Submissions for Bumbleby Week 3/7 (Patreon)

Day 3: Single Parent AU/ Parenting Bees

Yang knew every regular at her shop and so when an unfamiliar car began rolling in she was quick to pull herself out from under her speedster and hop to her feet. 

She was just in time to see a dark hair Faunus in a smart business suit with a long dark coat and short bob cut stepping out off their car, a redheaded child with matching ears in her arms. 

Tossing the oil rag over her shoulder Yang bounced up to her and seeing the tension running through her and the Childs frames, bowed theatrically. "Good day dear customer, welcome to the Dragon Dens, how may the humble Yang Xiao Long be of service this day?" 

She was rewarded with an amused huff from the parent and a sort of pouty stare from the kid. 

"Blake Belladonna, and," She trailed off, "I was hoping you could do an emergency check on my car, but it seems you might be a bit crowded." 

"Not at all," Yang waved vaguely at her speedster, "Two of the cars here are our own and can be rolled out whenever we have extra clients. We normally handle cars for drag races, but we do a good bit of honest work two," She added with a wink. 

"Well, so long as we're not being a bother. I'm Blake, and my cars been making this sort of screeching rattle all day." 

"Not an uncommon problem with that model, planned obsolescence and such, but firs,t can I ask who this cutie is?" She motioned tot he child, still clinging to their mother. 

Blake blinked owlishly but nodded, "This is Yin, say hello Yin," she hefted her child up a little higher, but the girl just saw of glared. 

"Not cute, fierce and powerful!" She protested. 

Yang mock reared back a little, "Forgive me, Lord Yin, it seems I misjudged you, can I be forgiven?" 

The child's mock imperious look was frankly adorable and showed her resemblance to Blake clerly, as she finally waved a hand, "You are forgiven, peasant." 

"Yin"," Blake huffed, "She's been reading a lot of epic fantasy lately." 

"My sister was the same, though I usually read to her till she was old enough, speaking of which. "Yo, Ruby, move your car, we have a client!" 

Ruby's voice echoed from the break room, "Fiiiiiine, but this doesn't cut into my break!" 

"Pfft, break implies she des any work around here besides watch over her Crescent Rose." Yang waved vaguely in the direction of a side room, "This is a pretty standard problem, if you want to hang around feel free, the side room there's got toys and a surprisingly robust library and comfortable couch. If two out of three clients falling asleep on it is anything to go by." 

Blake looked briefly concerned, but nodded slowly as Yang led them over to the room. "All right, that sounds good, I can get some work done while Yin plays." 

Crescent Rose's engine flared to life just as Yang closed the door, and despite her efforts, Blake & Yin's ears pressed to their heads. 

"Sorry," Yang cringed. 

"You get used to it," Blake said, massaging her daughters ears with her free hand, "Oh and here's the keys." 

"Much obliged madam, I shall return to you shortly," Yang waved at the pair before stepping out of the room and her professional mask slipped back on. 

__________________________________________________________

Blake had started working on her laptop quickly enough, as Yin amused herself building a castle to then destroy in a palace coup, but... Well children were exhausting, work was hard and the lounge was indeed quite comfortable. 

So Blake had fallen asleep. 

Not for long, or so she hoped, stirring to wakefulness at the sound of an engine echoing and feeing cold terror settle in her stomach at the realization Yin was gone. 

She nearly threw her laptop aside as she leapt to her feet, ripping open the door and freezing at the sight before her. 

Yin was perfectly fine, sitting on a rolling board with a lollypop in her mouth, as Yang stepped out of the car and offered her a high five which was surprisingly returned. 

"Yin?" Blake asked, her voice not quite level. 

"Hi mama, you fell asleep, so I came to help here," Yin said promptly, before waving her lollypop, "I got a lollypop too."   

"I... See," She said slowly, as Yang pulled off her gloves and rubbed her brow. 

"Yin was very helpful, made sure I didn't put a foot wrong," Yin nodded proudly at that, "And lo and behold your care is good as new!" 

"Well, thank you for handling this so quickly, how much do I owe you?" 

"I'll do a write up, Yang said, moving towards the small counter as Blake followed, while Yin continued to roll on her little board.  

"Sorry about the shock with your daughter," Yang whispered, "She really didn't want to wake you." 

"Its fine, I'm glad she had a good time, and I've just been working so much recently I  dropped out not long after touching the lounge." 

"It does tend to do that, say, what do you do anyway, if you don't mind me asking," Yang said as she began keying numbers into a machine. 

"I'm with the diplomatic corp," Blake said vaguely. 

"Ah, Anima then, or somewhere else?" 

Blake arched her brow, "What makes you think Anima?" 

Yang shrugged, "My ma and uncle spent a lot of their youth down there and your accents kinda similar." 

Humming Blake said, "Would they happen to be Faunus?" 

