Waiting (on You) - Chapter 20 (Patreon)
Content
The clock read 4:45, but Yang would swear it hadn’t moved in the past fifteen minutes. Based on how the day had crawled by, it should already be 4:45 next Monday.
“Yang?”
Forfeiting her battle with time, Yang turned away and handed a shiny, red ornament to Pyrrha.
“What’s going on?” Pyrrha asked while carefully leaning off of the ladder and hanging the ornament on the fake Christmas tree they’d spent the last hour decorating. “You’ve been spacing out all day.”
Another glance at the clock, another minute closer to freedom. If Yang had to wait for the day to end, she might as well pass the time by filling Pyrrha in on what was going on. She’d listened to Pyrrha gush about Jaune for over a year, after all. This would be...returning the favor, in a way.
“I have some...important...plans after work.”
“Oh. I hope they go well.”
Remembering who she was talking to - Pyrrha would never pry into someone’s personal life - Yang shook her head and held up a large, glittery, silver star for the top of the tree.
“I kind of...have feelings for someone. Romantic feelings. And I’m going to tell them tonight.”
“You? That’s…” If Pyrrha wanted to say unexpected, surprising, or unlikely, she didn’t. Instead, she smiled and said, “That’s great to hear.”
Anyone else would immediately ask who, but Pyrrha just set the tree topper in place and made sure it looked straight, content to leave Yang’s revelation at that. With anyone else, Yang might also have left the revelation at that. But Pyrrha was her closest friend not named Blake or Ruby and, maybe foolishly, she wanted to tell someone else. Ruby and Weiss had already voiced their approval, but getting input from a slightly less biased, slightly more neutral party sounded like a good idea.
“It’s Blake.”
Pyrrha’s brow shot up at the admission but, before Yang launched into a lengthy, convoluted explanation of her recent epiphany, Pyrrha laughed.
“Oh, that’s wonderful news! I’m sure she’ll be so happy about that.”
Pyrrha stepped off the ladder and patted Yang’s shoulder. Yang, on the other hand, motioned with her arms and shook her head.
“That’s it? Aren’t you surprised?”
“I’ve heard you talk about her, Yang,” Pyrrha replied with a light-hearted laugh. “She’s obviously very important to you, and has been for quite some time.”
While Yang processed the observation, Pyrrha sent her a mirthful smile.
“Besides, I know you’re effusive, but it’s not very common for someone to call their best friend ‘the hottest woman alive.’”
“She is the hottest woman alive!” Yang argued only to make Pyrrha laugh. Rather than bring up her many examples of proof yet again, she blew a breath through her lips and shook her head. “Did everyone know except me?”
“Possibly.” When Yang sighed, Pyrrha smiled again. “Don’t feel bad. You knew how I felt about Jaune before I did.”
“Because you were so obvious about it!” Yang trailed off when Pyrrha arched one brow and, eventually, frowned. “Was I really that obvious?”
“It was cute.”
Pyrrha patted Yang’s shoulder again, but Yang’s nerves crept back up.
“Then...do you think she likes me, too?”
Yang expected a pause while Pyrrha contemplated the question of the century, but she received an immediate smile instead.
“I think she adores you.”
The words couldn’t have been more encouraging if Pyrrha tried, and Yang’s hope renewed. If Pyrrha, Weiss, and Ruby were to be believed, this wouldn’t end in epic disaster or heartbreak. This could actually end...well. Assuming Yang got her act together and figured out how to explain her feelings, of course. Unfortunately, that last part was still a work in progress.
“Now, isn’t it time for you to get going?”
When Pyrrha caught Yang’s attention and nodded to the clock, Yang spun that way and discovered that it was finally time to leave.
“You’re right.” Now that the moment had arrived, she wasted no time grabbing her bag and grinning at Pyrrha while backing out the door. “Wish me luck!”
“Good luck!” Pyrrha called after her as she bolted out of the room filled with fake trees.
Part of her couldn’t believe that Pyrrha already knew. A bigger part of her accepted that she was that oblivious. Not anymore though. At least, she hoped she wasn’t that oblivious anymore, as she rushed outside and set off for her first destination.
