And even more
Chapter 54:
"Mom... don't leave me. I'm freaking out a little." Ruby began taking a deep breath as she felt her mother's soft hand just holding onto her own. "And even if by some miracle I do convince Blake that I'm not lying... can you please not do your normal Mom things? If what Mercury told me, she already knows who you are because she was with Sienna a few times while I was in highschool, but even Neo says she is no longer in the Fang. And I'd like one girlfriend who you don't intimidate."
"Ruby, I will never not let any girlfriend of yours go without letting them know exactly how important you are to me besides, the eye doctor said you need to avoid bright lights for a day at least." Cinder started softly as she just took some stock of how Ruby seemed overly frail at that moment. "But if she did know and meet me with Sienna, then I thankfully just need to remind her. As well as several additional rules. Namely that if I ever find out that she is going to go back to the Fang it best be to become a cadaver. Because I don't care about supremacy of any description and you know I'm far from racist. But if you ever got into a relationship with someone it would lead to abuse and once again, I can't stress it enough Ruby, you mean so much to me."
"I get that Mom..." Ruby said as she began to use her free hand to reach forward to sway it around like she was looking for something. "Not that I'm trying to change topics... where is my chocolate milk? I swear if I knocked it over." Ruby said as Cinder just chuckled as she reached over and plucked the item up and placed it into Ruby's waiting hand. "Thanks... and she seemed pretty fine. Like she does hate the inequality... but she seems like she is leaning more so towards her Father's idea of a peaceful manner to achieve that end." Ruby said as she began to slump further in the seat.
"That isn't something that is easily solved by peaceful means Ruby. At least without a martyr. And it would need to be the leader to be one. And this can all wait. You need to be away from bright light unless you want to risk permanent blindness. Remember?" Cinder said as Ruby just took a long sip from the milk carton.
Pulling back to let out a lip smack followed by a happy noise, "But Mom... super pretty girl. I promise, I won't do anything major. I just need to let her know that I've got my eyes sunburnt. Which is actually starting to hurt again. Like a lot. Plus I need to go in anyways and let my professors know I'm going to be missing a few days due to just not being able to see." Ruby continued to spoke as she winced a little. "And the curtains aren't pulled fully... at least if that is the sun coming up. If it is anything else than a light is on, or whatever photophobia is besides a fear of light, is a lot more sensitive to light than people let on. Or again those eye drops are wearing off." Ruby said as she began to look around. "Did Grandma Salem look as bad as she sounded because she sounded really hurt?"
Smiling as she caught the milk carton before it was dropped just shy of the table. "As I keep telling you Ruby, you are important for a lot of people. Salem would legitimately end her vendetta against the man that broke her heart... if she had to choose between you and him. Hell that is the only reason she is still in Vale. He has started to taunt her it would seem."
"Well, I hope she catches him. He broke her heart and she swore off romance all together because of him. So she couldn't be happy until you and Arthur and Hazel and Tyrian came around and then later me. But I feel like she could have had a lot more happy years if he just didn't do that to her." Ruby mumbled as Cinder just chuckled gently at her. "I'm not joking... I'd say the same if someone ever hurt you that bad Mom... I honestly wouldn't even care how alive they were."
"You don't mean that Ruby. You've given me lectures of killing a deer and cooking it. And the only people who could hurt me are the people dumb enough to hurt you. And woe be to that person because that would hurt your uncles and grandmother as well."
"That was literally just after you showed me Bambi. And I couldn't help but think there was a tiny fawn without a Mom any more. And then I kind of empathised with it thinking what would I be like if some deer shot and killed you... and this is going to make me cry which I physically can't do right now. Why did you have to bring up that movie?" Ruby asked as Cinder just shook her head gently.
"I didn't. You did. Besides we should probably place a few more drops into your eyes anyways. It has been a number of hours... and you still do that groaning and chipmunk like thing whenever someone needs to put in eye drops. Which I can only imagine is going to be a whole lot harder now that your eyes are super sensitive to light. Because it certainly was a lot harder in the hospital." Cinder said as Ruby just groaned vocally. "Don't give me that Ruby. Your eyes are going to have issues producing tears. It needs to be done."
