Ruby couldn't believe what she was about to do. It was one thing to confess, it was a totally different thing to confess to the 'Ice Queen' of all people. Though Ruby never once called her by the moniker, nor saw her as such.
Weiss. The name alone sent shivers down Ruby's spine as she readied herself in her bedroom, attempting to decide which outfit to wear. Just be yourself Ruby, that's how you became friends in the first place, Yang's words echoed through her.
After a year and a few months of dancing around each other, Ruby finally decided she had enough and was going to take the first step. Inviting Weiss Schnee out for dinner. Of course, Ruby being who she was, picked out an ice cream parlor, not realizing that frozen desserts don't count as 'dinner'. Still, Weiss had accepted, and Ruby found that her acceptance alone spoke volumes of just how far their relationship had come.
Ruby looked up at the full body mirror, circling around. Deciding there was no point in consulting the matter anymore, she walked out of her bedroom and into the kitchen. She still had an hour before the designated time to meet. Uncertain of how to spend the rest of the time, she simply looked around the kitchen.
Her eyes settled on a picture sitting on the coffee table in the adjacent living room. It was what Ruby considered to be her most prized possession. The picture itself was simple, nothing extravagant about it, but to Ruby, it was the person beside her in the picture that was the most extravagant thing in the world.
It had been taken in the first week Ruby and Weiss had met, back when they were first years at Beacon University. Ruby had been standing outside the main campus building, staring at the size of it while slowly backing up, unaware of the cart filled with briefcases behind her. After tripping into it, she sat there for a moment while she rubbed her head. A second later a shrill voice had pierced her ears. It was the worst and best impression she ever had of the youngest Schnee.
The two had gotten off to such a rough start that many wondered how in the world the two even became friends. It had taken a short discussion with a professor that Weiss realized how she was actually jealous of the fun-loving girl, more-so when she began to think of how she had acted like her father. A late night of the two reconciling later, and the two hitched off perfectly, though to outsiders they only saw the two bickering at each other.
Ruby Rose, a 16 year old genius, had come to Beacon University to complete her second degree, her first being in electrical engineering. She had just started her mechanical engineering degree when she met Weiss.
Weiss Schnee, an 18 year old prodigy, had come to Beacon University at her parents bidding, unfortunately. She was expected to take over her father's company as soon as she finished her education, much to Weiss' displeasure.
The two became roommates, and would continue to be even in their second year. They fit rather well in the same room, Ruby never paying too much attention to the way she looked, and so would take small amounts of time preparing for the day, while Weiss would take large amounts, needing to keep up her persona of being an heiress to one of the world's largest companies.
Of course, things could never go perfect, and the duo found themselves (or at least one side did) in an argument. Over what? School work. Weiss found that as Ruby's friend she could not let the genius continue her "lazy bumpkin" ways. In an effort to help out the taller girl, Weiss prepared study sessions, mock tests, research material, but it was all lost on Ruby, who only wanted to sleep or do something she considered fun.
If anyone were to ask Weiss after the argument if she regretted it, she would've said 100%. Not because of the argument itself, rather the what she said to Ruby, though she would never recall the words herself. It had caused the poor girl to run out of the dorm, tears streaking her face as she ran away from Weiss.
A few days later and Weiss had her first 'meeting' with Yang. Weiss had never been so terrified in her life. A knock so extremely loud Weiss thought the door had broken down had reverberated throughout the dorm. She figured at first it was Ruby, but Ruby had her own key, so whoever was knocking didn't have one.
Opening the door hesitantly, Weiss looked up at the very tall blonde girl, seemingly glowing red eyes glaring straight back into hers. A few seconds later and Weiss was being held up against the wall in their kitchen. Yang angrily asking what she did to Ruby. Yang eventually let Weiss down, realizing the girl was trying to speak, but was only spluttering hysterically in panic. As they both calmed down, Yang introduced herself as Ruby's older sister, and asked again what Weiss had done to Ruby.
An explanation had Yang doubled down in laughter, Weiss standing there embarrassed to no end. "Who in the world even argues about doing homework and stuff like that? Unless you're some sorta super nerd… are you!?"
Weiss' eyes widened, flabbergasted as she simply sat there, unable to form a response.
Yang giggled. "Just kidding!"
Weiss sighed, putting her head in her hands as they both sat down on the couch in the living room. "It's all my fault, isn't it?"
"Not entirely." Weiss looked back up at Yang, one eyebrow raised. "I mean, it is for sure your fault, but it's also kinda Ruby's. For starters, did you even try finding a way to study that Ruby would like? She's not exactly the 'sit still for hours on end type of person'." Weiss shook her head, embarrassment returning. "Well geez, there's the whole problem right there."
