Distance: Part 3

Pyrrha and Ruby exited the bathroom a newly minted couple, already with more than a few hickeys to their name. They counted themselves lucky Nora was too distracted by the wedding proceedings to make a big deal of it. Ruby gave Yang a withering look upon seeing her. "We'll talk after the wedding." Ruby seethed.

Yang smiled weakly and Pyrrha shot her an apologetic look as she was led away by hand. Yang took solace in that at least. Ruby and Pyrrha were together, so she had not fucked everything up. It still hurt like hell to have Ruby look at her like that. Swallowing her dread, she tried to enjoy the reception. With Ruby occupied by Pyrrha, Jaune was left stag, so Yang did the both of them a favor and propositioned him. He was alright, lacking in confidence but with acceptable stamina. It served its purpose, burning some time and giving her a distraction from her own feelings of guilt. With time, wine and cake, the newlyweds sped off in their limo, heading for the airport and the start of their honeymoon.

Yang was left to drive Ruby home. After hugging and kissing Pyrrha, Ruby walked past Yang and silently donned her helmet. The silent treatment did nothing for Yang's nerves. Even Ruby's arms felt less firm around her waist on the way home. This was bad.

Ruby stalked off immediately as Yang parked. When Yang made it to the apartment Ruby was standing in the living room, arms crossed, face stern. She uncrossed her arms to point at the couch and Yang obeyed, sitting down, clasping her hands and swallowing. "I'm sorry Ruby." Yang apologized.

"What were you thinking?" Ruby demanded.

"I...I was drunk, a-" Yang started.

"Stop!" Ruby cut her off. "Don't give me that bullshit. You would've been tipsy at worst. You've always handled your alcohol well."

"I thought you were with Blake!" Yang declared.

"You knew I liked Pyrrha!" Ruby accused.

"I know!" Yang shouted. "And I'm sorry, it's just...I thought it was just a crush, and Pyrrha never seemed to reciprocate, a-and you and Blake were getting so close and you looked so comfortable together. I thought after last night you two would, I dunno'...wake up in each other's arms all starry eyed or something!"

"Blake and I are friends Yang!" Ruby yelled. "After you left she took me home. Hell, she had to carry me to the cab, and I didn't even wake up til we got there. I offered to let her stay and she refused." Her voice cracked. "And all the while you were...you were knuckle deep in the woman I love!" Both she and Yang were crying. "Just go up and ask her to have some fun in the back room, great advice Yang. I'm sure that made her feel great about herself. You...you...God damnit Yang!"

Ruby stomped off to her room, followed moments later by a stunned Yang. "Ruby, please, I'm sorry." Yang beseeched.

"I know!" Ruby shouted. "Just...I can't...I don't wanna' see you for a while." She pulled a backpack from her wardrobe.

"I'm sorry Ruby." Yang repeated. "I screwed up, I'm sorry."

"Yang, I'm gonna' go stay with Blake for a while." Ruby declared.

"No, no...just, you stay here." Yang sighed. "All your stuff is here. I'll go. Nora and Ren gave me a key to their place, to water their plants. They won't mind me staying for a while. Just...I'll go. I'm sorry." Yang left the room, hastily packing a bag of her own, pausing only to say a shaky goodbye to Ruby. She pretended it did not hurt when Ruby did not respond.

Yang pulled up in front of Ren and Nora's apartment complex, parking her bike in the garage. She made her way to their floor and entered their unit as quickly as possible. Dropping her bag and helmet, she collapsed on the couch and began sobbing. Fuck pretending, nothing hurt more than Ruby's disapproval. It cut through her like a bullet, and the wound burned white hot. It was agony, and it was all her fault. She had no excuse. She was selfish, ignorant and impulsive at the worst possible time, and she thanked every deity she knew of that it had worked out for the best. She may have irreparably damaged her relationship with Ruby, but at the very least her sister had Pyrrha now. If nothing else, that gave her some solace.

