The Vale Voice - Chapter 16 (Patreon)

Even though Blake hardly slept, Saturday morning arrived faster than expected.  And, even though she was exhausted from running through hundreds of ‘what if’ scenarios, she dragged herself out of bed and got ready for work like any normal day.  

That’s what she kept telling herself - it was a normal day.  A normal workday where she headed into the office and saw her coworkers.  Then there was that little part about finding out whether or not the revamp made a difference, which most certainly determined the course of their careers from here.  

What if nothing happened?  Lack of response might be better than the worst-case scenario - a steep decline in sales.  No matter what the numbers looked like, even if they were atrocious, she couldn’t lie to her coworkers.  If they asked how good or bad the sales figures were, she would have to tell them.

Hopefully, she didn’t need to do that at all.  Because maybe, just maybe, the numbers looked good.  Healthy.  Not like a paper on its last gasping breaths.  After so many months of disappointment, she knew better than to get her hopes up.  Yet, she still did, even as she skipped her morning tea for fear of overhearing talk about The Vale Voice in public.  She didn’t want any spoilers, good or bad.

As soon as she arrived at the office, right before eleven, her gaze went to her computer.  She wanted to know as much as anyone, but she wouldn’t check before everyone else arrived.  Theoretically, she could take a peek and prepare herself for the answer, but she firmly believed everyone deserved to know the moment she did.  Plus, Velvet would certainly catch her in that lie.  So she sat at Yang’s desk - the furthest possible seat from her office - clasped her hands together, and waited.

Part of her found it ridiculous to be this anxious.  They did great work this week.  Every article was interesting and informative, while centered around topics that impacted Faunus.  With that focus, most Faunus should be interested in at least one piece, if not all of them.  

Regardless, she was anxious.  They did what they set out to do, and they did it really damn well.  But would current readers accept the change?  Would new readers give it a try?  Or, after all that work, would no one even care?

Footsteps drew her attention away from the constant questions, and her heart breathed a sigh of relief when Yang opened the door.  After taking one look at Blake, Yang smiled and shook her head.

“Damn.”  With two cups in hand, Yang walked over and set both on the desk before dropping her bag on the floor.  “I tried to beat you but hit every single light.  You haven’t been here long, have you?”

“Just a few minutes.”  

When Blake moved to get out of Yang’s chair, Yang motioned for her to stay put.  After settling back in, she watched Yang look at the cups before picking one up and offering it over.

“I got you a tea, if you want it.” 

Briefly at a loss for words, Blake accepted the cup and struggled to name the emotions running through her.  Happiness?  Gratitude?  Delight?  Whatever they were, they were good - uplifting, calming emotions.

“Thank you,” she murmured before taking a sip and sighing.  It tasted a little different from her usual tea, suggesting Yang went to a different coffeeshop, but the warmth and fragrance did wonders in easing her tension.  Plus, Yang’s consideration on such a stressful day wasn’t lost on her.  The fact that Yang thought about her at all was actually very...sweet and endearing.

“What did you get?” she asked, watching Yang sit atop the desk and sip from the second cup.  From here, she could smell a combination of spices but couldn’t match a name with the scent.

“Chai.  You want some?”  When Yang extended the cup, Blake shook her head.  

“I’m way too happy with this one, thank you.”  

Wrapping her hands around the warm beverage, she lifted it to her nose and took a long sniff.  Yang watched her with a small smile, which made her smile in return.  And for a moment, she forgot.  She forgot why they were here, in the office, on a Saturday.  It wasn’t until Sun barged through the door that she remembered, and remembered her nerves too.

“So excited!” he exclaimed, high-fiving Yang before hurrying over and dropping his bag on his desk.  “I told all my friends to check it out, and to have all their friends check it out.  And their friends’ friends -”  

When Yang laughed, he stopped talking and grinned.

“Well, you’ll get more readers there.”  

Yang gently bumped Blake’s shoulder with the comment, but Blake hardly had time to appreciate the gesture before Victor and Brand walked in.  

“What a superb morning,” Victor greeted them.  Brand gave a hearty laugh - either at Victor or at the situation, Blake wasn’t sure - before patting Yang’s shoulder in a surprisingly friendly manner.  

