Healing Practices (ch3)

EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS!

And here we are at the final chapter: the Freezerburn!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

															Chapter 3.

---------------

Yang was taking it upon herself to keep an eye on Weiss after what had happened. Considering her own lack of major injuries and her natural disposition, she was the person best suited for the task.

Once they'd all finally made it back to Qrow's hideout after the battle, the first order of business in Yang's mind had been to see to it that everyone got a proper meal and bath.

And yet, due to Weiss' own disposition and stubbornness, she had insisted everyone else shower before herself, claiming she'd rather spend her time resting meanwhile.

Yang had been in and out of the bathroom first so she could stay by the heiress' side, and she's been here on the couch with her for the past few hours now. Weiss is asleep, curled up against her side, head resting on Yang's shoulder.

Yang had been sure to place herself on Weiss' left side and drape her prosthetic arm around the girl's back to rest on her hip. Her wound is a bit higher up, so Yang makes absolutely certain not to make even the slightest contact with it as Weiss sleeps.

All the while Yang monitors Weiss' condition, constantly checking her breathing to make sure it isn't hindered in any way. She'd removed the sash from her waist hours ago for that reason.

By the time Ruby finally stumbles out of the bathroom with a towel in her hair, it's nearly sundown. Her little sister tiptoes her way across the room to the two of them, keeping her voice low as she addresses Yang.

"Is Weiss okay?"

Yang gives a small shrug.

"As okay as she can be, I guess." It isn't a very reassuring answer and she knows that, but it's the most realistic one she can afford to give. "I'm gonna let her rest another minute, then have her go wash up."

"Okay." Ruby dips herself down for a brief one-armed hug with her sister, then exits the room to find the others.

Yang does as she'd said and lets Weiss sleep for another few minutes. But out of all of them, Weiss the one who needs to get cleaned up the most. They'd cleaned and wrapped her wound as soon as they'd been able to, but it had been hours since then. So Yang carefully shifts her shoulder beneath Weiss' cheek, gently shaking her.

"Weiss. Your turn to shower."

A tiny moan works its way up from the back of the heiress' throat. Her eyelids lift slowly as does her head, and she reaches up to rub her eyes. Yang briefly brushes her cheek against hers.

"Sorry for wakin' you."

"It's quite all right."

After she's gotten her bearings, Weiss makes an effort to stand. Yang readily braces her arm around the small of her back, supporting her weight as Weiss wobbles to her feet. Yang stands at her side until she's ready, then begins leading her to the bathroom.

A fresh sweater and skirt have already been left by Ruby on the bathroom sink for Weiss to change into. When they step inside, Weiss makes a request.

"Give me a moment, please."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

So Yang lets her go and exits the room, closing the door behind herself. She listens for any signs of distress but hears nothing until Weiss calls for her to reenter.

When she does, Yang sees that she's managed to change out of her dress and fighting clothes and has temporarily slipped into the skirt and sweater. Yang understands without it needing to be said. It would be much less embarrassing for Weiss to be wearing a top and bottom piece instead of a dress if she was going to have her wound treated.

Yang closes the door behind herself and goes to the heiress' side. She's leaning back against the sink for support, her left hand naturally resting on her opposite hip.

Yang retrieves a small first-aid kit from a nearby cabinet and opens it before pawing through the contents, selecting what she needs and putting it aside for now. When she's ready she turns back to Weiss, inviting her to take a seat on the edge of the sink. Weiss makes an effort to push herself up, but Yang steps in right away to help give her a boost.

"Up ya go. Take it easy."

She makes sure Weiss is secure with her legs over the edge, makes sure she isn't getting dizzy or swaying either way.

When they're ready to proceed Yang clears her throat and gives her teammate an imploring look. Weiss nods, turning her face away as she slowly raises her sweater as far as her ribs, holding it aside for Yang.

The bandages that had been wrapped around her torso hours ago have become a bit ruffled since then, and there's a telling red stain seeping through. Yang places her flesh hand on Weiss' injured side to brace her, looking up until she meets her eyes.

"Let's take them off while you shower to let it get some air."

"...Very well."

"Lemme know if it hurts and I'll stop, okay?"

Weiss nods, and with that Yang begins to unravel the bandages, passing the used material around Weiss' back to her stomach, all while making sure to constantly have one hand or the other supporting one of her sides.

When Yang pulls off the final piece, the wound comes into view, dark pink against the soft white skin. She bundles up the old bandages and tosses them in the trash before standing. Weiss wraps both arms around her shoulders and braces herself as Yang carefully helps her back down to the floor to stand on her own. She holds her for a moment longer in the embrace, then kisses her temple before pulling back.

"I'll be waiting outside. Weiss, if anything happens-"

"I will notify you immediately," she reassures. "I promise I will, Yang."

The blonde nods. "Take it slow. You can have as long of a shower as you want."

"Thank you."

With this, Yang leans down to steal a kiss from her lips before she turns and exits the bathroom.

She leans back against the door and sits down, folding her arms around her knees and burying her face to rest her eyes. After a few minutes she hears the shower water hissing.

Left alone now, it's easy to let her mind replay the images of what had happened. If she doesn't have proof that Weiss is all right by her side, she starts to think the worst. She has to keep reminding herself she's just on the other side of the door.

Yang rests her eyes for a while but makes sure she doesn't allow herself to fall asleep. She's on-edge, paranoid that she might hear a crash, that Weiss might slip and fall...

But all she hears is the water finally shutting off, followed by a few more minutes of silence. She readies herself to go back inside, but when Weiss calls for her, it isn't with the kind of tone she'd been expecting.

