Beta Read by: Crescent Sunrise
Recommended Story: "Something About Peace and Quiet" by FlawedVictori
~MZ~
May shivers and groans pulling on her blankets so they would cover her bare back before reaching for her top so she can pull it back into place, only to realize it's missing entirely. That get's her attention as her eyes pop open and she starts patting herself down under her blanket and wondering why she's dressed only in a pair of shorts. Thinking back to the evening before the last thing she remembered was getting a massage from her adorable girlfriend, making out with her after and then cuddling into the adorable girl.
'Must have fallen asleep. Damn, she was just so warm and those hands are a little too good at relaxing me. But ooooooh so worth it, I bet that skill will translate well into other areas in the future. Something to look forward to I bet. Hope I didn't upset her by falling asleep though.' May considers, taking a deep breath before snaking an arm out of her comforter to reach for her scroll.
One press of the button later and she realizes the problem with having fallen asleep so early in the evening being that she was now awake at an ungodly hour. Her alarm wouldn't go off for another few hours and while May would like to just roll over and go back to sleep she knew it would be an effort in futility. Her sleep had been deep and restful and it would have had to been in order to miss Ruby slipping out of her grip sometime last evening. So with a sigh May pushed herself up but kept her blankets around her as she grabbed some sweats and slippers sliding into them from under the cocoon of warmth before daring to remove the blanket.
Not exactly the sexiest outfit but she wasn't exactly planning on anyone being awake to see her walking around, and it was certainly comfortable. So fifteen minutes later found May in the dorm kitchen shared by several other teams. Knowing Nolan like she did he would have a section set aside for their team and labeled with the bare basics for breakfast and sure enough when she opened one of the fridges she found some basic food stuff there along with a few sealed containers she refused to go near voluntarily.
His immune boosters were meant for her and she would drink it when he made her if only to avoid worrying him but she certainly wasn't going looking for that disgusting slime.
So, mission in mind she set to making her team breakfast. The men would appreciate waking up to pancakes and it wasn't often May got to do this for them considering how often at least one of them would wake up before her.
Before the pancakes were made May cooked up some sausages adding them to a plate and covering it with a paper towel to both help absorb some of the excess grease and keep the links warm while she made the pancakes using the grease left in the pan to keep the fluffy flat breakfast items from sticking.
Plates made, May decorated them with the toppings her friends enjoyed. Simple syrup for Roy and Brawnz, honey for Nolan the weirdo, and a strawberry jam for herself. She had considered making an extra plate and inviting Ruby but had no idea how late Ruby got back to her room and decided not to risk waking up her girlfriend if she could avoid it.
'Plenty of time to cook for Ruby after the tournament. It's not like a war is going to break out between Vale and Vacuo or anything… Besides, if I'm cooking for Ruby I want to be able to tease her too, maybe apron and undies? Ohh she would get that delightful blush and nervous twitching. Zedong, you can occasionally have great ideas.'
With that in mind May placed her scroll in her off hand before carefully moving the plates on her arms and heading for her dorm rooms, very glad the hallways was still mostly early with a few early risers wandering about so she wouldn't have to work to hard on avoiding them.
With her scroll she unlocked the door to their room and carefully opened the door letting out a relieved sigh when she could finally start setting the plates down.
May waits for a few minutes pulling chairs to a small table the group shared in the room letting the smell permeate the air and begin its work rousing her team. When it seemed only Nolan was anywhere near awake enough to get up on his own May smirked and said the only word she ever had to when it came to making them breakfast. "Pancakes".
"May's pancakes?!" comes the immediate response from Roy that serves to wake up the other two with loud groans from both of them until the words sink in and they bolt up looking at the little table before starting to pull themselves from their beds.
"You're up early May, Not surprised though, you were already asleep when we got here. Girlfriend was adorable when she tried to protect your modesty though." Nolan mentions with a chuckle before a concerned look crosses his face and he sets the back of his hand against May's forehead. "You must have been really out of it not to notice her squirming when she tried to cover you with the blanket and escape the bed at the same time. You feeling okay?"
"I feel fine dammit, If you try and make me ruin this breakfast with one of your boosters I will hurt you. And if you don't shut up and eat your pity pancakes before Roy finishes his, I'll give him yours." May responds with narrowed eyes. Fighting the smirk on her face as Roy sped up his devouring at the same time Nolan abandoned his mother henning to start on his breakfast.
