Red Carpet Romance - Ch. 37 (Patreon)

Staring at the groceries spread across the island in front of her, Yang tried to formulate a plan for the evening.  Every good dinner party started with an even better plan - at least, that’s what she assumed. She’d start with the guest list, which was easy because only Weiss and Ruby were coming. From there, she probably needed a seating chart, minute-by-minute schedule, and some really timely, thought-provoking questions in case conversation went stale.

Before doing any of that, however, she raised a hand to stifle a yawn.

“Tired?”

Light fingers trailing across her back accompanied the question, breaking her concentration and drawing her gaze after Blake.

“Pretty sure you know why.”

“I might…”

With a coy, slightly-smug smile, Blake started removing groceries from the bags and making a neat stack of ingredients on the counter.  From her expression, she knew exactly why Yang was tired today, and the role she’d played in it.

Tired or not, last night was totally worth it - from the night out Yang planned to the impromptu night in Blake orchestrated in return.  But after what she’d been treated to, it might take her more than a day to recover...

“I know that look,” Blake said, cutting into Yang’s thoughts with an even-more-pleased smile.  “That’s your ‘thinking about last night’ look.”

“Is not,” Yang replied with a scoff.  When Blake raised one brow, however, she dropped the act.  She couldn’t lie to Blake anyway - why did she even try?

“Ok, I was thinking about last night,” she admitted.  “Can you blame me?”

Smiling at the honest reply, Blake walked over and kissed Yang’s cheek.

“If you enjoyed it so much, maybe we can have an encore tonight?”

“Are you serious?”  Turning around, Yang watched Blake toss the empty bags into the trash - which was also where her thoughts were at the moment.

“I’m up for it,” Blake replied with a shrug and smile.  “If you are.”

Feeling another yawn threatening to strike, Yang did her best to hide it with a shake of her head.

“You’re uh -”   The yawn slipped out, and Blake smiled.

“Let’s see how you feel after dinner?” she offered.

“Yes,” Yang agreed before the word sunk into her mind and jogged her memory.  “Dinner,” she repeated, feeling the word strike like a thunderbolt through her Blake-heavy thoughts.  “We need to get ready for dinner!”

“We have plenty of time,” Blake gently reassured her.  “Plus, the food will cook fast. That’s why we got fish.”

“Uh huh...that’s why we got fish.”  When Blake gave her a look, Yang spun around and glanced at the clock in the kitchen.  “But they’ll be here soon!”

Just like that, her nerves doubled.  

If it was just Ruby coming over, dinner would be no big deal.  Ruby loved any-and-all food and wouldn’t notice if the entire kitchen was covered in dust.  Weiss, on the other hand…from the looks of her apartment, she was probably accustomed to extravagantly-catered meals served on diamond-studded plates.

Maybe not that extravagant, but Weiss was definitely used to a higher standard than Yang and Ruby.  That’s why Yang was so nervous! She wanted Weiss to feel comfortable. If that meant breaking out the diamond-coated dinnerware...they didn’t have any, so hopefully she could make do without.

“Do we have any fancy plates?” Yang asked before going to the cabinets to find the answer - which was no.  No, they did not have fancy plates, because apparently they weren’t fancy people.

“That’s fine.  These will work.”  After pulling four off of the stack, she set them on the counter and took stock of the food they picked up earlier.  “Ok, so we have the vegetables. We have the tuna. We have all the seasonings…do we have drinks??”

Flying to the refrigerator to see what options they had on hand, she nodded at the selection before closing the door and crossing that off the list. 

“What are we missing though?” she asked no one in particular.  “We have to be missing something…”

Hearing soft laughter, she froze and turned around.

“What?” she asked, finding Blake watching her with an amused expression.

“Are you going to be like this every time Ruby comes over?”

“Like what?”

Blake waved a hand around the kitchen, which Yang had just raced around several times making sure they had everything they needed.  “You know. All...flighty and chaotic.”

“One, I’m neither of those things.”  When Blake raised her hands and mouthed a sassy ‘right,’ Yang smiled and held up her hand.  “And two, I just want everything to be perfect!”

“For…?” 

“For Weiss.  Ruby wouldn’t notice if I got arrested in the middle of dinner, but Weiss…”

Thinking about Weiss - and how the singer sometimes seemed super delicate - Yang suddenly realized something important.  Something that made her eyes widen in dismay. Something that confirmed why the responsibility of planning dinner parties never fell to her.

“I didn’t ask if she’s allergic to anything!  What if she can’t eat fish? What if vegetables make her break out in hives??”

The new slew of worries made Blake smile and set her hand on Yang's arm.  

“I asked her a few days ago, and she doesn’t have any weird dietary restrictions.”

A second ago, Yang had been pretty positive the world was about to end due to her horrible snafu.  After Blake’s response, however, she straightened up and grinned.

This was why they made the best team.

“What you’re actually saying is that you thought of everything,” she rephrased.  Brushing the compliment away, Blake started washing the vegetables in the sink.

“I thought it was a good idea to check.  Plus, maybe I wanted to make sure she wasn’t going to back out.”

Yang huffed at the worry, which she hadn’t even considered a possibility until right now.

“She wouldn’t back out!”  When Blake sent Yang a look, however, her confidence evaporated.  “She wouldn’t, right? I mean, I know she’s busy and all…”

“She said she’ll be here,” Blake interrupted, setting the rinsed vegetables on the island and standing in front of Yang.  After reaching up and straightening the collar of Yang’s shirt, she ran her hands across Yang’s shoulders and smiled. “She actually sounded excited about it.”

Yang caught a hint of a smirk when Blake turned away, clearly knowing that the comment would peak an inordinate amount of interest.

“‘Excited?’” Yang repeated, following Blake to the other side of the island and watching her prepare the vegetables.  “As in, looking forward to it?”

“Yes.  In her own way, she seemed...excited.”

Blake used the word again because she knew it would make Yang excited.  Which was...absolutely true.

“That’s so awesome!” she replied, incapable of hiding her happiness.  “That makes me think - maybe she actually likes us?”

“She likes you,” Blake said with a calm shake of her head.  “She just has a different way of showing it.”

“You think so?”

Yang grinned at the thought, and her grin widened when Blake set down the cutting knife and turned towards her.

“Yes.”  Reaching up, Blake ran one hand through Yang’s hair.  The gesture was gentle and intimate, just like the look in her eyes.  “It was really sweet of you to go out of your way to befriend her...that’s just another thing I love so much about you.”

There was no easier way to make Yang’s day than by hearing at Blake loved her - and for something as simple as trying to become friends with the mysterious, somewhat-of-an-outcast, world’s-most-popular singer.

