A/N: Well here it is guys! I almost can't believe that I finished it. I really hope you guys enjoy it 'cause this one is all for you.
I do not own RWBY.
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Cookies and Cabernet
...
Ruby never precisely knew how her brain worked.
Then again that should've been expected… especially since it functioned on nothing but cookies, chocolate and strawberries. But the statement was even more true one Saturday morning when she found herself standing in front of the gates to the University of Vale, the country's most prestigious institution of higher education, unable to move.
With wide eyed awe she stared up at the colossal building and the black, red and gold banners decorating the front gates and the rest of the building as it fluttered in the breeze. Almost as if to call over everyone who walked past.
Unfortunately for Ruby the seemingly welcoming sight did nothing to stop the paranoia building up in her chest.
This was her dream University, where the heroes of the world were created. Doctors, businessmen, engineers…people who were destined to make a difference in the world. Ever since Ruby was little she knew that she wanted to be a superhero and this was her chance. But then came the thought of somehow messing things up and it didn't help that Ruby was visiting on her own. Usually she'd be accompanied by one of her friends or sister who were all at least two years older than her. The thought made her even more conscious of how small she felt at that moment.
Without meaning to Ruby found herself swaying on her feet, face buried halfway into her favourite red hoodie. A few moments passed where all she could do was stare at the crowds buzzing with excited conversation, while kicking the ground with her boots and feeling rather silly.
'Come on Ruby! You're not backing out of this one, not on my watch!' She mentally scolded. And with the sudden burst of courage the girl stomped through the gates to the main hall where two rows of students, all dressed in the University's signature uniform, stood. Welcoming everyone with a bright smile, pamphlets and booklets in hand.
Ruby let out a groan of slight annoyance, knowing that she'd have to pass win all those pair of eyes in her.
It wasn't that the girl didn't like people, Ruby loved her friends and family dearly, but around new faces she found herself to be awkward and never knowing what to say. It made first impressions and making new friends difficult, but her grey thoughts were instantly replaced with relief when she saw a head of snow white hair among the others.
"Weiss!" The girl squealed and with a burst of excitement' Ruby rocketed herself with outstretched arms at the familiar face and before the girl could protest, Ruby had her tightly wrapped in a hug, unaware of the the passing stares.
"Let go of me you dolt!" The young woman screeched and made sure to give Ruby a warning glare before straightening out her skirt. "Were in a public place, the least you could do is act like it."
"Sorry Weiss." The girl grinned sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head, further ruffling her crimson tipped locks.
Weiss let out a sigh, knowing very well how Ruby could be at times and offered her friend a small smile. "I'm glad you're could make it." And then proceeded to hand her a booklet but refused to let go as her icy glare met Ruby's shining sliver.
"Blake and I will meet up with you at two o' clock and for the love of Vale. Do. Not. Go. Wandering. Off.'
With that said Ruby scampered off before taking a seat in the back, giddily shuffling around in her seat, gaze wandering about. Everyone around her seemed just as excited as her, but more confident...more intelligent...more important and suddenly it made her feel so out of place.
To be honest Ruby didn't even know why she was invited to this
Open Day in the first place. Only the students whose combined math and science scores were among the best were personally invited to attend. The girl wasn't unintelligent by any means, she just never thought of herself as that smart. So it came as a very big surprise when Ruby received the invitation. The poor girl hardly slept a wink the previous night…which might be why she slept through most of Professor Ozpin's welcoming speech.
His very...very...very long welcoming speech. As well as the recount of their student's achievements the previous year.
'...And the student surprising us all with a 94% average…'
Ruby was sure that Weiss got all of the academic trophies so she convinced herself that she wouldn't miss anything that important if she zoned out. '…Fall.'
But it became very clear that when the groups of people filtered out after the speech, with each group showed around by two students, that Ruby had missed very important information.
Luckily she caught a few words of all of the groups meeting up on the fields, but that's where her luck ended. Ruby had no idea where she was after trying for ten minutes to find it. Now she was walking in an empty hall with classroom doors on each side.
'Come on Ruby come on. Don't freak out just-' But her attempt to regain focus and to calm down a little bit was quickly cut short when she saw clouds of colour crawling out the entrance of a nearby classroom.
Like a child drawn to an ice cream truck Ruby made her way to the door, overcome by curiosity as to how those colourful plumes of smoke were made.
When she hesitantly stepped inside, with her head popping into the room first, the girl was struck with surprise at how big and well equipped it was. Her eyes flew over every corner before landing on a woman standing at the very back.
Clad in black jeans and red top under a chemical dusted and splattered lab coat she was hard at work. All of her attention fixed on the beakers that oozed red, yellow, green and blue clouds. With her shoulder length black hair covering one side of her face Ruby couldn't help but to think that she looked familiar. But no matter how much Ruby squinted at the woman, she couldn't quite put her finger on a name. Then her gaze shifted to the plastic containers that the woman was opening. She carefully measured off the contents by the milligram before adding the red powder to water in a beaker.
