Work Text:
"What's this movie?" asked Blake, as Yang pulled it up to project on their dorm's wall from her scroll.
"Blues and Blades. Just came out. Apparently it's a big hit in Atlas right now."
Blake settled next to Yang on Blake's bed. "But what is it about?"
Yang shrugged. "Guess we'll see." She paused. "Unless...we don't have to watch a movie. We could go hang out with the others instead."
Blake leaned into Yang. "No, this is exactly where I want to be right now."
Yang cleared her throat nervously. "Yeah, we could use a break from the non-stop training and missions."
"Glad you agree," said Blake smoothly.
Yang shot Blake a quick smile before hitting the play button and leaning back next to Blake.
The movie quickly revealed itself as an action thriller. The main character, a cocky swordsman named Auburn Stone, was on a mission to rescue his girlfriend, not even given a name beyond Viridian, from a non-descript evil organization.
"This is what's popular in Atlas?" Blake had to remark.
"Yeah, it's got no substance, but at least the action scenes are fun," Yang replied.
"I guess, though it would have made it better if they had spent literally any time developing Viridian's character."
Yang had to agree to that. "It does make her seem more like a trophy than an actual person."
The pair watched as Auburn Stone, sword in hand, faced off against the leader of the evil organization.
"Tell me where she is!" Auburn demanded on the screen.
The villain sneered. "You're too late. She's dead."
"No! You're wrong!" Auburn yelled.
The villain moved to the side to show a bloodied Viridian on the ground.
Yang's breath caught. Her vision started to tunnel.
A rage came over Auburn. "I'll kill you!!!" He charged at the villain and in a split second brought up a spear, and cut off Auburn's sword hand.
Yang only saw Red.
Panic clutched her chest tight. Blake, one hand clutched to her stab wound, other out stretched, reaching for her.
Pain took over. It was everywhere. She failed Blake. Adam cut her down. Everything burned.
She was dying. She was dying and she was alone.
Blake was about to tell Yang she didn't want to watch the movie anymore when she heard Yang's breath catching.
She turned to her. "Yang?" But Yang's gaze was fixed on the screen and Blake gasped as she saw the villain cut the main character's hand off.
Blake closed her eyes and worked on some deep cleansing breaths to center herself. She and Yang were safe now. They were safe.
When Blake opened her eyes, she turned to Yang to tell her to turn off the movie, but paused when she saw Yang's unfocused stare, choppy breaths, and shaking hand.
In a flash Blake turned off the movie and focused on her partner. Blake had had enough panic attacks to recognize the signs, even if this was the first she had seen Yang have.
Blake held Yang's face. "Yang, you're safe. You're with me. He's dead. Be with me, Yang," she urged, an edge of deep concern leaking into her voice of projected calm.
She was dying. Her lungs were burning. Pain lancing through her arm. All she could see was Red.
Yang wasn't responding to Blake, and Blake felt her desperation tear at her. Yang was in pain. She had to do something. Blake straddled Yang's lab and held her, bringing Yang's head to listen to her heart.
"Breathe with me, Yang. With me." Blake took loud exaggerated breaths.
Red. Red. Red. Red. Purple.
Purple? The red was washing away, replaced with soothing purple. Blake. Where was she? She left...but...purple.
The ocean in her ears dimmed and she started to hear a steady voice. Yang felt her panic ease and heard the voice give instructions. She felt warmth, very different than the burning in her lungs. She could obey the voice. She could breathe. In and out. In and out.
Slowly Yang's world came back into focus and all her world was Blake.
Finally Yang seemed to hear her and Yang's next inhale was ragged, but longer. "Great job, Yang. Let's go ahead. In...and out..."
Steadily, Yang's breaths lengthened and evened out. Blake kept up her quiet pleas until she heard Yang.
"Blake?" Yang asked, her voice rough and pleading.
"I'm right here, Yang," Blake responded. She tried to pull back so Yang could see her, but Yang's limp arms were suddenly holding her tight.
"Don't leave," Yang begged.
"Yang, I will never leave you again," Blake whispered fiercely. "Never." Blake rested her face against Yang's blonde mane and held her partner.
Slowly bit by bit, Yang's tight hold on her lessened and Yang slumped against Blake.
"Sorry," Yang rasped.
"Hey, none of that. You have nothing to be sorry for. Did something in the movie trigger you?"
At this, Yang released Blake and pulled back to look Blake in the eyes. "Triggered?"
Blake's eyebrows raised in muted surprise, but also remembered she was still basically in Yang's lap. "Should I move?"
Yang now realized Blake's position. "Oh," Yang blushed, and moved her arms back so Blake could move off her lap.
Blake moved over to Yang's side on the bed, but took Yang's hand in hers. "A trigger is something which can cause panic attacks or dissociation."
At Yang's blank look, Blake supplied, "When your mind convinces you, that you're somewhere you're not."
Yang thought about this for a moment. She couldn't look at Blake when she said, "The guy. He cut off his hand. Reminded me of Adam. All I could see was red," Yang replied.
Blake fought down her guilt and squeezed Yang's hand. "I am so sorry, Yang."
Yang looked back at Blake. "It's not your fault."
Blake had a hard time accepting it, but nodded. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm good. I didn't mean to fall apart like that."
"Maybe not, but I'm glad I was here for you."
"You are?" Yang asked.
"Yang, you've been there for me time and time again. All I want is to be able to do the same for you."
Yang looked at their conjoined hands and squeezed Blake's hand. "Fair."
"Hey, what do you need right now? I could get you some food from the dining hall, or play some video games with you."
"Thanks, but if it's okay..." Yang trailed off.
"What?"
"Could we just lie together?" Yang asked bashfully.
Blake smiled warmly. "Of course."