Chapter 20: Something

Yang Xaio Long

"Not Coco? I thought you liked the strong type!" Yang begged, finding Ruby so unsupportive of their little game of Would You Threesome. The days between her last talk with Blake and their planned date was spent all the same: together, ditching school, avoiding Schnee phone calls, playing video games, and dancing around whatever calamity had befallen them that night.

"I like strong and independent, not freaking terrifying," Ruby balked back, shifting from where she had laid down, head resting in Yang's lap. Her tiny body was clothed in nothing but pajama pants and the same hoodie from days ago. Both her and those clothes needed a wash, but that was a mess better handled another time. "Girl wears sunglasses to hide the murder in her eyes, I swear."

"No," Yang argued, reaching down from her controller to scruff her red and black hair, a little greasy, but nothing a good shampoo couldn't fix. "She's just, you know, Irish?" Yang limply stretched her legs as she laid back into Ruby's couch. This was the usual hang out zone for them. An annex apart from the fam that always cared too much or too little.

"Lies, they are suppose to be, like, jolly and nice and do Riverdance," Ruby grumbled in a pout, curling up even further into her tiny Rubble singularity. She was a cute kid, though the moping didn't suit her.

"That's a little on the racist side, bud," Yang joked, taking note of the midday sun peering through the basement glass wall, a reminder that even this Saturday wasn't eternal, and both of them had things to do, whether they wanted to or not. "Okay, how about Pyrrha? When she walks out in her boxing shorts all feel the desert's thirst."

"Nah, not even Pyrrha," Ruby mumbled, looking a little starry eyed as she watched the protagonist of their new RPG strut her stuff through a jungle. They were playing together, but often it was just filler in the background of their causal proximity, a type of questionless support. "I don't want to share her, even with the 'goddess'."

"What kind of lesbian are you?" Yang asked, letting a free arm hug her sister ever so slightly. Her crush was turning into love one bit at a time, a scary process and a frightening road, especially considering together they were actively ignoring the world for a while. "I think one day at the gym would change your mind."

"Nope," Ruby popped the P, tossing the suggestion aside like one might do when hearing the world was flat. Like it was impossibly obvious, something that didn't need a thought. Ruby didn't know how to talk to her, but sure as hell knew it wasn't going to be anyone else. "Before you tell me, I know. I need to call her."

"Oh don't worry, you don't need to; she's blowing up your phone all by herself," Yang cut in, usually keeping quiet, but sometimes being a big sister meant being real, "You just need to pick up one day! Just like that, instant girlfriend." There was quiet for a while, nothing but the game as Ruby thought of a response and Yang patiently waited, never knowing if she was applying the right amount of push or not. Clock ticked, their shared character won a few more encounters, and Ruby Rose turned over, staring up at Yang with those big silver encrusted eyes of hers.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for your date?" Sneaky.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for your friends?" Yang shot back, fully capable of tossing it in her face, "Plus unlike some people I make jammies look sexy as fuck." With a quick save, her controller was tossed, limbs stretched out, day half done, workout missed and sorely needed. Running out of time completely now. "I can stay for your party thing if you want. If I explain it to Blake she would be cool with it." Don't worry, Summer, Yang thought to her missing friend, I'll look after her.

"It's okay," Ruby mumbled, getting up from Yang's lap, hair splintered into a mess from laying down so long, "Nora and Penny will be here soon to relieve you of your noble sisterly duties for a while. So go! Get ready, it's date time." The girl presented herself as any college freshman nerd, smile bright and hopeful, but eyes that looked deep of something else entirely. It was weird how Ruby, despite the deepness of her sadness, seemed fine. Maybe she wasn't dealing with it? Maybe she learned from her sister.

"Are you uninviting me to your private party?" Yang accused with a playful timbre.

"Yep, you are just too cool for this shin dig. Banned!" Ruby shot her arms up in emphasis, collapsing back onto the couch, comfortable with sunlight on her cheeks. She looked good for a mess.