'Is she working with Dust?' Ruby wondered to herself, already feeling the excitement build up in her chest.
Dust was highly reactive, especially in its raw form but even when handling it can be dangerous, the risk proved to be worth it once mankind discovered what it could do. After the Schnee Dust Company first started mining for those crystals there was no longer anything that limited man in its usage. So Ruby could only wonder what she was up to. When it looked like she was about to prepare for the next step of the second experiment Ruby sneaked closer, eyes never leaving the crimson liquid.
Then with gloved hands and a pair of tongs the woman took hold of a small metal container that leaked ice cold vapour. Whatever it was Ruby was sure that it had to be very...very cold. And once she emptied its contents into the beaker Ruby wondered if it would crystallize.
But instead she was met with a deafening explosion and the sound of shattering glass shooting in every direction.
Desperately trying to get to cover the girl shielded her face and dived behind the counter. There was a moment of silence and Ruby suddenly grew worried about what might have happened to the other woman. Then she heard the shuffling of shoes upon glass and the muttering of cuss words, gradually growing louder until a loud crash of glass being swept off the counter in frustration, followed.
Tentatively the girl stood up and was met with the sight of the woman pacing around, raking her fingers through her hair and revealing a black eye patch where her left eye should've been. As well as the scars crawling from underneath.
Luckily they seemed to be due to a previous accident.
"Are…are you okay?" She managed to choke out, almost shivering when she felt a cold and calculating glare move up and down her body. Suddenly Ruby felt very self conscious.
"Can I help you?" She shot and Ruby was surprised at how uncharacteristically hoarse her voice sounded. That and the look in her amber eye, enough to make the girl sink behind the counter again.
"Hi. Uhm…sorry I just wanted to see what uh... you were working on and stuff. The fog uhm... it was really pretty." The girl finished with a nervous smile, hoping to diffuse the growing tension between them.
"And I suppose you couldn't have knocked beforehand?"
Ruby could tell that the woman was angered at the fact that her experiment had gone so wrong and her unwanted presence, but to be fair Ruby knew that she had been intruding, the girl was never supposed to be here in the first place.
"I'm really really- ouch." Ruby tried to apologize, but was cut short when she felt a jolt of pain shooting up her arm. And when she looked down, the girl let out a surprised gasp upon noticing the gashes on her arm and hand, as well as the shards of glass jutting from out the drying blood.
"Oh no." Was all she managed to say with the only thing snapping her out of her thoughts, being the mentioning of the woman's red painted finger nails to give Ruby her arm.
"Uhm you don't-"
But the woman didn't give Ruby a chance to protest and grabbed hold of the girl's wrist, ignoring her winces as she pulled closer. Only to let go with a sigh as she made her way towards the exit.
"Come with me."
Ruby knew that sigh all too well, it was one that she frequently heard around Weiss when she was either being bothered or being driven into a difficult position yet too polite to say anything. It was obvious that this mess wasn't something the woman wanted to deal with.
"I don't wanna bother you or anything." She tried to protest in hopes of releasing her of the burden that she was clearly being.
"Should I leave you to bleed out then?" The woman asked, the look in her eye indifferent, like it wouldn't matter to her at all. But still however it seemed this woman was offering to help and Ruby didn't like the images of losing a hand, flashing through her mind.
"Oh right… thanks." She stuttered and timidly followed her as she briskly walked through the empty halls. The woman strutted like she had all the confidence in the world, like everything belonged to her even though she wore used-to-be-white sneakers.
For a moment Ruby found herself wishing for that kind of confidence.
They walked further and further from the excited buzz that Ruby could faintly hear coming from the fields.
The girl let out a soft sigh, only then managing to grasp the position she was in. Not only was she nowhere near where Weiss told her to be, but she was also dragging a woman who clearly had better things to do, to patch up the mess she got herself into.
Why didn't she just listen to Weiss and stayed in that same place until they came looking for her?
"Uhm is this the right infirmary?" There was a hint of worry to her voice when they stopped at a locked door.
"I prefer to work in silence." She stated, surprising Ruby completely when she pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked the door. "And since you were injured in my presence that makes you my responsibility."
The woman gestured for Ruby to sit on the nearest bed while she rummaged through cabinets for gauze, tweezers and disinfectant.
"I'm Ruby. Ruby Rose." The girl introduced herself with a nervous smile, as if their sudden acquaintance would make her forget that she was letting a complete stranger give her medical treatment. "Sorry I never introduced myself. Kinda busy with not getting blown up and stuff." This time her smile didn't falter under an intense stare.
"…Cinder Fall." The woman finally said, her voice carried some kind of authority when she ripped open a package of disinfectant wipes.