“I can find more people to make friends with,” Yang replied, her smile growing when Blake chuckled and shook her head.

“I won’t stop you, but I think we have a little more work to do with Weiss first.”

“I think we have some work to do first.”  

Yang threw in a wink so Blake knew what she was referring to, which, from the way Blake rolled her eyes, was unnecessary.  Regardless, Blake grabbed the front of Yang’s shirt and tugged her down for a kiss. The moment their lips met, a surge of love and adoration flowed through her veins, traveling to her fingertips as she pulled Blake closer.

They shared so many different types of kisses - some short and sweet, some long and heated, and some - like this one - bursting with love they couldn’t express in words alone.  Yang loved every single one, whether they ultimately led to something or not. Because every kiss led somewhere - further along this unbelievably-happy path they were traveling together.

She was so lucky, and she wanted Blake to know that.

While their tongues playfully twirled together, Yang ran her hands down Blake’s sides before sliding behind her thighs and lifting her up onto the island.  When Blake giggled at their new positioning - where the upper hand had just been surrendered to her - Yang smiled against Blake’s lips and continued pouring her heart out to the beautiful girl in front of her.  

When a pair of legs wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer - now pressed fully against Blake and the counter - Yang felt her temperature increase when their kisses changed.  They suddenly grew deeper, more fervent, and more passionate, as if the two of them were running out of time - as if they wanted to get as far as possible before - 

The doorbell rang then, ending the moment just as abruptly as it started.  Leaning forward and resting her forehead on Blake’s collar, Yang groaned out loud.

“Is it just me, or are we always getting interrupted?”

“Maybe we’re kissing too often?” Blake suggested with a mischievous smile.

“That can’t be it.”  When Blake unwrapped her legs and freed Yang, she backed towards the door and made a show of checking the time.  

“How much you wanna bet that’s Weiss?”

“Arriving early?” Blake asked before shaking her head and hopping off the counter.  “Sounds like a sucker’s bet.”

Even though Blake wouldn’t give her the easy win, Yang chuckled and hurried to the front door to let Weiss in.  After Blake’s pep talk and several amazing kisses, she was raring to get this dinner party going. But first, she needed to welcome one of the guests-of-honor.

“Well, well, well,” she said while reaching for the door.  “Long time no -”

“Hey Yang!” Ruby barely got out before rushing into the living room and dropping her bag on the sofa.  No sooner had the bag left her shoulder did she hop into the kitchen to see what Blake was making. “Hey Blake!  What’s for dinner?”

“Grilled tuna and vegetables,” Blake answered, smiling at Ruby’s enthusiasm towards every bit of food she discovered on the island.

“Sounds awesome!  Need help?”

“You’re our guest,” Yang interrupted, closing the door and joining the pair in the kitchen.  “You get to sit and watch today.”

When Ruby tried to steal a carrot out of the strainer, Yang swatted her hand away.

“It won’t take long,” she said, chuckling at Ruby’s pout.  “Why’re you here so early, anyway?”

“Got bored,” Ruby answered, grabbing a carrot when Yang wasn’t paying attention.  Biting off the end and crunching happily, she grinned. “And hungry - didn’t have second lunch today.”

“So you came here to eat all our food?”  

Instead of answering, Ruby searched the island for anything else she could easily grab and shove in her mouth.  When she found nothing of interest, she opened the fridge and pulled out Yang’s leftover pasta salad from lunch.

“Can I have this?” she asked, already grabbing a fork from the drawer and removing the lid of the container.

“Sure.”  Yang shared an amused look with Blake before laughing.  “How was lunch with Pyrrha?”

“Great!”  Happy now that she had food, Ruby sat on one of the barstools to chat.  “We talked about you.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me…”

“And Blake!” Ruby added, grinning at Blake while sharing the news.

“Oh?”  Curious now that she was involved in the conversation, Blake turned away from the stove and looked at Ruby.  “What about me?”

“We talked about how you should write a part for Yang!”

Yang and Blake shared another look at the response, which wasn’t what they’d expected.

“‘Write a part for Yang?’” Blake repeated.

“Yeah!  Like a story, but with Yang in mind.  Then it can become a movie and Yang can act in it!”

“You’re full of great ideas, aren’t you?” Yang teased while helping Blake with dinner.

“You bet!”

“That’s an interesting idea though…”  While getting the rest of the food ready, Blake considered Ruby’s suggestion far more seriously than Yang had expected.

“Would you really do that?” she asked, drawing a thoughtful gaze her way.

“I could...and it might be kind of fun…”

“It would be,” Yang readily agreed before kissing Blake’s cheek.  “If you ever want me to play one of your characters, just let me know.  I’ll even work for free.”

“You’re very sweet.”  Leaning forward, Blake kissed Yang before pressing the bowl of vegetables into her hands.  “But right now, can you work on this instead?”

“I see,” Yang said while accepting her new duty.  “So the part you want me to play is ‘sous chef.’ Not a problem - I can pretend to be the best sous chef you’ve ever seen.”

When she pretended like she was going to drop the bowl on the floor, Ruby giggled and Blake smiled - which was the best set of reactions she could’ve hoped for.  

The moment she smiled, of course, she tripped for real and nearly dropped vegetables all over the kitchen floor.  She earned herself a wary gaze for the action, to which she responded with a smile and firmer grasp on the task she’d been given.

“Don’t worry, I got it!”

Blake shook her head but went back to cooking the fish while Yang faked a grimace at Ruby, who giggled and finished off the pasta salad.  Moving to the other side of the stove with her bowl of vegetables, she was mid-transfer to the steamer when the doorbell rang a second time.

“Can you get that?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder at Ruby, who immediately hopped out of her seat and headed to the door.

“Now the fun can start,” Blake whispered to Yang, who tilted her head at the statement.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see…”

Confused but willing to acquiesce for now, Yang turned away from the stove when Ruby suddenly appeared by her side.

“Why didn’t you tell me Weiss was coming??” Ruby asked in a hushed whisper.  

“What?”  Surprised by the question, Yang glanced into the living room and found that Ruby had just abandoned Weiss by the front door.  “But I thought you liked her!”

“I do, but I wasn’t expecting her to be here!”

“Sorry, guess I forgot to tell you - is it a problem?”

After thinking about it for a few seconds, Ruby shook her head.

“I just wasn’t prepared!” she replied before flying into the living room to be a good host.  Glancing at Blake, Yang lifted her hands in a ‘what gives’ gesture. 

“That was weird, right?” 

Smiling at Yang’s confusion, Blake leaned over and kissed her cheek.

“Considering what I’ve seen from your sister so far, I don’t think so.”

