity crush or… oh my God.” Yang bit her lip as Blake turned an almost impossible shade of red. “She totally is.”

“Was. She totally was.” Blake muttered, crossing her arms defiantly. “A girl’s gotta have her bisexual awakening somehow.”

“That is adorable. How old were you?”

“…15.”

“That was at the start of Pyrrha’s career. She would have been… 16?” Yang cocked her head playfully. “You like them strong, huh?”

“I am so not having this conversation with my nurse.”

“Does it help if I say that Pyrrha was my lesbian awakening? She and I were 14 when I met her.” Yang smirked teasingly at Blake. “Pyrrha still won’t let me live it down. But don’t worry… your little celebrity crush on Pyrrha Nikos is safe with me.”

“Is this what it’s going to be like living with you?” Blake groaned and, cheeks bright red, glared at Yang. “Because I might just end up pulling my hair out, if that’s the case.”

“I’m sure you and Pyrr will find a way to torment me in return, if your little interaction from before is any indicator.” Yang said dryly, rolling her eyes. “So I think you’ll be fine… that is if you want the room.”

“I- Okay. Okay. I’ll take it.” Blake said quietly. “But I’m not going to freeload. I’ll be out of your hair as soon as I can. And I’ll help out as much as I can.”

“Like Pyrrha said, don’t worry about it. You just focus on getting better, okay?” Yang said softly, smiling kindly at Blake. She felt her breathing hitch slightly as Blake blinked slowly back at her, a small, unsure smile spreading across her face.

“I… really appreciate it, Yang.” Blake said softly, glancing away and breaking whatever spell that she had put Yang under. “Truly.”

“Don’t even worry about it.” Yang said awkwardly as she coughed nervously into her fist, shifting her weight anxiously from one foot to another. “So… I’ve already changed your bandage and I should probably go do my rounds but… I’ll check in on you later, yeah?”

Blake smiled and nodded and Yang returned it, leaving the room and moving towards the nurse’s station to put away Blake’s folder and grab her next patient’s. She glanced towards a nearby entertainment area and noticed Pyrrha talking to Jaune, both of whom seemed to feel a little awkward and close to tears. Yang watched as Pyrrha jumped into Jaune’s arms, a delighted laugh leaving her lips as tears of joy left her eyes. Jaune stumbled back and caught himself, curling his arms hesitantly around Pyrrha as a big, cheesy smile blossomed across his own face.

“Good on you, you two dorks.” Yang murmured softly to herself, a sad smile pulling at her lips as she turned away. That was what it was meant to be. Joy and delight and relief and connection, all in one singular moment as they finally found one another.

Yang couldn’t help but wonder if she and Blake would get theirs.

Chapter Text

Blake’s hand twitched nervously as she signed her release papers and ran her hand down her sweatpants nervously. Today was the day. She would be leaving the hospital and staying with her nurse… though she supposed that Yang didn’t really count as her nurse anymore, did she?

“Okay… sooo… you’re totally gonna hate this but Jaune’s gone to grab a wheelchair for you.”

“You’re right. I do hate it.”

“Honest. I like it.” Yang teased gently as she sat in the chair, looking casual as ever in her jeans and yellow plaid shirt. “But it’s hospital policy, Blake. I understand that you don’t like it but… we kinda need to follow it.”

“Or the Ice Queen will invoke her wrath, huh?” Blake said softly, her ear twitching when Yang laughed, a soft and amused sound. As anxious as she felt, Blake couldn't help but calm down at the sound of it. 

“Exactly.” Yang winked playfully, her lips tilting up into a slight smirk before it dropped into something far more tender. “How are you feeling? I know this is a lot for you.”

“I… don’t know.” Blake shrugged, fiddling with her purple shirt nervously. Her ears pinned anxiously and she sighed softly. “I just… are you sure that you and Pyrrha are okay with this? I’m not your responsibility, you know.”

“I know.” Yang said softly, smiling warmly at Blake. It was a sight that made her heart feel full, even as it ached painfully. How was that even possible? “But that’s not why I’m doing this. You need somewhere to stay. Pyrr and I have an extra room. And, despite the whole hospital thing, I enjoy talking with you.”

“Oh.”

Now that was an alien concept to Blake. Her company? Being enjoyable? Adam has always made her feel like a burden. Like he was doing her a favour. But Yang seemed genuine in her words. 

Blake just wished that she’d hurry up and reject her so she could start to move on.

