Red Carpet Romance - Ch. 36 (Patreon)

Opening one of the many drawers in their extensive closet, Blake studied the sparkling items on display.  Even though she knew exactly what she was searching for, she allowed her eyes to wander across the different pieces of jewelry.  Each had a memory attached to it - and most were recent gifts from Yang.

There was one pair of earrings that Blake was particularly fond of, not because they were flashy or expensive, but because of how Yang presented them.

‘I know they say diamonds are a girl's best friend, but...I want to be your best friend.  So I thought you'd like these instead.’

They were simple - without diamonds, but with shimmering drops of amber that had a slight glow whenever the light hit them just right.  They were unique and thoughtful, just like the person who gave them.

‘Plus, they match your eyes…’

Pulling out the earrings - her favorite pair - Blake slipped them on and closed the drawer.

Yang was thoughtful in ways Blake still didn't know, which was why she was excited to see what new surprise was in store for this evening.

When Yang received an unexpected day off, Blake had expected a day filled with movies or lounging around with several magazines.  Instead, they spent the morning quietly (or almost quietly) holed up in the office while Blake worked.  Once she called it quits for the day, the two of them...spent some quality time together...and then Yang used the afternoon to obsessively work on whatever she was planning for the evening.  Messages were exchanged with multiple people, several cryptic phone calls were made, and Yang wouldn’t stop grinning at whatever she was setting up.

Usually, Yang was horrible at keeping a secret.  Under ordinary circumstances, Blake should know the plan for the entire evening by now - but somehow Yang kept this under wraps.  It probably helped that there were only a few hours for this secret to fester, thus minimizing the chances of her spilling the beans.

The only thing Blake knew was that she was supposed to dress up and not eat dinner before they left.  So she put on a nice dress - one she’d worn to an award show with Yang some time back - found a pair of heels, and picked out her favorite earrings.  She wasn’t given much direction other than ‘we’ll be outside,’ so she decided a light jacket would finish off the outfit.

Taking a good look at herself in the mirror hanging on the back of the closet door, she nodded at what she found.  Smoothing a crease from the side of the gown, she walked into the room and grabbed her bag from the bedspread.

The evening had yet to begin, but she was already miffed at what was going on.  

Instead of being the last one ready (as she normally was), Yang had dressed in record time before racing out of the room - saying nothing more than she’d ‘be right back.’  In Yang’s haste to leave, Blake hadn't gotten to fully appreciate her girlfriend’s never-ending beauty. Instead, she only caught a glimpse of Yang's yellow dress (noticing a very revealing back) as the girl flew out of the room.

While checking for her ID in her wallet, Blake heard two knocks at the front door.

“Yang, could you get that?” she called into the living room before her attention fell back to the wallet in her hands.  

After confirming she had everything she needed, she heard another set of knocks.

Confused by the lack of an answer, she left the bedroom and found that the apartment was empty - Yang wasn’t in the kitchen or living room.

“Yang?” Blake asked while walking to the door.  Glancing through the small peephole to see who it was, she smiled and opened the door when she caught a flash of yellow.

“What are you -?”

Her question abruptly ended when she found Yang standing in the hall - looking stunning in her golden dress - holding a bouquet of red roses.  The unexpected sight scrambled Blake’s mind and set her heart aflutter, both in confusion and a growing desire to know exactly what prompted this display of love.

“What are you doing out here?” she asked, searching her memories of the past few minutes to see if she’d missed the sound of Yang leaving the apartment.  She didn’t think she had...but Yang must’ve slipped out without making a sound.  

“And what’re these for?” Blake added, gesturing towards the bouquet.

“They’re for you!” Yang answered, gently pressing the flowers into Blake’s hands.  “I picked the most beautiful ones I could find, but now that I see them next to you...it’s pretty clear they aren’t beautiful at all.”

By now, Blake would’ve thought she’d be used to the compliments - but she still blushed while accepting the roses, feeling flattered beyond measure that the bonafide movie star standing in front of her thought that she was beautiful.

“Thank you…” she whispered, feeling her cheeks warm while Yang smiled at her.  “I’ll...I’ll go put these in some water. Then we can go?”

Blake didn’t wait for a response before hurrying to the kitchen to fill a vase with water and set the flowers inside.  Before rushing back to the door, however, she took a few moments to look at the gorgeous red flowers - her heart doing a stutter step when she remembered the compliment Yang just gave her.

