Warmth. Softness. A steady thump-thump of a heartbeat she felt under her hand as she wrapped her arms tighter around the warm, soft body in front of her.
It was bliss, unconscious bliss that brought a smile to her face as she slept as she wasn't even aware of the smile gracing her face as she was fast asleep.
That all changed though when the other person she was with was wide awake and was struggling to get the first woman awake, so she did the best thing. Shock.
It was winter so while the house had heating it wasn't on, but their shared warmth and the duvet was enough for them, but one of them still had cold feet regardless.
"Ah! You bitch!" Doctor Ruby Rose screamed as she fell out of the bed, cold feet being placed against her stomach which shocked her awake.
"You wouldn't get up!" Doctor Neopolitan Gelato called back as she crawled to the edge of the bed to look at Ruby.
"Maybe because we have a day off." Ruby stated as she slowly stood up, working her tired muscles back into life.
"But it's Christmas! We have to be up early for all the presents." Neo said cheerfully as she followed Ruby into standing up from the bed.
"Still a day off, we were at the hospital until eleven last night. A lay in would be lovely." Ruby said as she noticed the time was six in the morning. They got into bed about midnight, falling asleep almost instantly after a long shift at the hospital during the holiday rush.
"But it's Christmas. Our first one together, it's special. Come on." Neo said as she pulled Ruby into her, kissing her lips.
The two only separated when air became an issue as they broke apart both were panting, slowly recovering. "I'm going toilet, then we can head down." Neo said, kissing Ruby briefly before heading to the ensuite.
Once Neo left the room Ruby sat down on the bed, guilt flooding through her veins as she took in Neo's unintentional meaning about their first Christmas together. They had been dating for a year and a half now though this was their first Christmas actually together.
Last year was a vastly different time for Ruby. When the two first met it was at the hospital the pair worked at, Neo had joined the hospital as the new head of the ER, which the hospital had been without for over a year.
Ruby had been filling the place alongside her own job as head of surgery, but it was a welcome arrival when Neo arrived to take over.
When the two first met it was just small greetings in passing, Ruby wasn't one to talk much outside of her patients, surgical students or the head of the hospital, Ozpin.
They ran into each other often through the hospital, but it wasn't until her daughter, Nymeria was admitted after a bad fall that they really spoke.
Nymeria was her daughter in everything but blood, it was early on when Ruby first moved down to the south-west that Ruby met Nymeria, at the time she was eleven years old and had been admitted with a broken arm but with a history of broken bones and bruises at the hospital and after speaking to the quiet, timid girl Ruby knew what was going on.
She gave Nymeria her private phone number and home address, telling her that if there were ever any problems then she could call Ruby at any time or even turn up at her house if it was that bad. It was completely against the rules, but it paid off rather quickly.
A month later she received a phone call in the dead of night from Nymeria in tears, which made Ruby worried enough but after speaking to a hysterical Nymeria she managed to get her address and she sent the police there while she herself rushed off.
Arriving at Nymeria's house she stormed past the police to take Nymeria away, a brief look told her that her arm was broken again and so Ruby took her from the house.
The police didn't try and stop her as they knew Ruby from the local hospital, many times she was the one that would deal with any criminal that they'd bring to the hospital.
So, giving Nymeria her helmet, Ruby raced them to the hospital where she had to set the bone again making Nymeria's recovery longer.
After a month where Ruby kept Nymeria in the hospital it was finally clear that she could go home with Ruby and live with her.
It had been five years since then now, almost six years and neither have ever looked back. Two years ago, Nymeria officially became recognised as Ruby's own daughter as she adopted the girl.
But over the years Ruby's worry over her daughter haven't lessened at all and so when she was taken into the ER she rushed to treat her daughter, but while on her way back from getting an X-Ray booked for her, she had a panic attack.
Before she moved down to the south-west and joined the hospital she had been in the military, it was them who paid for medical school for Ruby, in return she gave them ten years of her life, two of which were spent captured by the Taliban.
