The mid spring sun shined down brightly over Vale, the city was alive and bustling with life, people with places to go and things to do, all with their own lives and ambitions, desires and struggles. In the city, one could get so easily lost, become white noise in the throngs of people until you just disappeared. That's what she loved about it, she could disappear, practically becoming part of the city that was so ubiquitous that no one would notice. A rare smiled formed from her lips as she walked down the busy streets, her red hoodie covering most of her body and obscuring her face.
People would still stare at her, there was no getting around it, but the glances were fleeting and meaningless once those strangers as well became white noise in the crowd. She wasn't exactly comfortable, it was a hot day and her hoodie was a bit much, but she didn't have anything else that could take its place, so she wore it. Instead of changing clothes, she opted for a cold treat, getting a cone of ice cream from a vendor on the street, its sweet, creamy flavor washed over her tongue with each lick, making her smile just a little every time.
There were few times and few places she felt comfortable; in her room, alone, in the city, lost in the throngs and in battle. She had spent most of the last few weeks seldom leaving her bedroom back in patch, but the warmth of spring compelled her from her hole. Still, nothing made her feel quite so at peace as fighting for her life. In the heat of battle there was no time to think or reflect, the eyes of the beasts she fought weren't concerned with how she looked and she could pour all her anger into every strike. She was the best in her class at Signal, making a name for herself with the weapon she carried on her back, shining, polished steel gleamed in the sunlight as it reflected off its sharp edges.
Well, it's not like we get real missions at Signal and I promised Dad I wouldn't go out and look for Grimm to fight so I just have to make the best of it right? With a half smile and a shrug of her shoulders she kept walking through the city streets, content to be nobody as she licked her ice cream. Even with her frozen treat she was still hot, the sun was beating down on her and the fact that she was wearing sweat pants didn't help much. Maybe I'll just head home, not like there's anything else for me to do today… Then again, I don't really want to be around Dad and-
"Uhg! Oh, I'm sorry!" Ruby recovered, nearly falling over after colliding with someone on the street, her heart pounding and her chest tight with fear as she backed away from the woman she walked into. A beautiful woman with lustrous black hair and striking amber eyes that held an intensity that compelled her to stare into them. However, she couldn't help but notice the white from her ice cream stained her gorgeous red dress.
"You little punk!" A very angry girl spoke up, stepping from behind the woman Ruby had collided with, her eyes were a deep crimson and her hair was mint green. Ruby couldn't help but notice the twin pistols tucked away behind her back. "Who do you think you are!?"
"I- I said I'm sorry." Ruby looked shyly away, taking a nervous step back, she could already feel panic setting in though she desperately tried to fight it off. "I can pay for it to get cleaned!"
"Oh that's the least you'll do!" The girl snarled, stepping between Ruby and the woman she collided with.
"Now now Emerald, there's no need for that." The woman's voice was smooth and cool, sending shivers down Ruby's spine as she looked up at the playful and intrigued smile the woman wore as she looked down at her. "Let me handle this."
"Yes ma'am." Emerald bowed her head and stepped obediently away, leaving the klutzy girl to Cinder.
"Don't worry, I don't bite." Cinder smiled, standing before Ruby, exuding power and natural dominance despite her gentle voice. "All I ask in return is that you take off that hood and let me see your eyes again."
"Take off my… hood?" Ruby gulped nervously, her heart pounding in her chest as she looked away from Cinder, her head low as she shrunk back.
"Yes, that's right. You did just ruin my favorite dress, it's the least you could isn't it?" Ruby could hear the note of impatience in the woman's voice but also, something softer, something deeper that she couldn't quite grasp. In the end, it was her presence, the strength and dominance she exuded that compelled Ruby to push past her fear, and do as the woman asked.
"Okay…" With a soft sigh she tossed her cone into the nearby trash bin before bringing her hands slowly and ceremoniously up to her hood before pulling it back.
She glanced away, Emerald was staring at her with a shocked look, her eyes scanning her face. Ruby knew that look, she hated it. A strong impulse to run was burning in her chest, screaming at her to leave, but she felt frozen under the deep amber gaze only inches away from her. She wasn't bad looking or at least, she didn't think so, her silky black hair flowed into a ponytail behind her head and her bangs were tinted a deep red and her eyes were like polished steel, however, that wasn't the problem. Ruby's face was covered in scars that showed an immense and painful trauma from her past. As people walked by she could catch fleeting glances, passersby staring at her scars, the reason she hated being so exposed.