This date had only just begun, and Blake’s chest was already filled with butterflies.  If this was a sign of things to come, then this evening would be one to remember. However, she tried to remain cool as she returned to the front door, finding Yang waiting just inside the doorway.

“When are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

“You’ll see soon,” Yang replied before flashing one of those charming smiles that was impossible not to be drawn into.  She then kissed Blake’s cheek before pulling away and looking deep in her eyes. “You look amazing, by the way.”

“You look great too…” Blake whispered, diverting her gaze from Yang’s sparkling eyes.

On nights like these, with Yang dressed to the proverbial ‘nines,’ she could easily be a supermodel.  If not a supermodel, she at least deserved a spot amongst the most attractive actresses on the planet.  Yet she complimented Blake...and genuinely meant it.

After all this time, Blake still had no idea what she’d done to catch Yang’s eye, but she felt incredibly blessed to have done so.

“Now for our first stop of the evening,” Yang added, holding Blake’s hand and leading them down the hall.

Instead of stopping by the elevators like they usually did, they walked right past - continuing to the hardly-used staircase.  Blake’s confusion and curiosity grew when Yang led them upstairs instead of down to the lobby.

“Watch your step,” Yang gently instructed her, holding her hand while they walked up several flights of stairs.

“Where are we going?” Blake couldn’t help asking again, trying to think of what was on the higher levels of the building beside more apartments.

“You’ll see in a minute - it’s not far.”

Realizing Yang wasn’t going to give away their plans for the evening, Blake carefully followed her up another set of steps - these steps leading them to a door with a prominent sign posted in the middle.  That sign read: “Rooftop access - authorized personnel only.”

“Yang, I don’t think we’re -”

Blake’s words trailed off when Yang turned around and held up a single key on a small keychain.  Where she got the key from, Blake had no idea, but she slipped it into the lock and shoved the door open seconds later.

Holding it ajar, Yang gestured Blake through first.  And when she stepped out onto the rooftop, she couldn’t believe the sight before her eyes.

Strands of twinkling white lights hung around the rooftop, basking everything in a bright glow regardless of the darkening sky.  Standing heaters put off enough heat to keep the chilly night air at bay, keeping the temperature cool but not cold. In the middle of the roof stood a small table covered by a white tablecloth, with two silver place settings, a lit candle, and more roses sitting upon it.  And a soft melody drifted past her ears - the source of the lovely sound being a middle-aged man in a tuxedo playing the violin nearby.

The entire scene was like...something out of a fairytale.

“Yang -”

Before Blake could say more, a young man dressed in a sharp suit approached them.

“May I take your coats?” he asked, extending an arm to help Blake out of her jacket.

“Uh…sure,” she replied, slipping out of her coat while Yang did the same.  Without another word, the young man accepted their coats and disappeared with them in hand.

“Yang?” Blake asked again, but Yang stepped over to the table, pulled out one of the chairs, and motioned for Blake to sit down.

“What is all this?” she asked, taking the seat but looking around the decorated rooftop once more.

“Don’t ask yet - I’ll explain at the end of the night.”  Taking her own seat, Yang leaned forward and smiled. “For now, just enjoy!”

After opening her mouth to respond, Blake found that she had no words to say.  What was she supposed to say at a moment like this? They could go home right now and she would call it a wonderful evening, but it appeared Yang had even more in store.  The question humming at the forefront of Blake’s mind, however, was why.  What was the reason behind such an unexpected gift?

But she also wanted to enjoy this moment without questions - because there weren’t many evenings she found herself whisked to a candlelit dinner on the roof of her own apartment building.

“Ok,” she agreed, following Yang’s lead in placing a white napkin across her lap.  “But you’ll tell me how you planned all of this?”

“Absolutely.  For now…” After a quick nod to someone standing off to the side, Yang grinned.  “Welcome to Café Xiao Long - the only restaurant in the world with no menu and no other diners - created just for you.”

As Yang said the words, the young man who’d taken their coats reappeared - this time with two plates of salad he placed in front of them.

“Created just for me?” Blake repeated, staring at her ‘salad’ - which was mostly seared tuna with a tiny bit of lettuce underneath.

“Yup.”  Winking at Blake’s response, Yang asked, “What do you think?”

Picking up her fork, Blake tried a bite of the tuna and nodded.  It was excellent - as if she expected any else.