Admittedly, she didn’t have much experience with confessing her feelings. She didn’t have any experience, actually. But, based on what she’d experienced from the opposite side of things - and what she felt was right - she needed flowers.
The quaint little flower stall on the way to Blake’s apartment was the perfect solution. Yang passed by all the time but had never stopped before today. She’d thought about stopping multiple times, usually thinking about surprising Blake in one way or another, but friends and flowers didn’t quite mix.
Today, she didn’t think twice about walking into the small, crowded space and looking over the flowers for sale. They came in an overwhelming amount of shapes and colors though. How was anyone supposed to pick the perfect one? Fortunately, instinct helped her narrow the choices down to two options: a bouquet of red roses or pristine white lilies. Unfortunately, her instinct couldn't decide between those two.
It seemed like an inconsequential decision, but what if one tipped fortune in her favor while the other proved she was a horrible partner? That might be unlikely since Blake’s life didn’t revolve around flowers, but what if that changed the moment feelings came into play?
“Can I help with something?” the stall owner asked after Yang had stared at the same two buckets of flowers for too long. Considering the middle-aged woman’s life did revolve around flowers, Yang welcomed the help.
“Uh, yeah, maybe you can help me decide.” Yang looked between her two choices one last time, hoping for a strike of inspiration, before shaking her head. “I want to buy something for someone special, but should I go with roses for the symbolism or lilies since they’re her favorites?”
After considering Yang’s selections, the woman smiled.
“Remembering someone’s favorite flower is a wonderful way to show how much you care.” That was what Yang thought. Before she said as much, however, the woman added, “But we could add a few roses, too. That way the meaning is still there.”
Yang had no idea why she hadn’t thought of that, but that was why she wasn’t the expert. Instead, she grinned and nodded at the suggestion.
“That sounds great. And maybe like...a dozen?”
“Excellent. I’ll wrap them up for you.”
While Yang waited, the woman pulled several lilies from one bucket before selecting a few roses to go with them. She then carefully arranged the roses to make the bouquet pop with color. After showing Yang the result, which Yang approved with an enthusiastic nod, she smiled and moved over to the checkout counter. There, she wrapped the stems in pretty white paper before tying everything together with a glossy, red ribbon.
“How does that look?” she asked while offering the bouquet to Yang, who accepted them with more than a few nerves.
“They look beautiful.”
With the flowers in her hands - gorgeous white lilies interspersed with brilliant red roses - her heart threatened to escape from her chest. Not long from now, she would hand these to Blake. They looked romantic…and hopefully offered an easy segue into a conversation that wouldn’t be easy at all.
“Thank you so much,” she told the storekeeper while paying.
“No need to thank me. This is one of my favorite parts about my job.”
Yang wondered whether the woman meant arranging flowers or helping lovestruck fools confess their feelings but didn’t ask. She preferred to think of the woman as a cupid of sorts, with the perfect suggestion for every situation...hopefully, including her own. When the woman returned Yang’s card with a warm smile, Yang’s heart fluttered again.
“Good luck.”
“Thanks. I’ll need it!”
Freshly cut flowers in hand, Yang smiled and headed to her next destination. Flowers were an obvious choice for this occasion, but she also had something else in mind. Something that should soothe the concern Blake likely carried with her all day. Something cold, sweet, and just about everyone’s favorite treat.
It might be a strange combination, but it felt right to Yang. If Blake had a stressful day, nothing helped more than her favorite ice cream. The flowers were mostly for Yang’s benefit - she couldn’t imagine confessing without a clear symbol of her feelings. But Blake would appreciate the ice cream more, which led Yang to their favorite spot - a local ice cream parlor just down the street from Blake’s apartment. The convenient location meant they stopped by often, but today’s visit held a weightiness unlike their typical ice cream run. Not only did Yang walk inside with a bouquet of flowers, an oddity for the whimsical place, but she was here alone.
She was hardly ever here alone - why would she come alone when Blake lived right down the street? - but she didn’t hesitate in waiting for her turn to order. The line moved quickly, a blessing or a curse depending on how she looked at it. Before long, she made it to the counter, where a pretty girl greeted her first with a curious look, then with a smile.
“What can I get you?”
“A pint of the licorice to go.”
When Yang pointed at a vat of gray-tinged ice cream, the girl’s brow rose.
