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“What a day…” Yang sighed while returning a set of keys to the hook inside the break room.

“What a week,” Pyrrha corrected, and Yang readily nodded.

“Who would’ve thought a movie about a circus would be such a circus?”  While Pyrrha chuckled, Yang sniffed her sleeve and wrinkled her nose.  “Pretty sure I’m going to smell like zebra for the next year.”

“At least the zebras weren’t throwing their feces.”

A laugh slipped through Yang’s lips before she caught herself and forced a solemn expression.

“I’m so sorry...”

“No, you’re not,” Pyrrha said, swatting Yang’s shoulder.

“I am!  But it was also kind of funny.”  When Pyrrha arched one brow, Yang broke down and laughed.  “Ok, really funny,” she admitted while grabbing her bag from her locker.  “You were so patient with them though.”

“They were cute, in a way…”

“When they weren’t monkeying around?”

Pyrrha rolled her eyes at the pun while Yang sat on one of the benches and waited for Pyrrha to collect her belongings.  Now that the week was over, they could take a deep breath and reminisce on what their crazy jobs had asked of them this time - essentially, pressing them to become animal trainers overnight.  Of course, only Pyrrha could deal with such a ridiculous situation and still look as graceful and poised as a supermodel.

“Plans this weekend?” Yang asked while Pyrrha pulled on her jacket.

“Jaune and I are going ice skating.”

“That sounds adorable and fun.”

Pyrrha hummed and smiled in that cute, love-stricken way she had whenever thinking about a certain blonde-haired boy.  If that smile was to be believed, ice skating was a dream come true.  Or maybe the dream come true was any time with Jaune.

“What about you?” Pyrrha eventually asked.  “It’s Friday night - you must have a date.”

“You know it.”  Yang grinned at the assumption and slung her bag over one shoulder.  “Going to meet Blake right now.”

“Blake again?” Pyrrha asked, glancing Yang’s way while they left the locker room together.  “What happened to having a different hot date every Friday?”

“Blake is my hot date.”

When the next available elevator opened its doors, Pyrrha followed Yang inside.  “You’ve been spending a lot of time with her recently,” she commented as the elevator lowered to the ground floor.

“I know.  It’s been awesome.”

That was the simplest way Yang could describe the past couple of weeks, which had included more one-on-one time with Blake than ever before.  They hardly missed an opportunity to see each other - a new and exciting level of friendship that Yang couldn’t get enough of.

“Well, I hope you two have fun,” Pyrrha said once the elevator released them into the lobby.  They joined the steady stream of workers leaving the building, where they eventually merged with the rest of the city preparing for the weekend.  Pyrrha paused once they reached the sidewalk and asked, “Tell Blake I said hi?”

“Absolutely.  Have fun ice skating?”

“Absolutely,” Pyrrha repeated with a cheerful laugh.

“Good.  Then I’ll see you Monday!”

Yang smiled and waved before heading in the opposite direction.  She was happy to learn that Pyrrha had another date with Jaune, but her own plans made it feel like she was walking on sunshine rather than the dirty, crowded sidewalk.

People from all walks of life were out right now.  Students, parents, run-of-the-mill workers...everyone with places to be and people to meet once they got there.  Maybe it was just Yang, but the atmosphere felt more excited and energetic than usual.  As if they were all excited about tonight, no matter what their plans might be.

Whether or not that was true, she embraced the idea while hurrying the short distance between her workplace and Blake’s.  A glance at the time confirmed she was still early, but she didn’t slow down.  If by some chance, Blake finished early, their plans could start right away.  Yang tried not to get too excited at that thought, but nothing could stop her heart from getting involved as soon as Blake’s office came into view.  Its beat quickened along with her footsteps, leading her to the building like a moth to a flame.

If someone told her years ago that she would feel at ease strolling into a publishing firm, glancing over enlarged novel covers hanging beside photographs of authors she didn’t recognize, she would have thought they were crazy.  Yet here she was in the busy lobby, casually watching people come and go.

As Blake once pointed out, working at a publishing company wasn’t the same as working at a library - whispers weren’t required.  The lobby was actually quite noisy whenever Yang visited, and today it seemed especially so.  Whether excited for the end of the week, the end of the day, or just to get outside, the workers passed by with an upbeat, lively energy that lifted her spirit in turn.