The answer got Yang chuckling again, because Blake was right.  On any given day, Ruby was about fifty percent weirder than the average person.  Today was no exception. 

Hearing voices approach the kitchen, Yang dropped the vegetables into a strainer and shot a glance over her shoulder.

“Hey Weiss!” she called out as Weiss walked over to the island and set a pink, cardboard box on top of it.  Only after her hands were free did she respond with a more-muted smile of her own.

“Hello Yang - Blake - it’s nice to see you again.”

“Always so formal,” Yang replied with a short laugh.  Quickly drying her hands on the towel by Blake’s side, she turned away from the stove and did an immediate double take when she fully digested Weiss’ outfit.

“Wow.  You look nice!”

Weiss looked embarrassed by the compliment, which...of course she was.  Ducking her gaze from the three gazes upon her, she tugged at the hem of her sweater and quietly cleared her throat.

“Thank you.  I didn’t want to be underdressed.”

Yang wanted to laugh at the answer but held her tongue when Blake gave her a look.  

“You look great,” Blake replied, to which Ruby enthusiastically nodded.

“Yeah, you totally do!”

It was Ruby’s compliment that finally got Weiss to blush - the softest of pinks warming her cheeks.  Yang wanted to point it out but knew that would only add to the embarrassment. So she let it slide. For now…

But that was probably the first blush she’d ever seen from Weiss!  She’d have to keep this in mind - compliment Weiss on her outfits, and she’d finally show some emotion.

“What’d you bring?” Yang asked, steering the conversation towards the pink box on the counter.  Willingly taking the change in subject, Weiss pushed the box closer to Ruby and gestured for her to open it.

“Since you’re making dinner, I thought I’d bring dessert,” Weiss explained while Ruby peeled off the stickers holding the box closed.  “I remember you said that you like this bakery…”

If Weiss planned on saying anything else, it was cut off by a squeal of delight.

“Oh my god!”  Dropping the lid on the counter, Ruby turned the box around so Yang and Blake could see its contents.  There was something of everything inside - cookies, cupcakes, small cakes - but Ruby had her eyes on one item in particular.

“Are those red velvet cookies?” Yang asked.  Grinning, Ruby pulled the box back to her.

“Are they??” she asked, pulling one out and sniffing the layer of frosting on top.  “Oh, they are.”

When Ruby took a bite out of the cookie and gave them a thumbs up, Weiss smiled - an actual smile too, like she was legitimately happy that her thoughtful gift was appreciated.

“You just made Ruby’s day,” Yang said while Ruby ate the entire cookie in a few bites.  “I didn’t even know they made red velvet cookies.”

“Oh.”  Her smile dropping slightly, Weiss turned away from Ruby’s way-too-happy grin.  “They will if you call them ahead of time,” she explained.

“I’ll try that next time.”  After smiling at Weiss, who looked rather focused on her sleeve at the moment, Yang turned to Ruby.  “What do you think? Ten out of ten?”

“Eleven out of ten!”

“I’m glad you like them.”

“I love them!  Thank you so much!”  Without thinking, Ruby turned and wrapped Weiss in a big hug.  This time, Yang did laugh at the shocked expression on Weiss’ face.  It didn’t look like she knew what to do, so she awkwardly raised one hand and patted Ruby's shoulder.  

That was Ruby though - handing out hugs without a second thought.  To Weiss Schnee, of all people.

By the time Ruby backed away, she was the one blushing - probably because she just realized what she’d done.  And from Weiss’ stunned silence, she had no idea what to think about it. They were on their way to being best friends, that was for sure.

“The fish is done,” Blake said, breaking the silence and giving Yang a meaningful glance.  “Ruby, want to help me set the table?”

“Yeah!”

Taking the subtle cue, Yang watched the two carry plates and utensils out to the table before moving closer to Weiss.

“Hey, sorry about Ruby,” she said, lowering her voice and making sure Ruby wasn’t paying attention.  “She’s always been...prone to hugging.” Realizing she was essentially apologizing for Ruby being cute and affectionate, she chuckled but added, “I’ll tell her to take a chill pill if you want.”

“Oh.  Well…”  After glancing at Ruby - who immediately noticed the look and tripped over a chair - Weiss smiled and turned back to Yang.  “I don’t mind. It was just...unexpected.”

Laughing at the diplomatic answer, Yang patted Weiss’ shoulder and grabbed the dishes of food to take to the table.

“If I were you, I’d brace yourself for more unexpected hugs.  She gives them pretty frequently.”

“I’ll keep that in mind…” was Weiss’ soft response while following Yang to the rarely-used dining table.  

On a typical day, the wooden oval served as a gathering place for an assortment of odds and ends from the mail to copies of Blake’s manuscripts to Yang’s ‘lost’ booklets of lines.  Through Blake’s wizardry, however, the table had transformed for the evening. All of the junk was hidden in the closet and replaced by an elegant, soft-yellow tablecloth that Yang hadn’t even known they owned.  Somehow, they also ended up with a centerpiece - with real flowers in it - that made the space look dinner-party ready.

Seriously, Yang owed Blake a million thanks for being so amazing.  Without her unceasing consideration of the small details, they could very well be eating on the sofa out of take-out containers.  Not that there was anything wrong with eating out of take-out containers...but Weiss freaking Schnee was here!  They needed to know each other a little better before Yang suggested eating out of styrofoam.

“You guys ready to eat?” she asked while setting the plates on the table and watching Blake inconspicuously move them into better positions.

“You bet!” Ruby answered with a hop of joy that made Yang shake her head.

“You’re always ready to eat,” she teased before turning to Weiss.  “What about you, Weiss? Are you hungry?”

Unlike Ruby, Weiss actually thought about the question before nodding.

“I can eat,” she answered with a small smile that grew slightly bigger when Ruby made a happy little noise.  “Where should I sit?”

“Across from Ruby, if you want.”  

After gesturing towards the empty chair, Yang pulled out her usual seat across from Blake and sat down.  Ruby was already sitting beside her and reaching for the plates of food, which Blake had positioned within easy reach.  It was almost as if, somehow, she knew who would sit where and who would be eating first. 

The thoughtfulness made Yang fall even deeper in love with the girl sitting across from her.  It may seem like a small thing, but it was a big deal to her. Growing up, she was in charge of feeding Ruby most of the time - that was her responsibility as Ruby’s older sister.  And right now...it felt very much like Blake was also taking care of Ruby, which was worthy of eternal gratitude in Yang’s book.

“Thank you for inviting me,” Weiss said while Ruby helped herself to a plate full of food and passed the dish across the table.

