checkmate

The airship was silent except for the quiet hum of the engines. Ruby had passed out on Qrow’s shoulder nearly an hour ago, and team JNR seemed to be sound asleep in a pile in the corner. Maria and Oscar sat in the front, mostly quiet except for the occasional request to hit this button, flip that switch. 

Yang sat against the wall of the airship, legs stretched out in front of her and butt completely numb. She would have moved, if Blake and Weiss weren’t curled against either side of her. As it was, she was content to stay on the floor with her teammates. 

“Are you nervous, about going back to Atlas?” Blake asked after a moment. 

“Yes,” Weiss admitted. “I’m not sure what it’s going to be like, or how Ironwood will react, but I’m not alone, now.” 

“Of course you’re not,” Yang said. “We’ve got your back, Weiss. That’s what teammates are for.” 

“Just teammates?” Weiss asked. 

Blake’s ears swiveled forward, one of them brushing against the side of Yang’s cheek. Yang’s heart stuttered in her chest as Blake sat up, but she found she couldn’t look away from Weiss as she fiddled with the hem of her skirt. 

Please, she begged Weiss. One of us has to say something. 

“What do you mean?” Blake asked. 

“It’s nothing. I’m just really happy you’re here with me,” Weiss said. “I don’t want to lose you.” 

“You won’t,” Yang promised. 

“I’m staying right here by your side,” Blake added. “As long as you want me.” 

“I love you guys,” Weiss said. 

“I love you guys too,” Yang murmured. 

Blake reached over and took Weiss’ hand in her own, resting her head back on Yang’s shoulder. Some of the tension drained from Weiss’ shoulders as she laughed softly and relaxed against Yang’s side again. 

“I don’t know when this war will be over, or if it ever will,” Weiss said. “Whatever happens, I hope both of you know you are very dear to me.” 

“Why are you suddenly so sappy?” Yang asked. She poked Weiss in the side, earning her a sharp elbow to her ribs. 

“What? I can’t be sappy?” she sniffed. 

“It’s a good look on you, Ice Queen.” 

They fell back into a comfortable silence, and Yang had almost fallen into a light doze when Blake spoke up. 

“I like being your teammate,” she said. “But I’d like being your girlfriend better.” 

Yang choked. 

“Blake,” she wheezed. “Give a girl some warning will ya?” 

“Smooth, Belladonna,” Weiss said, but Yang could hear the smile in her voice. “I for one, like the sound of that arrangement.” 

“Yeah,” Yang managed past the sudden lump in her throat. “I do too.” 

“Now that that’s settled,” Weiss said. “Get back here, you were comfortable.” 

“Fine,” she laughed. She sat back against the wall and opened her arms back up to let her teammates snuggle against her sides. 

Her girlfriends. 

Maybe a horror movie had been a bad idea, because Blake found herself inching across the floor as the night progressed, until she was curled against Weiss’ side. Her girlfriend, half-asleep, just mumbled something under her breath and turned so Blake could snuggle up closer and tuck her head into Weiss’ shoulder.

And it was fine, for a while. Curled up against Weiss, with her friends snoring, fast asleep in Taiyang’s living room all around her, that stupid horror movie seemed faw away and silly, until the house creaked and Blake tensed up again.

“Blake?” Weiss murmured.

“Do you hear that?” she asked. “What’s in the shadows?”

It was shuffling and sniffing around, and Blake was too scared to look. Grimm, she could handle any day. Ghosts? You can’t stab a ghost.

“You mean Zwei?”

Blake’s ears flattened against her head and she finally looked up, sending a glare across the room at the dog, currently chewing on Qrow’s shoe.

“That’s just as bad,” she hissed.

Weiss smiled and held out her hand, and her knight, no taller than four inches, lifted its sword and stepped onto the floor. She gently tugged Blake back into her arms and pulled the blankets back over them.

“There,” she said. “Now he’ll stay away from you. Get some rest, Blake. I’ll be right here if you need me.”

“Thank you,” Blake murmured, resting her head against Weiss’ shoulder and letting the steady thump of her heart lull her back into a peaceful doze.