Of Life and Love: Part 5

Yang awoke to a presence in her bed, a familiar presence, but one she had not felt for quite some time. Rolling over groggily she was met with the gleaming silver eyes of her sister. "Afternoon sis." Ruby laughed.

"Gmmmmmornin" Yang yawned. She lifted her arm for Ruby to snuggle under, and the girl giggled before obliging.

"I'm gonna' let the lack of shirt go 'cuz it's been a while and you need this." Ruby allowed.

"Whateveryouloveit." Yang mumbled.

"We're sisters Yang." Ruby noted.

"Mhm, we used to bathe together." Yang countered.

"We were kids." Ruby protested.

"You'll always be a kid to me." Yang declared.

"We fought a war together." Ruby chuckled. "I don't think it fits."

"You grew up so fast." Yang faux sniffled.

"So did you." Ruby agreed.

"Please, I've always been grown up." Yang scoffed.

"In very specific places." Ruby joked.

"Ruby Rose, I am your sister!" Yang admonished.

"My sister, hugging my topless." Ruby observed. "Who slept through half the day because something kept her up at night that isn't a maid or Nora. And I know, because I checked." Yang grumbled under her breath. "Yang, please talk to me."

"I'll be fine Rubes." Yang assured her. "Just gotta' get my head together. It's what this trip is for, get out of the city, visit you, relax in the gardens, sunbathe…"

"Bottle up your problems, letting them eat away at you from the inside when you're surrounded by people who love you and want to help?" Ruby accused. Yang grumbled again. "You already let it slip. What really happened to Weiss?"

"We...almost lost her Ruby." Yang sighed. "I almost lost her. She...she stopped breathing. She was all pale and the healers couldn't do anything, they just...they just stood there not doing anything! I yelled at 'em, took a staff, and I dunno' if it helped but it burst into flames and Blake was crying a-and...I…" Yang lost her composure and allowed Ruby to pull her into her own arms, sobbing into her chest as Ruby tried to soothe her.

After Yang calmed down, Ruby called Octavia to fetch breakfast. It was a very late breakfast, but a breakfast nonetheless. Yang freshened up and donned a gown. With a light knock, Octavia entered with a large tray of food. She was followed by Pyrrha, who carried another tray. "Good afternoon Yang." Pyrrha smiled.

"Hey Pyrrha, you gonna' join us?" Yang asked.

"If you don't mind." Pyrrha replied.

"Course not, you're family." Yang waved. "What are Neo and Emmy up to?"

"Neo is playing with Summer and Autumn." Pyrrha answered. "Emerald is...well, she's near them."

"Neo's really taken a shine to the girls." Yang observed.

"I'd be concerned if she wasn't so adorable." Pyrrha laughed.

"She's great, when she's not flirting and being naked." Ruby chuckled.

"And sleeping with our maids." Pyrrha added.

"It was just one." Yang scoffed.

"So far." Pyrrha noted.

"You worry too much." Yang shrugged.

"When it comes to you Yang, I always worry." Pyrrha joked. "Thank you Octavia, that will be all." Octavia bowed and left the room. Pyrrha took a seat while Ruby poured everyone tea. Settling down, they remained silent for a time as Yang started to eat. "So what happened?"

"We almost lost Weiss." Yang admitted. "Something happened after the birth, she stopped breathing, the healers couldn't do anything. I tried my best, but hell if I know if I did anything...but she woke up, and everything was okay. Except it wasn't. Weiss got sick, and it took her longer to recover than before. The whole time I was just so scared she would just drop and never get up again, that everything would go wrong without any way of stopping it. I can't punch a failing body back to health, I can't block sickness, and I can't intimidate death. I can fight off an army, but Weiss or Blake could die from something that should be completely safe, and I wouldn't be able to stop it! It's been scaring me ever since. We're so fragile. They could trip down the stairs, slip in a puddle, get nudged by accident, and one broken neck later I've lost part of my soul and everything goes to shit! I...I'm just being stupid, but I can't stop thinking about it! Do you know what I mean?"

Pyrrha and Ruby stared at Yang woefully, before exchanging a look. They both let out a sigh. "Well…" Pyrrha started.

"Yeah Yang, we kinda' do." Ruby cut in. "A bit more than you'd think…"

"Oh boy…" Pyrrha sighed.