"And how exactly is this also Ruby's fault? I was the one that pressured her in the first place."
"That is true, but she probably only thought of it as doing more unnecessary work and didn't see that a friend was just trying to help her."
"Is-" Weiss stopped, clearing out the nervousness from her throat, "Is there a way I can contact her? I-I still do wish to be her friend."
Yang smiled genuinely, the thought of Ruby making such a true friend bringing untold amounts of happiness to her. And she said she couldn't make friends, Yang thought.
She grimaced a second later, returning back to Weiss' question. "Damn, I always told her to get a phone, and of all the times to need it." Yang sat there, pondering a solution. Suddenly she popped up in her chair, startling Weiss. "Aha, you can just come over to our house!"
Weiss sat there, knuckles slowly turning white as they gripped her dress. "What!?"
"This weekend, me and Ruby are going back home for the Easter weekend, if you come over as well there's no way she can avoid you."
"I… but… what?"
"It's perfect! Here," Yang quickly grabbed a napkin and a pen from the coffee table, writing down the address, "If I don't answer the door, just say you're Ruby's friend, works a lot better than saying you're mine, trust me."
Yang handed Weiss the napkin, who was still confused over how fast everything was happening. Blonde hair flew towards the door, Yang roughly swinging it open before turning her head over her shoulder. "Be there or be square!"
The door shut. Silence.
Over the next few days Weiss began preparing, refusing to let her inner demons cause her to turn away from possibly her only chance to apologize. It wasn't until she was standing in front of the sisters' house, waiting for the door to open when she wished she hadn't gone, especially when the door itself opened. Stormy silver eyes stared back into into ice blue eyes. Both were shocked, neither expecting to so suddenly see the other.
Weiss saw this as her chance, whipping out the item held in her hands behind her back. One word bursted out of Weiss before she could think. "Gift!"
Ruby looked nervously at Weiss, then down to her hands holding the 'gift'. Taking it slowly, she peeked inside the plastic container, revealing bright red strawberries. Weiss had never found Ruby's squeal of delight so cute before. Silver eyes looked back up into blue.
"I'm so sorry Ruby, I said those awful things to you and I-" Weiss hesitated, but looking back at Ruby's face gave her the confidence, "I just wanted to make sure you would succeed, I never meant any harm."
Tears started coming down from Ruby's face, and Weiss immediately assumed the worst, until the heiress was enveloped in a hug. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, let's never argue again!" Ruby cried, burying her head in Weiss' neck.
Weiss smiled, resisting the urge to detach from Ruby, and instead returned the hug. They both walked inside, greeting Yang, who was watching the whole ordeal. Ruby gave Weiss another quick hug from the side, excitedly shouting out their renewed friendship, Weiss blushing away as she grumbled over Ruby's childishness.
That weekend has been one Weiss would always remember, filled with games and fun with the sisters' family, more-so when Weiss met their dad, finding out he was basically an older Yang, and not another one of those 'business partners' her father would bring over.
Everything returned back to normal for the two as they went back to Beacon University to resume their studies.
As time went on Yang slowly joined the duo in their activities, forming their own little group, which would soon be invaded by a fourth.
Blake Belladonna. Yang found her one day out in the moonlit rain, the black haired girl shivering wildly. For a moment, Yang almost dismissed the girl, thinking her as just another strange person one randomly encounters, until an image of Ruby shivering there appeared in her mind. Big sister instincts came forth, and she soon had Blake warming up with a big blanket on her couch, hot chocolate sitting in both of Blake's hands.
Blake told of how she had been kicked out of a shared apartment with her ex-boyfriend, Adam. Many crying sessions ensued with Blake, stories of a warm man becoming a cold hearted demon. Blake had tried her best to save Adam, but the two slowly drifted apart, until he decided he had enough, shouting at Blake to leave.
As Blake became more comfortable with Yang and her antics, she was introduced to Ruby and Weiss. The latter sparked many an argument with Blake, the two for a long time failing to see eye to eye, until Weiss let out her own damaged past. The two connected with each other's pain, deciding it was time they start acting like adults, letting go of the arguments.
As Ruby and Weiss' first year ended, Ruby came to a startling revelation. She liked Weiss. When she tried to recall exactly when this had happened, she found there was no exact time, it just sort of developed over their year spent with each other.
For the first month of their second year, Ruby was immeasurably afraid of Weiss finding out, almost completely cutting off contact with the other until Weiss eventually confronted Ruby, tearfully asking if the two were still friends. Unable to explain her reasoning, Ruby only said it was for the better, not wanting a repeat of 'The Incident' from elementary school.
