Chapter 9
Red Winter

"Didn't you say your dad was...dead," Ruby said cautiously not wanting to upset him.

"Yes, the anniversary is tomorrow I need to get to his headstone by then," Saxon said with determination as they crunched through the snow.

"I understand...my mom is..."

"It's okay, I know it's difficult to talk about," Saxon said.

Ruby couldn't help but hug Saxon, "Thank you Saxon."

Saxon hugged her back, "Of course, Ruby."

They continued to walk and talk the rest of the afternoon and as the sun was about to set, Saxon swore, "we didn't get as far as I expected looks like we'll have to camp out."

"What about Grimm," Ruby asked stopping next to Saxon.

"Nonexistent, at least in this part of the forest, it's too close to Strike," Saxon said setting down his duffel bag, they were in a small clearing, "This is a good spot to camp."

"I've never been camping so you'll have to tell me what to do," Ruby confessed to Saxon.

"It's okay, why don't you look around for some dry firewood," Saxon said digging around in his duffel bag.

Ruby disappeared into the treeline and Saxon began setting up a two man tent that he had brought along with two pillows and a sleeping bag. Saxon immediately face palmed, one sleeping bag you're such a idiot you knew someone else was coming with you and you only brought one sleeping bag, he thought to himself.

Saxon sighed and tossed it in the tent, I'll leave that problem for later, Saxon thought as he cleared away snow around the makeshift campsite and made a makeshift fire pit. He took out a newspaper that he was going to use as kindling once Ruby got back. Saxon sharpened his throwing knives as he waited for the red reaper, 5 minutes, 10 minutes.

He couldn't take it anymore, Saxon followed Ruby's foot prints. He moved fast and Saxon knew that there were no Grimm but she might of gotten lost or tripped and hurt herself.

Saxon finally found Ruby who let out a squeak when she felt Saxon hug her out of nowhere. She had kinda gotten lost and was glad Saxon had come after her. Once they had gotten back, Saxon made a fire that definitely helped warm her up but she was still chilly.

Saxon noticed this and dug through his bag till he pulled out a black and white scarf and wrapped it around Ruby's neck comfortably. Ruby blushed as Saxon sat back down on the frozen ground, thankfully he had swept away a lot of the snow around their little campsite.

"Thank you," Ruby said burying her face into the scarf.

"Welcome, Ruby," Saxon said trying to warm up with the fire.

"Is something wrong," Ruby asked scooting next to Saxon.

Saxon's mind immediately jumped to the single sleeping bag in the tent behind them but ignored it, "Nope."

"The stars are pretty tonight," Ruby said looking towards the sky.

"Yeah, it's why I like it out here...it's a frozen paradise," Saxon said looking up at the sky.

"We should probably go to sleep," Ruby said standing up and dusting herself off.

Saxon got ready to explain his reasoning as he walked towards the tent and started to pull the zipper down.

"Don't come in here! I'm changing!"

Saxon snapped the zipper up and backed away blushing madly, when Ruby came out she was wearing one of Saxon's hoodies instead of her tank top, her normal rose pajama pants and had on a pair of socks.

"I hope you don't mind, it's too cold for my tank top," Ruby said blushing.

"Yeah, it's okay," Saxon said heading into the tent to change into pajamas, along with the hoodie he had been wearing.

Saxon yelled at Ruby that she could come in and Ruby appeared in a flash of rose petals,"Thanks for hurrying," she said as she shivered.

"Course."

"So, where's the second sleeping bag?"

Saxon sighed and knew Ruby wouldn't like his solution to the problem, "I forgot to bring a second one so you'll use the sleeping bag."

"What? What about you, you'll be freezing," Ruby said concerned.

"I'll be fine, Ruby," Saxon said settling onto the thin layer of nylon between them and the snow along with a pillow.

Ruby rolled the sleeping bag out and climbed into it and looked at Saxon, he was already asleep. She smiled at him, everything he'd done for her came into her mind. Ruby's eyes were closing for sleep when she whispered, "I love you."

Ruby woke up in the middle of the night, she reached into her pack and pulled out her scroll to check the time. It was around midnight, she thought as she looked over to Saxon and she gasped.

Saxon was curled up into the fedal position, shivering and his deep raspy breaths were visible and hung in the air.

Ruby climbed out of the sleeping bag, which was a nightmare in of itself. She shook Saxon who opened his eyes sleepily and said, "Ruby? What are you-"

"Sleeping bag. Now," Ruby demanded.