She was also excited for the weekend and the freedom that came with it but, most of all, she was excited to start her weekend by seeing Blake.  Three days had passed since they saw each other last - a normal timeframe by their old standards, but she had gotten spoiled by seeing Blake nearly every day.  They still texted nearly nonstop and talked on the phone all the time, but nothing beat being together.

Spotting a familiar face in the midst of the crowd of workers, Yang smiled and waved.

“Hey Ilia!” she greeted the petite girl, who did a small double-take before altering her path to say hello.

“Hi Yang.  How’re you feeling?”

Judging by the concern in Ilia’s eyes and the way her gaze swept over Yang in search of injuries, she wasn’t asking about Yang’s general well-being.

Having a friend get hit by a car was a newsworthy event, but Yang was still pleasantly surprised that Blake talked about her at work.  Especially when Blake went to great lengths to keep her work and private life separate.

“Feeling pretty good,” Yang answered, rolling her shoulders to prove that point.  “I can move my arm again, which is nice, and the bruises are basically gone.”

“That’s great.  Blake made it sound pretty serious.”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Yang replied with a soft laugh.  “But Blake always said it was only a matter of time before I got hit.  I kind of thought I’d actually be driving though, not sitting in a parking lot.”

When Ilia chuckled, Yang smiled and shifted her bag on her shoulder.  As much as she savored the extra attention from certain people, she didn’t want everyone worrying about her.  ‘Hit by a car’ sounded pretty bad, but it was only a little tumble across a hood and into a windshield followed by a very rude landing on the asphalt below.  Mild concussion, lots of scrapes and bruises, and a briefly immobilized shoulder - nothing she couldn’t handle.

Although, in many ways, she’d been lucky.  The doctor told her as much during her follow-up appointment.  If the car had hit her at a slightly different angle or speed, or if she’d been standing rather than sitting on Bumblebee, she could have suffered a traumatic, life-threatening head injury.  Blake hadn’t liked hearing that part so much.

“Blake should be out soon,” Ilia offered before Yang even asked.  “I just saw her packing up her things.”  Ilia motioned behind her, but her expression soon grew uncertain.  “Unless you want me to go get her?  Is it important?”

“I don’t mind waiting.  I’m early anyway.”

“Oh.”  After visibly relaxing, Ilia gave Yang an inquisitive look.  “Do you two always get together on Friday?”

“Not always,” Yang replied, though she and Blake had made plans the past couple of Fridays in a row.  “Only when she’s free.  I’ll take whatever time I can get, you know?”

“Pretty sure she’s willing to spend all of her time with you...”

Before Yang asked what made Ilia say that, Blake stepped off of the next elevator and stole Yang’s full attention.  And, having not seen each other for three whole days, Yang’s heart promptly swooned.

As usual, Blake’s outfit was on point: professional yet effortlessly sexy with her natural poise and calm demeanor surrounding her in an air of competency.  Her long, dark hair fell in perfect waves down her back, and her bright amber eyes scanned the lobby until landing on Yang.  A small smile lifted her lips then, and butterflies fluttered through Yang’s chest.

Knowing that Ilia was watching, Yang cleared her throat but couldn't turn away.  Blake’s gaze held her transfixed, and she barely prevented herself from leaving Ilia behind to meet Blake halfway.  Common decency won out somehow, and she waited for Blake to join them near the entrance.

“Hey,” Blake said, smiling first at Ilia before locking onto Yang.  “You’re early.”

“Of course.”

Knowing exactly what Blake meant, Yang said nothing more.  She just grinned at what was pretty much a fact of life by that point.  “You look great,” she quickly added.  Her cheeks warmed upon giving the compliment and grew even warmer when Blake responded by very obviously checking her out in return.

“You do, too.”

Yang hadn’t been fishing for flattery but blushed upon receiving it.  She had been called beautiful before, but the compliment meant much more coming from Blake.  It made her skin tingle and, if they didn’t have an audience, she would have responded by gushing about how utterly gorgeous Blake was.  Ilia’s presence, however, made her self-conscious.

“Ready?” she asked instead, and Blake nodded before turning to Ilia.

“Have a great weekend, Ilia.”

“Yeah, you too.”  After glancing between them, Ilia smiled.  “I hope you two have fun.”