Yang's lips pursed, "My uncle isn't, but my mother... Might be? We don't know each other that well, and the one time I asked about it she got kind of... Weird, not negative, just kind of wandered off, a lot earlier than she usually did so I didn't ask again." 

"Hmm, well I can't say much about that, but there have been problems with children's traits beinfg removed in that area, its mostly a generation ago now but still," She shook her head. "Anyway I am with Kuo Kuana's embassy, but I spent a lot of my youth in Anima." 

"Ah, the Southern islands, you are far from home, enjoying Vale so far?" She asked with a wink. 

"It has its charms, though it takes forever to pay for things," She chuckled. 

"Ah, my golden heel, small talk, but here is your bill madam." 

The price seemed quite reasonable and Blake flashed her card through the scanner, with lull in conversation letting Yang ask. 

"Forgive me if this is a little forward, but would you be interested in going out to dinner sometime, maybe a lunch?" Yang's cheeks were tinged red. 

Blake's ears twitched in amusements, "Normally someone asks that before charging them full price." 

"Ah, well I didn't want to make it seem like I was holding something over you to get a date, but hey if a fee reduction increases my chances..." She shrugged widely, showing off, powerfully muscled arms that made Blake want to purr. 

"Well, you missed your chance this time, but," Blake scribbled her number on the receipt. "You are fortunate I am a magnanimous woman." She pressed the slip of paper against Yang's beaming smile and called, "Yin, sweetie, time to go!" 

"Yes mama!" 

Yang who had been looking over the number glanced at Yin as the girl rolled over to them, and Blake added, "Its not everyday Yin decides she likes someone enough to hang out with them." 

"So I passed the Yin test?" 

"For now," Blake winked, as she scooped her daughter up, "As for lunch, we'll see; good day for now, miss Xiao Long." 

The woman doffed of her cap and bowed again, "And a good day to you!"  

Only once Blake was out of sight did Yang pump her fist into the air and shout, "Wahoo!" 

Day 4: Beacon Days

Beacon Academy had several dueling arena, many of which were cycled in and out for different lectures and classes. But when not in use they could be scheduled for training and practice. 

Hence why black and gold flashes could be seen flickering across the circular stage, the ting of metal resounding as bullets were deflected and blades blocked by gauntlet strikes. 

Yang was enjoying herself, sparring with Blake was always fun even when they didn't banter. Her partner was sturdier than her speedy fighting style would hint and much more aggressive too, but her creative Semblance use ensured it never got dull. 

'She's getting testy,' Yang mused, well aware her decision to stay grounded and focus on counters was wearing on her partners patience. 

Blake's shadows flickered and flashed in an ever tightening circle around her shots and Aura slashes trying to whittle Yang down while the blonde ducked, dodged and blocked the oncoming blows. 

Yang's eyes few wide as a purple beam began surging towards her, too fast to dodge, she could only roar and let it smash against her bracer. Aura crashing against Aura, the sharp blade breaking against her barrier, the purple dispersing. 

But Blake had laid her trap well, the other end of Gambol shroud coiling around Yang's ankle and letting the Faunus tug her partner off her feet. 

Yang felt her stomach summersault but instinct told her to ground herself and with her legs flying out from under her all she could do was embed her fingers into the steel fleet.  

The metal shrieked and with her Aura infusing it she was able to resist Blake's mighty yank. Instead, she dragged her legs, her whole body back and pulled Blake to her! 

The Faunus was ready in time though, using her black blade to stop Yang's double kick, but the blonde dropped her legs low, flipping Blake forward. The Faunus crashed against her and Yang wrapped Blake in her arms. 

"Gotcha!" She cheered, pulling back to look at Blake's face and stilling, breath catching in her throat as her partners hair cascaded down around her, enshrouding Yang in darkness, so only the glow of Blake's eyes illuminated her face. 

Blake leaned forward, Yang leaned forward, there was a moment and-

The alarm went off signaling their match was at an end, and they jolted apart, faces burning as they hastily gathered their things and raced out the door, side by side, but not looking at one another. 

The silence was deafening, so much so, Yang welcomed the distant shouts of, "Who wrecked the floor!?" 

Forcing a chuckle, she muttered, "Guess we got a little carried away." 

Blake's low laugh was music to her ears, "I guess we did, but that's not always a bad thing." 

"No... Its not..." 

Their hands brushed, and they didn't quite take each other's hands, but they stayed close the entire walk back to their dorms. 

Day 5: Arranged/ Political Marriage

Reunion 

The streets of Kuo Kuana were bustling, the years of border skirmishing with the Atleasians having seemingly done little to stem the cities growth. 

Where once Blake remembered small houses and tents, great compounds now rose up, housing clans, store houses and businesses alike. Walkways connected streets on multiple levels and a tram service was brimming with Faunus as it rolled by her. 

