Her breath came out in puffs, the frigid winter air not doing anything for her nerves. Jumping from foot to foot, Yang looked up at the imposing brick walls of the biggest library in Vale.

Jumping in place a few more times to pump herself up, she jabbed the air, shadowboxing a few quick moves before strolling in through the doors like she owned the place. That was how she strutted into every room, of course. A brilliant, powerful, beautiful woman draws attention wherever she goes, so Yang learned long ago to harness it as her energy, to fuel her movements. Even though the place was mostly empty, she still got a few lingering looks. Good. Let everyone know Yang Xiao Long had entered the building. And she was on a mission.

Maybe the most important one she’d ever undertake.

She found Blake easily enough, tucked into a chair by one of the long windows, nose in a book. An unexpected surge of affection drove her to sneak up on her, put her palm on top of her book, and push it down to lean over and steal a kiss.

Blake sputtered, eyes going wide as she almost dropped the book. “Yang!” she said with a laugh once she could register what happened. A chorus of shhhhhhhs got directed at them, and her unbound ears fell flat against her skull, cheeks burning. Yang flinched as well, mouthing sorry to the nearest patron before pulling a chair up next to Blake and sitting down at her table.

Sitting up straight in her chair again, Blake sighed quietly and returned to her book, holding it with one hand while she reached out with the other to hold Yang’s, their fingers lacing together. “Speak to the guild?” she asked, having long since mastered the art of multi-tasking a conversation and a good book at the same time. Yang was used to it; it didn’t offend her.

“Yep. We’re officially on leave for the next month.”

“Good.” She flicked another page. “They’ve been running us ragged.”

“Life of a huntress, babe,” Yang drawled, a little too loud, because their neighbor shot them another poisonous glare. Getting irritated, Yang reached around Blake to find her backpack, pulling out the notebook she knew the faunus carried everywhere. She couldn’t help it that her voice resonated, okay? Libraries didn’t suit her.

’How do you feel about going home and cozying up with some hot cocoa’ she wrote to Blake, tapping the note a few times with her index finger to get her attention on it.

Smiling again, Blake chose to write back rather than say anything. ’Sounds great! Can I finish this chapter first?’

’Of course.’ Yang rapped out a rhythm on the table with her pen for a bit before realizing that might be a distraction, too, and stopping. She really wanted to get out of here, but if she rushed Blake, she ran the risk of making her suspicious. So she wrote another note. It felt nostalgic and silly, like their days back in Beacon, passing notes to each other during lecture. ’How do you feel about a vacation next summer? like a BIG one!! <3’

That really got her attention. “Where to?” she said out loud, forgetting herself.

’Somewhere with a beach + drinks served in coconuts’

Blake cracked a wry smile. ’Clothing optional?’

’Oh yeah.’ Despite the relaxed nature of her notes, her blood was beginning to pump a little faster. Yang turned the page, heart lodged firmly in her throat. ’how do you feel about our 5th anniversary coming up soon?’

The pen scraped against the wood as she pushed it over the table to her girlfriend, pressing gently for a response. Blake hesitated, book forgotten as she looked up at Yang with a silent question in her eyes. Yang just shrugged, wondering if Blake could notice the sweat building up on her palms.

’Feels pretty good. Why?’

This wasn’t exactly how she had planned this. But she was running out of nerves, and the urge to run out the building grew harder and harder to resist with every note she passed. Chewing over her next message carefully, she tried not to panic under those big, yellow eyes boring at her. By now Blake sensed something was up.

’2 more questions,’ Yang scribbled hastily. Blake nodded, eyebrows furrowing together.

’1) How do you feel about kids?’

Upon reading the message, the only emotion that registered on her face was a slight twitch as her eyebrows quirked up high. Thinking about her own answer long enough to make Yang started sweating again, she carefully jotted down, ’They’re okay. I don’t really know how I feel about them.’

“Okay,” Yang said out loud, fidgeting in her seat. Then she took the notepad far away from Blake, turning her back to the faunus and hunching over her next message to keep her from seeing it too soon.

When she slid it back across the table, there was a ring on top of the notebook, still rocking from how fast Yang had slid it in place.

Underneath it read, ’2) How do you feel about this?’

Blake nearly knocked her out of her chair.

A librarian finally had to come by, face pinched in barely concealed irritation as he delivered their final warning, to be quiet in the Vale library or else they would be asked to leave.

He was met with a pair of matching, impossibly huge grins. “But she said yes!” Yang shouted at him between her own shocked laughter, still on the floor with Blake cradled in her arms. Throwing her fists into the air, she shouted again. “She said yes!”