Ruby prepared herself for the pain that she was sure was yet to come but surprisingly Cinder treated her injury with care. The only pain being the occasional sting as she removed the glass and excess blood. The girl didn't know whether looking at her would come off as rudely staring or not doing so would make Cinder think that she found her appearance off-putting. But Ruby looked anyway, watching the woman drift into some kind of rhythm like caring for students who got into trouble was something she was used to.
"I presume this isn't the first time an experiment had gone wrong in your presence Ruby Rose." Cinder stated, breaking the silence as she slowly turned the girl's hand to look for any cuts she might have missed.
"How'd you guess?" Ruby didn't think her being clumsy would be that obvious and the thought brought a blush to her cheeks.
"Perhaps the fact that you didn't run for a faucet once you realised you might be contaminated with Dust particles."
She couldn't help but to chuckle, half embarrassingly scratching the back of her head with her free hand.
"I did that once with a neutralization experiment in tenth grade after I got some stuff on me. I thought the water was gonna burn my hand off or something."
"Well aren't you careless for an aspiring chemist." She stated dryly and began wrapping up the cuts with gauze. Ruby wasn't sure whether it was a compliment or not.
"Why do you think I want to be something like that?"
Although she was finding it very strange how the woman could point things about her in such a casual manner.
"I don't think a business student will come sneaking into a class room because they thought an experiment was 'pretty'." Cinder answered simply as she finished clipping the bandage into place and started to put away the medical supplies. "But perhaps even they will know better than to observe without caution and to keep necessary safety measures in mind."
With her cheeks now a glowing red blush Ruby followed in suit, shuffling after Cinder as she handed her the equipment to be put away. With the woman only using the one hand. Her right one to take it from Ruby. The girl wondered if those burns still hurt, but she didn't feel like it was her place to ask.
After cleaning up the infirmary the two of them headed back to the science lab and as usual the silence between them because too uncomfortable for Ruby to bear.
"Do you uhm…know what went wrong with it? Unless it was supposed to explode like that."
"The Dust was contaminated, traces of other chemicals must have been in contact with it during the previous practical session."
Cinder knew precisely whose fault that was and she was determined to make them very sorry for their negligence. They'll remember not to cross her ever again.
"I suppose this is where you take your leave then?" Cinder stated coolly as she opened the door, instantly hit with the scent of smoke wafting in the air.
Ruby shook her head in protest. "Oh no I couldn't leave you with all that glass and stuff."
"You had nothing to do with that accident, you merely got caught in the crossfire."
"And you took care of me after I got cut." Ruby fired back, surprising even herself when she heard her voice grow a pitch louder.
Cinder's eye widened slightly upon hearing how adamant she sounded, the woman didn't think the girl could be absolute about anything.
"The least I could do is help you clean it up."
Cinder then watched as the girl tried in vain to intimidate her by crossing her arms, and trying her best to prove that it didn't hurt at all, as well as straightening her posture. For a moment Cinder found herself thinking of that little Schnee that she'd grown to have such a distaste for. A thought that would usually irritate her, but instead Cinder found herself to be slightly amused.
Perhaps she had misjudged her a bit. The woman didn't know if she should be relieved at the fact or not, but for now she let it slide.
"I'd appreciate it."
There were more pressing matters to attend to after all.
"Ruby Rose!"
But just as Cinder was about to let the girl in, a horrific screech rang thorough the halls, stopping them both in their tracks.
At the end of the hall a fuming Weiss Schnee was storming towards them. The sight was almost enough for Ruby to hide behind Cinder for cover. And before she knew it, the young woman was standing right before her and there was no escape. All Ruby could do was prepare herself for the scolding that was sure to come.
"You are in so much trouble young lady! I explicitly remember telling you not to go wandering off."
Ruby smiled apologetically at her friend but Weiss gave her no time to explain.
"Do you have any idea how far behind schedule you put me? I should have you-" But once Weiss caught a glance of the woman staring daggers down at her, her attention was quickly diverted.
As she turned towards Cinder, Weiss instantly regained her composure.
"…Cinder." She greeted with bitter distaste that the young woman didn't even bother hiding.
"Schnee." Cinder's raspy voice was now more of a growl than anything else, easily holding Weiss' icy glare.
The heiress looked between the two, quickly hiding her annoyed expression as she opened her mouth to speak. "Now what if I might ask-"
"No you may not." The woman cut her off, successfully baffling the young heiress.
"E-excuse me?"
"What I do with my time is hardly any of your business now is it?" Cinder's tone was as cold as ice and Ruby watched the scene unfold with disbelieving silver eyes.
"You two know each other?" She ventured, hoping to relieve the tension between the two, thick enough to be cut with a knife.
"Unfortunately." Weiss deadpanned as she put a hand on her hip, almost daring the other to return fire. The last thing Ruby wanted was for a fight to break out because for some reason Ruby just knew that Weiss didn't really know what she was getting herself into.
"She doesn't mean it!" The girl waved her off, Cinder didn't look convinced.
