Chapter Text
After placing second in figure skating Blake’s parents invited her and Yang out to their home in Menagerie. They accepted and started out on the long drive to Blake’s home. Meaning she had a lot of time to think. She definitely missed her hometown. But she would miss Yang more if she moved back home. She didn’t know what to do or where to go. In the end she came to terms with being okay living day by day.
She chased street lights with her eyes, holding onto her silver medal. Yang kept hers around her neck. She seemed more proud of it than winning the hockey cup.
They pulled into the driveway just as the sun had fully set. It was quiet and cold. Blake started shivering as soon as Yang opened the door to let her out. They both had changed into sweatpants and t-shirts.
Yang shuffled through her bag in the backseat and pulled up a hoodie, “Here.”
Blake lovingly rolled her eyes and accepted Yang’s hoodie. It was all black with red writing on it for the silver eyed warriors with Xiao Long on the back. She loved that last name.
“Come on,” Ghira called out to them, waving his hand. He stood underneath the porch light waiting for them, “Your mom is ordering take out for the big win.”
“Big win,” Blake scoffed. She looked up at her house. Her childhood home where she was raised. It was bigger than Yang’s cabin. Two floors with five bedrooms and three baths. Balconies on almost every window with ivy growing around the white wood siding.
“Big win!” Yang repeated but with a grin. She held her medal in her hand, “Big win.”
Blake watched as Yang entered through the double doors then looked up at her high ceilings, amazed by the chandeliers. A lot of people had the same reaction. She went further inside, slipping off her shoes. She followed the parents into the massive kitchen. Kali was already opening the fridge pulling out bottles of soda.
Blake sat down on one of the stools at the kitchen island and beckoned for Yang to sit with her. She slowly comes over, hitting her metal hand against the marble counter. She winced then shyly smiled. Blake grabbed onto her hand and held it.
Ghira sat down next to Yang then Kali slid three glass soda bottles towards them and sat opposite of her husband.
“Good work out there Xiao Long!” Ghira pats her on the back.
“Thank you Mr. Belladonna.”
“Ghira is just fine,” he corrects.
Yang nodded and took a sip of her drink. Blake wondered if she would drop the Mr. And Mrs. now.
“Yang hun,” Kali speaks up, “I ordered some seafood and a steak for you. Does that sound alright?”
“Yes ma’am, that’s more than alright.”
Apparently Yang would not drop the yes ma’am’s. It made Blake wonder more about how she was raised.
“Oh you can call Kali,” she smiles into her hand, “or mom,” she wiggled her eyebrows.
Yang stiffened then smiled into her soda as she took a drink. Blake side eyed her partner, smiling softly. She’d definitely have to think about it, but forever sounded nice.
“You’re an honorary Belladonna!” Ghira chuckled, “Imagine that Kali! Belladonna number 96 of the Silver Eyed Warriors. Belladonna Dragon!”
“Dad,” Blake groans.
“Sorry dear,” Kali said to a red faced Yang, “He is really into hockey.”
A knock at the door saved further embarrassment from her parents. Ghira went to go get the take out with Kali leaving the two women alone in the kitchen.
“You didn’t tell me you lived in a castle!” Yang hisses.
“It’s not a castle!” Blake whispers back, “It’s… just a big house.”
“You’re basically a princess,” Yang snapped back.
“If anyone is a princess it’s you-“
“Doesn’t this smell delicious!” Kali came back into the kitchen breaking up the feud.
~~
The four ate dinner then hung out for a little bit longer before Kali and Ghira went to bed, leaving Blake and Yang to figure out the bed situation themselves. Blake stood off from the couch and pulled Yang up.
“I wanna show you something,” Blake says, “Follow me,” she leads Yang to a closet, they grab two winter coats and put them on, “Our skates are in your car?”
“Yeah but-“
“Trust me.”
After retrieving the skates, Blake takes Yang past the driveway and to the back of the house going through a wooden gate. She steps up onto the deck and flips a switch. Fairy lights turn on above them and all the way out into the yard. Yang squints then looks at Blake.
