Aftermath Part Three

The First Time

Yang sat up in her bed, her face turned to the open window where a thin shaft of moonlight slipped into the room she now shared with Blake. A cold breeze played lazily against her bare skin, twirling around loose strands of her hair.

She shivered; the night was chilly, but she didn't mind.

It was late – probably well past midnight. Listening, Yang only heard a slight rustling of leaves outside. Her father had long since gone to bed in the other room they'd rented at the inn. Zwei was curled up in a pile of blankets in the corner on the floor.

A couple weeks had passed since Yang and Blake had reconciled. Smiling, Yang remembered the feel of Blake's touch, trailing a wash cloth over her skin under the steady stream of hot water…

Several days later, Taiyang had ventured back into town to retrieve her arm. The smith who'd dealt with it had done a fine job – everything was as good as new, as if Yang had never damaged it in the first place.

She'd spent several hours a day – training with Blake and her dad, improving her control over her technique. Every day, she got just a little bit better at running the energy of her aura through the neural receptors in the arm.

For a while, Yang had felt happy – she had her father, her partner…

But there was still no sign of Ruby or the rest of team JNPR.

This morning, the three of them had come to a decision: it was time to leave the inn, to head back deeper into the woods of Anima. It was taking Ruby and their friends a strangely long time to make their way to Mistral, and so they were worried.

What if something had happened to them along the way?

Minds made up, Yang and her father had gone about the business of getting them ready to leave the next day. Taiyang had headed into town to pick up some supplies while Yang packed up their things. Blake didn't have much in the way of personal items to pack, and so she'd mostly watched.

Her thoughts running in circles, Yang smiled – remembering how she had tried to make small talk while folding some of her clothes, but Blake had seemed oddly distant.

I had no idea – not even a single clue, thought Yang, laughing softly to herself.

When she chuckled, Blake's sensitive ears twitched, brushing against Yang's bare stomach. Afraid of waking her partner, Yang sucked in a breath – silencing the laugh.

For a moment she just stared down at Blake – the Faunus's head resting in her lap. Listening, she tried to hear if there was a change in the girl's breathing – wondering if she'd accidentally woken her up.

Blake's ear twitched again and her face nuzzled against Yang's thigh – but other than that she was still.

Phew, thought Yang. She's out cold…

For a moment, Yang just sat there, watching Blake sleep. Her hand rested on the blankets, just off to the side of her partner's motionless form.

But slowly, a bead of curiosity bubbled up inside her.

I wonder if – if I could just…

She shook her head.

No – she might not like that.

But after what we just did, then maybe… it's ok.

Slowly – as if moving too fast would startle Blake and wake her up – Yang's hand lifted off of the bed. Her hand hovering in the air, she hesitated another moment, but eventually the curious urge got the better of her.

Still moving cautiously, Yang lowered her hand and gently stroked Blake's hair. She let her fingers trail through the long black waves, tugging softly around the base of Blake's skull.

A small moan escaped Blake's lips and her cheek shifted against Yang's leg but she stayed asleep.

Encouraged, Yang let her fingers drift closer and closer to the two soft black ears sticking up out of the crown of Blake's head.

I've always wanted to… Yang's thoughts trailed off as her fingers started to scratch around the base of one of Blake's cat ears.

The pointed little ear twitched and flattened against Blake's skull. Unconsciously, Blake leaned her head towards the touch, rubbing against Yang's hand.

"Huh," mumbled Yang, grinning.

For a couple minutes, Yang amused herself with petting Blake's ears, watching them move in response to her touch.

For a long time, Yang had wanted to reach out and touch them – but Blake's ears were something that she usually hid from others. They were something… private – off-limits. Even as their relationship had started to change, the lines between 'just friends' and something else blurring, Yang hadn't really been sure exactly just how far she could go.

But now…

Yang's fingers were playing with the silky tip of one of Blake's ears, rubbing against the soft, smooth fur, when she suddenly froze.

Not sure what she was hearing, Yang stopped petting Blake's ears and her fingers grew still. Listening intently, Yang heard a low thrumming sound as Blake hummed deep in her throat.

Yang's hand flew up to her mouth to smother the small sound that squeaked out as she gasped.

She's actually purring! I didn't think she would really…

When Yang's hand stopped scratching Blake's ear the sound had stopped. Blake mumbled something in her sleep, and her head nuzzled up against Yang's bare stomach – the tip of one of her ears tickling and teasing at the edge of Yang's breast.

Yang had to bite down on her lip, sensitive to the touch. Her back arched slightly, pushing back against Blake as the Faunus continued to rub her head against her.