“I think you remembered my favorite ingredient,” she replied, knowing that was the answer Yang was hoping for.  

After giving herself a small fist pump of congratulations, Yang started eating with a smile still lingering on her lips.

“I like your earrings, by the way,” she added after a few bites, waving her fork towards Blake’s ears.

“Thank you.  They were a gift from someone very important to me.”

“That person has incredible taste,” Yang joked.  “If I do say so myself.”

“Yes, she does have an incredible taste,” Blake replied, smirking at the blush that instantly dusted Yang’s cheeks.

Under many circumstances, Yang was calm and put-together - the first one with a big smile and witty remark.  Under these circumstances, however, she blushed remarkably fast and lost the ability to speak.  Blake had grown quite fond of watching Yang blush so quickly, which meant she’d also grown quite fond of making Yang blush so quickly. 

“I’m...sure you do too…” Yang mumbled before taking another bite to eat, using the presence of food as an excuse to keep quiet.  

Sensing her opportunity to double down on that blush, Blake opened her mouth - but paused when she heard a beep come from across the table.

“Aw damn.”  Setting her fork down, Yang pulled out her phone and sighed.  “Sorry, I forgot to silence this thing. Way to ruin the evening, Yang…”

“You haven’t ruined anything,” Blake quickly refuted.  “Who’s it from?”

She knew that without permission Yang wouldn’t check the message until the evening was over.  But there was nothing wrong with checking one message - at least, Blake saw nothing wrong with checking one message.  Yang wasn’t one of those people who was glued to their phones at all hours of the day, so it wasn’t like this was a common occurrence.  Plus, it could be important.

“You sure?” Yang asked anyway.  When Blake nodded, Yang smiled and tapped the screen.

“No way!” she immediately exclaimed, her face lighting up with happiness.   “Weiss is free! She’ll come to dinner tomorrow!”

“That’s great news.”

“Yeah!  Wow, never thought she’d be free.”

When Yang silenced her phone and put it away - with a giddy smile set in place - Blake grew even more pleased with her decision to have Yang check the message.  

As much as Yang wanted to make this night about Blake, Blake wanted Yang to have a great time too.  Having the cryptic-yet-sweet singer accept a dinner invitation was more than enough to do that.

“Ok, so Ruby will be there,” Yang mused, her brow adorably furrowed while she thought through their plans for tomorrow evening.  “Weiss will be there. Hopefully, they become friends, and Ruby has another person to hang out with.”

From what Blake witnessed at Weiss’ birthday party, she didn’t think the two would have any difficulty becoming friends.  A strange type of...magnetism might be the appropriate word for it...ran between Weiss and Ruby.  From their contrasting personalities, it seemed like a rather ill-suited match, yet…

Well, Blake would keep an eye out for more clues during dinner.  With her rather-active imagination, it was entirely possible she was placing emotions where there were none.

“Ruby gets bored that easily?” she asked, spearing several pieces of lettuce and looking up when Yang sighed.

“I don't know if she’s bored or just...aimless?  I mean, bored would make sense because she hardly sits still, but she’s never said she wants to do anything except ‘experience the world.’”

“That’s quite a lofty goal…”

“Right?  How much experiencing can she do before she sticks in one place?”

“She’s still young,” Blake pointed out, watching Yang absentmindedly push pieces of lettuce around her plate.  “She can afford to take a year or two and figure out what she wants to do.” 

“Yeah…”  Nodding for a few moments, Yang finally relaxed and returned her focus to eating the food in front of them.  “Can’t lie and say I don’t wish whatever she decides to do is in Vale. Or near a stable phone line.”

“Maybe we can help her with this while she’s here,” Blake suggested.  “Help her find her true calling or...something.”

“Yeah?” Yang asked, cheering up at the offer.  “You’ll help me?”

“Of course I will.”

As if that even needed to be asked.  Blake would help Yang with anything, no matter the purpose or intention.  If it was important to Yang, it was important to Blake - and Ruby was clearly important to Yang.  

“What about you though?” Yang suddenly asked, setting her fork down and putting both elbows on the table - looking quite intent upon Blake’s answer.

“What do you mean?” Blake asked, nodding to the waiter when he returned to take their plates away.

“What do you think about Vale?  Do you like it here? I mean, with your job you could work from anywhere.”