“We’ll do our best,” Yang joked before gently nudging Blake’s side, prompting Blake to nod.  Ilia chuckled softly at the response and, after one last glance, joined the stream of workers exiting the building.

Blessed with a semblance of privacy, Yang couldn’t wait to express the feelings and emotions that popped into her mind whenever Blake was around.  Whether through words, gestures, or affection...as long as she got to show Blake how much she cared, she was happy.

“So...how was your day?” she asked, in no rush to leave now that they were alone.  Fortunately, Blake seemed to feel the same and edged closer.

“Busy, long, and boring.”  When Yang made a face at the answer, Blake waved it away.  “But it’s over now.  How was the zoo?”

“‘Zoo’ is an accurate way to put it,” Yang replied before laughing.  “And it was...eventful.  One of the llamas escaped and started eating everything.  Then the cameramen thought it’d be funny to teach the parrots bad words, which they wouldn’t stop screaming at the top of their lungs whenever anyone walked past.  And the lead actress kept complaining that the tigers looked like they wanted to eat her, which...was probably true, but they were in their cage the entire time.”

“That sounds like a mess,” Blake laughed, and Yang nodded.

“It was a mess.  And the worst part is that now I smell like a zoo.”

“You don’t smell like a zoo…”

“I definitely do.”  While Blake laughed, Yang sniffed her shoulder.  “I’m serious,” she added, much to Blake’s amusement.  “I can still smell zebras.”

“Really?” Blake asked, her raised brow and smile suggesting she didn’t fully believe the claim.

“Really!”

“I need to confirm this.”

“You just want to know what zebras smell like,” Yang teased.

“Maybe I do.”

Yang laughed at the response, but her laughter faded when Blake stepped closer.  Her heart raced at the sudden proximity, and she fought the urge to pull Blake into her.  As it turned out, she didn’t have to - Blake took it upon herself to set one hand on Yang’s shoulder, lean in, and gently sniff Yang’s neck.

Her skin tingled when Blake’s nose lightly brushed against her hair, and a shiver ran down her spine when Blake’s soft exhale dusted across her neck.  She’d never wanted someone like she did right then, as Blake’s commanding allure drew a small gasp from her lips.  By the time Blake moved away, all Yang could do was imagine alternative endings to that moment.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Blake said, seemingly unaffected by their closeness as she curled her fingers in Yang’s hair.  “You smell amazing.”

“Must just be me then…” Yang replied, to which Blake hummed before glancing to the side and finally moving away.

The sequence of events lasted a matter of seconds, but Yang’s heart wouldn’t slow down anytime soon.  She didn’t know when Blake started affecting her so much, but every little touch pulled outsized reactions from her these days.  It was as if her body forgot what to do in Blake’s presence so proceeded to short-circuit at every possible opportunity.

“So, uh, want to get out of here?” she asked, offering her arm even though holding Blake’s would stir up her heart even more.  True enough, when Blake nodded and slipped her arm through Yang’s, it threatened to gallop off to the races.

The rest of her body didn’t gallop though.  The rest of her body tried to remain calm and collected while leading Blake out of the building.  Upon reaching the sidewalk, she headed toward Blake’s apartment without thinking.  Blake, however, sent her a curious look.

“Where are we going?”

“Oh.”

Remembering that they never finalized plans for the evening - most of it had just been daydreams - Yang shook her head and focused on the present.  Friday night.  Date night with Blake.

“I thought we could grab a pizza and head back to your place.  Maybe watch another movie or just...hang out.  What do you think?”

“That sounds...mellow,” Blake mused before sending Yang a playful smile.  “When did you become so mellow?  Is this what you’re like without Bumblebee?”

Yang groaned at the mention of her beloved bike.

“It’s horrible, Blake.  I have to walk everywhere.”

“You poor thing…” Blake said, consolingly patting Yang’s cheek.  “That must be so hard…especially when everywhere you go is within a few blocks.”

“That’s not even the worst part!” Yang protested.  “I lost like half of my coolness without her.”

“Doesn’t that make you hotter?”

Yang froze at the comment, which she had never considered, before glancing at Blake.  Spotting the sparkle in Blake’s eyes, she laughed.

“Alright, you win,” she acquiesced, her heart skipping a beat when Blake leaned into her side.  “I begrudgingly accept being hotter in Bumblebee’s absence.”

“Thought so,” Blake teased.  “Won’t she be fixed soon?”