“What’s up Papa Bear?” Sun quipped as Brand walked past.  And Brand, who appeared in a good mood this morning - which made Blake wonder what he knew - gave Sun a pat on the back that sent him into Yang’s desk.  He barely caught himself before giving Blake and Yang a sheepish grin at having lost his balance, and Yang much more gently patted his shoulder.

“Brand…” Blake began, narrowing her eyes at the bear of a man as he set his bag on his chair.  Sensing her tone, he looked over and smiled, which only made her more suspicious.  Before she asked what he knew, however, the door opened again, and Velvet and Lola walked in together.

“My friends loved your photos,” Lola was in the midst of telling Velvet.  “Especially the one of the little tiger in the park.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Velvet replied before smiling at Blake.  “Good morning.”

“Good morning.”  Blake nodded in greeting before catching Lola’s gaze.  “And you’ve heard from people?  Who’ve read it?”

From Lola, of all people, Blake expected a straight response.  Instead, Lola snuck a sly grin Velvet’s way before shrugging. 

“One or two of my friends,” was all she admitted, and Blake realized they were all intentionally downplaying their responses.  Was that a good or bad thing?  Based on their moods, it seemed like a good thing, but…

“You need to know, don’t you?” Yang whispered to her, and she shot to her feet.

“I need to know.”  

With several chuckles following her into her office, she started her computer and not-very-patiently waited for everything to load.  She only glanced up when she noticed everyone had moved closer to the door, hanging around Sun’s desk waiting for the news.  The moment her computer was up and running, she took a deep breath and logged into the system that tracked their sales and pending orders.  But she paused before clicking to the next screen.  

This was the moment of truth, but she lost her desire to know.  Pretending their efforts worked was better than knowing the harsh truth.  After meeting Yang’s gaze, however, she realized that way of thinking was wrong.  Even if it didn’t work like they thought it would, they had put together something unique, and something she was personally proud of.  Maybe the numbers didn’t reflect that, but...that shouldn’t change how she felt about it.

“Velvet?” she asked, removing her hand from the mouse and gesturing Velvet over.  “Will you do the honors?”  

This wasn’t all about her, as much as they tried to make it.  They probably thought they couldn’t have done this without her, but they were wrong.  She couldn’t have done it without them.

“Of course.”  

Although Velvet looked confused about why she was asked to deliver the news, she didn’t protest.  And Blake surrendered her position behind the computer in favor of joining the rest of her coworkers just outside the door.  After moving closer to Yang’s side, close enough to smell the familiar shampoo and gain a sense of comforting warmth, she took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

Velvet clicked then read the screen, but her expression didn’t give so much as a hint as to what she saw.  After several long, torturous moments of that, she nodded, stood up, and walked over to them.

For the life of her, Blake couldn’t read Velvet’s perfectly-masked emotions.  So she felt, like the rest of them, a sudden spike in anticipation when Velvet stepped outside the door and clasped her hands in front of her.

“So…” Velvet began, meeting Blake’s gaze as her heart sank. 

“Tell me,” she replied, noticing everyone watching her closely.  She had to keep calm, no matter what Velvet said next.

“There’s a bit of an issue.”  Blake frowned at the response, but Velvet continued.  “Multiple refill orders were placed this morning...but it doesn’t look like enough copies were printed.”

Blake stared at Velvet while those words sank in.  That hardly happened before Sun let out a loud “Booyah!” and everyone else started laughing.  Someone patted her on the back, but she still stared at Velvet, waiting for her friend to admit this was some elaborate, horrible prank.

“I’m serious,” Velvet added, somehow knowing Blake was waiting for the other shoe to drop.  “If you don’t believe me, go look for yourself.”

When Velvet gestured towards the computer, the truth sank in.  

Multiple refills?  No copies left?  That meant...all of the printed versions sold out.  And that had never happened in...as long as she’d worked here.

“You’re serious.”  Even though she already believed, she waited for Velvet to nod before racing into the office to see for herself.  She heard everyone talking excitedly amongst themselves, their happiness and cheer reinforcing that this was real, while she looked at the screen and felt her heart jump.

There it was, just like Velvet said.  Multiple orders placed before the system said there were no more copies to be sold.

“Congratulations.”  

Looking up from the screen, Blake found Yang standing just inside the door, wearing a smile that took Blake’s already happy heart and lifted it to all-time highs.  After one more glance at the numbers, she walked over to Yang and felt a smile of her own appear.