“A whole pint?” she joked while pulling out an empty container and an ice cream scoop. “That’s a commitment.”
“It’s not for me,” Yang replied with a soft laugh. “I wouldn’t touch that stuff with a ten-foot spoon.”
The girl chuckled at the response while packing the container with ice cream, but her gaze flitted to the flowers.
“Who’s the lucky person?”
“Oh, uh -” Yang glanced at the flowers and, when nothing but the truth popped into her mind, decided to put it out in the open. “They’re for my best friend.”
“Ah. One of those friends.”
Something about the knowing tone made Yang smile while she followed the girl to the register. “Pretty much,” she admitted, handing over her card once the girl put the container into a small paper bag and slid it across the counter.
“Been there before.”
“Yeah? How’d it go?”
“You mean how’s it going,” the girl rephrased, smiling as she returned Yang’s card. “It’s been about four years now.”
“Wow, congrats.” Not wanting to hold up the line, Yang backed away but still offered an appreciative nod. “So there’s hope,” she added, and the girl laughed.
“Absolutely. Especially if you’re willing to buy that atrocity for them.”
When the girl nodded to the bag, Yang smiled down at it and said, “I’d eat the whole thing for her,” before heading outside.
She would do a lot more than eat a pint of gross ice cream for Blake. She would...well, she would do anything, including laying all of her feelings out in the open and hoping that she was good enough for Blake to return them. Which brought her to this moment...with the moment just...moments...away.
Her quest for flowers and ice cream had distracted her so far but, with both safely in her hands, nothing kept her mind away from her nerves. And, as fortune and misfortune had it, Blake’s apartment was right down the street.
“You can do this,” she muttered to herself, prodding her feet forward. While her mouth said one thing, however, her mind said another.
Was anyone ever truly prepared to confess an all-consuming crush on their best friend? Did anyone ever willingly throw caution - and years of friendship - to the wind in the pursuit of romance? Was she the only one terrified by this monumental, potentially life-scarring event?
Those corny rom-coms Blake loved so much suggested that Yang wasn’t alone in her nerves, but she also wasn’t a princess-in-disguise, down-on-her-luck actress, or fighter pilot trapped behind enemy lines. She was just...normal. Her life had no guarantee of a happy ending like those movies did, and she’d learned not to expect one either.
“But you can do this,” she assured herself. Unfortunately, no amount of pep talks could prevent the tidal wave of nerves that appeared when she saw Blake’s building. After so many years of amazing friendship, she didn’t want to rock the boat. Besides, with their current trajectory, they might accidentally get together before long. Maybe she should wait for that to happen rather than open her big mouth and mess up what they had.
The non-confrontational route might have won her over in the past, but tonight...the worry in Blake’s eyes that morning pulled her closer and closer. The Blake that Yang adored so much wasn’t afraid of anything. She followed her dreams, spoke her thoughts, and approached any situation with quiet, inner certainty. Yet, she had kept this secret from Yang. For fear of ruining their friendship? Hurting Yang’s feelings? ...being rejected?
Whatever the reason, Yang accepted her fair share of the blame. She was supposed to be Blake’s person. The one Blake could tell everything, who would listen to anything with an open mind and open heart. If Blake really did return Yang’s feelings but had been too scared to let anyone know they existed, then Yang failed.
But she could make it right. All she had to do was summon the courage to walk into the building, up to Blake’s apartment, and muster the words. In doing so, she could finally share the burden Blake had shouldered alone all this time.
She could do that. She would do that. She just needed a second to -
“Psst. Yang!”
Jarring at the voice, Yang spun around and spotted Ruby waving to her from the backseat of a black town car with heavily tinted windows.
“Ruby? What’re you doing here??”
“Shh...get in!”
Rolling her eyes, Yang hurried over and slid into the backseat of the vehicle after the chauffeur - an honest-to-goodness chauffeur - opened the door for her.
“Oh, great. Weiss is here, too,” she sighed before nodding to the girl. “Hey Weiss, how’s it going?”
“I’ll admit I had different expectations when Ruby asked me to leave work early, but I can’t complain.”
“We’re here to wish you luck!” Ruby piped up from beside Yang. “And make sure you don’t wimp out.”
