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I love you.
It plays in her head like a mantra, like a prayer that's ingrained deep within, a promise of honesty, a truth that's been hidden for far too long. If any one moment in time anchored Yang’s soul, creating a tether to this plane of reality, it was the moment the words came tumbling out, finally released from their cage of captivity.
I love you too.
She watches her fiddle with the buckles on her jacket, occasionally toying with the zipper. Yang finds herself staring, familiar with the way her eyes never seem to move away from any mundane thing Blake was doing. She knew what it was- she's always known what it was, but she wasn't ready to admit it aloud. Admitting it aloud was-
"It was scary," Yang answers her question. What made you hesitate so much up there? "I was scared."
Blake turns to her fully, the light of the fire illuminating her face brilliantly. Her features are more prominent now, Yang finds herself glancing at the quirk of her lips, at the way she squints at the admission. The pure look of awe and love that never fades from her expression.
"Of what?" Blake asks softly, and their hands are still intertwined on the soft carpet. Yang lets the silence linger for a little longer, the only noise in the air being from Jaune's snores and Ruby's light tossing in her sleep. She inhales, then exhales.
"My feelings," she shrugs, tracing Blake's knuckles with her thumb. "Of what would change between us."
"Things have changed," Blake replies, shuffling closer into Yang despite the warmth of the cabin, tucking herself beneath Yang's arm. "But, for the better. Don't you think?"
Her voice, her touch, her lips, the twinkle of her eye. Of that, Yang is sure. She laughs lightly, nods. "Definitely."
Blake looks up at her and it's jarring having her so close, looking down at her from this angle, having her lips within reach. She can't resist, leans down to brush them against her own gently. Yang goes to pull away, but Blake's hand moves to thread in her hair, keeping her in place. Yang sighs softly as Blake moves to close them against her bottom lip.
It's new, but it feels like Yang's been kissing her for a lifetime. In other lives, other universes- whatever the explanation to the familiarity she feels upon their lips meeting. Her heart races everytime Blake's hands rest on her shoulder, at her neck, inadvertent touches and strokes making her shiver and flutter, a new exploration just for the two of them. An adventure where Yang doesn't know where she’s going to end, just like her previous motivation to become a huntress, except now it's with someone she loves- it's with someone who's by her side, who she'd do anything for, it's for something good .
Blake pulls apart when air becomes a necessity. "I love you."
Yang melts- that's the extent of it. The openness, the bravery, the certainty, the way those words flow freely out of her mouth. She's braver than Yang could ever be; keep up! she had called playfully, with a hint of nervousness. Blake keeps staring at her with a look, one that makes Yang want to cry till her tears dry out.
"I love you, too," she says, trying to take her up on the challenge. "So much."
It's Blake's turn to blush, but she doesn't move to hide it like she always used to. Not with her laugh, not with her dignity, not while it's all for Yang. Instead, she giggles underneath her breath and goes to tuck herself against Yang's jacket, right beneath her chin.
"I can't believe this is real," Blake shakes her head, arms coming up to loop around Yang's neck. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to tell you."
Yang huffs. "Wait till you find out how long I've loved you."
That, Yang decides, is probably a mistake to reveal. Blake shoots up with a grin, effectively turning her body around to sit right in front of her. Her arms tighten around Yang's back.
"Now you have to tell me," she teases, moving forward until she's straddling Yang's lap. Yang blanches, hands resting on the ground to keep herself up, but they buckle when Blake's body is against hers fully, the warmth encompassing every other feeling.
"Uhh…" she says stupidly. "Can we forget about it?"
" Yang ."
"Okay, okay," she acquiesces on the spot; she really can't say no to Blake. "Beacon."
Blake shakes her head immediately. "No way."
Yang flushes, embarrassed. "I was looking at you before Ruby even told me she's seen you before. I used it as an excuse to say hi."
Blake pauses, recalls, registers, then her eyes go wide. "Were… were you trying to flirt with me?"
Yang snickers. "And you called me oblivious!"
Blake scoffs playfully. "Well, forgive me for not knowing 'I like your bow!' was your way of flirting!"
Yang moves one hand to cup her cheek, forcing their eyes to meet. Blake doesn't resist, she leans into her touch eagerly. "I just said you had a good brain. I'm not exactly smooth when it comes to you."
"Yeah?" Blake whispers, moving her head so that her lips ghost against Yang's palm.
"Yeah," Yang says. "It's like… everything in my head gets jumbled up… Things I want to say, things I want to point out. It all freezes and just stays in there when you look at me."