Understanding the implication behind that question, Blake quickly shook her head to dispel any of Yang’s concerns.  “I like it here. Sure, I can work from anywhere, but your job is here. And I'm staying wherever you are.”

A smile slowly appeared on Yang’s face - one of those smiles that showed up whenever Blake stated the obvious - that she was sticking around for good.  

Was Vale perfect?  No. But she doubted a perfect place existed in the world.  So she willingly accepted Vale’s flaws because this was where her home was - and this was where Yang was.  Those two were one-and-the-same these days.

“But if you wanted to move somewhere else…”

“I don’t.  Unless you do.”

This time, Blake watched Yang’s eyes, which sparkled happily at their most recent commitment.

“Naw,” Yang finally replied, switching to her easygoing grin and leaning back in her chair.  “You just moved in! And moving’s a pain.”

“Agreed.”  

Spotting motion to their right, Blake found the waiter returning with two plates in his hands.  

“Your main course,” he said while setting the plates in front of them.  As soon as his hands were free, he clasped them together, smiled, and left them with a quick “Enjoy.”

“Wow,” Blake said, looking at a plate of food delivered straight from the gods.

“If my memory serves me right…” Yang replied, grinning at Blake’s response.  “You might like salmon too.”

“You might be right,” Blake teased before taking a bite of the fish and nodding.  “Mm...this is fantastic.”

“Yeah?”  Encouraged by the response, Yang took a bite of her own food and gave a somewhat-shrug, somewhat-nod.  “Yeah, it’s pretty good!”

“Does that mean you won’t be finishing yours?” Blake joked, pointing her fork towards Yang’s piece of fish.

“Don’t worry - I had them make extra.”

“Have I told you that I love you?” Blake asked, taking another bite and savoring the delicious flavor.  “Because I love you.”

Laughing at the response, Yang mimed jotting a note down on the table.

“Note to self,” she said while ‘writing,’ “Fish will earn love.”

“There are a lot of other ways to earn my love...”

“I’m hoping this date is one of them.”

“Have you not been lucky enough already today?” Blake asked, smiling when she saw the blush coming back to Yang’s cheeks.

“You know I can never be too lucky…”

After Blake chuckled at the response, the two of them lapsed into a short, comfortable silence broken only by the sounds of their silverware touching their plates.  Comfortable silences were a common occurrence with them - something Blake was grateful for. They didn’t need to speak all of the time - they didn’t need to fill every second with conversation - sometimes they could just be with each other, expressing feelings and contentedness through looks and glances rather than words.

Of course, that didn’t mean they were quiet for an entire dinner.  Eventually, Yang looked up at the sky and frowned.

“It’s kind of cloudy…”

“I think it’s nice,” Blake replied, looking at the clouds covering the darkening night sky.  

“Yeah...I was kinda hoping for some stars though...”

“Ah.”  

Sitting back in her seat, Blake thought she understood Yang’s disappointment now.  A candlelit dinner was romantic, but a candlelit dinner under the stars was quintessential romance.  It also wasn't quite realistic - who could control the weather?  

“Isn’t that what I have you for?” Blake asked, elaborating on that comment when Yang looked confused.  “You’re my star, aren't you?”

Yang's slow grin grew brighter than any star - and lit up Blake's night with a warmth that distant suns could never offer. 

“More than happy to be your star!” Yang said with a happy nod.  “Any time, any day. But I shine brighter at night, if you know what I mean.”

When Yang winked, Blake laughed and continued eating the delicious dinner that had been planned out for her.  

“Guess I’ll see tonight,” she added with a wink of her own.  A mere glimpse of the grin on Yang’s face said that she was no longer disappointed in the weather, which was exactly what Blake hoped to accomplish.

“Besides,” she added.  “I like the clouds. They remind me of rainy days sitting inside, curled up with a good book.”

“I should’ve known you’re more of a stormy weather girl.”

Blake laughed at the comment, freely nodding in agreement.  “That I am.” 

“Then perfect night, huh?” Yang joked, waving towards the clouds.

“And perfect food.”  When Blake gestured towards her empty plate, Yang laughed and gave an almost imperceptible nod off to the side.  Their waiter immediately appeared and swept their plates away.

“Great service,” Blake commented, watching the tuxedoed man disappear through the doorway to the staircase.  “Where’d you find him?”

“A friend of a friend.”  Being intentionally vague, Yang grinned and carried on.  “I hope you have room for dessert?”  