“So you’re just camping outside the building?? What if she sees you?”
Suddenly worried about that nightmare scenario coming to pass, Yang searched the sidewalks for any sign of Blake.
“Relax, Yang. She can’t see through the windows.”
“And you don’t think she’ll be suspicious of a fancy black car parked in front of her building with a chauffeur standing outside?”
“I told you we should’ve taken the silver one…” Weiss whispered, but Ruby gently shushed her.
“She didn’t notice when she got home, so we’re fine.”
“She - what?” Struggling to keep up with the conversation, Yang shook her head. “How long have you been here?”
“About two hours…” Weiss muttered.
“You’ve just been...sitting here...for two hours?”
“Of course,” Weiss replied so quickly that Yang narrowed her eyes. When Ruby added an enthusiastic, ‘yes, believe that answer’ nod, Yang groaned.
“That’s not what I needed right now…”
“Forget about us!” After waving the topic away, which unfortunately didn’t erase Yang’s memory, Ruby leaned over and touched one of the roses in Yang’s hand. “You bought flowers! That’s so cute.”
“And...ice cream?” Weiss read the name printed across the paper bag before giving Yang a curious look. “What’s the ice cream for?”
“It’s for Blake.” When the response earned matching confusion, Yang sighed. “She was stressed this morning - ice cream helps when she’s stressed. Besides, I promised her some but then ended up in the hospital instead, so I kind of…owe her...”
The longer she rambled, and the longer they stared, the more embarrassed she became. It seemed like the perfect gift to her - if Blake had a rough day, ice cream was usually the answer - but she never thought about how other people might interpret it.
“That’s adorable,” Weiss eventually concluded.
“It super is!”
“Alright, alright.” Blushing now, Yang waved off whatever Ruby was going to say next. “You don’t have to make a big deal about it. I just thought it’d be nice.”
Ruby wanted to make a big deal about it - her eyes said as much. Fortunately, she decided to show mercy.
“What’re you going to say?” she asked instead, apparently deciding that mercy was for chumps.
“I don’t know exactly…I’m just going to...wing it.”
Yang tried to come up with a script but, after spending the entire day imagining the many, many different ways the conversation could go, ended up empty-handed. Ultimately, playing off of Blake’s reactions emerged as the right thing to do...or the easiest thing to do. At least, that was Yang’s thinking. Ruby, on the other hand, sighed.
“You’re not going to tell her…”
“I am!” When Ruby shared a doubtful look with Weiss, Yang nodded. “I swear I am. I would’ve already been up there if not for you two camping out here.”
“Then don’t let us stop you.”
With subtle flair that could only be the result of Weiss’ influence, Ruby sat back and waved to the door. Her smirk suggested she knew Yang just told a lie, and she outright grinned when Yang hesitated.
“I just need a second,” Yang said before Ruby teased her.
Maybe she wasn’t as prepared as she pretended to be. Maybe she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her hole rather than let her make it upstairs, and maybe she felt a little bit like she might lose her lunch somewhere between here and Blake’s floor. Ruby seemed to understand Yang’s anxiousness though, as she smiled and leaned against Yang’s side. The small gesture reminded Yang of being back at home, the two of them sitting on her bed talking about whatever popped into their minds.
“You know what’s funny?” Ruby asked, using a light, nonjudgmental tone that was closer to Mom’s than she realized. “You’re always on time for Blake. Like, I’ve watched you literally trip over yourself so you wouldn't be late. But in this case...you made her wait for a really long time.”
When Yang blinked at the comment, Ruby nudged her elbow.
“She’s waiting for you, Yang. It’s time for you to show up.”
Yang opened her mouth but, thinking about those words of wisdom, smiled in no time.
Ruby was right. After all those years and all that effort spent being on time, Yang was late when it really mattered - in understanding her feelings. And the thought of Blake waiting for her...for anything...well, now she needed to get up there in a hurry.
“When did you get so smart?” After ruffling Ruby’s hair, making her squirm away, Yang smiled at her and Weiss. “Thanks for the pep talk. I think I can take it from here.”
“Text me as soon as you tell her!” Ruby said before hugging Yang.
“Or as soon as you can,” Weiss added, sending Ruby a look that made Ruby laugh.