"You are so dumb," Yang laughed, kicking herself up from the seat, her legs wobbly as they caught her. First time standing in a long while. It felt refreshing.

"Shush, you're dumb," Ruby mumbled her meek defense, offending no one, "now go see Blake and do whatever nasty stuff cool people do." Yang was feeling a sudden spring in her body, an ancy excitement, the energy hitting her. It was time to go, a knight off to get her princess. Blake Belladonna was waiting. The right way this time.

"Fine, loser," Yang joked, spinning on her heel towards the stairs, "I love you, Rubes."

"Love you, too. Now go be gay elsewhere." Yang chuckled without complaint, quick to take her first few steps up the stairs. Aye aye captain.

Each advance made her more excited, the pace turning to a sprint out of the basement. Both Yang's mother and father were locked into conversation, blocking the exit, almost barreled through as the golden girl marched towards her room to get ready.

"Break it up!" Yang called out, but the two remained right in place. Envida straight up gave her the 'you better slow your ass down' glare, might as well have jammed a metal pole in her engine. "I got to get going, got a date, may I please pass?"

"First, date? Second, your father wants to know if Ruby's okay for him to go down and speak to her, and third, I want you both to know neither of you are skipping next week. Once, alright, but now, I don't care if you die, come back and die again, I'll prop your corpse up in that university. I swear." Taiyang coughed at the extreme nature of Envida's take-no-shit attitude, but that was mom. She expected a lot. Of Yang, of Ruby. She expected a lot because she saw what was in them. And what was in their tuition bills. Yang was pretty sure the latter was a prime motivator.

"Yeah, I have a date with Blake." Her response was as chill and nonchalant as she could manage. Taiyang's response was anything but, coughing on his own surprise. Dad, you are so weak.

"What?! You and her are a—"

"I thought so. She's pretty, smarter than any of us, Italian, too. You've certainly dragged home worse. Good work, Mija," Mom cut him off, much more secure in her child's adulthood, especially given their time together. Yang more than ever felt like she was becoming an adult, admittedly a really confused and dumb one, but an adult in her eyes. "Still, there were two more questions for you."

"Yeah, mama. I'll make sure she goes. It's got to do with Summer, I think, but I'll make sure she goes." Taiyang went from surprised to exhausted in barely enough time to do a double take. He really didn't know how to do the whole double parent thing. Good on him for caring though, Yang noted. "And yeah, outside of not taking a shower for like two days, Ruby's chill for you to talk to her papa." Envia tipped her head, telling him to go and Yang got out of his way, letting the befuddled yet sweet father down.

"I love that man so much, but he has no clue what he's doing," Envida complained as she watched her husband descend.

"They don't cover, 'woo! Your mom's dead!' in the parent handbook," Yang joked, or tried to. Didn't make either of them laugh.

"You know I should be happy she's gone, but I'm not even a little. Little Ruby did not deserve this," Envida whispered, ensuring only her daughter could hear. It was a secret Yang doubted she would ever voice again. An admission never to be repeated.

"That's 'cause you're a good person, mama," Yang offered, knowing Envida never knew the pleasure of Summer Rose. The woman who was so much like Ruby, just coated in twice her courage and forty times her worldliness. When Summer Rose died, a flower unlike any other was scattered to the wind. Blake once told Yang of Hemingway's most misunderstood quote: "Never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee." It wasn't meant to be scary, no, just the knowledge that the loss of a unique person was a loss for everyone. They were all made lessor for the scattering of Summer Rose.

"Don't you have a date?" Envida asked, snapping Yang from the thoughts of Summer. Her mother was looking at her with gentle eyes, giving her further permission to get the hell out of there. Letting her knew they had this. Ruby would be fine.

"Shit, I almost forgot," Yang noted with a chuckle. Her mom shook her head, running her hands through the now dimmed black hair, gold roots showing through.

"Don't tell her that, Mija. Goodluck," Envida offered, shooting her daughter a warm loving smile. Yang felt a comfort, good to feel her mother there for her. Even with Summer gone, she still had her own super mom.

