Ruby was smiling as she opened the door to the apartment she shared with Yang. This had been her fourth date with Weiss, and it had been...unconventional, but fun. Their last time out, Ruby had freaked out slightly over the fact that Weiss always carried a gun, even off-duty, and that had turned into a conversation about guns, and the right to bear arms and that had come around to the fact that Ruby had never fired or even held a gun. So today Weiss had taken it upon herself to induct Ruby into The Way of the Gun. (In Ruby's mind, it warranted capital letters, given the seriousness with which Weiss had approached the topic.) Weiss had taken Ruby to a gun store that had a firing range and paid for Ruby to take a firearms safety course from a certified instructor, then the two of them had spent some time shooting on the store's range.

Ruby had enjoyed herself more than she'd expected to; she hadn't been big on guns, given the gunshot wounds that came through the ER where she worked, but Weiss might be winning her over. "The problem isn't the gun, Ruby," Weiss had explained. "the problem is the person holding the gun. You can't stop bad people from doing bad things, but you can prepare yourself if one of them comes after you or someone close to you."

"Hey, sis, how was your day?" Ruby tossed over her shoulder at Yang as she hung up her jacket. Yang didn't respond, making Ruby frown and take another look at where Yang was sitting on their couch, just staring into space, an unopened beer in her hand. She laid a hand on Yang's arm. "Yang, are you okay? Did something happen at work? You didn't get fired, did you?"

Yang jerked at the contact, shaking her head. "Sorry, Ruby, I just got a little lost in thought." Yang moved to open the beer in her head, then got up and swapped it out for a different one from the fridge. "Been sitting here too long. This one's gotten warm." She sat back down on the couch and opened the new one, then went back to sitting there, staring blankly ahead.

Something was definitely wrong. Yang wouldn't get a beer out if she wasn't going to drink it, and she never drank while still wearing her work shirt. Ruby sat down on the opposite end of the couch, laying a comforting hand on Yang's arm. "Yang, is something wrong? You're acting a little weird."

"I, uh"— Yang took a sip of her beer, still staring straight ahead— "I got caught checking out a customer. By the customer, this time."

Ruby winced. Yang worked at a chain bookstore, had since she was in high school, and had just made assistant manager late last year. She had several customer complaints on her record about being overly flirty, and the new manager had made it clear that that was Unprofessional and Not Allowed anymore. "One more complaint, Miss Xiao Long, and you're done, I don't care how long you've worked here," Yang had been told. "Were they mad? Did they report it?" Ruby asked.

"No, she took it pretty okay. I mean, when I guess she noticed, she, ah, walked over to the customer service desk and asked me if I was enjoying the view. I kinda lost it, got tongue-tied and apologized, then she laughed, gave me a wink, and paid for the book in her hand."

Ruby smiled in relief. "So she took it okay. That's good. No problem then."

"Actually, sorta big problem."

"The customer didn't complain, you didn't get in trouble, so what's the problem?"

"Ruby..."—Yang shook her head and took a big gulp of her beer— "damn, how to ask this without sounding stupid. How-how did you know you liked girls instead of guys?"

"Oh." Ruby took a deep breath. "Wow. I never expected to have this conversation with you. I mean, you brought your first 'boyfriend' home at what, thirteen? Me, I was the shy one. Dad freaked out pretty bad when he learned I was dating in the first place. The whole 'girlfriend' thing didn't seem to bother him at all compared to that."

"Yeah."

"Well...I guess with Penny and me, it just kind of snuck up on me slowly. We started out best friends, and then we got closer, and then one day we realized how close we'd gotten. Neither one of us had ever had a boyfriend, but we just drifted together and stuck. After Penny moved away and we broke up, I tried dating guys, but it just didn't feel right, you know? But then came Emerald, and that lasted over a year. So I just kept on with what seemed to be working for me."

"But how did you know, Ruby? I mean, I like guys, but this woman I met today just, oh god, I don't even know how to say it."

A giggle escaped Ruby's lips before she could control it. "Sorry, I shouldn't laugh, but you're so worked up about this it's kind of cute. I think the term you're looking for is 'flipped your switch.' She made you consider a possibility you hadn't before, which is okay. What you do about that is up to you. If you want to ignore it and move on, that's fine. If you want to explore this new possibility, that's fine too."

"So this doesn't make me gay?"

