And more...

Chapter 21:

As the plates were placed down, Ruby smiled as she looked at the sight. The way it looked so delicate that she knew it was going to be delicious even if it looked scarcer than a mouthful. It just made her lust after what was to come after.

She'd have been lying if she said she wasn't in the same boat as Pyrrha before the reception of just dreaming about this meal. Not that she'd reveal that. She didn't want Pyrrha to have something like that over her head. she'd never be able to live it down from the way she joked about smaller things Pyrrha did when she was a lot younger.

When the silence set in Ruby almost laughed at everyone looking towards Sun and him being slightly oblivious. Smirking as moved her hand under the table she lightly smacked his leg to get his attention.

Groaning as he looked towards Ruby, he took in the sight of everyone and just glanced back towards his friend. As if asking silently 'now?' as Ruby just rolled her eyes and nodded.

Grasping the flute in front of him, Sun stood up and smiled. "I'm not going to lie, I didn't know the best man was meant to give a speech. And I've forgotten what Red's dad told me... so this is all going to be off the cuff." Sun began as Ruby pinched the bridge of her nose. Trying her hardest to remember why she picked Sun for something like this.

"I met Red when we were living on the streets. Just after a horrible break up that was earth shattering to her. She was ready to die from exposure. Just wanting to be done with life, and any means was better. My point isn't that everyone here who loves Red should give me some pass or anything. It is that I've seen Red at her worse." Sun started taking a slight reprieve as to see how the story was going down amongst his audience.

"Before I knew it years passed. And she became easily my best friend. Even if she won't admit it outright I know I have the honour of being her best friend. Kind of why I'm here... that and the free food." Sun started getting interrupted by some chuckling. Sparing a glance down towards Ruby he could see her just chuckling herself. "Back then we had each other's backs. I've been shot helping her and she'd patch me up. And she's been stabbed a few times and I helped her the best I could while she patched herself up... this all came to a head when one night I was off the streets helping a different friend in the hospital from an accident legally I have to say I had nothing to do with it. But who walks behind cans while nail gun trick shots are happening?" Sun stopped once again just to take a breath, he knew that this was a part that Ruby didn't want to be known but he still enjoyed the story.

"Red had found her way to one of the people who instils as much fear as Mama Red does. She made Red overdose, and ditched her at the hospital. That night after an argument, I managed to convince her to go to a meeting at the cost of a hot meal and my participation as well. Something I'm ashamed a little to admit I forgot about almost instantly and after work went to a gay bar. But that was when Tall Red met Red. And she did the one thing a lot of people, myself included tried. She got Red clean. She got Red's family back together, and after some shit hit the fan... she even accepted Red back with open arms. Before I knew it they were dating and I realised, I lost my position of best friend. Tall Red in my absence that night started to take it and seeing as honesty has been my point from the start... if I had to lose it to anyone, I'm glad it was Tall Red that took it. And now she took my best friend's hand completing each other." Sun ranted off before he took a large mouthful of air before he continued. "To the couple that no other couple can come close to how happy they make each other, Ruby and Pyrrha." Sun added as he held the glass out for everyone to acknowledge that his speech was over.

Taking his seat again as he sipped the bubbly liquid, he started to stare at his food and noticed that he felt his friend looking at him. "That's the first time you called me by my real name." Ruby whispered as she picked up her own fork.

"And the last time Red. It just felt wrong. I hope this is how Neptune felt when he did what he did." Sun stated as Ruby just looked at him questioningly. Causing him to look back towards his friend. "I said that last part out loud didn't I? Look Red, I'll tell you later. Today is about you and Tall Red." Sun continued as he witnessed Ruby just accepting that fact as she turned back to her meal.

"Enjoy the food." Ruby said as a little hurt that her friend wouldn't have revealed anything like that intentionally. It was through a slip up that she found out.

"I shall... but is this the entire thing?" Sun asked looking around the plate trying to see if there was more that he was just missing.

"No it is the starter. It is meant to be small. The main comes shortly after the final plate is lifted." Ruby said as she picked the fork up and started to spear the delicate rose patterns of meat before placing it into her mouth. A smile as she could finally notice that Sun seemed to just accept that answer and started to follow her lead.

Swallowing the mouthful, Sun couldn't help but notice the parts of table falling into light conversation except for Tall Red and her sister next to her. Something that Sun had no idea as to why they hadn't been as happy as they had been when they met again. Almost as if something had drained all the mirth that was once filled them.

"What's with them?" Sun asked as Ruby just shook her head.

"Long story short, turns out her sister does dope and I had to tell Pyrrha as her sister was strung out on the toilet." Ruby said as she rested the fork down beside the plate as she turned to see Pyrrha lightly poking one of the pieces of meat. Something that caused Ruby to just smile. Placing her closest free hand below the table, Ruby rested her hand on Pyrrha's lap, almost laughing at the sight of her jumping a little at the contact.

"It is just like ham Pyrrha. Just cut thinner and preserved more while whole." Ruby said as with a small chuckle as Pyrrha lowered a hand down to pick up Ruby's hand to shift it from her lap. Knowing that she couldn't keep it there with how she wanted to act.

"It isn't that. I know you've used it once or twice. It is just... I'm not really hungry any more. How could I be with the shit show this has turned into?" Pyrrha whispered as Ruby shook her head and quickly caught Pyrrha's hand before she could pull it out from under the table.

"Because you need to keep your strength up. If you are going to push yourself too far you're going to do nothing but harm yourself and your sister at the same time. So trust me, eat up. It will make you feel a lot better. Especially seeing as according to my Mom she picked our first dance song." Ruby said as she could feel Pyrrha's hand tense as she looked towards Ruby. "Yang told her apparently and to what I assume was to get the heat off her from doing something stupid that we hadn't decided on what song and had even planned on not doing a first dance." Ruby said with a slight chuckle as she could see minor anger flare in her wife's emerald orbs once again.