"Pity pancakes?" Brawnz asks with a raised brow and an amused smile.
May shrugs first as she cuts into her own food and savors her first bite before bothering to reply verbally. "Yup, I figure that losing in our first round required pity pancakes so you men can cry into them before facing the outside world and pretending it doesn't bother you." She replies barely managing to keep a serious look on her face as the rest of her team snorts and chuckles.
When May finished her own pancakes she stood and stretched leaving the plate and utensils on the table. The guys would clean up since she cooked, it was only fair and she knew she wouldn't hear a complaint about it. "Well, I don't know about you guys but today's the second half of round one and I have a girlfriend to spoil as much as I can before this festival ends and they ship us home."
With a wave over her shoulder she goes to her bed and grabs a change of clothes and a towel before heading into the shower.
Only to be forced to drink one of Nolan's boosters when she exits and comes face to face with her partner holding one of the dreaded bottles. She would get him for this. But later, gym first, then girlfriend, and then revenge… And somewhere in there she had to have a chat with Nebula.
~RR~
Ruby was just finishing up her morning run when she noticed May watching her from the same bench Ruby used to hold her towel and a bottle of water. The sniper was still in her workout clothes and the runner couldn't help but notice how the way she posed with her arms wrapped around one of her legs draws Ruby's attention to her legs and the rounded shape of her…
Ruby stumbled as her mind stopped paying attention to the ground she was running on and, not for the first time since meeting May, nearly ended up falling over entirely. With a bright blush on her face she hurried over at a sprint before picking up the towel next to May and using it to hide her face as she wiped away sweat.
"And what were you thinking about that lead to the near face plant, Little Red?" May asks drawing a groan from the younger girl as she lowers her towel to pout at her girlfriend.
'Of course she wouldn't just let that slip up go.'
When May responds to the pout by pulling Ruby onto the bench with her it draws a little yelp of surprise from the little reaper. One that only escalates when May pulls her into a close hug. "M-may quit it, I'm all sweaty and gross."
The response whispered into her ear in that teasing and alluring tone that is just so very unfair only makes Ruby squirm more albeit for different reasons. "It's no big deal Little Red, I just came from the gym so I'm about the same… Or are you just upset that we weren't getting all sweaty together?"
'She's going to kill me. My girlfriend is going to tease me until my heart can't take it and just explodes.'
What Ruby wasn't expecting though was for May to let her go and slide away down the bench making Ruby's eyes go wide with worry that she might have done something to upset her girlfriend. Honestly, Ruby didn't mind being held because May was right, they both would be showering soon anyway.
She wasn't left to worry long though as May moved closer for a moment and pulled Ruby's legs up and into her lap. Ruby shifted a bit to get comfort and when she stilled Ruby could feel May's hands sliding along her calves and knees before teasing up her thighs and moving back down.
"I wanted to thank you, for cheering me up yesterday after my match. I know you wanted to keep watching the other fights." May admits. "I was hoping I could repay the favor in part at least." May offers and Ruby can feel the snipers fingers tense and rub into her worn muscles soothing away the ache of exertion.
'Dangerous. I let her keep going like this and I'll have trouble walking back to the dorm room. But it feels so goooood.'
Ruby briefly considers letting May start right where they are but she can smell her own sweat and the feeling of it drying on her skin is less than pleasant. So with a groan she turns and leans into May. "Okay, but not here. I want to shower... and you need one too," she say with a sniff. "You can use the one in my dorm if you want and I'll take the massage after."
The Sniper gets 'that look' again and a shiver of excitement runs up along Ruby's spine when she notices it. And all to soon there's a hand at her waist and she's being pulled into a searing kiss that makes her toes curl in her shoes and a soft moan to escape her lips. Lips that part happily under the tender probing of May's tongue.
The little reaper never noticed the arms pulling her in and cradling her body. She just knew that she felt safe and loved. She felt like she was floating and it took her several moments after the kiss ended to realize that she was being carried, the muscles in May's arms easily felt through her work out clothes as they make their way towards the dorm rooms. The taller sniper looking entirely unconcerned when they pass the few people awake at this time.
Ruby does notice there's an awkward moment though when they pass by Pyrrha and Jaune on their way to the gym and the tall redhead pauses to stare at May with a look Ruby can't quite figure out. The wink May gives in return though has that annoying tight feeling return for a moment before she shifts herself closer, drawing her girlfriends eyes back down onto herself with an adoring look that fills Ruby with warmth.
