And back to writing more of this...

Chapter 10:

The dry throat and nerves that Arslan was feeling at this point was nearly unstoppable. She wasn't sure what was causing her to do such a stupid move. Almost suicidal given her entire family and community she grew up in was going to ditch her entirely. There was no chance that she'd be able save any of those relationships.

Hell she felt like it would be a miracle if she wasn't black balled entirely from the community. But if she was being honest, as it stood, there wasn't anything wrong with that. she'd have her girlfriend, she'd have her friends, she'd have just about everyone that made her well and truly happy and feel loved.

Unlike the near wrath that she had seen and felt like the victim of her parents contempt any second that they were alone. Nothing was stopping her from going through with this at this point. She knew she had to, and was made all the more thankful of the small teen standing next to her.

Before she could even realised it she felt a small hand into her own. Looking down she could see the smile on Ruby's face just shining through. Gifting her all the confidence that she could have. It just seemed to have felt right.

Using her free hand, Arslan reached into her pocket, her fingers just gracing her keys causing her to smile. She knew that then and there, this really was the right course of action and Ruby wasn't going to abandon her. All that remained to this equation was making her parents see reason.

"Just please stay with me throughout this." Arslan said as Ruby just smiled and squeezed the hand tightly.

"I won't. You are my proud Lioness, I'd never leave you... and frankly I don't even know how I got you in the first place. And I doubt it will be that bad." Ruby began flashing Arslan a smile. One that the blonde woman couldn't help but feel like it was a little disingenuous. Before she could even press further for information, Ruby seemingly beat her to the punch when she spoke up again, "And can we actually go in now? I really have to go to the little girl's room... and I had to go for the last twenty or so minutes but I didn't want to jinx you while you were trying to convince yourself again that this is the right thing to do."

Shaking her head a little Arslan just slipped the key into the lock again. "Why didn't you say something sooner? Especially if we've been out here this long. I'm sure there has already been one or two nosey neighbours wanting to know what we've been doing." Arslan said opening the door, sadly slipping her hand free from Ruby. She didn't want to ruin her small surprise. She couldn't really afford it ruined if Ruby needed the bathroom.

"Bathroom is just under the stairs." Arslan began as her and Ruby started to walk into the house. She didn't like the feeling the house was giving her now that Ruby was no longer holding onto her hand.

Fear. That was what she supposed the house was giving her. Something that it had constantly been giving her ever since she had even met Ruby. But this time the walls seemed to hold a lot more malice.

Malice because she knew now that she wouldn't be able to lie her way out of it. She had to do this. She had to potentially ruin her entire life just to abandon this sickly feeling she had when ever she was in her parents presence.

Hell she even doubted that they would be able to get out of the small estate unhindered. As of where they stood, that was what mattered to her. If that was the least that she could get, then she'd be happy.

The sight of Ruby running into the room and closing the door, made Arslan oddly feel worse. Her mouth became infinitely dryer, a knot seemingly redoubled it's size in her throat, and her legs having been turned to jelly had been the cherry on the sundae of miserable that she was having. At this point she doubted if she would ever be able to get out of this situation.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Arslan took a deep breath hoping it would calm her nerves enough so she could move. This was seeming like a more and more daunting feat. But she knew what she was doing it for. For the love of her life just under the stairs.

Walking to just the door frame separating her and Ruby, Arslan could feel her resolve fade there. That was as far as she could go into this den of monsters that wouldn't think twice before they would destroy her.

'Lord, you shut the mouths of the lions to save Daniel when he was forced into their den... please, shut the mouths of the lions once more. Amen.' Arslan thought calmly, hoping that she would be saved. Something would stop her from losing everything of her past. She didn't want to have to choose, because she knew that with one it would be happiness with Ruby and her friends, even if her and Ruby don't make it. Or oppression and agony with her parents.

She already made the observation that happiness was the way to go, and didn't want to think that her parents to go through the agony of learning that happiness and love is a valid option. Not contempt and disgust from every date they had set her up on.

Getting pulled from her thoughts at the sound of the toilet flushing followed by the sink, Arslan just breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that she knew no matter what, she'd only have a few more minutes left of her parents ignorance on the topic. And once the ignorance was removed there was no going back. But as the door opened revealing Ruby's smiling face, she knew it was the right thing to do.

Gesturing for Ruby to come out of the room, Arslan breathed at least a tiny sigh of relief as she could hear her father talking in the living room with her mother. It was hard for her to describe how it just made her feel easier, but it did.

