Chapter 17

After Ren and Nora's visit, Weiss seemed notably drained. Yang had heard werewolf scents were repulsive to vampires - even if humans could not perceive them - but the way Weiss hurried to bring out the scented candles still amused Yang. At least until Weiss stumbled, pulling out the pair of gloves Ruby had made her and holding them to her mouth, gulping air as if she had been suffocating. Yang took over from there, Weiss retreating to her office and continuing her work deep into the night. When Yang noticed Weiss' head drooping, she carried her to bed. Yang received no protest, the vampire curling into her embrace with a mumble.

Now Yang lie in bed, awake, but relaxed, the cool form of Weiss Schnee lying upon her chest, as was their comfortable routine. She could sense the morning sun. Normally Weiss would be awake by now, but it seemed today she would be sleeping in. Yang saw no issue with this, it gave her more time to admire Weiss, the soft texture of her skin, her flowing ivory hair, the feel of her lips against the swell of her breast. Through her presence, Weiss ignited a fire within the likes of which Yang had never truly encountered before. It flickered and crackled, small and precious, dwarfed by the anger and passion that so ruled her being, yet no less powerful for it. Yang liked to think Weiss could hear it, a private little beacon, guiding her towards pleasant dreams.

A gentle tapping on the bedroom door drew her attention, and Yang sighed. So much for Weiss watching. With as much care as possible, Yang turned herself over until Weiss lie on her back. The vampire whimpered but did not wake. Yang hated how pitiful Weiss sounded, like a wounded animal. It sent a pang of worry through her being, but still, she pulled herself away, reaching the door and slowly opening it.

"Hello Yang oh…" Pyrrha greeted, blushing and looking away as she noted Yang's physical state.

"It's okay, don't be shy, I won't tell Ruby." Yang teased.

Pyrrha huffed. "I hope I am not interrupting, normally Weiss is awake by now."

"She's sleeping in." Yang explained. "Did you need her for something?"

"No, actually, I wanted to ask for your help." Pyrrha managed to meet Yang's gaze, though with no shortage of red tinting her features. "Ruby and I are restoring our training ground, and it would go a lot smoother with someone stronger. Not to mention someone who can weld with a touch."

"If Weiss doesn't need me, sure." Yang smiled, shutting the door again. Turning back she saw that Weiss had reached a hand over where they had been lying before, a distressed expression on her still sleeping face. She climbed back onto the bed and cupped her face. "Weiss? Snowball, wakey wakey, please?" A groan was the only response, and Weiss' eyes cracked open. Yang smiled. "Pyrrha and Ruby would like my help, but if you want me to stay and snuggle, I don't mind making them wait."

Weiss nodded, drawing in a slow breath. "Hmm...have fun…" She breathed, lips quirking.

Yang leaned in, planting a lingering kiss on Weiss' nose. "Sleep well Snowball." She crooned, receiving another soft groan. She caressed Weiss' cheek a little longer before pulling away, ensuring the bed sheets were covering her fully, and leaving the room. Pyrrha looked away again, and Yang finally decided to summon some clothing. "Come on Pyrrha, nothing you haven't seen before."

"It is rude to stare." Pyrrha's blush was renewed.

Yang only laughed.

While Pyrrha was away, Ruby came out to play. Glynda's garden was both a sight to behold, and yet oddly sad. So much variety of nature, in such orderly patterns. Even Weiss' wasn't as structured, grouped together in reasonable clumps that had the implication of order, without the stifling rigidity. Still, Ruby loved the garden, tending it dutifully with her diluted blood, pulling free the weeds threatening to strangle its precious life. A part of her found that unfair. The weeds were merely existing where their seeds had fallen. Anywhere else and they would be free to grow unharmed. So Ruby buried them, outside the yard of course, with a healthy spray of her blood to boot. She did so in the same area each time, and today was no different.

Except something most certainly was.

The tangle of weeds that had been growing from her burials were moving. Today was neither a windy day, nor would the wind affect them in such a way. They were clearly...following Ruby, reaching out with their tendrils. She waved her hand, and they tracked it side to side. "Whoa…"

"Ruby?" Pyrrha called out, anxiety clouding her voice. "Ruby, where are you?" Ruby was not in the house, neither Glynda nor Blake had seen her, and the garden was unoccupied. Ruby had said she would be in the garden. Why would she lie?

