Moving Forward (ch7)

EARLY RELEASE FOR PATRONS! THANK YOU ALL SOSOSOSOO MUCH~!

From here on out, it's a bit of a roller coaster, so hold on tight!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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						Chapter 7. Hours Together, Then Alone

Three more days passed, all of which consisted of the girls going about their newfound routine.

Each morning they shared their usual texts. Each midday they met up to get something to eat. And every evening, they stayed together.

Because of the ways they were sharing rooms now, it was lessening all kinds of burdens on the both of them.

One of the most notable ones was the financial burden. Ever since they'd started staying in one another's rooms, they'd helped each other chew on snacks and sip drinks they never would have been able to finish on their own. Nothing was spoiling anymore, and therefore, no grocery money was going to waste.

Every time one of them left her own room, she'd turn off all electronics, which lessened the bill at the end of the month; Blake and Yang made sure to switch rooms every so often so that one of them never got charged more than the other.

But even more significant than the financial burden that was being slightly lifted, was the emotional burden that was almost disappearing altogether.

Their friendship changed them both for the better in the sense that they no longer had to curl up alone at night and wait for the guilt-ridden memories of their pasts to crawl in and haunt them.

They no longer woke up cold and dreary and feeling like work was a chore.

They could get lost in their respective tasks and know the other would be just a text message away if she needed her.

They didn't forget about the troublesome things in their lives or their past mistakes, but having one another as a distraction certainly made them focus on better, happier things.

They strengthened themselves and they strengthened one another just a little more each day, until each could smile without hesitance, and laugh without a care in the world.

Everything about their relationship was beneficial to the both of them, but Blake just wasn't sure if certain feelings were entirely mutual. She was scared that mentioning her feelings might destroy their relationship altogether if Yang didn't feel the same way, and it was clear that their friendship was something neither could afford to lose at such a time in their lives.

Struggles still existed, and if they were to lose one another now, the pain might just consume them both.

But keeping everything inside was starting to take effect on Blake now.

Ever since she'd realized she was romantically attracted to Yang, she grew jittery around the girl much more often. When they curled up for bed together each night, she was always kept awake for hours by her buzzing thoughts and hammering pulse.

And yet Yang always slept peacefully...

Maybe she didn't like Blake the same way.

Blake planned to find out before long, and she planned to do it in a way that would be subtle enough to get the idea into Yang's mind, but hopefully without risking the entire relationship they'd built up thus far.

It had only been three weeks, but some of the things they'd shared with one another and opened up about weren't things anyone else in the world knew about. The security they found in each other was invaluable to say the very least. To jeopardize such a thing was madness, and yet it spoke of just how desperate Blake was for answers.

. . .

Presently, it was the end of the month, and the day when each tenant received their bills for rent and food expenses from the apartment's restaurant.

Blake was pleasantly surprised to find that her bill was nearly $100 less than it had been the previous month. In addition to that, she'd received an e-mail from her publisher saying her book had done very will in stores that month, and the appropriate funds had been transferred to her bank account.

This was the best Blake had felt about her finances in over a year, and it alleviated a heavy weight from her mind.

And it was no doubt thanks to Yang.

Once she'd finished reading the e-mail, Blake looked to her online bank account and checked her funds, contemplating. She had enough in her savings and more than enough for expenses this month, so she came to decision.

Reaching for her phone, she called Yang, no longer nervous about doing so. She was excited, and she knew it would be much quicker to speak rather than to type. The phone rang twice before it was answered.

"Howdy!" Yang sounded particularly cheery as well. "I was just thinkin' 'bout callin' you, too! What's up?"

"Well..." Blake explained her present financial security, and was pleased to hear that Yang was experiencing similar blessings. "So..." the writer said. "That's why I was wondering... if you'd like to go to dinner tonight?"

"Yeah, sure! Sounds great!"

"But not just dinner here," Blake clarified. "I mean... let's go out to eat. There's a really good place in town, and I've never been able to take you before. But now I can."

"Oh, I see! Well, that sounds awesome! It's a date!" Her words made Blake's face turn red, and she nearly dropped her phone before Yang continued. "I'll swing by your room at about 7 then. How's that sound?"