“Should be.  Waiting on one more part, then everything gets repainted.”  Thinking about her bike, and what an ordeal it had been getting everything fixed, Yang sighed.  “Can’t wait to have her back...”

When Blake’s response was nothing more than a soft “hmm…”, Yang glanced at her.

“What?”

“It’s...nothing.”  It was so obviously something though, and Yang only had to wait a few seconds before Blake sighed.  “I’m glad you’re feeling better, but the thought of you driving again doesn’t make me feel great.  I know I’m overreacting, but...I’m just not thrilled about it, that’s all.”

Even though Blake looked remorseful at the admission, Yang’s heart grew about ten times as large.

“You care about me.”

“What?”  Blake glanced over and scoffed at Yang’s grin.  “Of course I care about you.”

“No, you care about me!” Yang repeated.  “Like really, truly, deeply care.”

“Why are you acting like this is news?”

“It’s not news.  It’s just...nice.”

That was the simplest explanation Yang could think of, and she nodded when Blake looked at her for confirmation.  She already knew Blake cared about her - Blake proved it day in and day out - but hearing it out loud was just as amazing as knowing it in her heart.

“I care about you, too,” she said so that Blake heard the words aloud, too.  “But apparently sitting in a parking lot is more dangerous than driving,” she added immediately after.  Rather than laugh at the joke, however, Blake turned her gaze forward.

“Which means now I have to worry about both...”

Picking up on the resignation in that response, Yang wrapped an arm around Blake’s shoulders and tugged her close.

“I’ll be extra careful,” Yang promised before planting a kiss on Blake’s temple.  The subtle intimacy revved her heart back into high gear, especially when Blake turned her way and smiled.

The smile encouraged Yang to keep her arm around Blake’s shoulders, embracing their closeness as the next block passed in comfortable silence.  Passersby probably thought they were a couple, but that didn’t bother her in the slightest.  She would be lucky to date Blake.

“So...how was shopping with my mom?” Blake asked while they waited at the next intersection.

“Oh, it was awesome.”  Just thinking about the night before last, Yang laughed.  “She’s so much fun to shop with.  I bought way too much though.”

“But it all looked fantastic on you.”

“How do you…?”

“Those pictures she was taking?” Blake asked, and smiled at Yang’s confused nod.  “She was sending those to me.”

“Really?”

“Really.  What did you think they were for?”

“She said she was documenting the occasion!” Yang explained, but Blake laughed and shook her head.

“Maybe she was, but she also sent them to me.”  After they crossed the street, Blake glanced at Yang out of the corner of her eye.  “I was a little jealous, actually.”

“You should’ve come with us,” Yang said, but Blake waved off the offer yet again.

“You know how I feel about shopping.  Besides, I thought it’d be nice for you two to go alone.”

“Like I got to borrow your mom for a day?”

“It sounds weird when you put it like that...”

Yang chuckled at the response but thought that she understood what Blake meant.  Although she would have loved for Blake to come along, she had a great time showing Blake’s mom the stores she usually shopped at.  They got dinner, bought a ton of clothes, and shared a lot of laughs - an all-around great way to spend an evening.

“Will you come next time?”  As soon as Blake’s brow rose, Yang removed her arm from around Blake’s shoulders so that she could clasp both in front of her.  “Please?  I want to spend time with both of you - and you know you’ll have fun!”

Briefly, Blake looked prepared to argue that point.  Rather than do that, however, she relaxed and nodded.

“Alright.  I’ll come next time.”

“You won’t regret it,” Yang replied, grinning at those future plans as they turned the next corner.  “Now let’s get some pizz - uh...woah.”

Their favorite pizza place, located conveniently close to Blake’s apartment, was also the favorite of everyone in the neighborhood.  At least, that was how it appeared from the crowd of people inside.

“They’re busy,” Yang said as she and Blake stopped and stared at the line of customers.  The restaurant was small to begin with - half waiting area reserved for pick-ups and half tables for anyone sitting down to eat - but it looked even smaller with so many people packed inside.

“You weren’t the only one who thought pizza sounded good on Friday night.”

“You know what they say about great minds,” Yang joked before turning away from the fiasco.  “Want to go somewhere else?”

“I don’t mind waiting.  Unless you’re in a hurry?”

Picking up on the unspoken question, Yang shook her head to put it to rest.