However, when she finally worked up the courage to look back up at Cinder, Ruby found that the beautiful and intense woman wasn't staring at her scars, but rather, directly into her eyes. A warmth spread through Ruby's chest as she felt Cinder looking deep into her, as though her scars were so inconsequential that they weren't even worth looking at.
"You… have Silver Eyes." Cinder finally said, her tone at once pleased and surprised.
"Um, thank you." A soft blush tinted Ruby's cheeks as she smiled sheepishly at the unexpected attention and the even more unexpected happiness she felt from it.
"Allow me to replace the ice cream that you lost. I could clean up in the bathroom so it works out for both of us." Cinder grinned as she reached up, gentle placing her hand on Ruby's soft, warm cheek, able to feel the deformities in her skin left by her scars as she tenderly brushed aside her bangs. Ruby's cheeks burned bright red as she stared up at the stunning woman who for some reason had taken an interest in her of all people.
"Are you sure?" Was all Ruby could think to say as she was barely containing her mental freak out, excitement, disbelief and joy building up to explosive levels as she stared up into Cinder's beautiful eyes.
"Yes, I'm sure." Cinder giggled at the bewildered look on the younger woman's face. However, a small splotch of white on the corner of her lip caught her eye and with a playful grin she slowly brought her hand down her cheek, bringing it to rest under her jaw as she wiped away the drop of ice cream from her lips. Her smile turned mischievous as she took the melting drop and wiped it away on the side of Ruby's red hoodie before she pulled away. "I think we're almost even now."
"Well, I'll buy us both a cone and then we'll call it even?" She braced herself for rejection as her voice belied her hope and desire. For a long time she had focused on being as inconspicuous as she could, never wanting attention but all of a sudden, out of nowhere… Someone might just… want me.
"That sounds delightful." Cinder's smile grew as Ruby beamed with pure unbridled happiness and disbelief. "Emerald, go wait with Mercury, I'll catch up later after my date."
"Are you sure? I mean- wait, did you just say your date?!" Emerald was only half as stunned as Ruby who was hearing literally none of thing while her brain exploded from happiness and shock.
"Yes, I did. Run along now Emerald, I won't be long." Cinder said with a darker, more warning tone in her voice. Emerald got the hint even if Ruby missed the brief flicker of Cinder's dark side.
"Okay then. I um, I hope you have fun?" Emerald wasn't even sure what to make of any of this, she knew Cinder had a plan, she always had a plan, but a date? Shaking her head in resigned confusion Emerald bowed out and walked away, giving one last very bemused glance at Cinder and the girl she was supposedly going on a date with.
"So, shall we go? I'm afraid I'm not too familiar with Vale so I'll follow your lead." Cinder waited patiently for Ruby's brain to reboot as she just stared in awe and shock at the unexpected events that had just transpired.
"Y-yeah!" Ruby shook her head, snapping herself back into focus. "There's an ice cream truck parked a little ways back and there are benches nearby we could sit at!"
"Lead the way." Cinder couldn't help but be amused by the flustered young woman, the way she looked up at her and blushed or the way her sparkling silver eyes lingered on hers every time they met.
"Okay, um… I'm sorry, I didn't get your name." Ruby looked shyly away, a bright and bashful smile on her lips as she rocked back and forth on her heels with her arms behind her back. She wasn't even noticing the people who looked at her scars, she was too elated, too happy to even remember that she had her hood down.
"Oh, well then allow me to introduce myself. I'm Cinder Fall, and what might your name be?" Cinder smiled with a mix of genuine enjoyment and devious thrill, the latter she was very accustom to, but the former was strange and unexpected, especially at the way she felt when those mirror like eyes lit up with happiness at hearing her name.
"Cinder… that's a really beautiful name. I'm Ruby. It's um… it's really nice to meet you Cinder." Ruby's grin was warm and bright as she looked bashfully between cinder and the ground, her cheeks felt hot as blood pooled in them, tinting them a soft pink.
"Ruby is a beautiful name as well, it suits you." Cinder watched with delight as Ruby's blush intensified and a soft, embarrassed laugh escaped her lips as she kicked at the ground with the tip of her boot.
