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Weiss Schnee was not accustomed to weak knees, but when she slipped her hand into Blake Belladonna’s firm grip, it was all she could do to keep from gracelessly stumbling. Gold eyes met blue, silently communicating what words could not. Bound by convention, the pair had never spoken of the electricity that sparked like arcing lightning between them, content to orbit each other like satellites, always on the verge of collision but never quite close enough to make contact.
Tonight was different. Weiss could feel the silence breaking, along with what little composure she had remaining. The dull ache that was ever-present whenever she felt herself drifting too close to the faunus had grown to an inescapable, undeniable agony, a fire that threatened to melt the icy girl into a puddle. And so she allowed herself to intertwine their fingers, her heart skipping a beat as she felt a strong arm snake around her waist, taking in the sight of the black tuxedo that was so becoming on the dark-haired girl.
And then, after the briefest flicker of hesitation, they began to dance. It was slow, at first. They maneuvered with all of the caution of warriors unused to moving their bodies together with such gentleness. After a few moments of learning, they were gliding effortlessly, Weiss allowing the taller girl to take the lead. They spun in tight, controlled circles, stepping with a harmony she hadn’t anticipated. She let the dance speak words that she could not, never letting her eyes stray from the expression of warmth Blake was giving her.
The taller girl lifted their joined hands, signaling the white-haired girl to spin. Weiss complied, feeling the blue gown twirl around her legs as she turned back into the arms of the faunus. The hand that had previously clutched a broad shoulder came to rest on Blake’s lapel, slowing their dance to a soft sway as their searching gazes reconnected.
In that moment, Weiss forgot herself, clutching the fabric beneath her gently trembling fingers as a sudden surge of desperation washed over her. She leaned closer, just enough to let the front of their bodies brush against one another, heart throbbing in her ears as she realized how close she was to crashing. The eyes that she watched carefully betrayed a flicker of reluctance, black feline ears lowering. The expression called Weiss back to the present in a rush as she remembered that no amount of yearning could erase their radically opposed social standings.
The reminder was not new, but it cut especially deep, given their proximity. Just as she was about to remove her hand, she felt fingers enclose her own, holding her against Blake’s chest with a firm squeeze and erasing any compulsion to let go. The taller girl leaned forward, just enough to bring their foreheads together. Her breath hitched at the touch, at the determination that had flooded Blake’s eyes with all the swiftness of a cascading waterfall.
It wasn’t enough. Even as the heat rushed to her face, Weiss knew that she could not turn back. The silence stretched and strained before bursting at the seams with one whispered question.
“May I kiss you?”
“Yes,” Blake breathed without pause.
Their lips met with a tenderness Weiss had never imagined possible, warm velvet brushing against her cool mouth. The sensation threatened to topple her again, but the hand splayed across the smooth skin of her lower back lent her all the strength she needed to keep herself upright. Relief flooded every limb as she sank into the kiss, losing herself in the movement, the sweet taste, the gentle heat of a warm body pressing closer to her own.
She let Blake fill her senses, banishing every doubt, losing herself completely and utterly in the other girl.
And when they parted, her eyelids fluttered open, greeted by the sight of Blake smiling at her with a warmth that rivaled the rays of sun, golden eyes shimmering with what Weiss could only call love.