Stay with me

Don't go

        Yang let out a final rage infused war cry and the Nevermore was alight and spiralling towards the ground, its feathers being converted to ash by the licking, vicious flames that Yang had created. With a dying squawk it collided with the rocky cliff’s edge and was reduced into a colossal pyre that permeated the nearby air with a stifling heat.

        And yet Yang could not celebrate.

        This was no victory.

        She turned her back on the corpse and faced the crumpled form of her teammate.

        “Weiss!” Her voice was hoarse and grated against her dry throat. Yang sprinted to Weiss’ side and knelt by her form, taking an ashen, slight hand into both of her own. “Weiss!”

        She had already called for aid but they were surely not going to arrive in time.

        Yang became aware of the crimson stain that was growing with every second on the pure white of Weiss’ dress, just above her stomach, and she frantically covered the open wound with her bare hands, as if that would hold in the precious liquid that equated to Weiss’ life.

        “Weiss! Come on… talk to me. Please.” She could see shallow, desperate breaths being taken in and hoped that her voice would be heard.

        Her palms were slick with blood and she fought the haze of her despair to think rationally.

        Reminding herself to breathe, Yang removed her jacket and pressed it against the wound with one hand whilst she used the other to touch Weiss’ cheek, smearing a line of red there that stood out stark against the pale skin.

        “Weiss… wake up. I still, I haven’t told you. You can’t die now. I won’t let you.” Hot trails burnt their way down her cheeks. “You have to live, we need to graduate as proper huntresses and I need you. I’m not even sure why but I should be allowed to be selfish for once right? I want you to live because I want you in my life, how selfish is that? Just wake up and tell me how shitty I’m being already!”

        How could she tell Weiss how she felt when she wasn’t even certain herself?

        “Uhggh.” It wasn’t a word but it was something and Yang clung desperately to it as she held Weiss’ shaking form in her arms, she was so cold, so bloodied and this couldn’t be it.

        “Yes stay here. With me.” Yang fixated her gaze on fluttering eyelashes that revealed temporary streaks of brilliant blue, a blue that captivated her, that had always captivated her as long as she had known Weiss. “Look at me Weiss.”

        Her request was fulfilled and Yang’s heart reverberated against her eardrums in a terrifying cacophony that accompanied those glossy, icy blue eyes.

        Yang could not, would not, accept that this could be the last time she would see them.

        “I think that’s the first time you’ve done something I asked without arguing with me.” Yang smiled through her tears and thought she saw the corners of Weiss’ mouth tilt upwards momentarily before-

        “Arghhh.” Her eyes widened as her body convulsed, arching into Yang’s until the sudden pain appeared to dull.

        “Weiss! Help is going to be here, I know it, and you just have to be as stubborn as always and stay here, stay with me. Don’t leave me.” And suddenly Yang felt like a child again; powerless, helpless and left wondering why people were taken from her, why some greater force could claim those she loved when she couldn’t.

        And there she found her answer to an earlier question: she loved Weiss Schnee.

        She loved her challenging nature, her determination, her haughty pride, her well-hidden capacity to care but Yang had no way of saying this. How could she even feel this way about her teammate who was so different to her? Yet only now did she notice how similar they were, how they understood loneliness, sorrow and the scathing eyes of others who only judged on outward appearance. Yang knew best that the face you wore for others could be so very different to your feelings inside and she was certain that Weiss was the same.

        But realisation wouldn’t help them now.

        It only added to the growing grief that gripped at her heart.

        And she could only plead with Weiss to stay awake and wait.