Dirty Little Secret - Chapter 10 (Patreon)

After dwelling on that morning for several hours, Yang wished she had handled everything differently.  And by that she meant not freaking out, not panicking, not bolting - any of those would have been better than what she did.  Unfortunately, she couldn’t rewind and redo anything now.  All she could do was stew in regret.

“Enjoy,” she told the young man across from her, forcing a small smile while sliding his drink to him.

When he picked up the glass and returned to his date, Yang set her elbows on the counter and sighed.  Usually, she didn’t mind a nice, slow night, but that was the opposite of what she needed today.  Without the lively atmosphere and never-ending orders that came on a crowded night, she had too much time to think about everything that went wrong.

She wasn’t limiting herself to just this morning either, though the ill-fated meeting with Blake’s parents featured heavily in her thoughts.  But her mind had no problem bringing up other moments when she should have done something differently, or spoken up, or somehow, someway changed the outcome.

The worst part?  Realizing that she shouldn’t have bailed on Blake like that.  Even though she panicked, that was a pretty shitty thing to do.  Now, she had to apologize as soon as she felt emotionally capable, or as soon as Blake called her, whichever came first.

Until then...she would continue running through the what-ifs and what-could-have-been’s, wondering what Blake ended up telling her parents.  Just a fling?  Friends-with-benefits?  Not even worth getting into?

When the door opened, she straightened up and pretended not to watch as Jaune and Pyrrha entered.  Jaune was saying something - his smile unwavering as he held the door for the beautiful redhead - and it wasn’t long before Pyrrha laughed and shoved his shoulder, but in that gentle way suggesting she had been waiting for an excuse to be closer to him.

They looked so cute and happy that a pang of jealousy rippled through Yang’s mind.  Secretly, she had always wanted to be with Blake like that - openly affectionate, adorable, lovey-dovey...an obvious couple.  She had wanted people to look at them and think they fit well together, or looked happy together, or just said ‘aww’ at how cute they were.

That hadn’t been in the cards for them, but Jaune’s happiness still made her happy.  He was a sweet guy who deserved a sweet girl.  And Pyrrha, even though her and Yang’s interactions had been limited so far, seemed like the perfect person.  Besides, they would have beautiful babies - something Yang would tease Jaune about as soon as it felt appropriate.

“Hey Jaune,” Yang greeted him before smiling at Pyrrha.  “And Pyrrha - are you working tonight too?”

“I wish,” Jaune sighed while Pyrrha smiled and shook her head.

“We just grabbed dinner,” Pyrrha explained.  “And this is on my way home, so...I figured we could walk together.”

Yang sincerely hoped Jaune realized that was only a thinly veiled excuse to spend more time together.  Or, at the very least, she hoped he saw the adoring, lovestruck smile Pyrrha sent his way.

When he returned that smile with one of his own, Yang’s heart warmed.

“You’re sure I can’t walk you home?  My shift doesn’t start for another ten minutes - we can make it in time.”

He squeezed Pyrrha’s hand with the offer, looking ready to lead her home by the hand right now, but she shook her head.

“How will you make it back in time?”

“I’ll run.”

When Pyrrha laughed at the serious response, Yang silently congratulated Jaune on a perfect answer.

“Thank you, but I don’t want to make you late.  Besides...I’ll see you after?”

“Yeah, absolutely.  As soon as I’m done, I’ll be there.”

Jaune’s megawatt grin could have lit the entire neighborhood, but he followed up by giving Pyrrha the softest, sweetest kiss.  They were so cute that Yang barely suppressed the urge to comment on just how cute they were.  That turned out to be a good decision, as Pyrrha cast a shy glance Yang’s way before backing toward the door.

“Looking forward to it,” she told Jaune before nodding to Yang and heading out.  Jaune watched her go with that goofy grin still stuck on his lips, but Yang waited for the door to close before nudging his side.

“Look at you,” she teased as he finally broke out of Pyrrha’s spell.  “You can’t stop smiling!”

“I know.”

He rubbed his hands across his cheeks but another smile appeared as soon as he dropped his hands.  Knowing that he just failed miserably, he laughed and shook his head.

“Pretty sure my mouth’s stuck this way forever,” he joked, making Yang laugh while he filled a glass of water for himself.

“You’re so cute together.”