Blake had no idea how the waiter got up and down the stairs so quickly - maybe someone else was meeting him just inside the door? - but he reappeared moments later with two small plates of chocolate mousse - another of Blake's personal favorites.

“You really outdid yourself this time,” Blake said while taking a bite and letting out a soft ‘mm’ of delight.

“We’re just getting started!”

“I look forward to seeing the rest of your plans...and learning what this is all about.”

“All in good time, Blake,” Yang replied with a soft laugh.  “All in good time.”

Taking another bite and savoring the chocolate flavor, Blake swallowed and nodded.  

“I just hope you aren’t preemptively apologizing for something.”

Yang burst out laughing at the idea, which immediately dispelled the notion from Blake’s mind.

“Preemptively apologizing??  Pretty sure I’ll never get in this much trouble.” 

Satisfied with that response, Blake said, “Good,” and smiled while finishing the rest of her dessert.

This dinner alone was perfect, and something she would’ve amply rewarded Yang for planning.  But this was only the beginning? What else did Yang plan for tonight? Whatever it was, Blake had to guess it was also thoughtful, considerate, and romantic.  As if she needed reasons to love Yang more than she already did...

The dessert plates had yet to be whisked away when Yang stood and offered her hand to Blake.

“Dance with me?”

Of course, Blake willingly agreed.

Taking Yang's hand, she stood and followed Yang to the small, wooden dance floor she hadn’t noticed until now.  It had been laid on one side of the rooftop - a smooth surface perfect for two. When they stepped onto the platform, Yang put her hands on Blake’s waist while Blake wrapped her arms around Yang’s neck.  The violinist started playing a perfect song to dance to - a slow, beautiful melody that added even more romance to this moment.

Dancing with Yang was a guilty pleasure of hers - something she could never get enough of, yet was too shy to admit out loud.  She loved the intimacy, with the two of them standing close enough to share in each other’s warmth. In these moments, they had each other’s full attention, their eyes hardly left each other’s, and the only thing moving them was the soft music playing in the background.

In a world filled with so many distractions, it was nice to find moments that existed solely for one another.  Plus, Yang was a surprisingly good dancer, due to lessons she’d endured for a previous role she played.

It all came together in an incredibly romantic moment - the two of them slowly dancing beneath the cloudy sky, on a rooftop overlooking Vale, with the sound of violin drifting over them.

“Thank you,” Blake whispered.  Reaching up, she ran her fingers through Yang’s hair before gently curling them around the girl’s ear.

“The night’s not over yet…” Yang whispered in return.

Shaking her head and smiling, Blake acquiesced for now.  She was content to enjoy their dinner and their dance and put all other thoughts to the wayside.

But honestly...if she hadn’t seen the idea pop into existence earlier that day, or if she hadn’t watched Yang hastily send messages to an assortment of people throughout the afternoon, she might be on pins and needles the entire evening.  With such a romantic, thoughtful night, it was easy to believe that this was all a setup for…

Well, if Blake knew Yang at all - and she was positive that she did - she knew that a question of that magnitude wouldn't be planned at the last minute.  Now, she just needed to unravel her vague disappointment that it wasn’t tonight.

“Blake?”

Snapping out of her thoughts, Blake found Yang watching her closely, curiosity and a bit of concern in her lilac eyes.

“Yes?”

“You went quiet on me there,” Yang added, slowing their feet to nothing more than an occasional sway.  “Something wrong?”

It wasn’t unusual for Yang to pick up Blake’s feelings so easily - she was far more perceptive than Blake ever expected. But in this particular instance, Blake couldn’t give away the entirety of her thoughts.

“I was just thinking about something,” she replied, smiling when she felt Yang’s fingers gently grasp onto her sides.  “About you and me.”

“Yeah?”  Just like that, Yang’s eyes regained their sparkle.  “That happens to be my favorite subject.”

“Mine too.”

The two of them smiled at each other - probably looking like love-stricken fools, but Blake saw no problem with it.  She wasn’t sure how long they stood there, but eventually she noticed that the music had stopped, and the violinist walked over to catch their attention.

“Miss Xiao Long,” the man said with a polite nod.  “It’s time.”

“Time?” Blake asked, looking at him in surprise before turning back to Yang.

“Time to get this show on the road!” Yang replied with a big grin.  “Thank you for the wonderful evening,” she said to the violinist, who bowed in gratitude before walking away.  Taking Blake’s hand, Yang led them towards the staircase they’d used to get to the roof.