"Weiss is just a little-"
Stubborn, bossy, sassy, judgy. Ruby couldn't really pick one.
"Conceited." Cinder added, enjoying the heiress' red faced expression far too much.
"Don't talk about me like I'm not here. And how dare you!" The young woman scolded, having had enough of this ridiculous banter. When she shot Ruby a warning glare Weiss grabbed hold of her wrist and started leading her away.
"Ow Weiss. Owowowowow." The girl quickly wormed her way out of her friend's grasp and it was only then when the heiress noticed the bandages.
"What-" Her wide eyed concern was quick to turn to slits as she accusingly pointed at Cinder. "If you have something to with this-"
"Nononono Weiss it wasn't Cinder's fault." Ruby came to her rescue and when she turned back to Weiss she could see that the young woman wanted an explanation that instant.
"Well I uh…" As Ruby's gaze wandered about the area a sudden laugh escaped her lips, it was strange how the incident seemed funny now when an hour ago she wanted to die of embarrassment."I maaaay have gotten cut by some exploding glass but Cinder fixed me up at the infirmary sopleasedon'tbemadokay?"
Ruby lifted her hands with an assuring smile for Weiss to see the other's handiwork, then mentioning to Cinder. "See she's…nice."
Cinder couldn't help but to scoff at the comment ,she had been called many things in her life and 'nice' wasn't one of them. At least it seemed to calm the Schnee down enough for her to turn heel with nothing more than a 'Let's go Ruby.'
The girl was hesitant to leave however. "Ah Weiss wait… I still have to help Cinder clean up."
She then watched Ruby turn halfway back to her while continuing to stumble onwards.
"I'll be back later okay!" She shouted down the hallway, reaching out to her like it was some kind of promise. "I'll come back if you need some help."
With that said the view of Cinder disappeared once they rounded a corner, leaving the woman standing alone in the hallway and uncertain as to how she should feel.
The girl had piqued her interest that's for sure, but whether it was a good or bad thing was up for debate, Cinder supposed that she'll just have to wait and see...
…
For the rest of the day, Ruby along with a group of visitors followed Weiss and Blake through the campus. From lectures about the University's history to the number of courses that are available as well as with fun activities, they were kept busy until four.
Ruby could honestly say that the day went on better than she thought it would. …Okay she could've gone without the history lessons, but still!
When the Open Day came to a close the masses of aspiring students trickled away until only a few groups stood scattered about. Weiss was still busy answering questions and Ruby saw it as her chance to slip away. Even though the girl very much doubted that Cinder would still be there, she knew that she had to go and check anyway. Ruby did promise her after all. When running at full speed ,and nearly into a glass door, it took a while for her to find the same laboratory again without getting lost.
In a blur of red and black Ruby rounded the last corner just as Cinder came walking down the corridor. Ruby slammed her heels into the tile and skidded to a stop before she could crash into the woman, who watched with incredulity.
"Haven't you been taught not to run in the halls?" Cinder's tone was cool as she spoke and when Ruby looked up she stared straight into molten amber, her face a few inches from hers.
"S-sorry." She stuttered as she shuffled backward, her fingers subconsciously playing with the bandages on her arm. "I thought I could catch up to you before you finished cleaning up."
Cinder's eye widened in slight surprise, pursing her lips in thought. So this girl was serious after all. Even after what must've been a very busy day, Ruby still came back to offer her help. Foolish.
"Guess I'm not as fast as I thought." She confessed with a sheepish grin, swaying on the balls of her feet and timidly meeting Cinder's eye again. The woman couldn't help but notice how those silver orbs smiled back at her.
Foolish? No.
Naive maybe… but not foolish. Perhaps sincere was a better word. Cinder searched her mind for it, as if she would when skimming through a dictionary. It was a word she hasn't used in ages and just like the strangeness of this girl, Cinder couldn't quite put her finger in it.
"You just missed me I'm afraid."
Ruby's expression visibly fell and she couldn't help but feel bad at the promise she wasn't able to keep, even if Cinder didn't think of it as a big deal.
Why was this girl so adamant about helping her in some way, the woman wondered. Her eye slowly moved from Ruby's concrete scraped sneakers and up to her shining silver eyes. Cinder wasn't necessarily annoyed but the concept was just so foreign, perhaps that's the reason why she was so intrigued by this girl.
"I suppose some company wouldn't hurt." She finally gave in with a sigh as she smiled to herself before adjusting the book bag strap on her shoulder.
"Walk with me?"
With that said the woman gestured with manicured nails, Ruby happy to oblige. Once they were out of the building and walking along the edge of the field, Cinder pulled out a packet of cigarettes from her book bag. Followed by a lighter from her pocket.
"So you're a third year?" Ruby ventured and for a split second Cinder's face lit up with a spark before the veil of smoke covered it, then slowly reached for the sky.
"First." Cinder corrected and her eye lazily drifted to the girl, mouth curling the cigarette between a faint smile.