“That’s all her.  She’s amazing.”  Thinking about Pyrrha, he glanced at the door and sighed.  “And way too good for me.”

“I wasn’t going to say it,” Yang teased, making him chuckle before lightly patting his shoulder.  “But give yourself more credit.  You’re a great guy, and she obviously loves spending time with you - doesn’t that count for something?”

After considering Yang’s words, Jaune relaxed into a smile.

“I guess it does,” he agreed before nodding to a stack of empty boxes behind the bar.  “Do these need to go out back?”

“Eventually, but I can get them.”

“Don’t worry about it.”  Still smiling, Jaune reached down and picked them up.  “I’ll take them out.”

Yang shook her head at his noticeably good mood, but he just beamed at her before taking the boxes to the back of the bar.  When he started humming a tune to himself, however, her smile fell ever so slightly.  Without his infatuated energy serving as a distraction, she leaned against the counter and sighed as thoughts of Blake returned to her mind.

Apparently, she was a hypocrite on top of everything else.  What she just told Jaune, she never would have believed herself.  For some reason, making Blake happy never seemed like enough.  She always wanted to be worthy of Blake’s time for another reason, like prestige, power, or money.  Now, she just felt stupid, sad, and embarrassed about letting her insecurities get the best of her.  She wasn’t rich.  Her family wasn’t famous, highly regarded, or popular.  She didn’t have much to offer in terms of an affluent, well-to-do life.  But…she knew that she made Blake happy in other ways.

She owed Blake an explanation and an apology.  Once they talked this through though...what would become of them?  Could they go back to what they had now that the secret was out?  Or did Blake think it was best to cut ties and move on?  After all, Yang hadn’t exactly put forth the best argument to keep her around.

In her defense, she always thought that Blake’s parents finding out meant game over, so she panicked.

Also in her defense, she was a bit of an idiot.

“Dammit…” she sighed before grabbing her phone for what must be the thousandth time in the last few hours.

Work was slow enough that she could get away with a phone call, but she didn’t know what she wanted to say.  At best, she could ask Blake if they could see each other and talk soon.  Tonight after her shift ended might be too late, but maybe tomorrow.  She would skip her classes if needed.

In comparison to everything that already happened, that didn’t sound like a bad idea.  Call Blake, ask if they could talk in person, hope she agreed, then figure out what to say.  That was better than standing here going crazy about it, wasn’t it?

“Just call her,” she scolded herself, hoping to psych herself into it.  It nearly worked - she unlocked her phone - but any communication with Blake flew out the window when the door opened and Kali Belladonna walked inside.

Yang immediately put away her phone and stood straight up, her heart racing and thoughts scattering to the wind.  While Kali got her bearings, those familiar, intelligent amber eyes sweeping around the bar, Yang averted her gaze and prayed Jaune came back to save her.  Unfortunately, that wasn’t in the cards for her today either.  With Jaune nowhere to be found, Kali sat on the barstool at the end of the bar and patiently clasped her hands on the counter in front of her.

For a split second, Yang considered running to the back, finding Jaune, and begging him to take over.  But there could only be one reason why Kali Belladonna was here, and that was to talk to her.  She could run away again like she did this morning, or she could bite the bullet and finally face the woman who had raised someone she had become extremely attached to over the past few months.

Taking a deep breath, she willed herself over to Kali and mustered a smile.

“Can I get you something?” she asked, doing her best not to wilt under Kali’s intent gaze.

“A scotch neat, please.  Your choice.”

Concealing her surprise with a quick nod, Yang set a glass on the counter and grabbed the first bottle of scotch that came to mind - not the most expensive, overpriced one, but the one she liked best.  Before second-guessing that decision, she poured the drink as quickly but carefully as possible.  Usually, a little spill was no big deal; it happened all the time.  But this was for the Governor’s wife, who also happened to be the mother of the girl she was definitely in love with.  The last thing she wanted to do was look like a slob.

“Here you go.”  She carefully pushed the glass to Kali, who wrapped her hands around it but didn’t take a sip.

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Before the silence got awkward, Yang recapped the bottle of scotch and returned it to the shelf.  Her eyes might have also flitted to the back of the bar several times, hoping for Jaune to return, but her attention was drawn away by a young man approaching the bar.