Ruby couldn't help herself; this time she burst out laughing. "No, no it doesn't. Finding one woman attractive doesn't mean you have to stop liking men. Maybe you like both and hadn't realized it before. Bisexual is a thing, Yang. Or maybe it's just her, who knows? I will remind you of Jaune."

This time it was Yang's turn to laugh, Ruby had dated Jaune Arc, a pharmacy tech at the hospital, for six months before they decided it wasn't really working out for them. "Yeah, Jaune. How's he doing these days?"

"He's good, dating someone for over a year now. A rock climbing champion, supposedly kinda famous. He's getting really buff hanging around her. No more noodle arms for him."

Yang could see a certain twinkle in her sister's eye. "Regret letting him get away?" she teased

"Nope," Ruby shook her head, popping the 'p'. "He is happy as can be and intends on proposing on their next climbing trip."

Yang brought her beer to her lips and paused, sniffing the air. "What's that smell? Some sort of chemical smell."

"Oh, um, Weiss took me to a shooting range today. Paid for me to take a firearms safety course and everything."

"You, dating a gun nut? Didn't you once say that guns were probably the worst thing ever invented?"

"Weiss isn't a gun nut, she just... she believes in the right to be armed and chooses to carry one, even off-duty. She wanted me to be comfortable with it, that's all."

"Sounds like the two of you are getting serious. Just leave a sock on your door, okay"

"Yang!" Ruby punched her sister in the arm, and they both laughed. "So you going to be okay, sis?"

"Maybe. I still gotta decide what to do about this, but at least I feel a little less weird about it."

"Pity you didn't get her number."

"Uh, I kinda did." Yang reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out a business card. "I found this on the counter after she'd left."

Ruby's eyes got wide. "Blake Belladonna? You were checking out Blake Belladonna?"

"Should I know who that is?"

"She's a reporter, Yang. Works for the Vale Herald. Got a little famous last year for uncovering corruption in the school board. People went to jail over that." Ruby pulled out her phone and tapped on it for a moment, then showed it to Yang. "That her?"

"Yeah." A smile crept onto Yang's lips as she looked at the picture of the cat-eared woman. "That picture doesn't do her justice, though. The way she moves, damn."

Ruby laughed and got up to get her own beer from the fridge. Sitting down next to Yang, she leveled a serious look at her sister. "Yang, listen to me. You will be okay. Don't let anyone or anything decide what to do about this for you. If you want to call her, do it. If you don't, don't."

Later that night, Ruby's phone buzzed. It was a message from Weiss. Are you awake?

No, I'm sleep-texting you. :P

:P yourself. Did you have fun today?

More than I expected to.

Good. So any plans yet for our next date? It's your turn to pick.

Music festival. Lots of jazz and rock.

I'm more into classical or opera.

Hey, if I can learn to handle a gun...

Point. How's your sister? I haven't talked to her in a couple of weeks.

Dealing with some stuff. I think she's okay, though.


Ruby stirred at the sound of someone in the kitchen, glancing at her watch. Weiss should have left for work by now, and she lived alone, so who was it? Ruby lifted her head from the couch just enough to peek at the intruder. Male, early twenties, white hair kinda like Weiss's, nicely dressed. Nobody she knew. Ruby reached towards the coffee table and slid the drawer open carefully, trying not to make any noise. She picked up the pistol she now knew Weiss kept there and slid the safety off, wincing at the barely discernible click. Okay, Ruby, you can do this. It's one intruder, and you've got a gun. Weiss showed you how to handle this. One, two, three.

Taking a deep breath, Ruby rose from the couch, leveling the pistol at the intruder in a two-handed grip, aiming for the center of mass like she'd been taught. "Freeze," she said, her voice level despite her heart pounding in her chest.

The man stopped, slowly raising his hands into the air. "You're not Weiss. I thought she lived alone. Can I ask what you're doing here?"

"That's my question. Who the hell are you."

"I'm Whitley, Weiss's brother. I can prove that if you like." Whitley started to turn to face Ruby, only to stop when he saw the pistol in her hands. "Ah. I see you share my sister's barbaric fascination with guns."