"Don't worry, I'm going to completely blow her away," Yang half told Envida and half told herself. Walking out of sight towards her room, the golden girl poked her head out one last time to offer her mom a gift back, just a small thing for always putting her on the right path. "Hey mama, if you're looking for an excuse to dye your hair again, know that I think it makes you look hot as fuck and you should totally do it." Envida snorted a laugh, unable to contain herself. Perfect response.

"Ay Dios mija," Envida cackled, "Go, you're an embarrassment."

"Love you, too, mama!"

Yang felt the gentle fury of bumblebee purr through her as the refitted and cleaned up bike pulled her along the village she had lived her whole life. This place, its quaint existence always made busier by the neighboring city, had never been that unusual. Not till she started showing it off to Ruby. The sunset trickled over the valley and into the sea gained a whole spectrum of color Yang had never noticed. The church house turned from a gnarly place to hide away into a stellar art piece. The calm of this place became a strange, wondrous thing. She was bringing a freshness to this Hamlet, one Yang couldn't tell was there until the smoke was clear. Now, bathed in the last gold light, storming through town with Ruby's eyes, and a pleasant jig playing in her head, Yang was finally living again. Let's keep that up, girl.

Speed building, the road left their mountain hovels and began the swerving spiral to El Vale. The winter months were starting up, and the winds snaked up the path from the sea, chilly enough to break out the tan leather coats and knee high boots Yang loved. Her best jeans, without a touch of fading, for her Blake. She could feel the gust shear on her face and through her clothes, down to her yellow tank underneath, and while her gloved hands felt numb as they revved bumblebee forward, Yang felt filled to the brim with life.

By the time Yang made it into town, the only things golden were her and the street lights. Their meeting place and time was the same as ever. Why change it? Port's Pub was important for them both, and Yang was on this whole kick of "moving forward isn't erasing your past" adult bullshit wisdom anyways. Parking, she was back, not nearly as nervous now, as Yang had grown accustomed to be since the disaster last year. It was only up from the bottom of the hole, and Yang found it easy to climb.

"The prodigal daughter returns!" This arrival was not nearly as shocking as the last time she busted open the doors of Port's fine institute. This run Fox just gave her a nod, a few of the other students shot her a glance before turning back. Coco didn't even manage that, ignoring her in favor of serving a small table of sailors. Yang didn't care, not even a little, because for after all their eyes turned away, an amber pair looked towards her and smiled. Blake Belladonna waved. Every other kid in the room might as well fall off the Earth.

"Yang, I got us a table!" Blake called out, just above the rabble voices that fought to disturb them. A force jerked Yang forward, a child-like excitement. For once she didn't feel the need to keep her cool. Didn't even bother with a saunter. Blake was right there, legit this time. She was going for it.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Ruby's been going through some stuff so I kind of kicked it with her for a bit," Yang mumbled her excuse, sliding herself into the seat across from Blake. She considered reaching out for her, or more accurately tackling her. Of course, sense won out and Yang took her rightful place across the table, leaving her hand resting at the center, a little invite if Blake picked up on it.

"It's fine," Blake answered, shifting herself back in her chair, "she hasn't been in class and Weiss is acting weird. I think they had a fight. Is Ruby okay?"

"Yeah," Yang replied half sure, "She's just taking a break, coming back Monday and she's even having a little slumber party today, which she kicked me out of by the way, little bitch." Blake laughed soundlessly at that, her smile flashing white teeth for a moment before devolving into the slight tugging grin she was known for. It was a gorgeous sight, just her. She had gone all out. Her blouse was clean white, near formalwear levels. Her jeans were skin tight and black as her hair, hair a wavy straight that transformed to curls at the ends, beautifully constructed. Though she hardly needed it, makeup highlighted a pale complexion, red lipstick sexy on the queen of monochromatic colors. The only thing that broke her clothings tones were the purple accents on her light parka hanging off the chair, unneeded inside the heated pub. "So where do you want to go?" Yang asked, getting right into it.