Yang's breath started to speed up and she closed her eyes, trying to focus.

Easy there, calm down…

But Blake's silky smooth ears kept rubbing at Yang's exposed chest – she was naked from the waist up. The tip of one black ear brushed against Yang's nipple – standing out hard in the moonlight.

Yang's chest rose and fell, her hand bunching up in a fist around a knot of sheets and blankets.

Then, almost a feather-light touch, Blake's hand shifted up and came to rest just above Yang's hip. A jolt shot through Yang as Blake's cold skin brushed against her stomach and she gasped, the small intake of air making enough noise to stir Blake slightly from her sleep.

The still half-unconscious Faunus mumbled something, her hand gripping onto Yang's hip just a little more tightly and her ears still rubbing against Yang's chest.

Yang froze for a second, holding her breath until Blake settled back to sleep, her head falling lower in Yang's lap. A red heat flushed up through Yang's cheeks as the Faunus's nose nuzzled dangerously close to the top of her underwear. She could feel Blake's warm breath on the bare skin of her thigh, each little exhale tickling against the underside of her leg.

For a few minutes, Yang barely moved. Once in a while Blake's lips would move soundlessly, and her fingers would tighten momentarily around Yang's hip.

Carefully, Yang went back to petting Blake's ears and trailing her fingers through the girl's long black hair.

But after a while, she let her fingers wander, slipping down through Blake's hair, and over her exposed shoulder. Trailing soft, invisible lines across Blake's skin, Yang's fingers continued to travel in meandering little circles as her nails brushed gently across Blake's chest and then lower, down over her ribs and across her stomach.

Blake's stomach flinched at the touch – her muscles clenching at the ticklish sensation of Yang's fingertips.

Yang watched with curiosity as the muscles bunched and released, moving under Blake's skin that glowed white in the moonlight. Slowly, she started to lose herself in the soft feel of Blake's skin under her hand, and her mind wandered.

Looking down at Blake, and feeling the cool night breeze trickling in through the window by her cheek, Yang started to replay the scene from earlier, still not quite sure she could believe that it had all really happened.

It had all started with that failed attempt at small talk, packing up their clothes for the journey to come…

"Dad thinks we should head south first, and then cut west along the cliff face," said Yang, stuffing socks into her duffle bag.

"Hm," hummed Blake, nodding.

Glancing over, Yang saw that she had a blank stare on her face – looking blindly at the wall.

"Yeah, he thinks it'll be easier than climbing our way through the higher terrain. Might add an extra day, but it's more likely we'll find Ruby and the others a little ways to the south – assuming they crossed the mountains where we think they did."

Blake "Hm'ed" again, still staring aimlessly at nothing.

"Besides, we'll be able to follow the river. We can save some of our food if we can catch some fish along the way. Might be able to hook a trout or two," said Yang with a wink.

This time Blake didn't even bother to nod or "hm" or so much as blink. All she did was gnaw on her lower lip, her hands playing with the sheets that were bunched around her where she'd perched on the edge of the bed.

"Rrrright," said Yang, more to herself than to Blake.

"But if you want we can take a detour over the cliffs," said Yang, turning back to the drawers. She pulled out a pair of pants, and started to squeeze them into her bag.

She peeked over her shoulder back at the bed. Blake still didn't react.

"I was thinking I might wanna try jumping off the highest point I can find."

Blake kept staring the wall. One of her ears twitched, the motion partially masked under her customary black bow.

"Do you think I'll make it if I dive head first? Really, it's a matter of which is harder – the ground or my head. Whaddaya think?" asked Yang, keeping her tone conversational but studying Blake's face the whole while.

Still no reaction.

Yang dropped the pile of t-shirts she'd picked up back into the drawer – a couple of them coming un-folded in the process. Turning around, she put her hand on her hip and raised her cybernetic arm, pretending to examine it.

"And you know, if that doesn't do me in, I was thinking I'd find another one of those overgrown Ursa. Heard there's plenty around here. Except this time I'll leave the new arm at home – bare-handed bear fight, sound good to you?"

Blake stared at the wall, still unhearing.

"Yup, me too. Well actually, I was really considering lopping the other arm off first. Really give the Ursa a chance – no armed, bear fight. You think you could help me cut it off?"

Blake blinked, but still said nothing.

Yang sighed and stamped her foot.

"BLAKE!" she yelled, taking a couple strides across the room so that she was practically leaning over her partner.

"WHAT?!" shouted Blake, startled. When Yang had yelled at her, the Faunus had practically jumped out of her skin – her hands tightening reflexively around the bunched up sheets.

