Life Update!

Yang XXL (Fireballin17)

to me | 11:22 AM (7 hours ago)

Hey Ruby! Thought you'd be in the mood for a newsletter from your favorite big sister!

Dad's been keeping me up to date with all of your grad school stuff, at least as much as he can. I know you're just ridiculously busy, but you really should be better about keeping in touch. And before you even mention it, just remember that my little trip was over two years ago and I've been the model for sisterly communication ever since. That is all.

Seriously though, we both get it. I can't tell you how proud I am of you!

That being said, this email isn't about you, it's about me! I've had some really exciting things happen recently, and some stuff I'm dying to talk to you about, so I figured it'd be better to just put it all in an email instead of interrupting precious studying with texts or a phone call.

First things first, work stuff! (I promise it's more interesting than it sounds) So you know how I've been working at Qrow's friend James' garage as his manager-slash-head mechanic? And you know how I'm always saying that at this point I could pretty much run the whole place by myself? Well, James is finally retiring, something about his old injuries from his military days bugging him, and he said if I was willing, he would sell me the place! Said he'd give me a good deal too, as long as I promised free labor anytime he brought something in to get tuned up. I talked it out with Dad and Blake for ages. Dad because, well, he's Dad and this is a pretty big financial decision, and Blake for obvious reasons.

Weirdly enough, this may be the first time in my entire life that somebody's had to talk me into something like this, haha. Dad actually offered to help me out with the purchase, but he paid for school back in the day and I'm a grown ass woman now, so I told him I would handle it on my own. Well, sort of. Blake's helping, mostly by agreeing to pay a bit more on bills so I can afford it.

So long story short, I just got my loan approved by the bank today and I'm meeting with James tomorrow to go over all the paperwork! He won't be officially retiring for a couple more months, since I have some things to take care of before I start running the place full time, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Blake's quitting finally! But Yang, I hear you saying in your most concerned voice ever, isn't that a bad thing since you just borrowed a shit ton of money to buy Paladin Mechanics? Well, it would be sister dearest IF she didn't have a way better job lined up for her! You'll have to ask Blake for all the details, because honestly I still don't really understand most of it, but the gist is: Menagerie took off in a really big way. I think it had something to do with one of Velvet's pieces getting picked up or something, but either way, she's been blowing up all over the place lately. She's got people working for her now, and one of those people is soon to be my beautiful Blake! Velvet offered her editor-in-chief, which is apparently a really big deal, to thank her for all the work she put into the site when they first launched it together. She almost declined, typical Blake, but I told her in no uncertain terms that if she didn't take this job, I would take her entire collection of lesbian mangas and glue them to every surface I could find between our apartment and her office with the words "Property of Blake Belladonna" written on them in bright red ink.

Who said Blake is the only creative one in our relationship?

Her last day is sometime next month. In the meantime, and to segue nicely into my third thing, we're blowing all of her remaining vacation days on a road trip! The one we've been talking about taking for, like, a year and a half now. It's a little more planned than the one I took out of college, and we're only going to be gone about three weeks, but I can't tell you how excited I am at the thought of hitting the open road again! I've had the wanderlust thing creeping back in lately, not as bad as it was when I was still in school, but it's been there. And besides, getting to go on the trip I always wanted to take with the girl I always wanted to take it with…

So I decided to do something on this trip. Something I've been considering for a long time, but haven't found the right place or time for yet. Now, thanks in no small part to the unknowable machinations of the universe, I have both!

I'm going to propose!

I'll give you a second to compose yourself ;)

I'm so happy Ruby, I can hardly stand it! Have you ever thought about something, or made a decision and just thought to yourself: this is right? Nothing about this decision was done hastily, or was badly judged, this is just the absolute, one hundred percent correct choice of action? Well, I had never felt that until I decided to propose to Blake. AND to top it all off, I know exactly where and how I'm doing it.

I had to enlist the help of an old friend of mine. Her name is Neon, we met on my way home from Detroit. We've kind of kept in touch in a penpal sort of way. She's taken to dropping me her location whenever she hitchhikes in case, and I quote, "some creep decides to off me and dump my body in a ditch somewhere. That way, at least somebody will find me and I can have a proper funeral." She's kind of wild if you haven't picked up on that.

Anyways, she knows this guy, Flynt, who has an honest-to-god jazz band and lives in Manitoba, where she visits her parents. Remember the lake I told you about? Well, Neon said she could get Flynt and his band up to the top of the trail. I'm also thinking of doing it at sunset, just to be even more super cheesy. Live music, gorgeous scenery, what else could a girl ask for really?

Plus, it just sort of makes sense to me. I mean, that was where my journey ended you know? Like, Yang's life chapter whatever, done, complete. It just seems right that I start a new chapter there too.

And before you say anything, yes I have been reading some of the romance novels Blake keeps around the apartment, yes they are better than they look, and yes maybe this was kind of inspired by something I read in one of them. Get all the mockery out of your system now.

So...yeah, that's what I've got. I'd love to hear your opinion on the proposal. I mean, you and Blake lived together for a while, you probably know her better than most. Do you think she'll like it? Or is it, I dunno, too much?

Ugh, maybe I'm overthinking this. Scratch that, I'm definitely overthinking this. Maybe I should try and pin Velvet down and ask how Coco proposed to her...of course that might risk Velvet tipping off Blake…

Soo this is where the newsletter also becomes an advice column. Dear Miss Rose, how do I propose to the woman of my dreams? Love Puzzled in Portland.