A flashback of Weiss' first argument with Ruby caused the older girl to immediately stop shouting, instead walking up to Ruby and simply hugging her. "Ruby, you're my friend, if you think for one second that whatever's bothering you will make me hate you, then you're telling me that whole year of us being friends means nothing. Was it?"
Ruby looked up into Weiss' eyes, frantically shaking her head.
Weiss smirked, letting go of Ruby. "Good, and don't feel pressured to discuss your problem, we are friends after all, you can tell me whenever you're ready. In the meantime, I've some study-"
Ruby didn't hear Weiss' next words, no longer able to contain her secret. "I'malesbian!"
"-ying to do so I… wait what?!"
Nervously, Ruby looked back at the ground, clasping her hands together, she slowly repeated the words as if being released from a curse. "I'm a lesbian."
"Oh." A few seconds passed as Ruby kept looking at the ground. Her eyes turned up at motion from Weiss, who waved her hand dismissively in the air. "Nevertheless, I've some studying to do for the next few hours, if there's anything else you need to tell me you'd best do so now."
Ruby couldn't help but gape at Weiss, astonished at the reaction she received. Weiss' eyebrow arched up, a small smirk gracing her features as she watched Ruby struggle for words.
"Seeing as you've nothing else to say, I'm going to study. Ah, don't forget we're leaving tomorrow in the evening to meet up with Yang and Blake, I'll drive us seeing as I'm still your friend."
Ruby nodded robotically, still attempting to comprehend the whole situation. She settled with laying back down on her bed, falling asleep from the exhaustion of the whole event, not seeing Weiss' smirk directed towards her.
As the second month approached, Ruby mustered up the courage to say to herself, "Screw being afraid, I'm a 17 year old genius! This is nothing!" She quickly looked around in fright at the new shared apartment Ruby and Weiss had gotten, making sure the other wasn't still home.
Continuously throughout the second month, Ruby dropped subtle hints to Weiss. The responses varied from seeming interest to completely ignored, leaving Ruby more bewildered than ever. Sometimes it left her wondering if Weiss had ignored Ruby when she blurted out her secret, other times she wondered if Weiss was just teasing her.
The third month came and Ruby gave up on her tactic, instead opting to go with Yang's advice. Just tell her Ruby, the worst that's gonna happen is she'll say no. And so Ruby found herself on a particular night, readying herself for a 'dinner' with Weiss, confession looming ever so heavily on her mind.
Ruby focused back on the picture, diffusing the fog of memories. They were standing side by side in front of Ruby's home back on the island of Patch, smushing her cheek into the other's. A heavy blush was apparent on both their faces, but Ruby hadn't noticed at the time, simply wanting to take a picture with her friend. The beauty itself however, did not come from the location of the picture, nor the friendship being displayed. Instead, it was the small genuine smile adorning Weiss' face, gazing happily into the camera. The rarity of such a smile was in itself on an entirely different level, and Ruby found it endearing that she seemed to be the only one to be able to see those smiles.
Sighing, her fingers brushed against the picture before setting it down. Getting up, Ruby looked at the time, noting she only had thirty minutes left. Gathering her belongings, she opened the door to their shared apartment, locking it behind her. An elevator to her left dinged, and she quickly stepped in, squeezing around the cleaning lady.
Pressing the button for the ground floor, she frowned when the elevator music turned on. Hastily she put in her earbuds, not wanting to endure the agony of elevator music any longer. Ruby exited the elevator, nodding to the clerk as she hummed quietly to herself.
Ruby looked up at the full moon as she stepped outside, enjoying the small breeze ruffling her red-tipped hair. She set off with a brisk pace, not wanting to be late, especially on that night.
The ice cream parlor itself wasn't too far away from their apartment, being only a fifteen minute walk. But Ruby wasn't your average person, having once won the national 100m run. The fifteen minute walk would most likely take around five minutes, leaving the girl plenty of time to gather her wits before Weiss arrived or so she thought. Weiss had a tendency to arrive 30 minutes before whatever time she was told to arrive.
Shadows danced about Ruby as she walked, the rare car passing by. She looked around at the branches swaying slightly, trees standing tall and proud around her. Ruby began mock marching, watching each time as her feet hit the sidewalk, producing a crunching feeling, pebbles scattering about.
She felt a small vibration in her pocket and pulled out her phone.
-good luck ruby! me and blakey are cheering for you :D-
Ruby smiled at the text, the support from her sister and one of her best friends forever bringing her back from the depths of despair, back when she was still struggling with her sexuality. She still remembered the faces of disgust and contempt back when she revealed herself in elementary school. It had been the most traumatic experience for the small girl at the time, causing her to fully switch schools, shutting herself in her room. Yang had toiled endlessly, never once giving up on her younger sister as she tried everyday to bring Ruby back out of her room.
