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“One, two, three...that’s it?”

Searching the stockroom for any misplaced liquor bottles but finding none, Yang shrugged and noted the number on the inventory sheet in her hands.  Based on how fast that particular brand went in or out of style, ordering a few more bottles would be a good idea.  The frat boys who loved it always pitched a fit when it wasn’t available, and she couldn’t stand dealing with whiny frat boys.

“Ok, next…” she mumbled while looking for the next item on her list.  It took several seconds to find those bottles - someone must have moved them recently - and she was only halfway through counting when the stockroom door opened.

“Hey Yang?”

When Jaune poked his head into the room, she gave up counting.

“Yeah?”

“Someone special’s here for you.”

Blake instantly popped into her mind, but she dismissed that idea just as quickly as it appeared.  Based on Jaune’s grin, he already knew this person, leaving only one other option.

“Let me guess...a cute brunette with too much energy?”

“Sounds about right.”  Jaune nodded at the description, but then his eyes abruptly widened.  “Please don’t tell Weiss I called her cute.”

Chuckling at his not-so-subtle fear of what Weiss might do to someone calling her girlfriend ‘cute,’ Yang set the inventory list aside and patted his shoulder.

“Your secret’s safe with me,” she assured him before returning to the front of the bar.

Sure enough, one of the most important people in the world perched on a barstool waiting for her.  She would say ‘patiently’ waited, but the way Ruby’s knee bounced up and down suggested perpetual impatience with everything.  Of course, those who knew Ruby knew that the energy was constant and unavoidable - at her core, she was one of the kindest, most patient people around.

“Look who’s here.”  Yang headed behind the counter, stopped in front of her sister, and smiled.  “Finally came to see me?”

“I was here last week!”

“Was that only last week?”  When Ruby nodded, Yang shook her head.  “Jeez, feels like forever ago.”

“Only because your time’s wonky now that you don’t have homework.”

“Something like that,” Yang laughed before motioning to the counter in front of Ruby.  “Want one of those strawberry-sugar fizzers?”

“Yes, please!”

Smiling at the enthusiastic response, Yang grabbed an empty glass and found the rest of the ingredients nearby.  No alcohol though.  Ruby wanted to taste the sugar in her drink, which was more of a dessert than a means of getting drunk.

“Want something to eat?” Yang asked while pouring strawberry syrup into the glass.

“Jaune’s already getting me something.”

“Well, you’re just all taken care of, aren’t you?”

While Ruby grinned and nodded, Yang chuckled and filled the glass with sparkling water.  Next, she topped it with as many maraschino cherries as possible.  It was a ridiculous amount of cherries, but Ruby’s eyes sparkled as Yang stuck a straw into the drink and pushed the glass over to her.  She wasted no time popping one of the cherries into her mouth and humming in delight.

With Ruby taken care of and no one else needing anything, Yang leaned against the counter and watched her sister down cherries like pieces of candy.  One day, she should just fill the glass with cherries - Ruby would probably love that even more.

“Is Weiss meeting you here?” Yang asked, timing the question between bites.

“Yup!  Said she’d be a little late though.  She got caught up at work.”

“You mean she didn’t cancel the meeting so she could meet you on time??”

“I finally convinced her that she doesn’t have to do that!  I don’t mind waiting.”

“But she doesn’t like keeping you waiting,” Yang pointed out.  When Ruby shrugged and sipped her drink, Yang chuckled and shook her head.  “If you told me years ago that you’d have one of the richest girls in the world eating out of the palm of your hand, I never would’ve believed it.”

“Me?  What about you?”

“What about me?”

“You’re dating the Governor’s daughter!”

“We aren’t dating.”  Seeing Ruby’s dubious look, Yang shook her head.  “We’re not.  We’re just...casually seeing each other.  Hooking up.”

“You realize I’m not twelve anymore?  I can tell when you like someone - and you really like her.”

‘Really like’ was the minimum of how Yang felt about Blake, but she didn’t want to open that can of worms right now.  What had started as easygoing and casual had become complicated and feeling-heavy as of late, but she didn’t know what to do about it.

“Of course I like her,” she admitted with a soft huff.  “Who wouldn’t though?  She’s smart, funny, and gorgeous.”

Crossing her arms, Yang turned away from Ruby and hoped her shrug came off as nonchalant rather than filled with conflict.  If Ruby was still twelve, she might have fallen for it.  Instead, she slowly swirled the straw in her glass and gave Yang a thoughtful look.

Before Ruby reached a conclusion about whether or not Yang was lying, two new people walked into the bar.  Yang glanced their way only to do a double-take when she recognized the newest customers.  Ordinarily, she didn’t mind seeing a familiar face at work.  In this case, however, she straightened away from the counter as a sinking feeling opened in the pit of her stomach.  They noticed her seconds later, did double-takes of their own, and walked over with matching expressions of surprise.