“Hey.”  His gaze caught on Kali while he set down his empty beer bottle, but he didn’t seem to make the connection to her identity.  “Can I get another?” he asked Yang instead.

“Sure thing.”  Very much aware of Kali’s attention, Yang grabbed another bottle from the cooler, popped off the cap, and passed it to the young man with a smile and quick, “Enjoy.”

“Thanks.”

While he returned to his friends, Yang put the empty bottle in the recycle bin and added the drink to his tab.  Knowing she didn’t have anything to do after that, she triple-checked everything before wishing for something else to do.  Anything to make her look busy, because if she wasn’t busy -

“How long have you worked here?” Kali asked, so Yang took a deep breath and turned around.  This was precisely the conversation she didn’t want to have with Kali Belladonna, but what was the point of hiding anymore?  Kali knew about her and Blake - whatever Blake told her, at least - and knew Yang worked here.

“A few years,” she admitted while moving closer so as not to be rude.  “Started around the same time I started school.”

“You still go to Vale U., right?”

“I do.  I’ll graduate in a couple months.”

“Ah.”

Kali’s slow, thoughtful nod gave away the thoughts flitting through her mind.  Yang knew that expression well by now - the look of someone doing the mental math to figure out her age if she could work at a bar at the beginning of college.

“You must be excited,” Kali added once she pieced that information together.  “Any plans for after graduation?”

“Nothing set in stone yet.  One of my professors set me up with an interview at a firm downtown, but I’ll find some other places in case that doesn’t pan out.”

“What’s your major?”

While Kali lifted the glass of scotch and took a sip, looking genuinely interested in the answer, Yang decided that she might as well share.

“Architecture.”

“Architecture?” Kali repeated.  A smile appeared on her lips when Yang nodded.  “That’s quite a major - I’ve heard Vale U.’s program is quite...rigorous.”

“It definitely wasn’t easy.”

When Kali laughed, Yang managed a smile.  She would still rather end the conversation sooner rather than later, but...at least Kali wasn’t berating her for having the audacity to see Blake.  Although, Kali didn’t know some of the things they had done together...

But Kali didn’t seem angry or upset.  Thoughtfulness was her overwhelming emotion right now, especially as she swirled the scotch in her glass and studied Yang.  Her amber eyes, which were just as expressive as Blake’s, said that she had a lot of questions she would like to ask.  She didn’t ask them though; she took another sip before looking at the glass.

“This is good.”

“Glad you think so.”

Yang didn’t know what else to say, but she was silently relieved to have made a good choice.  Kali, meanwhile, took another sip before giving the drink a subtly fond look.

“You know...I met Ghira when he was a dishwasher at this horrible restaurant my parents loved.”

“He used to be a dishwasher?”

“Blake didn’t tell you?” Kali asked before chuckling at Yang’s surprise.  “Yes, he was.  He worked until midnight every night, washing dishes and whatever else needed to be done.  I’ll always remember how exhausted he was after a shift, but he still dragged himself out to dinner with me.  Or, dinner and drinks, since the only places open that late were bars.”

While Kali waved at the bar, Yang didn’t know what to say.  Everyone knew Ghira Belladonna came from a humble upbringing - that was one of the reasons people liked him - but she never realized he started quite so low.

“I didn’t know that…” she managed to say, hoping Kali didn’t think the pause was rude.  Thankfully, Kali just leaned her elbows against the counter and smiled.

“We’re fortunate to have made it this far,” she said, her earnest expression willing Yang to believe her.  “And we’re glad that we can provide a better life for Blake, but we started with very little.  And it was hard.  We struggled at times, but we always believed that as long as we had each other and did our best, we could make a life for ourselves.”

The comment felt oddly targeted, giving Yang even more reason to pause.  But Kali didn’t expect a response.  She just folded her hands in front of her and held Yang’s gaze.

“There’s no income requirement to date our daughter,” she said so candidly that Yang’s eyes widened.  “We’re not looking for a certain job or a degree from a specific university.  What we want - what we’ve always wanted - is for Blake to be happy.  And today…”

After trailing off for a moment, Kali shook her head and met Yang’s gaze.

“I’ve never seen her smile the way she does when she talks about you.  I hope you realize that’s something no amount of money can ever buy.”