Her time spent in the military was turbulent, she was a doctor on several bases treating soldiers and civilians alike but also going out in the field on patrols with other soldiers the same as they did, and not long after that going with special forces.
No one knew why this doctor was also a soldier, fighting and killing alongside the rest of them but none of them asked, but when she was captured it took two years for her to be rescued but it was by accident.
They thought Ruby was dead, had told her family as much but she was far from it but most days she wished she was. They tortured her, beat her, then forced her to save their wounded fighters.
They only found Ruby by mistake, she was moved around a lot but her last location the coalition believed there to be a high-ranking Taliban staying there and was ready to drone strike the building but because they couldn't confirm that the target was there they had to send in a special forces team.
The team just so happened to be the same one that Ruby worked with and so when they breached the building, at the time Ruby was unconscious so couldn't call out for help when the explosions and gunfire happened.
Jaune Arc, the leader of the special forces team while clearing the building had noticed a pistol that stood out, which made him check it.
It was a Heckler and Koch mark 23 pistol, something used by US special forces, but it was the gun that Ruby used, it was sprayed black and red and was engraved with a silver scythe after her codename, Reaper.
Seeing the weapon Jaune had the team search a little harder and that's where they discovered Ruby, who they got back safely to their base and then back home eventually.
It was hard for Ruby to return home after everything that had happened for the last two years, she eventually managed to get to some semblance of normal life, but it wasn't easy for her.
After some time though she had to leave her parents' house, she couldn't stand being there when they treated her as a prisoner. She understood that they were worried for her but going to the point where she couldn't go out without someone holding her hand and making sure she wasn't left alone at home was going too far. Especially once she had gotten better.
So, one night she just left, driving away with a backpack of stuff and made a new life for herself, it was only recently that she had begun talking to her family again and that was thanks to Neo who helped her but also after the incident last Christmas her family needed to know.
Standing up Ruby quietly moved over to the locked draw on their cabinet. She didn't reach for it or even move for it was because she knew what she'd find inside.
When she returned home Jaune had given her pistol back, inside was one bullet that she had left after being captured.
For years it had sat in that draw unused, throughout her panic attacks and flashbacks she never used it but last year about a month before Christmas she had another attack, during the worst of her torture but this time she had her pistol in front of her that was loaded.
Inside that draw was her pistol, the slider was back as the ammo had been expended but since Ruby had locked it back in that draw it hadn't been removed.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Neo asked from behind Ruby, her arms wrapping around Ruby's body as her hand moved up to stroke Ruby's cheek, where a scar cut across her cheek.
"Just…just thinking back over the last few years." Ruby replied softly as her eyes never left that draw.
"Like what?" Neo pushed gently, she had a good idea on what Ruby was thinking but she needed to say it herself.
"When…I uh…" Ruby struggled to say, to actually say when she almost shot herself. The scar was from the bullet, she was ready to do it but then Neo entered her house, worried for her as she hadn't been in work when she was meant to and hadn't been seen all day.
Neo calling out to her jogged her aim so instead of firing into just past her head, but it grazed along her cheek and past her head.
The gunshot shocked Neo as she sprinted upstairs to find Ruby on the floor and the empty gun. She took the gun away immediately as she attempted to calm a hysterical Ruby.
When paramedics arrived, they took her to the hospital, but she had already passed out. Neo didn't stop holding her, not ever when they got her into a bed which she shared with her until Nymeria arrived.
She was unconscious for a month and a half; the doctors had said it was because of stress and her PTSD though they weren't sure why exactly she remained unconscious for so long.
Eventually though Ruby was cleared to return home though she was closely watched for a few months and even now she was still seeing a therapist.
"It's just…I ruined our first Christmas together, I ruined Christmas for Nymeria it's just…what kind of mother and girlfriend am I if I ruined our first Christmas all together?" Ruby cried out, even a year later and the countless times she had been reassured she still felt guilty over it all.