“Of course.”  Catching Yang’s gaze, Blake gave her a small smile before continuing.  “We’re glad you could make it.”

After taking a miniscule-by-comparison portion for herself, Weiss politely passed the dishes to Blake and smiled.

“Fortunately, it worked perfectly in my schedule.”

“That’s because I have impeccable timing!” Yang boasted before accepting the serving platters from Blake so she could get her own dinner.  “Wow, this looks fantastic.”

“Tastes fantastic too!” Ruby piped in from across the table.

“I agree with that,” Weiss added, lifting another forkful and smiling at Blake.  “It’s very good.”

Blake accepted the praise as she usually did - with a soft “thank you” before turning towards Yang.

“Yang helped too.”

“I dropped vegetables into a steamer,” Yang replied with a shake of her head.  “I don’t know if you can call that helping.”

“I don’t,” Ruby added, sending Yang a big smile before going back to her dinner.

“I still appreciate it.”  After reaching across the table and squeezing Yang’s hand, Blake started her meal. And their dinner officially began -

With nothing but silence broken by the sound of forks clinking against plates.

It took approximately two seconds for Yang to feel uncomfortable with the lack of conversation.  While she understood that not every second needed to be filled, she needed some sort of talking.  If no one spoke soon, their entire dinner could pass with nothing discussed other than how great of a cook Blake is.  That was an acceptable dinner on any other day, but today she was hoping for something a little more lively.

She could almost hear the silence ringing in her ears.  Five seconds had passed. Someone else must have noticed by now.  Surely Ruby noticed - the two of them had a ridiculously low threshold for quiet.

As soon as Ruby cleared her throat, Yang smiled.  The cavalry was here.

“So, uh, Weiss, what do you do?”

Yang’s brow shot up at the question, which...wasn’t exactly what she’d expected.  Mostly because everyone knew the answer to that already. After glancing at Blake - who seemed equal parts surprised and amused - Yang looked at Weiss, who seemed at a loss for how to respond.

“I...well...I’m a singer…”

“Oh, right!” Ruby exclaimed, chuckling and smacking her head at the silly error.  “I knew that. I mean, they play your songs everywhere.”

“I suppose they do…”

“But like, are there other things you do?  Without the singing and stuff?”

For several long seconds, Weiss looked very much like she wanted to answer the question, but she had no idea what Ruby was trying to ask.

“Do you mean...other things I do...as part of recording songs?”

“No, I, uh -”  Taking a deep breath and puffing out her cheeks, Ruby turned to Yang for help.  Chuckling at the pleading expression, Yang decided to bail her sister out.

“I think she means, what do you do when you’re not working?” she explained, smiling when Ruby broke into a huge grin and nodded.

“Yeah!  That’s it - what Yang said.”

“Oh.”  Catching only a fraction of Ruby’s smile, Weiss glanced to the side and considered the question.  “I...well, I work a lot,” she answered. “But when I have free time, I like to play piano.”

“Piano?  That’s really cool.”

“I don’t know about cool, but it’s something I’ve done ever since I was little.”

“Then I bet you’re really good at it,” Ruby replied before her eyes widened and she quickly added, “Not that you have to be super good at it.  If it’s something you like to do, you can suck at it - that’s fine too!  As long as you’re having fun, right?”

“Did you just give her permission to suck at playing piano?” Yang asked before sticking another bite of food in her mouth.

“No!  Well, yes.  Kind of. I mean...you know what I mean.”

The response was textbook flustered Ruby.  Somehow, she wrapped the perfect amounts of hyper chit-chat and spazzy questions with a super adorable bow.  Even Weiss smiled at the lovable display, which was definitely far cuter than anything she saw at work (Yang would bet on that).

“Didn’t you play on some of your recent songs?” Blake asked, expertly directing the conversation back to Weiss.

“I did.  The accompaniment.”

“So if I buy the CD, I can listen to you play?” Ruby asked, abuzz with energy once more.

“Well, yes.  If you wanted to.”  For a second, Weiss paused - and Yang couldn’t figure out if she was more thrown off by the idea of Ruby listening to her play piano or the idea of Ruby buying her CD.

“I could always play for you sometime,” she finally added, answering the question for Yang while giving Ruby a nervous smile.  “If we’re ever near a piano…”

“That sounds really, really awesome.”  With a smile the size that Ruby currently wore, she was liable to overload the circuitry in the apartment.  Thankfully, she quickly traded the megawatt grin for a thoughtful expression. “Where can we find a piano?”

“Well, I have one at home…”  As soon as Weiss made the statement - which sounded an awful lot like an invitation over to her house - she added, “Or there are several at the studio.  That’s where the recordings are made.”

“It’s that big building in the arts district, right?” Blake asked, somehow getting to Yang’s questions before she could even open her mouth.

“It is.  Actually...if you’re interested, I can show you around the studio sometime.”  The instant Weiss extended the invitation, she shot a worried glance towards Yang.  “I mean, if that’s ok with you.”

Realizing that Weiss was essentially requesting permission to hang out with Ruby, Yang laughed and waved off the concern.  It was nice, and kind of weird, but ultimately unnecessary. It was just a studio tour, not a date!

“I’m not her handler, Weiss,” she replied while Ruby nodded.  “That sounds great though! You guys should hang out - seriously.  Like all the time.”

The response made Ruby blush - because Ruby blushed at anything - while Weiss looked moderately relieved.  

Internally, Yang jumped for joy.  Even though Weiss didn’t have the most free time in the world, she was one more person Ruby could spend time with.  Plus, if they really hit it off, Ruby was more likely to stick around to make a new friend - Yang was pretty positive about that.  And Weiss could use a friend as sweet and caring as Ruby. It was a win-win all the way around.

“How’s work going, Yang?” Weiss asked, looking down at her plate while clearly changing the subject.  “I heard an entire block was shut down recently for filming.”

Smiling at the bit of correct news, Yang leaned back in her chair and glanced at Blake.  The abrupt topic change seemed to have caught Blake’s attention, and now she was studying Weiss while piecing the reason together.  While she did that, Yang would update everyone on filming.

“It’s going great!  They closed the streets for a car chase, which was a lot of fun.”  Grinning at the memory, Yang finally caught Blake’s eyes - and when Blake smiled, Yang felt her grin grow even bigger.  There was something about Blake's smile that made her happier than she just was...

“How much longer will you be filming?”

Weiss’ follow-up question pulled Yang away from Blake's eyes and back to the conversation.

“We’re almost finished, actually.  We’ll wrap up in a week or so, then I’ll be free as a bird to spend all of my time with Ruby.”

“Really??” Ruby asked, her eyes widening at the unexpected news.