"Ruby!" Yang's voice boomed, startling Pyrrha.

"I'm over here, come see!" Ruby's voice echoed from the distance. Pyrrha exchanged a perplexed look with Yang, who shrugged, heading off in the direction of the voice, a short way into the forest. Pushing through some vines, they entered a clearing, and were taken off guard by the sight before them. "I think I made life!" Ruby gushed, waving her hands before the mass of writing vines.

"Oh my gods." Pyrrha gasped.

Yang just laughed. "Way to go Ruby!" She cheered.

"How did you do this?" Pyrrha questioned.

"I've been burying weeds over here, and feeding them my blood, and today they started following me." Ruby explained. "So I tried moving them like with my blood, and it worked!"

"Those are big weeds Ruby." Yang admired. Indeed, they barely resembled weeds at all anymore.

"They must have been growing deep into the ground at an accelerated rate." Pyrrha suggested.

"Maybe they'll grow even more from here...oh look at this!" Ruby suddenly leapt into the mass. Pyrrha instinctively jittered forward, only for Ruby to be suspended by the vines, which moved to cup her body, writhing and forming until she sat upon them like an ordinary armchair.

"Lookin' good Rubes." Yang chuckled.

"This is so awesome!" Ruby squealed, bouncing in place. "Maybe I can make a house out of it."

"Small goals Ruby, don't push yourself too far too fast." Pyrrha warned.

"Let her dream." Yang advised. "The only way we grow is pushing our limits."

"I suppose you would know better than I." Pyrrha allowed. "Either way, we have a long day ahead of us. Ruby?"

"Coming!" Ruby responded. The vines lowered her gently to the ground, and she gave them a loving pet before walking away. "How was Weiss? Did she like Ren and Nora?"

"She's sleeping in." Yang replied. "She worked herself hard. Nora scared her, then made her sad, then worried her. It was an emotional rollercoaster."

"But Nora's harmless." Ruby said, confused.

"Not around vampires." Yang corrected.

The day did indeed turn out to be a long one, and Yang loved every second of it. The prior two days had been spent by Ruby and Pyrrha cleaning up the area, evaluating the damage and repairing what could be salvaged. The frequent storms that plagued the island had rendered much of the equipment a loss, the many wooden posts that made the various obstacles and equipment were either severely damaged or rotted out. Even those still standing strong were best to be replaced. Yang's job was to move everything around while Ruby and Pyrrha did the detail work.

Ruby mixed the concrete, Yang uprooted and replaced the posts with trees she cut with flame, and Pyrrha focused on final assemblies. Port delivered new bars for those that were missing or hopelessly rusted, and Yang welded them in place, Pyrrha ensuring proper alignment and spacing. By the time they were done, the light was fading from the overcast sky. Pyrrha was exhausted, in spite of Ruby's occasional recharging. Her frail human body could only go so far before it gave out.

Accompanying them back, Yang stayed in their hearth to recharge, chatting with Blake and Ruby, while Pyrrha fell asleep on the couch. After a few hours Yang finally took her leave, sprinting all the way back to Weiss' house. Knocking twice, Yang entered. "Honey, I'm hooome!" Yang singsonged.

The room was dark, too dark. Not a single candle was lit. The hearth contained barely more than embers, and the office door was shut. Yang hummed, shrugging it off. Perhaps Weiss did not need the house lit today, and had stayed in her office alone. Yang threw a couple logs into the fireplace and breathed them alight, her essence surrounding them, filling the room with a creeping warmth. Then she crossed over to tap on the office door.

"Hey Weiss…" Yang faltered as she opened the door. The room was dark, and empty. "Hmm." Yang frowned. Had Weiss gone into town? Closing the door she opened the bedroom instead, and breathed a sigh of relief. Weiss was still there where Yang had left her that morning, a tiny frown on her pale face. Yang smiled at the sight, climbing onto the bed and laying beside the sleeping girl.

"Hey there." Yang whispered. No response. Yang chuckled. "Weiss...Weeeeeiiiis…" Still nothing. Yang frowned, reaching forward and shaking Weiss lightly. "Weiss, wake up." Yang's voice wavered with worry as Weiss limply lolled about. Panic gripped Yang's soul. "Weiss!" She shook her harder this time, to no avail. Tossing off the blankets, she focused on Weiss' heart, reaching out to sense her heartbeat. It was normally slow, very slow, but now...nothing. "No, no, no no no no no no Weiss please wake up!" Yang begged, clutching at the frail vampire's shoulders. She sobbed, red hot tears streaming down her face. What happened? Weiss was okay, she was healing, she was happy, growing closer to Yang with each day. She could not just go away like this!