“There’s more?”

Dinner, music, dancing - as far as wonderful dates went, this one felt pretty complete.  Of course, Yang wasn’t one for simplicity, even if it was last minute.

“Just one more stop,” Yang explained, leading them down the stairs and back into the hallway of their floor.  For a second, Blake thought the end of their evening might be at home, but then Yang stopped at the elevator and pressed the button to go to the lobby.

“Unless you want to go home?” Yang offered, motioning towards the door of their apartment.

The offer was considerate, and maybe appropriate if Blake was tired, had an early appointment in the morning, or wasn’t feeling well.  But in all other instances, why would she go home early when she wanted to see what else Yang had planned?

“Not without you,” she answered, catching a happy smile as the elevator doors slid open and they stepped inside.

“I hoped that was your answer.”  Pressing the button for the lobby, Yang then reached out and held Blake’s hand on the short trip downstairs.  When the doors opened a few moments later, they walked into the lobby and were quickly greeted by the evening’s doorman.

“Good evening, Miss Belladonna, Miss Xiao Long,” he said with a friendly smile.  “You both look wonderful tonight.”

“Thanks!” Yang replied while Blake nodded in gratitude.  “Is he outside?”

“Yes,” the doorman replied with a short chuckle.  “Your ride awaits you.”

The question and answer grabbed Blake’s attention, and she looked through the lobby doors in an attempt to spot what the pair were talking about.

As soon as they stepped through the doors and turned to the left, Blake gasped at what she found – an honest-to-goodness horse-drawn carriage.  A well-dressed driver stood beside two beautiful white horses, gently fixing the harnesses around their heads.

“It’s beautiful…” Blake whispered while Yang led them closer and caught the driver’s attention.

“Ah, you’ve arrived!” he said, reaching out to shake their hands before waving towards the door to the carriage.  “Please - after you.”

With the man holding the door, Yang helped Blake step into the carriage first before hopping up behind her.  Once the door closed and they were settled into the comfortable bench in the back, the driver climbed aboard the front seat and picked up the reins.

“Great night for a quick jog,” he said mostly to himself before snapping the reins to urge the horses forward.  The carriage jerked into motion, pushing Blake back in the seat at the same time, before they pulled onto the street and set off - destination unknown.

“Wow,” she breathed out, looking around the streets while the steady clomp clomp clomp of hooves hit the pavement.  “You really outdid yourself.  How did you plan this in one day?”

“A cell phone and determination.”  

“Plenty of determination, alright,” Blake replied.  Leaning into Yang’s side, she sighed in bliss when Yang wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  It was a little chilly without the heaters from the rooftop, but Yang lent plenty of warmth to keep Blake warm.

“Say I was a genie -”

The beginning of the sentence was enough to make Blake smile.  Snuggling closer into Yang’s side, she looked up and gave Yang an amused expression. 

“Ok…”

“And I offered you three wishes.  What would they be?”

These thought exercises never ceased to entertain Blake.  They were always sweet, caring, and had everything to do with their relationship - which, surprisingly, she never grew tired of talking about.

“Are you still Yang in this situation?” she asked, trying to figure out the boundaries of her wishes.  “Or are you some other being with magical powers?”

“I’m still Yang.”

“Although that doesn't change much,” Blake replied, kissing Yang on the cheek.  “Even without magical powers, you can apparently make anything happen.” Blake nodded towards the carriage as a perfect example.

“Exactly!  I could re-name mountains for you.  I’d say move, but I’m not sure about that one…”

Chuckling at the honest admission, Blake thought about what her wishes might be while listening to the steady and relaxing sound of hooves hitting pavement.  She knew that her answers would be taken to heart, and Yang would actually try to grant them, so she needed to answer carefully.

Of course, it was hard to think of anything she wanted at the moment.  Work was going well, and Yang cast a happy glow over her days that made everything brighter.

“I have one,” Blake said, sitting up straighter so she could meet Yang's eyes.  “That you’ll always be with me.”

‘Always’ was a word with significant implications - which they were both aware of - but Yang wasted no time nodding.

“That’s so easy - done!  Wish granted. What else?”

“Hmm…” 

After that first wish, Blake was less sure about what she wanted.  The difficulty stemmed from Yang's propensity to grant wishes as soon as they popped up.  This entire evening was like a wish being granted - a wish she’d never known she had. Any other desire she had would be a whim, at best.