“Yang Xiao Long?” the girl said before a laugh slipped through her lips.  “Wow, haven’t seen you in ages.”

“It’s been a while,” Yang agreed, mustering a thin smile.  Feeling Ruby’s gaze upon them, Yang turned toward her and motioned to the unexpected company.  “Remember Emerald and Mercury?”

“Oh, yeah I do!”

As usual, Ruby had a big smile for anyone, even Yang’s high school classmates.

“Little Ruby Rose,” Emerald said before chuckling.  Mercury vaguely smiled but, as usual, let Emerald do the talking.  “Never would’ve expected to run into you two here.  Is this what you’re doing now?”

Emerald smiled while motioning around the bar, but her expression suggested faint amusement at the situation.  Knowing that Emerald had always been willing to revel in someone else’s failures, Yang tried not to let her smile falter in return.

“Only part-time.  Helps pay the bills while wrapping up school.”

“You haven’t finished yet?”

Mercury’s disbelief was palpable, but Emerald elbowed him in the side before offering a fake, consoling smile.

“Sorry...we heard about your mom.  That must’ve been so terrible.”

The past tense suggested it wasn’t still terrible, but Yang bit back that response and offered a short, “Yeah, it is,” instead.  She didn’t need to look over to know that Ruby had also frowned at the lack of sincerity, but Emerald was smart enough to sense the change in atmosphere.  Clearing her throat, she nodded at Mercury and changed the subject.

“We’ve been working at the Cinder, Salem, and Oz - you know of it, right?  The big law firm downtown?”

“Yeah, I’ve heard of it.”

If Yang didn’t admit to already knowing the firm, Emerald would only point out how popular and prestigious it was.  “I figured,” she said instead, pleased by her employer’s name recognition.  “Anyway, Mercury just got promoted to junior partner, so we’re trying out a new place to celebrate.”

Emerald waved one hand as if to say ‘and here we are,’ so Yang smiled.

“Congratulations,” she said because she was supposed to, not because she actually felt it.  Fortunately, it offered a way out of the conversation, which she took regardless of how internally painful it was.  “What can I get you then?”

“What do you think?” Emerald asked Mercury, whose shrug granted her permission to order whatever she wanted.  Unperturbed by the responsibility, Emerald gave Yang another fake smile.  “Why don’t you pick for us?  Since you’re the expert.”

Yang noticed the subtle dig, but she didn’t respond to it.  Instead, she said, “You got it,” before grabbing two glasses and turning around to fill both with the most popular beer on tap.  They watched her every move, but she tried to ignore them while filling the glasses as fast as possible.  She didn’t want to know if they were smug or looking down on her right now - she just wanted to give them their drinks so they could carry on with their evening.

Once both glasses were full, she set them on napkins and pushed them across the counter.  Noticing Emerald reaching for her wallet, she waved a hand and said, “Don’t worry about it.  First one’s on the house.”

“Oh.”  Dropping her arm to her side, Emerald let another smirk sneak onto her lips.  “Well, thanks.”

“No problem.  Enjoy.”

Yang’s smile felt more strained by the second, but she managed to hold one in place while Emerald and Mercury picked up their glasses and headed to the booths.  No doubt they were now celebrating Mercury’s promotion in relation to Yang’s current position.  They would never admit as much, of course, but they didn’t have to.  Yang knew them well enough to know they loved nothing more than holding their successes over others.

Only when they settled into a booth on the other side of the bar did she clench her jaw and shake her head.  Ruby was watching her, but she didn’t want to talk right now.  Instead, she grabbed a towel and busied herself wiping nonexistent water marks off the counter.

“Well, she’s still a bitch.”

“Ruby!”  Finally looking up, Yang met Ruby’s gaze and shook her head.  “What would Weiss say if she heard you say that?”

“She’d agree with me,” Ruby stated matter-of-factly.  “She probably would’ve beat me to it.”

Regardless of how frustrating and upsetting that short interaction had been, Yang couldn’t help chuckling at how right Ruby was.  Weiss called people out as she saw fit, sometimes to their faces.  As much as Yang loved the thought of Weiss leveling that world-class sass at Emerald, it wouldn’t do any good to fight fire with fire.  The best thing to do was shake it off and move on.

“It’s fine,” she said, trying to fool herself into believing that as much as Ruby.  “They’re just...you know.”

Lacking the words to describe her feelings, she motioned with one hand before tossing the rag under the counter and setting her hands on her hips.

Life wasn’t a race - she knew that.  They all ended up in different places at different points in their life.  But knowing that didn’t erase the lingering shame she felt for falling behind so early.  If she hadn’t lost something so important in the process, she might feel differently.

As soon as Ruby hopped down from the barstool, Yang stared at the floor and sighed.  She knew what was coming next, but she didn’t say anything.  She just waited for Ruby to walk behind the bar and wrap her in a caring hug.