“Oh, yeah. After you finish talking and stuff.”
While Ruby giggled at the phrase, Yang rolled her eyes and reached for the door handle. “Jumping way too far ahead,” she said, though the thought alone made her skin tingle.
That was the last thing she should be focusing on right now, especially with a gauntlet of potential pitfalls lying directly ahead. But, surprisingly, that gauntlet didn’t intimidate her as much as it once had. She was still nervous and scared out of her mind, but something similar to impatience had joined the mix. Because the sooner she saw Blake, the sooner she could see where these feelings led.
“Alright, I’m ready,” she said before opening the door and smiling at her cheer squad one last time. “Wish me luck.”
“Good luck!” Ruby called after her as she ducked out of the car and once again found herself on the sidewalk in front of Blake’s building. Knowing that she had an audience, she didn’t dawdle. She blew a breath through her lips and walked to the front door as if this was a typical visit, but her gaze lingered on the spot where she and Blake let their emotions get the best of them last night.
Blake had invited her upstairs. She wished that she’d accepted - she knew what would have happened next - but she was also grateful that cooler heads prevailed. Even though it would have been amazing, and eye-opening, the past day had granted her the gift of perspective.
Today, when she walked across the entryway and let herself into the stairwell, she wasn’t blindly chasing unnamed feelings. Today, she knew exactly what those feelings were and what she wanted. The two of them could go on pretending that these were just momentary slip-ups fueled by emotions running high or too much wine or whatever other excuses they came up with, or they could see if those feelings led to something more. She wanted something more. If Blake did too...then what were they running from?
The door separating the stairwell from Blake’s floor reminded her of everything she was running from and forced her feet to a complete stop. Heartbreak, rejection, loss, disappointment…the anguish that scared her so much that she swore never to subject herself to it. Ruby’s encouragement had willed her here, but now...the moment felt too big for her to take the last few steps alone. Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. Her stomach twisted into knots. Her hands were so clammy that she would probably ruin the fancy paper bundling the lilies and roses together.
She’d never felt like this before. Emotions running rampant...potential hurt on the horizon…potential excitement lingering there, too. She wanted to get past this - she really did - but she needed a push. Something to unfreeze her feet and spur her forward. And there was only one person she could think of to provide it.
Rather than exit the stairwell, she leaned against the wall beside the door, pulled out her phone, and pressed the redial button. She held the phone to her ear when it started ringing but, as soon as the call connected, stood a little taller and held her breath.
“Hello?”
Her heart fluttered at Blake’s voice, and a gentle wave of calm spread through her veins.
“Hey,” she said, keeping her voice soft in the unlikely case Blake overheard from down the hall. “How’re you doing?”
“Much better now.”
“Yeah?” Hearing the relief in Blake’s voice, Yang wished that she had called much sooner. Late again - hopefully, for the last time. “How was work?”
“A bit of a mess, but I survived. How was your day?”
“Oh, you know how it is.” Yang spent the entire day thinking about Blake, but she brushed that thought away with a slight wave of the bouquet. “Everyone demanding crazy things, as usual.”
“What was the craziest thing today?”
“Let’s see...oh. One of the actors wanted room temperature water.”
“That...doesn’t sound very crazy…”
“I didn’t think so either. Then he told me which room temperature he wanted, and I spent the next hour trying to figure out the temperature of his living room.”
“...are you serious?”
“Yes.” When Blake started laughing, Yang added a few chuckles of her own before shrugging. “I tracked down his housekeeper and she knew what he keeps the thermostat at. Problem solved.”
“That sounds fun and ridiculous at the same time.”
“My job in a nutshell,” Yang agreed, her cheeks already hurting from smiling. As if she needed any more convincing, this was it. Who else could she talk to like this? Who else made her this happy with just a phone call? Blake was happy, too. Yang could practically see her smile as they cheesed at each other over the phone.
“So…” Blake added before long. “What’re you up to now?”
“Uh...not much, really.”
Just standing on the doorstep of one of the biggest moments of her life, but that wasn’t a conversation to have via telephone.
“Do you...maybe want to come over...?”