"Well here, food's already coming. I ordered for you, and before you start complaining, I know your order, we serve like four food items. I can handle that," Blake cut off Yang's complaint before she could even muster the time to have one. Miss Belladonna always was the take charge type, but no one had ever manage to cage Yang 100% in her life before, and this certainly wasn't going to be the first.

"Lame, don't you want to go somewhere else? I can take you out somewhere nice," Yang protested with a devil's grin. She didn't know where she would bring Blake, she could find something, they could find it together. See the new spectrum of colors she had not before. Mom wouldn't settle, why her?

"Yang, we are both college kids," Blake replied with a disinterested lecturer's tone, "I work a low wage job and you don't have one, and as your mom constantly reminds you: you better start living like that's the case. This is our place, we hang here all the time, why not, you know," Blake hitched on the exact word, confident, but not too confident to avoid a fluster, "you know, date."

"Because you deserve adventure," Yang shot back, dauntless enough to know that, "We eat here, but tonight we're going to rediscover this town." Blake chuckled in disbelief, but Yang doubled down on her wager. She knew there was more to see together.

"Yang, you've shown me everything you know and you've lived here since you were born. I doubt there is any new adventure you've not burned a trail on."

"I don't know," Yang countered, "Ruby's made me realize that there is always something fantastical to be found if you stop expecting the mundane."

"Still on your New Age wisdom trip, huh?"

"Blame my mom. She's a terrible influence."

"Shush, your mom's the coolest," Blake chastised, taking a sip from a beer she had ordered earlier, "the only thing that's kept you alive." She wasn't wrong. A lot of people were looking out for Yang, a whole lot of amazing people caught in her blind spot.

"You know she misses you," Yang mentioned, politely suggesting she come over so Envida could unmiss her and the pair could storm up to the bedroom to rediscover each other in new ways. Calm down, you're about ten steps off the path, Yang. "She also called you pretty and approved of our date, incase you were wondering."

"She should, I'm the best deal you'll ever have," Blake shot back as monotone as she could manage, her tell a tiny smile. Yang leaned back, impressed by her confidence. Self-righteous arrogance could be a little hot in the form of Belladonna.

"Jesus, someone thinks they're the second coming, I see." The two girls were both caught by surprise as the ever extreme Coco Adel, eyes hid behind her usual sunglasses, a grin that shouted what hot shit she was, for calling their relationship. Yang had to admit, she had made an excellent unintentional wingman. "Don't let her bullshit fool you, bloody thing's been staring at that door waiting for her lover to come walking in and send her away from this god awful place." Yang snorted a laugh while Blake sat discontented with a stare that screamed a simple 'really?'

"So, Coco," Blake began her offensive with a chilled tone, keeping pleasant and taunting, "I've noticed Velvet hasn't been staying at the dorms lately." Well that's news, Yang barely kept from screeching. She must have been making some kind of face, because Coco glared at the golden girl as heartlessly as covered eyes allowed.

"Everyone needs a rebound once in awhile," Coco defended, unable to deny the accusation. Whether calling herself a rebound was a shockingly self-aware, or predictably distant, way to put it was yet to be seen, though Blake seemed to have some theories of her own. Ones she was happy to play with aloud.

"That all it is, Coco?" Blake near whispered, careful to make sure she was audible in this noise sink of pub. Yang begged whatever god might exist that she get to see Coco Adel, the boss of downtown, the queen of Port's Pub, blush like a good Catholic girl during her first time. The dream was not made manifest. Coco kept her reaction cold, but the heavy thud of plates of food near slammed on the table was reward enough.

"Don't push it, dear," Coco threatened, forcing a few giggle fits from the pair. This clearly disgusted her to the delight of both of the culprits. Fresh food, an angry Coco, geting Blake, and possibly getting her fired, Yang could hardly imagine reaching for more from her day. Still, what was Yang, but ever selfish.

"Hey Coco?" The manager ceased her exit, but did not turn around. "Would you maybe watch my bike here? I'm taking the missus out to a fine night on the town, and that probably involves me getting a little turnt before the night's over," Yang paused, considering how far she wanted to push this. Always more. "I'm shooting for a bit more than being the rebound, wanna make it special. Pretty please? I'll be your best friend."