A few months of seemingly endless suffering and Ruby finally crawled out of her room, much to Yang's surprise. Yang at first had been happy, but it soon turned to horror when she looked into the blank eyes of her sister. Ruby's once vibrant personality seemed to be gone, replaced with a cold cynicism.
Ruby entered high school, refusing to speak to anyone but her own family, and even that was to a little degree. A chance encounter with a teenage boy almost vomiting on the bus sparked Ruby's return to her normal self. The two had to sit beside each other, and as the bus began moving, the boy proudly introduced himself as 'Jaune Arc', saying, "The ladies love it." The corny introduction caused Ruby to giggle, nervously shaking Jaune's hand and saying her own name.
The two's budding friendship bloomed as they progressed through high school, and Yang was more ecstatic than ever, delighted to see the shine in Ruby's eyes once more. Jaune, and much to Ruby's protest, introduced her to his three other friends, Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora. Ruby's hesitance died down as she talked with the others, laughing away at Nora's antics, listening to Pyrrha's frustrations over Jaune's obliviousness to her advances, and Ren offering to always listen to Ruby if she ever needed to vent.
By their fourth year, Ruby was almost back to herself, only a few persisting nightmares bugging the poor girl.
"Ruby, are you a lesbian?"
Ruby spun around, eyes widening in fear as Pyrrha stood there. They were taking a break from their jog, the two jogging together ever since they crossed paths in the park. "W-why do you ask?"
Pyrrha smiled at Ruby, and softly placed her hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Ruby, we've been friends for four years, it's kinda easy to see the way you look at other girls, sometimes including me." Pyrrha giggled as Ruby grimaced. "I'm only curious, you don't have to answer if you don't want to Ruby, I'm your friend either way."
Ruby gazed back into Pyrrha's eyes, slowly nodding. She let out a small yelp when she was pulled into a hug.
"You don't need to worry Ruby, we're not kids after all, there's no way I'd hate you just because you're gay. I'm sure the others would say the same thing as well." Pyrrha rubbed Ruby's head gently as she felt wetness on her shoulder, letting the other quietly sob away.
The next day Ruby looked around the cafeteria, electing to sit down at an empty table. She jumped when someone shouted her name, and looked over to see Nora waving at Ruby to come over. Ruby stopped, unsure if she should join them, but saw Pyrrha smiling just like the day before. She walked over slowly, sitting down as the group welcomed her.
Ruby took a deep breath, looking around the table at her friends, each of them waiting for her to speak. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, still trying to decide how best to tell them. "S-so, I have something to tell you guys."
A collective nod went around the table. Ruby looked down at the table, rubbing her hands together nervously. Across from the table, Pyrrha stuck her foot out, gently tapping Ruby's knee, who looked up and gave a fearful smile.
"I'm… uh.. I'm a l-l…" Ruby paused, closing her eyes tightly as she willed with all her being for the words to come out. "I'm a lesbian."
Ruby waited, hearing the shuffling of chairs and feet closer towards her. She braced herself, waiting for some sort of verbal or physical abuse, but none came. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes to see the four standing around her. Right before she could speak, they enveloped Ruby in a group hug, the younger girl unbelieving of what was happening.
"It took you long enough to tell us." Jaune said from her left.
"Woo! Group hug!" Nora's shout could be heard from all in the cafeteria, but none of them cared at the moment as she squished herself into Ruby's backside.
"I'm glad you trust us Ruby." Ren's quiet voice came from her right.
Ruby looked up, seeing Pyrrha looking back down. "See? Friends are friends Ruby, we always will be."
She nodded, and for once did not cry, but instead smiled joyously, hugging each of them back.
Ruby turned the corner, abandoning her fake marching a minute ago as she neared the ice cream parlor. She could see the glowing sign in the distance, trying her best to see if Weiss was inside, but she was still too far away.
The same nervousness she felt from when she had told her high school friends of her sexuality came back, but this time there was no clenching fear, no mind reeling light headedness, only a small glow of happiness.
Ruby didn't know how Weiss would react, but she knew that in any case, Yang and her other friends would always be there for her, even if Weiss were to abandon her.
She stopped across the street, close enough now to see the white bob of hair inside the parlor. There had been so many doors Ruby had missed, so many different paths and futures she could have gone along, but her fear of letting her secret out had prevented her from opening those doors. For once in her life, she found the door in front of her to be the one she wanted. Ruby knew that inside that door was not a perfect life, not one that would be always happy, but it was the one that could lead her to the one she could love.
Ruby sighed, letting the sudden gust of wind flip her hair about. As it died down, she looked once more at the bob of white hair, sitting patiently inside the parlor. It's now or never Ruby.
She took her first step towards the parlor.
And the entire world closed itself up.