"It's fine Ruby, we don't blame you at all. For any of it, we all understand. Just look how far you've come in a year, a month of being out of your coma you were already back treating people. I'm pretty sure you were doing it before then as well, but just look at all the progress you made." Neo reassured Ruby, rubbing her back comfortingly.
"But…" Ruby began to say but was stopped by Neo leaning up and kissing her, silencing any argument.
"No buts, now come on. I want presents!" Neo cheered happily as she pulled Ruby out of their room and downstairs.
"It's strange." Ruby noted as she put the kettle on and made them both a cup of tea for the cold morning.
"What's that?" Neo asked as she set about getting the presents from under the tree. Sorting them into two piles.
"Normally it's a lot louder, it's weird without Nymeria here." Ruby noted, her daughter had decided this year to spend the night at Ruby's parents who were thoroughly accepting when they found Ruby again and of her daughter.
Nymeria was excited to spend Christmas eve with her grandparents and Christmas morning with them and her aunts. Also, she had said that it was so Ruby could show Neo their Christmas tradition without her getting in the way.
Which both Ruby and Neo argued against but Nymeria was set, plus it would be a special moment for them both that Nymeria didn't want to interrupt or barge into.
Neo was sure that Nymeria knew something that she didn't, but like Ruby she was very closed lip about Christmas and their tradition they had.
"Well we'll see her later and I'm sure she'll be all excited, why don't you call her quickly?" Neo suggested, knowing that Ruby was worrying about Nymeria even though she had spent the night at the Schnee's many times throughout the year since they came back into her life.
"I'll do that, maybe see how she's doing." Ruby thought as she grabbed her phone.
Her parents, Summer and Mizu Schnee-Rose upon rediscovering their daughter who had run away were ecstatic to find their daughter and reconnect with her but also to discover their grandchild as well that they didn't know about, her sisters as well, Winter and Weiss were just as thrilled as well, no more so Winter because the two had always been close.
What surprised Ruby the most though was how her family more then happily moved down to the south-west to be with their daughter/sister respectively, but it was something that Ruby found to be comforting.
Taking out her phone she rang her parents home number, knowing Nymeria she would be awake already and so would the others.
It only took a few rings before the phone was answered by Winter who said, "Hello Ruby, you're awake early." Winter said, like Ruby she was also a doctor and when they moved down to the south-west joined the same hospital as part of Ruby's surgical team. She also knew that the two women were up rather late at the hospital as well as herself.
"I could say the same to you." Ruby commented as she knew Winter was there just as late as they were the night before.
"Well my niece is rather excited for Christmas and woke up rather early." Winter replied, "Oh, thank you." Winter said quietly to someone.
"Sorry about that, but she loves Christmas. Is she there with you?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah, hang on let me just get her." Winter said as she got up and called out, "Nym, it's your mom." Winter called out.
"Morning mom, what's up?" Nymeria asked immediately, sounding rather cheery considering the early morning.
"Merry Christmas to you too, and nothing's up I just wanted to see how you are, it's rather quiet here." Ruby said, holding the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she poured the hot water into the cups.
"I'm fine, excited. Have you got it with you?" Nymeria asked excitedly.
"I do, it's upstairs. I'll put it into our bag when I load it up with food." Ruby answered as she finished up making the drinks.
"You better tell me what she says. Immediately." Nymeria stated.
"I will, if I can. Anyway, have a good morning and I'll see you later. Be good." Ruby said as she said goodbye to her daughter.
"I will. Love you." Nymeria said.
"Love you too. See you later." Ruby said as she hung up the call. It was brief but enough, putting her phone down she grabbed the two mugs and headed back into the living room.
"Here." Ruby said as she handed one of them to Neo.
"Thanks. I think I've got them all." Neo said as she looked at the pile of presents on the ground.
"Well then, let's go." Ruby replied, picking up the first of the presents with her name on it.
They began opening the presents, setting side their new stuff while keeping the wrapping paper together.