She wasn't sure if she was showing the nerves on her face, but judging from the hand that filled her own giving it a squeeze. She knew it was Ruby trying to show her that she was still there, that she wasn't going to back out now. That is why she supposed was the only reason that she hadn't ran out screaming.

Taking a deep breath, Arslan just looked towards Ruby once again, she knew that Ruby wasn't going to back out, but that didn't change the fact that she was still oh so very nervous. Everything was going to be ruined from a single thing.

"I promise Arslan. Nothing is going to change between us unless you want it to. If they are meanie poopy heads, then we will go back to mine and Yang's and we will have all the fun while they are stuck here eating sadness." Ruby whispered as she tried to beam all the strength and confidence she had to spare to her beautiful girlfriend. She just hoped that it would be enough for the woman. That was what ultimately mattered because she didn't need the emotional strength or even the confidence at that moment. It was the blonde woman holding onto her hand for dear life.

Smiling brighter at the sight of the woman seemingly gathering what courage she had, Ruby just smiled at the feeling of her being lead towards a closed door. She didn't know what was behind it but she assumed that it was either towards her parents, or it was towards her room. She wasn't sure which option she really wanted.

But if Ruby was being honest she would rather it be towards her parents. Just so Ruby could get a good look at them and really judge their character. Even if it would be just so she knew if they really were worse people than her own father.

As they stopped, just outside the door, Ruby smiled as she could hear the faint talking signalling one thing to her. It seemed like Arslan really was trying to get this over with as fast as possible as well as actually show Ruby her parents. It just seemed to be that much better.

"Are you ready my proud Lioness? Because I'm ready if you are." Ruby whispered again, enjoying the look that started to come across Arslan's face. She knew that look from seeing it countless times in the past. It was the same look whenever she played with the school's female sports teams. She was becoming determined and would damn the results as long as she came out on top.

After a tense silence, Ruby was unsure if she should even speak again that is until Arslan broke the silence. "Can you wait out here for a bit? I just know they are going to get vocal, and I don't want you to hear some of the slurs they'd use."Arslan asked softly as she took a deep breath. She knew that Ruby might refuse to do this simple request but she felt the need to protect the small teen. It was really the least that she could do even if it was just to save that last innocence that she had.

"If you think I can help you the best here... I will. But I swear if they something mean, or I feel like you are hurting I'm going to go in and defend you." Ruby whispered back as she felt Arslan squeeze her hand once more. "Good luck." Ruby said as Arslan slipped her hand free.

Taking a deep breath as she opened the door, she could get through this now. Walking fast into the room, Arslan stood in front of the tv that remained off and could see her parents reading some book that she couldn't care about.

As her mouth dried two fold once again, and a larger knot formed in her throat, Arslan looked over her parents' shoulders to see Ruby standing there a smile that never seemed to falter. Biting her cheek, she knew that she could do this.

"Mom, Dad, can we talk?" Arslan said feeling the knot in her throat almost redouble at the sight of her mother lowering the book and her father closing the paper over.

"About what Lion cub?" Her mother asked calmly. Some worry seeping through that still felt wrong to Arslan. Just because she knew the kind of damage this truth would do to them, and whatever standing they had in the community. But that didn't matter to her.

"It is kind of big... and personal..." Arslan began as she glanced over their shoulders once again to see Ruby restraining herself from running in. But at the sight of her father closing the paper fully and folding it in half, providing Arslan with his full attention. Something that just made the knot redevelop strong again.

"Come now Arslan, nothing is too big or too personal for us. Especially if it is something that you need the community behind you." Her father said softly as Arslan took a deep breath as she looked towards Ruby again.

"It isn't that kind of problem." Arslan started as she took one final deep breath. Biting her lip hard, Arslan looked up to see Ruby just barely containing herself. There was definitely no going back now. "I'm gay!" Arslan yelled interrupting her parents train of thought as they just stared at her. Glancing over their shoulders she could see Ruby smiling brighter as she relaxed the grip she had over herself.

"That isn't something to joke about Lion Cub. That is like joking about going to hell. So go wash up for dinner. It won't be long."

"I'm not joking Mom! I'm only attracted to women! I have a girlfriend! And I'll be damned if you expect me to repent that!" Arslan snapped unsure of why she was shouting at that point but she had to. It all just seemed to be seeping out at this point but at this point there was nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

As she met the gaze of her parents she could see it turn icy and cold as if a switch had been flipped. She knew from that sight that she wouldn't be dealing with her parents. She'd be dealing with people who were just religious to the near self destructive point.