"Oh," Coco shook her head at the audacity, but still, as always, she was an excellent wingman, "You'll be my bitch is what you'll be. Never stir another bloody shit storm in my pub again, and stop her moody "oh she doesn't like me, but she does" bullshit once and for all. You two alone give me hypertension, I swear it!"

"Thank's b, you the best!" Yang shouted at her as the infamous girl stepped down to her begging patrons. Such a noble spirit.

"She's in love. I feel it," Blake whispered as soon as Coco was firmly out of earshot, letting loose the inner gossip girl. Blake looked the definition of cheeky, clever, unpinnable, holder of all secrets, the boss of their little crew of strange friends. Been a while since Yang got to watch her free of all the bullshit, happily examining the contours of her grins, the way her hair only curled at the end, clean and straight for her bangs. So long. The food seemed irrelevant now. Yang could guilt free stare into her Amber eyes, why even eat? Yang was pretty sure Coco wasn't the only one in love all along.

"Spill it."

Blake Belladonna

"You're insatiable!" Blake cried out, following her date slash capturer. They had left Port's Pub as soon as their meal ended, left the plaza, and just went. Where was irrelevant. Yang had decided north on a whim, noting the statue seemed to look kinda north-ie in direction. Of course they couldn't even run down to the boardwalk the normal way. Instead, Yang had them take the backgrounds, glued to the city's old walls, passing through alleys and small plazas, unexpected places, darting into what was unknown . Nothing too shocking, but the space felt different. Older, but what didn't? Bordered with a towering tan stone structure, held up by engineering done well over five hundred years prior, perhaps this wall section was Roman? The Greek village of legend? The Spanish monarchs defending from invading Moors? The Moors defending against the Franks? Along the low yellow lights and the old stones, it was their story to decide, she supposed.

"And you're a whiner," Yang shot back, pulling Blake along as they stepped down the ever sloping path, road curving ever closer to the sea, the smell of salt already rich in the air, only slightly tainted by the heavy scent of the fishermen's works. In a way, it was a bonus. Blake was already hungering for something on the swimming side of things.

"I am from the near tropical lagoons of Italy, it is winter now, and this jacket is not nearly as thick as it looks," Blake pressed her complaint, half serious. The sky was clear, but sunlight ended hours ago and those distant stars never were warm enough. "I am going to enter cryogenic stasis before I make it to whatever you were hoping to find." Yang whipped right around to catch Blake by her hips, something sultry in how she moved and stared and licked and everything.

"I can warm you right up if you want." Blake could see Yang swallow as she delivered her line with usual confidence and valour. This girl was burning hot, hands warm on her hips, but Blake couldn't resist a smile, maybe blushing, certainly laughing. This woman was ridiculousness cast in gold.

"What happened to not jumping right into bed?" Blake asked, planting an extra layer of pressure. Yang didn't falter, the gears in her mind were turning out a come back as soon as the question escaped Blake's mouth.

"There is a lot in between this and our hotel room antics." Yang pulled her partner closer, their bodies touching from the chest to their hips. Grip wasn't so strong as to feel like a trap, but Blake could recognize the intoxicating feeling of being so close. The miasma once breathed in made her lightheaded, a need to let her in with only a slight hint of wistfulness.

"I don't know if that's a great idea," Blake resisted, but only a little. She leaned in, kissing Yang's cheek so as to avoid kissing everything else. Cheek to cheek, Blake gave in, whispering in her date's ears gently, "Get me a few drinks and some fish tapas and we might find some middle ground."

Yang didn't need much more direction than that, pressed entwined against the great walls of El Vale, hinting at something, even if neither really knew what. They ran off together, like school girls high on their first loves, despite being far from either. Linked they followed the wall to the sea, the bulwark leading to a watchful tower, resting on a rocky offshoot of the beach.