"What's the matter with you?" asked Yang, exasperated.

"Nothing – why?" said Blake, looking away from Yang and scooting back further on the bed.

"Because you've been spaced out for a while now. You have no idea what I was just saying, do you?"

"Um, was it… about Zwei?" guessed Blake.

"I'll take that as a no," said Yang, flopping onto the bed with a sigh.

The bed shook when Yang face-planted onto the mattress and Blake yelped, nearly getting knocked over.

"Hyou mhm trr mrr wurrs gnrn omm?" said Yang, her voice muffled against the pillow she'd landed on.

"Do I want to what now?" asked Blake, confused.

Yang sighed and lifted her face up off of the pillow, blowing an errant strand of hair out of her eyes.

"You wanna tell me what's going on?" she repeated.

Blake hesitated for a moment, but then she shook her head and pulled her knees up to her chest, leaning her back against the wall.

"Why not?" asked Yang, hugging the pillow to her chest.

Blake mumbled something that she couldn't make out, and so Yang's eyebrows kneaded together.

"Come again?"

Blake sighed.

"Because I'm scared," she said, not looking Yang in the eye.

Yang looked stunned.

"Scared of what? We're gonna be fine! I was exaggerating before about the Ursas-"

"No – that's not what I meant," said Blake cutting her off.

Yang's mouth snapped shut and she sat up, still hugging the pillow.

"Then… what did you mean?" she asked.

"We're leaving," mumbled Blake.

"Um, yeahhhhh?" said Yang, drawing out the word.

"Which means," said Blake, still hesitating, "that things will change."

Yang raised an eyebrow as she looked over at Blake, sitting at the other end of the bed.

"I mean, I guess they will. We'll be on the move and all."

"So we won't have this," said Blake looking around at the room.

"Um, no – we won't," said Yang, still confused.

Blake cast a sidelong glance at her partner.

"Yang – there's just something that I need to know."

"Shoot," said Yang.

Blake's tawny eyes stared unwaveringly into hers.

"Is there any part of you that's still mad at me for leaving? When – you know…" she said, indicating Yang's right arm with her chin.

Yang was taken aback by the sudden change in the conversation. Recovering, she shook her head and sighed.

"Blake, we've been over this. It wasn't easy – and I'll never quite be able to forget, but I think I stayed mad as long as I did because I was scared. And I just, I just couldn't live with that. It was as much my problem as it was yours. I mean-"

"Stop," said Blake, her eyes still boring into Yang's.

"Um, okay…"

Yang discarded the pillow and dropped her hands into her lap, leaning forward as she studied Blake.

"Blake I still don't really know what you're-"

"Stop," repeated Blake. She had stopped hugging her legs to her chest. Unfolding her limbs, Blake leaned forward out of her perch against the wall, crouching on her hands and knees on the bed.

"Just stop," she murmured, bringing her face closer to Yang's.

Yang's eyes widened and she froze – not sure what was happening. But as she watched, the hesitation melted away from Blake's face, and she leaned in even closer.

"Blake?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

But Blake didn't answer. Glancing up into Yang's eyes one last time, Blake closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to Yang's.

The kissed started off soft, and shy. At first, Yang wasn't even sure what was really happening.

But then Blake's hand came up to cup her cheek, and the warmth of Blake's skin pressed against her own. Slowly, Blake's mouth started to move against hers, parting her lips, playing with them, even biting them.

At first, Yang was slow to respond. But then something inside of Blake changed – and what was soft and hesitant became harder, more demanding. A mindless need burned in Blake's kiss, and she hungrily pressed her mouth against Yang's, her tongue playfully exploring Yang's lips.

Yang's eyes widened, but she didn't pull away or stop. Even when Blake's mouth moved away from her own, trailing kisses down the side of her jaw, over her neck and down to her collar bone – she just gave herself over to the feel of Blake's skin on hers, a sudden warmth rising from deep inside of her as her heartbeat skyrocketed out of control.

Blake's hands started to tear away at her own clothing, fumbling with the edges of her shirt as she desperately pulled away at it. For a moment her lips left Yang's skin and it was like a spell was broken – until Yang saw Blake pull her shirt up over her head.

Blake was kneeling over her in a black bra – a hungry look on her face. She threw away her shirt and reaching up, one hand tugged at the end of her bow. Her eyes never leaving Yang's, she slipped the black fabric off of her ears slowly, before leaning in to kiss Yang's lips again.

"Blake," gasped Yang between kisses, her voice unsure.

But the Faunus ignored her, her hands clawing into Yang's stomach as she tore away at Yang's shirt.