Blake smiles. "Well, that's no fair. I want to hear them."
"I'll try," Yang shrugs, hums, tries to get the words in order. Blake waits patiently. "I- I really did mean it. You're so smart- I love listening to you speak. It’s like… you make everything sound so interesting. I love when you explain things, things I already knew, but there’s somehow more to uncover because of your different perspective on it. I love how whenever you’d sit on my lap in Atlas to read a book, you’d look so concentrated it’s adorable ; I’d always try to read along but you’re too fast for me.”
Blake’s lips are parted in awe, face devoid of any emotion but love. Yang continues with newfound courage- she wonders where it’s been all along, the words coming to her so easily. “I love how when you think, your eyebrows go all scrunchy,” she tries to imitate it, and Blake’s smile spreads wider, “-and when you’re on the battlefield, you’re so graceful and make it all look effortless.”
Yang brushes away the tears starting to form under Blake’s eyes. “I love how thoughtful you are. How caring. How despite everything that’s happened in your life, despite all the bad, you’re still here- still standing- brave, gentle, kind, beautiful - gods… I- I can go on forever-”
She’s thinking about it- going on forever, telling Blake everything she deserves to hear. It’s you , she wants to say. It’s you. It’s always been you. Since the moment I saw you, even after you left and I was in shambles, when you came back, when we stood by that cliff together, when you danced with me under the flashing strobes and reverberating bass, when you held my hand as if it was only yours to carry- it’s you, it’s you, it’s-
She doesn’t get to finish, and maybe that’s a good thing- maybe it isn’t, Yang would run her lungs dry trying to tell Blake everything she sees, she feels- but she doesn’t care. Blake grabs the orange bandana around her neck and tugs until their lips crash, harsher than just a few moments ago, more intense than the first time. They had stood in that pretend garden for so long- it could have been a minute, it could have been an hour before they materialised back in the real world.
When Blake had pulled away for the first time back under that hazy pink sky, eyes closed to savour the moment, the first thing Yang did was turn around and march towards the blooming flowers that had magically appeared. She plucked the prettiest one, elegant and bright before walking back to Blake who had opened her eyes and was staring at her with parted lips.
Yang had reached down, tucking Blake's hair behind her ear before carefully placing the lily in its place, slotting it gently and making sure it didn't fall.
"There," she smiled. I figured it'd look better on you.
Now, when Blake pulls away, it's with a soft exhale against her lips to catch a breath, and back in she goes. Yang barely has time to take her own breath, but she'll handle it. Her tongue sweeps across her bottom lip, Blake gladly accepting it with a light groan. Her hands squeeze Blake’s hips gently, snaking one upward to thread between her hair, careful to avoid her ears.
“We have to…” she breathes as she pulls away, but Blake shuts her up by pressing harder into her. Yang’s hand leaves her waist to steady herself before she falls- but well, is falling so bad? They already had. “We have to stop before we wake them up.”
Blake kisses her one last time, short and sweet, but Yang’s body- completely betraying her, chases her lips for more. Blake indulges her with a smile until it gets too wide and they have to pull away again. Yang glances behind her to see Weiss and Ruby fast asleep, with Jaune staring at the ceiling with squinted eyes. They hadn’t been too loud, voices just above a whisper, but she still sighs before turning back.
“You tired?” she asks Blake, who leans in to pepper kisses all over Yang’s face. Yang leans away when she starts giggling too much.
“Kinda,” she shrugs, hands resting on her shoulders. “It’s been a long day.”
Yang huffs a laugh. That’s one way to put it. There were no extra beds but Jaune had given them blankets to lay on the floor and sleep on. My back can’t get any worse , Yang had shrugged- Blake shaking her head bemusedly. You can use me as a pillow .
How chivalrous , Blake smiled.
She slides Blake off her lap gently, lightly, until Blake sighs in disappointment and helps, sitting next to her. Yang lies down first, beckoning Blake to follow. She smiles down at her before settling her head against Yang’s extended arm, gradually shuffling closer until her head rests on her heartbeat. Yang exhales shakily, folding her elbow so she can hold Blake, eyes trained on the roof before they can stray and destroy her restraint.
“Goodnight, Blake,” she whispers in the dark, when she feels Blake’s breathing start to steady and her head beginning to loll. They had fallen, and it had been a wonderful, glorious plummet. Yang had once read somewhere that falling is the first part of flying; she’s looking at Blake as she falls asleep, as her eyes droop and her brain shuts off.
Blake is still there, in her arms, in her dreams, in her soul.