“Do you have any idea how much it means to me that you came home?” Ruby whispered.  “It was already weird being at school alone, but when Mom got sick...”

Sighing at the memories, Yang caved and returned Ruby’s embrace.

“I know, Ruby…” she said while gently patting Ruby’s back.  The rest of the bar could see them, but who cared?  Unless someone else had experienced what they went through, this moment was theirs alone.

“I know it messed up your life a bit,” Ruby added softly.  “But I’m so glad you were there.  We needed you.  I don’t know what we would’ve done without you.”

“I needed to be there, too,” Yang whispered, hugging Ruby closer and willing tears away.

The outcomes of those few years would impact her for the rest of her life.  Whenever she thought about that period, however, she focused on the less painful part - that she fell behind on school, fell behind her classmates in careers, and now had to catch up.

“And don’t worry!”  Finally breaking away, Ruby patted Yang’s shoulders and beamed.  “Who cares if they work at some dumb law firm?  This time next year, you’ll be designing houses for the rich and famous!  And you won’t be a self-centered snob about it.”

As usual, Ruby knew just what to say.  She was right, too.  So what if taking a few years off set Yang back while her classmates moved ahead?  Her family had needed her, and she had needed her family.  She would make the same decision today in a heartbeat.

So, as humiliating as it was to pour drinks for people who used to be her peers, and as much as she was jealous of Emerald and Mercury’s current success, she shouldn’t stress so much.  She might have been knocked back a step or two, but...she liked to consider herself a better person, overall, than either of them.  That was what mattered.

“Thanks, Ruby.”  Feeling better now, Yang took a deep breath before exhaling the rest of her negative emotions.  “How’d you get so smart?”

“Learned from the best!” Ruby chirped before returning to the other side of the bar and reclaiming her seat.

“You mean Mom?” Yang asked, and Ruby nodded.

“Yeah, of course.  Who else?”

When Ruby grinned, Yang laughed.

“Who else, indeed…” she mused to herself before shaking her head.

Their mom had been the most incredible person ever.  Kind-hearted, compassionate, always thinking of others...she taught them how to be good people while also following their dreams.  If she was still here, she wouldn’t care if they had fancy jobs or drove fancy cars.  She would want to know if they were happy, healthy, and treating others with kindness.

Yang liked to think that she was all of those things, and Ruby definitely was.  The kindness part, in particular, had always come easily to Ruby.  As if Yang needed proof that kindness could accomplish anything, Weiss arrived and smiled the instant that her gaze landed on Ruby.

As soon as Ruby caught sight of Weiss, her eyes widened and a giant, unstoppable smile appeared.  She nearly jumped out of her seat to greet Weiss by the door, but Weiss quickly motioned for her to stay put. She obediently sat down, but her knee bounced faster the closer Weiss got.

“Hey Weiss!”

“Ruby,” Weiss replied before setting a hand on Ruby’s back and kissing Ruby’s cheek.  Weiss’ greeting might, on the surface, seem muted compared to Ruby’s effusiveness, but Yang could see the excitement and adoration in Weiss’ eyes.  Those emotions only grew as Weiss set a small bag on the counter in front of Ruby.

“A new bakery opened near my office,” she explained while Ruby peeked inside.  “So I got you a little something.”

Whatever it was, it made Ruby gasp in delight.

“You’re the best, Weiss!  I love you so much.”

Before Weiss could respond, Ruby kissed her - a full, on-the-lips, loving kiss.  Even if Weiss expected the response, which she honestly should have considering how often Ruby doled out affection, she still practically melted into a puddle in front of everyone.  By the time the kiss ended and her eyes fluttered open, she looked like she had no idea what to say besides a soft, “I love you, too.”

While Ruby pulled a giant chocolate chip cookie out of the bag and Weiss brought a barstool over to sit beside her, Yang rolled her eyes.

“I’m going to need you to take the sweetness down a few notches.  This is a bar, not a wedding chapel.”

“Like we’d get married in a chapel,” Weiss huffed without so much as glancing at Yang.  She was too busy watching Ruby eat that giant cookie to bother looking anywhere else.  At least, that was what Yang thought until Jaune walked over, set a basket of french fries on the counter, and took a seat on Ruby’s other side.

“Whatcha got there?”

“A cookie!  Want some?”

Jaune didn’t even have to answer - Ruby had already broken the cookie in half and handed one piece to him.  Noticing Weiss’ vaguely perturbed expression, Yang laughed.

“Ruby’s so generous, isn’t she?”

“She is.”  After sending Jaune a wary look, no doubt making sure he kept everything strictly friendly, Weiss gave Yang a triumphant smile.  “That’s why I bought two.”

The fact that Weiss had anticipated this moment made Yang laugh even more.  That was such a Weiss response to a problem though.  Ruby was extremely generous and willing to share whatever she had - Weiss, on the other hand, wanted Ruby to have as much as she wanted without considering others.  The solution wasn’t asking Ruby to be selfish - it was making sure Ruby had more than enough to share.