“Of course not.  I only have plans with you.”

The way Blake’s eyes lit up gave away her happiness at the answer, and she responded by taking Yang’s hand and tugging her to the door.

“Then let’s get that pizza for you.”

The first thing Yang noticed after Blake pulled her into the restaurant was the tantalizing aroma of fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce.  And, as luck had it, they probably wouldn’t have to wait as long as initially feared.  At least, that was the sense she got from how fast the employees rushed around the kitchen, shoving pizzas into boxes and building fresh ones from scratch.

“It smells so good…” she groaned while she and Blake joined the line.

“It does...know what you want?”

“Good question.”  Studying the menu hanging above the counter, Yang immediately picked out Blake’s order.  “How about the weird one with anchovies?”

“By ‘weird,’ you mean ‘amazing,’” Blake corrected as the line inched forward.

“Weirdly amazing - isn’t that what I said?”

When Yang flashed a cheeky grin, Blake smiled and shook her head.

“Why don’t we get what you want for a change?  That pesto pizza looks right up your alley.”

“It does…”  Yang’s stomach grumbled on cue, but she refused to be so easily swayed from her initial choice.  “But I like getting what you want.”

“And I like getting what you want.”

Stuck at that impasse, they looked at each other for several seconds before smiling.

“Half and half?” Blake suggested while Yang laughed and nodded.

“Yet another reason why pizza was a great idea.”  Taking another step forward, moving that much closer to the cashier, Yang cleared her throat and glanced at Blake.  “And I’m buying.”

“Yang…”

“Nope.”  That was exactly the response Yang expected, so she shook her head.  “I invited you out, so I’m paying.”

“You realize I make more than you, right?”

“Ouch.”  When a smile slipped onto Blake’s lips, Yang laughed and nudged her another step forward.  “Thank you for pointing that out,” Yang added, still smiling at Blake’s playfully solemn nod.  “And yes, I’m aware that you’re a bigshot who makes more than me - that’s why we’re eating at your place.”

“Is that why we hardly ever go to your place?” Blake asked, sounding genuinely surprised by the disclosure.

“You have the better apartment,” Yang pointed out.  “And I like it there.  It’s like...my happy place.”

Blake looked like she had a lot of questions, but the person ahead of them moved out of line before she could ask anything.  Their time to order had arrived, and Yang stepped forward with a smile that likely matched the employee’s.

“Hey, what can I get you?” he asked, looking disinterested in the answer but ready to write it down regardless.

“We’ll get a large - half pesto and half that...anchovy special thing.”  Yang waved at the menu and made a face until Blake elbowed her side.

“Fourteen fifty-five,” the cashier replied while simultaneously taking Yang’s credit card.

After many failed attempts, Yang had learned that she needed to convince Blake to let her pay before getting to the register.  If she waited until now, Blake magically ended up paying instead.  The girl was an absolute wizard with words when she wanted to be…

“Order seventy-three.”  The cashier returned Yang’s card along with a receipt and gestured to the side.  “It’ll be a few minutes.”

When his attention immediately moved to the next person in line, Yang waved Blake over to the waiting area.  After finding a spot somewhat removed from everyone else, she glanced at the receipt to make sure she heard their order number correctly.

“Is it really the fourth?” she asked, frowning at the date printed near the top of the receipt.

“It is.  Why?”

“It’s nothing.”  Yang shook her head but stopped short of changing the subject.  As much as she swore not to let the day bother her, it did.  And if it bothered her, Blake deserved to know - Blake said that she wanted to know these types of things.

“It’s my ‘real mom’s’ birthday,” Yang admitted while shoving the receipt and her credit card into her pocket.  Knowing that Blake was looking at her, reading her emotions, she watched a middle-aged man pick up several pizzas with his young son.  It was only a date - a date she’d never even celebrated - yet it still felt significant.  And its significance bothered her for a number of reasons.

“Do you usually do something?” Blake eventually asked.  “Like send a message or...anything?”

“I don’t even have her number.”

Finally turning away from the counter, Yang shrugged when Blake made a silent ‘oh’ at the disclosure.

“It’s fine,” Yang added.  “I just remember whenever I see the date.”

Rather than respond - because they both knew it wasn’t as ‘fine’ as Yang suggested - Blake squeezed Yang’s elbow and leaned against her side.  In that small gesture, Blake expressed her support of whatever Yang was feeling right now - the swirl of conflicting emotions that always accompanied talking about her ‘real’ mom.