Wiping her tears, Yang pulled out her phone, sending a text to Nora. "Heya lovebirds, got sexiled so I'm gonna crash at yours for a while if that's okay with you?"

Nora's reply was quick in coming, along with a photo attachment. "Knock yourself out! Fridge and pantry are yours! We've got all we can eat right here ;)" Yang opened the attachment. It was a selfie of Nora, smile bright, face flushed, still in her wedding dress, but angled to show a noticeable lump beneath her skirt. It warmed Yang's heart and she laughed.

"Cheers, play safe you 2 ;)" Yang replied. She dropped her phone on the couch, sighing and running her fingers through her hair. "What a mess." She groaned.

Yang decided to look through the kitchen, to both take her mind off things, and hopefully locate some beer. Though Nora loved her sweets, there was only a meager supply in the pantry. Ren managed the majority of her diet after all, keeping things balanced between her more sugary favorites and healthy amounts of meats and greens. Yang had bonded with him over cooking for culinary disasters. Still, the packet of gummy bears was just what she needed now, and armed with a beer from the fridge she was all set...at least until she saw the light on her phone pulsing. Sighing, she placed the beer and sweets on the coffee table and checked the message.

It was from Blake. "Yang, Ruby texted, are you okay? What happened?"

Yang groaned, guilt welling up inside her again. Hunching over, she rubbed her face with one hand and worked her phone with the other, pulling up Blake's message and hitting the call button.

"Yang?" Blake answered after a single ring.

"Hey Blake...sup?" Yang responded weakly.

"Sup?" Blake growled. "Sup is Ruby messaged me saying you had a fight and left, and she asked me to check up on you. What the hell happened?"

"I fucked up Blake." Yang's voice cracked. "I really, really fucked up."

"What did you do?" Blake asked after a brief silence.

"I slept with Pyrrha." Yang admitted.

"Oh God Yang...just...but they were together at the wedding, weren't they?"

"Yeah, but that was after we woke up and Pyrrha cried her eyes out because she just suddenly realized she was actually fucking in love with Ruby." Yang explained. "I told her to tell Ruby the truth, and told Ruby to go all in today. Apparently it worked because they're together now, but...Ruby is really mad at me Blake...she said she didn't want to see me for a while. I'm staying at Nora's for now."

"Why did you sleep with Pyrrha in the first place?" Blake demanded. "You knew how your sister felt about her."

"Because I thought Pyrrha didn't like her back, and maybe if Ruby stopped crushing on her she'd pay attention to you!" Yang shouted.

"What?!" Blake growled after a short silence.

"You like her Blake, don't fucking lie about it." Yang accused. "You're all over her, you're the best friend she's had in years, and if Ruby had just fucking opened her eyes and looked at you like you look at her for once, maybe none of this would have happened…"

"You...fucking...you don't get to play with people's feelings like that!" Blake raged.

"I know that!" Yang screamed. "I don't get to do anything! Just sit there while my friends and sister dance around each other instead of fucking opening their mouths and telling the goddamn truth! I just wanted you all to be happy! I wanted Ruby to be happy, and Pyrrha was being dense, and you were being all considerate and self sacrificing like a fuckin' moron! Did you…" Yang paused as an audible beep blared in her ear. "Blake? Damnit!"

Slap!

Blake's hand slammed into the side of Yang's face as soon as the latter opened the door. Blake stood glaring as Yang recovered, gaping at her in shock before slumping and standing aside to let Blake in. Closing the door, Yang turned around, only to be drawn into an embrace. "Wha...Blake?" Yang gasped.

"You're lucky I'm an understanding person." Blake grumbled.

Yang sniffled before returning the hug, burying her face in Blake's shoulder, breathing in the gentle aroma of her lavender perfume. "I'm sorry Blake." Yang apologized.

"I know, and I accept your apology." Blake responded.

"I don't deserve it." Yang declared.

"Bullshit." Blake scoffed. "Now who's being self sacrificing?"

