Ruby swung her messenger bag higher up her arm, making her way through the empty hallways towards the infirmary. After her incident with a baseball and a few seconds of blacking out, the employed doctor at school - Ms. Fall - had offered her a place to eat lunch or even just a visit if she got bored after icing her head and checking for a concussion.

"I could really use a helping hand around here." She had said, smiling at Ruby with her full red mouth, dimples cutting deep hollows into her skin. "And you seem very capable." She had reached out then, grasping Ruby's hand in two of hers, one thumb resting just at the inside of her pale wrist. "Hmm, steady hands as well." She had looked up, locking eyes with Ruby. Her thumb brushed across the back of her hand, one strong, self-assured touch. "You have very beautiful skin."

Ruby had flushed so bright that she was sure her temperature had jumped ten degrees. Ms. Fall was undeniably attractive - Yang had even contemplated an upset stomach when she was bored with class and up for flirting sometimes - which made prolonged eye contact a bit uncomfortable. It didn't help that she wore such flattering outfits that brought out the steep incline of her waist, or the generous give of her hips and chest.

Her pencil skirts were always sleek and seamed against the back of her legs, some with a sensible slit up the side, and she had an array of sweaters that fit snugly, accenting her slender neck and creamy skin. Her doctor's coat was always spotless, with her name embroidered in red just above her heart, the color to match her lipstick.

Ruby shook herself from her thoughts and knocked on the door of the infirmary, rocking on her heels and toes a little.

"Come in."

Her voice was attractive, because of course it was - everything about her was attractive, oh dear Jesus - and Ruby's fingers trembled a bit when she twisted the knob. Ms. Fall was sitting at her desk, playing receptionist in front of a few rows of sickbeds, suture scissors and a thick spool of dark thread to her right. Latex gloves were stretched across her fingers, stark white plastic stained around the edges with blood.

The doctor looked up distractedly before settling warm, molten eyes on Ruby. A sharp smile immediately spread across her face, sleek canines digging slightly into her bottom lip.

"Don't tell me you've fallen victim to playground equipment again."

Cinder's voice was teasing, but she seemed prepared to jump up and prepare an ice pack. Ruby blushed to the tips of her ears, swaying a bit on her feet.

"N-No, no, I'm perfectly fine today! My skull is great! Totaaaaalllly untouched!" Cinder grinned and pushed away from the desk, standing to welcome Ruby into her office.

"Then what can I help you with?" The statement should have been innocent out of context, but in it, it was loaded with intention, the way that the doctor walked assuredly, hips swaying with meaning.

"I-I just wanted to say hi? And maybe, um, eat lunch here, and uh, help out…? With some stuff? That is, if you needed any! Um, help that is. I don't want to intrude if you're busy…" Ruby blurted, still caught halfway between the doorway and the threshold of the infirmary.

Ms. Fall crossed her arms over her chest and regarded Ruby. "If you came a few minutes earlier, you would have had to help me stitch up someone's arm. You have impeccable timing, Miss Rose." After a few moments, Cinder's tone shifted into something a bit sobering.

"I didn't think you'd take me up on my offer." Cinder stripped off her gloves with a pronounced snap and tied them together before tossing them in the bin over her shoulder. "But, I'm glad you came. You can eat in here, and then help me clean up. Does that sound alright?"

Ruby beamed despite herself and bounced on her toes, glowing with pride.

"Okay!"

Cinder pulled up a chair for the girl, ushering her towards her desk. The doctor placed her hand ever so subtly on Ruby's shoulder as she sat down, fingers ghosting at the nape of her neck, leaving behind goosebumps in her wake. Ruby shivered violently, but Cinder was already on the other side of the desk, working through a pile of papers.

Her dark hair fell around her cheekbones as she ducked her head, thumbing past a stray inkblot on the page. Ruby nibbled at her sandwich meekly, trying to avoid staring at the doctor for too long. She was gorgeous, backlit in sunlight and stray dust clouds floating through the air.

Cinder filed some paperwork into a cabinet in her desk, humming under her breath as she did so. Ruby watched her fingers, long and thin, perfectly manicured as well, as they grazed a line of text. She frowned, picked up a pen, and scratched out a field and replaced it with a line of her own neat script.

Ruby was entranced by the dark nails, filed long and sharp, lacquered blood red with dark tips. Cinder worked despite Ruby's gaze, jotting down notes on folded sticky notes and placing them on the monitor of her computer.