“Have you seen that new zombie movie yet?” Jaune asked while pushing the basket of fries closer to Ruby so that she would take some.

“Not yet!  Still trying to convince Weiss to watch it.”

“I’ll watch it if you really want to,” Weiss replied.  Her genial tone made it difficult to tell if she was only agreeing because of Jaune’s presence or because she was just that willing to do whatever Ruby wanted.  Before Yang tested those waters, however, her phone rang.  As soon as she pulled her phone from her pocket and saw the name on the screen, her heart jumped.

“Hey Jaune, can you cover for a bit?”

“Sure thing.”

“Thanks.  Be right back.”

She felt Weiss’ knowing gaze following her but didn’t pay it a second thought while hurrying to the back of the bar.  Once she made it to the hallway leading to the restrooms, she answered the call.

“Hey you,” she said, unable to keep a smile from immediately appearing.

“Hey you,” Blake repeated, the smile in her tone enough to make Yang’s heart flutter.  “I’m not bothering you, am I?”

“Are you kidding?  You’re making my night.”  Yang glanced over as a couple of girls entered the hall, giggling amongst themselves before ducking into the restroom.  “What’re you up to?”

“Not much...just laying in bed, wishing I could sneak out and see you.”

Hearing that Blake wanted to see her made her even happier.  At least she hadn’t been the only one hopelessly pining over the past few days.

“I could sneak over once my shift’s done?” she offered.  Before she got her hopes up, however, Blake’s sigh dashed them.

“I wish...but I have to get up early tomorrow.  And if I see you, I’m not waking up in time.”

“You could just not go to sleep at all.”

When Blake’s laughter filtered through the phone, Yang grinned.

“How well did that work last time?”

“I fell asleep during class,” she admitted while leaning against the wall.  “But you’re better at operating on no sleep than me!  Just get a couple cups of coffee, and you’ll be ready to go.”

“Is it really that easy?”

“For you it is.”  Just thinking about how amazing Blake was, Yang felt her smile widen.  “But you make everything look easy.”

Another soft laugh brightened Yang’s night even more.

“And you sound so sexy when you’re tired...” she admitted.

“You sound sexy all the time,” Blake replied before Yang could even worry about the compliment going too far.  When she chuckled and shook her head, however, Blake added, “I’m serious.  You have such a good phone voice.  Makes me want to just lay here and listen to you for hours…”

The comment had no business being so arousing, but the way Blake said it sparked a fire in Yang’s veins.  That fire could get out of control if not approached correctly, so Yang gently cleared her throat and changed the subject.

“So...big event tomorrow?”

“You could say that.”  Blake probably saw through the subject change, but she sighed rather than call Yang out.  “It’s not fair that you finally have free time and my parents decide to pack my schedule.”

“I know...bad timing, but it won’t last forever, right?”

“Thankfully,” Blake agreed, offering a glimmer of light at the end of this tunnel.  “Once the Spring Gala is over, I should be free.”

“That’s the spirit.”

Considering everyone with money, power, or status seemed to be looking forward to one of Vale’s ritziest events of the year, Yang found it infinitely amusing how little Blake wanted to attend.  Social climbers would kill for an invite, yet Blake would rather stay home and read a good book.

“Any plans for your freedom?” Yang asked.

“The first thing I want to do is see you.”

Yang’s heart immediately beat faster and harder.  The more Blake was bluntly honest like that, the more Yang wanted to be the same in return.

“Oh yeah?” she asked instead, trying to stay playfully coy.  “Maybe we should go see a movie or something?”

This time, Blake’s laughter sounded a little lower and throatier.

“Yang…you know exactly what I want to do when I see you next...”

As soon as Yang heard the hitch in Blake’s breathing, her ears perked up.  It sounded an awful lot like…

But it couldn’t be.  Could it?

“Um, Blake?  What’re you doing?”

The two drunk girls stumbled back into the hall, but Yang hardly glanced their way.  Her sole, complete focus was on the other end of the line right now, desperately wishing she could see through the phone.

“Just laying here, thinking about you…”

Blake made no attempt to hide the breathiness in her voice anymore, giving away what else was going on.  And, even though they weren’t in the same place, Yang’s body responded as if Blake was right in front of her.

“Are you…?”  Cheeks flaring with a blush, Yang glanced around the empty hallway before clearing her throat.  “Is that all you’re doing?” she asked in a lower voice.

“Well...no.”

Desire raced through Yang at the simple admission followed by more elevated breaths in her ear.

“I was wishing you were here so I could kiss you…” Blake added in an increasingly seductive voice.  “Then one thing led to another…”

That was a ‘yes.’  Blake didn’t have to say it because Yang could hear it.

“Ok, um…”  When a heavier sigh reached her ears, Yang clenched her free hand into a fist and gently knocked it against her forehead.  “Jesus...”