“Is that?” Yang says, baffled looking out into the distance.
“An ice rink,” Blake says proudly. She begins to walk through the grass to get to the bench on a platform in front of the outdoors skating rink.
“No way!” Yang sat on the bench and took off her shoes, excitedly putting on her skates.
“My dad built it for me,” Blake said while lacing her skates up.
“It’s frozen over already?”
“Sure is,” Blake said, “Mom and dad skated yesterday.”
Yang got onto the ice first. She stood in the center of the rink, sweats and a big winter coat with a hood on. She laughed, then laughed some more when she saw her breath foggy in the air because of how cold it was. The only lights in the sky were the fairy lights and the stars, making it hard to see anything but each other.
Blake connected her phone to a nearby Bluetooth speaker, playing a playlist she made for her and Yang. She made it to the ice, sliding to a stop in front of Yang.
“Watch it,” Yang playfully flung the ice off of her pants, “That could be a foul in hockey if you aim at the goalie.”
“I don’t see a goalie around,” Blake teased.
Yang rolled her eyes then began to skate, following the edge of the rink. Blake caught up and grabbed onto her hand, interlocking their fingers together. They skated in circles until Yang tore off, performing an axel.
She lands and skates backwards in front of Blake, “I really like figure skating.”
“You’re really good at it,” Blake went up to her, “A natural.”
Yang nodded. Blake sensed she was getting into it, the skating and the music. She got in front and started to improvise a routine. Yang caught on, matching her movements. Blake jumped into the air and spun, landing backwards and on one foot. She leaned back and let her hands dangle at her side. Yang put one hand under her, supported her back, and tilted her further to the ground.
Blake layered her feet around Yang’s, touching their knees together. Being as close as possible. She saw the lights reflect off Yang’s eyes and illuminate her freckles. Blake kisses her, one hand reaching up into her hair.
“How many points is that?” Yang joked as they pulled their heads away from each other.
“You dork-“
Blake felt her skate blade hit against Yang’s. She lost balance and fell backwards, but not before grabbing onto Yang’s coat pulling her down with. Yang landed on her forearms, as to not squish Blake beneath her, they slid to a stop.
They were both silent as they realized what happened. Then they began to laugh at the position they landed in. Yang’s golden hair hangs in Blake’s face as her amber eyes filled with hot tears from laughing too hard.
“You were saying?” Yang lowered herself, planting a small kiss on the others lips.
Blake sat up causing Yang to sit back on her knees. The music is still playing in the background, “I was calling you a dork.”
Yang got up then helped Blake up. They agreed to call it a night. They took off their skates and put their shoes back on, making their way back up to the house. Blake noticed a small shadowed figure standing on the deck.
“Sorry mom,” she apologizes, climbing the stairs with Yang, “Did we wake you?”
“No, I wasn’t asleep yet,” She opens the back door for the two women. Yang apologizing in passing, “But when I heard your music playing outside I figured I’d make some hot chocolate for when you came back.”
Blake shivered, feeling the heat from the inside, “Thank you.”
“Yeah, thank you,” Yang gratefully takes a cup, smiling at the marshmallows.
“Change out of those wet clothes soon,” Kali said as she left them alone, “Or you’ll catch a cold.”
“Yes ma’am- Kali! Kali,” Yang corrected.
Kali gave Blake a smile, “We like this one,” she whispered before turning on her heel and heading back upstairs.
Blake blushed behind her cup, turning back to Yang who had already downed half. She felt her stomach warm up with the drink. Her mom was right about her clothes being wet and cold. She would need to change soon.
“You parents are nice,” Yang said into her cup, draining it.
“They like you,” Blake smiled and took their cups to the sink.
They walked up the stairs, chatting idly as they did. Blake stopped Yang in front of her bedroom door, anxious about letting her partner see a part of her past, part of her childhood.
