Chapter Text
Ever since the fall of Beacon, it seemed as though they had been running nonstop. It probably seemed that way, because in fact they really had been. Team RWBY and the others had barely gotten a solid moment of downtime or a chance to breathe ever since Salem’s minions and the White Fang began actively terrorizing the kingdoms. When you spend months on end running, you don’t fully realize just how badly you needed a break until you finally come to a stop and the fatigue has a chance to really set in. Your tired muscles ache and scream at you, a visceral reminder that rest is all but mandatory.
With this in mind, their illustrious leader Ruby Rose encouraged all of her friends to take the opportunity to enjoy the downtime and go off to do something fun and restorative. They were safe for the time being, so there was less of a concern about splitting up this time around. They had their scrolls, they had each other, and they were all much stronger now--they would be fine.
Blake decided it was the perfect time to head home to Menagerie and visit her parents again. She wanted to see how they were doing, if the repair work on the house was complete, and because she felt unsatisfied given that her family-time had been so rudely interrupted by terrorists invading their home. Blake also felt that she’d missed out on an opportunity the last time she was here, so it was with this in mind that she invited Yang to join her. Though she seemed a bit surprised at first by the invitation, Yang soon broke out into a wide grin and agreed to join her. She hadn’t ever been to the Faunus homeland before, and though she didn’t admit it, she felt much happier being able to spend time with Blake than anything else she might have done on her own. Yang especially didn’t feel like going back home at the moment and talking with her father--she knew the conversation would eventually come back around to her mother. Raven was the last thing Yang wanted to think about at the moment, so she was grateful for the chance to get away and enjoy herself.
After the team went their separate ways, and one long boat-ride later (thankfully free of Grimm interruptions this time), Blake and Yang were soon walking up the steps of the Belladonna family estate. Like most days on the tropical island, it was warm, sunny, and the air smelled faintly of sweet flowers. They set their bags down as they stood outside the door and exchanged glances before Blake reached up to knock on it. She paused for a moment, then turned to Yang, looking moderately concerned. Yang raised an eyebrow at Blake, an unspoken question.
“My parents can be a little… overenthusiastic,” Blake said, shrugging defeatedly and trying not to look too embarrassed, “Just keep that in mind when you meet them. They’re good people, though.”
“You know me. Enthusiasm’s kind of my thing? It’ll be fine, Blake. Don’t worry about it.” Yang said reassuringly, flashing her a grin and a thumbs-up.
Blake smiled and lifted the heavy metal knocker on the door, striking it twice and stepping back as the sound echoed through the large atrium on the other side. After a few nervous moments, the door opened and Kali poked her head out through the door. Her ears perked up and her eyes came alight with unmasked joy as soon as she saw Blake standing there. Wasting no time, Kali rushed out and wrapped her daughter up in a tight hug, nuzzling her cheek and blabbering excitedly in the way only a parent who’s missed their child does.
“Blake my darling! You should have told us you were coming! Ah, I’m so happy to see you. You look wonderful! What did you do to your hair? It looks beautiful! Not that I’m biased or anything, but short hair is a good look on you alright. Wait, who is this?” Kali interrupted her rapidfire questions and comments to focus on Yang, who stood there rubbing the back of her neck in anticipation of this.
“Hey there, um, I’m Yang. Blake’s teammate?” Yang said, not sure why she felt so bashful, “Nice to finally meet you Mrs. Belladonna.”
“Oh! Oh oh oh! My goodness. The Yang? The same one you’ve told me of?” Kali said, looking shocked but also excited somehow, “I’m so glad you’ve finally come!”
Kali paused and leaned back to holler through the open door, “GHIRA GET OUT HERE, BLAKE IS HOME AND SHE BROUGHT YANG!”
Blake facepalmed, her cheeks already burning red. Kali shifted her attention back to Yang and stepped close to the girl, grabbing her shoulders.