“You don’t have to do anything…” Blake added, her breathy voice fanning the flames building between Yang’s legs.  “I just like hearing you.”

“So you just want me to...talk?”

“Mhmm…”

The response sounded more like a moan than positive acknowledgment and shattered Yang’s last shred of restraint.  Wanting out of the hallway as soon as possible, she glanced around before hurrying to the supply closet and unlocking the door with her keyring.  Quickly shutting herself inside, she turned on the light and found herself surrounded by stacks of kegs and bottles of alcohol.

“Sounds quieter…” Blake commented.  “Did you find someplace private?”

“I mean…”  Yang looked around the cramped space and made a face.  “Kind of?”  Hearing voices pass by outside the door, she cringed.  “But we better hurry before someone comes looking for me.”

“Then you should catch up…I started before I called.”

“Jesus, Blake.”

Spurred on by that admission, and unsure how long her hiding place would stay private, Yang quickly unbuttoned her jeans and slipped her free hand inside.

“Fuck…” she breathed out when she felt how wet she was.  Wasting no time running a finger over her clit, which was already swollen and needy, she sighed and leaned her head back against the door.  The light touches already felt so good, and listening to Blake’s labored breathing was only turning her on even more.

“Don’t hold back,” Blake whispered over the phone.  “I want to hear you.”

“Ok, but -”

There were people around, and the music only drowned out so much, but that mattered less with each passing second.  Yang’s focus shifted to the growing ache between her legs.  Her jeans hampered her movements, but she was so wet that she didn’t need much room to operate.  Her finger ran small, effortless circles around her clit, each passing touch driving her excitement higher.

“God, I wish you were here…” Blake moaned while Yang’s breathing quickly rose to match hers.  “I want to feel you so bad…”

“Me too…” Yang sighed while picking up the pace.  “Fuck...you have no idea how much I want you...I’ll do anything you want.”

“Just don’t stop.”

She was nowhere close to stopping - her hand only moved faster as Blake’s breathing sped up.  Closing her eyes and keeping up the fervent pace, she pictured what Blake looked like right now - lips parted as little gasps of pleasure slipped out, eyes squeezed shut to savor every sensation, head tilted back into the covers, chest rising and falling as she ground herself against her own hand.

“Fuck...”

Imagining Blake touching herself made Yang even wetter.  She wanted to be there.  She wanted to be the one making Blake feel good, with her hand, her tongue, her fingers - whatever Blake wanted.  She just wanted to be the one watching and feeling and tasting that gorgeous, remarkable woman fall apart beneath her fingertips.

“I want to hear you,” Blake murmured before a low moan sent a spike of desire between Yang’s legs.  “I want to hear you come,” Blake said, her voice pleading yet demanding at the same time.

Yang moaned at the request and squeezed her eyes shut while Blake’s panting pushed her closer and closer to the edge.  She wanted to reach that release now.  It was so close, she felt desperate for it - the same desperation she heard in Blake’s jagged breaths.

Her body begged for more, so she pressed harder on her clit, unleashing a new wave of pleasure that nearly made her legs give out.  She wanted to be on her back, legs spread, with Blake topping the hell out of her.  Right there on the stockroom floor - she wanted Blake to fuck her until they were both too tired to do anything else.

Leaning against the door for support, she moved her finger even faster and harder - her clit responded by sending waves and waves of bliss up her spine.  Her breaths were nothing more than short huffs of air now, just enough to keep her going while she chased Blake toward a climax.

“Yang…god, I’m so close -”

Yang was right there with Blake.  Her legs were dying to spread wider while she pressed against the door and fingered herself.  The end was in sight.  She could practically taste it - all she needed was that one final nudge.

“I’m going to come,” Blake moaned.  “Yang - come with me -”

As soon as Yang heard the cry of pleasure on the other end of the line, ecstasy flooded through her.  A loud moan left her lips as her back arched away from the door and her head knocked against it, her finger fervently working over her clit and her hips bucking into each touch.  That orgasm took hold of everything and turned it into pure, unadulterated bliss, and she rode out that feeling until her senses eventually returned to her.

Once it passed, she slumped against the door and resituated the phone against her ear.  She was panting but buzzing with good feelings.  She still heard Blake’s breaths through the phone, elevated but slowing down as the rush faded away.

Voices in the hall brought her back to reality faster than she would have liked, but she couldn’t escape the fact that she was still at work.  Not wanting to be caught with her pants down, literally, she grabbed a rag to wipe her fingers on and buttoned up her jeans.  Once she was vaguely presentable, she leaned her head back against the door and closed her eyes.

“Shit...that felt good…”

“Thanks for joining me.”

Hearing the smile in Blake’s voice, Yang scoffed.

“In what universe do you think I can listen to that without joining?”

“Hopefully never this one.  That was much better than doing it alone.”