“Thank you,” she whispered before giving Yang a hug.  

Yang clearly hadn’t expected it, and the way she froze made Blake try to withdraw as quickly as possible.  But Yang reacted even faster, wrapping her arms around Blake’s waist and pulling her closer.  Relaxing into the embrace, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the fragrance she grew more attached to with each passing day.  Letting that breath out in a long, relieved sigh, she felt like she could melt into Yang right then and there.  Excited voices tore her out of that moment too soon.

“Blake!” 

Blake nearly sighed when Yang pulled away, but then remembered why everyone was happy - as if Sun’s infectious grin could come from anything else.

“We should have a celebration tonight!” he proclaimed before grabbing her hand and pulling her out to join everyone else.  “Velvet said she’ll get food.  Lola’s got decorations.  Brand’s got drinks.  I’ll grab the tunes, everyone else can grab whatever, and we’ll meet back here tonight?”

An office party?  She hadn’t considered that since they nearly had one for Christmas a couple years ago...

“That...sounds fun.”

“Yeah?”  Sun brightened even more before clapping his hands and hurrying over to his desk.  “Then let’s get this party started!  I mean, let’s go get stuff so we can get this party started!  Cuz we sold out!  In a good way though - we sold out!”

While Sun grabbed his belongings, everyone else laughed and prepared to leave as well.  But Blake looked at Yang, who smiled at everyone’s happiness.

“Yang,” she said, capturing Yang’s attention.  “Will you join us?”

“I’m always down for a party,” Yang replied with a grin.  After glancing at everyone heading out, however, she gave Blake a more serious look.  “You’re going to stay here and work, aren’t you...”

“There’s a lot to do.”  When Yang shook her head, Blake chuckled and added, “But this is good work - I need to get more copies printed so we can fill those orders.”

“Need any help?”

Blake understood the offer as more than just one to help - Yang was offering to keep her company.

“It’s more of a one-person job,” she replied with a grateful smile.  “But I’ll see you tonight.”

“Ok.”  Yang nodded before grabbing her bag off the floor and picking up her leftover tea.  “Then I’ll see you in a few hours.”

With one last smile, Yang headed out along with everyone else.  And soon, Blake stood there alone.  With no one around to see, she took a deep breath and let it out in one long exhale.  While Yang’s company would be nice, she needed a few hours to decompress and come to terms with what just happened.  Because what just happened?

Her computer held the answers.  Honestly, she could look at the order screen forever if it weren’t prompting her to do more work.  They needed a second print run as soon as possible, and hopefully Raphael was working on the weekend…

Grabbing the phone and dialing the printshop’s number, she literally crossed her fingers and felt a wave of relief when the call picked up.

“Raphael’s Printing -”

“Raphael,” she said, smiling at his familiar voice.  “Are you working today?  I have a favor to ask.”

“I was wondering when you’d call.  You need more copies?”

“Yes - but how did you know that?”

Her confusion only grew when laughter filtered through the phone.  

“Surely you know that word travels fast through our community,” he explained.  “And I can do a second run today - I wouldn’t mind printing a million copies of this masterpiece.”

His response only made the situation more real.  People liked it.  They really liked it.

“I think just one more run will do,” she said, hearing the smile in her tone.  “Thank you so much for taking the time to do this, especially on the weekend.”

“Not a problem at all, my dear.  Send those orders my way and I’ll fill them today.”

“I will,” Blake replied before hanging up and leaning back with a sigh - this time, a sigh of relief.  Over the next few minutes, she aggregated the orders and sent a cohesive email to Raphael.  It probably shouldn’t have taken that long but, admittedly, she didn’t have much experience placing refill requests.

Once that was done, she sifted through her emails and felt her surprise and disbelief grow.  Some people emailed to say they loved the new issue.  Some offered suggestions for future stories.  And a couple of their current advertisers reached out in congratulations - the same advertisers who’d worried about the impact of such a change.

There were still a lot of questions to be answered, but this was enough for now.  The boost in readership would keep The Voice afloat and maybe, just maybe, they could keep this up.  Before getting into any of that, however, she had an impromptu party to attend.

