It took Sapphire several moments to recognize Ruby.
It had been years, of course, the childhood friends – rivals? – having parted ways when they were sixteen. But it still left Sapphire slightly shocked.
He was taller now, but then so was she – he had two, maybe three inches on her. Then again that could be his damn running shoes; she was barefoot, a habit she had gone back to in recent years. The odd looks were worth the comfort and mobility.
He was in different clothing – this should have surprised Sapphire the least of all, given who she was talking about and especially given his growth spurt. But his hat was still in place, frustratingly so.
He had his glasses on, but Sapphire could appreciate that one.
He still held himself proudly, back straight and chin up, but she could see a slightly slump in his shoulders – not like the posture people who spent too long indoors would adopt, it was from something else. Tiredness? It seemed the most likely.
There was also the fact that he was in a region without contests, in the Pokemon Centre of a town whose absolute only reason for existence was training and getting down and dirty with your Pokemon.
But the biggest change was in his face: a cold, empty, indifferent stare looked back at her as they stood feet from each other, Pokeballs midway between their belts – his to put back, hers being removed so that they could be healed. His eyes could hardly be called red anymore – burgundy? Damn, the boy standing in front of her would know the perfect word for the colour, but red implied a striking colour, a certain inherit brightness – his eyes weren't that, not anymore.
When he breathed her name she could hear that his voice, like everything else, had changed after apparently finally breaking (she was told voice drops were normal in boys, but she had doubted it would ever occur in Ruby). It was low, but not too low – it fit him perfectly, now. It wouldn't have before.
After handing her Pokemon over to the Nurse she turned around and watched him attach his Pokeballs back to his belt. When he caught her looking he snarled a comment about barbarianism and her lack of shoes, and oh – Sapphire may still not be the most socially appropriate of people, any chance of that was lost years and years ago, but even she could tell that was rude.
It really shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone when Sapphire had Ruby pushed up against a wall in a choke hold not half an hour later. It certainly hadn't been how Sapphire had pictured their reunion, the odd time she allowed herself to think about it – but she hadn't envisioned this much change in the boy in front of her, struggling against her. He was strong, stronger than before, but he was also fighting against Sapphire, so he never really had any hope in the first place.
Their conversation was filled snarky comments, tossed accusations, sarcastic comebacks – it felt like how things used to be, except far more malicious on Ruby's side.
But she also noticed that his eyes were bright now, just like she remembered them. Maybe he had missed this as much as she had.
Things escalated and eventually culminated around a certain point, as they always did – Mirage Island. And Sapphire wonders whether maybe the reason this Ruby is so different is because he's some kind of imposter, because he admits to remembering all of it. If it weren't something only the two of them knew about she might have bitten him to see if he tasted the same, social conduct be damned.
He's midway through his next sentence when he gets a well-deserved and long-overdue punch to the face.
She's midway through her's – voice raised, arms waving above her head in anger – when she's effectively cut off by his lips on hers.
And all the times she had imagined this, what it would be like, it's completely different. Ruby's arms are wound tightly around her waist, pulling her against him. She leans against his body, pushing up against his mouth immediately – his lips are chapped, chapped! Her old Ruby would never have allowed that – forgetting everything she had envisioned and going with what she had now.
Her hands go to his shoulders, but only so that she can push him back against the wall she had had him up against only a handful of minutes before. His grip on her doesn't loosen so she gets pulled over along with him, not that she minds. Their mouths are moving frantically against each other's now, and when had they opened their mouths? Regardless Sapphire considers it to be a positive development.
Her hands move to either side of his head against the wall. When they break for air they're both gasping for it as if they had been underwater. Their faces are still only inches apart, so they breathe in each others breathes as they open their eyes and stare at each others, red on blue.
This could destroy everything, but oh, it would be so worth it – Sapphire lifts one of her hands to Ruby's head, tugging the hat off his head. She doesn't move her hand much, resting it back against the wall, the hat sitting partially on his shoulder. She watches for a change in his expression, but sees none – and then they're kissing again, who moved first she doesn't know, but it's even stronger than before, more urgent, and Sapphire hopes that their time isn't actually limited because she's enjoying this very much.
She knows they'll have to talk later – because what possible conceivable reason could Ruby have for pretending to forget Mirage Island, when they could have been doing this for years – but for now she's happy to stay like this. His shoulders are back like they used to be, giving him another inch, damn him, and his glasses may have to go whenever kissing is involved (it's not like either of them have their eyes open anyway), but she can see Ruby – her Ruby – underneath all the changes, and this time, no matter what, she won't let them go their separate ways.
Written for the-cantarella-of-odile (fanfiction and Tumblr) after we got some Ruby and franticshipping feels last night. Topics included Ruby in glasses, the canon-ness but not of Ruby and Sapphire, and the need for makeouts. Hopefully this fills the bill.