"Great," Blake responded, and it was all she could do to keep her voice level. "See you then."

She hung up, already feeling her heart starting to pound at the mention of a "date", even though she knew Yang hadn't meant it how Blake's mind wanted her to think of it.

She shook her head and stood from her chair before making her way to her drawers, seeking out something decent to wear. She decided on the less-commonly-worn black dress pants and a purple blouse, an outfit she couldn't remember the last time she'd worn and had admittedly forgotten about until now.

She went into the bathroom and started the shower water.

After half an hour, Blake emerged dressed in her selected attire, leaving her hair down to dry. She rummaged around the cabinets below the sink to find a bottle of perfume and spritzed a bit onto her collar, telling herself it was for the place she'd be going to, not the person she'd be going with.

She idled around the room until 6:30, preparing herself some tea, wrapping up a few loose ends in her writing, and waiting for her hair to dry.

At 7:00PM on the dot, a knock came at her door, and she was almost led to believe Yang had been out there for twenty minutes but hadn't knocked until now.

"Coming," Blake called as she put her mug down and went to the door to open it.

The girl that stood before her wasn't Yang.

Or at least, not a version of her Blake had ever seen before.

She had the same face, the same bright lavender eyes, the same crooked grin and luscious hair, but the usual shorts and sweater were nowhere to be seen.

Instead, she adorned a lilac-colored party dress, one that matched her eyes perfectly. It flowed down to her knees before fanning out, and her usual boots had been traded for fancier shoes complete with heels.

Blake very nearly stumbled face-first into the hallway at the mere sight of her.

"Hiya!" Yang beamed. "I hope I'm not..." She trailed off too as soon as she caught sight of Blake.

Though Yang admitted she herself may have gotten a bit excited and overdressed for the occasion, Blake was also dressed in attire she had never seen on the dark-haired girl before. Her clothes were very becoming of her, and very flattering for her figure. The scent in the air told that they'd both gone the extra mile to put on some perfume, and hair that was usually wavy with a few tangles had been smoothed out.

Another minute passed as they simply marveled at one another.

Yang hadn't put on any makeup blush, but there was definitely another kind of blush on her face right now.

"Wow..." she wheezed. "Blake, ya look great. I mean, ya always look great, but never quite as great as this! Wait- no that's not what I meant like - ugh that sounded super rude I'm sorry - but ya just look so darn pretty-"

"I-It's fine," Blake stopped her, but not before hearing that final word so the blood could rush to her face as well. "I know what you meant. It's the same for you, Yang. You look... just stunning." She couldn't think of a more accurate word to use.

Yang chuckled shyly, which was ultimately what made Blake's heart kick into overdrive. Yang was usually so straightforward and confident while Blake tended to be a bit more awkward and hesitant.

They'd switched those positions for a second it seemed, and to see Yang coy and red-faced and fidgeting and twirling a lock of her hair like the nervous wreck Blake was on the inside...

It was almost too much.

"W-Why don't you come inside for a minute?" Blake offered. "I need a moment myself..." She held the door for Yang and let her in, baffled by how effortlessly she could walk in those shoes.

Yang sat down on the edge of the bed, her posture straight and eyes bright. Blake sat at her desk's chair and reached for her tea to finish it as an excuse to be quiet for a moment. She took deep breaths, but it seemed every time her eye caught Yang's, she forgot how to breathe.

She'd been thinking that maybe these affections were all in her head and would pass with time, but now she knew that was impossible.

She liked Yang – as much more than friends.

But she didn't want the thoughts to fog her mind so much that they couldn't enjoy this date to the fullest.

Blake finished her tea and stood again, heading to her closet.

"You didn't bring a coat," she noted to Yang. "Use one of mine."

"Oh, crap... Thanks!"

Blake only had darker trench coats because she liked how they looked on her. But Yang could make any outfit work; the darkness of the coat's material brought out her pale skin and shining hair.

Blake made certain not to stare for too long before she grabbed a small handbag with her notebook inside and turned to the door, her hands in her pockets. Yang turned off the lights, and Blake thanked her before feeling the blonde slip an arm around her elbow.

"Let's be off!" Yang declared, pulling her close.