Ruby's nose wrinkled at the smell but she couldn't decide whether she liked it or not. She probably shouldn't. Smoking was bad, that she knew. But like all things, once a teenager was told not do something they automatically wanted to the opposite. But curiosity was all it was, Ruby knew that if she ever tried it her sister would kill her.
"I take it you're in Matric?" Cinder deducted, but when she saw Ruby perk up at the sound of an ice cream truck nearby, the woman knew that she had to be a few years off.
Or it was just a part of her personality.
"Ah almost." Ruby grinned sheepishly, rising a hand to shield her eyes from the sun peeking through the row of trees. "I'm in grade eleven this year." Usually people would guess her to be about fifteen but then again she was attending a University Open Day.
"What do you plan on studying?" Cinder asked as she flicked the ashes from the cigarette butt, rising her brow inquiringly at Ruby who just shrugged in reply.
"I want to go into engineering but I'm not all that smart." She explained and sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "So I don't really know."
"You needn't be smart miss Rose." Cinder stated and the two of them came to a halt at a fountain close to one of the entrances. "All you need is to put in some work and the rest will work for you."
And strangely when Ruby stood next to her, she didn't feel as nervous anymore. For a few moments they stood staring at the statue of Professor Ozpin in the middle of the fountain. When Ruby looked at Cinder her eyes widened at the sight of the fading sunlight framing her silhouette with golden light. The reflection seemed to set her eye on fire, smouldering in thought.
"So perhaps I'll see you here in a few more years miss Rose."
Whatever might have gone through her mind, was not betrayed by her gaze that was always guarded…until she looked back at her.
"But this is where I take my leave." Cinder finally said with a hint of disappointment and as she turned to Ruby she offered her a hand, that the girl took with a bit of downcast. "Yeah I guess it's getting pretty late."
The girl was surprised to see the small smile that Cinder offered her and she instantly brightened up, returning the gesture tenfold with a beaming grin.
"It was really nice to meet you Cinder." And before the woman could protest Ruby wrapped her in a quick hug, catching her completely off guard but she was quick to regain her composure. For a moment her calloused tone was soft when she stepped back.
"Likewise miss Rose."
Just before she turned to walk down the street, the woman glanced over her shoulder and met Ruby's eye with a knowing smile.
"I hope you'll stay out of trouble in the future."
The girl couldn't help but giggle and gave her a small wave, watching Cinder disappear into the sunset with both contentment and a strange melancholy in her silver eyes…
…..
It was nearing midnight but the Rose and Xiao Long household was still shaking with music, singing and cheers. But then again this was a Yang Xiao Long party so Ruby should've known that it would keep her up till late.
The girl wasn't really sure why her sister decided to throw this party, but it wasn't like her she needed a reason to have fun. That was just the way she was, but when her father told them that he would be away for the weekend Ruby should've known Yang would pull some sort of stunt. Not that Ruby minded that much, crazy parties were what made Yang…Yang and she loved her sister. But at that moment Ruby would've loved her more if she didn't stash the cookie supply in the top cabinet.
"Come…ooon just a little closer." When she stood on her toes her fingers only managed to brush against the box. And with one final attempt she jumped up, knocking her hand against the box for it to sway back and forth before tumbling over into the girl's hands. "Gotcha!"
"Aren't you a bit young to be attending a college party?"
The girl nearly jumped up in fright at the sudden sound of a voice behind her, hoarse and nearly breathless. Recognition struck her instantly. With a quickening heartbeat the girl turned around to see a familiar face, one half obscured by short ebony hair and the other side with a golden eye staring back.
Cinder.
But instead of casual jeans, t-shirt and sneakers the woman wore something entirely different. It made Ruby wonder if she just didn't inhale some alcohol fumes and was now seeing things.
The girl could hardly look at anything else besides that red dress with intricate gold patterns twisting down the long sleeves, as well the low cut exposing her long and slender- 'No Ruby. Bad! You're being gross.' The girl mentally slapped herself, trying to get a grip by shaking her head to get the images out of her mind.
"No good?" The woman asked with a faint smile on her lips when she noticed the girl staring, mocking half-hearted disappointment as she did so. She then grabbed a few glasses and a bottle of red wine from the counter before making her way to the living room.
"Oh no- I mean yes!" The girl insisted as she followed, her cheeks growing a darker shade of red and the tone of her voice a pitch higher.
"I just didn't recognise you for a bit." Ruby scratched the back of her head with a sheepish smile before sitting down on the opposite edge of the couch. Cinder said nothing and took a long sip of her wine, eye never leaving the girl and Ruby couldn't help but fidget next to her.
Suddenly Ruby didn't know whether she was intruding or not and the silence between them, well as much silence that is possible at a party involving Yang, didn't make things easier.
"I didn't know you knew my sister." Ruby leaned toward the coffee table to grab a handful of chips, then happily crunching away at them.
