Author's Note- This is a story written as part of the art/story meme that I'm doing with my amazing girlfriend jen-iii on tumblr. You should check out her art that I based this on, it's under the tag Chained Rose on her tumblr. This is based off of the AU created by Xekstrin, where Ruby and Yang are taken in by Junior when their whole family dies. Thank you to LazyKatze as always for editing, she did a fantastic job like always. Leave a review and let me know what you think or if you see any mistakes that were missed.
The sounds of the club were loud even from outside. Everything about this area of the town spelled bad news, from the dilapidated buildings to the vagrants who gathered around trashcan fires. Out of place among the poverty and squalor were the two women standing outside of the only club within miles. Both of them dressed in tailor made silk suits and fine leather shoes. Yang's hands were placed on her hips as she looked around the area. Ruby scratched at the thorn decal in her undercut, the bristles of hair rubbing against the leather glove on her left hand before she dropped her it to the ring on her right hand. Without thinking, Ruby began fiddling with the band, turning the interior portion of it, her visual tick whenever a situation began to make her feel uncomfortable. The silver eye girl's jacket felt lighter than it should have, the usual weight of her pistol gone as per Junior's orders. Don't bring any weapons, our client requested you come unarmed and she's paying enough money that you are going to listen to her, were his exact words as Ruby remembered them.
"Hey sis, you listening?" Yang called out, her calloused fingers snapping in front of Ruby's face. The redhead shook her head before looking over to her sister. The taller girl was watching her with a glint of concern in her eyes. Ruby put on a smile, a facade to hide the uncertainty she felt. After their family had died they had drifted the streets of Vale before being taken in my Junior, legally a club manager and illegally head of a gang that dabbled in all manner of illicit activities if they yielded money. He raised them as long as they helped in his business, the work becoming shadier and shadier as the two girls grew up. Now they had been hired by some mysterious woman, the only information Junior had given them was that her name was Cinder and that she had paid a lot of money for them specifically, so they were to make her happy.
"Yeah, I'm fine Yang. We're professionals, right? This sounds like an easy job, just guard some rich lady. We've had harder jobs before, so this is just easy money," Ruby said, trying to force a tone of confidence into her voice. It rang hollow in her ears as the words left her lips. It seemed to satisfy Yang, as she nodded before putting her hand around Ruby's shoulder, starting to walk them towards the club and the pounding beat of the music.
"Alright then, that's the spirit little sis! Just stay confident and remember: we are on easy street now if this holds up. I did some looking around and this Cinder woman is rich and powerful and her employees benefit if they work hard."
Ruby let her sister direct her into the club, listening to every word the older girl said as she pushed open the doors and lead them into a darkened hallway where the music only grew louder. A sense of unease settled in Ruby's stomach, weighing down like a lead ball. She knew that she should be alright, that this was an easy job that would make them a lot of money. So why am I so nervous? she asked herself as Yang walked them through one last door and out into the club. Immediately Ruby was hit by a wall of sound, the DJ kept the music as loud as the speakers would allow and it seemed all the club patrons were enjoying it. Between the darkened club and the strobe lights the other people on the dance floor seemed like dancing shadows to her as she walked alongside her older sister, the other girl had dropped her hand from Ruby's shoulder and assumed a more professional look.
"Remember sis, confident," she advised out of the corner of her mouth as they walked up to the bar, in a more secluded part of the club where the music wasn't nearly as loud. Yang raising her arm to flag down the bartender, the two sisters in their custom tailored suits were out of place among the more casually dressed crowd that frequented this club. A middle aged man with a well kept salt and pepper beard stopped in front of them, eyeing the unusual pair of sisters before talking in a friendly voice.
"What can I get you?" he asked neutrally, eyes darting from Ruby and Yang before settling on the blonde's amethyst eyes.
"Your boss. We were sent by Junior," Yang replied casually, fingers drumming along the countertop that separated them from the bartender. Ruby could see his eyes widen at the mention of his boss before returning to a more composed state.
"And how do I know you are actually sent by Junior?" he shot back skeptically. Without missing a beat Yang reached into her jacket and pulled out a sealed envelope, Junior's signature on it.
"Is this good enough?" she replied as she made sure he got an adequate look at the name. The man glanced at it for a moment before nodding and reaching underneath the tabletop and presumably pressing a hidden button.
"On the left there is a metal door, I just unlocked it for you. Tell the guards you're cleared, they'll take you to Cinder, and remember: show weakness around her and she won't hesitate to get rid of you," The bartender warned before resuming the cheerful face he had worn before and moving to another customer.