Evening fell by the time her coworkers returned, with Sun arriving first.  Leaving her office to greet him, she frowned when he dragged the foam machine through the door behind him.  She only pointed to it, however, before he laughed.

“I figured it out!  Don’t worry!”

For some reason, she doubted that.  But there wasn’t time to worry when Yang walked in after him.  

Evidently, Yang went home and changed for the occasion.  Now, she looked absolutely gorgeous - even more so than usual.  Her dark jeans hugged her in all the right places, her shirt was revealing but not overly so, and her hair perfectly matched the gold earrings dangling from her ears.  She was the type of beautiful that shouldn’t exist in the real world, yet here she was...just steps away from Blake.

“Yang knows how to party.”  Rushing over, Sun gave Yang a high-five.  “But do you know how to use a foam machine?”

“I know how to clean up after one,” Yang teased, succeeding in making him laugh before locking eyes with Blake and walking over.  Maybe it was the lack of sleep, maybe it was Yang’s outfit, or maybe it was a little of both, but Blake could feel her skin pulsing with energy the closer Yang drew.

“Hey,” Yang said casually, her eyes sparkling with delight.

“Hey,” Blake replied, making the mistake of lowering her gaze before looking off to the side in mortification.  “You look...ready to party…”

It was a lame greeting, but Yang still laughed.

“Aren’t you?”

Blake tried to think of a response to that, but they both jumped at a loud hissing sound that briefly cut through the air.

“Sorry!” Sun yelped.  “Don’t worry - I got this!”

While he raced around the machine searching for the problem, Blake turned back to Yang and discovered that whatever moment they’d been sharing had passed.

“I should help him with that…” When she gestured towards Sun, Yang glanced that way before meeting her gaze with another smile.

“You probably should.”

Blake didn’t want to leave the conversation, but took a step backward while holding Yang’s gaze.  Realizing they would have plenty of time to talk later, she finally turned and nearly walked right into a desk.  Thankfully, she managed to stop and avoid a collision, but it definitely wasn’t the smoothest exit she ever made.

“Sun,” she said, feeling a blush on her cheeks while kneeling by his side.  “Let me help you.”

Hearing Brand’s low voice, she glanced towards the door and saw that the rest of the group was arriving and setting up.

“You’re gonna love this, Blake,” Sun said in the meantime.  “I hooked it up so it’ll go off to the beat of the music.  Like a concert!”

“You know just what I love…” she muttered while reattaching a loose cord and praying tonight wouldn’t be a repeat of the first time.

Surprisingly, Sun seemed to have it under control.  And he didn’t even plan to use the foam tonight, as he explained while connecting his laptop and gesturing to the bright lights on top of the machine.  Maybe Blake was too quick to doubt him, as he quickly had music filling the office while the lights blinked along with the beat.  

With the music setting the ambiance, everyone else chatted amongst themselves while sporadic laughs filled the air.  For the first time in what felt like forever, the entire office sounded relieved, jovial, and excited - not only about spending time with each other, but about the work they’d done and were yet to do.

Blake smiled when Brand and Lola laughed about something, but her gaze didn’t linger there for long.  Instead, she searched for...

“Looking for someone?”

Turning around, she felt her smile grow when Yang walked over with two cups in her hands.

“I got you some of this...whatever Brand made.”  When Yang held out one of the cups, Blake took it gratefully.

“It’s called choola,” she explained before taking a sip. 

“Whatever it is, it’s good.”  Emphasizing that point, Yang took a much bigger sip from her own cup.  “What’s it made of?”

When Blake scrunched her nose, Yang mirrored the expression.

“Oh.  I don’t wanna know?”

“Probably not…”

“Gotcha.  Just enjoy the flavor and don’t think about how it’s camel spit or something...”

“And don’t drink too much,” Blake warned when Yang took another long sip.  “It’s strong.”

Lifting the cup from her lips, Yang laughed and set it on the desk beside them.

“Guess that’s enough for now,” she said, but grinned when Blake took a much smaller sip.  “How’re you doing?”

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet…”

“Is that why you haven’t relaxed?”

“I don’t think I ever relax,” Blake admitted, and felt another smile appear when Yang laughed and clasped her hands together.

“New goal - I want to see you relax once in my lifetime.  I know I might be askin’ for a lot, but I think we can do it.”

Blake snorted into her cup.  “Good luck…”

“Really?  You’re not even going to help?”