“How was the trip here? Are you tired? Hungry? Have you been eating well? Blake tells me you’re always so busy with your missions. You look alright but…” Kali reached up to place her hands on Yang’s cheeks, smushing them a little and turning her head from side to side, “Bags under the eyes though. Hmm, yes. You could definitely use some rest. Don’t worry, dear, the bed in our guest-room is like sleeping on a cloud.”
Yang gave Blake a moderately terrified look that said You weren’t kidding, oh my god, please save me? Blake just shook her head and sighed. Kali was interrupted by Ghira stepping through the doorway and bringing the commotion to a new level. He scooped his daughter up in his arms and spun her around, laughing and congratulating her on making it home safely after all that she and her team had been through lately. Blake sheepishly returned the hug and found herself laughing along with her boisterous father. Once Ghira had released her, he turned to Yang.
“Ghira,” Kali said seriously, giving him a very meaningful glare, “This is Yang, Blake’s partner. The powerful Huntress we’ve heard so much about!”
“Oh. Ohhhh!” Ghira said, nodding thoughtfully and appreciatively stroking his chin, “Yes of course! Yang Xiao Long! It’s an honor and a privilege to finally make your acquaintance. I am Ghira Belladonna, chieftain of Menagerie and new leader of the White Fang.”
Ghira extended his hand to Yang, offering a very serious and official-looking handshake. Yang glanced down at it and up at Ghira a couple of times before breaking into a wide grin. She stepped forward instead and wrapped her arms around him, lifting him up off the ground into a nearly backbreaking hug.
“Honored to meet you too, sir!” Yang said, swinging him from side to side a little. Ghira was shocked silent for a moment, but then he began roaring with laughter at the absurdity of someone his size being lifted up by Yang fully set in. Once she’d put him down, the bold move she made had caused all of the tension to melt away and the four of them were laughing together. Ghira put a hand on Yang’s shoulder and glanced over at Blake.
“I like this one,” he said firmly, giving a nod of approval, “You’ve chosen a good partner, Blake.”
“I already know that, Dad. Jeez. Can we not make a big deal about it?” Blake muttered.
“Too late for that, dear,” Kali said enthusiastically, grabbing Yang’s hand and pulling her through the door, “We’re keeping her.”
“We’re what now?” Yang asked in confusion, stumbling to keep her balance and follow Kali.
“I told you what to expect,” Blake said with a shrug, then picked up their bags and followed along, “I don’t make the rules around here.”
The great wooden doors shut behind them as they all stepped inside. The echoing thud they made was like a note of finality ringing through the air. A punctuation-mark in a sentence that signaled the beginning of something new. Something better. Something warmer. Something that they had all needed for a long time.
The evening hours passed by in a joyful blur. They feasted together in the dining hall, trading stories and jokes. Yang, to her credit, handled the Belladonnas’ unsubtle grilling quite well. She took it in good stride and seemed to have a clever answer for every difficult question they threw her way. Blake, though usually quiet, found herself caught up in the pace and actually joined in on the raucous conversation. She took whatever chance she could to brag about Yang--her bravery, her tenacity, how much they had helped one another in battle. It made her smile, and she quietly enjoyed the way it made Yang blush when she spoke those words of praise, and also how her parents reacted in turn.
Yang herself was overjoyed. She wouldn’t admit it so easily, but she found herself falling in comfortably with the Belladonnas faster than she’d expected. They made her feel like she was family already--something she’d never quite had with her own, thanks to her garbage mother. She was close with Ruby and her father and Qrow, but it wasn’t quite the same. This felt entirely different, a new kind of love, and she welcomed it wholeheartedly. By the end of the evening, her sides hurt from laughing and her cheeks were sore from smiling so much. Yang felt a moment of sadness, that she had missed out on something like this most of her life, but the feeling quickly passed as Kali reached over and piled more food onto Yang’s plate, insisting that she eat her fill to keep her strength up.