"Heh-heh… thank you! Um.. oh, right! Ice cream! It's uh… um… yeah, it's this way!" Ruby's brain was scrambled as she tried to make sense of what was happening, her thoughts were a jumble of happiness and doubt, though the more time she spent with Cinder, the more the doubt got pushed aside. Even so, as they walked down the street back towards the small park where the ice cream truck sat, she couldn't help but give in to that dark part of her heart.
What could someone like her see in me? I mean… she's so beautiful and elegant and I'm… I'm just not. Her eyes were dulled with a deep and permeating depression, the cold and isolating feeling like a black hole in her heart that pulled away every happy thought, twisting it and distorting it, turning every glimmer of light into pain and doubt. With a soft sigh she looked down at her hands, a scar running through her right palm, boring clear through to the other side, distorting the and disfiguring the skin on the back of her hand. There's no way she really… wants me. She could probably have anyone, but here I am, she says it's a date. There's no way she meant like an actual romantic date right? She probably meant it like in a friendly way… yeah, that's probably it.
"I believe we're here." Cinder put her hand on Ruby's shoulder, snapping her out of her spiraling. "I'm going to go get some napkins and clean myself up and then I'll save us a seat on that bench under the tree."
"Oh, okay. Um, what do you want?" Ruby asked as she took her place in the short line, her hands in her pockets, fishing for her wallet.
"I'll have whatever you're having, just get your favorite, I'm curious what that might be." With that playful and cunning smile that floored Ruby every time she saw it Cinder looked at her, her eyes sharp and focused, driven by something Ruby couldn't comprehend. She was passionate and fierce and confident, Ruby could tell from everything from the way she walked and spoke to the look in her amber gaze.
"Alright! I'll see you over there then!" Ruby beamed with a light she hadn't had in her heart in well, far too long. Even so, as she watched Cinder turn away, look at her back as she left her alone in the line, a thought forced its way into Ruby's heart, forcing its way into her heart, a question that she didn't want to ask herself but that she couldn't help but hear echoing loud and clear through her mind. What if she just… leaves? Would I come back for someone like me?
"What can I get you?" An amiable voice ripped her from her thoughts, forcing her from her mind as she looked up at the man at the ice cream truck's window.
"Oh, I- I um, I'll have two soft served chocolate and strawberry swirls." She pulled out her wallet from her hoodie pocket, quickly counting up her Lien and taking out the right amount.
"Cup or cone? You want any toppings on that?" He smiled at her, but she could see him looking over the scars that marred her pale white skin all over her face. Her impulse was to pull up her hood, to hide from it… but then her thoughts turned to the woman who was waiting for her. She is waiting for me! Someone as beautiful as her is interested in me, I don't need to be so self conscious!
"Um, two cones please, and whipped cream and sprinkles would be nice!" She grinned back, trying to feign a confidence she had long since lost, but the words that Cinder had said to her gave her strength, compelling her to try harder.
"Alright Miss, that'll be nine Lien." She handed him her money before he disappeared into the back of the van, she could hear the hum of machines keeping the delicious treats cold and fresh. She couldn't help but smile thinking about it. Everything just felt… good. The sun on her skin, the gentle, warm breeze that wrapped around her, her day had started out with wanting nothing more than to disappear, but now, she wanted to be visible to someone, she wanted to make a connection, something she hadn't tried to do in a long time. Her hopes were dangerously high but for once, she let herself get carried away, imagining the best outcomes of their date and pushing away her doubts.
"Here you go, I put a little extra on top, you two enjoy yourselves." The man winked at her, eliciting another blush to her cheeks as she took the cones carefully in her hands.
"T-thank you!" She hastily got out of the line, her chest filled with a strange, fluttering warmth as she looked around for her date. Her heart soared as she saw Cinder waiting fer for her, but Ruby felt frozen as she stared at the gorgeous young woman, the way the wind caressed her deep black hair, ruffling the soft curls and tugging at her stray hairs, they way she stared off into the distance, her gaze as focused as ever, Ruby could practically see the gears turning, a hunger never satisfied in her eyes she seemed to compel her every move. The way she sat with one hand resting against her cheek and her other arm folded in front of her and how the sunlight shined off of her pure white skin on her bare shoulders, her long sleeves of her dress protecting her arms from the light. Her dress flowed down in a long tail to below her knees at the back, cut at her thighs, separating it from the shorter front that hung halfway to her knees, resting atop her lap as she crossed her legs. She was beyond beautiful, Ruby couldn't help but just watch her, the woman was like something out of a dream, and she was waiting there… for her.