"But it hurts... and it hurts doubly so because I don't have tears and my eyes are burnt." Ruby complained as Cinder just shook her head gently. "I don't even need to have my eyes to know you did that 'you are being foolish but I still love you' head shake."
"That is because it is true." Cinder said as she just looked at Ruby. "I'm going to lay your head on my lap to make this at least a little easier. I need you to not fight me on this Ruby."
Letting out a huff, Ruby felt her head being gently lowered down. "Fine... but you are going to need to drive me to college Mom... so that way I can talk to my professors and Blake." Ruby said as she felt the cotton wrappings being moved slightly. "Seriously Mom. I'll wear sunglasses as well or something. But I need to do this. I can't tell you how much I don't want to lose this pretty girl if she thinks I'm lying just to avoid not going on a date with her. You have no idea how hard it is for me to find women who think I don't look ugly that aren't you or Grandma Salem. Or even someone that is technically employed by you and is a lifelong friend of mine." Ruby said as Cinder just took a deep breath as she twisted her body to force Ruby into the dark.
"Fine. But just hold still. I'm going to put the numbing ones in first and I'd rather give you too many drops of this one instead of too little."
"Those ones suck the worst... they don't work too fast. But it is better than nothing."
Hearing the chuckling, Ruby took a deep breath as she had to debate if it would be worth it to swing at whoever even if it meant she was risking that she'd actually harm whoever was doing it. "Did you seriously blind yourself again? Come on Ruru." Reese said with a chuckle as Ruby just groaned louder. "What caused it this time? It doesn't look like it was a sun bed." Reese continued as Ruby just lowered her head before shooting upwards.
"The hell did I just put my head in first?" Ruby asked as she heard a slightly angry groan followed by sitting next to where she assumed Reese was. "Okay, whoever just sat down... if I put my head in your food I'm sorry... but I'm actually blind right now. So if it was there chances are Reese put it there."
"I find it hard to believe you are blind. You could see just fine yesterday. And I was looking forward to that oatmeal." Ruby could hear the red headed woman's voice causing her to just sigh as she reached up to her head to just move the sunglasses out of the way to show the bandages.
"I got hit by welder's burn last night. This time actually being from one of the welders I made." Ruby said as she just took a deep breath. "So basically, my eyes got sunburnt, frankly if I didn't have the chance at a date that I need to explain why I can't go tonight... I shouldn't even be out of my house... and in as dark a room as possible."
"You still have those? I thought you would have destroyed them by now." Reese asked as she looked towards the blonde woman who had a slightly worried expression on her face as she took a seat.
"Had. The got destroyed last night while I was being rushed to the hospital because you've got no idea how much this actually hurts. Point is I'm blind for two days at the latest with the chance of just having my eyes super sensitive to light for a few weeks after." Ruby began as she looked around and gave the air a sniff. "Yang, you need to actually shower. Weiss' perfumes have a tendency to linger kind of like the scent of sex which you also reek of. Unless that is Weiss sitting next to me now... because I'm still very anti spending multiple hundreds per bottle and you need to shower after sex regardless."
"Holy shit blondie! You and Princess!? Damn. I always pegged her for being straight." Reese said with a smile as Ruby just started to laugh.
"Hate banging... and they tried to hide it from me without hiding heels of tiny feet..."
"Okay, back on topic. I just caught the tail end there... how did you blind yourself?" Yang said as she could see Reese reaching across the table holding a hand out as Yang rolled her eyes and grabbed one of the napkins and started to wipe the food from Ruby's head for her. "Because I swear if I still have to go to this dinner... and my only life line is literally blind, I'm going to be pissed."
"I forgot about putting the wielding shield back on properly and when I went to strike a bead of weld, my eyes got hit by that pure UV radiation which leads to super painful eyes, temporary blindness and again, pain. Lots of pain. I should be in the clear by the weekend. Just needing to be careful around lights. I'll know more come Friday afternoon." Ruby said sullenly as she just took a deep breath and began to feel around the table below her before she just lowered her head down again. "As I was mentioning though... I shouldn't even be in. But I don't want Blake to think I'm blowing her off and that I really am dumb enough to blind myself, and to let my professors know not to worry if I don't turn up for the rest of the week. I'm just a major rule breaker."