After dinner and tea, they parted ways. Yang thanked the Belladonnas for their warm welcome after they’d shown her to the luxurious guest room she’d be staying in, and they retired to their own bedroom to turn in for the night. Blake offered to take Yang around to explore the house a bit. It had been badly damaged in the fire, but in the time she’d been gone the repairs had been quickly completed. Ghira and Kali had taken the chance to remodel and make a few additions to the house while the construction was happening. One of the things they discovered as they roamed was an outdoor hot-spring behind the mansion. Where there once had been a grassy backyard that Blake spent her early days playing and prowling through the tall grass, there now stood an artfully constructed pool of water with all sorts of rocks and comfortable looking places to rest while bathing, along with a wooden awning to sit under for shade during the daytime.
Blake stared in awe as she saw the steam rising off the stone-lined pool of water. When they first moved to Menagerie, the Faunus barely had more than tents and small huts to live in. They had to bathe in the rivers until the first public bath-houses were built. Having such a thing in your own home was unheard of for many years. So it became a community activity, a ritual where you would gather in the evenings to see your friends and neighbors. Everyone would come to the bath-house to catch up and chat about recent events. Trade stories and gossip while washing away the day’s stress and dirt. Now she had such a place in her own backyard, all to herself. The implications of this were overwhelming, and Blake was stunned silent.
“Woah,” said Yang, gazing out over the hot spring, trying to keep her jaw from dropping as she saw the water cascading down the rocks into the pool, “Is this new?”
Blake shook her head and snapped back into reality. “Um… yeah. It definitely wasn’t here before. I guess my parents had it added while the house was being rebuilt?”
“What is this? Like a swimming pool or something?” Yang asked, kneeling down at the water’s edge and dipping a finger into it tentatively.
“Nope!” Blake said, her ears twitching excitedly, “It’s a hot-spring. Like a bath! Well, you wash off before you get in, then you soak in it to relax. It’s basically the best thing ever. You haven’t seen one before?”
“I mean… I’ve heard about stuff like this? Up in some of the mountain towns to the north, you know,” Yang said, glancing over her shoulder at Blake and lifting her hands in a shrug, “But I’ve never actually had the chance to go to one.”
Blake had to struggle to remain calm and keep herself from shaking as she lifted a hand, holding up her index finger thoughtfully, “Well, wouldn’t you know, there’s one right here I guess! Hah. So here is your chance? I think I’m going to get in. Would you um… like to join me?”
Yang swallowed hard and looked back and forth between the steaming hot pool of water and Blake. The unspoken implication of what this meant was not lost on her at all. Her cheeks felt hotter all of a sudden, and it wasn’t because of the hot steam rising off the water.
“Sure,” Yang said, trying as hard as she could to sound cool and composed, “I could use a good soak. My shoulders still ache from that last time we fought Neo.”
Blake was glad that she did not have a tail, because if she did, it would have been standing up and swishing back and forth uncontrollably--completely giving her away. She smiled, then turned and walked over to the doorway near the pool. It was a changing room with wooden shelves full of towels, benches in the middle of the room to sit on, and places to keep your clothes and shoes. Yang followed Blake in and closed the door behind her.
“They have rooms like this at the public bath-houses,” Blake explained as she began undoing the various buttons and zippers on her own outfit, “You change out and then take a towel with you to go wash up.”
Yang was dumbstruck for a moment as she watched, turning away and suddenly finding a spot on the wall to be fascinated with. “Oh, o-okay. Do you change into like, a swimsuit or something?”
“What? No,” Blake said calmly, shrugging out of her coat and folding it to place on one of the shelves, “It’s not a pool, it’s a bath. Why would you wear one?”
So that you aren’t completely naked, Yang wanted to say. But she remembered what Blake had said earlier, and that this was clearly a Faunus cultural thing. She didn’t want to sound insensitive or whatever. If that was how they did things here, then who was she to argue?