Blake was drawn from her musing with Ilia tugging on her kimono top, "Hey, why are we dragging out feet?" 

She sent the smaller Faunus a scalding look, "I'm just taking in the city, its been a long time since I was here." 

"Pretty sure you'll have plenty of time to do that after you take your blushing bride to bed and start raising kids," The chameleon countered. 

"Oh stop it," She groused pushing ahead even as she sort of wanted to drag her feet. 

"Seriously, what's the problem? You two loved each other as kids, and I remember all the letters you two sent while we were on campaign. 'Oh don't worry Yang, I'll finish my apprenticeship soon and come back to marry you, UWU!'" 

"Did you seriously just annunciate UWU?" 

The chameleon shrugged, skin flickering different shades, "My point stands, you were close, and then you just got all moody about it." 

"I didn't get moody I just," Blake bit her lip, "Neither of us really understood what marriage meant then and its... This part of my life has been planned out for me, its just a lot, I stopped knowing what to say." 

"Yeah well, you'd better think of something cos we're arrived," Ilia said, as they came to a stop outside the home of the Belladonna-Khan clan. A great walled fortress of elaborate towers and gorgeous gardens, flocks of birds sang. The doors were marked by the families sigils, now touched with gold to signal Yang's place in their clan. 

Blake sucked in a breath, "Well let's see how this goes." 

_______________________________________________________________________

Yang was nervous, she wasn't showing it, but she was a nervous wreck! 

She'd spent years mastering herself into the ideal clan mother. She knew how to handle economics for the compound and public events. She sat on several Kuo Kuana councils. She had styled her golden locks 'just so' and the kimono adorning her frame was made with her own hands, an elaborate weave of lavender, black and white.    

She was very much resisting the urge to pace the ornately decorated hall or stone and opal she resided in. But with her honor guards waiting in the wings and both Kali and Sienna waiting a not far from her, there was little she could do to alleviate the tension. Especially from behind a ceremonial screen with her silhouette clear for all to see. 

"Ancestors," Kali cursed, "What is taking that girl so long?" She looked to Sienna like she would have an answer but the War leader merely rolled her shoulders, cape flowing with the motion. 

"She was quite willful when she came to me for her final apprenticeship and old enough to be out on her own much of the time. She might have picked up a penchant for wandering." 

"Well there's a time and a place," Kali said dryly, before looking to her, "I am sorry for the wait dear, this should have been scheduled better." 

"Its... Its quite all right, I imagine Blake has a lot to think about, its been a long time since we saw one another as well, she..." Yang didn't want to say it. 

"She hasn't found someone else, if that is your fear, Clan Mother," Sienna intoned gently. 

Yang nodded slowly, but she didn't want to leave it on that thought and added. "War Leader Khan, Sienna... Yu have seen Blake the most recently, please tell me... I mean, when we were young she was so warm and kind to me. A scared little girl so far from home, but she welcomed me warmly and made this all seem so easy and simple..." 

It was a wistful memory, of Blake finding her huddled on her bed, miserable and confused in a foreign land. The girl wrapped her arm around Yang and promising to be there for her if she needed a cry or to smile. Promising to be by her side forever. 

"Is she still kind?" Yang finished quietly. 

There was a lingering moment, "I think you can ask her yourself, Clan Mother," The woman's tone was tinged with a quiet amusement. 

Yang resisted the urge to startle as the door to the chamber swung open and the guards announced, "Presenting, children of the clan, Blake Belladonna & Ilia Amitola!" 

Yang's screen began to drop, slowly revealing the room to her, and Yang's eyes zeroed in on Blake alone. 

She's grown tall, her hair now in a long mane, her golden eyes as piercing as ever, but her features had gone from cherubic to handsomely chiseled. Her face was marked by a subtle blush, and only made Yang's face burn hotter as they both tried too meat each other's eyes but found themselves glancing away. 

Falling back on regal training and fixing her posture she said, "Welcome home brave warriors of the clan and a special welcome to you, my groom." 

Blake finally met her eyes, a small smile spreading on her lips as she answered, "Thank you, its good to be home, my bride." 

Day 6: Fairy Tales

Its said that the sun and the moon loved each other very much. 

This story is both true and not true. 

For this happened in days long forgotten, times that passed into ages. 

It was a world so different and familiar to the one you may know little one. 

Nomads would wander a world of fire and cold, of monsters and dread, never staying in one place for fear of the baleful beasts and gods. 

Small towns would rise and would pray to silent skies and a corrupted earth for protection, justice and mercy. 

Great cities of stone rose, and in them gathered warriors, to defend and to die for the divine. 

For there must be an order to things, and so it was that the mortal world was corrupted and cursed to languish and so with it the people. 