Blake dipped her chin and mouth into the collar of the coat like a flustered turtle and nodded.

They walked the familiar hallways, took their time on the stairs, reached the door, and finally stepped outside into the cool evening.

The walk to reach the nearby town wasn't terribly far, and even at their subdued pace to compensate for Yang's shoes, the restaurant was in sight before the cold air could start to bother them.

They stuck to the sidewalks, street lights and building signs guiding their eyes.

Blake led them to a crosswalk and they waited a moment before passing onto the restaurant-side.

It was a bit of a fancy place, perhaps one of the top five best places in town, and Blake considered herself lucky that it was close by.

Once inside, they removed their jackets and were led to their table, taking seats across from one another. Blake was thankful for the menu, as she was able to hide her face behind it for a moment as she decided on what to order.

It was a night to spoil both Yang and herself, so she asked for a tuna melt with french onion soup as an appetizer. Yang seemed hesitant to order, but Blake smiled and nodded at her, signifying she could get anything she wanted. She ended up asking for a calzone, and once the waiter left she admitted sheepishly to Blake:

"I haven't had one in years."

"That's fine," Blake said. "We're celebrating our lowered rent tonight."

They chatted a bit to pass the time, and once Blake's soup had arrived, she invited Yang to help her with it. They passed the bowl back and forth, using their respective spoons to take a few sips. Every time Yang made one of those little "mm" sounds, Blake smiled.

"Is it good?" she wondered.

"It's incredible," Yang sighed. "I can't remember the last time I had such good grub!"

By then, their drinks had arrived as well; they'd both ordered tea, as Blake had converted Yang into a lover of the stuff. The restaurant's tea was the only thing Yang made a face at.

"'S'all right. But you make it much better~"

Blake's smile only widened.

Once the soup was gone, they waited a few more minutes, gazes traveling around the place but ultimately coming back to each other. Blake noticed Yang was yawning quite a bit, despite her efforts to cover it with her napkin or palm. She hadn't had any parties to attend last night that Blake knew of, so she grew a little concerned.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

"Huh? Me? Oh, yeah I'm just dandy! Don't mind me. I think it's just the lightin' in this place er somethin', that's all."

Blake held her gaze for a moment longer, but nodded.

When their meals arrived, they dug in with a bit of gusto while still managing a shred or two of sophistication.

Blake surprised herself when she finished half the meal, as she usually couldn't eat so much in one sitting. She was about to offer the rest to Yang, but stopped, her smile fading.

Yang had barely touched her calzone; save from a few initial hungry bites taken from it, all that was missing were a few measly cuts of the fork.

Yang was the type to clean her plate. Always.

Blake straightened her posture, sensing something was wrong now.

"Yang?" she called quietly. The blonde had been spacing out staring at her food, but she looked up to meet Blake's worried eyes then. "Yang... are you feeling okay? Does the food taste bad?"

"N-No, not at all!" Yang blurted. "It's really good, which is why I'm kinda confused 'cuz I can't find it in me ta eat it... I'm sorry, Blake."

"No, it's fine," she reassured, feeling her stomach gnarl a little. "Just take home the leftovers and you can have it for you next meal. I'll do the same."

Yang nodded slowly, though she still felt guilty for not being able to eat the meal fresh, even after Blake had taken her out here tonight.

The waiter wrapped their food for them and left them the bill, which Blake insisted she cover.

"But-"

"No 'buts'," Blake cut off her protests. "I invited you out tonight, so it's my treat. Don't worry about it. It's not that much."

Yang sighed and nodded, but managed a small smile, liking the bit of assertiveness that had found its way into her typically-timid friend's voice.

They paid, slipped into their coats, and grabbed their respective packaged food and bags before starting the walk home. It was Blake who slipped her arm around Yang's this time, mainly out of concern that her friend was fatigued.

But they made it back to the apartments without a hitch, and it was just outside the building when Blake realized it was time to do what she'd been longing to do.

She paused Yang just before the doors and reached into her bag, extracting her key from her notebook to allow them entry back into the building.

As she was leading them to Yang's room, Blake could feel herself starting to shake.