“You’ve been doing that alone??”  Whether due to the rush of good feelings or just liking Blake so damn much, Yang’s heart responded to Blake’s soft laughter with butterflies and cartwheels.  “You’re holding out on me, Belladonna?”

“You work a lot, and I don’t want to distract you...usually.  That doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about you.”

“Oh, really?”  The idea of Blake thinking about her was enough to make Yang grin.  “What kind of things are you thinking about?”

“If you get me going again, you’d better come over to finish the job.”

“That’s so tempting right now,” Yang said before chuckling at the non-answer.  “If you didn’t have prior obligations, I would.  Next time I see you though, I expect a detailed explanation.”

“I’ll show you the next time I see you.”

The sultry purr sent another spike of desire between Yang’s legs and informed her that, if they were together right now, they wouldn’t be close to finished with each other.  Since that wasn’t in the cards tonight, she let that feeling simmer for several seconds before asking, “When do you think that’ll be?”

“After Saturday, I should be free.”

“Can I see you then?”

“You don’t have to ask, Yang...you know I want to see you, too.”

Right now, Yang could feel the truth behind those words.  While her heart warmed at the admission, however, a sigh reached her ears.

“I should probably let you go back to work though…”

“And I should probably let you get some sleep.”

“Yeah, I guess…”  After a short pause, where neither of them wanted to say goodbye first, Blake sighed again.  “Ok...but I’ll see you soon.  Have a good night, ok?”

“You too.  Sleep well.”

Once the call ended, Yang stared at the screen for several seconds before putting her phone away and letting herself out of the supply closet.  The loud music reminded her that she still had a long night ahead, but her thoughts lingered on Blake even as she returned to work.

Knowing that Blake thought about her late at night was really hot.  She wanted to be on Blake’s mind all the time, just like she wanted to be with Blake all the time.  God knew she was equally guilty of touching herself whenever she got the urge and couldn’t wait to see Blake.

What she wouldn’t give to be over there instead of working right now...or to go home to Blake instead of an empty apartment.  Unfortunately, neither of those were options at the moment, and possibly not ever.  Rather than dwell on it, however, she ducked into the restroom and washed her hands before returning to the bar and her non-Blake-centric life.

“Where’d Ruby run off to?” she asked when she found Weiss sitting at the bar alone.

“Talking to someone she knows.”

When Weiss waved toward the other side of the room, Yang spotted Ruby having an animated conversation with a friend.

“And you’re not over there with her?”

“I don’t want to smother her.”  Noticing Yang’s raised brow, Weiss sighed.  “I trust her completely, but I’m sure you’re aware that I also get...jealous.  Sometimes, it’s just easier if I wait here for her to come back.”

There were many surprising parts of that comment.  The most surprising, however, was how at ease Weiss was with the decision.  She knew Ruby, she knew herself, and she knew this was best for both of them.

“You never would’ve admitted that when you two first started dating.”

“Then your sister’s making me a better person, after all.”

“Nice try,” Yang replied with a laugh.  “You’ve always been a good person, but now you know you can admit it.”

Unsurprisingly, Weiss made a face at the insinuation that she wasn’t the ‘ice princess’ everyone expected her to be.  She was that person when she and Ruby met, but it took all of a few minutes for Ruby to melt through that fake, frosty exterior.  These days, Yang recognized those icy barriers as a means of defense.  Everyone had walls for some reason or another.  Weiss hid behind a cold, detached, and haughty personality.  Yang hid behind...well, she didn’t know quite what her defense mechanisms were, but she was certain she had them, too.

As her gaze darted to Emerald and Mercury, who appeared to be gossiping about a nearby group of college kids, Yang shook her head and tried to push them out of her mind.  She knew that she shouldn’t let them make her feel so small and insignificant, but...people like that had an uncanny knack for finding and needling insecurities.

She couldn’t help but think about Blake though...more specifically, what Blake would think if Yang was a junior partner at some fancy law firm.  That would be a step up from where she was now, but would it be good enough to risk a public relationship?  Was that even what Blake wanted, or did she have another reason for keeping this a secret?

Maybe Blake had already decided that Yang didn’t have long-term dating potential.  They had great chemistry, great sex, but...maybe Blake was looking for something else.

“What’s with the long face?”

“What?”  Breaking away from those thoughts, Yang looked at Weiss before waving the question away.  “It’s nothing.  Just thinking about school stuff.”

“Do you know you’re just as bad at lying as Ruby?”

Caught off guard by the remark, Yang opened her mouth but couldn’t think of a response.  Weiss seemed to have already expected as much, however, as she patiently nodded.

“It’s your eyes,” she explained with a gesture to Yang’s eyes.  “You like...project every emotion.  Both of you.”