~MZ~
May doesn't set her down until they're in front of Ruby's dorm room and follows the young leader in with a grin on her face. She contents herself with one of the chair the girls set up for studying in, leaning it back on its back feet with the back pressing against the desk while Ruby takes her shower.
Her thoughts turning to the redhead they passed on their way here even as her eyes roam around the room, including the sleeping form of Weiss. 'She doesn't want to make a scene that's for sure or she would have said something right there. I really need to talk to Ruby before Pyrrha confronts me so I can respond appropriately. And I have to talk to Nebula about that dirty trick she pulled. Getting in my head to put me off my game I can ignore since we're competing, I kind of expected it, but messing with Myrtle's Bloom is not okay.'
With a groan of irritation May rubs her temples with the palms of her hands. Stress bothering her as she thinks about the two conversations she'd actually rather not have. She hadn't thought Pyrrha would take offense to her flirting really. They'd been around each other enough now that she had assumed Pyrrha would think May was just teasing her like everyone else. But apparently after the conversation they had, Pyrrha took exception to something.
May could feel the headache forming as she tried to attack the problem from every angle she could think of until Ruby came out of the shower and May got up to take her place, sighing a bit in relief as she let water temporarily wash away her troubles. She would take them one at a time like always. Besides she had something more important to focus on, namely her pretty girlfriend waiting for May to give her a much earned massage.
As May stepped out dressed in a simple pair of jeans with a white shirt over her top she had to side step quickly to avoid Weiss moving past her. "Huh, I figured we'd see Yang or Blake around." She comments turning back to see Ruby looking distinctly uncomfortable laying on the bare carpet while fiddling with her scroll. A sight that makes her chuckle with amusement as she heads first for Ruby's bed where she takes down the blanket and pillow folding the blanket in half vertically before setting it down on the ground.
"Yang probably dragged Blake off somewhere" Ruby comments looking over at May before shifting on top of the blanket and laying her head on the pillow.
"I guess I'll just focus on your legs then and we'll figure out if we have time for more after, hmm?" May offers before seating herself at Ruby's feet and sliding forward so they rest in her lap before starting on the left. "I also need to talk to Nebula some time today. I don't know why she would, but she messed with my gun yesterday. It wouldn't have changed the match but it could have if Pyrrha hadn't rushed me at the start like that."
May listens to Ruby groan with pleasure and tries not to let her mind wander into dangerous waters but she can tell the moment her words sink in as Ruby tenses and starts to turns over forcing May to lean in and press a hand against the younger girls back to keep her from doing so.
"She's been so nice to us so far, why do you think that?" Ruby asks eventually after May resumes rubbing her feet.
"Yeah she has, but she knows my code and I ran into her leaving the weapon lockers just before my match and suddenly my gun is off during the match? I checked it a few hours before just to be sure." May sighs her hands running down the well toned leg in front of her as she lets her lips kiss Ruby's ankle when it passes by. "Honestly I just don't understand why…"
"Are you going to be okay? I know she's your ex but you seemed really happy when she visited you after your mission." Ruby asks and May can't help but hear the concern there.
"Are you kidding? I have the beautiful and badass Ruby Rose for a girlfriend. I couldn't be happier, sucks we broke up but I like to think it's just her loss. Poor straight girl doesn't know what she's missing, and if she did mess with my gun then I don't want her for a friend either." She states, enjoying the blush she can see creeping up Ruby's ears.
At that silence settles in for the time being as Ruby groans and gasps whenever May manages to find a troubling knot of muscle. And it's into this silence that Weiss walks in, takes one look at the pair of them and the noises her partner is making before raising her brow at May who grins right back. Watching silently as Weiss informs Ruby of her plans to spend the day with her older sister and getting a lazy wave from the little reaper in return.
After Weiss leaves the room it falls into relative silence again as May's fingers finally leave Ruby's legs and she repositions over her girlfriends back seating herself on Ruby's upper thighs as her fingers splay over Ruby's back. The sniper lets the silence stand for awhile before broaching the other subject on her mind. "So what are we doing about Pyrrha? I know you mentioned talking to her about it after the first round."
This gets a reaction May wasn't sure how to interpret as Ruby shifts under her for a moment before settling and making a non-committal sound.