Yang’s heart stuttered at the invitation and unmistakable happiness spreading through her veins. Even if the hesitant request proved that things between them weren’t ‘normal,’ Blake wanting her company meant that things weren’t broken either.
“Yeah, of course. I’d love to.”
“Any chance you’ll bring ice cream?”
Looking at the bag in her hand, Yang smiled and said, “Absolutely. Your favorite, too.”
“From that place down the street?”
“Yup.” Yang read the name printed across the bag while her heart doubled in size. “I’m pretty sure you’re the only one who likes licorice ice cream, by the way.”
“It’s good.”
“Uh huh...then why’s the container always full when we’re there?”
“Because it’s so popular they refill it often.”
“Oh, I see,” Yang said, laughing at their never-ending ‘argument’ over Blake’s outrageous favorite flavor. “I guess I’m just surprised that we never see anyone else order it. But maybe we don’t sit there long enough.”
“Or maybe you’re too busy talking to notice,” Blake suggested, easily drawing another laugh from Yang.
“You’re right. Damn you, Belladonna. Why must you be so engaging?? It’s like I want to talk to you or something.”
“Just like I want to talk to you.”
“Right,” Yang breathed out, her nerves renewed. “Which means I should get a move on, huh.”
“I won’t say no to seeing you sooner rather than later…”
“Yeah.” Leaning her head back against the wall, Yang closed her eyes and smiled. “Yeah, me too.”
“Then I should let you go?”
With the moment suddenly upon her, Yang opened her eyes and straightened away from the wall.
“Uh, yeah. But Blake?”
If this was the last conversation they had as ‘just friends’ - for better or worse - Yang had something she needed to say first.
“I just…wanted to say thanks for putting up with me all these years. You’re the best friend I ever could’ve asked for, and you mean so much to me. I hope you know I’d do anything for you.”
“I’d do anything for you, too…” Blake whispered in return. “I’ll see you soon?”
“Of course. Be there in a bit.”
After hearing Blake’s soft “good” in response, Yang ended the call, closed her eyes, and sighed. In a way, it felt like one chapter of her life was ending. Two paths branched out in front of her, but the direction she took rested in Blake’s hands.
As it should be. Blake had waited long enough. She’d waited too long, actually. If she was willing to explore these feelings…if she was willing to give Yang a chance…then Yang was willing to forget all the stupid promises she made to herself growing up.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, she left the stairwell ready to turn over a new leaf. It might be scary, but it was time. And if there was one person she would do this for, it was the one whose apartment lay just a familiar, near-comforting hallway away. The two of them had walked down this hall more times than she could count, laughing or teasing each other about something.
Yang’s feet carried her to Blake’s door, but her thundering heart made it nearly impossible to hear. She knew what she wanted to do though. She wanted to be there for Blake like Blake had always been for her. She wanted Blake to know that feeling more was ok - that she felt more, too.
So she took a deep breath and reached for the doorbell. Before she pressed the button, however, the door suddenly opened and Blake nearly ran right into her.
“Sorry -” Blake apologized before stopping and tilting her head when she realized it was Yang standing there. “Yang…? How’d you get here so fast?”
“I, uh…” Yang’s heart had leapt into her throat at the unexpected surprise, but she tried to calm herself by clearing her throat and gesturing to the stairwell. “I was...kind of already here when I called.”
“Oh.”
For a split second, Blake accepted the answer. Then she realized it didn’t make sense and frowned. Before she asked why Yang called from the stairwell though, Yang spoke up again.
“Are you going somewhere?” Yang asked even though that was the only possible explanation for the wallet in Blake’s hand and the jacket around her shoulders. “I can come back later,” Yang quickly offered. “When you’re not busy. Just let me know?”
“What? No.” Before Yang considered calling it a day, Blake shook her head. “I was actually going to meet you at the ice cream place. I thought we could eat there and catch up...but since you’re already here, that’s great too.”
The admission, and the small smile that accompanied it, melted Yang’s heart. If not for the giant elephant in the room, she might have kissed Blake right then. She wanted to kiss Blake right then. Her gaze even dipped to Blake’s lips, and her tongue ran across her own suddenly dry mouth, as she imagined it.
Then Blake noticed the flowers in Yang’s hands, and she froze before giving Yang a curious look. That look meant the time had finally arrived...and Yang promptly forgot everything she wanted to say.