Yang ran quaking hands through Weiss' hair, taking shaky breaths, trying to calm herself, poorly. An idea struck her and she flung herself from the bed, scrambling toward the door. It would take time to run, even at full speed, to Glynda, a half hour at least for a round trip, but so much could happen in half an hour. Weiss' soul still flickered within her, Yang could just perceive it, but her heart had been still for who knows how long. How long would her soul remain in a dying vessel? How long before the void took her?

Time was of the essence, so Yang decided to try something she had never practiced before. Something that could go really, really wrong even if it worked at all. Turning around, Yang faced the fireplace, stared into the flames, picturing her prior resting place, reaching out to the essence marking it within her soul. With a running start, Yang transformed and dove in.

Glynda relaxed as Blake trailed kisses down her throat. She allowed herself a gasp as sharp teeth nipped at the sensitive skin, and dug her fingers into Blake's bare back. It was rare that she accosted her like this, preferring instead to let Glynda take the lead, but evidently she had decided tonight was a night when Glynda needed a push, and as the tension left her body under soothing ministrations, she could not…

The house shook, a dull roar emanating from the lounge room. Glynda growled, Blake groaned, dissolving as Glynda stormed out of her study, striding into the lounge only to stare in shock as she was met with flames and smoke. The fireplace gushed flames like a bonfire, and as they spread she could barely see movement within. Clenching her fist, she recited words in her head, and flung her splayed hand outward, a shockwave of frost rushing out, dousing the flames and coating the room in a layer of ice.

"What in the hell is going on?!" Glynda roared. As the smoke and frost cleared from the air, a figure became clear. Curled up, shivering and hyperventilating was the frozen form of Yang. "Yang?" Glynda called, moving to kneel beside her.

"W-W-Weiss-s help, needs h-help, h-heart not b-b-beating p-please Glynda!" Yang barely managed to shiver.

"Yang!?" Ruby's voice called suddenly as the summon appeared in the doorway, a tired and confused Pyrrha beside her.

"Here, now." Glynda ordered, reaching out to them. To her credit, Pyrrha only hesitated for a moment before taking Ruby's hand, then Glynda's, and a few moments later they found themselves in the living room of Weiss' home, Pyrrha stumbling about before falling to her knees, heaving. Glynda moved quickly, picking up Yang and helping her to the fire. The flames reached out to consume Yang's shivering form. The aspect gasped, whimpering in pain. "I apologize Yang, I didn't kno-"

"Help Weiss, I don't matter!" Yang's panicked visage yelled from the flames.

Glynda quickly made her way into the bedroom. Weiss lie dead still, her skin a sicklier pallor than it had been when Glynda last saw her. Glynda sighed, scowling, laying a finger on Weiss' neck and waiting...nothing. Reaching down, she pulled a knife from her boot, and sliced open her finger. Opening Weiss mouth, she let blood drop onto her tongue. Weiss flinched, snarling silently, baring her teeth and biting at thin air. Relief filled Glynda. For a moment she considered lifting Weiss to her own throat, but quickly waved it away. A starved vampire feeding on fresh blood for the first time would be the end of her more likely than not, and she needed her faculties to handle the situation.

"What happened?" Yang's shaky voice came from the doorway. The aspect stumbled in.

Behind Yang, Glynda could see Ruby rubbing Pyrrha's back as she recovered from the journey. "When vampires do not feed, they enter a comatose state, similar to hibernation. They physically appear to die, until blood is presented to them." Glynda demonstrated once more, dripping more blood into Weiss' parched mouth.

"But...she fed...she...she asked me to leave and she...she…" Yang stumbled forward, collapsing onto the edge of the bed. "This is all my fault." She whimpered.

Glynda made eye contact with Ruby, who stared, worried after her. She shook her head, rising to close the door. "No Yang, this is her own. Weiss believed she was ready, and was clearly mistaken."

"I was supposed to protect her." Yang whispered. Glynda turned back to find Yang clutching Weiss' hand. "Winter warned me, she said Weiss would be a danger to herself and I didn't listen!"