"Maybe we should wait until after the second round? I don't want us to throw her and Nora off their game that was the big concern in the first place? I'm sure she'll make it into the finals too so maybe we should just wait until after the tournament entirely? I mean it IS Pyrrha Nikos we're talking about so she's almost guaranteed to go all the way. Not that I don't think Weiss or Yang couldn't take her, they could surely do it I just mean-mmmph?!"
May had to lean forward and capture Ruby's lips with her own startling her girlfriend with a kiss in order to derail the sudden case of nervous motormouth the little reaper developed. She held the kiss long enough for Ruby to begin reciprocating before she pulled away and returned to rubbing up along the smaller girls spine. "Relax Ruby, I'm just asking when we should approach her about your idea. But I do leave after the tournament for Shade. So waiting until after would mean I won't really be here for that. I mean I guess if you're with her I won't have to worry about you getting lonely without me here, right?"
'Why can't you just be honest, May? You have worries, and you know you're in love with her now just say what you really think! She's not an immature child you need to protect from your feelings!'
Her fingers still as she thinks that and turns the last thought over in her mind not noticing how Ruby moved to look over her shoulder. It was true that she was not giving Ruby the credit the younger girl was due. Three years might separate them but in that time May had only a handful of failed relationships over her girlfriend. And The shorter girl was very perceptive and while, yes, she was admittedly a little naive at some points. Wouldn't it be better to let her down before they could make a mess of their relationship.
'You know that's not what really bothers you.'
May didn't notice Ruby shifting onto her back until the younger girl was pulling her into a hug. The sniper hadn't notice how indecision had made her visible eye dart around the room while she was stuck in her own head or how a tremble developed in her hands as the one thing she was afraid of was right in front of her with no idea how to deal with it.
"Hey, hey May, what's wrong? You're shaking, tell me what's bothering you." The voice whispers into her ear and the small, deceptively strong arms hold her firmly keeping May in place. Ruby's peppers small kisses over May's cheek. "Did I say something wrong?" She asks in a halting voice that finally gets May to react planting her hand on Ruby's shoulder and leaning back to get a small amount of distance.
"No Ruby, I'm just… I'm…" May tries before stopping and drawing a deep breath biting her tongue for a moment to keep the words inside as her mind turns on itself. It's only the comfort she finds in the concerned face of the girl in front of her that gets her to speak it. "I'm afraid. I mean at first I didn't turn down the idea of Pyrrha joining us because you were so adorably certain it would help her but I just didn't think it would work. And then I realized how stupid that is because who wouldn't be willing to put up with me if it meant they could be with you."
May interrupts Ruby's reply by leaning forward to press her forehead against the younger girls even as her hand lifts to gently cover the smaller girls mouth so she can't say anything yet. "I'm afraid because it's exactly the kind of scenario that I mentioned back on the range with you two. You and Pyrrha here, alone, growing closer every day while I'm stuck in Vacuo with only a video and a voice. How long would you two have only each other to turn to day to day before it becomes entirely natural and I become an afterthought?"
Slowly, May lowers her hand from Ruby's mouth along with her own gaze. It felt terrible admitting that even after mentioning that she was afraid of that and being reassured it still was something she worried about. She felt like she was betraying Ruby by harboring those fears but she just couldn't shake them completely.
~RR~
Ruby listened as May poured out her worries and when she was done there was only one thing she could say.
"You're dumb."
The little reaper had to hold in her laughter as May blinks rapidly, shock crossing her features. The effort to keep her mirth in however was one made in futility. As it ends up escaping through her closed lips before she leaned in, tightening her grip on May as she struggles for breath. It's the dumbfounded and slightly hurt look on Mays face that finally lets Ruby get a grip enough to add anything else.
"May, we already talked about this. I don't mind waiting, and yeah the distance might be a bit hard but we'll find the time to be together where we can. Even if we did bring Pyrrha in I would make sure you're included… But ummm…" Ruby breaks off knowing fully that she likely looks a little sheepish but May hasn't started poking at her and when she glances at her girlfriend she sees May watching her intently and the patience there warms the younger girl a little more. "I've been kinda, rethinking talking about that to Pyrrha…"
She spots the relief as it flashes across May's face and it helps to make Ruby feel a little better about mentioning it at all.