"I don't." She stated and slowly stared to swirl around the red liquid in her glass before draining the last of it. "But Belladonna insisted that I attend."
Out of all the people that Cinder got to know over the past year, Blake was one of the few who didn't instantly discard her after learning as to how she got into the University.
"Oh yeah." Ruby brightened up at the mention of one of her friends. "Blake mentioned you before."
Cinder smiled to herself. "Good things I hope."
The woman would never say it but for that she was grateful. She could talk to someone without wondering what Blake would say about her behind her back, not that Cinder cared for other's opinions. It also helped that they shared a similar interest in reading material, one that was fairly hard to come by these days.
When the woman's mind drifted back to reality her gaze landed on Ruby's arm, the one that had gotten cut a few weeks ago.
"I take it you've been staying out of trouble?" She asked, putting down her glass before reaching out to take Ruby's hand. Cinder's touch was both silky smooth and calloused at the same time with one hand holding hers and the other absentmindedly tracing over where the cuts used to be.
"Perfect." The woman observed but even as her hands left Ruby's the trace of her touch lingered, still ghosting over the girl's palms.
"Hehe yeah you fixed me up real good."
When Cinder's attention shifted so did Ruby's gaze wander to the puddles of water leading from the kitchen to the sliding door. She could faintly hear the splashing of water and Sun yelling 'cannonball!' before diving into their pool outside... followed by Neptune's panicked screaming.
"Sauvignon?" Cinder offered, eyebrow raised inquiringly as she held out another glass of red wine, snapping Ruby out of her thoughts.
"Ah no thanks. I don't drink." She wasn't eighteen yet and that much should've been very clear but it didn't seem like Cinder minded at all.
"Pity. It's all the way from Mistral and the first of the season."
So Ruby took the glass anyway and watched with curious silver eyes as how to hold it, fingers fumbling at first.
Ruby had seen Yang and her friends drink a bunch of times before, but this was something different. The girl didn't think that downing a shot was the same as drinking Cabernet Sauvignon.
Swirling the glass for the wine to lap up against it Cinder inhaled the piquant flavour before taking a sip, closing her eye to savour the rich black cherries mingling with herbs and oak. After carefully paying attention, Ruby tentatively followed in suit, but when the bitter taste touched her tongue she nearly gagged.
"Ackh!"
Cinder watched amused as Ruby desperately tried not to twist her face into unimaginable expressions. Then as casually as the girl could muster, she reached for a box of cookies to drown out the bitter taste in her mouth.
"But I suppose I should've picked a different one."
If it wasn't for the laughter in Cinder's raspy voice Ruby would have just dug her merlot cheeks into a couch pillow.
"I guess I wasn't ready for it." Ruby couched and couldn't help but to feel rather childish at that moment. "I never had wine before." But then again this woman seemed to be mature far beyond her years.
"I forgot that most tastes aren't piquant and bitter as mine."
Suddenly Ruby wished that she liked the more adult things in life, but the girl also thought that the opposite was true for Cinder. Despite their mutual dislike Ruby could see a lot of similarity between Weiss and Cinder.
"Maybe you just need to learn to like sweet stuff too." The girl offered light heartedly before attempting to take another drink, nearly spitting it out again when Cinder leaned her face a few inches from hers, rising an eyebrow and smiling curiously.
"Like?"
It must have been the alcohol, because for some reason Ruby couldn't remember the name of a single cookie that she had eaten in her lifetime.
"I uh-"
"Hey Ruby do you know whe-" The two men walking in stopped dead in their tracks once they saw the scene before them. Ruby's head snapped to the side and instantly she could feel her cheeks heat up for what felt like the tenth time that night. Standing with their towel-wrapped-but-still-soaked bodies Ren and Jaune looked from Ruby to Cinder…and from Cinder to Ruby.
"Are we interrupting?" Ren asked, ready for them to leave if need be.
"Oh n-no we were just talking and stuff." Ruby insisted as she shot back to the opposite end of the couch. "Did...did you guys need anything?" The girl was seemingly oblivious to Jaune's discomfort after noticing Cinder.
Although they were only a few years apart 'a boy' was all Cinder would ever see him as and she smiled to herself when she could see him grow uncomfortable under her unwavering gaze.
"Nora is looking for those water guns… do you still have them around?" He wondered out loud, looking everywhere that wasn't at Cinder.
The two of them had met before, but the circumstances were not pleasant and although Jaune knew that Cinder had no official power over him, she was not one to be trifled with.
"Oh yeah sure I'll go get 'em for you guys." The girl agreed happily and jumped up to her feet, leading the way.
"I'll be back okay!" Ruby called out to Cinder with a small wave of her hand before disappearing behind a corner. And when she watched the girl leave Cinder couldn't help but feel as if the atmosphere had grown dull and the Sauvignon a tad more bitter...