Ruby took a deep breath as her and Yang stepped away from the bar and made their way left, footsteps drowned out by the music as well as any attempt at conversation. Like the man had told them they saw a plain metal door. The sight of it made the knot in Ruby's stomach twist tighter and her feeling of anxiety was pushed further to the forefront of her mind. The door opened into a well lit hallway, a hardwood floor started on the other side of the door to contrast with the white and black tiles of the main portion of the club. Yang whistled as she looked around the hallway, admiring the deep crimson walls. Two guards stood in front of them, both broad shouldered and tall. Behind the guards the hall made a left turn, and Ruby was quick to note the security camera in the top corners at either end of the hall.
"We're cleared," Ruby said after a moment, working hard not to betray her nervousness. Without a word the guards turned around and started walking down the hall, the two sisters started following them. With each step Ruby could only feel more anxious as she looked around her surroundings. She couldn't place her finger on why she felt like this, but her thoughts were interrupted as the guards leading them stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall, indistinguishable from the other doors.
"Go in," the guard on the left said as he opened the door for them, pointing at Ruby.
"Woah, we were both hired, I'm going in as well," Yang protested, the lilac eyes taking on a red shade as she stared the guards down. Ruby was silent, wondering why they had picked her specifically to go in and meet their client.
"Boss's orders. She said only the redhead was to come in." The guard on the right replied neutrally, Yang was about to argue when Ruby put a gloved hand on her sister's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Yang, I'll be fine, in and out," Ruby said cheerfully, wanting to defuse the situation. The blonde took a moment to reply before smoothing out the wrinkles in her suit and pulling out the envelope.
"You're right, little sis. Here, take this and give it to Cinder." Ruby grabbed the envelope Junior had instructed them to deliver when they met the client and nodded. Stepping past her sister, she walked towards the open door, trying to push down her anxiety as she crossed the threshold into the room and heard the door close behind her.
The room was dark, only two sources of light illuminated it. Moonlight streamed in from the window set in the far wall gave off the majority of the light in the room. The other source of light caused Ruby to breath a little heavier. Sitting behind a heavy oak desk was Ruby's new boss. The woman had long, midnight black hair that cascaded down to the small of her back and her skin was perfectly smooth. She was wearing a red dress with an intricate design that seemed to glow, pulsing with each beat of her heart. The thing that struck Ruby was Cinder's eyes, they were a bright golden and had a liquid quality like molten metal, a predatory glint in them as they observed Ruby.
"Take a seat child," Cinder purred out after taking a drag from the cigarette that she had in a holder in her left hand, voice silky like velvet over steel and sending a shiver down Ruby's spine. Not trusting herself to speak, Ruby sat in the only other seat in the room, a wooden chair with a low back.
"Glad you could join us," Cinder spoke and Ruby could feel the knot of tension easing as she listened to that voice, a voice that promised all sorts of secrets and sins. Quietly, Ruby handed the envelope to the woman across the desk and Cinder took it without a word, opening it and examining the letter inside while taking a sip from her wine glass. While her boss busied herself with that Ruby looked around the shadowy room. Book shelves lined the walls on either side and behind Cinder was a board with faces on them. Ruby quickly noticed Junior's face on the board, a wanted poster from the police for any evidence tying the man to his crimes. Cinder was also on the board, though it was a grainy CCTV image with just a notice underneath asking for any further information on the woman in the image.
"I like to stay up to date on what the Vale police are doing," Cinder said, startling Ruby and drawing her attention back to the woman in front of her.
"Not a bad policy," Ruby replied in a low voice. Cinder smiled at the younger girl's response. Ruby played with the ring on her finger, turning the inner portion of it around to try and quash the sense of wariness and the unusual feelings she felt in that moment. Several moments of silence passed between them, Ruby's eyes darting around the room as she kept playing with the ring. Cinder's gaze was focused on Ruby, studying the redhead in front of her while she took another drag from her cigarette still in its holder, the tip of the cigarette glowing brightly in the dark room.
"Look me in the eye, little one," Cinder ordered and Ruby complied without question, something inside of her instinctively trusting the older woman. Silver eyes met molten gold and Ruby could feel herself getting lost in the gaze of her employer. After a moment Cinder smirked and held out her hand, curling one finger at Ruby. "Come here child."
Hesitating for a moment before standing Ruby walked to stand at the edge of the desk on Cinder's left.
"Closer," Cinder replied in a low sultry tone. Taking a step closer, suddenly Cinder's hand darted out and grabbed Ruby's tie and pulled the girl towards her. Their faces were mere inches apart and Ruby could smell the heavy scent of smoke and alcohol on Cinder's breath, mixing with the perfume that she wore. Ruby could feel her mind clouding over at the close proximity with the beautiful woman. Painfully slow Cinder leaned in close, cheeks barely an inch apart as she whispered, warm breath tickling the shell of the silver eyed girl's ear.
"We are going to have so much fun, my little Rose."