To the fortifications left was a section of boardwalk that neither found familiar. Still, its white wooden boardwalks had life to them. Couples linked like, Yang and Blake quickly became, and most importantly bars, left out to the open air some reaching far over the beach, served drinks and food late into the night for the tourist that flooded Spain while the rest of Europe froze over.

Walking onto the promenade together, arm in arm. The local street musicians, who were playing on whatever they could afford, deftly switched from a soothing classical tone to a lively jig that put motion in one's feet and forced them happily to dance. Blake felt mildly embarrassed by the attention, but Yang? She loved it, even shooting the lead player a thumbs up, stirring the man further.

"I believe he is encouraging us to dance?" Yang grasped Blake's hands so they would be connected during this foolishness.

"I think you're encouraging him to encourage us to dance," Blake corrected, not wanted to dance under prying eyes, even as other couples and singles were already at it, taking a cue from the music and the party atmosphere. "Besides, you promised me tapas and beer, and I don't think his guitar pours out gat from the tap."

"No, I promised you adventure, and here we are." Yang did not relinquish this, and so it was. Together they danced something. The golden girl was wild, uncontrolled by anything but the rhythm. It was strange compared to Blake, who moved in stilted, controlled, and bewildered jerks. More began to join, and Yang kept close, forcing her date out of her shell with subtle, but increasingly lewd moves.

"Oh god, please stop," Blake asked, breaking her dance to laugh as Yang was 'accidentally' grinding against her side in criminal fashion.

"Nope," Yang replied, leaning backwards into Blake's shoulder. With a swift turn of her head, Yang returned that cheek kiss from before, always so quick to get revenge. The Italian was left speechless, and her Spanish date took the opportunity to dance her butt right into Blake's crotch.

"I'm going to kill you." The laughter hid Blake's seriousness as she pushed Yang away by her hips. Of course, the golden girl took this opportunity to do a little sensual jig in her hands.

"You wouldn't survive the attempt," Yang muttered, turning around to dance for real, the two of them locked more sexually as the music took on a slightly more tactile taste. They didn't say much more than that, embarrassed, sappy, or just tired, they swung around in loops as the people began to dissipate. Even they, as the atmosphere drained and their legs, or at least Blake's, grew weary, passed the musicians a few euros and finally got themselves that fish and beer dream Blake thirsted for.

It was a dinky little beach place, yet the food was good, drinks better than water, and company surprisingly alive. The pair tagged onto the same table as a group of Indian college tourist who had come for the winter and joined them on the momentary street dance off. Together, both parties drank, laughed, swapped stories of what was best to do in the city and what they had done in their lives. Eventually it devolved into everyone watching Yang and one of the girls, Arslan, play a gnarly game of waterfall. At what cost? A stumbling, and slightly more ragged golden girl.

"Dude, I wanna jump off the balcony," Yang announced, staring out the bar's deck at the beach below, her drunken sense a hefty lack thereof.

"Yang, don't," Blake warned, waving goodbye to their new friends and stepping back ever slowly toward her now well wasted partner. Yang was undeterred.

"I want. To jump. Off the balcony." She kept glaring off at the waters flowing in and out between the rocks and sands of El Vale's coastline. She had a smirk, a devil's smirk, a dangerous smirk

"Yang, seriously, don't. You'll get hurt," Blake reasoned, not well enough.

"I wanna jump off the balcony!" she roared, jumping onto the wooden fencing with ease, her athletic prowess a threat to her own well being after downing enough to knock out Arslan.

"Goddamn it, don't!" Blake screeched to no avail. Yang jumped down with a flip, a heavy thud sounding off when she hit the beach below. Frightened, the soberer of the two bolted to the balcony's edge to look and see what horror her night had ended in.

"I jumped off the balcony!" Blake was rewarded with the sight of a laughing Yang as she lay collapsed on a buffer of sand, not the rocks Blake had feared would be there. Gifted with luck, the drop here was only a couple of feed, the waters still a good distance away, and the space clear from any danger.

"Jesus, Yang, you're going to kill me!"