The rapid shift from subtle to direct, impactful statements left Yang speechless.  All this time, she had been terrified of not being good enough for Blake, believing that Blake’s parents would judge her for not having enough money or making enough progress in a career.  So for Kali to sit here, knowing that Yang had none of those things, and suggest that she was somehow...special...made her feel lighter than air.

“I really like her.”

The words slipped out before Yang thought them through, but she was nodding by the time surprise registered in Kali’s eyes.

“She’s the most incredible person I’ve ever met,” she added as her mouth grew a mind of its own.  “I love everything about her.  She’s funny and smart and just...amazing.”

Kali was smiling now, and Yang recognized the sparkle in her eyes as she leaned a little closer.

“How did you two meet?”

“On campus.”  Yang’s words rushed out faster now, as if she couldn’t wait to explain the memories she had only shared with Ruby and Weiss.  “She was there canvassing and we bumped into each other.  I couldn’t believe she walked up to me and said hi.”

“She walked up to you?” Kali asked, her brow rising.

“Yup.”

“And...you asked her out?”

“No way.”  Just thinking about doing something like that made Yang laugh and shake her head.  “You know she’s super intimidating, right?” she added.  “I’ve never had a problem asking someone out before, but she was like...I couldn’t even fathom it.”

“So she asked you out,” Kali said, smiling now.

“She asked me if I wanted to grab dinner, I said yes, and we just...kept talking from there.”

That was the short, abbreviated version.  It left out quite a few details, but Kali seemed more than happy to leave it at that for now.

“Was it her idea or yours to keep it a secret?”

With the answer on the tip of her tongue, Yang froze.  She didn’t want to contradict whatever Blake told her parents.  At the same time, she already said so much that there didn’t seem a point in hiding anymore.

“It was hers…” she admitted.  “She said with the press and everything, keeping it to ourselves would be easier.”

“Except on you.”

“I was happy to do it,” Yang said as soon as she picked up on the implication.  “It was...a little hard...but I just...wanted it to be easy for her.”

It all boiled down to that - Yang wanted to stay as low key, low maintenance, and low stress for Blake as possible.  In doing so, however, she might have shunted too many of her feelings aside and missed her opportunities to tell Blake how she felt.

“I know you have...complicated lives…” she added more openly.  “I didn’t want to be a distraction.”

“Sweetie...” Kali replied with a patient shake of her head.  “Did you ever think maybe we want a distraction?”

Honestly, that thought had never occurred to Yang.  In her mind, a distraction could never be a good thing for a family like the Belladonnas.  Based on Kali’s vaguely amused, very patient expression, however, that assumption was wrong.

“I didn’t,” she conceded before glancing at the door.  As soon as she saw who walked inside, however, her heart thudded against her ribs.

Time seemed to stand still as Blake’s eyes met hers across the bar and, in that fleeting moment, relief flooded through her.  If Blake was here, things must not be as bad as they seemed.  And suddenly, Yang wanted nothing more than to confess every thought and worry she’d had today.

Then Blake noticed who was sitting at the bar and frowned.

“...Mom?”

Unsurprised by Blake’s appearance, Kali turned and smiled at her daughter.

“Oh, hi, sweetie.”  When Blake looked taken aback by the nonchalant greeting, Kali pulled a bill out of her wallet, set it on the counter, and stood up.  “I just thought I’d check this place out since you’ve talked about it so much.  You’re right - it’s nice.  And the bartenders are friendly.”

After winking at Yang, Kali squeezed Blake’s shoulder and left with a soft, “See you at home.”  Blake waited for the door to close before scoffing.

“I can’t believe her.  She sent me on errands all evening just so she could beat me here.”

Blake shook her head, clearly disgruntled, before focusing on Yang.  Her expression quickly softened, and Yang soon found herself lost in amber eyes.  She wished that she could read the thoughts racing through Blake’s mind, and she wished Blake could read hers as well.  If that meant Blake learned the depths of her feelings then...good.  It was about time that she knew.

“Hey Yang,” Jaune interrupted seconds later, finally returning.  “Do you know where -?”  As soon as he saw Blake, his eyes widened.  “Oh, woah.  Are you Blake Belladonna?”

“I’m not right now.”  The response baffled him, but Blake quickly devoted her full attention to Yang.  “Can we talk?”

