{Do what me say come, wanna play with fire, fire; So me play with fire, fire, so me take them higher, higher}

"Okay, now remember: whenever you want to leave just go ahead and tell me and we go right then."

Blake sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Yes, yes, I know. You've only told me fifty times already."

Thick fingers tapped against the steering wheel. "I'm just making sure. I mean, I know how you get sometimes."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Gray eyes glanced at her for a brief second in panic before returning to the road in front of them. Sun's hands gripped the steering wheel tighter now, almost wringing it out. "I don't mean it in a bad way! Just...I know you prefer books over people at times."

It was true. When faced with the choice of social interaction or diving face first into a crisp new paperback she normally chose the latter. It wasn't anything against anyone because she certainly did not view herself as superior to them for reading books in her spare time instead of partying or going out. And she didn't necessarily see herself as a recluse although that's what she was often accused of. When it all came down to it, sometimes she preferred to get lost in foreign worlds than be stuck in her own.

But that didn't mean she had to give her blonde friend the satisfaction of agreeing. So she crossed her arms and turned towards the window, a firm pout setting on her lips. Her acting elicited the expected response - the groan of exasperation loud and clear over the wind howling through the window.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry! Jeez you don't have to act all upset like that and make me feel bad. You know it's true."

Blake shrugged. So what if it was? It gave her a weird sense of pleasure watching him squirm after thinking he said something wrong. Call her sadistic, but it was rather comical.

However Sun opted to stay silent for the rest of the ride there, putting all his focus towards the road. And Blake simply sat in the passenger seat, watching as they drove past palm trees and sand dunes. The sun sat on the brim of the horizon, watching over the world as it settled down for night, the doting mother reluctant to withdraw its warmth. The sky above was painted various shades of pink and orange, mixing together to create a warm peach color, the sky aflame with the warm hues. Soon night would fall over them, bringing with it its chill and darkness which would in turn cause them to pull together and share body heat around a fire on the beach to fight off the wind.

Blake had experienced these beach parties through the words from Sun's mouth, but this would be the first time she would be present at one herself. It wasn't that she wasn't interested in attending. She was just never formally invited and decided it was be rude of her to impose. Sun would always say otherwise, but Blake thought it better to be safe than sorry and avoided coming of her own invitation.

So this time Sun made absolute sure to let her know that she was not only invited, but pretty much required to come this time. She had rolled her eyes at his insinuation but accepted graciously anyway, curious and perhaps even a little ecstatic to finally be attending one of these infamous beach parties.

They arrived shortly, just as the last few winks of sunlight flickered on the horizon before dipping down and disappearing 'til morning. The pink and orange hues remained but stuck closer to where the sun had just left, disappearing in wisps as they too began to give into the star-filled night. There to greet them were three of Sun's friends whom he introduced to her promptly and a warm fire already sparked to life.

The three men - Neptune, Sage, and Scarlet - all greeted her with kindness and teases, saying cheap things like how she was "much prettier than how Sun had described her". This brought a bright blush to Sun's face as he swatted away the blue-haired one, Neptune, while she laughed good-naturedly. They seemed an interesting enough bunch and were all very clearly comfortable with each other. Normally such a thing would be off-putting and would make her feel like the outcast, but now she could only feel as comfortable as they were, laughing with their jokes and supplying a few of her own teases.

They all sat on logs circled around the fire (Blake briefly wondering where they got logs this large on a beach), drinks from a cooler being passed around. When they got 'round to her she raised a hand to wave it off and, without question, was passed a plastic water bottle instead. She smiled gratefully at Sage who smiled back at her in return.

Yeah. This would be fine. She could easily enjoy herself in their company.

They hadn't been sitting there for very long when they heard the rev of an engine and the crunch of gravel as a silver car with yellow stripes pulled up beside Sun's. Blake frowned and quirked her head. Sun hadn't mentioned anything about anyone else coming.

Yet clearly he was aware of the new arrival, even expecting them if the way his face lit up was any indication. Next to her Neptune muttered under his breath, "Late as always." Even Sage and Scarlet seemed to have perked up and were casting eager glances towards the car. All four boys were anxiously awaiting the driver to emerge, Sun hanging on the edge of his seat as he resisted the urge to jump off the log entirely. So they all knew about this new person so why had no one bothered to tell her?

It's not that Blake didn't welcome the idea of a newcomer it's just….not what she had been prepared for. And she was already so comfortable with just the five of them that she wasn't sure how well she was going to adjust to a sixth. She didn't know who this person was or what they were like. She was going in blind and Sun and his friends seemed more absorbed in the newcomer than her discomfort. The brunette couldn't tell whether this irked or comforted her.