Hearing Yang’s disbelief, Blake smiled and shrugged.

“Ok.”  Resituating on the desk, Yang waved a hand in front of them as if painting a picture.  “How about - laying on a beach somewhere.  Nice, warm sun...cabana boy giving you a massage...pretty pink drink nearby with one of those little umbrellas...do anything for you?”

“That sounds like your relaxing space.”

“Oh, for sure.  I know exactly where it is too - Weiss took me there a few months ago.  She was just trying to butter me up, but I’m not complaining.”

“What was she buttering you up for?”

“She had something important to ask me,” Yang replied, her eyes dancing with delight.

Blake wanted to ask what the important question was, but turned to the side when she heard a soft click, only to find Velvet hiding behind a camera.

“I’m documenting for posterity,” Velvet explained.  “Will you pose for a photo?”

When she motioned for them to scoot together, Yang quickly obliged.  Then she wrapped her arm around Blake’s shoulders while Velvet snapped the picture.

“Perfect.”  After looking at the camera, Velvet smiled.  “Thank you.”

“No problem!” Yang said, chuckling while Velvet ran over to Brand and Lola and requested the same.  She removed her arm from Blake’s shoulder but didn’t move away, allowing them to sit side-by-side on the desk.  And, when she swiveled slightly, their knees touched.

It could be the drink, but the office felt like it was getting a little warmer.

“So tell me,” Yang said, hopefully not noticing the flush on Blake’s cheeks.  “What do you think your happy place is?  I’ll try to make it for you.”

After glancing at Yang, Blake had to turn away.  At this distance, Yang’s eyes drew her in so much, she wanted to lean forward and stare.

“I don’t know,” she answered, squinting at the wall across from them as if it held the answer.  “At home, maybe, reading something that’s not a newspaper.”

“Like a book?” Yang asked, and chuckled when Blake nodded.  “So at home with a book - you’re making this easy.”

“But I hardly feel like reading anymore.  Not with work being so…”  Finally looking at Yang, Blake motioned around the room.  “You know,” she concluded before staring down at her cup.

When Yang leaned forward and clasped her hands around Blake’s, Blake’s heart skipped in surprise.

“You just sold all those copies,” Yang said when Blake finally met her eyes.  “I may not be an accounting genius but...that seems like a really good thing.”

“It is.”

“It is,” Yang repeated with a growing smile.  “And you just did that -”

“We just did that,” Blake corrected.  It looked like Yang wanted to argue that point, but she let it go with a shake of her head.

“The question is...what are you still worried about?”

“What makes you think I’m worried?” Blake asked, tilting her head and feeling a spike of disappointment when Yang dropped her hands.

“Because I can see it.  Or feel it.  Or something.”  Giving up on the explanation with a shrug, Yang smiled instead.  “I just know.”

While Blake couldn’t understand how Yang knew her so well, she wouldn’t deny that Yang was right.

“It’s just...I have so many questions.”

“Like what?”

“Like who’s reading it?  Was it only Faunus who were interested?  Or did we reach more humans…?” 

“Well, I told all my friends to read it, so you at least reached a handful of humans.”

“You did?” 

“Yeah, of course.  Had to show off my amateur writing skills...that I needed your help with.”  Yang shook her head and laughed at the memory.  “They all loved it though.  Said it was interesting and...informative.”

That was as good of a response as Blake could hope for.  Something interesting enough that people wanted to read more, but informative enough to get the right message out there.

“But is it sustainable?” she asked, finding it hard to stop the questions now that she’d started them.  “Can we find enough meaningful topics to write each week or will we run out of things to cover?”  While she pondered the question, Yang shifted and drew her attention.  “What do you think?” 

“Uh, well, from what I’ve seen...most people probably have a lot they need to learn about Faunus.”  Meeting Blake’s gaze, Yang gave a hesitant smile.  “I don’t think you’ll ever run out of topics, especially not when you’re so good at what you do.”

The compliment rolled in reassurance pulled at Blake’s heartstrings again, but she turned away rather than lose herself in Yang’s eyes.

“Thanks…” she breathed out while watching the rest of the office have a good time.  For several seconds, she and Yang sat in silence and watched, their knees still lightly touching.