“That we’ll eat more salmon,” she said, recalling the wonderful dinner they’d just eaten.

That one made Yang laugh, but she nodded regardless.

“Absolutely.  It’s starting to grow on me, you know.  I mean, literally grow on me. I think I’ve got a little guppy around here somewhere…”  While Yang playfully looked at her arm, Blake chuckled and leaned back into her side.

“If you started growing salmon, you’d never get rid of me.”

“Maybe I need to look into that then.”

Smiling at the response, Blake watched the buildings slide past as their carriage ride continued.  The street lamps cast a gentle glow across the street, and plenty of people were walking on the sidewalks - going to dinners of their own or heading home.  All-in-all, the driver was correct - a great night for a carriage ride.

“Alright, what’s your third wish?” Yang asked, not letting Blake slip away with just two.  Maybe not with just three either, since Yang hadn’t used the word ‘last…’

Thinking of a great answer, Blake smiled and looked at Yang while saying it.

“That Bang lives a long, carefree life.”

Yang huffed in surprise, then turned to the side and grumbled something that sounded an awful lot like “that damn fish.”

The playfully-jealous response was exactly what Blake expected, and she chuckled while patting Yang’s knee with one hand.

“Fine,” Yang eventually said, smiling once more.  “I hope Bang has a long, happy life too - far away from any toilet bowls.”

“You’re very sweet.”  Intertwining their fingers, Blake looked up at Yang and smiled. “What about you?  What wishes do you have?”

Maybe Blake couldn’t move mountains, but she could - and would - do anything to make Yang happy.

After looking at their joined hands for a few seconds, Yang turned her gaze to Blake.  She had this way of looking at Blake sometimes...where her eyes gave away emotions she might not say out loud.  She didn’t need to say those words out loud, however, because Blake could read them and feel them and sense them as they poured from Yang in droves.

“That first one,” Yang said, never turning away from Blake’s gaze.  “I want to be with you forever. Think we can do it?”

Blake could feel it, alright - the question Yang wasn't ready to ask but was trying to feel out Blake’s response to.  It was the same question that lingered in the air after all their kisses, after every ‘I love you,’ after every intimate moment they shared. Knowing that Yang was thinking about it too made Blake’s skin tingle with anticipation.  They could still be far from that time, but the idea that Yang was already considering it made Blake’s heart dance in her chest.

If Yang asked right now, Blake’s answer was ‘yes.’  But there was no need to rush. They had more than enough time to do this the right way.  Hopefully Yang didn’t wait too long though, or Blake would have to figure out a way to ask instead…

“I know we can,” she replied with a reassuring smile.  “I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.”

“Me too.”  After a several second pause, Yang added, “I mean, I can think of a way to like...get us closer…”

Sensing her opportunity to provide Yang with (hopefully) the confidence she needed, Blake quickly replied.

“I can too.  And I’d be happy to do it.”

For a long time, Yang stared - searching Blake’s eyes for any sign of uncertainty or hesitation.  She wouldn’t find any, because Blake was positive that the girl sitting beside her was the one she was meant to be with - the one she wanted to be with for the rest of her life.

When Yang found her answer, she smiled.

“I have a question for you then,” she said, leaning forward to whisper in Blake’s ear.  “Ever wanted to make out in a carriage?”

Laughing at the unexpected turn in the conversation, Blake playfully slapped Yang on the shoulder and pushed her away.

“Can’t say I’ve ever thought about it.”

Moving closer, Yang lowered her voice to a sultry whisper and batted her stupidly-beautiful eyes.

“Can you think about it now?”

The question worked just like Yang thought it would, sending a searing wave of desire through Blake’s veins.

“I think we should go home now,” she whispered, running her tongue across her lips.  Yang’s eyes widened at the response, and she immediately sprang into action.

“You got it.  Kind sir!” When the driver looked over his shoulder, Yang said, “We’re ready to head home now - the short way, please.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied.  Snapping the reins, he did as instructed and took the next turn towards their building.

“Think you can wait a few minutes?” Yang asked, her greedy eyes suggesting it wasn’t really Blake she was speaking to.

“Don’t I have to?”

“Well…”  Shrugging, Yang grinned and leaned in for a kiss that Blake willingly granted.  She felt Yang’s hand slide up her neck before moving into her hair, a gentle and tender action she adored. 