"Yang, you did listen." Glynda soothed, crossing the room to the cryo unit, frowning when she opened it. "And Weiss did try." She held up the partially drained blood bag for Yang to see.

"I-is she gonna' be okay?" Yang asked. It was tragic, seeing Yang so afraid, so small, even her hair was lacking its usual luster.

"Weiss will be perfectly fine." Glynda replied, striding to sit opposite Yang. "Her body will absorb the blood, her heart will begin pumping once more, and all the damage will be healed." She explained, unsealing the blood pack.

"It's that simple?" Yang pressed.

"It's that simple Yang." Glynda confirmed. "Now I need you to focus, and open Weiss' mouth."

"Uh…" Yang hesitated.

"I need you to keep her restrained so I don't spill the blood all over her face Yang." Glynda explained.

"Oh, right, okay um…" Yang's hands shook as they moved to Weiss' face. She cupped her cheeks, taking a breath to steady herself, before shifting Weiss' jaw open.

"Hook your fingers over her teeth Yang." Glynda ordered. Yang grimaced but obeyed. "Hold her steady." Yang nodded, and Glynda moved the lip of the bag over Weiss' mouth, the crimson liquid beginning to pour down her throat.

Weiss flinched, then juddered, then shuddered, her jaw attempting to close in on invisible flesh, but failing due to Yang's fingers. She should have been stronger than this, Yang remembered the vice grip Weiss had when her hands were on her throat. She had wrestled vampires before. Weiss was so weak, and it tore at her.

"Yang...Yang." Glynda's voice snapped Yang's attention away, and she noticed the blood bag had emptied. Glynda laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, you can let go now." She assured. Yang took a shuddering breath, and removed her fingers, closing Weiss' mouth. "Listen." Glynda ordered, gesturing to Weiss' chest.

Yang lay her head down over Weiss' heart - though she could just reach out and sense it - and waited...there it was, a heartbeat, slow but steady. Somehow the sound, rather than some abstract sense, had more of an impact. Weiss was alive, she was alive! Yang half laughed, half sobbed, clutching at Weiss' body, which drew in a long, slow breath.

"You're falling for her." Blake's warped voice spoke...except she did not. "Aren't you?"

Yang looked up. Glynda still sat before her, only she had changed. Her emerald eyes now glowed a familiar golden hue, the edges of her form flickering in the dark.

"Blake?" Yang questioned.

Glynda...Blake nodded. "I know how it feels Yang...to fall for a human, to mourn the idea of their passing." Blake explained. "To have your perceptions of humanity shattered and reformed." Glynda touched the center of her chest. "To be confronted with the idea of true loss is a terrifying thing Yang. And Glynda was a reckless spirit when we met." She laughed, her voice back to normal. "I fear I still am at times."

"You're bonded." Yang realized in awe. "Body and soul."

"Shhhh." It was so strange seeing such a playful grin on Glynda's face. She looked like the cat who ate the canary. "Do you love Weiss, Yang?" Such a small, simple question, with answers both simple and complex in turn.

"In all my existence, I've never felt this way." Yang stated. "Never...never had this...no one has ever made me want them like Weiss. No one has made me so afraid of losing them to the void." Yang blinked away shimmering tears, taking up Weiss' hand in both her own. "I've always been used and cast to the winds, but Weiss clings, she makes me feel wanted. She makes me feel loved and damnit I'm gonna' love her back...however she lets me." Yang sniffled.

Glynda smiled. "Good. That is what Weiss needs."

"I didn't seem to do much good." Yang mumbled.

"Was Weiss happy with you Yang?" Glynda asked.

"I don't know." Yang admitted. "I thought so, but if she was happy, why couldn't she drink?"

"For the same reason she didn't want you to see." Glynda replied. "She feels ashamed of what she has become. She needed a push, one I intended to provide, but her leaving prevented that."

"So what, I should have stayed, made her let me watch until she did it?" Yang questioned.

"No." Glynda shook her head. "That's what I should have done. You? You did exactly what you should have done Yang. You gave her comfort from the harsh reality of the world." Glynda sighed, laying a finger on Weiss' neck, feeling her pulse.

"Don't we have to hook her up or something?" Yang asked.

"No, I want her hungry when she wakes up." Glynda answered.

"What?" Yang snapped. "Why?

Glynda merely looked at Weiss sadly. "So she can confront that harsh reality."