"Do you want to or…" Ruby started.

"No, it will sound better coming from you." Pyrrha shook her head.

"It concerns both of us." Pyrrha noted.

"What?" Yang asked. "What's going on?"

"Yang...remember at the end of the way, Pyrrha was cursed?" Ruby asked. Yang looked pensive, but nodded. "Before I left Pyrrha's side...I kissed her. The way I saw it, it was a life and death situation, if we failed, we were as good as dead. So I made my peace with that...and accepted the curse."

"But you got better right?" Yang pressed, visibly disturbed. "We killed Cinder and it broke the curse."

Pyrrha and Ruby both nodded. "The curse was broken, but there were…" Ruby started.

"Side effects." Pyrrha finished for her.

"It was subtle at first, a stubbed toe here, a nightmare there." Ruby sighed.

"It was like hearing a familiar voice in the distance." Pyrrha explained.

"Little hints, flashes, echoes even." Ruby added. "We were feeling each other's emotions. It was jarring, terrifying, and it was getting worse as time went on."

"It came to a head when Ruby was with child." Pyrrha declared.

"Ren and Nora were visiting, Nora got up in the night and to do something...but she knocked over a vase, and it scared the hell out of me." Ruby said.

"I saw red, lost all sense and just...reacted." Pyrrha frowned.

"She just went wild, growling about protecting me and ran off." Ruby explained. "She chased Nora halfway across the manor and tried to kill her."

"Not one of my proudest moments." Pyrrha groaned.

"It wasn't your fault Pyrrha." Ruby encouraged.

"Apparently Ren rendered me unconscious." Pyrrha sighed.

"I told him what was going on, and he said he had a pretty good idea of what the cause was." Ruby continued. "He went to do some research."

"He came back after I awoke and asked for my side of it." Pyrrha said. "It apparently confirmed his theory."

"Turns out the curse damaged our souls." Ruby sighed.

"Due to our shared injury, close proximity and strong bond, we became...entangled as he described it." Pyrrha explained. "Our souls reached out for support, healed together, and became attached in a rough way."

"Ren did some research on what to do." Ruby said. "We could either sever the bond, a process that would probably kill one or both of us…"

"Or complete it, linking our souls entirely." Pyrrha finished for her.

"The choice was obvious." Ruby turned to Pyrrha and smiled.

"That night we became one." Pyrrha smiled back, grabbed Ruby's hand a squeezed it.

"Your...your souls are joined?" Yang asked.

"Yep." Ruby replied.

"Yes." Pyrrha nodded.

"Umm...what does this mean exactly?" Yang inquired.

"Physically, we are individuals." Pyrrha answered. "We retain our minds, personalities and memories."

"But our emotions, our pain, our very lives, and sometimes even our thoughts are shared." Ruby declared.

"We have some measure of control." Pyrrha noted. "So long as we are aware and prepared, we can shield each other."

"But we usually don't need to." Ruby interjected. "It's kinda' nice always having each other a thought away. I never feel alone."

"...usually?" Yang asked.

"Most pain is shared, though not fully...and I was about to pop when the linking happened, so…" Ruby replied.

"Oh...oh shit…" Yang gasped.

"Mhm, not the best of nights." Pyrrha confirmed.

"So when you have yours?" Yang pressed.

"Oh yes...little brat better be grateful." Ruby grumbled.

"Ruby!" Pyrrha admonished.

"Hey, most children can't say both parents had to suffer the pain of their births." Ruby countered.

"Regardless, our children are our children." Pyrrha declared. "We chose to have them. It's not right to hold the consequences against them."

"Pfft, debatable." Ruby laughed.

"As we were saying." Pyrrha set the conversation back on course. "Pain is too sudden and traumatic to reliably block, so we have to be extra careful. Hence, no sparring."

"But uh...pleasure on the other hand…" Ruby giggled.

"Feedback loop." Pyrrha blushed.

Yang chuckled before frowning, looking fearful. "What about...if one of you...were to...pass?" She asked.

Ruby and Pyrrha both paled, swallowing. "If one of us dies...for the other it would be like losing half her soul." Ruby answered. "It wouldn't be instant but...it wouldn't be survivable."

Yang stood suddenly, a cross between fear and outrage etched on her face. "And the didn't tell me?!" She shouted. "I-I could have lost both of you, a-and Ren would have had to explain to me 'oh, right, yes, they were sharing a soul. I assumed they told you. Sorry for your loss!'"

