Chapter VI:
A/N:
try putting an altoid or two in your mouth, cracking it (or them) open viciously and then taking the deepest breath you can through your nose while thinking of the thing you hate most in the world
its liberating
Your mind would disagree, I could tell
When you smile does it let you wish me well?
Bore a cyclone every time you exhale
I cut off the ground and now I'm unbounded
But miss you around it
That's why you should come and
Sit me all up by the mountains
You used to kiss me like your lips
Have caught fire, but no ties
That smoke gets in my eyes
Blowback, call it blowback
Call it blowback
"Cinder." The voice over the line was garbled and robotic. The addressed woman stayed quiet.
"I'm gonna need you to come in more often these next few months. Lot of plans for expansion and, well, enrichment of profits, so to speak. Bring the mask and Glock and we'll get to business… and come alone. Our trust has yet to be earned, let alone anyone else's. I look forward to your utmost and complete cooperation." The line clicked dead and Cinder shivered slightly as she paced back and forth, her arm having fallen to her side.
"REN!" The dark-haired, distressed young adult shot up from his bed, wincing as he inhaled, contracting the bandages over his abs. He could still hear Nora's scream echo every time he slightly dozed off; currently, all he heard were voices faintly chattering along with clanking dishes. Ren slid his feet off of the couch Cinder had told him to lay on, stepping his feet into his slides and struggling to his feet. As he walked down the hallway, the voices grew in volume and Ren rounded the corner to find Ruby lounging in the loveseat in the living room. Cinder laid out on the couch across from Ruby and Nora stood by the sink washing dishes. The pink-haired girl expressed shock and trailed off from her sentence as Ren trudged into the room before looking back at Cinder then the dishes again.
"You feelin' okay?" Nora spoke up quietly, sneaking a peek over at the solemn young adult. Ren gave a nod and sat at the dining table, pulling out his scroll and tapping a few things into a document. Cinder spoke up with her eyes closed.
"I'm sorry it had to turn out that way, Ren. Does anything feel broken?" Ren shook his head before realizing Cinder wasn't looking in his direction.
"No. And that's fine, shit happens." A brief moment of silence suggested otherwise to Cinder, but Ren spoke up again.
"You don't think we should revise the plan a little bit? Pin everything on Merc, let the other two crews threaten him and stay paranoid for a while longer?" Cinder slid up to a seated position and tapped the spot next to her; Ruby plodded over in a puppy-like fashion.
"Probably a good idea. Maybe we can go out for a little fun at the club? Those new fakes came in the other day from Fox, right?" Cinder spoke as Nora switched the water off, setting a plate on the drying rack.
"Yeah, they're in my trunk. Sounds like fun." Nora's tone had perked up slightly since the car ride, but only just the little bit. Cinder began reaching her hands up to Ruby's hair out of habit before stopping, the slightest twinge of guilt rising in the back of her mind. Cinder instead moved down to Ruby's shoulders and gave them a soft squeeze before popping up off the couch. Sliding off her long-sleeve shirt, Cinder folded the cloth into a pillow and patted the surface.
"Lay down for a bit, dear. Gonna make some mockups and I'll be back." Ruby gave a slight pout before nodding and making a show of colllapsing onto the cushions, giving up a poof of air. Cinder rolled her eyes as she made her way to the table, clad in her bright red sports bra and sweatpants. Ren was still typing away one handed on his scroll and Nora had moved to the loveseat, a book in hand, eyes intently roaming its pages. Cinder gave that sight a large frown before sliding into her seat. Ren peeked up to see Cinder's raised eyebrow and slight point behind her; a small smile graced his lips and Ren went back to typing.
Since when did that girl read for fun? What the hell is Ren made of… coercion serum? That girl doesn't let anyone tell her what to do… besides me, of course.
Cinder gave a small hum and slid her laptop out from a bag on the table. The clacking set in as a compliment to the small vibrations against the table from Ren's scroll, punctuated by the smallest of rustles from Nora turning the page in her book. Ruby's gentle wheeze of a snore soon filled in the background and Cinder let out a tiny sigh of contentment; Ren nodded in agreement, his fingers now sliding up and down the scroll as he moved through a web forum. The trio sat in this rhythm as Cinder's mind wandered off, her fingers slowing at the keys.
Will I have to stop seeing Ruby? They're ruthless… and anyone at school can get paid to keep an eye on me. Nora would probably kill me, too, if she knew what I was going to do… and then after Ruby confides in her with how broken-hearted she'll feel… jeez. Talk about a rock and a hard place. They won't like if I back out, either… we could always just… take a break? Or something?
Cinder's hands stopped moving altogether and moved up to her falling face, covering her cheeks as her fingers dragged along her eyebrows. Ren's scroll lowered to the table.
