transfem yang week day 4 - what it's like to feel loved
thank you to the lovely @/frishbi for bringing one of my favorite @professorspork scenes to life!
there's TONS of moments that stand out to me where yang's existence as a trans woman are handled with care. to loosely quote it, as a disabled trans woman, yang falls out of cishetero society's definition of "normalcy", and she constantly downplays her own desires or fears to compensate. i like the nail scene bc it seems so minor -- "little milestones of girlhood that passed her by" but with yangs tendencies to perform to seem less 'complicated', a scene where she's slightly vulnerable and keen has tons of weight!
and the casual importance of this is nailed through her body language. she doesn't move and she's hyperfocused. obviously blake isn't perfect and has her own stuff going on, but she remains attentive & values yang's comfort with genuine, almost bittersweet excitement at the novelty.
throughout the fic, blake makes things easy as a partner and friend, brushing past insecurities she's never had to consider and reassuring yang that she loves her and is there to stay through words and action. this moment has weight, but it's super simple. it doesnt read as this
big grand gesture with flashing lights (plenty of that saved for later!). it's just two girls doing something to pass the time, and in doing so we get a scene where they both feel seen, respected, and cherished.
shout out to the added layers of yang being a trans butch lesbian and all the extra gender navigation that comes with it. the fic does a nice job nodding at yangs unique positioning and how the presence of and lack of certain experiences shapes her relationship with blake (ie first time getting flowers, hyperfemininity as performance, nail painting, roles during intimacy, her blue collar job, etc)
this fic revolves heavily around adult themes and so for obvious reasons i will not be linking directly to it. but it does hold a very special place in my heart. anyway i will stop rambling!
“You wouldnt get it,” Weiss said as she sat down the dress she held in front of her. “I have an image that I have to uphold. If anyone found out I wasnt really born a girl, my family would be embarrassed.”
Yang rolled her eyes. “What makes you think I wouldnt understand?”
“Because you’re… you. If you came out to be a man tomorrow, no one would bat an eye about it. You wont have people hounding you down about who you used to be or make a mockery of what you are… you’d just live a quiet life.”
“That’s not entirely true.”
Weiss scoffed. “And what exactly do you have to fear?”
“For one, my dad telling me that he’s right about my choice to be me being a mistake,” Yang answered. “And two, it wouldnt exactly set a good example for Ruby. Not… that I really need to be a role model for her anymore. I mean, she’s a huntress now and living on her own doing her own thing.”
“Wait, go back,” Weiss said as she finally processed what Yang had said. “You’re trans too?”
“Yup,” Yang answered, popping the “p”. “I thought you knew.”
“No, I didnt. Why didnt you tell me before?”
“Because it was an open secret? Its not like I hid it from anyone. I know you saw the patches I used and you walked in on me shaving my face a couple of times. And its not like I hide much when we go out swimming.”
“I just thought you were dealing with a hormonal imbalance.” Weiss sighed and sat down. “I… guess that’s technically correct.”
Yang nodded and sat down next to Weiss, pulling her close. “You know you dont have to wear the dress, right?”
“What else am I going to wear otherwise?”
“I dont know, anything you want?”
“The only other thing I have to wear is a suit, and if I wear that then people are going to think I’m gay.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“Yes. I still cant sully the image my family has-”
“And why does that matter so much?” Yang finally asked. “Ever since we graduated, you’ve been stuck on this. When was the last time you did something for you?”
“What I want… doesnt matter,” Weiss answered quietly. “My family name is all that really matters. Being a girl was the only way to be… me. And even now, I still have to do as my father wants.”
“If it bothers you that much, then dont.”
“I cant just-”
“You can.” Yang took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “When I was younger, I used to watch how my mom, Summer, would dress. I think I was only four at the time, but I remember wanting to wear the skirts and dresses that she did. I managed to get my hands on a couple after she passed, but when my dad found out, he… wasnt exactly supportive. He’s still not completely supportive, but he’s better now. Though, I didnt let his thoughts stop me. And truthfully, I had Ruby to support me through it all. Especially since she’s the same.”
Weiss sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “What does this have to do with my situation?”
“If you want to be happy, you need to start doing what you want and not worry about what others think. And if anything bad happens, you have the rest of us to help you out and back you up.”
“And… if my family disowns me?”
Yang smiled and rubbed her side. “Its just a name. But if they do, you still have family with the rest of us. And we’ll be here for you no matter what.”
Weiss nodded and got up, walking over to her closet. “So, the suit then?”
Yang nodded and smiled at her. “You’ll knock them all dead.”
Transfem Yang Week 2026 - Day Three: Community/Solidarity
Yang heads off to Beacon, and faces off with new challenges. As though a whole new team wasn't bad enough, she has to contend with the fact that she may not be as alone as she thought - And that might make things more complicated for her.
