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Yang couldn’t remember a time that Blake hadn’t made her feel safe. The faunus was one of the few who was privy to moments when the blonde openly shared her vulnerability.
She had been there for her in Beacon on those sleepless nights when her mother, Raven, plagued her dreams. The nightmares were one and the same, with little variation, each following a narrative that never deviated. Yang would open her eyes to find herself adjacent to the woman she called her mother, neither dared move a muscle in fear of breaking the tranquillity that persisted. However, with every sequence, Yang summoned the courage to ask, “Why did you leave, wasn’t I enough?”
Regardless of the time or location she was only ever met with silence as piercing red eyes would bore into her soul, searching for something, but for what exactly Yang wasn’t sure. Under the scrutinising gaze, Yang felt as though she were a child again, desperately seeking her mother’s approval. Only when tears began to cascade down her freckled cheeks did Yang wake. A shudder would roll across her frame, as her mind acknowledged the dampness on her cheeks. Furiously she would rub at her eyes, cursing herself for letting Raven get into her head once more.
The exasperated sigh that left the blonde’s lips and restless turning from above would draw Blake from her own slumber. Instinctively her ears would swivel and subsequently flatten upon hearing muffled sobs, coming from her distressed partner. Within seconds Blake would pull herself upward onto Yang’s bed, her voice quietly whispering her name. Yang would jump fractionally, easing as her partner’s hand rested gently on a shoulder blade. Even in the dark Yang could make out the faint outline of Blake, guided by the bright amber iris’ caught by the moonlight slipping through a crack in the curtains.
Those nights were ingrained in Yang’s memory, for each time Blake would offer to stay with her. The faunus always opened her arms wide in a silent invitation, one that the blonde accepted by practically throwing herself into the warm embrace. Under the covers, Blake’s hand would subtly seek out Yang’s, and when her target was found, she entwined the two. The soft, consistent pressure was grounding, but nothing compared to the distraction of Blake’s face pressed so close against her own. The blonde always thanked the darkened room for hiding the blush that never failed to overtake her cheeks, though what she didn’t remember was that the faunus had excellent vision, even in the dead of night.
Eventually, with permission, a hand would stretch upward to reach the back of her head. Each stroke was an attempt to smooth down her wild blonde locks, though realising the futility of her situation, Blake would allow her hand to settle, lightly scratching the scalp beneath her palm. A soft hum would slip from Yang, appreciating the tender manipulation of her hair between delicate fingers. Slowly the call of sleep became too strong for her to ignore any longer, though Yang wasn’t afraid anymore, she knew that when she awoke Blake would be there. Coincidently, as if the raven-haired beauty could read her mind, the blonde felt the press of lips against her forehead as the arm around her waist tightened. It was enough to convince her that everything would be okay.
**********
That very statement rang true, even after the tumultuous events of recent months. Despite the rift that existed between the pair, an invisible pull still existed. Neither could deny it was nice to be around the other again, though they had much to talk about, including shared demons of the past. However, Blake knew it wouldn’t be conducive to have such a discussion at a time like this, it was late, and Brunswick Farms was already eerie enough. As the night slowly crept by, the clock on the wall counted each passing hour with a dull chime, yet neither woman could sleep.
The flames of the fire leapt with every light breeze, casting shadows as it pleased. Blake let her eye follow the shadows, drawn to them with a familiar sense of comfort. The faunus’ vigilance was not to be snuffed at as her tired gaze came to rest on Yang. Much to Blake’s dismay, an unending tremor ran through the blonde’s hand, shaking so much that her prosthetic was unable to stop it. Lilac eyes were squeezed shut, but that didn’t stop the sole tear that ran down ashen cheeks, it was clear that Yang was still being haunted by ghosts of the past.
Grabbing the blanket that covered her legs, Blake approached her partner with an air of caution. With each step she took her ears grew closer to her skull, as apprehension set in at the fear of outright rejection. Though she needn’t have worried, as she softly called for Yang, the blonde lifted her head a fraction, allowing pained lilac eyes to meet Blake’s gaze. Kneeling to the ground, Blake took up residence beside her partner, draping the throw across their shoulders, bringing them even closer together.
As their shoulders met, the involuntary tremors from Yang reverberated through the faunus, prompting her to take the blonde’s hands within her own. Lilac eyes widened further as fingertips traced delicate patterns across both skin and metal as if there was no difference. It was at that time Yang realised that Blake saw her prosthetic arm as a part of her, not just a replacement or a weapon, but her. The brawler couldn’t tear her eyes away from the tender expression that remained fixed on Blake’s face. It was the same look that had been directed her way from their very first meeting, one that was only ever thrown Yang’s way.
Maybe there was something more between them? That would be a question only time could answer, though for now, Yang was happy enough to admire the beautiful woman in front of her. She was the perfect distraction, pulling her mind far away from the deadly scarlet blade that taunted her every waking moment.
In the morning, hours after the fire had fizzled out, Weiss peered around the corner. A soft sigh left her lips as they curled into a smile, her head shaking fondly at the sight before her. Lying on the floor was Blake and Yang, the former nestled as close as physically possible into the blonde’s side. Knowing better than to disturb the pair, Weiss chose to return upstairs, with a can of food of course for her bubbly partner who was bound to awaken soon.