During her musing a figure had stepped out of the car and slammed the car door, snapping her attention back to the situation before her. The newcomer was now sauntering down to them, their progress slowed once they hit the sand but still set at a steady pace. They waved sporadically, wild and overeager in their gesture and the boys responded with a calmer, cooler wave of their own.

Blake blinked as the figure came closer, studying the features in more detail as they neared the fire. Blonde curls cascaded down their back to below her behind and just above her knees. The wind weaved through them, making them dance and wave with its power. The light from the fire reflected off the bright yellow curls and paired with their tango with the wind made her hair come to life, imitating the very fire at their feet. Her tan skin glowed practically orange in the firelight - a bright contrast to the dark night - that imitated the sunset they had just watched, beautiful and vibrant as it shed its dying light on anything it could grasp onto. Underneath her tan skin bulged rather defined muscles and, paired with her rather sturdy build and towering height, Blake could almost say she was a little intimidated by the newcomer.

Yet the most disarming thing about the girl wasn't her prominent muscles or her strange resemblance to fire, both factors to be wary of but not where Blake's focus zeroed in on. Her eyes, the whites bright against the darkness of her face and glowing in the dim light, were a shimmering lilac, the vibrancy seeming to pierce right through her when those eyes turned on her, questions hiding behind those gorgeous irises.

Finally unable to contain himself to his seat any longer, Sun leapt from the log, landing right in front of the girl. Tearing her eyes from Blake (who let out a breath after being relieved from the pressure they brought onto her) the girl responded eagerly, slapping her hand against his in greeting and letting him take her hand to pull her into a one-armed hug. The lilac of her eyes glowed as she laughed, the stars themselves going out of their way to reflect off them to give them a shine that Blake could swear on her life she had never seen before. It was absolutely breathtaking to watch how her eyes seemed to have a life of their own, taking the wild spirit of the girl and magnifying them to impossible standards. A peculiar weight dropped in her gut and Blake squirmed uncomfortably in an attempt to displace it. It only worked a little bit.

After Sun's leap to action the rest of the group seemed to respond, all standing and offering their own hugs and handshakes. Blake watched it all from her perch, suddenly feeling like an outsider looking in despite being in the midst of it all. She sipped her bottle of water patiently as they all got their greetings out of the way. This wasn't anything new: her watching others interact while sitting on the sidelines. It had been a common occurrence in her high school years and, if she were honest with herself, a familiar situation now that she was a college student. She didn't like to categorize herself as antisocial as many others labeled her, but if she had to call herself anything it'd be shy. She just...didn't know how to insert herself into the flow of conversation without seeming out of place or like a nuisance.

So she waited. And watched.

Fortunately for her, Sun was used to this behavior of hers. It was one reason they hitched so soon after meeting her freshman year of college. He knew how she felt in social situations and always gave her that slight nudge she needed to get going or create an opening that she could comfortably slide herself into. He also knew of her more introverted tendencies and when it was time to push her forward or to back off and leave her be. To say she was grateful for him and what he did for her would be the understatement of the century.

Tonight was no exception. Pulling himself from the fray, Sun walked over to her, taking her hand in his and helping her to her feet before pulling her over to where the rest of their party was crowded around the newcomer. Blake took small steps forward, amber eyes curiously watching behind long lashes, head slightly ducked down as she took the time to observe the girl up close.

Those lilac eyes turned to her again and the weight in her stomach returned with a packed punch.

"Blake! I want you to meet Yang! She's a good friend of mine from my old high school! Yang, this is Blake!"

Yang smirked and turned her eyes from her, mirth gleaming in them. "So this is that 'cute bookworm' you were telling me about?"

Her face erupted in heat and she turned her scalding gaze to Sun who, always so observant, noticed her less-than-pleased demeanor straightaway. This allowed him to move away in time to avoid her swatting hands, a display that make their entire group burst into laughter.

"Ow! Blake - ow! - would you just - ah! - would you cut it out?! Please? I'm sorry!"

Satisfied, Blake obliged to his pleas, settling back with her arms crossed over her chest, a firm pout on her still pink face. Sun stood on the other side of Sage now, cowering beneath his height while the three boys continued to laugh. Teases and playful jabs were tossed his way, the word "whipped" making it in there more than a few times, which brought Sun to a stuttering mess to deny all their claims.

Blake had been so caught up in watching the boys yell back and forth that she hadn't noticed the blonde inching closer to her until she felt the unusual warmth emanating from her body, protecting her from the wind chill. She jumped when she felt a soft hand on her shoulder, looking over just in time to come face-to-face with the beauty.

Wait...beauty?