Blake’s eyes begged Yang to agree, though Yang didn’t know why Blake would ever worry about her declining.  Before saying yes, however, she glanced at Jaune.  Even though he didn’t understand the situation, he motioned that he had everything handled.  So, freed of that responsibility, Yang nodded and said, “Sure.”

She half expected to follow Blake outside, or somewhere they would have more privacy, but Blake stepped off to the side of the bar instead.  There, they were still in plain sight, but at least out of Jaune’s earshot.

Seeing Blake reminded Yang of the feelings she couldn’t escape.  Talking to Kali had only made them stronger, as her heart raced just from Blake’s proximity.  Yang wanted to kiss her, hug her, and whisper sweet nothings in her ear, not deal with all this worry and angst anymore.

“Sorry for bothering you at work,” Blake said first, her eyes flitting around the room to make sure her presence hadn’t garnered unwanted attention.

“It’s not busy, so...it’s fine.”

“Ok, good.”  Blake nodded before meeting Yang’s gaze.  “What was my mom doing here?  She didn’t say anything bad, did she?”

“No, not at all.”

Looking back on it, Yang couldn’t decide what Kali’s motivation had been.  Did she want to get a better idea of who Yang was?  Did she want to hear what Yang thought of Blake?  Or did she just want to...give Yang her blessing, in a way?

“She just...wanted to talk, I guess.”

Blake looked like she had a lot of questions about that but, sensing Yang’s mood, decided not to ask.  Instead, she looked up at Yang, sighed, and slowly shook her head.

“I’m so sorry,” she began, her tone and expression regretful.  “I messed up.  I thought you understood how I felt even though I didn’t say anything.  That’s my fault and…I’m sorry.”

“That’s ok.”  Regardless of what happened, Yang couldn’t stand Blake looking so remorseful.  “It’s not your job to say everything,” she offered.  “I should’ve asked.”

“You shouldn’t have to.”  Yang’s brow rose at the forceful response, but Blake shook her head to emphasize how much she believed it.  “You shouldn’t have to ask someone how much they care about you.  They should get out of their own heads and...stop worrying and...just tell you how they feel instead of hoping you get it somehow.”

Clearly frustrated with herself, Blake closed her eyes, clenched one fist, and shook her head.  Before Yang could console her, however, she opened her eyes and trapped Yang in an earnest, determined gaze.

“I told my parents we’re dating.”

Yang’s heart stopped, but Blake nodded and continued.

“I told them that you’re the most incredible person I’ve ever met, and that you’re my girlfriend, and that you have been for months now but I just didn’t want them to know.”

Yang couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but Blake didn’t back away from it.  Instead, she took a deep breath and inched closer, with a hopeful, hesitant smile settling on her lips.

“I told them that I can’t imagine my life without you,” she whispered while hesitantly reaching for Yang’s hand.  “Because I’m madly, madly in love with you.”

The word reverberated through Yang’s mind, and suddenly she couldn’t think of anything else.  She felt breathless, as if Blake just stole the air in her lungs.

“You...love me?” she asked, feeling Blake’s fingers intertwine with hers but unable to tear her eyes away from Blake’s soft, affectionate gaze.

“Yes,” Blake said as a more-normal smile sprang into being.  “I love you, Yang.  And I’ve been trying to tell you, but we keep getting interrupted or the moment didn’t feel right or I lost the nerve and thought I’d try again later...”

Trailing off, Blake shook her head and squeezed Yang’s hand.

“Those are excuses.  I should’ve told you sooner.  I love you.  I love you so much, I honestly don’t know what to do about it sometimes.  I want to shout it from the rooftop or drag you into my room and not let you out for a week.  It’s overwhelming but amazing and incredible - and before you even ask, I’m positive about how I feel.”

Blake knew Yang well - she had been about to ask that.  Of course she would ask if Blake was sure.  The idea that Blake felt that way, that they shared those feelings, was too unbelievable otherwise.

“But I was scared you wanted something casual,” Blake continued, her brow furrowing at the thought.  “Or that you don’t want to date someone who’s still figuring out what they want in life...”

“You’ll be great at whatever you do,” Yang immediately assured her, but she shook her head.