When Ruby came back with a slight skip in her step, Cinder was sitting there, eye glancing at passerby's with half lidded disinterest.
"Not much of a party person hu?" She girl mentioned as she sidled up next to her.
"I'll admit it's not my type, no." The woman confessed with a wry smile. Cinder had been to many high school and college parties, but the appeal had worn off long ago. Now drinking until you passed out just seemed so mindless to her, she wanted something to be worth her time.
"Yeah I'm not that into it either." The girl shrugged as she watched the mass of drunken bodies sway to the beat of window-shaking music. "I just like having a few friends over you know?"
Cinder answered with a silent nod, grateful that she wasn't the only one feeling rather out of place. And as she reached for one of the cookies on the table, Ruby was moulding over what she wanted to say, figeting with her eyes darting from and to her. The girl bunched up the soft fabric of her t-shirt in her hands before exhaling, releasing her words as she turned to her.
"…W-would you maybe like to come to my room instead?"
Cinder couldn't help but to crack a grin and her hoarse voice seemed to laugh before biting down on the chocolate chip treat. "I'd never think you'd be so bold miss Rose."
When Ruby realised what the context of her words implied, the girl thought she would explode right then and there. "Wha- oh nonononono." She waved her hands around frantically as if to get rid of the sudden hot air around them. "I just meant like to talk and stuff not…not bad stuff- not that there's anything wrong with that stuff I uh-"
As her words stared to fail her Ruby dug her face into a couch pillow like an ostrich into the ground, hoping that it would shield her from further embarrassment.
"I'm just teasing little Rose." The woman reassured, delight clear in her tone when she reached out to comb through her hair, fingers playfully toying with the crimson tipped locks. "No need to be embarrassed."
If the gesture was meant to calm her down it sure wasn't working because Ruby was sure that the shades of red on her face just darkened tenfold.
The girl wasn't even sure how exactly it happened. One moment she and Cinder were drinking wine on the couch and the next they were sitting on the carpet of Ruby's room. Both were locked in an intense battle of Kung Fu Ninja Slayers Ultimate Death Battle 2.
This was where Ruby was supposed to be in her element and show the other how its done, and maybe try to impress her a bit with her awesome gaming skills. Unbeknownst to Ruby, Cinder's hand eye coordination was better than she let on. What was supposed an easy win turned into something much more difficult.
"Eat this!" The girl exclaimed as she slammed her thumbs down on the controls, ready to chop the head off Cinder's character. But the woman blocked and countered her combo with ease, slashing away another chunk of her opponent's health bar.
"You're predictable miss. Rose." The woman warned, and turned to Ruby with a pleased glint in her eye once the screen flashed 'GAME OVER.'
The girl let out a groan and rolled around on the floor as an attempt to release her frustration. "No fair. I demand a rematch!" The girl pointed accusingly at Cinder who merely smiled in return.
"I wouldn't expect anything less."
And so for most of the night they spent bashing away at controllers until Ruby was satisfied that she had won enough times to at least be on par.
"How can you be good at science and video games at the same time?" She asked while stuffing her mouth with more treats. They had successfully brought half of the kitchen into Ruby's room, but the girl doubted that Yang would notice. Even if she did, the chances of her making it up the stairs were very slim.
"I could ask you the same thing." Cinder replied as she made herself to the window, needing a quick nicotine fix. It was only when she opened the window that the woman discovered a makeshift balcony on the roof.
"I hope this is safe." She remarked, leaning out the window and feeling a cool breeze waft in the air.
"Oh yeah." The girl was quick to jump up to her feet, nearly tripping over her makeshift blanket cape as she did so. Suddenly there was a sense of pride in her voice. "My mom built it for me a long while ago." And as she clambered through the window a soft giggle escaped her lips. "My dad isn't allowed to fix stuff in the house anymore."
After making sure that she was still steady on her feet Cinder tentatively followed, now standing under a roof that must've been built after as well as a wooden fence running along the edge where Ruby was standing. Deep in thought the girl stared ahead, the silver of her eyes seemed to reflect the stars in the night sky and Cinder caught herself staring when she came to stand beside her.
"So...have you always lived in Vale?"
"I moved here from Mistral actually." The woman confessed and reached for her pack of cigarettes. There was only two left.
"I've visited Mistral with my uncle Qrow once." The girl mentioned and smiled happily at the memory. "It was so much fun and so many stuff to do…lots of fun stuff."
Cinder couldn't help but to crack a smile at the girl's subconscious slurring, dry red wasn't her cup of tea but late harvest sweet wine sure proved to be.
"It's certainly busier than Vale." She agreed and lit herself a cigarette, hoping to numb the headache that was surely coming along.
"Why didn't you…study at Haven?"
Deep intake followed by a slow release and with half lidded eyes the woman savoured the burn at the back of her throat and watched the high turn into smoke.
"I needed a change of scenery I suppose."