I guess this is really happening isn't it? She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath of the warm spring air, the scent of flowers and food carried on the breeze, the warm sunlight glowed through her eyelids, warmth from the light flowing into her skin. Savoring the moment for just an instant longer she finally opened her eyes, a small part of her expecting Cinder to be gone… but she was still there, waiting for her. With a spring in her step she walked over to her date, beaming brightly the whole time.
"Here you go!" Ruby spoke in a happy, silvery voice, extending the slightly larger cone to her date.
"Thank you, it looks good." She smiled thankfully as she took the lofty tower of ice cream, not eager to ruin her dress further.
"I'm glad!" Ruby chirped as she took her seat across from Cinder. They were all alone, no one else occupied the nearby benches despite the nice weather, it was perfect. "I think strawberry and chocolate go perfect together. The whipped cream adds some balance to it and the sprinkles… well, I just think they look pretty!"
"It sounds like you have this down to a science." Cinder laughed, she didn't even mean to, but she laughed, her smile warm and soft, for only the briefest of moments before she took a long lick of the soft treat, the cold cream melting pleasantly on her warm tongue.
"No, I just really like sweets. I don't let myself have them too often, gotta stay in shape ya know." She giggled, taking a lick of her ice cream, letting herself indulge in both sugar and optimism as she kept her eyes on her date, smiling warmly at her between licks.
"I assume that by your scars and the weapon on your back that you're a Huntress then?" Cinder posed the question, leaning forward and looking intently into Ruby's eyes, her gaze not shifting as she lapped up her ice cream.
"Oh um, sort of. I mean, I'm still at Signal, I turned seventeen not long ago so I'll be starting at Beacon soon." Ruby's once bright smile turned wistful and bittersweet and in her eyes Cinder could see something in the young woman that she knew all too well… Ruby was lost.
"I see, that's quite impressive. Getting into Beacon is no small feat." Cinder hummed, smiling with interest as she licked up the whipped cream from the top of her treat before it fell off, taking a bunch of sprinkles with it.
"I guess, I mean, there's not many things that I'm good at but I'm not bad at fighting. You know, it's kinda how I spend most of my time when I can get away with it." Ruby laughed nervously, shifting her gaze away from Cinder's as the conversation drew close to places she didn't think she could talk about without scaring her date off.
"You don't have to think about unpleasant things in the heat of battle, is that it?" Cinder's lips curled up in a cocksure smirk as she watched Ruby's eyes grow wide, like her assertion had pierced her heart like an arrow.
"Y-yeah… that's it exactly. How did you-"
"I can tell, I can see it in your eyes. They're very telling, especially yours." Cinder took a few more licks, evenly dispersing the weight of her cone before carefully placing it onto the wooden table. She leaned forward, interlocking her fingers and resting her chin on top of them she stared intently at the young woman.
"You really think so?" Ruby's smile was softer and more somber, Cinder could almost feel the cold radiating from the young woman's heart as she sank into herself, into despair and self loathing. As she saw those sparkling silver eyes dull with depression, Cinder felt her heart moved, a compulsion from a place she couldn't explain, a desire to try and help.
"Tell me Ruby, do you always dress this way?" Cinder looked up and down at her, a baggy, worn hoodie, gray sweatpants and boots that looked as though they could come apart at any minute.
"Oh… yeah, I mean, most of the time." Her soft, pain filled sigh told Cinder she was as terrible at this as she knew she was, but still, she wouldn't lose.
"Why don't you wear something more fitting for you? I've found that the way you dress can have a large impact on your perception of yourself, and the way others perceive you." Her amber gaze was focused and driven, that boundless ambition now focused on the girl in front of her.
"Well…" Ruby shrunk back, her bringing her shoulders up and looking fearfully from the table to Cinder. She could feel her date's piercing gaze burning into her, she felt the intensity of her attention, the drive to fulfill her desire of knowing the truth. For some reason, she felt a small, fragile smile tug at her lips. She glanced at her sides, making sure no one could see her before she put down her cone and met Cinder's eyes with her own. "This is why."