"I'm sorry Yang, we just weren't sure how to go about it." Ruby apologized. "It was a big thing, a new thing, and we don't get to see each other much and...I didn't want to worry you."

"I...gods Ruby, I know." Yang struggled. "I know, it's just...this is...scary for me too just...so...you're...Ruby, I can't lose you! I can't lose either of you!"

"It's going to happen someday Yang." Ruby noted.

"I don't wanna' think about that." Yang shook her head.

"You have to come to terms Yang." Pyrrha suggested. "And it's not as if we're going to drop dead any second."

"But you don't know that!" Yang protested. "I don't know that, and it scares the hell out of me!"

"And it's okay to be scared Yang." Ruby encouraged. "But you can't let it overwhelm you."

"If you live in fear of the unknown, how can you appreciate that which is certain?" Pyrrha challenged.

"Yang, we're alive." Ruby declared. "Weiss and Blake are alive. Neo and Emmy, Ren, Nora, Dad and Uncle Qrow are all alive. The war is over. We aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Sure, there's a small chance something crazy could happen. Not all of us are going to make it to old age. Honestly, I'm surprised Nora has survived as long as she has. Can you imagine her old and rickety?"

"Knowing her, she'll be the last of us to go." Yang chuckled, sniffling. "Probably punch death in the face or something."

"See?" Ruby asked. "That's the spirit. We went through a period when we got really scared of hurting each other, but we sat down and talked about it."

"I know you want to be strong for those you love Yang, and I have always greatly respected that about you." Pyrrha praised.

"But you're not invincible, mentally or physically, and no one expects you to be." Ruby added.

"You realize you've been continuing each other's sentences this whole time, right?" Yang laughed.

"Have we?" Pyrrha asked.

"I told you someone would notice." Ruby smirked.

"But no one else has mentioned it." Pyrrha protested.

"Well, it's a pretty weird thing to ask about." Ruby countered.

"Hmm...we should probably get back to eating." Pyrrha suggested.

"Dibs!" Yang cheered, reaching for a plate.

"Hey!" Ruby exclaimed. "Get your claws off my cookies!"

Autumn giggled, stubby arms pawing up towards Neo. Neo laughed silently, playing a mute version of peek-a-boo. Autumn did not care about the lack of sound, the swishing of Neo's pink hair was mesmerizing and fun. Emerald sat a short distance away, half watching, half taking in the scenery from her spot on the bench. Neo had been going between Summer and Autumn for an hour now, cooing and prodding the newborn, allowing the toddler to climb all over her, chasing her around the lawn, spinning her around in the air and performing acrobatics for her entertainment.

Emerald did not care for the children, but Neo's playfulness was adorable and beautiful. Seeing the girl she loved so happy and carefree was wonderful, not that she was any less so back at home. Neo took joy in everything she could, ever smiling, ever cheerful. It never failed to make Emerald smile in turn, even when her mind recessed into the darkness her past inspired. Even when Emerald was feeling her worst, even when she was on the brink, Neo could pull her back with a grin, a hand in her own, and a warm kiss.

A kiss that was currently being stolen by a little gremlin whose cuteness had won over the heart of her lover. Emerald did not blame her. She could not be cute. Neo was the cute one. Emerald was the tall, dark and brooding one, sexy and alluring, but never cute. She was once even described as handsome, and she was still not sure how she felt about that. Emerald was torn from her musings by the sight of her worst nightmare. The taller gremlin, Summer, was waddling towards her, silver eyes bright, smile toothy, hands reaching out.

"Emmy!" Summer squealed.

"No-no-no-no-oh!" Emerald gasped as Summer half-tripped, stumbling onto her lap. The little girl grinned and reach up to swat at Emerald's bangs. Emerald tried to pull away but Summer was not to be denied, clambering up onto her lap to reach. "Ngh, don't...ugh." Emerald attempted to block the toddler, pushing her away, only to unbalance her. Summer flailed and started to fall. Emerald gasped and reached out, catching the little girl under the arms and pulling her back toward her body. She glanced at Neo, still fawning over the infant in her pram, and let out a sigh of relief. A tug at her hair drew Emerald's attention back to Summer, who had a fist full gripped tightly. Emerald scowled, lifted Summer off her lap, and placed her on the ground.