Cinder looked up only once and pointed towards the half-eaten sandwich in Ruby's hands.

"You should finish that soon." Cinder glanced behind her, looking at the clock. It gave Ruby a fantastic view of the pale slope of her neck, pale blue veins climbing up the side of her pulse. "You only have an hour left on your lunch break." Ruby flushed and looked down, and shoved the rest of her lunch in her mouth without a single thought. She chewed for five minutes, swallowing roughly with a cough.

Cinder looked up.

"Done?" Ruby nodded, eyes watering from the sheer amount of bread that had just been in her mouth.

"Let's get to work then."

Cinder stood and brought back some cleaning supplies.

"This school hasn't had a doctor employed for five years, so it's no wonder this place is in absolute disarray." Cinder spoke with obvious disdain, glancing around the cobwebbed corners and dusty windows. "You and I are going to fix that. And then, perhaps," Cinder looked Ruby up and down, predatory and sultry. "I'll give you a reward." The innuendo almost killed Ruby, but she choked down a gulp and picked up a mop.

Cinder rolled up the sleeves of her coat and did the same.

Ruby started at one corner of the large room, batting at spiderwebs with the handle of her mop. Dust gathered at the edge of window sills, but soon, the glass and frames were gleaming brightly, sunlight no longer shining into the infirmary muddily.

The floors were wiped down with polish, beds made with fresh sheets, and soon, the warning bell for class rang through the halls. Ruby wiped the sweat off of her brow, huffing at the damning clock. Cinder rested her hipbone against the handle of her mop, meeting eyes with Ruby, eyes curious and coaxing, only for the student to duck her head bashfully.

"Well, Ms. Fall, I think I have to get to class, so…" Ruby started, only to be cut off.

"Cinder."

Ruby startled a little, but Cinder cast her a reassuring smile.

"Please, call me Cinder. There's no need for formalities between us." Ruby nodded earnestly and smiled halfly.

"I had a lot of fun, today." Ruby set her mop against the wall and started to set out for her bag. Before she could even make it two steps, Cinder was there in a cloud of dark hair and lavender perfume.

Ruby stumbled backwards, falling onto the edge of an infirmary bed, unable to escape Cinder's all-knowing gaze. Cinder seemed unperturbed by Ruby's shallow breathing, or the way that she kept glancing down at Cinder's lips like they were too lovely to be unnoticed.

"I'm glad to hear that." Cinder purred, reaching up to brush a long piece of dark hair behind her ear. Instead of placing the hand back on the bed to frame Ruby's legs, she twisted a strand of Ruby's hair along her pinky.

"I was ecstatic to see you show up today, did you know that?" Cinder's voice was barely above a whisper now, a hair away from a shivering, delicate breeze by Ruby's ear. "You're far more lovely than you know, Ruby dearest." Cinder pressed even closer, and Ruby almost whined. "But perhaps, that is what draws me so close to you."

Ruby bowed her head when Cinder brushed her hair past her scalp.

"Perhaps, that is what makes me... want to kiss you so much."

Ruby gasped under her breath, but when Cinder moved closer again, slanting her lips across Ruby's, she willingly fell into the kiss, shuddering at Cinder's firm hand rubbing slow circles at her side. Cinder licked across the pucker of Ruby's mouth, and all of a sudden, the girl was grateful for the swipe of tinted lip balm that she had applied earlier in the day.

Cinder's scarlet lipstick slipped across Ruby's lips, painting her Cupid's bow a sharp and vibrant red. Cinder kissed with a practiced tongue, the teasing little edge of her teeth reminding Ruby that this wasn't a dream, that this was happening in the moment, that the most beautiful woman she had ever set eyes on was kissing her with so much passion that her blood was singing.

Just as Ruby was fully relaxing into the soft, wet heat of Cinder's mouth, one arm wrapped loosely around her shoulder blades, the last bell for class rung, disapproving and blaring. Ruby broke away with a choked noise of horror.

"Ms. Fa - Cinder, I have to get to English class…" Ruby's voice faltered as she moved back against the bed, lying across the pillow. Cinder followed her movements easily, not even with a second thought. They were face-to-face, trading breaths and higher heart rates.

Cinder snaked her hand around Ruby's wrist, lacing their fingers together. Ruby giggled when the doctor nosed at her pulse, leaning back to stare her straight in the eyes.

"But Ruby, why go to a boring little class when I could teach you something far important right now?"