The two of them got a variety of clothes and Ruby got several CD's while Neo got a few DVD's as well. It wasn't until it got to the final present that Neo had gotten Ruby. Handing over the small, rectangular box Neo handed it over to Ruby.
"Here, I found this the other day and thought of you." Neo said as she handed over the wrapped box.
"Thank you." Ruby said as she began unwrapping the present.
Revealing a small box, she opened it up to reveal a necklace inside, carefully Ruby took it out of the box and looked at the jewel hanging down.
"It's a diamond and ruby gem on a white gold chain. I saw it and it's just beautiful, and well. I just thought of you." Neo explained.
"It's beautiful, thank you." Ruby said though instead of putting it on she put it back into its case.
"Aren't you going to try it on?" Neo asked, confused why Ruby wasn't trying it on or anything.
"Because I'm going to show you our traditions. Come on, I'll tidy up and you can go get your swimsuit on." Ruby said as she started to get all the wrapping paper together and into the bin.
"My swimsuit?" Neo asked confused at why she would need it.
"Yep. Oh, and grab your thermal layers as well." Ruby added as well, which only confused Neo more as she went upstairs to grab the clothes that Ruby said.
Ruby cleared away all the mess and then grabbed a cool bag where she put bacon, sausages and bread into the bag alongside a small box and a disposable BBQ and a way to light it.
With everything packed Ruby went upstairs to change as well, entering their room she found Neo standing there in her bikini as she searched for her thermal top and shorts for the sea.
"Do you know where the thermals are?" Neo asked as Ruby entered.
"Bottom draw. Could you grab mine as well please?" Ruby asked as she changed into her own bikini and once she was handed her thermals slipped them on as well.
"So, this tradition. It involves the sea I'm guessing." Neo asked sarcastically as she knew it does considering how they're dressed.
"Yep. I've done it since I've been here, and I got Nymeria into it as well. Christmas morning, we go down to the beach and surf for a few hours. Before Nymeria I would spend the whole day in the sea, but now I don't." Ruby said as she led Neo downstairs, grabbing the cooler bag on their way out to her workshop.
The house came with a garage out the back in the garden, which Ruby had converted into a workshop for herself. Inside was where she kept her surfboards but also where she made some on occasion, though it wasn't as often now as she was normally too busy.
Her house was a large three-story house, the bottom floor had a guest room, living room, kitchen and dining room while the second floor was Ruby's floor with her bedroom, office and bathroom while the third floor was devoted to Nymeria who had her own area which had her bedroom, a study/game room and a bathroom as well.
The garden was large with the cliff at the edge alongside a path leading down towards the beach though at high-tide it wasn't accessible, but it was easy for them to get down to the beach and into the sea.
Her workshop ran down the length of the garden which was where they escaped the cold air briefly.
Hanging up inside the workshop were half a dozen boards of different sizes but the three main ones were clearly marked.
Nymeria's board had a picture of a wolf howling at the moon on it and was in dark colours. Ruby's though had a red rose design on the top and bottom but otherwise was black and silver.
Neo's, the newest of them all was in her three colours that sharply contrasted with the others with the brightness of it all and Ruby was working on adding a symbol to the board, but she hadn't gotten around to it quite yet.
Next to the boards though were three full length, winter wetsuits hanging up. Ruby kept them outside to let them dry off better and just to allow them to drip-dry.
"You alright to do this?" Ruby asked, she knew Neo wasn't as well experienced with the sea at winter time though it was warmer then most people thought they'd still have to wear gloves, boots and hat to fight off the cold.
"It's fine. I'm actually a little excited, I've never really thought of surfing on Christmas." Neo replied as she started to pull on her wetsuit.
"I've always wanted to, but I was in the wrong area, when I moved here I did it the first year. It's normally quiet." Ruby said as she pulled her wetsuit on, helping zip up Neo's back who returned the favour.
"What about the bag?" Neo questioned as she pulled her board off the rack.
"Breakfast. We do a BBQ on the beach." Ruby said with a large smile, slinging the bag over her shoulder and grabbing her board.
