I know I've been gone for a while. I'm dealing with stuff in my life right now. I haven't forgotten about Lost in Translation and I will return to it. As for this, I don't know what this is. But you can consider this related to "If She Breaks Your Heart." So yeah. Enjoy maybe.

One terrible thing about summer is that the humidity and heat seems to suck away all your energy. Or it makes you want to run inside and bask in a cool air conditioning, rather than the sun. Add the insects and pollen and children born in the fall or winter retreat indoors. At least that's what it felt like to Ruby.

So when her lover invited her over to her home, Ruby jumped at the opportunity to leech someone else's air conditioning. Cool air and free food would make any hermit come out of their cave to brave the sunlight. So Ruby didn't mind the sun bearing down on her as she rode the bus to the other side of the city. Partly because her air conditioning was broken and partly because anytime she got to spend with the older woman was time well spent.

Right?

"You are very quiet today. Usually you are a ball of energy I dare not contain, especially when we are alone."

The younger girl hummed as she laid her head on the other woman's cool lap. "I'm just thinking. That's all."

"You do that a lot. It's never a terrible thing to entertain productive thoughts, but I worry when my rosebud isn't speaking."

Ruby didn't have a response to that, much to absorb in her own world, so she just hummed. Partly to agree with her lover, but mostly to avoid telling her what was on her mind.

And staring at the stark white ceiling above her, there was only one person on her mind.

Weiss Schnee.

"You're thinking about her again aren't you?" the other woman accused, voice sounding offended by the idea.

"I'm not", was Ruby's hotly reply.

"Precious jewel, you are a terrible liar." The other woman then leaned down to kiss the brunette's forehead. "Be honest with me. You came to my home because you needed comfort."

Ruby sighed as her lover returned to running her delicate fingers through her short hair and massaging her scalp. She hated when the older woman read her mind like she just did. It wasn't fair she got to keep secrets under lock and key, but Ruby was an open book. Then again…

"I don't even know why you put up with me", was Ruby's somber reply.

The brunette closed her eyes, but she could imagine her girlfriend grinning as she stroked under her chin. Ruby felt a heat grow in her abdomen as she quietly moaned. "I knew what I was getting into when I pursued you Ruby Rose. Besides, it is your friends who have a different view of our relationship in favor of you. 'Why on Earth would Ruby Rose put up with Cinder Fall?'"

Ruby chuckled. The way Cinder spoke mocked the heiress, in a rather terrible German accent that was stuffy or nasally, but without the shrill tone Weiss normally carried. The younger girl often forgot about Cinder's humor. She and Yang would get along great, if they ever met.

"Because you and I are the same; we're both lonely", she whispered as Cinder pressed the palm of her hand to her cheek. "You aren't some super evil manipulative women hell bent on world domination. We're just…lost."

The moment turned serious and Ruby regretted the words she spoke. Still, she didn't think Cinder would continue on.

"We both needed comfort. We both needed someone to fill the void past lovers and current friends cannot." Ruby nuzzled in Cinder's hand. "Since we find happiness in each other, it only seems right we seek the other person to cure us. Even as adults—"

"I'm just a child", Ruby mumbled.

"You're an adult. There's no need to be ashamed of asking for what you want little jewel."

"Even if it's just physical?"

The room went silent, the only sound being the winding noises of Cinder's central air starting again because the temperature of the house was a few degrees too hot.

"I promised you Ruby. I promised I'd be everything to you Weiss isn't. Even if you still love her more than you'll ever love me I promised I'd serve your every need."

Ruby laid still for a moment and Cinder returned to her gentle massage. But soon Ruby grew restless. She squirmed on Cinder's bed and in her lap before the other woman held her hands up to allow her to move. Ruby took the opportunity to sit up and fix herself in Cinder's lap, facing her.

"This isn't fair to you", she murmured.

"You care too much for other people. You should worry about yourself rosebud."

"I'm altruistic."

Cinder laughed. "Except now. But I suppose I should be happy that you acknowledged my unjust situation."

"Only because it's true", Ruby mumbled against Cinder's smooth neck.

"It is", the older woman gasped as Ruby kissed at her pulse, "but one day I'll be rewarded with your real love. Because I'm all you have to love in this way."

Ruby pulled her black tank top over her head. "And I'm all you have."

Cinder grinned, the vision of lust overcoming her features as she rested her palms behind her and leaned back. "So this is what you came for; just a physical meeting."

"You knew the moment I walked through the door."

"I knew, but I still enjoy these games with you."

Instead of a response Ruby took a moment to examine the woman in front of her, and for the first time truly reflected on their relationship up to this point.

Cinder was in every way different from Weiss Schnee, yet Ruby found herself in the bedroom of the older, experienced woman who seemed to exist to be the bane of everyone's existence.

She was cunning, sneaky, very secretive about herself and her life, and seductive and charming in all the wrong ways. Ruby was awkward, shy, and innocent to a fault and could never imagine herself with a person who would be classified as a criminal in their past life.

Yet behind the villainous aura that screamed intruder alert in Ruby's mind rested a broken and lost soul that had been fed so many false promises, she took skepticism to new level and honestly from other people with a grain of salt.

Cinder was a complex woman of many talents, and a treasure trove of life experience Ruby could learn if she ever asked. Ruby was simple and didn't expect much. And her only real hard experiences had been her mother's death and heartbreak.

Maybe that's why they continued whatever this relationship was. Of all the family and friends Cinder has or had, Ruby was the only girl Cinder was willing to believe one hundred percent.

And for Ruby, Cinder didn't expect her to act or be anything. Ruby didn't have to pretend about her happiness and she didn't have to pretend to love Cinder. Cinder was okay with being used and using Ruby, so long as she got to keep Ruby.

But this was unhealthy. Was Ruby really okay with this?

"I do love it when my pretty petite flower looks at me with lust. But the anticipation is killing me."

Ruby was.

"You're going to have to stop calling me those ridiculous pet names. I'm not a little kid", Ruby grumbled as she lifted the white t-shirt above Cinder's head.

"Then would ravenous wolf be apt?"

"Right now yeah; because I want you."

Snaking her hand behind Cinder's back Ruby leaned in to capture Cinder's lips. It started as gentle kisses but turned to more passionate, then hungry embraces as Ruby fiddled with Cinder's bra, then Cinder's shorts.

"You deserve so much more Cinder", Ruby moaned, sliding her hand down her paramour's back.

"No, just love me as you do now, and I'll be content."