"No, I'm going to kill me!" Yang joked, finding it a hell of a lot funnier than Blake did.

"I'm coming down to get you!" Unaware if it was even legal to do so, the soberish girl began her descent, climbing over the fence and carefully lowering herself down to the sandy beach bottom. There the wind was icy and the light was blocked by the piers. Nothing but light from the city behind Blake, an ocean in front of her, and lastly, a sandy drunk with her.

"It's nice down here. Join me!" Yang petitioned.

"I think we need to get you home," Blake suggested, reaching down for her date's hand, but with twice her strength, and swift to move, Yang pulled her down to the sand below, careful to catch her so it wouldn't hurt. In the daze, the drunker of the two rolled over her, and a moment later the tables were completely turned. Yang's hands were laid on either side of Blake's face, blonde hair flowing over both of them, covered in bits of sand, filtering out the city and starlight to make a gold atmosphere that highlighted her.

Blake was afraid for little over a second, not sure what of, but looking into Yang, her eyes a sweet violet, her smile child- like, background decorated by a sky full of stars and a moon shining despite the meager crescent it occupied.

"If my coat has one scratch from the sand, I'm killing you," Blake threatened to clear the air. Yang chuckled as she collapsed, arms folded and body quick to mold on top of her date's. Of all the date ideas Blake had, cuddling in the sand after falling off a bar wasn't anywhere near her expectations. Still, this was... this was sweet. Weird, but wild. Not something she hated. Despite the ocean winds chilling them, with Yang on top of her, it was warm on that dark beach.

"Mmmm, this is my Tao," the drunk muttered comfortably into Blake's neck, a soft tickle she definitely didn't mind.

"Your what?" Blake asked as their arms began to find ways to weave around each other.

"Chinese shit, don't worry about it," her adorable mixed race date grumbled in a hush voice.

"What has your dad been teaching you?" Blake joked, petting her date's back with swift gentle motions.

"It's my culture, shut up," Yang complained, getting a little tight with the hug. "I don't have time to explain the intricacies of Laozi's philosophies."

"I don't think you're sober enough to explain the intricacies of a poptart," Blake replied, finding the stirrings of this grown woman adorable.

"Tart, frosting, some jelly shit, that's Jenga motherfucker!" Yang thrashed about a free arm in victory..

"I stand corrected, oh wise one," Blake let out softly, not feeling the need to do just about anything. The world would keep on spinning if they had this one little spot of the beach to themselves, so long as no one started dumping trash.

"No, you're laying corrected. Am I the drunk one?" Yang countered. Blake did not give this the dignity of a response, letting a lull in for the night. Her eyes focused on the sky. It was nothing but light on one side, dark on the other, the shadow of the tower over her, the structure a dark fort in the sea from her perspective. This place was beautiful.

"Hey," Yang muttered, the first to fill in the silence, "Can I stay at the dorms tonight? I mean, not like to have sex, but just... Be around." The girl who had come back to her from that trip was so different, so much more self aware, still Yang, but leagues older. Blake trusted this Yang to mean that completely.

"Yeah, sure. When you're ready we can go back." Blake felt something stir, arms wrap themselves more tightly, more desperate. Afraid even.

"Are you going to run away the next day?" Yang asked in such a small voice, barely a half whisper into the audible range, a knife twisting she understandably deserved.

"No," Blake whispered, regretful of much of her life, filled with thousands of good and bad actions, remorseful for more than was fair, and most of all for what. "I think we've had enough of running from our choices." She was done with running, running to each corner of the earth, running so long nothing followed her, and the earth felt strange under motionless feet.

"I love you," Yang bumbled out, breath and small tears against Blake's neck. An admission of weakness, a show of vulnerability. Drunk, but still full of meaning. Time had repeated, a bed replaced with sand, three nights with one, confidence with fear, but it had repeated. One shot to try again, not erase mistakes, but not repeat them.

"I love you, too." She had the first time. Every time after, a year of loveless choices made by people so deeply in love. "I'm not going anywhere."