"That sounds brilliant. Got everything?" Neo asked, bouncing on her feet to get down there.
"Yep, let's go." Ruby said as she smiled wide at Neo, it reminded her of when she told Nymeria on her first Christmas with Ruby.
It wasn't something Nymeria was ever allowed to do and while surfing was her escape from her mother it wasn't often she was able to go because of injuries so when Ruby brought her down she loved it so much that they had been doing it ever since.
Neo was a different story, she hadn't started surfing until she used it as an excuse to get to know Ruby a little more and so Ruby and Nymeria both began teaching Neo how to surf and she fell in love with it, but clearly Neo loved the idea as well.
Once on the beach Ruby found a spot to put their bag down, there was only a handful of people on the beach and most were in the sea as it was too early for most people to be down.
"Race you!" Neo screamed out as she started running away from Ruby, board in hand as she charged towards the sea.
Shaking her head Ruby chased after Neo with her board in hand, one eye on the bag as she raced into the sea.
Neo beat her in but as they waded in to their waists they jumped onto their boards and paddled out further, avoiding the waves breaking in front of them.
"Cheater." Ruby said as she sat up on her board next to Neo as they past the point of the waves breaking so they were on calmer waters.
"What are you going to do about it?" Neo said back, smirk in place as she challenged Ruby.
"A lot. But first." Ruby said teasingly, she leaned over and pushed Neo off her board and into the water as she paddled away, catching a wave that was just coming over them.
"AH!" Neo screamed out in shock, the cold water shocking her as she fell off. Climbing back onto her board she chased after Ruby by catching the next wave.
Ruby laughed as she got close to the shore, bailing out of the wave by jumping back behind it. Her leash pulled her board back with her as she dropped into the cold water but unlike Neo, she was prepared for it.
Neo who copied Ruby as she bailed out swam up to her, pushing her head back under the water as she rose, "That wasn't fair!" Neo cried out.
"Paybacks a bitch sweetie." Ruby said once she got her breath back, laughing with Neo.
"Bitch." Neo muttered loud enough for Ruby to hear as she began paddling back out to get another wave.
"Love you too!" Ruby called after her as she followed her girlfriend back out.
They spent an hour and a half in the water catching waves and just having fun. They saw several other surfers in the water with them but they all stayed separate from each other, which suited the two women well.
Eventually though tiredness and the cold water caught up with them as they decided to get out of the water and headed back to the spot Ruby had placed the bag.
"That was amazing! Can we go in again?!" Neo said excitedly, wanting more but she also understood her limits.
"Maybe later today or tomorrow, we've still got to go to my parents today." Ruby answered, while she was more then happy to just spend the day with Neo and surf all day she knew she couldn't because they were having dinner with Ruby's parents and spending the day there.
"Alright. And we should bring Nymeria." Neo suggested as well, knowing that Nymeria must love doing this as well.
"Of course, once we get her later we can all go in, maybe spend a bit of time this evening." Ruby said, she wasn't opposed to surfing at night they simply had to be more careful but she had experience and some equipment for it as well.
"Thank you." Neo said as she kissed Ruby. "This is brilliant." Neo stated.
"I'm glad you think so." Ruby said as she wholeheartedly returned the kiss before returning to getting the BBQ and food out, leaving the small box inside the bag for the moment.
Setting everything up Ruby got the bacon and sausages cooking while she took out a bottle of water, so they could clean off their hands of sand.
"Have you ever been out here all day doing this?" Neo asked as she let Ruby cook the food, it didn't look like it'd take too long.
"Yeah, a couple years back Nymeria wanted to spend the day down here. So, I got a load of stuff for breakfast and dinner. We had a cook out on the beach and spent the day between eating and relaxing on the beach to surfing. It was a great time, but at the same time we rather liked spending the afternoon in the house, so we haven't done it since." Ruby answered, "Could you grab the bread please." Ruby asked as she turned the meat over.
"Right." Neo said as she got the bread out and handed it over to Ruby who began dishing up everything.