"Blake," said Yang again, the note of protest leaving her voice. She leaned back, letting Blake tug her shirt up over her head, raising her arms as the fabric was torn away and flung onto the floor beside the bed.

For several minutes – Yang just disappeared: she was the hand on Blake's hip, the lips nibbling at her ear, the gentle brush of skin on skin.

Every inch of her buzzed and she felt a heat rising from somewhere deep in her stomach. Her hand shook and she slowly she realized that she needed something.

Every touch of skin on skin was special. It was one warmth reaching out to and becoming a part of another. It was close and it was intimidate and it was safe.

But there was something cold and hard and out of place that was holding Yang back. Something that wasn't her, something that didn't belong in this place, and in this moment.

"Blake," she moaned. "Blake help me – help me get it off," she said, her hand fumbling with the locks that held her metallic arm in place.

Blake didn't pause – she didn't ask or hesitate or even stop to wonder why. All she heard was the desperate need in Yang's voice, and her hands were on top of Yang's, helping her unlatch the couplings in the arm.

There was a subtle click as the locks all released, and with a swift twist Blake had it off and she laid it on the floor beside the bed. For a moment she stopped, staring at the end of Yang's arm, something sad creeping into her eyes.

"Don't," said Yang, shaking her head. But all the while, she had to fight the urge to let the tears well up and cry.

"It's okay…" whispered the blonde, leaning in towards Blake's lips – pulling her into another kiss.

For a few minutes, they took things slow. They were gentle, sometimes just lying there – Blake draped across Yang's chest, nuzzling soft kisses into her neck.

Blake's hand was drawing little circles on Yang's stomach – stopping only to reach back and undo the clasp of her own bra. The silky fabric slid away from her skin and slipped onto the floor, and then Blake's hand was back on Yang's skin – soft and feather-light.

But then her fingers started to wander lower, curling down around the bone that protruded out of Yang's hip. Then it wander lower and lower – lifting up the waist of Yang's pants and slipping underneath.

Yang gasped and her hips bucked up involuntarily.

"Blake – I, I-"

"Shh…" murmured Blake, silencing her with another kiss.

Her hand slipped back up out of Yang's pants only for a moment – furiously tearing at the clasp of Yang's bra. When she managed to unhook it she tore it away, and glanced up at Yang before she lowered her lips closer to one of Yang's breasts.

Her hand slipped back down towards the cleft between Yang's legs, her fingers trailing little lines over Yang's panties while her mouth grazed against the soft white skin of Yang's breast.

Yang moaned and closed her eyes, her hand digging into the blankets under her, her fingers clenching around the soft fabric.

Encouraged, Blake placed a kiss just on the edge of the dark area around Yang's nipple, and she slipped one finger under the edge of Yang's thin cotton underwear.

Yang threw her head back and gritted her teeth together to hold in another gasp. Her hand came up to grip Blake's hair near the base of her skull – unable to control herself.

Smiling, Blake leaned over and took the tip of Yang's nipple in her mouth, sucking gently. Then, feeling brave she bit down lightly and felt Yang buck underneath her, pressing her chest up towards Blake's mouth.

Unable to take it, Yang leaned up and – pulling Blake's face towards her own with her hand – she drew her into a furious kiss. Her tongue darted into Blake's mouth and any fear of rejection, any hesitation, any "what if" that had ever held her back disappeared.

But after a moment, a deep sound in Blake's throat like a growl rumbled up through her teeth and she shoved Yang back down onto the bed, breaking off the kiss.

Yang was breathing heavily, her eyes wide and wondering.

But before she could ask what had happened, Blake flashed her a malevolent smile before her face disappeared – the Faunus retreating towards the far end of the bed.

Blake's hands clawed their way down Yang's stomach and Yang hissed. Fingers grasping at the waist of Yang's pants, Blake pulled them down off of her hips, sliding them all the way down her legs and tossing them behind her.

Blake's face came back into view as she knelt over Yang, still grinning. Their eyes met for a moment – Yang's eyes bewildered and Blake's on fire. Blake's silky black ears flattened down against her skull, and then – she lowered her head.

"Blake!" shouted Yang, her hand desperately grabbing onto the sheets, wadding them up in her fist.

Heedless, Blake placed a few soft kisses on the insides of Yang's thighs – starting low, near the backs of her knees and gradually rising higher and higher.

Yang's legs started to curl up – her skin was incredibly sensitive and she was no longer in control of her body. Her chest was heaving, cold air lingering over her exposed nipples.

Blake's tongue licked playfully at the soft skin of Yang's thighs and Yang had to fight the urge to scream out loud.

"Blake!" she exclaimed again. "Blake!"