“Right, nevermind.” Yang said, then stepped forward and began undressing as well. She took her coat off, then her shirt. Undid the buckle of her belt and slid out of her pants. While doing so, she tried (and failed) to keep from stealing glances over in Blake’s direction as her partner did the same. Blake’s outfits were not nearly as conservative as Weiss’ or Ruby’s, but seeing Blake like this was making Yang painfully aware of the way she felt when she saw the curves of her partner’s body laid bare for her.
Then, in an instant, the last of the garments came off. Underwear were now gone, placed upon the shelves with the rest of their outfits. Yang felt the reflexive need to cover herself up, and just as she was about to ask what to do, Blake tossed her a fluffy white towel, then walked past her and slid the door open to head back out to the hot-spring.
Yang may or may not have spent a few extra seconds watching the way Blake's hips swayed as she walked ahead of her. It was almost hypnotizing, but she caught herself before she completely zoned out and remembered to follow along. Blake walked over to a low wall with a row of faucets mounted in the stone. She turned one on and grabbed a large wooden bowl from nearby, putting it under the faucet and filling it with water. After sitting down in front of it, she waved Yang over to join her and patted the ground next to her.
“Aren’t we getting in the water?” Yang asked, giving Blake a confused look.
“We do that next. First, you have to wash off. It’s good manners and it keeps the water from getting dirty,” Blake explained as she reached for a bar of soap that was sitting above the faucet, “It’s maybe not as big a deal right here, but in the public houses it’s absolutely necessary.”
“Oh, yeah that makes sense.” Yang nodded thoughtfully, scratching her cheek. She felt completely clueless and this just drove the point home further. But Blake didn’t seem to mind, and explained things in a way that put Yang at ease. Yang was thankful there was something else to focus on so she wouldn’t risk getting caught staring. She knew she probably already had been--Blake was way too observant not to have noticed. But Blake didn’t seem to mind that either, she would have said something if she did, so the fact that she didn’t made Yang’s heart beat even harder against her ribcage. Yang exhaled, realizing she’d been holding her breath, then grabbed a wooden bowl from the nearby stack and sat down beside Blake, turning a faucet on and letting the bowl fill with water.
The pair set to work with the soap, lathering up and scrubbing themselves clean. At one point, Blake lifted the bowl of water and dumped the entire thing over her head, sending water cascading down her hair, shoulders, and chest to wash away all of the soap. She repeated this once more, and Yang did the same.
“Can I show you a tradition we do?” Blake said, filling the bowl once more and casting a sideways glance at Yang, “It only works if you have someone else with you.”
“S-sure. Why not?” Yang stammered, mind racing as she had no real clue what to expect at this point. Her thoughts were a runaway train racing down the track so far ahead of her.
“Turn around, then,” Blake said, lifting the bowl of water and placing it next to her. Yang scooted so her back was facing Blake.
Her next question was immediately answered as she felt warm water spilling down her back and a pair of soapy hands pressed against her skin, gliding up and down as Blake began to wash her back. Yang tensed up at the sudden contact, nearly jumping away, but relaxed under Blake’s touch once she realized what was happening.
“Among the Faunus, it’s considered a sign of trust and respect to wash another’s back.” Blake said as she rubbed her hands across Yang’s skin, “We grew up in a world where people were always ready to put a knife in our backs. Doing this tells a person that you’re safe with them.”
“Woah,” Yang said breathily, staring at her toes and wiggling them to distract herself from how overwhelmingly good it felt to have Blake touching her, “That’s kinda intense. I mean, symbolically. Thank you for showing me?”
“You’re welcome.” Blake’s words were soft, the same as her touch. Filled with unspoken meaning, like so many of her actions in life. This time, she felt emboldened to be a little more direct about it though. “Thank you for trusting me, Yang.”
“Of course,” Yang said, fighting the urge to turn around and give Blake a look of dead seriousness, “I’ll always trust you. No matter what.”