"Yang..."

It isn't an invitation as much as it is a call for assistance.

Yang's on her feet in a second, pushing her way back inside. She finds Weiss with her hair down and still dripping, leaning against the sink once again. She's dressed, but it seems it'd been done hastily, as the skirt is slightly lopsided and the sweater is raised up once again.

Weiss has a towel pressed over her side, and when she looks up to meet Yang's gaze, her blue eyes are swimming with distress. Yang hurries to her, letting Weiss hold onto her arm and shoulder.

"Lemme see it."

Yang gently lays her hand over Weiss' and moves the towel away, exposing the wound. There's a fresh stain of blood on the towel and a bit more smeared on Weiss' skin. Not a lot, but certainly any is too much.

Yang notices right away that Weiss has begun to tremble, her breathing suddenly labored in panic.

"It's okay," Yang soothes, holding a quick kiss to her temple. "I got'cha. Promise."

She helps Weiss back up onto the sink again before crouching to pull the first-aid kit within range. She has to leave Weiss to keep herself balanced for a second as Yang uses both hands to uncap a bottle of disinfectant and pour some out onto a large cotton ball. She can hear for herself that Weiss is trying to calm her breathing by swallowing it back. Yang straightens up again, lifting her left hand to cup Weiss' cheek.

"Hey, hey, easy. It's okay, Weiss. Take a deep breath." She presses a soft kiss to the bridge of her nose and waits a second for Weiss to inhale. Her eyes drop inevitably down the to cotton in Yang's fingers. "It's gonna sting," Yang warns her. "You can hold onto me if you want."

She coaxes Weiss to hold onto her shoulders to steady herself. When Yang thinks the heiress is as ready as she's going to get, she brushes the cotton ball directly over the wound to absorb the blood.

It stings like a wasp and Weiss flinches. Yang can feel her nails curling into her shoulders as she works, cleaning away the blood and letting the disinfectant do its job. Weiss' body quivers beneath her touch, and it's all Yang can do to focus on her task ahead of comforting her, but she does her best to do both.

As she reaches for another cotton ball she rests her prosthetic hand on Weiss' other side, running her fingers gently up and down.

"Sorry it hurts," she murmurs. "You just breathe. Take it easy."

Weiss doesn't say anything, but tries to do as she says. She feels it shouldn't hurt this much. She feels so weak...

Yang finishes cleaning the last of the blood away before cleaning her hands on a sanitary wipe. She then dabs a bit of ointment onto her fingertip and spreads it over both the entrance wound on Weiss' back and the exit wound on her stomach.

Finally, she reaches for a fresh roll of bandage and begins to wrap it slowly around Weiss' stomach and back. She's very careful in pulling it tightly enough to put needed pressure on the wounds, but not tight enough to hinder Weiss' breathing.

After wrapping it around her waist several times, Yang tucks the loose end in and fastens it with a kiss before letting out an accomplished sigh.

"That should do it for tonight." She reaches for the rolled-up ends of Weiss' sweater and finally pulls it back down to cover her stomach. A tiny droplet falls between Weiss and herself, and Yang can immediately tell it isn't just water from her hair. Eyes wide in concern, Yang looks up. "Weiss?"

The heiress' head is bowed, her hands still clinging to Yang's shoulders. Another tear falls into her lap. Yang puts the kit aside and straightens up all the way, wrapping both arms around her and pulling her in close.

"Shh, deep breaths, okay? Tell me what's wrong. Does it still hurt?"

Weiss shakes her head, hiding her face in Yang's collar.

"No... it isn't that... I just..." Her arms lock around the blonde's shoulders. "I just... feel so helpless..."

Yang feels a rush of emotion flow through her, half of relief and half of dismay. Relief because it means Weiss isn't in any physical pain. But dismay because it's emotional instead.

"Hey, hey..." She nuzzles Weiss' cheek softly. "Don't do that to yourself. You're not helpless, Weiss. As someone who's been where you are, I'm sure of it." She holds her close, as tightly as she dares, wanting her to feel that sense of security.

Yang lets a bit of her semblance's heat leak out to help Weiss warm up.

The heiress cries softly for a moment, and Yang waits patiently. She runs her palms along her back, leaving warmth behind in her touch, even from the prosthetic. She can feel Weiss' heart thumping faintly against her chest and waits for its pace to slow.

Weiss' hiccups begin to die down, and the shivering finally comes to a stop. Yang doesn't let her go yet though, and Weiss seems perfectly fine to keep holding on as well.

Yang holds on until Weiss' tears have stopped. She moves her left hand up to caress her cheek, passing through her bangs before holding a kiss to her scarred cheek, and then moving down to her lips. Weiss sighs against her, relishing her warmth for all it's worth and then some.

When they part at last, the tears have stopped. Yang thumbs the trails away affectionately, her lavender eyes kind, patient.

"You ready to go catch up on some sleep?"

Weiss dips her head and actually manages a small smile.

"Yes. And-" This time she's the one leaving the kiss on Yang's cheek. "Thank you, Yang."

"It's my pleasure. Honest."

She maintains her embrace on Weiss, carefully helping her off the sink once more. She invites Weiss to lean into her, an invitation the heiress humbly accepts.

Yang keeps her prosthetic arm around her and ends up leaning on her a little too.

There might always be situations that render them necessary of such things.

But they know now whenever they need a place to lean, they'll always find support here with each other.

---------

A/N: I always seem to fall victim to the "Yang takes extra good big sisterly care of Weiss" in a lot of my Freezerburn pieces... oops.

This wraps it up for this fic! There'll be another ship in the next separate story! Thanks for reading!