Yang flashed her a grin, the corners of her pink lips turned up and the whites of her teeth flashing behind them. Her eyes crinkled with the motion and the stars behind her eyes sparked again in pure delight. From this close she could see dark purple flecks in her eyes, mingling with the bright twinklings of mirth and the swirls of the much lighter lilac. There were galaxies being held captive in them and in turn they held Blake's gaze captive, unable to look away as she admired the complexity of something she had always thought simple.

Blake swallowed. Yeah. Beauty.

"I can see that Sun is the same wimp he was back in high school. It's good to know he still has someone to keep him in check when I'm not around." And suddenly, the warmth was gone, leaving Blake to shiver in the chill of the night as the girl backed off, making her way to the still arguing Sun. Blake brought her arms closer to her chest, trying to retain some semblance of warmth. But it wasn't the same. Not even close.

Soon enough they all calmed down from their initial excitement, deciding to sit back down on the logs. To her dismay, Yang took the free space next to Neptune on the other side of the fire. Of course, she had every right to sit where she wanted but, for some reason, Blake had kind of been hoping that maybe she wanted to sit next to her. Which, admittedly, was a bit crazy given that they had just met but...still. The warmth certainly would've been nice.

Blake shook her head and leaned closer to the fire. She was being silly. They had a fire right there in front of them. What did she need some strange girl's abnormal body heat for?

At least, that's what she had tried to tell herself, but even sitting on the edge of her seat and getting as close to the fire as possible, the chilled wind still found a way to seep into her bones and she shivered violently. The fire just wasn't doing it anymore. Its heat was nothing compared to the fire that burned from the blonde in front of her.

But she couldn't just ask to shack up beside her. That'd be too weird and maybe even borderline creepy. There wasn't a faster way to ruin her chances to make a good impression. She'd just have to deal with it.

Again, luckily for her, Sun was keen as always and had noticed the way she had edged towards the fire and the slight tremors running through her. The next thing she knew he had pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, supplying her with a sufficient amount of heat to cease her shivering and to ward off the wind from getting to her. She muttered a quiet "thank you" before leaning into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder and bringing her arms up and pressing them in-between their bodies.

He was no Yang, but it would do.

Conversation resumed as it had before, except this time there was an extra voice of input and Blake found herself talking less and less. She was sure that Sun thought it had to do with the extra member to their party. Which actually it did just...not in the way he was thinking. Normally she would stray from engaging in conversation when there was someone she was unfamiliar with, but this time that wasn't the case. She would've happily offered her input more than enough times, but every time she did those lilac eyes turned to focus on her, the stars amidst those purple galaxies blinding her, and she suddenly felt very self-conscious. Her breath would always catch in her throat, her words coming out strangled and nearly incoherent, earning her an odd look here and there. Eventually she stopped talking altogether, avoiding any sort of eye contact with the newcomer at all, just so she could get through the rest of the night with her breath intact.

Famous last words.

"Hey Yang, did you bring the stuff?"

The blonde took a short swig of her beer. "Yeah but...it's all in my car. Why?"

Neptune rolled his eyes. "Why do you think I'm asking? C'mon! Bring it out!"

There was an unanimous echo from the rest of their group, Sun included. Blake blinked questioningly at them all, but their focus was instead focused on the blonde who was taking another sip of her beer, prolonging her response. Finally she came up for air, bringing the bottle from her lips and casting a sweeping glance over all the members of their party. And if she wasn't crazy, Blake could've sworn those lilac eyes lingered on her longer than anyone else.

Yang rolled her eyes and stuck her beer in the sand at her feet before hopping off the log and dusting off her shorts. "Jeez, y'all are so needy. Fine. I'll go get the stuff." She began jogging up the beach, blonde curls bouncing on her trail. A buzz of excitement erupted in her wake, the boys all shifting in their seats and watching her run to her car.

Blake herself sat up, slipping gracefully from Sun's embrace, frowning and glancing at all of them quizzically. 'The stuff'? The only place she ever heard that phrase in was in those poorly written TV shows she watched with Sun sometimes with those drug dealers and -

She froze. Oh god. Oh god. This wasn't a drug deal was it? Amber eyes glanced cautiously at Sun who was drumming on the log, oblivious to her analytical look. He was a pretty chill dude, but she didn't think that was the reason…

Not to mention, in the hypothetical situation that Sun did do drugs, there's no way he'd plot this party to pressure her into them right? They were good enough friends and he wasn't a total asshole. He respected her lifestyle and went out of his way on numerous occasions to ensure her comfort. So he wouldn't. This was an irrefutable fact.