"I don't know what to do." Yang groaned. "I've never fucked up this bad, not with Ruby. I'm scared."

"What we're both going to do is distance ourselves." Blake stated. "Let Ruby and Pyrrha sort themselves out, and when Ruby is ready she'll reach out on her own."

"We?" Yang asked. "What did you do? You're her best friend. You can't abandon her like that."

"I'm not going to abandon her Yang." Blake assured her. "I'm going to take a step back and let their relationship flourish. I don't want any of my feelings getting in the way, accidentally or otherwise. Half of our friendship was Ruby trying to run from the overwhelming feelings anyway."

"Blake...ugh...fuck this bullshit." Yang sighed. "This is all my fault."

"Only mostly." Blake smirked.

Yang laughed hysterically, but soon dissolved into sobbing. Blake continued to hold her as she vented her anguish once more.

True to their word, Blake and Yang withdrew from Ruby's life - Yang entirely, Blake passively. Blake did not seek Ruby out, interacting with her only when directly addressed, and otherwise keeping a low profile. As predicted, without the need to hide from Pyrrha, most of Ruby's free time was spent with her, and Blake gradually faded into the background. She did not blame Ruby, knowing she could be of a one track mind, and Blake took advantage of that. Better a faded friendship than a denied romance.

Yang had a tougher time. The few times Yang and Ruby came into contact they were silent, with Ruby avoiding eye contact and Yang hurrying away, choking back tears. Yang decided the best coping strategy was to avoid her entirely. Ruby now tended to visit the gym when Pyrrha was there, leaving alongside her. With the assistance of Blake, Yang kept her time at the gym separate from her sister's. It was painful being away from Ruby, but at least now she did not have to face her shunning. She could at least pretend to be okay.

Meanwhile, Ruby and Pyrrha were enjoying their newfound love to the best of their ability. Despite a rocky start, Ruby proved true to her word. She had forgiven Pyrrha for her mistake, and was fully dedicated to making their relationship work. Their first activity as a couple: Pyrrha rushing to Ruby's side to comfort her after Yang's departure. It was not the most romantic of starts, or perhaps more romantic than one would think. In her grief, Ruby turned to Pyrrha, willingly sharing her pain for the first time as a couple. From there they shared dinner for the first time, shared a bed for the first time, and eventually made love for the first time. Their relationship grew stronger with each passing day, but not all was well in their lives.

The absence of Yang weighed heavily on Ruby. At any mention or reminder, her mood dampened significantly. The few times she caught a glimpse of Yang, she was left on the verge of tears. It was all Pyrrha could do to hold her and try to soothe away the pain. Pyrrha felt her share of guilt, no matter how much Yang and Ruby insisted it was not her fault, that Yang was a seductress whose normally harmless habit of flirting and sleeping with any who took her fancy had crossed a sacred line, despite the best of intentions.

Yang needed to understand the gravity of her actions and suffer the consequences, but Pyrrha had made a choice too. Drunk and aroused as she was, she had still made the decision herself. Yang did not force herself upon Pyrrha, she went of her own accord, fueled by envy, arousal and frustration. She was as much to blame for the mistake as Yang in her eyes, and yet she had not received punishment. Yang had, and that only further deepened her guilt at seeing the sisters so divided and so agonized by the distance.

Four weeks had passed. Ren and Nora had long since returned from their honeymoon, and still Yang remained with them. Pyrrha decided it was time to intervene. "Ruby." Pyrrha called.

"Yeah?" Ruby responded, looking up from the tribal design she was sketching for Nora.

"Are you happy with us?" Pyrrha asked.

Ruby frowned, quirking her brow at Pyrrha. "Of course I am!" She exclaimed. "I love you Pyrrha. What brought this on?"

Pyrrha closed her eyes and put her arms around Ruby's waist. "I saw Yang yesterday." She sighed.

"Oh…" Ruby trailed off.

"I talked to her." Pyrrha continued.