“Yeah!  Until I start another project, at least.”

“Plus, you’ll have to share her with me,” Blake added with a friendly smile, to which Ruby giggled and waved both hands through the air.

“You can take her!  But when you’re busy, I’ll babysit.”

“Hey!” Yang protested.  “I don’t need a babysitter - I need a baby sister.”

When she winked at Blake, she received a deadpan expression in return.

“It sounds like I’ll be pretty busy,” Blake told Ruby, who broke into more adorable giggles at the playful banter.

Playful banter at Yang’s expense - not that she minded.  Seeing two of her favorite people get along so well made her feel like she was sitting on clouds eating rainbows off plates of gold.

“What’re you working on next?” Ruby asked while hopping in her seat, the motion drawing Weiss’ amused gaze.  “Will you be a pirate? An astronaut? A...space ninja?”

Laughing at the list of possible roles, Yang shook her head and turned towards Blake, who was familiar with her future options.  

“There are a few projects I’m considering, but nothing set in stone yet.  A little break wouldn’t be that bad either.”

Reaching across the table, Blake set her hand on top of Yang’s.

“You deserve a break after how hard you’ve been working.”

“Me?  What about you?  You’ve been cranking out drafts nonstop.”

“We’re not talking about me at the moment.”

“And why aren’t we?”  When Yang winked, Blake rolled her eyes and waved a hand through the air. 

“Compared to you three, my work is boring.”

“That’s not true!” Yang protested while Weiss shook her head.

“I don’t even have a job!” Ruby pointed out.

“I’d consider ‘traveling the world’ a type of job.  Or a very involved hobby,” Blake reasoned, but Ruby shook her head.

“I don’t get paid for it.  Plus, the only things I bring back are stories for my friends and family, and souvenirs if I don’t lose them.  You write stories about other worlds, and so many people love to read them! Maybe it looks boring because it’s ‘just’ a book, but what you write is definitely not boring.  And I would know - I just read a few of them!”

After studying Ruby for a few seconds - undoubtedly trying to find a way to wiggle out of the compliment - Blake eventually gave up and smiled.

“I guess you have a point.”

If it wouldn’t be completely obvious, Yang would give Ruby a bear hug right then.  She just made Blake feel better! While that was a typical thing for Ruby to do, Yang loved it even more that she did it for Blake.

“So true,” Yang added, making sure to let Blake know she agreed with Ruby’s words before letting the subject drift behind them.  She didn’t want to embarrass Blake by going on and on about how amazing she was - that could wait until later.

But Blake was amazing.  She worked harder than anyone Yang knew (besides Weiss, maybe), and she was great at her job.  Although that paled beside how kind and gracious she was with her fans, and how grounded she stayed despite the fame.  She was a real person.  

Not that Yang ever thought Blake was a robot or something (although if anyone saw how fast she typed, they might start to wonder).  She was real as in...she didn’t put up a front. She didn’t pretend. She didn’t try to be anyone other than herself. Which was perfect, because Yang loved her just the way she was.

Feeling a foot gently touch hers, Yang jolted out of her thoughts and caught a smirk from across the table.

“Yes, what do you think about that, Yang?” Blake asked while running her foot up Yang’s shin.  From the sparkle in her eyes, she knew Yang hadn’t been paying attention and therefore had no idea what was just asked.  

Fortunately, she operated best under immense pressure!  Which...well, Weiss and Ruby looking at her wasn’t exactly immense pressure, but close enough.  Especially when she didn’t even know which one asked the question.

“Oh, you know, I have a lot of thoughts about a lot of things,” she spitballed with a confident smile.  “But I don’t wanna bore you with the details. Long story short - Ruby knows exactly how I feel.”

“Knew it!” Ruby cheered with a triumphant fist pump.  “That’s why we always go early.”

When Ruby nodded and the subject somehow dropped, Yang was left wondering what the heck they normally went to early.  It was hard to care about that for long though, because Blake was still running her foot up and down Yang’s leg underneath the table.  Suddenly, she understood the true power of tablecloths.

“Are you going to finish that?” Ruby asked, oblivious to the one-sided footsy going on beside her while gesturing towards Weiss’ half-filled plate.  It was a good question seeing as how Weiss had already set down her utensils as if she was finished.

“Oh.”  After glancing at her plate, Weiss gave Yang a hesitant smile.  “Yes, I think so. Sorry, I don’t normally eat so much.”

Waving off the concern, Yang actually laughed when she turned and saw Ruby lick her lips.

“Not a problem.  That’s why we have a vacuum cleaner.”

While Weiss looked confused by the term, Yang nudged Ruby’s shoulder and nodded across the table.  Instead of immediately devouring anything left in sight, however, Ruby tapped her fingers together and averted her gaze.

“Uh, yeah if you’re not going to finish that...maybe I could?”

“You...want to eat my...my food?”

Of all the ways Weiss could’ve phrased that question, she chose the one that sounded the most awkward - so awkward that Yang chuckled and shared an amused glance with Blake.  Ruby, however, blushed like the world’s most adorable tomato.

“If you’re done…” she mumbled towards her hands, looking like she wished she never brought up the topic to begin with.  Fortunately, Weiss sensed Ruby’s regret and spoke again.

“I am.”  Pushing the plate across the table, she added at the last second, “And you can eat anything of mine you want.”  

When Yang’s brow shot up at the remark, Weiss shook her head and blushed a furious shade of red.

“I mean - that you can - just, feel free to have my food.”

Officially, the most bumbling exchange of food ever.

Yang opened her mouth to add to the blushes on Ruby and Weiss’ cheeks, but her eyes widened when Blake’s foot slid across her inner thigh and drew all of her attention.  A soft “uhh…” slipped past her lips as she looked at Blake, who calmly winked before removing her foot and collecting her silverware and plate.

“Help me clean up the dishes?” she asked while standing up.  “Then we can have dessert.”

“Right!”  Jumping to her feet, Yang slammed her knee into the table and nearly knocked the centerpiece over.  Fortunately, Blake grabbed it before it fell and righted it with a smirk.

“Sorry…” Yang said with an apologetic smile.  Blake wasn’t at all upset though. If anything, she looked far more entertained while heading into the kitchen.  

Grabbing as many empty dishes as she could carry - and briefly noticing that Weiss and Ruby were still blushing - Yang hurried after.

“Blake,” she whispered after catching up to Blake at the sink.  “Things are going pretty well, right?”

“You mean between Weiss and Ruby?”  When Yang nodded, Blake looked at the pair before turning back with a smile.  “I think so.”

“I think so too!” Yang replied with a big smile while setting her stack of dishes in the sink.  “I mean, they’re a little awkward, but that was pretty much guaranteed with Ruby around.”