Evidently, Yang could feel it too, but there was something a bit more alarming than just the shivering. Blake was clinging to her arm so tightly that even past the fabrics of their coats, Yang could feel the rapid pounding of the girl's heart.

Yang stopped them before they reached her room.

"Blake, hey..." she murmured, turning her to look into her eyes. "Are you alright? Your heart's goin' crazy."

The fact that she'd been called out on her nervousness only served to make Blake even more flustered.

"I'm fine..." she said quietly. "I just... there's... there's just something I... wanted to do..."

And it might as well be now.

But she didn't want to think about this, didn't want to let her mind get in the way with its 'what ifs' and swarming uncertainties.

Yang's lavender eyes were still worried, a little tired, but mostly patient.

"What is it? What didja wanna do?"

Blake released her arm, holding up her pointer finger as she gathered her bearings. Her eyes searched Yang's, and all she saw was the longing to help with whatever she needed to do.

Blake let her body speak for itself.

She liked Yang.

No.

She...

She loved her.

She wasn't going to deny it any longer.

And before she could have a second thought about it all, Blake pressed her lips to Yang's cheek, just as she'd done a few nights ago, only now-

Yang was awake, and could feel it for herself, and her eyes went wide and she gave a little gasp and-

"Yang..." Blake mumbled, maintaining eye contact as she stepped away. "I... I just wanted to let you know... how I feel... I don't want to keep... hiding it. I want you to know so you can tell me to stop if you want me to..."

She felt dizzy, her chest congested by thick, heavy layers of cotton as she watched the shock in Yang's eyes, fearing it might turn to outrage.

But the truth was, Yang's heart was pounding just as quickly as Blake's probably was.

The blonde couldn't believe what had just happened, and yet... she didn't think she should be all that surprised.

Blake was breathing quickly, and she looked like she was about to bolt and tear off down the hallway. Yang realized she was waiting for some kind of response.

Truth be told... this was a dream come true. It was everything she'd wanted for the past several weeks, and everything she thought she'd never get to have.

Yang couldn't sort her feelings out right away, her mind jumbled and her words failing her – she'd never been all that good with them, anyway.

But Blake needed some kind of answer.

Now.

Yang swallowed thickly and tried a smile, but she wasn't sure what it ended up looking like, considering how much her lips were wobbling.

"Blake..." she murmured. "Gosh, I... c-could ya..." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a brief second to compose herself as much as humanly possible. Upon reopening them, she was glad to find Blake was still there, waiting.

"Blake..." she said again. "Could ya just... just gimme a sec? Lemme just... lemme just sit down for a sec, 'kay? Go on up to your room 'n I'll be there in a minute or two, alright? I just.. I need a minute..."

Blake swallowed a small sound, not knowing if Yang was rejecting her or not. But all she could do was nod.

"Yeah..." she said, her shoulders still trembling. "Okay. I'll... I'll be waiting for you, okay? Just... come whenever you're ready."

Yang nodded, but she didn't want to let Blake go without doing something first.

So she pulled her into a quick embrace, but nothing too long; she knew if she didn't let go quickly, she never would.

Blake interpreted it differently, however; to her, it felt like a hug of friendship, a fast one so she wouldn't get the wrong idea. There was already a pain throbbing in her chest, but she said nothing more as she left Yang at the door to her room and hurried off to her own.

She stumbled up the staircase, panting and trying not to fall, blood roaring in her ears, and her heart felt so loud she feared Yang could still hear it.

She wrestled her key into the lock and limped into her room, shedding her jacket and her clothes and shakily changing into some more comfortable, looser articles. She turned on only the lamp beside her bed before putting her leftover food in the mini fridge, and placing her notebook aside on the desk.

Then, Blake went to her bed and sat back against the headboard, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them tightly. Her heart felt like it was going to burst, and she'd never felt such a strong combination of emotions before in all her life; confusion, excitement, fear...

She didn't know what to expect as a response from Yang.

But she knew that with every second that ticked by, the fear was consuming her more and more.

Her phone didn't receive any messages, and no knocks were sounding on her door.

It was 10:43 when she'd started waiting for Yang.

It was 11:16 when she started to cry.

And even after 2 more hours, Yang didn't come.

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A/N: Next is the final chapter...