“Ok,” Yang finally said to break the silence.  Leaning close, she lowered her voice and whispered, “I bet you five bucks the next sentence Victor says has a word over three syllables in it.”

Blake scoffed at the wager.

“What type of idiot do you take me for?”

“Surely that’s aggrandizement,” Victor huffed at Sun, neither of them noticing Blake and Yang’s laughter from across the room.

“Next time,” Yang added once her laughter subsided.  “I’ll win some money off of you.”  

When Blake rolled her eyes at the idea of Yang winning any bet involving Victor’s vocabulary, Yang laughed again and resituated herself.  It was probably Blake’s imagination that Yang kept moving closer, but that’s how it felt.  Not that she minded.  She actually enjoyed the closeness, although it made her heart a bit...fluttery.

“Can I tell you something?” Yang suddenly asked, drawing Blake’s gaze to her clear, lilac eyes.

“Of course.”

After glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention, Yang leaned even closer and opened her mouth - only to be cut off by the sound of ringing.  Blake didn’t recognize the noise, but Yang pulled her phone from her pocket and held it up to see who it was.  Even though Blake wasn’t trying to snoop, she noticed Weiss’ name and corresponding photograph on the screen.

“Ah, shoot,” Yang muttered before standing up and giving an apologetic smile.  “Gotta get this.  Hold that thought?” 

“Take your time,” Blake replied before watching Yang head into the hall and answer the call.

“What’s up, Weiss?” she asked while the door closed behind her.

Left alone on the desk, Blake took another sip of her drink and realized that her brow had knit together at the unexpected interruption.  Why did it bother her that when Weiss called, Yang jumped up to answer it?  Not only that, but why was Weiss calling so late on the weekend?  If they only worked together, it seemed unusual for Weiss to demand time outside of regular working hours...

It bothered her - that was all Blake knew.  Fortunately, the call didn’t take long, and Yang walked back into the office just a few minutes later.  Some of her spark seemed to have disappeared though.  Actually, she looked a little downcast, but perked right back up when their eyes met.

“Everything ok?” Blake asked once Yang returned to her.

“Yeah, definitely,” Yang said with a bright smile.  Blake waited a few seconds to see if Yang would add anything else, but moved on when that seemed to be all.

“You were going to say something?” Blake prodded when Yang didn’t immediately bring up the prior conversation.

“Oh!  Right.”  Yang again glanced around but this time didn’t lean close.  Instead, she held Blake’s gaze and smiled.  “I wanted to thank you for letting me help the past couple weeks.  It’s been an amazing experience, and all of you are just...amazing people.  I really hope that even after I have to leave, we can keep in touch somehow.”

The response wasn’t exactly what Blake expected, but she still smiled and nodded.

“Of course.  And you’re welcome.”

Now felt like the perfect time to mention that she was glad Yang came to work with them - despite her initial misgivings - but she couldn’t decide how to say it.  And the opportunity disappeared when Yang hurried on.

“I want to keep in touch with you too.  And maybe...maybe we can still grab lunch.  Or maybe even dinner sometime.”

Once upon a time, Blake would have counted down the days to Yang leaving.  Now...she didn’t want to think about it.

“If you’d like,” she agreed, knowing it was up to Yang whether they continued to see each other.  Any uncertainty disappeared, however, when Yang met her gaze.

“I’d love to.”

Blake wanted to ask what brought up that topic but turned to the side when Lola walked over to them.

“Enough chit-chat, you two,” she said while grabbing each of them by one arm and pulling them off the desk.  Blake pretended to be reluctant as she followed, but her smile probably ruined her reluctance.  

“Sun’s teaching us a new game,” Velvet explained once they joined the rest of the group.  

“You bet I am!” 

After exchanging glances with Yang, Blake scoffed and mentally prepared herself.  Whatever this game was, it would probably be equal parts crazy, confusing, and maybe just a little bit of fun.

It turned out to be all three of those, and the office spent the greater part of the next hour laughing and grumbling and maybe getting just a little competitive over who the rightful winner was.  Brand won based on points, while Victor claimed a technicality cost him the victory.  In the end, Sun declared them all winners and suggested making it a monthly competition.

“Think about it,” he was still saying as the celebration wound down and people prepared to leave.  “We could run it like a year-long tournament!  Each month is a different theme, and we keep track of the points from month-to-month.”