Blake said nothing in response, just gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment. Though Yang couldn’t see her expression, she knew Blake was smiling that same subtle smile she always did. The rare one that Yang loved to see whenever she succeeded in doing or saying something that actually got past Blake’s defenses and made her happy. Yang found herself smiling as well, closing her eyes and enjoying having her back washed. Then, she was hit with another splash of water to wash away the soap.
“Your turn,” Blake said, pushing the bowl along the ground towards Yang and then turning away, baring her back to Yang. “If you don’t mind?”
I PRAISE THE MAIDENS FOR THIS GREAT HONOR AND GIFT THAT HAS BEEN BESTOWED UPON ME TONIGHT, Yang screamed internally, but then nodded solemnly and filled the bowl of water again to repeat the same steps Blake had just shown her.
She poured water over Blake’s back and her hands were shaking as she lifted them to start with the soap. Yang paused, realizing that this time they weren’t shaking in fear, but in anticipation. She steadied herself, then set to work. When she pressed her palms to Blake’s back, Yang could have sworn that she felt a ripple in Blake’s muscles--a shiver. It was subtle and barely noticeable, but seeing Blake react to her touch immediately fanned the fire that had slowly been building deep inside Yang’s chest. As she caressed Blake’s soft skin, it only made her crave more. She hungered to feel every inch of it, in a way she hadn’t allowed herself to fully accept before.
But she stayed focused and on task. This was an important tradition, like Blake had said. Yang completed her task with the attention and respect it called for. Before long, she was pouring water on Blake’s back a second time to rinse away the soap. Blake nodded quietly to herself, then stood up and turned around, giving Yang a full-on view of well… everything. Yang tried to speak but all that came out was an incoherent choking sound. Blake reached down and took Yang’s hand, pulling her to her feet and then gently tugged her along behind her towards the hot-spring. She dropped their towels at the edge of the shallow pool and stepped into the water, sliding into its warmth and up to her neck in one quick motion. Yang followed along eagerly, dipping down into the water and settling in next to Blake on the small raised bench of stones along the side of the spring.
“Oh gods,” Yang sighed heavily, almost groaning with satisfaction, “This feels incredible.”
“I know, right?” Blake said with a smile, tilting her head back over the edge of the pool and looking up at the stars in the night sky. She lifted a cupped palm and let the water run between her fingers. “There’s minerals and other herbs added to the water as well. It’s supposed to help heal and moisturize your skin.”
“I’ve been missing out so hard on this my entire life,” Yang said dreamily as she felt the ache in her muscles melting away in the heat of the water, “Can I just like, live here now? I don’t think I’m gonna be able to ever get out of this hot-spring.”
Blake giggled, her melodic laughter ringing through the air as she smiled at Yang’s exaggerated praise of a basic part of Faunus daily life. “Sure, we can stay as long as you want.”
Yang nodded and shifted comfortably against the warm rocks underwater, enjoying how the ones exposed to the night air felt cool against her skin in contrast. Silently, Blake slid her hand into Yang’s and clasped their fingers together, giving her hand a soft squeeze as she did. Yang squeezed back as Blake moved closer and leaned her head on her partner’s shoulder. It was so simple and calming, but it felt so unbelievably right that Yang was too overwhelmed to feel anything else but content right now. The pair sat in companionable silence like this for a long time, watching the stars above and enjoying the cool evening breeze that blew in from the seashore. Eventually, it was Blake who deigned to break the silence, speaking calmly and quietly:
“I never got to thank you properly for… um… everything back in Argus,” Blake said as she ran her thumb along the back of Yang’s hand, “I know you know that. But I wanted to say it out loud.”
“Oh, you mean the fight with--” Yang started, but was immediately cut off.
“Don’t. Please...” Blake said insistently, tightening her grip on Yang’s hand a little, “He’s gone, and should stay that way. I don’t want to think about him anymore, Yang. I… I have you now, and that’s all that matters to me anymore.”
Yang felt her chest tightening as a mix of emotions swirled inside her, memories of their fight at the waterfall flashing through her mind. Anger. Fear. Indignation. Pride. Relief. Sadness. Joy. Then something far, far deeper that she dared not name yet.