The two were quiet as they ate, Ruby having extinguished the BBQ using sand to make it safe while they ate, after they had their sandwich's they relaxed on their boards as they watched the sea and the others surfing.
"When do we have to be around your parents?" Neo asked, wanting to remind herself when they needed to go.
"Eleven to midday, there isn't a rush really." Ruby answered as her hand creeped into the cooler, finding that familiar box.
"A couple hours to get ready and head over, we're taking the jeep, right?" Neo asked.
"Yeah, can't take the presents on a bike sadly." Ruby replied as she sat up.
"You and that bike, the jeeps much nicer." Neo answered.
"Says the one that loves going on the bike with me." Ruby teased cheerfully, Neo would always say about her weird obsession with driving her bike, but she loved it just as much as Ruby.
"And?" Neo challenged gently.
"Nothing…maybe I'll get you a bike one day." Ruby suggested aloud.
"No thanks, I prefer riding on the back of yours." Neo answered quickly.
"Oh, why's that?" Ruby asked which caused Neo to blush in response.
"It's uh…I can lean against you and it's just uh…it's nice, I can hear your heart." Neo said as she fought through her blush. It wasn't something that had come up at all.
"Aww. Well I'll be sure to take you on my bike more often." Ruby answered as the two settled into quiet again.
After a little more waiting though Ruby saw that Neo was growing restless, but she wanted to do it before they went back in.
"So, uh, I lied earlier. I got you one more present." Ruby admitted as she played with the box in her hand.
"You didn't have to, you got me loads." Neo replied, and it was true all the clothes and DVD's were all from Ruby, she spent a small fortune on her it seemed with everything.
"You know that I love you a lot, don't you?" Ruby asked as she changed the subject slightly.
"I love you as well. What's this about?" Neo asked in confusion.
"Ever since I came back I was different, with my family and with everyone. I came here to escape, start somewhere fresh and just spend my years helping people. I wasn't expecting anything to happen." Ruby began talking and she didn't let Neo get a word in as she continued.
"Then you came along and changed everything. For the better, I was content with just Nymeria and I. I never looked for a romantic relationship, but well. You changed that, changed me. You stayed with me through everything…even…even last year and it's just." Ruby stopped as the two just looked at each other.
Having some idea where this might be heading Neo just stared at Ruby in shock as she waited to hear just where Ruby was going but the emotion on her face was clear.
"I love you, so much. It's just…would you do me the honour of marrying me?" Ruby asked as she got onto one knee in front of Neo, holding open the velvet box for Neo to see.
"I…I…" Neo was stunned silent as she took in the ring. Her eyes transfixed on it as she looked at the detail of the ring.
The ring itself was white gold with rubies embedded into the gold while at the apex of it all was a white diamond but upon closer inspection Neo saw that it wasn't just white but also had pink and red hues to it as well.
While Neo was stunned and not speaking, Ruby began to look at the woman worriedly, her hands unconsciously starting to shake as she thought that Neo was taking so long to speak.
"I'm sorry I uh…I guess it's too soon…" Ruby began as she was about to close the box, but this brought Neo out of her trance like state.
"YES! YES!" Neo yelled as she jumped Ruby, knocking them both to the floor as Neo showered Ruby in kisses.
"Oh, thank the gods." Ruby breathed out in relief as she hugged Neo though she was careful not to drop the ring.
"I love you." Neo said between another kiss, before finally stopping as they both sat up.
"Here." Ruby said as she took the ring out and gently placed it onto Neo's finger.
"It's beautiful, how did you get the ring size right?" Neo asked as the ring fit her perfectly.
"Nymeria did it, she asked for some help in looking at rings a while ago and she remembered your measurement." Ruby explained, her daughter was sneaky like that and it clearly didn't click with Neo at the time.
"Wait, so she was in on it. Who else?" Neo asked next, surprised that Nymeria knew.
"Just Nymeria, no one else knows." Ruby answered but then asked, "So uh, do you want to surf some more or…?" Ruby trailed off her question, unsure what Neo would want to do.