Gritting her teeth, Ruby forced herself to move, grabbing the sleeve of her hoodie, her hand shaking as she slowly pulled it down, revealing her forearm beneath. Cinder's eyes widened for only a fraction of an instant before her expression became cold in inscrutable, her gaze fixed on Ruby's arm. It wasn't just her face, her arm too was covered in large, very blatant scars, as though she had be gnawed on by some vicious beast.
"It's like that pretty much all over my body, so I don't really dress up all that often." Ruby gave a halfhearted laugh, before pulling her sleeve back down, a loud part of her begging her to retreat under her hood.
"What happened?" Even Cinder was taken aback by the hint of empathy and concern in her voice. Even so, she brushed it off, forcing herself back into her normal, detached but focused demeanor.
"Well… it happened a long time ago. When I was little my sister and I… well, were away from home and it was just the two of us, we were alone and- and then they came, the Grimm, Beowolves. Two little girls, we were helpless… they attacked and well, you see what they did to me. Yang wasn't hurt too badly but I nearly died. If my uncle hadn't stepped in when he did, I probably would have. That day is pretty much a blur, but I still remember their burning red eyes, I still have nightmares about it and sometimes, my scars will still hurt a lot." A weak and broken laugh escaped her lips as she looked at her scarred palm. "Anyway… that's why I'm like this, it's not like I can be beautiful like you or my sister, so I just try to be a strong and I can and-"
"That's not true." Cinder said so simply but the clarity and certainty in her voice left Ruby staring at her, hope and doubt fighting in her chest, feeling as though it would tear her apart.
"You don't have to say that. I know how I look…" Ruby shook her head, her smile broken but thankful.
"I don't lie to spare people's feelings Ruby." Her voice was hot with conviction and passion as she reached across the table, her fingers gently brushing against Ruby's as she slid in hand into the young woman's, her warm, soft skin sending ripples of elation and tension through Ruby as her eyes grew wide and her heart began to pound in her chest. Ruby watched in stunned and blissful silence as Cinder pulled her sleeve up, baring her scarred covered arm while her hand gentle rubbed up and down her soft, pale, distorted skin.
"You survived, these scars only prove that even as a child you were strong enough to endure. I see the traces of your wounds from that day, many would have died from them… you didn't. They show that you've suffered and fought, they're nothing to be ashamed of. If you ask me, your scars hold more beauty than many of the most delicate faces that have never known suffering. It shows substance and will. You should wear them proudly, you've earned that right." Cinder smiled, her smile warm and her eyes fierce as she slowly and gently retracted her hand, her fingers lingering on every inch as they ran up the length of Ruby's hand. She was warm and her skin was soft, even where her scars were. She smiled as she felt the frantic pulse of the young woman's heart, her blood coursing through her veins, feeling her flustered panic at both her touch and her words. It's endearing to say the least.
"Cinder…" Ruby whispered numbly, her eyes wide and glistening as tears pooled on their silver, mirrored surface, shining like liquid metal as they refracted the sunlight. Her hand trembled as she moved it forward, catching Cinder's hand as it retracted and holding it tight as the shimmering drops rolled silently down her cheeks.
"No one… no one's ever said anything like that to me. Not even Yang." A soft and beautifully thankful smile formed from her lips as she looked at Cinder, gently rubbing the side of her hand with her thumb. She knew this might be too much, she knew that exposing her feelings like this might drive her away, but she felt like she had been hit by a bus, crumbling her facade, breaking her down all the way to that vulnerable little girl that was crying all alone. She needed something, she needed a warm touch to give her comfort as the words Cinder said reverberated, echoing again and again in her heart, breaking down her carefully constructed walls each time. "Thank you…"
"It's a shame such a simple thing is enough to bring you to tears, it seems the wounds weren't the end of your suffering. You should have been told this long ago, by a friend if not your sister." Cinder returned the gesture, squeezing Ruby's quivering hand with her own and smiling softly as she looked into Ruby's eyes. "Take it to heart, you have nothing to be ashamed of."