"Something I should know about?" Cinder shook her head from within her hands.
"Probably not… yet." Ren gave a shrug and leaned back in the chair, wincing as his mid-section stretched upwards. His hand reached for a drink that wasn't there; startled, Ren stood up and made his way to the fridge.
"You know best, fearless leader." The usual jest had lost its meaning; Cinder felt her guilt and Ren's hidden, slight sarcasm start to pick up speed in her direction. Two hisses of popped bottle caps echoed in the background. The guilt hit high, catching in her throat as the words went low, from behind; the two flipped her around and Cinder felt her heart begin to strain from the inevitable pressure that would split it, and this group, apart. Her shoulders fell as Ren walked up to her right, the necks of two glass bottles wrapped in his fingers. Cinder felt a hand rest gently on her shoulder as an open spiked lemonade appeared by her laptop.
"Thanks, Ren." The hand disappeared and Ren moved back around to his side of the table, his glass raised in cheers. Cinder peeked through her fingers before giving him a slight nod and reaching to grab her own bottle, raising it to Ren's in a clink.
"Don't mention it."
Ruby sat in the shallow end of Cinder's pool, a brightly colored drink in hand. Ruby twirled the miniature umbrella inside absentmindedly as a gust of wind cooled her stomach, uncovered by her black bikini top. Ren was over under the awning, draped in a bright pink apron and clad in dark brown shorts, mixing drinks and setting them on the table. Ruby had seen him smile more today than the rest of their time spent acquainted combined. Nora had told them earlier that Ren had gotten both a scholarship and a paid internship to a tech school and large company, respectively, and he would be in a local office for training until the beginning of summer. Nora would be flying with him to work, split the rent 70/30 and pursue community college before enrolling where she wanted in the city. She had been bummed it wasn't as lively of a city as Vale was, but their money would stretch further and once Ren had showed her the mockups of the large apartment they were going to live in for dirt-cheap, her tune had changed drastically. Ruby had listened patiently as Nora launched into an animated description of the apartment complex's amenities and services.
The night they had gone to the club, Cinder had disappeared for a couple of hours as Ruby alternated between the dance floor and sipping drinks at the bar. Ruby had started the night in the VIP booth Cinder had rented out, but waiting for her girlfriend, again, while also seeming like an awkward third wheel had proven to provide awkward feelings for the returned-to-redhead girl.
In an attempt to include Ruby the last time Cinder had ghosted them, Nora's drunk antics had gotten a large amount of gum tangled near the ends and Ren had declared it unsalvageable. Ruby chose to leave and visit an upscale hair salon to have them cut the hair into a cute bob instead of the jagged mess Ren had left it in. Of course, Cinder had expressed her disappointment, briefly, before trying cute words and things to placate the younger girl. Unfortunately, she'd gotten a phone call she was 'so sorry she had to take' and that she'd 'make it up' to Ruby, 'promise.'
Ruby supposed that was why she had snapped at Cinder that night. Ruby heard the excuses of "work" over the past few weeks and knew Cinder had gotten drawn up into a deeper level of illicit goings-ons, but Ruby missed the frequent couch, smoke and bad movie nights. The club excursion had begun with hopes for fun times drinking and cuddling and dancing and laughing, and had ended with Ruby slapping Cinder's hand off her shoulder, yelling "not interested" like she had at the last three guys who had approached her. A quick turn had showed her that it was indeed Cinder and not another creep, but the shock had quickly shifted back into annoyance. Even Cinder's pampering and gentle caresses that night and into the early morning hadn't done too much to alleviate her anger.
She had fallen asleep in Cinder's arms, wondering how many more times she would have the privilege to do so.
"Cinder." The voice over the line was garbled and robotic. The addressed woman stayed quiet; the routine was well known by now.
"I had mentioned to come alone last time, no?" Cinder gulped but remained quiet.
"I don't like it, but my employer seems to believe you deserve a second, and final, I might add, chance. I'll send you a mark; subtle work, no suspicion. You've met, she'll tie you to us. I expect an excellent, flawless job here. We, and by we I mean my employer, have faith in you. Don't fuck it up." The line clicked dead but Cinder didn't move. The last call she had received had left her with a feeling of dread and felt oppressive upon her shoulders, the metaphor of Atlas coming to mind. This call had truly terrified her; she was afraid of failure, afraid of success, and very, very afraid of completely and utterly losing Ruby once and for all.
Lay still, restless
Losing sleep while I lose my mind
All thrill, no stress
All my muses left behind
World is, below
So high up, I'm near divine
Lean in, let go
I feel fear for the very last time
A/N: been a while. thanks for reading. WR super soon I promise.