Blake gnawed on her lower lip. Yet…

Yang's return startled her from her thoughts, the loud hollers announcing her presence making her jump so high she nearly fell from her seat. When she had finally settled herself back into her body and stopped the pounding of her heart, she looked back up to where Yang now stood beside the fire, rummaging through a black backpack.

Her eyes widened. Oh fuck the cute blonde she was crushing on was a drug dealer.

Her initial worry and panic gave way to confusion when, instead of plastic baggies filled with herbs or powder, the bag revealed its contents to be a jug of some watery-looking substance, a cigarette lighter, a first aid kit, and a pile of towels. She looked questioningly at Sun who had already jumped back up from his seat and cracked open the jug, giving it a whiff before jerking back in disgust.

Yang rolled her eyes and slapped his thigh. "Idiot. What possessed you to smell the fuel?"

The muscled blonde only shrugged with an easy grin, letting the jug be snatched from his hands and placed back down in the sand.

By this point the rest of the crew had stood up as well, hovering over Yang as she pulled more things from the bag; this time a pair of long black fingerless gloves which reached past her elbows when she pulled them on. Still perched on the log, Blake spectated from a comfortable distance, allowing Yang her space in...whatever she was planning on doing, unlike the eager overgrown toddlers poking and prodding at her things.

Once she had finished adjusting her gloves, her now half-covered hands dropped to the hem of her camisole, pulling up to reveal the toned abs underneath, almost identical to Sun's set (which he found no shame in showing off whenever he was able). The cami was lifted higher and Blake averted her eyes with a burning blush at the last second, trying to regain a hold over the function of her lungs. After a few unsuccessful attempts she allowed herself to peek back over to the circle now surrounding Yang, finding her standing in only a sports bra and her shorts, hands on her hips while her lips curled back over her teeth in a smirk.

"So boys...carry my stuff for me?"

And with that she took off down the beach, closer to the water, curls flying after her, laughter blasted over her shoulder as she ran, kicking up sand in her wake. Blake watched her go, watched her as she pumped her legs in an extra effort to gain footing in the loose sand, watched as she finally reached the cooler, damp parts of sand where the water had earlier reached during the high tide. Once she had reached that point she turned around and waved vigorously, cupping her hands and calling for them to "get their asses in gear".

This snapped the boys out of their collective daze, bending over to pick up the various items that had been procured from the black backpack. Sage claimed the first aid kit and towels, Scarlet took the jug of lighter fluid, and Sun picked up the cigarette lighter with a cheeky grin before running after Yang, waving it in the air and leaving his friends behind him groaning. It even sounded like Sage had said something about him being a "no good beanbag chair", which earned a giggle from her that she hid behind her hand. But she noticed that Sage smirked and figured that he had probably heard her anyway.

Sage and Scarlet made their way after Sun, carrying their items and chatting quietly along the way. Down by the water Yang chased Sun around, making a grab for the lighter which he always held just out of her reach, spinning and twisting when she got too close, one time being as brutal as to push her down on her butt. Blake shook her head and smiled.

"They're like children."

"It's what makes them interesting."

Turning her head to the new voice she saw Neptune standing over her, holding a hand out. She took it, letting him lift her off the log and they began to walk down to the beach themselves, smiling as they watched Yang tackle Sun to the ground wrestling him for the lighter and laughing when she shoved a fistful of sand into his mouth to make him drop his guard.

As they walked Blake caught motion from the corner of her eye and noticed that Neptune had been carrying something too. "What are those?"

As if he had forgotten what she might have been referring to, Neptune looked to his shoulder where there were two hoops swinging with each of his steps. They looked like your average hula hoop you could find at a toy store, yet what made this unique was the five spokes protruding from each one, like the points of a star. On the ends were what looked like burnt marshmallows.

When Neptune finally turned back to answer her, he only sent her a dazzling smile and a wink. "You'll see."

Once they had finally reached the water Sun was still lying in the sand, wiping his tongue with his shirt (which really did nothing since it was covered in sand as well). Sage and Scarlet had wisely decided to ignore his grunts and complaints, walking over to Neptune and taking the hoops from his shoulders, leaving him to hold the towels and Blake the first aid kit while they began dousing the burnt marshmallows in the fluid in the jug, something she could now categorize as lamp oil. Neptune walked over to the ocean, dipping the towels in his arms in the ocean and wringing out the excess water before throwing them over his shoulder. Beside him was Yang, standing ankle deep in the water and doubled over, letting the tips of her hair soak in the crashing waves. Once she was done wetting her hair she stepped out of the water back over to where the rest of them stood, taking her now damp hair and pulling it up into a high bun on the top of her head.