"Can I ask why the change of heart? You seemed pretty excited to include her the other day." She asks and Ruby flushes with embarrassment and trepidation. One of her hands leaves May's waist to rub behind her head before it's captured by May. An action that startles Ruby and causes her to lock eyes with her girlfriend once more as May rubs the back of it with her thumb in one of those casually intimate and comforting gesture Ruby knows is reserved for herself alone.
And somehow, that small touch and reassurance is all she really needs no matter how silly admitting her issue makes her feel. "I just… I know you flirt with people May, that doesn't bother me at all. It's just part of you being you. I trust you not to take anything too far, but yesterday during your match? I saw you wink at Pyrrha and it felt… different. I felt like something was squeezing my chest, I felt it before back on Patch when you were walking with Yang and you two just looked so… comfortable together."
And then Ruby saw the glint enter May's expression and she failed completely to hide the groan when the teasing smirk flashes across her girlfriend's lips. Immediately Ruby braced herself for the inevitable and she was not disappointed when May hugs her tightly and rocks them both side to side.
"I did not realize my girlfriend was the jealous type. Oh, what a terrible woman I've been, carrying on in such a way directly in front of poor Little Red! Whatever shall I do to make up for it? Cookies? Strawberries? A foot rub every morning for a week? Oh tell me my beautiful jewel, what can I possibly do to make up for this terrible slight?" The sniper proclaims melodramatically, still rocking Ruby side to side, the taller girl's hands rubbing a slow circle around Ruby's back over the sports bra Ruby had changed into for her massage.
Ruby didn't know whether to be infuriated that her worries were being turned into a joke, exasperated, or comforted that May wasn't bothered at all that Ruby was apparently a little jealous at times.
'But that's May all over, teasing and comforting and infuriating all at the same time. She wouldn't be May if she were any other way. Actually, I think if she ever stopped I might be worried something is wrong myself.' Ruby considers as she decides to settle on grateful. Pleased that her apparent jealousy didn't upset May at all. When the rocking stops Ruby looks up at May again and moves away the eyepatch covering one of those brilliant steel blue eyes that are looking right back at her own and filled with something that makes Ruby's heart pound hard in her chest.
She doesn't know when the kiss started, she couldn't even remember when she closed her eyes but when they parted for air she could still taste May's lips and her heartbeat was racing. She felt the smile on her lips that she knew wouldn't be going anywhere for awhile but that didn't matter so much. Especially not when Ruby realized there was one thing she could take advantage of.
"Yes," Ruby states imperiously after leaning back a little and drawing herself up as much as she can in an attempt to look down her nose at May, a task made especially difficult since May was not only taller but still in her lap.
"Yes what, Little Red?" She hears May ask and Ruby knows she wouldn't be able to hide the look of victory on her face if she tried.
"Those offerings of tribute would do quite well towards making up for your various missteps. You can start by continuing where you left off." Ruby offers clinging to her draining composure to keep from once more breaking into laughter. And she will freely admit to herself that she feels rather good about the fact she manages to hold it just a few seconds longer than May herself who erupted into laughter hard enough to bring tears to the older snipers eyes.
When it died down, Ruby laid herself back and May lifted herself a bit to make it easier for Ruby to roll back onto her stomach. Before Ruby felt fingers get back to work again she felt hot breath at her ear before the light tug of teeth at the lobe and the damp press of May's tongue in a way that caused heat to pool below the younger girls waist and peeled a whine from her lips. And boy did making that sound make her face heat up enough she was afraid it might catch fire. So much so she nearly missed the words 'anything you want Little Red' being whispered right after.
'She really is going to kill me one day. But what a way to go.'
AN
Promised myself I would get this out before my convention and I did. I've been extremely busy this month working on updates for stories and the next one up is Heart of Canis followed by Black Rock Huntress. But for the next week or so I will be out of contact with most people while attending Nekocon in Hampton Virginia. If anyone wants to say hi I'd love to see you! For now, enjoy a new chapter.
As always a special thanks for my reviewers Goddragonking, robyork1690, MrFox7189, DylantheRabbit, kevindynamite, Nagaichi, ragejoy, it's just another primate, UltimateRwbyShipper, DschingisKhan, and outruncone8116 I don't require reviews for my work but it always makes me happy to recieve them and I read every single one.
Thank you all for taking the time to read this story. Thanks again to those who favorite or follow. I love you all, and I'll see you next time.