"If Yang hadn't helped me out I'd skin her alive. When did this happen?" Pyrrha stated as Ruby looked down to see her stabbing one of the delicate flowers of meat and vegetables.

"Couple of hours ago. I only know because my Mom came to me to say that we should be thankful that she plugged that hole that would sink the relationship. Or something to that effect. I couldn't follow her reasoning and I didn't really want to yell at her. She already threatened to castrate Dumbass and nearly shoved Adam's pistol down his throat." Ruby said as Pyrrha breathed a slightly shaky breath of what Ruby knew was some anger as she looked back at her plate looking for something else to skewer when she noticed the lack of anything on her plate.

"Is any of that true?" Pyrrha asked silently a little hoping that all of it was but at the same time thankful that Ruby had managed to get her to eat. Even if it was all entirely a lie. She felt like she needed it at that moment.

"Most of it is. The only difference is I found out from someone in the band asking me if that was okay. It is something like a waltz from what I gathered. And I was actually going to tell you sooner but we had something more important." Ruby continued as Pyrrha just breathed a sigh as she looked towards Ruby, squeezing her hand once more. As if she was trying to remind the woman all over again how thankful she was to have her there. How Ruby had just managed to make everything feel that much better even if the world just felt like it was kicking her at that moment.

"We are going to look so stupid out there." Pyrrha said with a slight chuckle, one Ruby joined in

"I don't mind looking stupid if you are there with me." Ruby added as she could here a small chant of 'kiss' earning a lighter chuckle. Raising a hand to just rest behind her wife's neck, Ruby pulled her down lightly to plant a kiss on the woman's lips. Enjoying the way that Pyrrha just seemed to relax into the feeling.

Pulling back, Pyrrha just smiled as she looked into the silver eyes. "Thank you for everything you've done for me today. So much so if we didn't have my sister with us, I would rock your world all night long." Pyrrha stated as Ruby just smiled at her.

"You're my wife. I kind of need to help you. And even if you weren't, I'd still help you just to see you smile." Ruby stated before she leaned back up and placed a second chaste kiss on the woman's lips. Enjoying how she felt Pyrrha return the kiss with twice the vigour and passion that she put in.

Slipping the key into the lock, Ruby nearly kicked the door open as she quickly bent down to pick Pyrrha up who had been laughing as her sister who was connected to her wrist winced in pain. As if she was trying to remind the duo of her presence.

Not that Ruby forgot about it. She just felt like they still had to keep this one tradition because the rest had been removed forcibly from them. Something that alone was a little amusing to her, just from how much the teen had been sulking as Pyrrha clung onto her neck.

Stepping to her side as she walked in a method to minimise the pain Octavia would be in. She couldn't help but feel that this would at least also serve as a nice reminder to the woman about some of the pain she had just put Pyrrha through. Once they were fully through the frame, Ruby started to lower a drunken Pyrrha who was barely standing up now causing Ruby just to brace the woman.

"Let this be a lesson to you Octavia. Carrying a drunk chick is just as annoying as having a wedding night beaver dammed by your sister in law. And alcohol hits like a tonne of bricks once the adrenalin is gone." Ruby panted as she looked to her wife. "Now can I have the key Pyrrha?" Ruby asked as the woman giggled.

"You need to find it." Pyrrha giggled out causing Ruby and Octavia both groan in unison. "I'll give you a hint... it is between your two favourite parts to place your head between." as those words left Pyrrha's mouth Ruby almost laughed at the sound of Octavia groaning once more.

"I suggest closing your eyes." Ruby stated as the teen quickly closed them and clamped her unbound hand over them. Smiling as she started to pull the dress down a little, Ruby stuck her hand inside her wife's cleavage and smiled as she felt the metal. Pulling her hand free, Ruby smiled at the small key and quickly slipped it into the cuff that was around Pyrrha's hand and unlocked it. "Okay Pyrrha, go get ready for bed, I'll tuck your sister into bed." Ruby said as her drunk wife started to brace herself against a wall as she walked down the hallway.

Once she could see the door close, ignoring the wink Pyrrha gave her, Ruby turned to her sister who had uncovered her face to glare at the woman. "What the hell does she see in you?"

"I've asked myself that a few dozen times today alone and I've never found an answer. But come on." Ruby said giving a light tug on the handcuffs. "When she comes to tomorrow, I suggest you beg for the medically induced coma. The sickness is really the main thing that causes people to not want to get clean."

The teen stated as Ruby opened the door to her old room and walked in. "I can handle anything." Octavia stated as Ruby clicked the cuff into place just so she wouldn't be able to get free.

"In a few hours you are going to get the first bout of it. That dose that had the effects negated, it is still very much in your system. It is going to be a painful few hours as you feel your skin crawl and you aim to inflict pain on yourself for even a few minutes of reprieve. To then get hit hard again, until every last grain has left your body." Ruby said as she stared into the woman's eyes. Trying to show how serious she was about this. "My guess is after an hour you'll be begging to not be doing it here. And by noon it will be far too late for you to change your mind. So chew that over." Ruby said as she stood up, flicking the light off as she walked out of the room.

Author's Note:

Boom. Time to finish sly 2... see you all next time.

Guest: The 'boom' isn't to show something big happening. It is just what I say at the end of a chapter. If something big happened I would play coy and act like nothing happened.And you are aware that is how hospitals and rehab centres actually purge the system of drugs? Just less metal cuffs and more padded, but the principle stays the same.