She must've noticed Blake's utter and profound confusion as evidenced by her furrowed brow and slight pout because she walked over to take one of the hoops from Scarlet she sent her a wink. "Safety first!"

At first Blake couldn't determine what that was supposed to mean, wondering what dangerous stunt they were about to pull that required so many precautions. But as she pieced together the items and the cautionary measures being taken, a lightbulb flickered on in her head and her mouth gaped open in a mixture of awe and disbelief.

The lamp oil. The first aid kit. The wetting of her hair and the towels. The gloves (which Blake now guessed were probably fire-resistant).

The goddamn cigarette lighter.

Fire.

They were about to play with fire.

Taking a cautious step back Blake watched in horror as Yang fit herself into the hoop, spinning around in it while Sun begged Sage for the lighter. His pleas were ignored and Sage stepped forward, pulling his thumb down on the ignition wheel, a flame flickering to life not even a second later.

Pausing in her spinning, Yang walked back over to Sage, holding out her hoop, letting him touch the lighter to the burnt marshmallows - the wicks - the stout cylinder immediately catching.

Neptune leaned over to whisper in her ear, something she barely acknowledged as she watched Sage light up the other four wicks on the hoop, the flames climbing high in their reach for the night sky, illuminating Yang's tan frame just as their bonfire had. Except this time it was a bit more up close and personal. And this time it did a much better job illuminating her features. Particularly her abs. And the muscles in her arms.

"You're in for a real treat tonight, Blake."

She couldn't have agreed more.

Now with all the wicks aflame, Yang backed away a safe distance from them to make sure they weren't in danger of being set on fire. She spun in a circle a couple times before calling out to Sun. "Hey! Give me a beat!"

Pulling out his phone and unlocking it, he began scrolling through his music playlist. "Anything in particular?"

Yang thought for a quick second before shrugging and pulling the hoop off of her, holding it loosely in her hand. Lilac eyes flickered over to where Blake was standing in between Sun and Neptune, a smirk ghosting on her lips. It was brief, enough so that Blake questioned its happenance at all. Pushing the thought out of her mind, she began to mentally prepare herself for what was to come next….whatever that was.

"Something….sexy."

She gulped.

A soft chuckle came from her left before Sun typed in something, a female voice booming from the speakers a short moment later. A tinkling laughter sounded out in front of her, Yang's eyebrows raised in incredulity to which Sun only shrugged, making a motion with his hand to urge her on. Wasting no time Yang nodded…

And began to dance.

To say she had never seen such a thing like it would be the understatement of the century. No, the millennium.

Sure, she had seen very attractive women dance at the few parties she had attended, some very good at it and others inhibited by the abundance of alcohol they had consumed throughout the night. At the time she found it one of the most provocative things she had ever seen with someone still wearing clothes and she'd be a liar if she said that she hadn't appreciated the show from her position as a wallflower.

In the dark of night, surrounded by a ring of fire, Yang blew those girls right out of the park. It wasn't to say that she was more attractive or talented than those girls she had seen before (although it was highly debatable that this was in fact the case). From a totally unbiased standpoint Blake would've been able to say that her dancing skills were excellent but nothing extraordinary and could easily compare the way she circled her hips with the other instances she had seen the same motion.

Yet watching her as she moved, bare feet making shallow imprints in the sand, hoop rolling on her circling hips, the fire encasing her and illuminating her in its light as it whipped through the air, Blake could only compare her to a goddess. Completely biased and maybe even a little cliche, but as her skin grew warm and shivers trailed down her spine, she could not conjure any other image similar enough to describe the pure beauty and freedom that Yang expressed as she moved about on the sand.

A few yellow strands of her hair half-heartedly clung to her neck and forehead, her pink lips pulled back into euphoric smile, lilac eyes aflame with fire and twinkling with gaiety stars - even the little details about her seemed to shine with an ethereal glow. Blake found herself constantly caught between admiring every inch of the blonde beauty and soaking in her excellence and actually paying attention to the dance she was performing.

The hoop never stayed in one place for too long. One second it would be rolling on her hips as she spun in circles, the next it would drop down to her thighs, encircling them in its fiery ring, and in a flash it would be in the air above Yang's head, guided by her gloved hand. It was all so fluid, no breaks or hesitation, but also quick and sporadic as if Yang could never find which trick she liked best.

The music provided was more background noise than anything - she danced to her own beat. They didn't clash, her dance still moving rather nicely along with the electronic beats. But her hips swayed to their own tune, the flames flickered to a different beat, and her feet carried all the weight effortlessly in their steps, some internal rhythm spurring them along. It was mesmerizing, to see the melody of a song in the body of a girl.