“It’s fine,” she repeated, believing the words more this time.  “I wish I didn’t remember, but I do so...that’s just how it is.”

“Sometimes, the more we try to forget something, the more we remember it,” Blake offered.

“Exactly.  I wish I could just…wipe her from my memory, but...I guess I kind of have to thank her, in a way.  If she never left, I wouldn’t have had my mom.”

“That’s...one way of looking at it…”

Blake didn’t have to say anything for Yang to know that wasn’t the best way of looking at it, but it was the only silver lining to come out of that whole ordeal.

“Sorry,” she added, looking down at her hands and sighing.  “Didn’t mean to bring down the mood.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”  After setting a hand on Yang’s arm, Blake glanced to the side and hesitated before adding, “I think I know something that’ll make you feel better...that girl’s been making some serious eyes at you ever since we walked in.”

“...what?”

When Blake subtly nodded over Yang’s shoulder, she glanced that way, briefly made eye contact with a brunette leaning against the wall, and quickly turned back around.

“How’s that supposed to make me feel better?” she asked, suddenly very aware that she was being stared at.

“You could go talk to her,” Blake suggested.  “Get her number or something.”

“But...why would I do that when I’m here with you?”

When Yang tilted her head and scrunched up her face trying to figure out the answer, Blake looked taken aback.

“I just thought - that you like flirting.  And you haven’t gone on a date in a while, so maybe you’d want - I don’t know...a distraction?”

Yang opened her mouth but stopped short of saying the first thing that popped into her mind.  Because this wasn’t a date.  This was just the two of them hanging out.  At least, that was how Blake thought of it.

“Thanks, but I’m not interested in talking to her,” she said instead.  “And I haven’t been going on any dates because...I just haven’t felt like it.”

Yang shrugged off the news, but Blake stared for several seconds before a small smile slipped onto her lips.

“Who are you and what have you done with Yang?” she teased, but Yang just chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck.

“I’d rather spend time with you, that’s all.”

The incident with Avery and the hospital had illuminated a lot for her.  Mainly, why was she going on all those casual dates when she would rather be with Blake?  Why was she spending all that time with random girls when, at the end of the day, Blake was the one who was there for her?  And if Blake wanted to be around her too, why would she make plans with anyone else?

She still felt greedy and worried that she was on the cusp of becoming a burden, but that hadn’t stopped her from picking up the phone and calling Blake whenever she felt restless.  Anytime she wanted to try a new restaurant or just get out of her apartment for a drink, she went to Blake first.  So far, Blake had more than welcomed the increase in plans.

Sensing another glance sent her way, however, Yang ducked her head and lowered her voice.

“Is it bothering you though?” she asked with a pointed look to the side, but Blake shrugged.

“I’m used to it.”

The implied ‘yes’ made Yang guilty, upset, and sad all at once.  This was supposed to be their night.  She promised it would be just the two of them.  It wasn’t a date, per se, but it wasn’t something she would blow off for a random girl making eyes at her.

She understood why Blake offered and appreciated that Blake would make such a sacrifice in the first place, but she didn’t need nor want a stranger cheering her up.  Blake had already helped on her own, and now it was Yang’s turn to offer support...while simultaneously getting rid of distractions.  So, without much ado, she draped an arm around Blake’s shoulders and pulled her close.

When Blake didn’t resist or even ask what Yang was doing, she smiled and, after a brief hesitation, leaned over to kiss Blake’s cheek.  The light touch drew Blake’s gaze, her eyes searching Yang’s for an explanation, but Yang just tucked Blake’s hair behind her ear.

“Enjoying yourself?” Blake eventually asked.

“A lot,” Yang admitted while brushing her fingers across Blake’s cheek.  “Can I do it again?”

As soon as the question slipped out, Yang realized it was the first time she’d ever asked to kiss Blake.  Blake, however, hummed and subtly turned her cheek, presenting Yang with the perfect opportunity to lean in for another kiss.  Emboldened by the permission, she lingered this time, savoring Blake’s soft skin under her lips before nuzzling into Blake’s hair and taking a deep breath.