“Don’t,” Blake sighed and turned the door knob, “I haven’t been back here since before we met and this room hasn’t changed since I was a teenager so-“
“Woah,” Yang stepped inside looking around.
There were band posters on the wall, along with a lot of bookshelves and trophies. There was a twin sized mattress in the corner of the room, sandwiched between the walls and a nightstand with a lamp on it. There were more fairy lights, thanks to her dad. A bathroom connected and a walk in closet.
“This is where I spent my days,” Blake walked to her dresser and opened it up, “come here. Help yourself.”
They both changed into dry, sleep clothes. Blake sat at the edge of her bed, waiting for Yang. She was feeling impatient, wanting to be close. She hopes her partner still wants to share a bed despite it being small.
But Yang was elsewhere. She was standing in front of a bookshelf that had zero books, just medals and trophies. She ran her fingers across some of them. They were mostly gold with a few silvers and even less bronze.
“These are amazing,” Yang says.
“I started collecting when I was young,” Blake looked over at her.
“How about we take some back home and put them in our room?” Yang suggests.
“Our room?”
“Well yeah,” Yang slowly walked over and sat on the bed with Blake, “I was thinking you could stay with me. At my place. Like move in with me, officially.”
Blake felt butterflies in her stomach, “You want me to live with you?”
“Can’t live with Sun forever,” Yang shrugs, “Well you could. But I know you said you were staying there while you figured things out so I was just thinking that we could. Take this a step further and share our space.”
“I would love to,” Blake kisses her on the cheek. She fell asleep in the hockey player's strong arms thinking about ways to decorate her new living room. All the books she would take with her. Her life was starting anew.
~~
The next morning they woke up to the smell of pancakes and breakfast food being cooked down stairs. Blake had woken up first, something that has been happening more than usual lately. She figured Yang must be recovering from practicing for hockey and a figure skating competition. She gently shook her partner awake, kissing her softly on the cheek.
They got ready for the day, changing into street clothes, then went downstairs. Kali was sitting at the kitchen island with a cup of hot tea while Ghira was over the stove cooking up something.
“Good morning you two!” Kali smiled at the two women walking towards her.
Yang sat across Kali while Blake said hello and started a pot of coffee for her. Yang perked up when the smell of roasted coffee grounds filled the air.
“More into coffee than tea?” Kali hums.
“I am, I know Blake likes tea more,” Yang said yawning, “I work at a coffee shop actually.”
“Blake had mentioned that,” Kali turns to her daughter, “Seems like she was always there doing school or editing papers.”
Blake rolled her eyes and handed Yang a steamy cup. Yang thanked her and took a sip.
“Any big plans today?” Ghira asks them
“Not really,” Blake answers.
Yang took out her phone and squinted at text, she looked confused then turned to Blake, “Ruby is going on about something. Talking to Maria, for hockey? I might have to-“
Her phone started to buzz indicating she was getting a call. She stood up and turned, getting ready to excuse herself.
“This is her,” she says into the phone. Blake followed her to try to hear the conversation, “oh yes ma’am- I am. Absolutely. I can, yes. Okay, yes ma’am. Next Friday I will be there with her.”
Blake was hovering over Yang wondering what the call was about. She steps back once the phone is hung up. Yang looks at her dumbfounded, her mouth opening and closing trying to find words to say.
“That was Maria!” She shouts, “The coach of the Killer Bees. She wants to meet with me and Ruby!”
“You and Ruby?” Blake jumps up, “You guys got scouted by the Killer Bees?!”
“Yes!”
“You got scouted?” Ghira shouts standing up from the kitchen table.
“By the Killer Bees!” Blake and Yang say at the same time. They were holding hands and jumping.
“That’s wonderful news,” Kali chimes in.
“Oh I think I gotta sit down,” Yang grabs onto her chest and plops on the couch, “That’s my favorite team. Man, I’m going to get to play with Coco and Velvet and and and”
“Yang this is great!” Blake sits next to her. Yang looks at her almost crying. She can tell her partner has achieved her dreams. This is all she’s ever wanted. Of course she’s going to sign on the team. And with her little sister, Ruby.