When Yang paused in her movement, holding the hoop at her waist as she had before she had begun, Blake blinked, the curtains falling and her mind snapping back to the beach. The ocean roared in her ears with the absence of the whooshing fire, the bass from the song empty and lifeless. The melody was slowly fading, disappearing into the salty air, rising above and beyond to remain out of reach.

A small inkling of disappointment began to trickle in, urging Blake to request an encore so that she may get lost in the motions of the girl before her once more, to engrain the image of her godly dance to save for moments she had all to herself. She pressed her lips together when she noticed Scarlet walking over to her, the second hoop in hand. Yang took it from him with a grin, pulling it over her person and letting it join the original hoop at her waist. The fire grew brighter, climbing to greater heights than before, the luminescence doing its best to try and outshine the girl they surrounded.

A smirk was sent her way and she felt the gentle nudge in her side from Sun, which she aptly ignored.

"Get ready for this."

If Blake had thought she was amazing with one hoop, she never couldn't expected the sight that awaited her as Yang now juggled two hoops. It was a spectacle to see, one that would stay with her forever, both as a generally impressed onlooker and as a silly girl with a sudden, massive crush.

Now two rings of fire rolled around her body, sometimes together, most times apart. They were maintained well, Yang handling them with grace and ease that Blake was sure took hours and hours of practice. But she liked to entertain the idea that Yang was born into it, discovering such a fantastic talent by random one day, excitedly learning that she had a knack for controlling spinning wheels of fire around her person.

And with the way she moved it wasn't that far off an idea.

This show lasted much shorter than the last, which logically made sense since Blake figured it must be much more exhausting having to keep two hoops on fire in check. Soon enough one of the hoops were already burned out, abandoned at Yang's feet as she leaped away from it, spinning the second one at ridiculous speeds. The flames flickered as they spun, withering to nothing but smoke, the wicks going out one by one as the hoop spun furiously around Yang's shoulders. This lasted until there was one lone wick left standing, stubborn in its adamant refusal to be snuffed. Yang removed the hoop from around her and held it above her head with the wick pointed down at her face. Smiling wide, she lowered the hoop, taking the wick in her mouth and quickly pulling it back out, the fire now extinguished. When she lifted her head back up, a faint wisp of smoke trailed from the corners of her mouth.

"Ta da!"

Around her the boys erupted from their previous quiet state, shouting and applauding her to which she responded with a very exaggerated bow. She made her way back over to them, picking up the abandoned hoop along the way and taking out the hair tie that held her hair bunched up on top of her head. Damp blonde curls fell past her shoulders, cascading down her back in a frizzy mess. When she finally reached them Sun clapped her on the shoulder, praising her performance and soon the rest of the group chimed in, all offering their own praise. It soon turned into a game where each boy tried to one up the other by coming up with a better or more sophisticated compliment, something that made Blake smile at their childishness and Yang laugh herself into tears.

Wiping the tears from her eyes Yang raised her head up and looked expectantly at Blake. "So….what did you think?"

The brunette froze, aware of the way she had just been put on the spot. Five pairs of eyes watched her, gauging her face for some sort of reaction, eyebrows raised and expressions curious. An itch overcame her, the need to fidget under the sudden attention becoming overwhelming, but she chomped on her lower lip, doing her very best to not look uncomfortable. She didn't seem to do too good of a job, because she noticed how Yang's face softened sympathetically, lilac irises apologizing for putting her in this position.

A soft hand reached out to take hers which was firmly pressed to her side, the caress from a thumb urging her to relax. Amber eyes widened in alarm, watching at the blonde beauty pulled her forward as she began to back away from the group.

"Hey, why don't we go for a walk down the beach? Then you can tell me all about how much you loved my awesome moves." When the boys made a move to follow them, Yang shook her head and threw a smile over her shoulder. "Sorry! Girls only! Why don't you boys be a dear and take my stuff back up to my car?" And without waiting for a response she pulled Blake along, hand never letting go as they walked along the edges of the pulling water.

If her heart pounded any harder she was sure it would break some of her ribs.

Blake looked over her shoulder, watching as the four boys collected all of Yang's things and began their trek back up the beach to where her car was. Her eyes caught Sun's, his expression encouraging and even throwing her a thumbs up. Blushing even more profusely now Blake whipped her head back around, so fast that she felt herself stumble a bit. Hoping that Yang hadn't noticed she cast a glance to the blonde from the corner of her eye. Lilac irises met her own molten ones, an apologetic smile matching her own embarrassed one.

Yang's hand slipped out of hers and a small flash of disappointment coursed through her until she realized just how clammy it had become. Now even more mortified she discreetly wiped it off on her shorts, matching her pace with the blonde's as they walked further and further from their little spot.