"I have a better idea." Neo said huskily, leaning over to whisper into Ruby's ear.
Soon enough the two women grabbed their boards and bag and raced home, dumping everything down as they headed upstairs.
Several hours later.
Parking the rover near the front door the two women stepped out, showered and dressed in casual clothes they grabbed a bag of presents each as the headed for the front door.
"When are we on shift again?" Neo asked as they stood in front of the door.
"Tomorrow morning, but I was thinking of dropping in tonight to make sure things were alright." Ruby answered as she rang the doorbell, she had a key but she was always unsure about just letting herself in.
"Alright, I wanted to head in as well anyway." Neos aid knowing that she couldn't stop Ruby from heading in, so she might as well check out what was happening.
"You have a key, you can use it you know?" Winter Schnee stated as she answered the door, leaning against the doorframe as she just stared at her younger sister.
"You know I feel weird about it, you going to let us in?" Ruby asked as she returned her sisters stare.
"Merry Christmas Rubes." Winter said as she pulled Ruby into a hug, then pulling Neo in as well. "And merry Christmas to you too Neo." Winter said before stepping back and letting them both into the large house.
Down the hallway they could hear the laughter echoing around and it showed them the way to go. Heading down with Winter leading them they were taken into the living room where they saw Mizu Schnee, who was an older version of Winter, and slightly more aged with her white hair tied back into a ponytail.
While next to her was her wife, Summer Schnee with silver eyes like Ruby's but long red hair that flowed freely down her back.
After that came Blake Belladonna. Winter's girlfriend with her long black hair thrown over one shoulder. She was from Australia and had moved here to practise medicine and had been at the same hospital as Ruby for four years, arriving just a year after her.
After Winter came back into Ruby's life, somewhere along the way they had hit it off and Ruby wasn't going to say anything or stop it but let it run its course.
The reason Blake was with them though was because she couldn't afford to go home to visit her parents or get the time off, and her parents were unable to come here so Winter offered Blake to spend Christmas with her family, something she surprisingly accepted.
Playing with Blake, and who was making the laughter was Nymeria who was happily laughing along to some game they were playing.
Nymeria had short brown hair, like how her mother wore it in her youth but with bright blue eyes that were so full of life now but upon noticing her mother she raced over to her mother, her eyes excited as she quickly looked over at Neo's hand, spotting the ring proudly displayed.
"She said yes!" Nymeria shouted as she hugged her mother, pulling in Neo as well as she just couldn't contain her excitement, which only led to confusion from everyone else in the room.
"She said yes to what?" Summer asked as they tried to work out what was going on.
"I asked Neo to marry me this morning…and she said yes." Ruby said joyfully, her whole demeaner lighting up at the declaration.
"That's great news! Oh, I'm so happy for you!" Mizu cried out, rushing to hug her daughter and fiancé alongside her granddaughter all together.
Summer, a little more reserved also joined the hug alongside Winter the only one not to rush up was Blake as she continued to sit down, she was never practically close to Ruby though they were in the same department, it wasn't until the last year or so that they became friends.
"Congratulations." Blake said to the pair as everyone took steps back and they all began to sit down.
"So, will it be a summer wedding or a winter wedding? Have you thought of dates? Colours?" Mizu streamed out quickly, barely catching a breath throughout it all as the excitement took over.
"Dear, they've only just gotten engaged. I'm sure they haven't decided everything yet, let's give them a break and just focus on, today shall we? There will be plenty of time to talk about the wedding." Summer said, ever the voice of reason.
"I…alright." Mizu said reluctantly, settling back in her seat next to her wife.
While the couples settled together, Nymeria laid down by Ruby with her head on Ruby's lap despite her age, though Ruby nor Neo minded that she was doing it as Ruby's hand weaved itself through Nymeria's hair.
"So, how was your morning sweetie? Did you enjoy being here?" Ruby asked her daughter, curious to see what she thought.