“You smell good…” she murmured before taking a few more deep breaths, her arms wrapping around Blake’s waist to bring them that much closer.  With her eyes closed and her heart thrumming happily, the rest of the world faded into the background.  The two of them might as well have been the only ones there, where no one else could ever come between them.

Unfortunately, the world didn’t cease existing for long.  When it returned to the forefront via a loud crashing sound in the kitchen, Yang finally pulled away and felt her heart skip at the delight in Blake’s eyes.

Temptation quickly reared its head - the same temptation Yang had struggled with ever since the day after her accident.  She wanted to kiss Blake again - a real kiss - and her heart told her this was the right moment.  Maybe not the best moment or the perfect moment, but that hardly seemed to matter when Blake looked at her like that.  Her brain argued that she was being overzealous, or overly excited, or overly something, and shouldn’t act on the desire.  But her brain was losing the battle today.

“Order seventy-three.”

In the midst of leaning in, Yang snapped back to reality when Blake’s gaze flitted to the counter.  Remembering where they were - waiting for their pizza - and recognizing the number just called out, she cleared her throat and refocused.

“That’s...us, right?”

“It is,” Blake murmured, running a hand through her hair before giving a fleeting smile.  Her cheeks were turning pink, but Yang couldn’t muster the courage to ask why.

“Be right back,” she said instead, but waited for Blake’s nod before collecting their pizza from the counter.  The brunette had gotten the message and stopped staring, but Yang hardly paid that any mind.  Deep breaths were her priority right now, along with calming her heart as much as possible before returning to Blake.

“Thanks,” she told the employee behind the counter before grabbing the pizza box and meeting Blake by the door.  Blake’s blush had already disappeared, but Yang remembered it, just like she remembered the desire that hadn’t yet faded away.

“Ready?” she asked while Blake held the door and they walked outside.

“If you are.”  Falling into step beside Yang, Blake glanced over as they headed to her apartment.  “Want me to carry that?” she added, nodding to the box in Yang’s hands.

“You don’t think I can carry a pizza?” Yang asked in fake dismay.

“You couldn’t even pick up a glass of water not too long ago.”

“But now I’m better!”  Proving that point, Yang held the box in one hand and raised her previously injured arm above her head.  “See?  Someone extra special nursed me back to health.  Now, I’m good as new.”

When Yang lowered her arm, she dropped it around Blake’s shoulders and pulled her close once again.  The proximity released butterflies in Yang’s chest, but she didn’t shy away from the feeling; she took a deep breath and embraced it.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Blake said, again with a sigh of relief that made Yang feel guilty for causing so much worry.

“I am.  And, now that we’ve got our pizza, we’re ready to watch the cheesiest, sappiest movie you can find.”

“I feel awfully spoiled tonight…”

“Good!  I like spoiling you.”

When Blake glanced up at her, Yang just smiled.  As far as she was concerned, Blake deserved to be doted on, and she was happy to be the one to do it.  She liked to believe she was good at it too since she knew all of Blake’s likes, dislikes, and the little things that made her day better.

“You’ve been pretty happy recently,” Blake replied, glancing at Yang again as they walked the last few blocks to her apartment.  “Any reason?”

“Probably because I’ve gotten to spend so much time with you.  Or because I got hit by a car.  Maybe it knocked a few screws loose?”

Blake’s laughter, which was one of the most magical sounds in existence, made Yang even more ecstatic than the observation alone.  If she could think of a better way to describe how she felt the past few weeks, she would try.  All she knew was that her emotions felt clearer than they had in a long time, and she found comfort in listening to them.  That led to her monopolizing Blake’s evenings in a way she’d never felt comfortable doing before, but...Blake seemed to enjoy that, too.  Especially right now, as she smiled up at Yang before leaning into Yang’s side.

“Well, I’m happy you’re happy,” Blake concluded as her building came into view.

Yang couldn’t deny that she was happier than she’d been in a long time, and Blake played an important role in that happiness - possibly even the most important role.

Vale still hustled and bustled and carried on at the speed of light, but Yang had uncovered an oasis amidst the madness.  A way to live here, soaking in the energy, without burning out.  She didn’t know why it took her so long to reach this place.  All she knew was that she was finally exactly where she wanted to be, with exactly who she wanted to be with, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Comments

Amara Wolfe

Yang, you're so close yet so far away

Ben Lockwood

Oh Yang, I hope you realize what your friendship is soon!