Yang turned to face Blake to speak but as she did, Blake pressed a hand against her cheek and kissed Yang’s lips softly. Yang’s eyes went wide in shock, but the overwhelming feeling of Blake’s lips against her own was irresistible, and she soon found herself leaning into it and kissing her back. They parted, then kissed again. And again. Tentatively at first, but growing bolder and stronger each time they met one another, encouraging each other wordlessly. Yang felt herself breaking into a grin and she had to eventually turn away, covering her mouth with the back of her hand and laughing nervously.
“Wow,” she said as she stifled a giggle, “You’re really good at that.”
“Really?” Blake said, her cheeks turning even redder than they had been from the heat of the water, “You’re my first, so that’s… nice to know.”
Yang found herself staring at Blake again, the implication of those words falling upon her heavily. It shouldn’t really matter, people kissed other people all the time in their lives. But something about the way Blake decided to tell her this made Yang feel even more special. Blake had chosen her, and she wanted Yang to know that. Suddenly feeling empowered by this new knowledge, she wrapped her arms around Blake’s waist and pulled her closer, so that Blake came to sit on her lap facing her. She held Blake as closely as she could, pressing their torsos together and enjoying the way Blake’s skin felt against her own in the water. Yang tilted her head up and pressed another quick kiss to Blake’s lips, who gave her a coy smile in return once she pulled away, resting her hands on Yang’s shoulders and looking infinitely pleased with this development.
After a moment of consideration, Blake lifted her hands and placed them against Yang’s cheeks, holding her and regarding her carefully. Then, she leaned down, moving so slowly and smoothly that it seemed to take forever, but then she kissed Yang once more--softly and deeply this time. The way Blake did it was so heartbreakingly tender that Yang felt as though she might actually cry. When Blake pulled away, she looked deeply into Yang’s eyes and smiled.
“Mine,” Blake whispered, the word a statement of truth and the final affirmation of something she had felt since that long ago day when they’d first laid eyes upon each other in the forest back at Beacon.
“Always,” Yang said resolutely, the smile on her lips bleeding into her voice as she spoke her answer without breaking eye-contact.
They locked lips again, exchanging a series of kisses that varied in playfulness and intensity. Blake and Yang indulged their curiosity, becoming more comfortable and confident each time they did. When Blake ran her tongue along Yang’s lips, it felt like electricity was flowing through her veins instead of blood. Yang rose to the challenge, and soon her own tongue was darting between Blake’s lips and into her mouth, causing her to inhale sharply as she did. Blake wrapped her arms around Yang’s neck, running her fingers through golden hair. Yang let her hands wander and start to explore a bit more, sliding them along Blake’s skin beneath the water. Without fully realizing it, she’d lifted a palm and pressed it to one of Blake’s breasts, giving it a tentative squeeze. Blake let out a sudden gasp that startled Yang and made her freeze in place. She pulled away and was immediately filled with regret.
“I’m sorry,” Yang said hastily, turning her head to the side, “I shouldn’t have… Did I hurt you?”
Blake took a moment to catch her breath, closing her eyes and sighing deeply before shaking her head. She lifted a hand to Yang’s chin, guiding her to meet her gaze once more.
“Yang,” Blake said, her tone was even and serious, “Listen carefully, because I will only say this once.”
“Okay.” Yang nodded, “I’m listening.”
“I want you,” Blake said in a breathy voice that almost sounded like a hiss. “I want you to touch me in whatever way you feel like. You do not need to hesitate. You do not need to ask permission. I want everything you can give me, and then… I want more. Do you understand?”
Yang’s eyes grew even wider as the impact of Blake’s words nearly knocked the breath right out of her--as though she’d been punched hard in the chest. She stared back silently for several moments before she gave one final, determined nod. A beatific smile spread across Blake’s lips, one more open and sincere than Yang had ever seen her wearing before. Blake was smiling for her, and her only.
(to be continued)