If the people wished for their lives to carry on, for there to be a tomorrow that may become better, they had best keep the skies fed and holy. 

Thus, it was that each generation, the greatest two warriors were chosen from among the cities, the villages and the nomads. 

They would come together in a temple that was more ancient than person or beast and surrender themselves to the sun and moon. 

In doing so, the world would continue to spin, and the people could have another chance to fix what they set wrong. 

But this time, something was different. 

For you see, the greatest warriors in the land were not part of different groups, they were not lone gladiators or mercenaries. 

No, they were heroes. 

Two women of black and gold, of lilac and topaz. 

They were lovers who drew their strength from one another, they were the perfect partners, who trusted one another without a word or worry. 

They roamed the land facing down monsters, saving nomads, villages and cities alike; all without prejudice of profit on the mind. 

They had each other and that was all they needed, and yet they were to be separated by fate, or so the gods priests proclaimed. 

One would be offered to the sun and the other the moon, they would join the heavenly host that was to one day bring salvation to the world. 

They protested of course. 

There was so much more they could do after all and they also questioned. 

Why would the gods separate them so cruelly, why was the world so unjust? 

They sought to defy the gods in some way. to protest the unjust world. 

And so as they made ready for the sacrifice, they cut back their hair and donned obscuring robes. They set out for the temple with all due ceremony and not a one questioned their change of heart, it was the gods will after all. 

Not a one realized they had traded places, not a one saw the near invisible threat of red wrapped around their fingers, binding them together. They marched up the temple steps with their own two feet, took their places upon the platforms, their last words a humble. 

"I love you." 

And the offering was made, gold to sun, black to night. 

Except it was not as it was to be, for their cunning had disrupted the ritual, and with the red string binding their souls, they buoyed the other to hold onto life. 

The angry gods roared and howled and abject fury, but they had exposed themselves to the warriors as the petty, hungry creatures they were. 

The warriors reached up, across the divide between the divine and the dead and the dearly beloved mortal realm and they grasped the gods beating hearts. 

They grasped them and pulled them down to earth, embodying in themselves the fire and the shadow, the light and the dark.

Rising from their alters, their very bodies changed to be grander, to glow with a divine essence, hair that shone like the dawn and sparkled like the night, 

There were no more gods, but goddesses, incarnated into mortal form they held each other close, drew their weapons and proclaimed the birth of a new era. 

One of justice and peace, of mercy and freedom and they would lead all who were willing to this new age of prosperity.  

And lead they did, for one hundred years, before even their strength began to fail, their mortal shells coming undone. 

But all was not lost, for they and the gods were one in the same now, and the wheel of reincarnation spins for all without prejudice. 

And so it was, they would be reborn time and again, light and dark intertwined forever more, always finding one another again in every new life. 

And that's the end. 

Day 7: AU Day

Goncharov AU 

The scent of smoke hangs heavy in the air, puddle of ashy water stain their shoes as the pair race down the crowded streets, chaos slowly engulfing the city. 

She looked to the woman's who hand was held firmly in her own, leather and silk gloves matching black. The touches of ash and blood doing nothing to undermine her allure, which was rather how she got into this mess.

"Where's your tommy gun baby?" Blake's voice is smooth and silk in her ears and all too distracting, just like the satin dress clinging to her skin. 

"Out of ammo, all I have left are two pistols," She breathed intently as they skidded around a screeching car and made for the bridge, 

"And I thought you were going to kill me with that tommy gun baby~" The words almost lyrical in their breathless amusement. 

"The time for that passed us by when the clock stopped darling," Yang threw over her shoulder, a hand tugging at her suits tie so she could breath a little easier. 

"Yet times still running out," Blake murmured, a bullet flying over head. 

"Dammit!" Yang spun around, revealing twin pistols, "Want one?" 

"Not my style, baby,: Blake unveiled a series of slim needles hidden in her gloves. 

"Were those meant for me?" 

"Now you'll never know." 

The cars in hot pursuits screeched onto the bridge, windows down and tommy gun's out. 

Yang let lose, careful, precise shots to keep them pinned as Blake loosed her needles, the glinting metal invisible to the other gangsters eyes and striking true.   

It could work, it could have worked, but the sound of sirens and roaring engines rang out, more pursuers, more bullets, more endings and ways out closed, one after another and the clock ticked down. 

"I'm down to one, darling." 

Blake twirled her last needle, eyeing Yang coolly before asking, "Do you trust me?" 

It was an insane question for endless reasons, she had no reason to, neither of them did, but somewhere in the ash and the fire and betrayal... Well she'd found her answer. 

"I do," She intoned, dropping her pistol. 

Blake smiled, dropping her needle and grasping her wrist, she pulled Yang against the railing and together they tumbled from the bridge, falling to the sea in a tight embrace. 

Day 8: Bonus/ VA Appreciation Day