///////////////////////////////////

The car ride to Yang and Pyrrha’s house was nerve wracking. Blake still felt incredibly anxious, despite her relief to be out of that godforsaken hospital. Her ears remained pinned to her head and she pressed her thumb painfully into the crook of her elbow, her teeth catching her bottom lip nervously.

“I’m… kind of glad that you’re seeing this car instead of my old baby.” Yang laughed softly, her hands tapping a silent rhythm on the steering as they came to a stop light. 

“Why’s that?”

“One; my old car was a hunk of garbage and you would be melting to the floor in embarrassment at being seen in it.” Yang gave her a pleased grin as Blake let out an involuntary snort of amusement. “Second, I let my kid sister borrow it to take her girlfriend out and I ended up having to bail her out of jail for speeding. The poor car had a scratch going up the entire right side.” Yang shook her head ruefully. “Last time I ever trust that kid with anything.”

“She got arrested for speeding?”

“She panicked and went up a damn curb.” Yang sighed wearily before smirking at Blake playfully. “I promise you, I’m a way better driver.”

“Oh?”

“Have to be.” Yang teased, gesturing to Blake with her chin. “Carrying precious cargo.”

“I am not precious.” Blake huffed, her hand slowly coming away from her elbow to rub at her forehead in a subconscious attempt to hide her flushed cheeks. 

“That reminds me of when Pyrrha tried to convince me that she wasn’t an adorable tol bean when we were, like, 18.” Yang said thoughtfully, smiling fondly at the memory. “So I challenged her to steal something from a store. She did… and took it back fifteen minutes later and paid for it and gave the clerk a large tip because she felt so guilty.” 

“Oh- wow.” Blake found herself chuckling, almost surprised by the sound as it left her throat. “That’s cute.”

“Right?! Oh! Another time, Pyrr and I…”

As Yang continued to talk and share stories, Blake shifted in her seat to watch her carefully, silently noting that Yang’s nose scrunched up when she was greatly amused. It was rather adorable.

Blake knew exactly what Yang was doing; she was distracting her, giving her something to grasp onto and ground herself with. Slowly, as Yang gesticulated and talked and teased and laughed, Blake felt herself relax. She found herself smiling and laughing, getting invested in the stories that Yang told and asking questions as they made their way to Yang and Pyrrha’s home.

///////////////////////////////////

“Are those… bookshelves?”

“Yeah, sorry. Pyrrha and I were both nerds as kids and brought our collections with us. We… kinda had to put them in here. Is that okay?”

“Depends on whether or not I’m allowed to read them.”

Blake ran her gaze almost hungrily over the books that lined the two large bookshelves in her new room. How long had it been since she had been able to read without living in fear of what Adam might think? How often had he used her love of books against her and held her love captive from her as a bargaining chip? To suddenly have it potentially within her grasp…

“Of course! They barely get read much so it’ll be great to see them get the love that they deserve.” As Yang spoke Blake sat down with a soft grunt on the bed and gazed around her now abode. It was a simple room, with a chest of drawers, a closet and the aforementioned shelves. The bedspread was a simple black one and Blake had to actively fight the urge to fall against the bed. Hospital bed weren’t exactly the comfiest of things to sleep on. “Um… feel free to do up your room as you see fit. We don’t mind, really. Unless you want to paint the walls… Pyrrha’s got a weird thing about painting. Refuses to let anyone else do it but a pro-“

“Because the last time we painted this house, you upset a tin of paint onto my head!” A voice called from the hallway, irritation seeping into the words.

“...it wasn’t that bad.”

“I was stained bright yellow for a week, Yang! Bright yellow! I looked like a sunflower!”

“Well… she’s certainly tall enough for it.” Blake murmured softly, her ears flicking towards Yang when she snorted in amusement.

“Pyrrha’s a beanpole, confirmed.”

“Oh for the love of God. I will kick you, Yang!”

Blake muffled a giggle at the banter between the two friends as Yang turned to her with an exaggerated eye roll and sighed dramatically.

“I’m going to go help Her Royal Pain In The Ass put away groceries. You’ll be okay, yeah?”

“Of course.” Blake quirked an eyebrow and purposely stared at the two shelves and smirked back at Yang. “I have down new friends to get acquainted with.”

Yang let out an amused huff and nodded, leaving Blake’s room with a small smile and shut the door quietly, leaving her new roommate to the numerous books in her room.

Blake sighed tiredly and fell back against the bed, finally allowing her mask to fall. She was thrilled with the books. And Yang and Pyrrha were both incredibly kind and easy to get along with.

Blake just hoped that she wouldn’t regret agreeing to this arrangement.