There was a knock at the door interrupting the sweet moment. Blake looks over to her dad who is standing up to get to answer it. She looks back at Yang and smiles, kissing her on the cheek.
“I’m so proud of you, Yang.”
“Blake!” Her father calls out. She stands up as Yang picks up the phone to make a call to who she assumes is her family.
Blake walked over to the door. Her heart drops when she sees her old coach, Sienna Khan. She was dressed in her coaches outfit, a black zipped up jacket with her name engraved above the heart.
“Miss Belladonna,” She greets.
“What are you-“ she looks past her wanting to know if she brought her old partner with her. Sienna is the one who trained her and Adam together.
“I came alone. Sorry to hear about the news of you quitting,” she says while Ghira steps back allowing her to come inside.
“Don’t be. I’m actually getting back into it,” Blake said.
“Miss Khan!” Kali says from the kitchen, “Come in you must be cold. I’ll make you some tea.”
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you,” Sienna walks with Blake and Ghira, eyeing Yang who is sat on the couch talking into her phone.
“Alright then,” Blake sat at the table, “I’m all ears.”
“I was at your performance last night,” she spoke with an even tone, “I was looking for new talent and saw you perform with…”
“Yang,” Blake smiles and as if on cue Yang is walking into the kitchen putting her phone into her pocket.
“Exactly,” Sienna's eyes light up, “I think you and her could make it far. Further than you ever have. The chemistry between you two is unbeatable.”
“Well it was a one time thing,” Blake explains, “And Yang actually is playing hockey for the Killer Bees”
“No no-“ Yang sits down at the table, “Can I do both?”
Everybody in the room looked at Yang with sad eyes. But she was hopeful, her eyes filled with light and innocence.
“It’d be…” Sienna trails off. Then it looks as if she’s pulling up a schedule on her phone, “Our competitions are on different days. We’d have to look into the scheduling. But Yang, it’d be very hard on your body and psyche. It’s a lot of training and traveling.”
“Yang…” Blake looked at her, her face serious and with concern.
“We can try and if it doesn’t work out,” Yang pauses and lets out a deep breath, “I’ll pick one.”
Kali bites her lip and Ghira puts an arm around her.
“What?” Yang looks around the room, “Skating with Blake makes me happy. And I know it makes her happy and I know Blake wants to skate with me. She just won’t say it out loud because she’s selfless.”
Kali nods agreeing with Yang. Blake looks over to her, holding onto her hand, “Are you sure?”
“Like you said,” Yang shoots her a smile, “I’m a natural.”
“Then it’s settled,” Sienna stands up, “I’ll be in touch with you two. Maybe we can find a rink close to where the Killer Bees practice.”
“It was good to meet you,” Yang shakes her new coach’s hand.
After she leaves Blake turns to Yang, her brows furrowed, “I don’t think you know what you signed up for.”
“I think I do,” she retorts.
Blake was concerned with her spur of the moment decision but worse comes to worse. Yang will be a hockey player and Blake will do singles, “Okay okay.”
“Yang,” her father says, “You don’t know how happy it makes us to see our daughter skating again.”
“Dad,” Blake groans.
They continued sitting at the kitchen table. They talked about what’s in store for Yang’s future, signing onto a pro hockey team with Ruby. Hockey camp. And then all the competitions her and Blake would attend. Blake knew it’d be tiring for Yang, but if she could pull it off she’d have all the fame in the world. They’d be breaking records and headlining newspapers.
The day comes to an end. After the sun sets Blake and Yang head back to the outdoor ice rink to skate for fun before bed. Blake looks at her, lacing up her skates. She looked beautiful in the moonlight reflecting off her skin.
“I’m still not sure,” Blake sighed, “it’s going to be a lot.”
“Don’t make me choose,” Yang begged keeping her eyes on the ground, “It’s been my dream to play on the Killer Bees with Ruby. But skating with you. It makes me so happy. I want both.”
“I support you.”