Break Through During the Break

"How's it going?"

Walt blinked looking up at Yang pausing from his meal. "It's going pretty good actually for a specialized crash course. Not my usual style of doing things..." he looked around at the spectacle. "And it's become quite the circus. Sorry. It's not usually like this."

Yang chuckled taking a seat next to him. She'd grabbed a wrap from Soma's snack stand. "I get it. Everybody is fired up today because that Pete guy asked for help... because you asked him for help. Because you want to help someone. That's a good thing." She bites into her wrap and chews quietly looking up at the sky for awhile. "You're different... like Ruby. That's a good thing."

Walt shook his head and sighed. "No. I try but I'm nowhere near as idealistic as your sister is... I worry about her and people like her."

Yang blinked. "You do?"

Walt nodded. "Yep. Ideals will take a person far... but they're unrealistic. If someone can't temper their dreams with the "reality" it can break a person. They're like an impossibly thin sharp blade. Able to effectively cut through the obstacles before them but to easy to nick, chip and break. Idealistic heroes are the worst that way sometimes. When they fall, they fall hard."

Yang smiled sadly. "Ok. I was a little wrong about you. You're a realist hero then?"

Walt shook his head and laughed. "I'm not any kind of hero. "Hero" and "Villain" and all the rest are titles and labels people put on others. I just try to be a good man, do the best I can... then do it even better. Once upon a time maybe I was like your sister but..." he sighed finishing his meal and leaned back on the grass looking up.

Yang did too. "What happened? Something as a child?" She chewed the last of her chicken wrap.

Walt nodded. "There was an accident. My parents died protecting me apparently. I barely remember them. But I didn't have a big sister to raise me. I was alone. In a foreign land. I had to survive. Ideals are great but they don't fill a belly, keep you warm, give you shelter, protect you from beasts and worse than beasts... I was your Sister if she was given a cross between Nora's and Cinders lives."

Yang nods. "That explains a lot actually... and then your folks found you. Brought you here."

He nodded. "I was lucky they found me. That people who cared were put there somewhere. When they brought me back I was wild. Practically feral. They had to teach me to be a person. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get it right. But I do my best. I don't always succeed but I never give up because they never gave up on me." He took her hand and squeezed. "You're awesome by the way."

Yang blinked as he held her cyber prosthesis. She was surprised. "What are you-"

"Ruby," Walt said. "You were an awesome "mom" to her big sis. You did great. You're going to be an awesome mother someday."

"Oh," she said covering her eyes with her other arm. "You think?" *There he goes again,* she thought. *Sounding like dad or Qrow... so lame... so why does it make my throat and chest feel tight when he says that stuff?*

Walt shook his head. "I do. I'm happy for you and Blake too by the way. I noticed you're closer."

Yang swallowed and smiled. *So not fair! I-* "Y-yeah. Sooorry. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about... and I just... kinda derailed my own train of thought? Boom! Heheh!"

Walt chuckled and patted her hand. "It's fine. Relax."

Yang nodded. "I took your advice. Told her how I feel and..."

Walt turned his head and smiled. "And she loves you too," he stated. "She's less obvious about it but obvious enough. It's often how it is we're blind to someone else's feelings sometimes. Funny isn't it that what's obvious to someone else isn't to them."

Yang nodded her heart pounding now. "Yeah... I guess so... ironic how that is..."

Walt nodded. "Like I said I just want her to be happy, like I want you to be happy so I'll keep my distance for you two's sake and-"

"Walt!" Yang said and her voice cracked. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Let me... uhh... so thank you... for the assist... getting me outta The Pit... bringing me home... my arm... my bike... the advice.... dammit! Why's this so hard to ask?"

She felt him squeeze her hand again. "Hey relax... I dunno what you're trying to ask for but if I can give it to you the answers, "Yes", ok?"

Yang felt her heart skip again. "A "yes", huh? Just like that? Whatever I ask unconditionally you'd agree too? Because...why?"

Walt blinked. "You know why, Yang. You're important to me. Because I care about you."

She smiled and squeezed his hand back that time. She turned her head meeting his eyes. Walt was surprised they looked even prettier than usual drawing him in. Then she dropped a bomb. "Alright, great... a "Yes". It's a date then."

Walt nodded smiling. "Ok." Then blinked. "Wait what?" He sat up. "A date? You want to take Blake out somewhere-"

Yang sat up too and gave him a peck on the cheek smiling. "Nope. If she wants to tag along that's fine I suppose but I meant you and me."

Walt just kind of froze up. Passing by Penny and Curie lead Ada, KL-E-O and PAM back from Soma's little snack stand. The robot ladies were excited to try new flavors.

"Multiple critical hits detected to both targets," Ada said.

Penny nodded happily walking past. "Yes. I detected that too! Isn't it wonderful?"

Curie giggled because she liked that. "Oui. The "Lady Killer" has engaged multiple opponents with the "Cherchez La Femme" and "Black Widow" perks. A tough not so random encounter, non?"

"1 in 3 odds of success," PAM predicted.

"Do your best, baby!" KL-E-O said as they walked away.

"Arf!" Agreed Zwei trailing behind. It was almost as woderful as the hopes for dropped food.

"I... what?... why?" Walt asked confused recalibrating.

Yang rolled her eyes. "Well it's simple. Blake loves us both. We both care for her. We both want what's best for her. We both care and want what's best for each other as well. So why not try and see?"

Walt blinked. "Ok... I... kinda fast?"

Yang laughed. "Hey, remember who you're talking to! I'm "The" Yang Xiao Long! You're going to have to try to keep up!"

Walt blinked and nodded. "Right... ok." He smiled and touched his cheek and saw her blush. He was pretty sure he was as well. "Ok." He smiled and took a deep breath. "Dating, then and see where it goes? Uhmmm but only with Blake's consent okay? I don't want to mess anything up or hurt anybody even accidentally."

Yang laughed. "We already had a long talk and Blake talked to Penny... and I was unsure until I talked to you!" She blushed. "I'm sorry... if I'm rushing things, but... i want you and Blake to be happy together like you want her and I to be happy together so... you know..."

Walt nodded and chuckled. "You and I are the ones gumming it up? So maybe we need to just blast through it? Full throttle?"

Yang blushed. "Well let's not race too far ahead just yet... eheheh! Couple laps on the "Beginner's course" before the big race?"

Walt smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Yes. If that's what you are asking for... I can do that." He paused. "I uh... recently got chewed out and given a wake up call so let me consult my dance card but we'll try to do something soon? Maybe tonight?"

*I think,* he tried to recall his conversation with Sasha the other day. *Yang was high up on the list now that I think sbout it? Damn. I'm bad at this. Should I have Friday- no, that's not "ok", is it? Dates for Tsu, dates for Yang... what else? I need to get a handle on my love life!*

"T-tonight, tonight?" Yang blushed but nodded. "Ooohhhkay. Yeah. That'll work! Super great! Yeah, let's do something if you're free..." she smirked at him. "Try to keep up and make it entertaining, ok?"

"Tall order," he said. "I'll do my best!"

They both laughed.

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Rachel "Raven" Roth Manami "La Brava" Aiba Tsuyu "Froppy" Asui Haruhime Sanjouno Anastasia "The Baroness" Cisarovna/DeCobray Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee and Jennifer "She-Hulk" Walters

Will Return In

TBD

Coming Soon]