“But I’m not there yet.  You just haven’t realized that you’re already more successful than me.  Everything I have belongs to my parents.  It’s their money.  Their house.  Their reputation.  I know you look at me and think I’m successful, but I’m not, Yang.  They are.”

That wasn’t how Yang thought of Blake at all, but Blake didn’t want reassurance right now.  Instead, she reached up and gently threaded her fingers through Yang’s hair.

“But when I’m with you...I don’t have to be Ghira Belladonna’s perfect daughter.  I can be myself, even if that means I have no idea what I want to accomplish or nearly burn down your apartment trying to bake a cake.”

“That was an exciting night…”

“When you asked if I wanted to try again the next day, I knew you were the one.”

While Yang chuckled at the memory, Blake smiled and ducked her head to keep Yang’s gaze.  Her fingers curled around Yang’s ear before settling on her neck, lightly touching the mark left over from yesterday.

“I never wanted a fling, Yang.  I’ve always wanted something serious with you, but I’ve been so scared to ask because there is pressure and there are expectations that come with being attached to my family.  People will be watching, and they might say things about you that make me want to commit murder, and I’m really worried about how that’ll make you feel.”

“Because they’ll say I’m not good enough for you.”

That had been Yang’s worry too - that she would be miserable or worse…that Blake would believe them.  But Blake vehemently shook her head.

“That’s not true.  You’re amazing.  I love being with you and I...I love you.  I’m not hiding you.  You’re not some dirty little secret.  Sure, I didn’t want my parents getting involved because they’re...parents.  I mean, look - my mom just found out and already came here to talk to you.”

“She’s nice though.”

“But I didn’t want them to put pressure on us and ruin something amazing.  And, maybe selfishly...I wanted to keep you to myself for as long as possible.  I didn’t want to share you with them or anyone.  I don’t want to share you with anyone.  I want you to be mine, and I want to be yours, and if you want that too...I don’t care who knows.”

‘If you want that too.’

Yang’s heart felt fuller than it ever had, but she couldn’t let Blake take all the blame.  She did the same thing, after all.  She kept her feelings to herself, scared that Blake didn’t feel the same.  She let them languish in that ‘kind of dating, kind of not’ phase for months because moving forward felt out of the question.

“Of course I want that…” she breathed out.  “Because I love you too.”

Saying those words out loud - finally - felt incredible.  Seeing Blake’s response - first surprise, then overwhelming happiness - felt even better.

“I love you so much.”  She never wanted to stop saying that, but there were a few other things she had to say first.  “And I’m sorry, too.”

As soon as Blake opened her mouth to protest, Yang raised a hand to stop her.

“I am.  I should’ve told you how I felt or made it clear how much I want to be with you.  Because I want to be with you.  More than anything else in the world, Blake.”

With a big smile now, Blake gently brushed her fingers across Yang’s cheek.  The adoring look in her eyes made Yang’s heart beat harder and faster, filling her with warmth and happiness that could fly her to the moon.

“And I shouldn’t have run out on you this morning.  I shouldn’t have made you talk to your parents alone.  I should have been there with you.”

“That’s ok…” Blake whispered while inching closer, but Yang shook her head.

“I’m still sorry.  I’m just...you know I’m a little insecure about where I’m at, and I panicked.  I thought they’d judge me and tell you never to see me again.”

“They couldn’t do that even if they tried.”

Blake’s other hand settled on Yang’s waist and gently tugged their hips together.

“But I’m working on that,” Yang added while Blake’s fingers wove through her hair.  “I just want to make you happy, no matter what that takes -”

“Yang.”

Blake laughed when Yang finally stopped rambling.  Her eyes were brighter than Yang had ever seen them, and her radiant smile made Yang’s heart pound.

“Will I get thrown out if I kiss the bartender?”

Finally understanding that the moment to talk had passed, Yang broke into a smile of her own.

“I guess you’ll have to try it and see.”

The words hardly left Yang’s lips before Blake kissed her.  Right there, in the bar, where everyone could see.  The audience didn’t matter though.  The only thing Yang cared about was kissing Blake how she had always wanted to - knowing that Blake understood just how much Yang loved her.  And, hidden in the tender touch of Blake’s lips, the realization that Blake had been telling her the same thing all along.

A whistle and round of cheers broke them out of that moment, ending the kiss but not separating them more than that.  Blake didn’t pull away.  She didn’t even turn to see who was watching.  She just smiled and rested her forehead against Yang’s.