"Well I'm glad that you came to Vale." Ruby murmured and she gently leaned against Cinder who smiled softly in return. When the breeze started to shake them with shivers, the two women sat together on one of the bean bag chairs on the balcony. Ruby's blanket cape was draped halfway over them. They didn't want to go inside just yet. Outside the harsh drumming of music faded into a gentle thump and the fingers combing through Ruby's hair should've been enough to send the girl off to sleep.
"I think I wanna remember this." The girl mumbled as she watched the small ember light up and fade out with each breath the other took. "…Remember you."
When the other stopped her absent minded untangling of her hair, Ruby looked up at Cinder and finding her seemingly conflicted for a moment before her gaze softened and her touch drifted down to cup the girl's cheek.
"And I you miss Rose." She whispered and the girl erupted in a fit of giggles. The girl didn't quite know in what state of mind she was at that moment. The line between sober and intoxicated had become foggy just like her thoughts.
"R-Ruby. Just call me Ruby."
But the feelings she had were pleasant, a warm kind of fuzzy, just like Cinder who slowly leaned closer to whisper into her ear.
"Ruby."
The girl couldn't stop the giggles bursting from her mouth when she felt the tickling of Cinder's breath on her ear. The woman grinned slyly as she moved towards her neck.
"Ruby."
"Hahahaha You…you say it weird." She continued to laugh and squirm, but doing that without falling off proved to be very difficult. Somehow Ruby had gotten herself into a position that the girl couldn't escape. With Cinder casually leaning over her.
"Care to elaborate Ruby Rose?" There was a tone of authority to her husky voice, but her eye smouldering with amusement gave everything away.
At the back of her mind Cinder knew that she was drunk, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She hadn't felt like this in years, like a silly teenager, not because those years had passed but rather because she was never allowed to be. But with this girl…with Ruby she could be someone else.
"Nope." The girl teased and stuck out her tongue in a rather childish manner, and with that Cinder settled back down next to her. A moment of silence fell between them where Ruby contently listened to the slow rise and fall of the other's breathing.
"Doesn't it hurt?" She delicately started to trace the golden patterns of the woman's dress. "…Or burn I guess." Ruby went on, gaze shifting to Cinder.
"A little." There was a lazy smile on her lips, and the mirth in her amber eye, half closed. "But it's pleasant."
"It's a good kinda burn?" She asked, tilting her head to the side, foggy mind not quite wrapping around the concept and Cinder couldn't help but to smile.
"What a curious one you are..." She murmured and leaned forward, faces inches apart as she turned the cigarette towards Ruby's lips, offering a taste to satisfy her curiosity.
With the alcohol swimming in her head the girl gingerly closed her mouth around the cigarette. Surprisingly she found it to be warm and laced with the lingering taste of cherries…Cinder's lip gloss she guessed. Her silver eyes looked to the woman for direction.
"Breathe in slowly." She instructed, gaze never leaving the girl as Ruby's eyes fluttered to a close, brow forming a soft crease with small plumes of smoke leaking from her lips. Those soft, delicate lips that she just wanted to capture as her own.
"You need to exhale little Rose." The woman smiled and clumsily shoved her intoxicated thoughts to the back of her hazy mind.
And when Ruby blew the smoke into the night it was between splutters and coughs, it's warm touch grazing against Cinder's skin.
"Yeeaahp…" The girl drawled, head lolling to the side to find a resting place in the crook of Cinder's neck, inhaling the sharp scent of her perfume before cracking a grin. "Good burn."
It was like watching a child discover something new for the first time, fumbling as how to hold it once Cinder let go to reach for another one. Without a second thought Ruby took another drag and nearly swallowed the cigarette whole when Cinder leaned forward to light hers with the small smouldering ember.
"Breathe."
Half lit and only inches apart Ruby could clearly map out the curve of her cheekbones and the fine lines between smooth and scarred skin. She knew that she was staring but then again so was Cinder.
For some reason neither of them really minded…
The rest of the night and early morning hours went by in a hazy blur of washed out colour and white noise as they talked about anything and everything. Glimpses of their life were shared in between bits of faded memory, until both were on the verge of passing out or crashing down from their high.
"…Cinder?" Ruby mumbled, using all of her remaining energy to keep her eyes from falling to a close. She knew that if it did, it wouldn't open until noon. "Mmm- I drunk?"
"…I'm afraid so." Her voice was hoarse with fatigue but even so Ruby could hear the ghost of a smile
"Does 'hat mean I'll have a… crazy bad headache when wake up an'… I'll be addicted to smokin' n' stuff?"
"Don't worry little Rose...you will be quite alright." She comforted, her whisper nearly lost before it reached her. "But yes, you might have a hangover."
The girl let out a yawn before turning to snuggle deeper into the warmth next to her. "Don' tell Yang 'kay?" And after finally giving in Ruby's eyes fell to a close, diving deep into her sub consciousness, warm and welcoming to sleep.
"Your secret's safe with me."