“Who’s this ‘we?’” Velvet asked while putting on her coat and collecting her belongings.

“You’ll help me run it, right?”  When Velvet laughed and headed towards the door, Sun was quick to follow.  “You’re my co-chair!  And more organized than me.”

“Right…”  Passing by Yang and Blake, Velvet nodded and said, “Goodnight, you two.”

“I’ll get that Monday,” Sun said, waving towards the foam machine while holding the door for Velvet.  “Night, guys!”

“Goodnight,” Blake called after them.  Then the door closed, leaving just her and Yang in the office - the two of them having reclaimed their seats on the desk like earlier.  It didn’t matter how long she and Yang talked, she always wanted to say more.  More importantly, Yang always seemed willing to listen.

“The numbers will level off from the initial publicity,” Blake continued as if they were never interrupted, taking comfort in voicing her still-sporadic thoughts.  “But if we grow organically from here, more people could be reading on a weekly basis, and that changes the types of stories we can run.  Themes, holidays, reader submissions - it will be more work, but worth it.”

Trailing off into silence, Blake considered the potential of the path before them.  Freed of the confines of reporting the daily news, they had more flexibility.  And with more readers, they would have the income to write for the foreseeable future.

“We might not need Weiss to advertise,” she realized, only to look over when Yang chuckled.

“Not needing Weiss is a good position to be in, but I’m sure she’ll help anyway.”

As far as Blake was concerned, Weiss had already helped far more than expected - by sending Yang to their office.

“I really can’t thank you enough,” she said, turning towards Yang and letting their knees rest together again.  Yang laughed at the gratitude - that happy laugh Blake liked.

“You have nothing to thank me for.  I had a random idea - you’re the one who made it happen.”

“Then we make a good team.”

This time, Yang smiled.

“I think so.”

Blake thought so too.  But when a glimpse of perfectly-styled white hair flashed through her mind, she leaned back and looked at her hands.

“You and Weiss…” she began, her heart speeding up in anticipation of the answer.  “What’s your relationship, exactly?”

When she forced herself to look up, Yang wore an almost unreadable expression.

“We’re friends,” she answered, scooting closer even though they were already only inches apart.  Blake wanted to take comfort in the answer, but something about it still bothered her - she needed more clarification.

“Like how we’re friends?” she asked, but Yang shook her head while a smile played at the corners of her mouth.

“No.  Not at all like how we’re friends.”

The answer was a relief that Blake felt in her heart and mind.

“I was just curious,” she explained, and Yang nodded.

“Makes sense.  You can ask me anything, you know?  If you’re ever curious or...worried.”

Yang’s eyes, which shone with sincerity, said much more than the words did.  It was permission to be worried, yes, but also permission to be possessive like Blake felt earlier tonight.  More than that, it felt like permission to be...honest.  Honest about why she asked the question - why she felt the need to know - why she would have been disappointed at a different answer.

“I’ll keep that in mind…” she said, meeting Yang’s gaze as a rush of powerful emotions swept through her.

She didn’t know if she made the first move or if Yang did, but the next moment they were kissing - their lips locked together as if they’d waited for this for too long.  Moving together as if they’d secretly wanted this all along.

Excitement poured through Blake’s veins as the kiss continued and she savored every new experience flooding her senses.  Yang’s lips were soft and warm - so soft that Blake hummed with pleasure while feeling them pressed against hers.  Then there was the smell of Yang’s shampoo, which filled Blake with the desire to be even closer.  So she moved closer, feeling Yang’s body heat with every bit of her being while weaving her hand through Yang’s hair, which was softer than she’d ever imagined.

It was a release - such an incredible release of pent-up feelings.  They spilled from her lips as fast as she could think them, and Yang returned each and every one tenfold.

When Yang’s hand swept through her hair and settled on the back of her neck - pulling her deeper into the kiss - she suddenly realized what was happening.  And she immediately pressed her hand against Yang’s collarbone, keeping Yang in place while leaning away and putting some distance between them.  

“I’m sorry…” she breathed out, hardly able to hear over the pounding of her heart in her ears.  “I don’t know...how…”

Words trailing off, she tried to sort out what just happened.  They were talking and then...they were kissing.

“You don’t need to apologize,” Yang said, meeting Blake’s gaze with a reassuring smile.  “I mean, you’re a really good kisser.”