"It was good, and I got so much stuff I can't wait to show you. Though I did miss surfing this morning and the sandwiches you make." Nymeria answered.
"Well we brought some more presents with us for everyone. Though you'll have to wait until after dinner." Ruby replied.
"Alright…Hey Neo, what did you think of our traditions?" Nymeria asked, curious how her soon to be new mother was thinking of it all.
"I loved it, it's so different and quiet out there. And well, it just made this morning even better." Neo said blushing at the memory of it all, especially what they did when they got home.
Nymeria though picked up on this as she looked at her parents, "Oh gross...it better be clean when I get home!" Nymeria cried out at them, shaking her head as she looked away from her parents, though she kept her head on Ruby's lap.
"It's fine, all safe. Anyway, what about everyone else? How was your morning?" Neo answered for them both, deciding to move the topic along further.
"Different, it's been so long since we had someone so excited for Christmas in the house. Though I could have used a little longer in bed." Mizu answered for them all, sending a playful glare towards Nymeria.
"Hehe, sorry." Nymeria said sheepishly, blushing slightly as she had woken them up rather early.
"So, were you busy last night Ruby? I wasn't in but wanted to know if it was that busy in the hospital." Blake asked, directing the conversation towards work.
"Surgery wasn't busy, only emergencies but the ER was rather busy, so I spent most of my time down there. We were going to drop by tonight to check on things as well." Ruby answered, remembering that the ER was busy over the holidays, so she spent most of her day there.
"I'm in tomorrow so I'll check it out then, anything urgent for the morning just give me a heads up." Blake requested, knowing if anything came in she'd rather know what she was walking into in the morning.
"We'll let you know." Neo answered as a timer went off.
"That should be dinner." Summer said as she got up, heading off into the kitchen to dish up all the food that had been cooking since that morning.
"Come on sweetie, go help grandma." Ruby said, urging her daughter to go give a hand while Ruby followed as well to set up the table.
Neo smiled as she watched the two go, before turning her attention back to the rest of Ruby's family, continuing their conversation about work a little bit before being called.
That evening.
They stayed for a while at the Schnee household, discussing more about the wedding but they moved on from that and just carried on general discussion before they finally left around six that evening, they dropped into the hospital briefly but it wasn't too bad, so they left rather quickly and returned home.
The three women relaxed into the couch in front of the TV, which was playing an old Christmas movie that was being shown on TV.
None of them were really watching though as Ruby and Neo sat on opposite ends of the couch while Nymeria was laying across and was already asleep while the two older women were holding hands while watching the movie.
"Thank you for today, it was amazing." Ruby whispered softly, not wanting to wake Nymeria.
"Thank you." Neo replied, leaning over and kissing Ruby for several seconds, but a yawn broke the kiss.
"Here, lay down." Ruby said seeing Neo yawn, getting her to lay down on her next to Nymeria.
"I don't want to disturb her." Neo said, trying to resist Ruby but the temptation was too much.
"She'll be asleep until the morning, and there's enough room. Come on." Ruby said as Neo settled in her lap by Nymeria, asleep within minutes of laying down.
Ruby smiled down at the two most important women in her life as her hand gently caressed Neo's cheek. Eventually though as she stopped staring at Neo she grabbed a blanket it and laid it over the two on her lap.
"Merry Christmas you too." Ruby whispered as she planted a kiss on both their heads before letting sleep capture her as well.
A/N
So happy holidays everyone reading this, I'm sorry if this story seemed to drag, it felt like I was rambling a little, but I couldn't find a place to really leave it and cover everything I wanted to.
Anyway, I hope you're enjoying the holiday and if you don't celebrate then hopefully you're enjoying the time off.
This stems from a story that I've partly written and would love to fully write out and finish one day, but in a way, it has spoilers for it as this includes mentions of several scenes I want to do for it. But I wanted to write a Christmas themed one and the stuff I'm currently writing won't really fit into it, the only other one is a story I don't want to spoil.
Thanks for reading and please review, until next time.