That was a bit of an understatement.  Ruby was a world-class talent in sticking her foot in her mouth.  As she was proving tonight, she could take someone calm, cool, and collected (like Weiss) and reduce them to blushes and flustered behavior.  Of course, Weiss couldn’t even be upset by the change in circumstances because Ruby was just so darn cute while going about her awkward ways.

“You know…” Blake mused, leaning against the counter and giving Yang a heart-warming smile.  “Ruby reminds me of you when we started dating.”

“Charming and quick-witted?” Yang teased, smiling when Blake laughed and shook her head.

“More like stumbling over your words and tripping over your feet.”

“Hey!  I never tripped.”  

“Are you sure about that?” Blake asked - one perfectly-arched eyebrow voicing her disbelief.

“Positive.  Sure, I stumbled over my words, made a fool of myself all the time, blushed whenever you looked at me, and had mini heart attacks every time you were close enough to touch me - but I never literally tripped.”

As soon as Yang said the word, Ruby raced into the kitchen and nearly face planted when her foot magically caught on the floor.

“Hey Yang?” she asked after regaining her balance and glancing towards the kitchen table.  “Do you think Weiss was serious?” she asked in a whisper. “About showing me around her studio?”

“I think so.  Why? You wanna go?”

“Yeah!  I think that’d be super awesome, but like...I don’t know how to bring it up again.”

Smiling at the conundrum, Yang set her hands on Ruby’s shoulders and gave her a gentle shake.

“That’s easy!  Just say, ‘Hey, about that studio tour - I’d like to go.  When are you free?’” 

Brow furrowed, Ruby mulled over the words while mouthing them to herself.  Eventually, her expression brightened and she gave Yang a big smile. 

“I think I can do that!”

With one hand still on Ruby’s shoulder, Yang turned her sister towards the living room and gave her a gentle push.

“Of course you can.  And Weiss is nice, so don’t worry.  She’ll definitely take you when she has time.”

Stopping for a second and taking a deep breath, Ruby nodded, walked back to the kitchen table, and sat across from Weiss.  Not one to miss the entertainment, Yang grabbed the box of baked goods off the counter and waved Blake after her.

“Watch,” she whispered as they headed back to the table, never dropping her gaze from whatever was about to happen.  Friendships were about to be made! But, knowing Ruby, they would be made in the most awkward way possible.

“So, uh, Weiss,” Ruby was saying while Blake and Yang returned to their seats.  “About that...studio thing. I, uh, had something to say about that.”

“Ok…” Weiss replied, looking curious and uncertain at the same time.  Yang, meanwhile, grinned at the early deviation from the line she’d given to Ruby, who must’ve forgotten it by now.

“I’ve never been to a studio before.”

Like everyone else at the table, Yang found herself leaning forward in anticipation of whatever Ruby would say next.  That appeared to be the end of it, however, which explained the growing blush on Ruby’s cheeks and the confusion in Weiss’ eyes.

Yang had no idea why this was so hard to ask, but maybe that’s because she wasn’t nervous around Weiss (anymore).  Ruby could be nervous though - Weiss was a pretty big celebrity, after all.

“Does that mean you want to see Weiss’ studio?” Blake asked, coming to Ruby’s rescue in a big way.  Yang had been prepared to watch Ruby fumble around for a bit longer, saying who-knows-what and making everyone squirm in their seats with embarrassment-by-proxy -

This was why Blake was a better person than her…

“Yes!” Ruby exhaled in relief.  “I’d like to see your studio, if you’re still willing to show me.”

For some reason, Weiss looked just as relieved as Ruby at finally getting the request out in the open.

“Of course.  I’d love to show you around - when are you free?”

“Oh, uh…whenever.  I’m not doing much right now.”

“Then let’s plan a time this week?” Weiss asked, smiling when Ruby nodded.

And Yang’s heart just about burst with happiness at the future plans.  This meant Ruby had something else to keep her occupied, and another person to hang out with.  Which meant she couldn’t possibly get bored, right? Hopefully not. 

Deep down, Yang hoped that Ruby would make enough connections that she’d stick around Vale for good - and that she’d want to stick around.  Maybe that was just a dream, but there was no harm in dreaming big.

“Now that you’ve got your date planned,” Yang interrupted while sliding the pink bakery box to the middle of the table.  “It’s time for dessert, courtesy of the one-and-only Weiss Schnee.”

“Best dessert I’ve ever heard of!” Ruby piped in, lifting the lid off the box so they could see the assortment of baked goods within.

“I call the chocolate cake,” Yang said.  But when she noticed Blake already reaching towards the individual-sized cake, she quickly added, “For Blake, of course!”

While Ruby giggled at Yang’s attempt to fix her mix-up, Blake set the cake on a small plate and picked up two forks.  

“I thought we’d share.” 

And when Blake gave a single bat of her eyes, Yang folded like a house of cards.

“I’d love to.  Sounds super romantic.”

“I can think of a way to make it even more romantic,” Blake replied while sectioning off a small piece and holding it on her fork.  

When Blake motioned for Yang to open her mouth, she promptly remembered that they had company and blushed.  Of course, Blake read right through the blush and laughed while putting the fork in her mouth instead. Meanwhile, Ruby claimed a selection of treats for herself, which Weiss seemed quite intent upon while picking out a plain vanilla cake.

“Cataloguing her selections?” Yang teased, drawing Weiss’ gaze to her in surprise.  When she gestured towards Ruby’s plate, she could swear that Weiss blushed again.

“I’ve never had anything from this bakery, besides the birthday cake you ordered, so I wanted to see what’s good.” 

“Everything’s good!” Ruby answered simply.  “Oh, here - I’ll share. You’ve gotta try some of everything!” 

Weiss hardly opened her mouth to protest before Ruby started cutting everything in half and putting it on her plate.

“I don’t think anyone but you can eat that much, Ruby,” Yang pointed out.

“I’ll eat whatever you can’t,” Ruby told Weiss with another genuine smile.  “But I wanna know what you think!”

Surprisingly (to Yang, at least), ‘no’ didn’t even flicker through Weiss’ eyes.  Instead, she nodded while accepting the plate filled with treats, her eyes never leaving Ruby.

“Ok.  I’ll try them.”

The answer seemed particularly pleasing to Ruby, who smiled while taking a bite of a marble cupcake.  Her smile only grew when Weiss picked up the corresponding piece and took a bite herself.

“What do you think?” Ruby asked as soon as Weiss finished chewing.

“Sweet...but good.”

“On a scale of one-to-ten,” Ruby added, her smile growing at the thought that Weiss had liked it.  “Ten being the best thing you’ve ever eaten - what would you rate it?”