"Sorry. I was in a bit of a hurry to get you away and I probably jerked you around a bit." She shrugged. "People are always reminding me that I don't know my own strength."

Blake shook her head. "Not at all."

This earned her another smile, this one brighter and more assured, and Blake could feel herself melting into a puddle at the sight, the additional heat emanating from the girl not helping at all. She shook her head again. What was wrong with her? She had only just met this girl maybe half an hour ago. It shouldn't have been physically possible to develop a crush this fast, should it?

Well, if it weren't, she was definitely breaking some kind of rules here.

The wind picked up right about then and Blake paused for a brief second as she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering against the chill. A frown set onto her face and she huffed in annoyance. For being in the middle of July it was ridiculous that she was this….warm…..

Blake looked over to see that Yang was now walking closer to her and almost recoiled away in surprise. Understanding that she was only looking to share her warmth after noticing Blake shivering the brunette sighed and looked down at her feet. God, she probably looked so pathetic.

"So really now, what did you think? It's cool if you think it sucked. Won't hurt my feelings." Yang turned to her with a smile and Blake wondered briefly how someone could smile so much and so brilliantly without their cheeks growing sore. Then again Yang seemed to be the very devil-may-care type and could laugh in the face of death if it came to be. It just seemed to be who she was.

Blake offered a small smile back in return, internally giggling at the thought of the blonde poking fun at a hooded Grim Reaper. "No it was…." she trailed off as she thought of the perfect word to describe her performance. There was so much good to say, yet nothing that seemed to fit it just right, to communicate the way watching her dance made Blake feel. Simple words were not enough to describe it, the copious amounts of books failing to aid her in her praise.

"Honestly….I have no words."

Yang laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment!"

Relieved that Yang didn't take her comment the wrong way, Blake began to feel more at ease as the two continued their walk along the shore. The water came up occasionally to lick at their feet before receding back to the ocean like a puppy chasing the heels of its owner. It was cool, not exactly helpful when coupled with the wind chill, but standing so close to Yang made that less of an actual problem.

"So….when exactly did you start learning that?"

The question was out of her mouth before she had even fully registered it in her mind. It wasn't necessarily intrusive and, judging from the look Yang gave her, not unwelcome either but the blush still hit her when she realized her carelessness. At least this time it was an innocent question.

"Oh you know. When I was younger I went to a festival with my parents and little sister. They had a performance just like that and I thought it was just the coolest thing ever! We hadn't even made it home before I asked my parents if I could try." She paused her story to release a giggle. "They weren't exactly keen on letting a twelve-year-old play with fire, but they did let me start out with just normal hooping. I did that for awhile until I got a bit older and more careful. Then I decided to try my hand at using fire." She gestured to the gloves that she was still wearing, hands running along the fabric. "Burned myself a few times, but nothing major. Like, I didn't hafta go to the hospital or nothin'. But eventually I got better so there's that. I even do gigs now!"

Blake quirked an eyebrow. "Gigs?"

The blonde nodded taking a step forward in Blake's path and causing them to bump shoulders. "Yeah. Ya know, birthday parties, dance clubs, bachelor parties….stuff like that. It's no full-time job, but I get paid for somethin' I love doing, so it ain't half bad."

"It sounds amazing."

A sigh passed between pink lips and her head tilted back to look at the stars above them. The stars in her eyes shined brighter, calling out to its kin in the sky and Blake watched in absolute awe over this girl who couldn't have possibly been human.

"It really is."

After that there was silence save for the crashing of waves against the shore and the lulling sound of it pushing and pulling against the sand. The wind tossed their hair about, blowing hard now as if it sensed that Blake no longer felt its chill. But she wasn't worried. Not with a walking heater by her side.

Initially Blake had been a bit worried being alone with the blonde, worried that she would end up boring her or driving her away with some embarrassing stunt, but now that they were walking side-by-side, their pace leisurely and casual, those worries dissipated into the night, carried off by the gusts of wind. She let the ocean rock her in a sense of safety and the warmth from her new companion soak into her bones, shielding her from the cold as the sand sank beneath her feet, slipping in-between her toes. It was peaceful. She had never felt such bliss and contentment in her life as she felt in this one pure moment. She wished the beach would never end, that way they could continue their walk together forever, living this perfect moment throughout until the end of time.

"If you don't mind me asking….are you and Sun, like, a thing?"

Blake started at the interruption, quickly relaxing when she realized it had just been Yang. "A thing?" she asked unsurely.

"Ya know….a thing," she emphasized, going further to demonstrate her point by locking her hands together. "Like….together."