"One should always dress for the occasion. Hold still." Ruby took one hand off the gun, keeping it leveled at Whitley and fished her phone out of her pocket with the other and dialing Weiss. "Weiss, I know I shouldn't call you at work, but there's some guy in your kitchen claiming he's your brother. No, I don't know why he's here, I just saw somebody I didn't know in the kitchen and got your gun from the coffee table. No, I haven't shot him. One sec." Ruby snapped a photo of Whitley and sent it to Weiss. "Did you get that? Right, will do." She hung up and returned the phone to her pocket, lowering the pistol. "Weiss says she'll be here in a few minutes, and you're not to go anywhere. She also says I can shoot you if you give me any trouble since you don't have her permission to be here. Coffee?"

Weiss stomped into the kitchen, still wearing her uniform, glaring at her brother. "You're lucky I was stuck doing paperwork this morning. What are you doing here, Whitley? Oh, thank you, Ruby," she added as Ruby handed her a cup of coffee and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before leaning up against one of the counters.

Whitley held up a large manila envelope. "Father asked me to stop by and give this to you. Gave me a key and told me to leave it in the kitchen if you weren't here."

Weiss scowled. "He probably knew I wouldn't be here this morning, which is why he asked you to drop it off now, not expecting Ruby to be here. For the record, Whitley, I did not give Father a key. So that key was made without my permission, and you were technically trespassing. Ruby did have the legal right to shoot you, although it wouldn't have been your fault."

"I see." Whitley frowned for a moment, then nodded at Ruby. "I appreciate her restraint then, and I apologize if I startled you, Ruby. Father failed to mention that Weiss had someone living with her now."

"I'm not-" "She's not-" Ruby and Weiss said at the same time, then Weiss sighed. "Ruby and I are seeing each other, but she doesn't live here. She has an apartment she shares with her sister. Ruby is a nurse at Vale General and she had a rough shift last night, so she crashed on my couch rather than drive home. Well, let's see what my bribe is this year." Weiss took the envelope from Whitley and examined the contents. "Ah, a Ferrari this time. Not my style, really; I like my ass a little further off the ground. But it's your favorite color, Ruby, red. Want it?"

"Not at the cost, Weiss."

"Someone care to let me in on the joke?" Whitley looked at the pair with bemusement.

"When I graduated the police academy, and for my birthday every year since, Father has brought me another high-end car, with the understanding that they were mine if I left the force and came to work for him. No sale again."

"Mm. And this year he asked me to give it to you, either as a test of my loyalty to him, or to drive a wedge between us if we were uniting against him, or both." Whitley gazed down into his coffee cup for a moment, lost in thought. "Weiss, I have no problem with the life you've chosen, or"—his eyes turned toward Ruby, then Weiss—"who you're sharing it with. Right now I'm just playing the good son until he retires. And I have it on good authority that he's already been told by his doctors that it would be best if he did that soon. The stress is taking a toll on him."

"The stress is his own damn fault," Weiss snorted.

"I agree. But let me give you this." Whitley laid a business card on the kitchen island. "My cell phone's on the back. Call me if you need help."

After Whitley had left, Weiss collapsed against the counter next to Ruby, who moved over and slid an arm around Weiss's waist. "Why does my family always have to stress me out so much?" Weiss wailed.

"Your brother didn't seem so bad."

"He as being nice today, but was that genuine, or an act he's putting on to please Father? Ugh! I hate my family."

"Don't know, but I do have one question: How long can you and I snuggle on the couch before you get in trouble at work?"


"Excuse me."

Yang looked up from the database work she was doing at the customer service desk. "Yes, how can I help-oh." Amber eyes gazed back at her, and Yang swallowed. Crap. Blake was back, and she was going to have to deal with this. "Ah, hi."

"Hello yourself. I was wondering if you could order a book for me. It's 'Deconstructionism in Modern Literature' by Frank Howell. It should be released soon if it's not already out."

"Let me see." Yang typed quickly on the keyboard. "Yep, available last week. I can put in the order now, and we can give you a call when it arrives."

"Any idea how long?"

"Shouldn't be more than a week, two on the outside. It looks like there's plenty of stock at our distributor."

"Thanks." As Blake turned to go, Yang said, "Listen, the other day, were you...flirting with me?"

The corner of Blake's mouth turned up a slightly. "Maybe a bit, sorry."

"No, no, I'm not mad or anything, it's just I never had a woman flirt with me before. Threw me off."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I caught you checking me out and I thought-"

"Hey, I said I wasn't mad. Just never had it happen before, that's all." Yang took a deep breath. "And... maybe I'm a little curious? Maybe we could go out sometime, see how it goes?"

"I think I'd like that."