Yang wanted to argue that wasn’t true, but that would only be another lie for Weiss to call her out on.  She could say that she didn’t want to talk about it - Weiss would respect that request - but...she kind of wanted to talk about it.  Weiss and Ruby were the only ones who knew about her and Blake, and sometimes...keeping everything to herself felt impossible.

“Ok,” she sighed, slouching forward and setting her elbows on the countertop.  “It’s just...this thing with Blake.  It wasn’t supposed to be serious, but…I’ve fallen for her pretty hard.”

That was the first time she had admitted those feelings out loud, so she expected some measure of shock or surprise.  Instead, Weiss looked like Yang was telling her about the weather.

“That’s obvious, Yang,” she added for good measure.  “You’ve been running yourself ragged all semester just to spend another second with her.  I can’t even comprehend how you juggle classes, three jobs, and a clandestine relationship at the same time.”

“I don’t sleep much,” Yang joked.  When Weiss raised one brow, however, Yang shook her head and took a more serious tone.  “She’s worth it though.  But when I think about her now…”

Her heart promptly thumped, so she set her hands over it and sighed.  Her mind told her not to get too attached, but her heart went and did it anyway.  Now...she was stuck.

“I don’t want to be the ‘booty call’ anymore,” she admitted softly.  “That was great at first, but now...I want it to be something more.  I want to be with her.  I want to be her girlfriend, I want everyone to know, I want to meet her parents - as much as they scare me.”

“Why can’t you?”

“Because that’s not what she wants.”

“How do you know?  Have you asked?”

“No, I just...know.”

For a second, Weiss gave Yang a disbelieving look.  Then she asked again.

“How do you know if you’ve never asked?”

“Because the other option is that she just doesn’t want her parents to know about me, which means she knows I’m not good enough for her.”

The thought hurt as much today as the first time that Yang considered it, but she couldn’t escape the feeling that it was true.  Why would Blake go through the trouble of involving her parents if she didn’t imagine this relationship going anywhere?  Why not keep it under wraps?  Then, when it ended, there was no judgment or questions.

It made sense to Yang, but Weiss scoffed and shook her head.

“If that was true, why did she show up to see your school event?”

Weiss knew she had a good point, but she let Yang struggle for an answer before shaking her head again.

“Yang, if she only wants to get in your pants, she wouldn’t have made that time for you.  There could be other reasons why she doesn’t want everyone to know.”

“Like what?”  When Weiss didn’t have an immediate answer, Yang shook her head.  “I’ve thought about this a million times, Weiss.  That’s the only explanation that makes sense.”

“To you it makes sense, but you can’t speak for her.”

“Sure, but it’s...it’s complicated.  We can’t just be together.  With her family and me being...just me...you wouldn’t understand.”

“I wouldn’t understand?” Weiss repeated before dryly laughing.  “Excuse me while I pretend not to understand something I went through.”

Resting her chin on her hands, Yang sighed.  She forgot who she was speaking to when that slipped out, but that didn’t mean she was wrong.

“And how did your parents take it when you told them about Ruby?”

“They threatened to disown me.”

“And that sounds awful,” Yang pointed out, but Weiss just shrugged.

“They’d never actually do it - I know too much for my father to risk that.  But it was difficult for Ruby…”  Trailing off for a second, Weiss eventually looked at Yang and added a soft, “Ah.”

“‘Ah’ what?”

“You and Ruby are both so sweet and...sensitive.  Maybe that’s why we like you…”  Yang’s brow furrowed at the comment, but Weiss quickly shook her head.  “Ruby took their response harder than I did.  To me, it was them not approving of my decision, which happens all the time.  But to her...it was them not approving of her as a person.”

“Which makes them idiots,” Yang said.  “She’s a genius.”

“I know that, and they’ll figure it out eventually - hopefully, regretfully.  But that doesn’t change how things are here and now.”

Ruminating on those memories, Weiss turned around to find Ruby on the other side of the bar.  Somehow, Ruby instantly sensed the look, as her eyes drifted to Weiss and her smile brightened.  She held up a finger to say she would be back soon, but Weiss motioned for her to take her time before turning back to Yang.  Weiss’ gaze had softened considerably from that interaction alone, and she looked at Yang without a shred of hesitation.

“Listen...I can’t speak for Blake, but there are reasons to wait.  Having a family like hers, or like mine, comes with strings you might not expect.”

“Because I’m normal.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Weiss sighed.  “But I’d give anything to be ‘normal.’  To walk outside and not have to be Weiss Schnee everywhere I go.  Always on my best behavior...always making sure I don’t say or do something that upsets my father...”

“Jeez.  When do you relax?”

“When I’m with Ruby,” Weiss answered plainly and simply.  “That’s when I can be who I want to be, not who everyone expects me to be.  It’s such a wonderful, freeing feeling...and I’ve only ever felt it with her.”

Again, Weiss’ gaze was drawn to Ruby.  The more they talked about her, the more Weiss probably wished for her to return as soon as possible.  First, however, Weiss reached across the counter and patted Yang’s hand.