Pursing her lips, Weiss thought over her answer for several seconds before responding with a succinct, “Three.”

Ruby’s jaw nearly unhinged and fell on the table at the low rating.

“Three??  What kind of food are you eating??”

Weiss laughed at the response, and Yang was about to join in before a welcome friend returned to her leg.  Leaving Weiss and Ruby to figure out their ratings, Yang smiled at the sly gaze aimed at her from across the table.

“What kind of food are you eating?” Blake asked.  And, while the question might’ve been normal, the tone she said it in, the sparkle in her eyes, and the way she stuck another piece of chocolate cake in her mouth implied otherwise.

“You know, I try to keep it...organic.”

Yang thought it was a pretty good answer, but Blake laughed and shook her head.  Fortunately, her foot maintained its casual, deliberate path up and down Yang’s calf.  She had to know what Yang was thinking, and how she was silently wishing for Blake to venture a little higher, be a little more risqué.

“Are you going to have any?” Blake asked, breaking Yang out of her daze while gesturing towards the cake.

“Oh, don’t worry,” she replied while sticking her fork in the cake and sectioning off a piece.  “I plan on having plenty.”

“Do you?”

The moment Blake withdrew her foot, Yang could’ve kicked herself.  For what, she didn’t even know. Apparently, that wasn’t the right answer!

Instead of doubling down on a response, she stuck the cake in her mouth and tried to think of a better answer.  Maybe she should just literally eat the cake?

“Is it good?” Blake asked.  

“Pretty good.  I’ve definitely had better.  Just last night, in fact.”

Again, Blake’s eyes sparkled with mirth, which only made Yang further believe her answers were actually on the right track.  She would find out tonight when they were finally alone, which reminded her…

“So you liked the vanilla cake the best!” Ruby summarized, looking both miffed and excited at the new knowledge.

“And you liked the red velvet best,” Weiss replied, looking pretty pleased when Ruby nodded.

“It was even better because you had them made special for me!  Or, special for us - not just me.” After shaking her head, Ruby threw on a bright smile and added, “I could probably eat a hundred of them!”

“I can get more if you’d like.”

“Oh!  No, that’s ok -”

“I wouldn’t mind.” 

“You’re busy though!  Don’t worry, I’ll stop by tomorrow or something.”

Weiss opened her mouth to respond, looking very much like she intended to argue, but then smiled and nodded instead.  The brief pause gave Yang the perfect opportunity to nudge Ruby’s shoulder and rejoin the conversation.

“I’ll come with you,” she offered, earning a huge smile from Ruby before looking across the table.  “So Weiss, besides throwing the year’s biggest birthday bash, what’s new with you?”

The moment the room’s attention turned to her, Weiss sat back in her chair, almost as if she wanted to physically move away from it.  Blake looked away, granting Weiss’ silent request, but Yang smiled. She wanted Weiss to get more comfortable with attention. Not necessarily the world’s attention - she couldn’t help with that - but at least with their attention.  Plus, how could they get to know her better if she refused to talk about herself?

“There isn’t much that’s new…”

“How’s work going?  What are you working on now?” Yang had at least ten more questions on standby but forced herself to stop at two.  Any more and she risked overloading the poor girl.

“Work is fine.  The label scheduled quite a few publicity events, so I’ve been going to those.” 

“I thought I heard you on the radio the other day,” Blake added.  “But I only caught the tail-end of it so wasn’t sure.” 

“Yes, there was that.”  When Weiss leaned a little closer to the table, Yang smiled.  “There were also a couple TV segments they wanted me to tape, and a few interviews.”

“That sounds really cool!” 

Weiss’ gaze latched onto Ruby the moment she rejoined the conversation.

“I guess so, but it’s tedious sometimes.” 

“But also cool, right?  I’ve always wanted to be on the radio.” 

“You have a great radio voice,” Yang teased.  

“Right??” Ruby grinned at Yang before turning back to Weiss.  “What was it like though?”

Again, Weiss looked confused by the question.  “It was...long? They scripted the entire thing, but it still took longer than I would’ve liked.”

“But what was it like?  Like when you got there?” 

Yang understood Weiss’ confusion, which everyone probably felt when they first met Ruby.  She didn’t ask typical questions. That didn’t mean she asked bad questions - they were...different.  Unique and quirky, just like she was.

“You mean...when I walked into the building?” Weiss asked, clearly making an attempt to get to the root of what Ruby wanted to know.

“Yeah!  Start there.  So you walk into the building...wait - what type of building was it?  Big and tall? Small? What were the doors like?”

Yang laughed at the questions, which seemed like too many, but Weiss leaned all the way forward and set her hands on the table.  

“You want me to describe the building to you?” 

“And the doors,” Yang pointed out while Ruby nodded beside her.  And, even though Weiss initially looked confused by the request, she eventually smiled.  

“Do you actually want to know?”

“Yeah!  Then I can imagine it.  I can pretend it was me!”

After glancing at Yang, who nodded and gave an encouraging smile, Weiss turned back to Ruby with that same smile in place.

“The building was tall - about twenty stories, maybe.  I can’t remember the color...maybe grey?”

Feeling another nudge at her ankle, Yang turned and caught Blake’s head gesture before she stood and picked up her and Weiss’ dessert plates.  Taking the hint, Yang grabbed hers and Ruby’s before following Blake into the kitchen.

“That was really cute,” Blake whispered while setting the dishes in the sink and turning on the water.

“Right?  Ruby’s good at getting people to talk.” 

“You are too.  But sometimes you take a more...direct approach.” 

“We figured out what she’s been up to, at least!”  Glancing over her shoulder and finding Weiss still talking while Ruby raptly listened, Yang smiled and moved closer to Blake so as not to look too suspicious.  “You’re right though. Ruby just got her to talk a lot more than I ever could.”

“I wouldn’t doubt your ability to put people at ease.”  Setting the dessert plates in the dishwasher, Blake dried off her hands and moved closer to Yang.  “I think Ruby just has an advantage you don’t.”

Tilting her head at the response, Yang felt both her confusion and excitement stir up when Blake took a step closer.

“What do you mean?”

“Well…”  Blake glanced towards the dining table and smiled.  “Ruby’s not part of the celebrity sphere, right?”

“Ah.”  Yang nodded when she caught on to what Blake meant.  “Right. She’s more of an outsider.”

“Exactly.”  Taking another step, Blake reached up and smoothed the invisible creases from Yang’s collar, erasing the previous conversation from her mind in the process.  “I’m curious though…” Blake whispered while running her fingers through Yang’s hair. “How far are you willing to go with your sister here?” 