"You aren't a homosexual. We raised you better. You are just confused. And that is the last I will hear on the topic." Her father's cold voice seemed to carry a heavier weight as Arslan just met his gaze. "We raised you by the scripture and I will not let my own daughter be doomed to spend eternity in hell."

"I'm not confused. I've dated the same woman for years. And the scripture says 'though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be wool.' if the Lord can forgive someone who was born to be attracted to something different then I am sure my own parents can forgive me." Arslan seethed as she could see Ruby getting ready to just seemingly run into the room.

"It also says 'There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, not a sodomite of the sons of Israel.' So I'll say it again. Enough of this silly joke! Homosexuality isn't something you are born into. The only sin you are born into is of Adam and Eve eating the fruit." The man continued to yell as Arslan's eyes snapped up to try and freeze Ruby to the spot just a step into the room.

Seemingly shaking off Arslan's gaze, Ruby walked into the room and stood next to Arslan. Sighing as she knew there was definitely no going out peacefully now. There was only going to be violence being tossed from one to another. The best she could hope for really is for them to be paralysed with anger.

"Mom Dad, meet Ruby. My girlfriend. And I can assure you, nothing about what we do is sinful. We kiss, we cuddle and we watch crap movies. But I'm far happier with her than I am here. I'm more myself with her than I am with any man I've been forced to go on a date with." Arslan stated as Ruby slipped her hand into her own. Arslan just knew there was a smile on Ruby's face as she stared at the anger in her own parents' eyes. "So what other proof do you want? Or are you just going to continue to spout the same lies you tell to children so they eventually become hate filled and shun the advances of happiness or even from a friend just because they are of a different religion?"

"You. Aren't. A lesbian!"

At the sound of that from her father, Arslan rolled her eyes. Grabbing Ruby's face she quickly pulled her into a kiss. It wasn't one where she deepened it, but she knew it was going to be a lot more than one a friend or family member would share.

She could just feel Ruby wanting to deepen the kiss, but she pulled back and stare at her parents once again. "I told you bot-."

"GET OUT!"

Shaking her head at the screaming, Arslan knew that this wasn't going to be the final time but she seemed to be unable to remove the programming she had gone through as a child. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."

Continuing to stare at her parent's eyes, Arslan just met the contempt that seemed to be oozing from the duo. "GET OUT AND NEVER COME BACK!" Her mother shrieked as Arslan sighed already knowing that this was going to be the preferred outcome once it came out.

Reaching into her pocket, Arslan pulled out her keys and pushed the carabiniere in to slip out the keys and tossed them onto the couch between her parents.

"Arslan... go grab some clothes..." Ruby muttered as she could see the entire family's gaze shoot to her. Causing her to just realise that she hadn't said a single word since she walked into the room. "I'll be fine. I don't need my Lioness to protect me right now." Ruby said as she could see another war brewing in Arslan.

Sighing once again Arslan started to walk out of the room as Ruby turned to look at the remaining adults. Once Ruby was sure she could hear the steps on the stairs shortly followed by some movement on the upstairs.

"You know, I thought she was joking about the monsters you two were." Ruby began snapping them from the gaze they had on the spot where Arslan had been standing. "I mean my father who is a rapist and didn't shy away from that attitude at home with me... I'd still rather take him over either of you. And despite what my sister would have me believe I know that would mean I'd need to be on a bus for three hours to go to some jail for visitation." Ruby continued as she started to walk out of the room only stopping to turn around and glare at the two.

"You two should have considered yourselves lucky to have such a wonderful person in your life... nothing is wrong or gross about our love. It is just love. And if that is going to send us to hell... then I'm sure it will be a better place than here." Ruby stated with a humph as she walked out just in time to see Arslan nearly barrelling down the stairs and to the door to hold it open for Ruby.

Standing up a little Ruby placed a chaste kiss on Arslan's lips before she pulled back and smiled at her. "I'm proud of you. Now let's get away from these stuffy people..." Ruby said with a smile as she snagged Arslan's free hand and started to pull the teen out through the door.

'If anything can steal her smile away... I don't want to ever see or hear it.' Arslan thought as she let herself get pulled down the stairs and out the small yard as she could feel a smile poke at the edge of her cheeks.

Author's Note:

So... that was a thing... I'll admit that took a while to write just because the people I know IRL didn't have that kind of upbringing... it has always been a 'if your happy and it's legal then fine' kind of upbringing. Anyway ramble over... I'm going to eat some ham...