"Get going." Emerald commanded. "Go on. Shoo." Summer pouted but ran off, Emerald glaring at her. Neo began blowing raspberries on Autumn's stomach, and Emerald could only barely stifle a laugh. Neo would sometimes do the same for her, if only to make her laugh once in a while. Emerald preferred to scoff and chuckle, much more respectable, and she hated the way she looked laughing. Suddenly a giggling weight latched onto her back. "Argh! Neo!"

Neo looked up from the baby gremlin to find her lover under vicious attack. She giggled soundlessly. "Not funny!" Emerald shouted. "Get it out of my-AH! My hair!" Neo rolled her eyes and stood, circling around to pry the gremlin from Emerald's back. Summer was stubborn however, and refused to relinquish her prize. "Ow! Neo!"

Neo started tickling Summer's sides, causing her to squeal and flail about, releasing Emerald's hair in the process. Neo pulled her free, spinning her around to hug her close to her chest. Emerald stood, shaking out and smoothing her hair, turning to glare at the tiny creature that had caused her pain. "Stupid little pest." Emerald grumbled. "I should...ugh, you're lucky you're fragile." Neo set Summer down beside Autumn and returned to Emerald, wrapping her in an embrace. "How did we get stuck with babysitting duty?"

"Because Ruby and Pyrrha needed to talk to Yang." Neo pulled away to sign.

"Why didn't she talk to us?" Emerald asked.

"Because she's a big tough mamma who doesn't want anyone to worry about her." Neo explained.

"That's stupid." Emerald complained.

"Stupid, but well meaning." Neo signed. "Hopefully she'll talk to us tonight."

"If Gwen doesn't pay us another visit." Emerald smirked.

"There, there, we have all week to play with Gwen." Neo noted.

"Pfft, more like letting her play with us." Emerald scoffed. "There's no way a woman that skinny should be that strong."

"You love it." Neo accused.

Emerald chuckled. "I will neither confirm nor deny that."

Ruby and Pyrrha took over with the kids at lunchtime. When asked they explained that Yang needed some time alone, and was having lunch in her room. Though concerned, they shrugged it off. Afterwards, Emerald and Neo sought out Gwen, interrupting her work for an encore of the prior night. Drained and sweaty, they decided to pay a visit to the baths, leaving an unconscious but grinning Gwen behind. With the assistance of Dew they soon found themselves in one of the smaller baths of Pyrrha's beloved complex. The hot water soothed the aches and pains inflicted by each other and their conquest. Neo dozed against Emerald's bare chest, as she lay against the bath's edge.

Emerald was awoken from her half-slumber by Neo shifting in her lap, moving to straddle her. Neo stretched languidly before catching Emerald's gaze. "Hey." Neo signed.

"Hey, feeling better?" Emerald asked.

"I feel contemplative." Neo replied.

"Oh?" Emerald asked. "How so?"

"Just been thinking about a few things." Neo answered. "Where we've been, where we are, where we're going."

"And?" Emerald pressed.

"What do you want from life Emmy?" Neo asked.

"That's...kinda' vague." Emerald blinked.

"Not really, it's simple, what do you want?" Neo insisted. "What are your dreams? Desires? Plans?"

"I want you Neo." Emerald replied. "But...I guess I've always wanted a home, of my own...someplace secluded, but not far from a town...small, but not cramped, cozy. You know?"

"Yeah, just a little place of your own where no one can bother you?" Neo suggested.

"Us, both of us Neo." Emerald corrected. "I don't wanna' go anywhere without you."

"Emmy, are you asking me to move in with you?" Neo joked.

"Yes my love, come hither unto my abode, so that I might ravish you in privacy." Emerald rolled her eyes. Neo giggled silently, lightly slapping her on the shoulder.

"You jest, but I like the idea." Neo signed. "I really like it. A home would be good for us. More room for clothes, more places to curl up...we could settle down...start a family." Emerald tensed, the implications of Neo's statement turning over in her mind. Neo smiled, cupping Emerald's cheek while kissing the other. "I know it's a big thought...I've just been thinking for a while you know? Just...give it some thought, please."

Emerald swallowed, nodded and forced a weak smile. Neo returned it, though hers was more genuine, and leaned in for a proper kiss.