“You’re a great person, Yang - and I’m not just saying that because you’re Ruby’s sister.  There are many reasons why Blake would want to be with you.  Just because she hasn’t told anyone doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel the same way you do.”

“Then what am I supposed to think it means?”

“It just means...it’s not easy to invite someone into your world if you know it’s a challenge.  If you care about them, you want to protect them - even if it’s from you.”

Yang had never thought about it like that, but if Weiss was right...Blake was trying to keep her world - the publicity, popularity, and pseudo-fame that came with being a family in power - away from Yang.  But why?  Did she think Yang couldn’t handle that type of life?  Did she think Yang wouldn’t be good at keeping out of the news or avoiding stupid headlines?

“So, yes,” Weiss said when Yang didn’t respond.  “There could be another reason why she hasn’t told anyone.  And I bet she’d tell you what it is if you asked.”

Just imagining that conversation made Yang anxious.  She wanted to know what their future looked like, if they even had one, but she also didn’t want to mess up what they had.  What if she voiced her desires and Blake said that, since they clearly wanted different things, they should go their separate ways?  Even if this was a dead end, Yang didn’t want it to end any earlier than it had to.

“I guess I could…” she mumbled rather than offer an affirmative ‘yes.’  Weiss was smart enough to pick up on the non-answer but didn’t say anything.  Instead, she turned to the side and smiled as Ruby reclaimed the barstool beside her.

“Welcome back,” Weiss said while gently pulling Ruby’s hand over to hold in her lap.  “How’s Penny?”

“She’s good!  Just celebrating a work thing.”  Ruby waved a hand before giggling.  “Did you know she made her dress?  Isn’t it super cute?  I wish I could do that…”

“I’m sure you could if you wanted to.”  As usual, Weiss offered the encouragement without a second thought.  After the comment sunk in, however, another thought popped into her mind.  “Oh, that reminds me.  We still need to get you a dress for the Spring Gala.”

Eyes widening at the comment, Yang glanced at Ruby before looking at Weiss.

“Wait.  You were invited to the Spring Gala?”

“Of course.  My family’s invited every year.”

“Even though the Belladonnas host?”

“It’s formality, Yang,” Weiss explained with a slight eyeroll.  “They have to invite us just like we have to invite them to the Winter Ball.”

“And you got a plus one?”

Finally realizing that Yang had something else in mind, but not knowing what it was, Weiss narrowed her eyes.

“Yes…”

This was perfect.  Unexpected, but perfect.

“Take me with you.”

“Take you with me?” Weiss repeated, scoffing when Yang nodded.  “Sorry, but I’m taking Ruby.”

“Please, Weiss.”  Yang didn’t want to beg, but she clasped her hands in front of her as if that might help.  “If you’re right, this is my chance to show her I can handle that life.  Or, at least, show her that I wouldn’t mind it if I got to be with her.”

The Spring Gala was one of the biggest events of the year.  Anyone who was anyone would be there.  High-society Vale at its finest.  It was the perfect place to prove that she could be a respectable member of that social sphere.  She wouldn’t make a fool of herself.  She wouldn’t hate it.  She could be a part of that life - because it was part of Blake’s life.

Weiss understood what Yang was asking - that was the only reason she didn’t automatically decline.  Even Ruby, who hadn’t been a part of their conversation, seemed to understand that something bigger was going on.

“I don’t mind,” she told Weiss, squeezing Weiss’ hand.  “I mean, we just went to the winter one together.  So if Yang really wants to go, I think you’d have a lot of fun!”

Yang could have picked Ruby up and kissed her for being such a great sister.  But first, she anxiously waited for Weiss’ response.  After giving Ruby a long, thoughtful look, Weiss sighed.

“Why are you always so sweet?” she asked, kissing Ruby’s cheek before looking at Yang.  “Fine.”

“Really?  I can be your date?”

“Not mine,” Weiss replied with a shake of her head, much to Yang’s confusion.  “I’m taking Ruby, but I’ll get you an invite.”

“How?”

“I’ll take care of it - promise.  You just worry about what you’re going to wear.”

Even though Yang had more questions now, she trusted Weiss enough not to ask.  If Weiss said she would take care of something, she would take care of it.  She knew how important this was to Yang, and she would never let Yang, or Ruby, down.

“Thanks, Weiss,” Yang said before offering the sincerest smile possible.  Weiss managed a quick smile in response, already preoccupied with thinking through whatever she planned to do.

Assured that Weiss would come through - she always did, after all - Yang took a deep breath and felt her first nerves crop up.  Saturday wasn’t far, and now she needed a new dress.  Probably new shoes, too.  And she should figure out how to do her hair and makeup sooner rather than later.

But she couldn’t wait to see Blake - to surprise Blake, actually - and prove that she could be more than just a side fling if Blake wanted.  Which…she really hoped that Blake did.

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