“Um, these are for you.”
With no additional explanation, Yang thrust the flowers into Blake’s hands. Blake accepted them with even more confusion, but then disappointment flickered through her amber eyes.
“Is this an apology?”
“Huh? No.” Yang shook her head but stopped when she realized that wasn’t completely true. “I mean...kind of? But also not really. It depends on how you look at it, I guess, but I’ll probably end up saying sorry at some point so maybe -”
“Yang.” Ending the rambles as easily as that, Blake glanced at the bouquet of flowers before holding Yang’s gaze. “What’s going on?”
This was it. No more beating around the bush. No more hiding behind their friendship. It was time they admitted how they felt, and Yang would be the one opening that can of worms.
“I, uh, I need to tell you something.”
Just like that, Blake’s expression fell. Lowering the flowers, she swallowed and nodded.
“Do you want to come in or…?”
Blake motioned into her apartment, but Yang glanced inside and shook her head.
“No, uh, I should just tell you now. Before I lose my nerve or something.” Yang managed a nervous chuckle, but Blake’s lips hardly twitched with a smile. “It’s not bad,” she quickly added. “At least, I don’t think so, but I can’t speak for you…”
Rambling made it worse, so she stopped and shook her head. Even though she was nervous and scared, she was ready and willing to do this. She just needed a deep breath first. And not get swept up in how beautiful Blake looked, even though she seemed disheartened and resigned to what was to come.
“I know I’ve been acting weird recently,” Yang began. “And probably sending mixed signals, but - I’ve been so happy to be your friend that I never let myself think...or feel...like…”
She really should have written something down. There was just so much she wanted to say that she didn’t know where to start. She didn’t want to mess this up either, but…she just needed to get her feelings out there. Blake deserved to hear them.
“I’m scared of getting close to people,” she said, starting over. “Between my mom and Raven...either I’m not good enough and they leave, or life takes them away from me. If I don’t let anyone get close - or if I say goodbye before they do - then maybe I won’t get hurt like that again.”
She knew it wasn’t a logical or healthy outlook, but she was working on it. And maybe one day she wouldn’t feel that way anymore.
“But with you…” she added, heart thumping loudly as she reached for Blake’s hand. “You know how it was - we hit it off right away.”
“And you immediately called me your friend...” Blake whispered while looking at their intertwined fingers.
“Because friends don’t leave when you screw up. They don’t break your heart and tell you that they never want to see you again.”
“But you still worry about me leaving,” Blake pointed out.
“I do,” Yang admitted. “Because you’re so important to me, Blake. I don’t know what I’d do without you - I love you.”
For as big as the moment once felt, the word slipped out so easily - and felt so right - that she wondered why it took her so long.
“I can’t forget that kiss,” she whispered, shaking her head when Blake’s worry returned. “I can’t forget it. I can’t pretend like nothing’s changed because things have changed. The last few days, I’ve realized…I’m in love with you, Blake, and I don’t…I don’t want to be just your friend anymore. I want to be more than that.”
While pausing to take a breath, Yang noticed the sparkle in Blake’s eyes and the smile beginning to show, and felt her heart soar. That wasn’t a look of rejection. That wasn’t pity or discomfort or any of the worst-case scenarios. That was happiness, and that opened the floodgates of what she wanted to say.
“I might always be scared of losing you,” she added, her words falling out faster now. “I don’t know if that’ll ever fully go away, but that shouldn’t stop me from listening to these feelings. I want to be with you. I want to go on dates with you and be your girlfriend and all of those relationship things I said I never wanted to do with anyone. And if you feel the same way -”
Before Yang made any promises or assurances, Blake captured her lips in a kiss.
And Yang melted into the feeling just like with the previous kisses they’d shared. The softness of Blake’s lips...the smell of her hair...the warmth of her skin...every sensation made Yang feel blissfully alive, overjoyed, and bursting at the seams with love.
By the time Blake pulled away, Yang could have powered the entire city with her smile.
“Jesus, Yang...” Blake whispered before resting her forehead against Yang’s. “You know how to make a girl wait.”
“I’m so sorry...”