“Maybe we can go somewhere a little more private?” she whispered.

“I think I know just the place.”  Grinning now, Yang took Blake by the hand and pulled her toward the back of the bar.  “Jaune, can you cover for a bit?” she asked as they headed that way.  “I’m going to, uh, show Blake around back.”

The lie wasn’t fooling anyone, but Jaune chuckled and waved them away.

“Now I really owe him...” Yang said while pulling Blake into the hallway.  She didn’t lead Blake to the restrooms though - as much fun as that was last time.  She stopped outside the storage room and fumbled with the keys as Blake none-too-subtly pressed against her, hands starting to roam.

Finally fitting the right key into the lock, she practically ripped the door open.

“After you,” she got out before Blake’s arm wrapped around her neck and dragged her into a deep, passionate kiss while backing into the room.  Somehow, Yang got the door closed and locked behind them, then fumbled for the light switch while Blake kissed her in the darkness.

The kiss paused as soon as the light clicked on.  Still pressed against Yang, Blake glanced around the small, crowded space and smiled.

“Quaint.”

“It does the job.”

A breath of disappointment left Yang’s lips when Blake went over to the shelves filled with every kind of alcohol.  Yang knew not to be too disappointed though.  With her heart still racing and good feelings still surging through her veins, she knew Blake would return soon enough.

“What’d your parents say?” she asked, avidly watching Blake trail a finger across the back of the only chair in the room.  “When you told them that we’re - you know.”

“That we’re dating?”

“You’re going to kill me saying that,” Yang groaned, grabbing her chest when her heart threatened to jump right out.  Unsurprisingly, Blake pounced on the opportunity to play with her heart even more.

“They’re fine with us dating.”  Smirking now, Blake returned to Yang and set a hand on her side.  “They’re surprised I kept it from them for so long, but they have no problem with you.  I knew they wouldn’t.  They only want me to be happy.”

“That seems to be a recurring theme…”

Yang trailed off when Blake’s hand drifted down her waist, briefly landing on her hip before toying with the hem of her shirt.

“It is, isn’t it?”  When Blake grazed her fingers across Yang’s stomach, drawing a soft intake of breath, her smirk grew.  “And I just want to make you happy,” she continued, sliding her fingers along the top of Yang’s jeans this time.  “Starting now.”

“Right now?”

In an ideal world - one where everyone followed the rules all the time - Yang politely pointed out that they weren’t completely in private.  In reality, her resistance disappeared the instant she heard Blake’s soft, sexy “mhmm…”

“If you wait until the end of my shift...” she began, if only so she could say she tried.

“Hell no.”

As expected, Blake had no interest in extinguishing the fire she started.  She pulled Yang into another kiss instead.

“I love you,” she breathed against Yang’s lips, sending Yang’s heart into more loops.  “And I want to show you how much...right now.”

When Yang didn’t decline - because in no reality would she ever turn down the girl of her dreams - Blake pushed her into the chair and sat on top of her.  Just like this morning, seeing and feeling Blake straddling her lap sent a surge of heat between her legs.  Thoroughly turned on, she grabbed Blake’s ass and looked up into sultry amber eyes.

For those few seconds, the world seemed to stand still for just the two of them.  They finally said what they needed to say, now they wanted to follow up with actions rather than words.  Then Blake slowly leaned forward, pressed her lips to Yang’s ear, and whispered, “I want to make you mine.”

The world started spinning when Blake nipped the bottom of Yang’s ear.  Her tongue slipped in next, making Yang moan in no time.  Now that Blake started it, Yang couldn’t imagine stopping it.  She quickly unbuttoned Blake’s shirt, kissing every bit of soft, milky skin as it was revealed to her.  Soon, Blake’s breasts were within reach, and Yang pulled down Blake’s lacy red bra so that she could take one of Blake’s nipples into her mouth.

Blake sighed and leaned into the feeling, leaving Yang’s ear in favor of sitting back and holding Yang’s head to her chest while Yang kissed and licked everywhere.  Yang’s hands found themselves back on Blake’s ass in the process, squeezing firmly while Blake’s soft sounds of pleasure drove her wild for more.