"You did?" Ruby asked.

"She was trying to leave, I followed her." Pyrrha replied.

"Hmm." Ruby struggled.

"She was crying Ruby." Pyrrha added. Ruby remained silent. "She misses you Ruby."

"I know." Ruby sighed.

"And you miss her." Pyrrha declared.

"I do." Ruby confirmed.

"This can't go on Ruby." Pyrrha warned.

"I'm scared Pyrrha." Ruby admitted.

"Of what?" Pyrrha asked.

"It was stupid, I shouldn't have done it in the first place, but I was just so angry and I didn't want to say something terrible." Ruby explained. "So I tried to leave, but then she left, a-and then she stopped coming to the gym when we did, she didn't message me or anything. I thought she would try something, I thought she would do something first, and I wouldn't have to, I could just hug her and apologize, and everything would go back to normal. But it's been like a month now and...and I hurt her Pyrrha. She's been hurting all this time and I've been ignoring it, after she supported me for so long. How could she forgive me for doing this to her?"

"Because she's your sister Ruby, she loves you." Pyrrha replied. "It's why she honored your request in the first place. She could have tried something, reached out to you, but you asked for space, and as painful as it was, she obliged. Do you really think she'll hold it against you because it took you longer than expected? Do you think she will push you away when she clearly misses you to the point of agony?"

"I fucked up." Ruby sniffled.

"You can make it right Ruby." Pyrrha declared, holding up Ruby's phone. "Today, right now."

Yang found a sort of comfort at Ren and Nora's apartment. They were surprised to find her still there when they returned, and even more surprised to find the fridge and pantry fully stocked, and what little mess they had left cleaned and sorted. After explaining the full extent of the situation, Yang apologized for not telling them the whole truth in the first place, explaining she had not wanted to risk putting a damper on their honeymoon. She would leave if they wanted her to. Nora and Ren objected instantly and strongly, offering their sympathy, their comfort, and a place in their bed. The futon was not the most comfortable place in the world after all.

Yang was hesitant to take them up on their offer at first. Promiscuity had been what had gotten her into the mess at hand. But Nora was persuasive, and Ren was accepting. More often than not, Yang would find herself sandwiched or sandwiching in their bed. It helped Yang cope with the loneliness she felt on a daily basis. It was no substitute for Ruby, but Yang was a very intimate person, it was in her nature to seek out and love others. The absence of love had been crushing, and any chances of a closer relationship with Blake soured by her mistakes. Pyrrha was with Ruby, Ruby was shunning her, and until now Ren and Nora had been away, celebrating their own mutual love. To share in it herself, even temporarily, was a great and appreciated relief. So she found herself laying on the couch, head in Nora's lap, Nora's fingers stroking her hair absentmindedly as she dozed, while Ren made lunch in the kitchen. A vibration from her pants broke her slumber.

"Yang, your butt's vibrating...again." Nora chuckled. Yang smirked, playfully tapping Nora on the cheek before shifting. Nora slid her hand into Yang's rear pocket, pulling the device free. Looking at the sender she squeaked. "Yang, it's Ruby!"

Yang shot upright, snatching the phone from Nora and opening the message. "Pizza at home tonight?"

"Hell yes! What time?" Yang texted back.

"7. I'm really sorry Yang. Please forgive me." Came Ruby's reply.

"Only if you give me all the hugs I've been missing!" Yang responded.

"Deal! I love you Yang!"

"I love you too Rubes!"

Yang was suddenly hugged around the waist by Nora. "What did she say?!" Nora demanded excitedly.

"Pizza night at home!" Yang cheered. She tossed her phone onto the couch and twisted around, pulling Nora into a deep kiss before grabbing her in a bear hug. "I've got my sister back!"

"Wooooooh!" Nora cheered.

Yang had not realized she was crying until her legs gave way. Nora found herself holding Yang as she convulsed, half laughing, half sobbing, as tears soaked into her shirt. "I've got my family back!"

THE END