"Wha-," Saxon started but was cut off again.

Ruby lifted Saxon onto his hands and knees and lead him into the sleeping bag. Saxon mumbled his protests as Ruby shushed him, she climbed into the sleeping bag with him, it was a tight fit but both of them fit into the sleeping bag.

"Warm," Saxon mumbled half asleep.

Ruby nodded, she could feel how cold he is. She squealed softly and blushed as Saxon wrapped his arm around her and mumbled, "Warm."

Ruby fell back to sleep very happy.

Saxon woke up slowly, the first thing he realized was he was tightly fitted into the sleeping bag. The second thing he realized was he was holding something close, finally he realized that the something was Ruby Rose.

Saxon let out a meep and slowly wiggled his way out of the sleeping bag, trying to not wake up Ruby. He quickly checked to make sure she was asleep, then quickly changed into his fresh set of clothes. Saxon stepped out of the tent and into the Whitefall forest.

Saxon quickly found some firewood and got a fire going. He quickly went into the tent to grab cooking supplies he brought which included a pan, two plates, two forks, a few eggs and BACON!

Once Saxon finished breakfast he took the two plates into the tent and he found Ruby still asleep, "Ruby, up and at em."

Ruby moaned and rolled over, "Go away."

"I have food," Saxon said smirking.

"Fiiiine," Ruby said struggling to get out of the sleeping bag.

Ruby struggled her way out, sat on the sleeping bag and slid the hood of Saxon's hoodie down. She looks so cute, Saxon thought as he handed her a plate.

"Thank you Saxon," Ruby said taking the plate.

There was a moment of silence before Saxon asked, "Soooooooooo...how'd I end up in the sleeping bag with you?"

"I woke up and you were shivering and I had you move into the sleeping bag," Ruby said looking at her plate, blushing.

Saxon smiled and sat next to the redhead, "Thank you."

"It's no big deal," Ruby said smiling at Saxon, making his heart beat faster.

The two ate their meal and Saxon left the tent so Ruby could get back into combat gear. Once Ruby finished she saw Saxon had cleaned up and was going through basic exercises with his swords, she watched for a second before clearing her throat and watching Saxon put away the tent.

"How much farther till we reach your dad's grave," Ruby asked as they started off.

"3 hours or so," Saxon said.

Ruby nodded, great now I'll have plenty of time to figure out how tell him about my feelings she thought as she walked.

The walk went by quickly, half of the time they shared comfortable silence and the other half they talked about almost anything. It stopped when Saxon and Ruby stood on the edge of a cliff, a very big, tall cliff. Saxon smiled, "We're here."

Ruby looked at the gap, it must be at least 40 feet she thought. "Your dad's grave...is on the other side of that gap?"

"You'll see."

Ruby examined the gap, "I'm going to need a running start

Saxon winced, "We don't have time for that."

Ruby looked at him, "How am I supposed to get across?"

Saxon smiled at her before picking her up in a bridal carry, "W-what are you doing?!"

Saxon took a few steps back and ran, jumped at the edge and activated his semblance allowing them float across the gap. Ruby was clinging onto Saxon, praying that she wouldn't fall but once she realized that Saxon wouldn't drop her, she relaxed in Saxon's arms.

Saxon landed on the other side and set Ruby down, "See that wasn't so bad."

Ruby didn't say anything because she was too busy internally celebrating that she was in Saxon's arm's and she fell behind him as they walked some more.

They reached what looked like the bottom of a 10 foot tall cliff that was covered in snow.

"Are gonna have to climb this," Ruby asked.

"No. We're here," Saxon reached out and dusted some snow of the cliffside to reveal a medium size mirror with the words, 'Rest Is Impossible For Armonias,' emblazoned on it.

"Ummm...ok what are we supposed to do," Ruby asked.

Saxon smiled, "Finish the saying."

Saxon leaned forward and fogged up the mirror with his breath and wrote with his finger in the fog, 'For We Must Always Keep The Balance.' Once he finished, the mirror disappeared into the rock and a small section of the cliff opened up as a doorway just big enough for Saxon and had ample room for Ruby.

"Follow me," Saxon said as they stepped into the door way.

Saxon and Ruby had been walking for a few minutes when they finally saw light, it was a well lite by torches, long, narrow room. As they walked Ruby realized something, this was a family crypt. Each family member had a tombstone and above it inside the wall, encased in glass were their weapon or weapons.