Like, seriously, because I'm so nervous.

We're leaving next weekend, I'll have my phone on me of course, so you can always call me if you need me. I made the decision to leave Nora in charge while I'm away, which may sound like a big mistake, but Jaune promised me he'd text me the minute something caught fire. Point is, if you need some work done on the station wagon while I'm gone, give her a call, she knows how to work on it almost as well as I do at this point.

Okay, I gotta get going for now. I've got an AA meeting to go to, I'm getting my one year chip today! I love you so much Rubles 3

P.S. I know I may not be the best when it comes to advice with the ladies, but reacting with a heart to every photo Weiss puts up on Facebook is pretty obvious. Maybe just ask her out next time instead ;)

Life's like a fantasy

Baby set me free

Let me be your bumblebee

Sent from: Portland Oregon

Re:EMERGENCY PLAN CHANGE

Blake the B (BlakeBelladonna92)

to me | 6:27 PM (12 minutes ago)

So I don't know why you're so insistent on changing our scheme, it's left me concerned, Ruby, that you've betrayed me to the enemy! I was really digging the restaurant we set up in montreal too. The view of Mount Royal looked so good! That and the river! But fine, fine if your so convinced I should propose in Manitoba, well you know your sister best. (It's her home turf though, no way I can trust this Neon character to keep the surprise.)

Though I'm pretty sure you've turned traitor.

I've never been so giddy on a trip since, no, ever. Period. Coming to the states had a forlornness to it. This has been I suppose anxiety inducing, though in a particularly sublime fashion. I've been almost problematically peppy and it's getting to the point where I think I'm losing my mind.

Honestly I've been feeling like that a lot lately. Not quite one of my manic episodes my therapist doesn't think, I'm just hyperactive. I mean I might be married, at some point, which is a strange idea, but a good one. A gentle repose on a messy sea, that's what happiness is, and I revel in it.

Ruby I know I've asked a thousand times but do you really think I'm ready? I still have moments however brief where I'm worried the sick parts of me will ruin everything because I know they are there. No matter how happy I am to be with her, to work at Menagerie, to see my bosses stupid fucking face when I give him my month notice one second after he approves my three week vacation, to just be, I know it's there. It lurks, it haunts, and it will be back and again and again it'll be the same fight. I'm scared of the day I lose and hurt Yang more than I can fathom all because of this snake that won't stop biting me my whole life.

And then there's Yang. What if she relapses again? What if she vanishes away? What if commitment sends her off the edge and then suddenly I'm alone again? She could just vanish right when I'm on the altar waiting for her in my dream wedding dress. She could hop in the car and leave me in the dust after the proposal, sneaking in the night. She could just say no.

Yet, when I think about it Ruby I still drift off to the same conclusion. No matter what happens I always land on yes. All those things can happen, some of those things might happen, and an altered version of one or two probably will happen, but the answers unchanged. I want to do this. I want to try. I don't want to be a coward anymore, and I want to believe in a Yang that won't be one either .

Or at least will answer "No for now" not just no and leave. Lol

We've been so solid the last two years, we've been so worth it. Even the bad times. If we're good in bad times, what else is there? What more proof could we want?

I'm dumping on you, it's all jitters and I'm dumping, but it's what I do. My mom says I get it from my dad, or wait, did I tell you we're talking again? It's not that deep, but still. It was Summer's birthday recently and I decided to honor the best mother I could ever have by reaching to the only other one I have left. It's been a thing. She said she's excited for me and Yang. I didn't ask and she didn't give a blessing either way, or ask for an invite. I know she doesn't feel privileged to either, but I can tell she wants them both. I don't know if I want her there, and I don't think she's brave enough to ask, and I like that. Even if that's a little dark.

I'm getting lost thinking again, maybe I AM being little manic. Ruby I'm sorry for all this craziness. I'm sorry for the difficult parts, the scary parts. The periods of long silence. I'm sorry for always feeling like out lives are dragging you up in the middle, but I'm not sorry you're here. Ruby no matter what happens you'll always be my true sister. I love you Ruby and I hope you'll be my maid of honor assuming you know, things happen.

That will mean dresses. you can be in red, but you will look fantastic and I can't wait to see your uncomfortable heel shuffle. I might even let Weiss be your plus one, she'd look good in a suit with your arm around hers. ;P You're welcome to use me as an excuse. Not that you'd ask my permission.

So yeah, plans still a-go, and moved just like you advised. We're really doing this. The whole mess two years ago feels so long ago, and so recent, but we are REALLY doing this. A brave march forward, into the future. All of us together, as a family.

To my best roommate and loving sister 3

Editor and Site Developer at Menagerie

Blake Belladonna

(458) 555-7929

Sent From: Portland Oregon

A/N: For once I (Elfen) am the reason were late! I hope you guys liked my Blake sections even if they were definitely shorter lol. Hard to compete with Fawkes! I'm blaming it on the lack of vistas and not my own lack of skill clearly lol I'm, happy to bring this finally to a close together and I hope it was fun for all of you! You're wonderful and I hope to get out more fics soon. Fawkes it's been a damn pleasure and this would have never been without you the real MVP. Goodnight all and see you nextime!