Ruby Rose

"Hey Rubes." Taiyang's voice pulled Ruby out of her stasis, locked laying on her couch since Yang had left. The sunshine told her it hadn't been long. Her phone was tossed into some corner, to be ignored least the texts make her break. Ruby didn't even know why she was being so obstinate, she didn't really know why she was being anything.

"Yeah, what's up dad?" Ruby replied, pulling herself up to face him. He rarely came down into the basement, probably trying to keep her room pure, sort of safe from parents or anyone uninvited. He seemed to toy with his phone nervously before sitting down. He looked worried, confused always, and like usual unsure how to be a parent. For someone who was a pretty alright dad, he sure seemed befuddled by it.

"Your friends are here, or the English one is at least. I forget her name—"

"Penny!" Ruby immediately went rigid, feeling like an idiot for all the wasted time, "I need to take a quick shower. Shit I forgot, can you stall her?" Taiyang chuckled, despite keeping that wistful smile. Something else was up.

"Sure, Rubbles, but I wanted to talk to you about something." Talking about something was the worst way to start anything. Immediately, Ruby was worried it had to be about Mr. Schnee. Had he contacted him? Was there a legal issue? New word about what happened to mom and some new way to reinvent her demise.

"What's wrong?" Ruby kept the internal storm, just that, internal.

"Yang said you were," he paused, hitting a hitch, not able to find a proper way to address it. It was about mom. "She thinks what has you upset is your mother. You're having trouble working through that." Why don't you just get over mom? God! played in Ruby's head, even though she knew that was absolutely not what he was trying to say. Upset as she was, Ruby aware she was just sensitive. When hurting it was hard not to see comfort as threats.

"I guess. I just thought I was over it and things came up and it just... I don't feel like I know what to do. Every time I feel like me, I feel like I find a new way to just..." To watch her die in your head and knowing 'it's going to be okay' is a promise no one can make. Ruby kept that voice in her head down. It would go away, she would find a steady place to be somehow.

"Your mother was an amazing person, a better parent than I know how to be, and a better human than probably anyone I know. I don't know how to make things better, but I promise I'm here, and if you need more than that, maybe someone who knows how to help with grief consoling, you don't need to be worried about asking." Ruby smiled hearing that. Despite knowing there was nothing for her to really talk about and work out with him, knowing, despite how awkward and ineffectual he was, there was a sincerity in how he talked that was just endearing.

"Thanks, I'll be okay dad." After all, she would have to be. Got to find a way to put a smile back on at the end of the day.

"One last thing. Your mother made a video for you. If things didn't get easier, she wanted you to see it." A tenseness ran through Ruby, clutched her lungs, didn't want to let go. This was it, wasn't it? The new way. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but she only wanted you to see it after a long time or if you just couldn't let go. She never wanted to be what dragged you down. She trusted me with that, so I've emailed it to you. It's up to you to watch it. Whenever you're ready. Alone, or with me if you want."

Ruby breathed deep. She didn't blame dad, didn't hate him, but it scared her. Still. Nothing could be done. Penny was here. She was showered. The video had to wait. Ruby preferred it that way.

"Okay," Ruby accepted she would have to be, "I'm going to shower. You stall Penny. Everything else, just later." Later.

*** Thanks so much for all the reviews last time around you guys are great and I hope you enjoy the last bumblebee chapter. Next one is the end guys! Last of Choice proper! There will be extras I'm making in december, but the core story will end. Been so much fun! Also about the german in the last chapter, it's just there for atmosphere, to hit you over the head with that feeling that everyone's speaking gibberish. It is real german, but like all scenes, if it was that important, I would translate. Also NEW SEASON! Pretty alright so far!

The Lines of dialogue about falling off the balcony were actually word for word written by LazyKatze in a skype discussion about the Yang and Blake drunken fight. Originally this balcony scene was suppose to start the fight between them in the earlier chapters, but instead felt more jovial and were moved here. I felt like they were words said by someone finding their old glory again, not losing it. So she gets thanks not only as a top tier editor but also