Blake stopped for a moment, chuckling as she looked up at Yang. For a second, she held Yang's gaze – perfectly happy to just smile at the one she loved.

One of Blake's hands reached up and rested on Yang's stomach. Yang's own hand came up to cover it and for a few seconds they just stayed like that – still looking at one another.

But then – feeling bolder than she ever had before – Yang took Blake's hand and brought it up to her mouth. She kissed it once and then lowered it onto one of her breasts, lying back onto the mattress.

At that moment – all of Blake's passion seemed to flare back to life in an instant. Her hand cupped Yang's breast, fingers teasing her nipple. Lowering herself back down, Blake let her tongue trail over the inside of Yang's thighs again, before wandering higher and higher – going to a place she had never been before.

When she placed the first kiss there Yang moaned and her hips bucked again. Her hand came down and dug into Blake's hair – pressing her face closer with a demanding, begging, urgent need.

And that was all the invitation Blake needed. She licked and kissed and bit gently. Every one of Yang's breaths came with a small involuntary sound, getting higher and faster, higher and faster.

Blake's hand left Yang's breast, and she grabbed both of Yang's hips, pulling the girl even closer.

When Yang seemed close, Blake slowed, trying to match the rhythm of the blonde girl's rocking hips. There was nothing that separated them – not space or an unsure thought or their shared past. All of it was gone. There was only the moment, and Blake's lips and hands and softly dangling hair on Yang's burning skin.

When Yang finally came, she cried out wordlessly and her back arched. For a moment she just stayed like that before she slowly eased back onto the mattress, her hand becoming soft and gentle in Blake's hair, stroking her and playing with the loose curls.

Panting, Blake sat up, the taste of Yang still in her mouth. There was nothing in this world that could have made her more content – more purely, blissfully, foolishly happy – than the simple smile she saw on Yang's face in that moment.

Something tight clenched in Blake's chest and she suddenly felt like she was going to cry. Tears welled up in her eyes and she had to take a few short, sharp breaths.

Yang looked concerned but Blake shook her head, smiling. Slowly, she eased herself down onto Yang, lying across her stomach with her head on Yang's chest.

There were no words, no questions – nothing for the longest time. Just lying and touching, and occasionally kissing.

And they stayed like that, Yang looking down at the beautiful girl lying on top of her with her head nestled between her breasts and Blake, sweet simple tears leaking out onto her cheeks, drying against her skin as she listened to the gentle thrum of Yang's breathing.

Twilight slowly gave way to night, and darkness crept into the room. And still they laid there, neither one wanting to move. After a while, they heard Yang's father come back from his supply run, but it was late and he didn't come into their room.

At some point, Blake drifted off to sleep, lulled by the slow rise and fall of Yang's breath. Yang had shifted up into a sitting position, but other than that, she was content to stay as she was, looking down at her partner and watching her sleep…

Dawn was rising, leaking into the room with soft pinks and yellows and oranges. Yang's eyes flickered open. Somewhere in the gentle crawl of time, she had drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

When she woke, Blake was still out cold. Her head was still in Yang's lap, her arm still wrapped around Yang's hip, but she had curled up into a ball on her side, bringing her knees up to her chest. One of her legs laid over Yang's, her toes curling under the slope of Yang's calf.

Yang smiled, and a simple thought occurred to her. Her chest swelled and she took a deep breath.

"I love you, Blake," she whispered, hoping she wouldn't wake the girl in her lap. "I may not have always known it, but I was always meant to love you – and I always will."

One of Blake's ears twitched, but her eyes remained closed. Her chest rose and fell slowly in the gentle rhythm of sleep.

Yang peered down at her, making sure her words hadn't woken her partner. A curtain of black hair hid some of Blake's face, but Yang watched for any change in the girl's features for a few moments – seeing none.

Satisfied, she leaned her head back and let herself drift – not quite asleep but not quite awake either. Yang's eyes drooped shut and she grinned, feeling warm and comfortable and safe.

But what she couldn't see was the small smile tugging up at the corners of Blake's lips.

Author's note: Hey guys, it's been a long time since I posted to this particular story in the Bees Chronicles because I've really wrestled with the idea of writing and posting M rated content.

I've never done anything like this before, and I wasn't sure I ever would. But sex is a part of life and of love – and this was always where I thought this story would go, so in order to tell it as it occurred to me most naturally, I felt that I needed to go there.

And believe me, I know it's not exactly the most original Yang x Blake scene, I was just trying to keep with the theme of small but important moments for these two.

But I hope you guys enjoyed, please let me know what you think about how it all went!