As they kept walk Ruby realized how long Saxon's family has been around. Ruby was lost in thought about Saxon's family when she realized she was alone. Ruby looked back to see Saxon had stopped at certain headstone.

Ruby walked to Saxon's side and read the tombstone in front of them. 'Tristan Armonia' she read. Saxon's father, she looked at Saxon's face and saw something she had never seen before, a tear. It slowly built up to him crying. Ruby did the only thing she could, she wrapped her arms around him and told him it would be okay.

Once Saxon had finished he cleared his voice and said, "Thank you...can I have a few minutes alone."

Ruby nodded her head and started back the way they came but turned around to say, "If you need me, just yell."

Saxon watched Ruby wander back down they way they came, examining the weapons behind the glass. Saxon turned back to his father's tombstone, "Hi, dad. It's been a year since I came to see you, a lot has happened... I'm going to Beacon like I promised I would. I still have Jace watching my back, so you don't have to worry..." Saxon sighed.

"I miss you, a lot...I'm sorry...sorry I couldn't help you...sorry, you didn't like this type of depressing stuff...I met a girl, big shocker I know. Me, a guy who hasn't had a single crush in his life, falls for a short redhead with a High-Caliber Sniper Scythe. I wish I had listened to your advice about girls because now, I don't know what I'm doing."

Saxon sighed and finished with, "Ok, I'm gonna get outta your hair. I love you dad."

Saxon started down the way he and Ruby had entered the family crypt. He shortly found Ruby examining his great great great great great grandfather's rapier through the glass, "You ready to go," she asked softly.

Saxon nodded and lead the way out of the crypt. As they stepped out into the cold forest both of them noticed something, it was eerily quiet. Then they heard a howl, "Beowulves," Ruby said reaching for Crescent Rose

"We gotta get out of here," Saxon said looking up the cliff.

"Why? It's just...a few...Beowulves," Ruby's voice trailed off as red eyes appeared in the tree cover, many, many, many, MANY red eyes.

"Up the cliff," Saxon said quickly activating his semblance and jumping.

Ruby quickly followed using the recoil of her sniper rifle to lift her to the top with Saxon. Saxon looked out their was a long clearing, like a airstrip.

Saxon quickly took out his scroll and called Dez, "Hello?"

"Dez! We need to get out of here 5 minutes ago!"

" I'm on my way."

Saxon put his scroll away and started attacking the Beowulves trying to climb the cliff. Ruby was shooting them off while Saxon was slashing at them when they got too close. But they were slowly getting overwhelmed.

The sound of a engine approached. It was their bullhead thankfully. Dez landed it 10 feet behind them, Saxon and Ruby knew that if they stopped they would have to go top speed into the bullhead to not get torn apart.

"On 3," Saxon yelled.

"Ok!"

"1...2...," as Saxon was about to say three he felt Ruby run and crash into his chest and haul him into the bullhead. Dez took off immediately closing the side hatch.

They had been in the air for a solid minute and Ruby was still on top of Saxon, she hadn't moved. Ruby just stared at him.

"Ru-," Saxon started but was cut off the best kind of way.

Saxon didn't know why and he didn't care why, but Ruby Rose was kissing him. He awkwardly rested his hands on her lower back while Ruby cupped Saxon's cheeks. Saxon breathed in her scent, roses and strawberries.

When Ruby finally pulled away, there was a light pop and she smiled, "I love you."

Saxon felt his heart jump up and down and he barely managed to get out, "I love you too."

Ruby smiled, "Will you be mine?"

"Only if you'll be mine."

"Yes."

"Then yes."

The now couple kissed again, it was much more innocent but just as amazing. They climbed off the floor into the seats, what they couldn't see was Dez smirking in the cockpit.

"I just realized something," Ruby said as she and Saxon held hands and she used he shoulder as a pillow.

"Hm?"

"We left our bags outside the crypt,"

"Well...we can't get them now."

Ruby laughed softly as she fell asleep and Saxon didn't last much longer before joining her.

AN: Hey I'm back again! Look at that Saxon and Ruby are *drumroll* Red Winter! I actually got the idea from Projekt Red, what you told me eventually turned into Red Winter so thank you. Please drop a review it makes my day a little better and follow or favorite so you can stay up to date on the series.