As a hot blush rushed to her cheeks, Blake turned away and grappled with her swirling emotions.

“Thanks,” she replied, trying to regain her breath while looking anywhere but at Yang.  “You are - I’m just -”

Stumbling over her words, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  She needed to calm down.  She needed to calm down and focus.  Regain her composure, form actual sentences, and erase what just happened.  Because what just happened couldn’t have happened.  Because she didn’t like Yang in that way.  They were...friends.  Just friends.

“I’m sorry,” she said, still looking pointedly away from Yang.  “I just...can’t get romantically involved with a coworker...” 

It was a legitimate reason but, in the silence that followed, she started to worry.  When she looked up, however, Yang simply smiled and nodded.

“I get it.  You don’t need workplace drama.”  

“Yeah…” Blake huffed out, her cheeks flushing even deeper when she realized she still had her palm pressed to Yang’s collar.  Pulling her arm away, she met Yang’s gaze and was drawn right back into a cheerful, unassuming grin.

“How about one more for the heck of it?” Yang asked, that grin growing as her eyes danced with desire.

Blake could say ‘no.’  Yang gave her more than enough opportunity to move away, to separate herself from the situation.  Instead, she leaned forward, something deep inside her compelling her to feel those tender lips again.

Yang met her halfway, and the moment they touched that same pulsing energy surged through her, begging her to deepen the kiss.  Yang’s hand slid down her side then behind her back, making her shiver as they pressed closer together, their bodies becoming more intertwined by the second.  

The part of her mind ringing with alarm faded into the background, as all she could feel and hear and smell and sense was Yang.  It was everything Blake knew from spending time together but...more.  More intense, more all-encompassing, more amazing…

Feeling Yang’s tongue brush across her lips, Blake willingly opened her mouth and welcomed that new sensation inside, then pressed forward to taste the drink lingering in Yang’s.  Their heat and fervor built as they tried to meld into one - their tongues swirling together, their hands running all over each other, their legs pressed together.

Blake felt no caution in that moment - no sense of reticence while drawn into every sensation Yang offered her.  And she probably would have pressed even further had Yang not broken away first.

But Yang didn’t move far away, instead staying within a breath’s distance and staring into Blake’s eyes.  Happy with whatever she found there, she smiled and kissed Blake one more time - this one tender, caring, and filled with an emotion Blake couldn’t qualify.

“One for the road,” Yang whispered before pulling away.  She then separated herself from Blake’s arms, freed her legs, and stood up to stretch.  “I should probably head out...but how long do you think you’ll stay?” she asked after glancing around the empty office.  “Want company?  I can hang around a little longer.”

Blake’s mind raced in so many directions, she had no idea what she wanted.  That confusion made it impossible to focus on any thought other than how Yang’s lips felt, how her tongue tasted, how warm her hands were...

“I think...I’m going to work more first...then head home.”

The haze lifted the further from the kiss they grew, and forming coherent sentences became a little easier.  But that did nothing to ease her shock at what happened.  Yang, however, didn’t look at all surprised - by the answer or the kiss.  Instead, she smiled and gave a slight shake of her head. 

“Will you ever be satisfied with what you’ve accomplished?”

“Not until every Faunus is treated as equal,” Blake answered before thinking about the implication.  “So, no, probably not in my lifetime.”

For whatever reason, the answer only made Yang happier.

“That’s one of the reasons I like you,” she replied with that same goofy smile on her lips.  She only glanced away to grab her bag from the floor, then held Blake’s gaze once more.  “Don’t work too hard, ok?” she said, but Blake only managed a nod in response.

Fortunately, Yang accepted the answer and left the office a second later.  As soon as the door closed, Blake held her fingers to her lips and tried to slow her hammering heart.

That was...amazing.  The kiss...enveloping herself in Yang...experiencing that rush of emotions…everything about it was amazing.

But the alarms were back - she heard them now, and they drowned out any happiness she should have felt.  She shouldn’t have done that.  They shouldn’t have done that.  Not only because they were, in a sense, coworkers, but also because...Yang was human.  

Dropping her hand from her lips, Blake closed her eyes and felt a powerful ache in her chest.  She’d dedicated her life to Faunus rights...she couldn’t be with a human in that way.