“You have nothing to apologize for.” While Yang begged to differ, Blake shook her head, ran her fingers through Yang’s hair, and smiled. “I know who you are, Yang, and I’ve always known that the things you’re scared of might never go away. That didn’t stop me from falling in love with you.”
Hearing those words, seeing them reflected in Blake’s eyes, and feeling them in the air, Yang felt like she could float straight off the ground. As if her heart and Blake’s had finally connected, letting them share and embrace feelings that had sparked between them for years.
After all that time spent avoiding a serious relationship, she couldn’t believe that the perfect person had been in front of her all along. All she had to do was stop overthinking every little thing and let her heart call the shots for a change. In the end, it felt more incredible than she could have imagined.
“I still want to be better for you,” she admitted. “Like, by not worrying so much about everything I do wrong.”
“I believe you.” Fingers still trailing through Yang’s hair, Blake smiled and nodded. “But you don’t have to be perfect, Yang. I already love you the way you are.”
Those simple, accepting words, combined with Blake’s sincere gaze, sent an arrow directly through Yang’s overflowing heart. Blake knew her better than anyone. Blake knew her flaws, her insecurities, and her mistakes…yet still loved her. Still wanted to be with her.
“I think my heart’s about to beat out of my chest,” she said, clutching a hand over it as if she might hold it in place.
“I think that’s what it’s supposed to feel like,” Blake replied before kissing Yang again.
No matter where they were or who might be watching, the world faded away when Blake’s lips met hers. Her heart, which had already been erratic, stuttered when Blake’s hand landed on her side, drawing her in like a moth to a flame. The fire from last night rekindled in her chest, especially as she pressed deeper into the kiss, and she knew that she wouldn’t have stopped had Blake not pulled away first.
“God…” she whispered instead, thoughts fuzzy and skin tingling where Blake’s fingers remained. “I can’t believe I haven’t been kissing you this entire time…”
“You’ll have more than enough chances to make up for that,” Blake replied, her pleased smile suggesting she enjoyed the effect she had on Yang. A delighted laugh slipped through Yang’s lips at the thought of making up for lost time, and Blake trailed her fingers down Yang’s arm only to pause when she reached the paper bag still clutched in Yang’s hand.
She only glanced at it at first. Then, recognizing the logo, did a double take.
“If you called from the stairs…?” she began before leaving the rest of the question unasked.
“Uh, yeah,” Yang said, her cheeks warming now. “I…felt like you were stressed this morning so picked some up on the way over. I thought it’d make you feel better.”
To Yang, the gesture felt small and obvious - of course she would do that for Blake. Blake’s stunned expression suggested it meant more than that, and she kissed Yang’s cheek before giving the bag another look.
“You’re incredible,” she half-whispered, half-sighed while tenderly rubbing a hand up and down Yang’s arm.
“The girl at the ice cream place called it a commitment,” Yang said, her heart fluttering as she set her free hand on Blake’s waist. “I guess it kind of is.”
That line could have come right out of one of Blake’s cheesy romcoms, but Yang didn’t regret it - especially when Blake looked at the ice cream, then back at Yang, and laughed.
“You just made this the most romantic pint of ice cream ever.”
“Yeah?” Yang’s smile grew when Blake’s arms wrapped around her neck, bouquet of flowers still in one hand. “Maybe I won’t be horrible at this.”
“Please,” Blake replied, her fingers again weaving through Yang’s hair. “You’re better at this than you think. Besides, even if you were horrible...that’s what I’m here for.”
“Then I’m glad I have you,” Yang said before leaning down and stealing another quick kiss. Her heart just about escaped that time, but she managed to keep it in place by pulling away and squeezing Blake’s sides. “Thanks for waiting for me,” she whispered, but Blake smiled and shook her head.
“I always knew you’d be worth it.”
When Blake leaned in for another kiss, Yang smiled and met her halfway.
She’d protected her heart for so long, but taking the next step turned out to be easy. Maybe because she’d fallen in love with Blake long ago. Maybe because she trusted Blake so much that she believed they could work through anything. Or maybe because, after all this time, she was ready to admit they were more than just friends.
Because they were definitely, unquestionably, more than friends. Where these feelings took them next, she didn’t quite know. But she was excited to find out, and she was glad that the wait was finally over.