Yang jerked upright in bed, sheets in a tangle around her ankles and sweat pouring down her neck. She gasped for breath like she was drowning, the after image of Ruby with her eyes dull and an empty teacup in hand still burned into her retinas.
"Yang?" Blake's soft voice to her left, and Yang felt a cool touch on her forehead. "It's okay, it was just a dream."
"No, no... it was real, it happened, I -" Yang sucked in a shaking breath and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes hard enough to see lights behind her clenched eyelids. "Ruby, she..."
"We got her back, she came back. Breathe, baby."
Yang struggled to pull air into her lungs for several long moments, Blake bringing her hands up to cradle Yang's face. Her cool touch soothed Yang's burning skin.
"I'm okay, I'm okay..." She finally breathed. The tightness in her chest eased a bit further as she relaxed, but unease still rolled in her stomach. "I have to -"
"I know." Blake pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. "Go, I'll be here."
Yang slipped quietly from their bed, feeling Blake's eyes on her as she silently opened the door and slid out into the hallway.
The door across the hall was cracked just slightly, allowing for Yang to push it open further with just the barest creaking. Moonlight streamed in through the window, highlighting the shape of Ruby's body curled up underneath her blanket.
Yang waited a moment with her breath held, until she saw Ruby's shoulder rise up and sink slowly in sleep. Yang sighed with relief, the anxious ball loosening in her chest and she was about to turn away when a small sound halted her in her tracks.
A whimper. She watched Ruby burrow further into her blankets as her breath hitched. Without even realizing Yang entered and crossed the small room in two easy strides. She stood over Ruby, seeing only the top of her face above the blankets. Ruby's eyebrows were pinched.
Yang reached out to lightly shake her shoulder. "Ruby?"
Ruby had always been a light sleeper, and Yang couldn't help but breath in relief when her sister's eyes blinked open - the silver catching the light of the moon. She reached up to rub her eye, and Yang felt a pinch of guilt for waking her. The ever present dark circles under her eyes had yet to fade. "Yang?"
"Hey Rubes. Sorry to wake you, I think you were having a bad dream." Yang kept her smile light and easy and her voice low.
Ruby stayed quiet, staring down at the sheets. "Oh. Did I wake you?"
Yang's smile faded. "No. I was uh... already awake."
Ruby squinted at her in the dark, trying to catch her in a lie. Yang couldn't help but avoid her eyes. "I'll... let you get back to sleep."
Ruby didn't say anything until Yang had retreated back to the door, then spoke in a quiet voice. "Yang?"
"Could you... stay? Just until I fall asleep?"
"Of course." Yang crossed back over to her sister's bedside. "Scoot over."
Ruby slid over and Yang slipped under the covers with her. Ruby instantly curled up against her sister, tucking her head under Yang's chin like she was small again.
Yang stroke her hair and hummed a tuneless song. Ruby lay still for a moment, before her breath hitched and she curled tighter.
Yang held her tight, when movement from the still open door caught her eye. Yellow eyes glinted in the light of the moon as Blake leaned her head in. She tilted her chin in question. Yang glanced down at Ruby in her arms, and Blake contemplated for a long moment. On silent feet she too stepped into the room and joined them on the bed, curling up on Ruby's other side. Yang felt Ruby tense in her arms for a moment, then relax as Blake stroked her arm. Blake pressed close against Ruby's back, and Yang's ears caught the rumble of a purr - deep enough for her to feel the vibrations. Ruby seemed to almost melt in Yang's arms, her breathing slowing down as she relaxed.
"My dad used to do this for me when I had bad dreams." Blake whispered. Yang smiled at her with gratitude, moving her hand from Ruby's hair to rub her upper back.
Yang saw Blake's ears twitch towards the door before she heard it herself, the shuffle of unsure feet in the hallway before Weiss's pale hair appeared in the doorway.
Almost in tandem Blake and Yang held out their arms, and Weiss seemed to sigh in relief as she entered.
"Scoot over you two." She said, lightly shoving Yang's shoulders.
Yang huffed and abruptly yanked Weiss down against her side. "Hush, you're small enough to fit."
Weiss only put up a half-hearted fight before relaxing, crossing her arms with a pout.
Ruby suddenly mumbled something against Yang's shirt, voice muffled.
Ruby pulled away, blinking up at Yang with eyes bleary in sleep. "I said leave Weiss alone, not her fault she's short."
Yang chuckled and Weiss fake gasped in affront. Blake's grin from over Ruby's head was blinding in the dark.
"Ruby! You're supposed to be on my side..." Weiss whispered, but only a snore answered her.
"Hush, sleeptime now." Yang could feel more than see Weiss roll her eyes before she too relaxed. Blake's grin softened as she met Yang's gaze, and it made Yang's heart flutter as she finally closed her eyes in sleep.
dailybridgerton
jacobvanloon
areudirty
2087
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