A bubble of laughter tickled her throat and she shook her head vehemently. "No! No, not at all! We're just really good friends. He looks out for me a lot, that's all."

The air around them grew more intense as she sensed the barely contained euphoria coming from the blonde. Her lilac irises lit up brilliantly, the stars behind them blinding Blake and causing her to avert her own.

"So that means I have a chance then?"

The giddiness that had risen up within her to match Yang's shriveled up and died. Her smile fell, her stomach receded on itself and her eyes burned something fierce. Of course, that's why she asked. All those looks throughout the night that she thought had been cast her way….they must've really been for Sun. After all, he stuck to her like glue, so it would've been easy to confuse a look directed at him as one directed at her. That and her own silly crush must've gotten in the way, clouding her vision and making her see things differently than how they really were.

She was a fool.

Biting her lip to keep from getting too upset (because she refused to cry over some girl she just met) Blake slowly nodded. She swallowed past the lump that formed in her throat and prayed that her voice didn't crack and betray her utter disappointment. "He's all yours."

There was a brief silence in which Yang said nothing and Blake didn't look up in fear that her expression would give her away. She had always been told that she wore her heart on her sleeve, try as she might to fix it. She had no intentions to further humiliate herself by revealing her distress over this situation.

Then Yang laughed.

Surprised, Blake chanced a glance at the blonde's face, but instead of satisfaction or some sort of triumph, she only found humor. It was as if Blake had told her some cheap joke with a sorry punchline, so stupid that it was hilarious. Before she could open her mouth to ask what exactly was so funny in what she said, Yang looked over to her, her laughter calming to the occasional giggle.

"That bozo isn't the one I'm after!"

The words didn't register at first, the defense mechanism in her mind not letting her even consider the loaded meaning behind them. After already being let down once she wasn't necessarily ready to put herself out there again only to be crushed again when her hopes came crashing down. Yet when Yang said nothing else to further explain herself and only looked expectantly at her, Blake allowed herself to guess at what she meant, heart racing when she came to the conclusion that maybe just maybe….

To be sure, she paused in their walking, Yang doing the same and they both turned to face each other. Looking shyly up through her eyelashes and fidgeting with her hands she asked, "What does that mean?"

A faint pink blush mirroring her own dusted across Yang's cheeks, but the wide grin she wore prevented it from darkening in color, her confidence literally protecting her from it. Realizing that, yes, she was going to have to say it out loud, Yang reached behind her head and scratched nervously. After a few seconds under her amber gaze, the blonde sighed, removing her hand from her head and letting it drop back to her side. Then she leaned forward, a nervous smile painted on her lips in her best attempt to remain confident.

"I was asking if you were single."

Blake blushed and leaned back, gnawing on her lower lip as she suddenly became more nervous herself, butterflies crowded in her stomach as she fought down her giddiness and nerves. "And if I am?" she asked, cursing how her voice wobbled.

Yang smirked at her, confidence fully regained when she saw how flustered she had made the brunette. Reclaiming her earlier suave persona, she reached down and took one of Blake's hands in hers, running her thumb over the smooth skin on the back of her hand. Lilac eyes glanced up to meet amber, catching them and locking them as Blake waited with baited breath for Yang's response.

"Then you wouldn't be opposed to me asking you on a date?"

And there it was.

Blake shook her head, unable to find the words to say or the breath needed to speak. But it was enough for Yang who dropped her hand in a means to get closer to her so that they were barely inches apart. It was at this moment, so close to her, that Blake noticed that while before she thought they shared the same height, the blonde actually had a couple of inches on her.

The warmth that Yang emitted was even more intense now, engulfing Blake in its heat, surrounding her in a fire not unlike the kind that Yang liked to dance with. Their breaths intermingled, the sound of it drowning out the roar of the ocean.

Blake took her previous statement back. This was the moment she wanted to be lost in forever.

"Friday. Smoothies. My treat?"

A breathy chuckle wisped past her lips and amber eyes looked up to meet expectant lilac, noticing that the stars behind them had taken their leave, leaving just her own amber to reflect off them, adding a different kind of shine. Something tamer, but still carefree and brilliant.

A burst of a confidence came over her, the realization that this girl, this wonderfully beautiful and ethereal girl she had come to like in such a short time had just asked her on a date, awakening a boldness in her that had been absent all night.

"Throw in lunch and you've got yourself a deal."

A/N: If you try and tell me that Yang would do any form of dancing with fire YOU'RE WRONG AND YOU'RE A LIAR.

I mean...Yang juggling hoops on fire? That's...hot. *badum tss*

Nah but seriously. Yang is hella attractive. I am Blake in this situation.