Moving her own hand behind Yang’s neck, Blake pulled the girl closer - deepening the kiss and really, really wishing they were already home.  At this rate, they’d likely be spotted and end up in the tabloids tomorrow, but she didn’t see how she was supposed to care.  Not when she could call the most amazing person in the world her own. Not when she knew that they’d be together forever, no matter what the news tried to say about them.

They were each other’s - and nothing would ever change that.

An unknown amount of kisses later, Yang pulled away - much to Blake’s chagrin.  She quickly realized, however, that they’d made it home and were now parked in front of the lobby doors.

“Have a great night,” the driver told them as Yang stepped out of the carriage first.

“Thank you for the wonderful time,” Blake said while Yang helped her step down, not releasing her hand as they headed inside.

“Yeah, thanks a million!  I’ll be in touch about that thing you asked for!”  Yang sent the man a wave before pulling Blake through the lobby doors, moving purposefully now that they both had the same destination in mind.

“In a hurry?” Blake teased after Yang jabbed the button to call an elevator.

“Aren’t you?”

“Maybe…”

Looking at Blake, Yang laughed and pulled her into the elevator once it arrived.

“So coy.  Don’t hold out on me, Belladonna.”

“Do I ever?”  Batting her eyes, Blake smiled when Yang laughed.  

“Guess not.”  

When Yang put her hands on Blake’s hips, her eyes stating her intentions clear as day, Blake felt a shiver of thrill run down her spine.  But before she lost herself in Yang’s touch, she needed to know…

“Are you going to explain now?” she asked as the elevator brought them to their floor.  “What tonight was for?”

Suddenly a little bashful, Yang looked at the ground when they stepped out of the elevator and walked towards their apartment.

“Well, you know…you spend so much time writing all these romantic scenes in your novels…I wanted to make them a reality for you. I wanted you to know what it was like to experience some of those things – at least for one night.”

The sentiment was so touching, Blake had no idea how to respond.  

That was Yang’s reason for planning all of this?  To make a fairytale come true? So Blake could experience those magical moments in real life?

What Yang didn’t realize that Blake’s life was already a fairytale.  She found her happily-ever-after in the bathroom of a bookstore, and their time together proved over and over again that true love existed.  She knew that the situations crafted in her stories were idealistic, but the fact that Yang set out to bring some of them to life was beyond thoughtful.

By the time they made it to their apartment door, Blake knew exactly what she wanted to say.

“You forgot one of the most important parts of a good romantic scene,” she said, watching Yang’s brow knit in confusion.

“I did?”

Stepping closer, Blake watched Yang’s eyes drift from her lips to her eyes and back again.

“Yes…” she whispered, reaching up and tucking Yang’s hair behind her ear.  “You forgot the goodnight kiss.”

Blake leaned all the way in and kissed Yang - trying to express through touch how happy the entire evening made her.  How happy Yang made her on a daily basis.  When she ended the kiss, she pulled Yang into a hug and whispered “Thank you.”

“Anything for you, Blake,” Yang whispered back.  “You know that.”

And Blake did.  That was one of the reasons she was so sure about their relationship and their future.

“Are you going to pretend to leave now?” she teased, smiling when Yang immediately nodded - more than willing to play the fairytale to its very end.

“Absolutely.”

When Yang winked and turned away - whistling an upbeat tune to herself as she went - Blake unlocked their apartment and stepped inside.  As soon as the door closed behind her, she leaned against it, bit her lip, and smiled.  

What Yang did for her today made her feel...incredibly cherished and loved. She knew she was important to Yang, but moments like these proved just how important – and just how far - Yang was willing to go for her.

Turning around, Blake opened the door and rushed into the hall, deciding she didn’t want to wait however long Yang might take before returning.

“Yang!” she called out, finding Yang only halfway down the hall.  

Pausing, Yang turned around and smiled while Blake hurried over.  As soon as she was close enough, she pulled Yang into a deep, passionate kiss – wrapping both arms around Yang’s neck and pulling herself as close to the girl as possible.

“I never could’ve written someone like you,” she whispered in Yang’s ear before grabbing her hands and pulling her back to their apartment together.

For such a thoughtful gesture, Yang deserved a bit of appreciation.  And Blake knew of a few ways to show appreciation that Yang was bound to enjoy.  Hopefully she didn’t have to go to work too early tomorrow...