If Blake let her do that for hours, she would.  But it wasn’t long before Blake’s hands ran down Yang’s chest, her stomach, before finally reaching the top of her jeans.  It didn’t take much effort for Blake to unzip Yang’s pants, but took a little more maneuvering before she could slip one hand inside.

When Blake’s finger dipped between her legs, Yang’s eyes fluttered and a sigh left her lips.  Humming at the feeling, Blake dragged that wetness over Yang’s clit, doubling the pleasure in a heartbeat.

“Fuck…” Yang moaned before leaning forward and kissing Blake’s breasts even more fervently.  With Blake working her magic, Yang wouldn’t be able to keep up the kisses for long.  But she would get them in while she could, her tongue wrapping around Blake’s nipple while Blake stroked her clit.

With every touch, Yang’s body came alive.  The sex had always been great, but knowing that Blake was here out of love instead of lust made it even more intense.  Bliss raced through her veins, pooling between her legs as Blake fingered her closer to a climax.

The bar’s music faded away as their labored breathing and moans filled the room.  Yang’s kisses slowed as her concentration zeroed in on the growing pleasure just waiting to burst.

“Blake…” she got out before closing her eyes when Blake found a particularly good spot.  “Fuck, right there.”  She opened her eyes and found Blake staring down at her, rocking up and down on her lap while hitting that spot over and over again.  It felt so much like Blake riding her right there in the chair, which squeaked every time Blake’s knees moved forward, that she tilted her head back and moaned.

“Fuck…” she breathed out while the throbbing between her legs grew more and more overwhelming.  With her eyes closed, it was all she could think about.  “I’m gonna come.  Blake -”

Keeping the quick pace, Blake leaned over and kissed Yang’s ear.

“I love you,” she whispered.  “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Yang got out, breathless but overjoyed to finally say those words out loud.  Hearing them felt just as incredible, but Blake seemed determined to send her straight to heaven.  Every cell in her body vibrated with pleasure just waiting to break free.  Feeling Blake’s lips on her ear and neck only pushed her closer.

She wanted to get there now, but sucked in a breath when Blake’s lips returned to her ear.

“Now come for me, won’t you?”

As soon as the words left Blake’s lips, Yang’s orgasm hit like a dam breaking.  Squeezing her eyes shut and arching away from the chair, she let out the long, loud moan that she couldn’t hold back and Blake wanted to hear.  She felt Blake’s fingers still moving, still slicking over her just as fast and eagerly, as the rest of her world devolved into pleasure.

By the time she came back to earth, still panting, Blake was looking down at her with a smile that was equal parts loving and satisfied.

“How was that?”

“Fucking fantastic,” Yang sighed before jolting when Blake slid her hand out of Yang’s pants.  Not commenting on the wet mess down there now, Blake grabbed a rag from the nearby shelf and wiped off her fingers.

“I want to be better,” she directed to the rag before tossing it aside and meeting Yang’s gaze.  “At telling you how I feel.  I don’t want you to ever wonder again.  I love you, Yang Xiao Long - and I’m going to say it so often, you’ll get tired of hearing it.”

Considering Yang’s already racing heart flipped just hearing the word, she laughed and pulled Blake closer, hoping for a kiss.

“That’s impossible,” she said while tilting her chin up to meet Blake’s gaze.  “It’ll only make me love you more.”

Smiling, Blake ran her fingers through Yang’s hair and leaned closer.

“Can I stay with you tonight?” she asked, her lips mere centimeters from Yang’s now.

“Can you?” Yang asked in return, and Blake’s smile grew.

“I’ll let my parents know.  After this morning...they’ll understand.”

“Should I be embarrassed…?”

“No.”  Blake shook her head and laughed.  “I probably should be, but I’m not.  I love you, and I don’t care who knows.”

Yang couldn’t have wished for a better moment than that - hearing, feeling, and knowing that Blake loved her.  Then the moment became even better, as Blake closed the gap between them and captured Yang’s lips in a soft, loving kiss.

Her life might not have turned out how she expected it, but she knew now that money, success, or a fancy title wouldn't get her what she hoped and dreamed for.  What she wanted - the gorgeous girl straddling her lap right now - could be hers for the price of frequent laughter, overwhelming love, a few burnt cakes, lots of kisses, and plenty of steamy encounters.

And those were all things she could afford.