Inbox;

[flaredo]

"Heeey, you've reached Yang! Well, actually, you didn't reach far enough, 'cause I'm not here right now! But don't yang up! Just leave a message on this baby, and I'll get back to you soon enough, okay?"

[ Please specify VOICEMAIL, TEXT or CALL. ]

Comments

[heiroglyphs]

[She hangs her head, looking to the side.]

Yeah, I know. It's silly to pretend things will ever go back to what they were. I'm just hoping we can all make the best of what's happened, some day.

[flaredo]

I don't even know how we're supposed to even begin to try to fix any of it. Your dad's... still keeping you close?

[ She expects, anyway. ]

[heiroglyphs]

Yeah. It's... gonna be a while before I can catch up to you guys.

[flaredo]

That's... fine. It's not like we were going anywhere.

[heiroglyphs]

I hope you're not gonna wait for me to drag you out of bed.

[She flashes her a little smile.]

[flaredo]

No. [ quietly. ]

... Waiting doesn't really change anything, anyway.

[heiroglyphs]

[Yang, that's where you're supposed to give a quip, or laugh, or smile, or something.]

Well, you're right. Action is what matters, so tell me what I need to do to cheer you up.

[flaredo]

Weiss... it's not like I've got a good answer for you. I don't even know.

[heiroglyphs]

[Well, at least she can admit it now.]

...I'd try to crack a joke, but I think I'd just make things worse.

[Which is sort of a joke in itself. Self-deprecation. What is she, Jaune? The balance is seriously out of whack right now, and it is not okay.]

It's been forever since we all hung out like we used to. Maybe we can grab Ruby, Naoki, and Hiro and do... I don't know, something.

[flaredo]

Maybe. [ But from the tired way she says it, it's clear that Yang's probably not ready for any sort of group hang-out just yet. It's exhausting enough just doing one-on-one interactions. ]

[heiroglyphs]

[Weiss goes quiet, taking a moment to just watch her friend.]

Yo do want to get out of bed at some point, right?

[flaredo]

... What kind of question is that?

[ And Yang's voice has also gone very quiet. ]

[heiroglyphs]

I'm just... really worried about you, Yang, and while I'm really happy to see you sitting up and holding conversations again, I'm just afraid that you don't want to leave your room anymore.

[She folds her hands in her lap, looking down at them.]

Because we need you.

[flaredo]

No one should need me. [ if she sounds bitter... oops. ] I'm the one who didn't do a damned thing.

[heiroglyphs]

We all did everything we could. It just... [wasn't enough.]

But you're stronger than any of us. In more ways than one.

[flaredo]

... That's not true. [ Then why is she the only one here? The only one missing an arm? The only one abandoned for the umpteenth time? ]

[heiroglyphs]

Sure it is. That's why you represented us in the tournament finals, and that's why we always look to you for support when things are looking bad. The Yang I know can always smile no matter what happens.

[flaredo]

Sorry, Weiss, can you--

[ She can't smile. She can't be relied upon, when she can't even protect her teammates. And right now, frankly, she doesn't want that on her shoulders. Not now. ]

... Can you just leave me alone for a while?

[heiroglyphs]

Yang, if it's something I said--

[She knew this would happen. She's so horrible at things like this. Yang's really hurt and she can't do anything about it to make it any easier for her. Maybe she's just making this worse.]

[flaredo]

I'll talk to you later.

[ SORRY WEISS IT'S SOMETHING YOU SAID. ]

[heiroglyphs]

[She exhales slowly as she stands up. It feels like she's let her friend down somehow, but arguing the point will only make things worse.]

A-alright, Yang. Talk to you soon, okay?

[But she won't wait for an answer before she carefully closes the door behind her.]