"I- I'm sorry! I shouldn't have brought this up, I'm kinda a mess now… I'd understand if you didn't want to see me again... heh-heh…" She forced a smile, one that was so painfully artificial, contrasting starkly with the pain in her eyes, that Cinder felt a surprising flash of fiery anger burn in her chest.
"On the contrary, I find you most interesting. Unfortunately, I do have to return to my… colleagues, but I had a surprisingly good time, Ruby… oh, it seems I never caught your last name." She smiled with that cool, almost predatory and playful smile as she stood up, pulling her hand away from Ruby's, the air that filled the gap between them leaving her palm disappointingly cold.
"Rose, it's Ruby Rose." Her smile brightened with genuine happiness as she stood up, extricating herself from the bench attached to the table. "I… I had a really good time. I'm still sorry about your dress but I'm happy I bumped into you."
"Well Ruby Rose, it was a pleasure to meet you." She took her cone in her hand, ice cream dripping down her fingers as it melted, but still she kept her eyes on the young women smiling sheepishly at the attention. With her free hand she reached into Ruby's pocket, eliciting another adorable blush as she pulled out her Scroll. With a satisfied smile she navigated the menu before typing in a number and slipping it back into her pocket. "If you're ever feeling lost, call that number. I'm sure I'll be seeing you again soon, do wear something nice next time."
"Y-yeah! I will!" Ruby beamed as bright as the midday sun, her chest felt as though it was filled with fire and lightning, burning her with a blissful heat as she looked into Cinder's eyes. "Bye, I can't wait to see you again."
"And I look forward to it as well." Her smile was captivating, one part flirtatious, one part hungry and one part amused as before turned away, her hips swaying hypnotically as she left Ruby alone in the park, smiling softly, her whole body feeling electrified with happiness and energy. It was the best she'd felt in… in a long, long time.
"That really happened huh?" Ruby giggled to herself, barely able to contain her jubilation. With the brightest grin on her face she rushed to her Scroll, flipping through her contacts until she found the one she wanted the call, bouncing on her toes as she waited for her call to be picked up.
Click
"Hello?" A strange girl spoke over the phone, her voice cooler and more reserved than the one she had been expected.
"Um, hi, is Yang there? This is Ruby, her sister." Ruby felt an apprehension, a fear working its way into her heart, but still riding the high left in Cinder's wake Ruby was able to force it aside, focusing on what she wanted to tell her sister.
"Yeah sure, one second." The woman spoke before going quiet. Ruby could only guess as to which teammate of her sister's that was, but she assumed it was Blake, they had only met once in the last two years but she had a pretty good ear for voices.
"Hey Ruby." Yang's tone hit Ruby like a wave, the impatience and discomfort in behind her words felt like a punch to the gun, one Ruby didn't brace herself for.
"I just wanted to call, you wouldn't believe what happened! I met someone and I think they really like me and-"
"Ruby, I can't really talk right now, I have a lot of work to do." Yang interjected, her voice growing cold and distant.
"But-"
Click
Yang hung up…
"But that's what you always say…" Ruby sighed, the high she felt with Cinder was brought crashing down by her brief and rare interaction with her own sister. With her face forlorn and her eyes dulled with pain she looked back at her Scroll, flipping through the contacts once more until she found Cinder's name and her number right below it. Call me if you're feeling lost… that's what she said.
"Except, I'm always feeling lost." With a bitter huff of laughter Ruby put her Scroll back in her pocket along with her free hand not holding onto her ice cream cone and she walked away, her heart pulled towards the bliss she felt with Cinder and the pain she felt with Yang.
Not far from the park, down the street, Cinder watched Ruby leave, her expression subtle and unreadable but her eyes flickering between soft and caring and cold and cunning. Still, as the Scroll at her ear rang, she forced herself to bury her emotions, bringing everything back into focus.
"Hello?" A boy answered from the other end of the call.
"Mercury, I have a job for you. I want you to get me all the information you can on a girl by the name of Ruby Rose, she's a student at Signal." While she spoke, she kept her eyes fixed on the retreating back draped in a red hoodie as Ruby walked away from her.
"Does this have anything to do with your date?" Mercury's tone was at once teasing and curious.
"I met an interesting girl, I want to have more information about her. Get Roman on it while he's waiting for phase one to begin. I believe this girl with be most useful to our ends."