“Uh -”

“Like, would you run to the grocery store?” Blake added while seamlessly moving away, taking Yang’s heart and thoughts with her.  “Because I thought some after dessert, tea would be nice.” 

“Are you...serious?” Struggling through the abrupt u-turn the conversation had taken, Yang stared while Blake smiled and moved over to one of the kitchen cupboards.

“Oh, nevermind - we have some right here.”  Blake pulled a box out of the cupboard and waved it in the air, but it wasn’t until she winked that Yang knew she’d just been played like a fiddle.  Not that she minded, but...ideally, she’d still be rewarded later.

“Just so you know...I’d probably go pretty far.” 

Blake’s smirk disappeared as her brow raised.

“Really?” 

With a fragment of the upper hand returned to her, Yang stepped forward and set her hands on Blake’s waist.

“Definitely.  I’ll just put a movie on for her or something - she’d never know.” 

Smiling at the response, Blake leaned forward and kissed Yang before patting her side.

“I think she’s more mature than you give her credit for.” 

With that, Blake walked back to the table, and Yang looked at Ruby.

Ruby was still a kid, kind of.  Sure, she was pretty tall now. And she traveled the world on her own.  She also had stories and street savvy beyond her years, but she still broke her cell phone every other day and giggled at the word ‘flummoxed.’

“Would you like some tea?” Blake offered Weiss, who glanced at the box and shook her head.

“Oh, no, thank you.”

“Ruby?” Blake asked next, but Ruby shook her head and raised both hands.

“No tea drinkers,” Yang commented with a smile while Blake shrugged and set the box on the table.  “What do you guys think - wanna watch a movie?”

The idea was an instant winner with Ruby - who lit up with excitement - but Weiss glanced at her watch before scooting back in her seat.

“Oh...well...I should probably get going…”  

When Weiss gave them an apologetic smile, Yang narrowed her eyes.  It felt like one of those times someone left only so they didn’t overstay their welcome, but she couldn’t call Weiss out for it.  Not without potentially embarrassing her or making the entire room uncomfortable.

“Ah, too bad,” Yang said instead.  “You’re welcome to stay, but we understand if you’re busy.”

“Thank you.”  With an easy exit granted, Weiss smiled.  “It was really nice to see you guys again,” she added before turning to Ruby.  “You too, Ruby.”

“Y-yeah!  Nice to see you again too!”

Chuckling at Ruby's stammers, Yang stood up when Weiss did and led her to the front door.

“Thanks for coming over though.  Think we can do this again?”

Yang expected a 'no' or half-hearted acceptance.  Instead, Weiss smiled and nodded. 

“I’d like that.  I’ll try to free up more time in my schedule.”

For a second, Yang just stared.  She thought she heard Weiss correctly, but that couldn’t have been right.

“Are you serious?” she asked, feeling her surprise grow when Weiss nodded again.

“I’ll try.  No promises though.”  With a small smile, Weiss ducked her head and stepped through the door Yang opened for her.  “I hope you have a good night.” After waving to Ruby and Blake, Weiss headed towards the elevator without another word.

No sooner had Yang closed the door and turned around did she find Ruby racing over to her.

“Hey kiddo - did you have fun?”

“Yeah!” After smiling to symbolize her happiness, Ruby gestured towards the door.  “I’m gonna head out too if that’s ok?”

Yang had expected Ruby to stay later - because she always stayed later - so the response was a bit of a surprise.  She quickly snapped out of it, however, and smiled.

“Yeah, sure!” she said, watching Ruby scramble to get her shoes on as fast as possible.  “Call me later?”

“You bet!”  Once her shoes were on, Ruby gave Yang a quick hug before waving to Blake.  “See ya, Blake!” she called out before racing down the hall and taking the stairs.  

Moderately confused by the unceremonious exit, Yang watched the stairwell door bang shut before turning to Blake.

“She’s in a rush, isn’t she?”

“I wonder if she can beat the elevator downstairs…” Blake wondered, mulling over the question for several seconds before shaking her head and moving closer to Yang.  “Did you have a good time?”

“I did!  That was fun, right?  You had fun?”

When Blake laughed, Yang felt a warm blush on her cheeks.  Apparently, she did this thing where she answered a question then immediately sought Blake’s opinion on the answer.  It was like she had an obsessive, uncontrollable need for Blake’s thoughts or something. She wasn’t going to change that though.

“I had fun,” Blake replied while reaching out and holding Yang’s hands.  “They’re both very sweet.”

“Aren’t they?”  Sitting on one of the dining room chairs, Yang gently pulled Blake over to sit in her lap.  Next, she wrapped her arms around Blake’s waist while Blake ran a hand through her hair.

“I’m calling that the perfect dinner party,” Yang surmised while Blake worked wonders in easing away any remaining nerves.  “The food was awesome - thanks to our marvelous chef - our guests got along well, and they left early! Sounds pretty perfect to me.”

“Yes, they did get along well, didn’t they...” Blake mused, looking at the door while her brow furrowed in thought.

“What’re you thinking?”

Turning away with a blank expression on her face, Blake shrugged and traced a finger along Yang’s ear.  The sensation sent a shiver of thrill down her spine while she looked into Blake’s eyes and hoped for the feeling to continue.

“Oh, nothing.  Just an idea I had…”

The response made Yang grin and shift Blake closer, feeling her skin tingle when Blake’s body heat collided with her own.

“You and your ideas,” she said with a smile.  “Do you ever run out of them?”

When Blake suddenly smirked, Yang’s heart stuttered in anticipation of whatever she would say next.

“As a matter of fact, I do run out of ideas sometimes,” she began, weaving her hand through Yang’s hair before trailing it along her collarbone, eliciting a path of goosebumps as she did so.  “I was hoping you could help me come up with new ones for a scene I want to write.”

As usual, Yang rapidly lost her ability to function while Blake ran her hands through her hair, and over her shoulders, and just...every time Blake touched her, it became harder to think about anything other than...Blake, and the passionate, sensuous things they could do together.

“Uh...sure!  Anything...anything I can help with - I’ll try.”

“Great.”  The disjointed answer did nothing to erase the smirk from Blake’s lips.  If anything, it only made her more assured in whatever she meant to say next.  “Now, it’s a bedroom scene, so it might help if we were in there…”

Shooting out of her chair like it was on fire, Yang barely heard Blake’s adorable yelp of surprise before dragging the girl towards their bedroom.  

Apparently, the dinner party had restored her libido - which she meant to exhaust again right now.  All in the name of helping Blake come up with new ideas, of course. As any good person with an incredibly sexy girlfriend would do.