"Again. You blinded yourself again." Emerald deadpanned as she dropped the tray onto the table. "This is the second time from welding without proper protection, once from a tanning bed and a single time from messing with chemicals. And you wonder why I'm often paid extra for babysitting you and Neo." Emerald continued her point as she grabbed Ruby's hand and raised it towards the plate. "Got you toast. And Cinder gave me an exact time you need to be home at."
"I don't actually wonder why you get paid for babysitting me. I wonder why it is necessary for you to be paid for it at all. Especially because of how seldom I actually get hurt and you join in on the fun things. I mean you were the one that actually wanted to break into the church so we could swap the water for the communion wine with vodka. And the only reason we went with your blaming of Neo about it is because it was just after her mother died and she willingly went down because she got away with a lot of things and Mom was already tempted to pull me out because me and Reese started to date and we already started to smoke weed and she figured I was being influenced negatively around her."
"Wait. Go back. Ashes thought I was a bad influence on you? You were the person who got me started smoking weed... and frankly Ruru... you turned me into a lesbian deviant which has lead to many awkward moments with my folks who don't really appreciate the whole 'gay daughter' thing. In fact they just tolerate it in my experience." Reese said as Ruby took a bite from the toast as she just smiled at Reese as she started to laugh.
Swallowing the mouthful of toast, Ruby just took a deep breath before she spoke knowing that it was going to be some long winded explanation from her end. "You came out to them by sitting on my face and wouldn't stop loudly moaning my name... I still maintain they are just mad that you didn't have the decency to take it seriously and treat it with respect."
"I couldn't find a way to bring it up in conversation. Besides we were back for a long weekend, and I can't stress this enough no matter how far in the dog house it gets me... Ruby is super good with her tongue. Like I'd honestly wouldn't even be mad if you and Ruby wanted to do things. I'd be a bit pissed because she would steal you from me with how many times and how powerful your orgasms would be... and given how cuddling is awesome with you and how it should be illegal to look as hot as you do... Ruby would be all over you if you gave her the chance."
"I'm temporarily blind. Not temporarily deaf." Ruby coughed out as she felt Emerald gently patting her back. "Although... if it does fall through with Blake, and you were single Pyrrha... I'd totally take that chance." Ruby said as she winced a little. "And what time is it? I only have like a window for office hours of like an hour today unless I want to walk into class which I don't. It is a practical day and I can't stress it enough how any light is super painful even with crap in my eyes designed to numb them as is, even with the layers of bandages and cotton gauze and the sunglasses, my eyes feel like someone is grinding molten powder glass into them just from the stupid ceiling lights and the even stupider sun light."
"Now do you think it is stupid when I told you to put on proper eye protection when you went to go jogging at the beach? That is an actual danger." Reese told who Ruby just assumed it was towards Pyrrha. "And honestly, while it only lasts a few days... if the way Ruby has bitched about it the one time we were dating and she got hit by it... not to mention all the freaking literature I was then forced to read. And like the billion different causes. Including sand and snow during the day. Hell anything that really gives off UV radiation including a camp fire can do it."
"It is because it really freaking hurts. And it is a stupid flaw in evolution. We shouldn't have a part that gets hit like that and leads to days of mega pain. Now Emerald, answer the question. What time is it?"
"Eleven." Emerald said before she looked towards Ruby who just nodded her head as she placed the final piece of toast into her mouth and began to gesture like they had to go. "Where are we going?"
"F block. Fifth floor. Professor Oz Pine's office. He is the head of engineering and stops the need for me to go through each and every professor." Ruby said as Emerald blanched as she stood up and quickly pulled her phone out before gesturing towards the people that could see to stay silent. "And then we need to go to the Belladonna cafe for half two... do you think I could score a sympathy cookie from Kali?"
"I'd be cutting it close to the time your mother wants you back, but fine." Emerald said as she hit the send button before grabbing Ruby's arm gently and sliding her hand into the crook of her elbow just to make walking Ruby that much easier.
Gently reaching across, Emerald gave the hood a tug downwards as she just smiled at her. "Thanks for that." Ruby said holding the piece of toast in her other hand. "If this wasn't so time sensitive, I'd suggest we go back to my room so I could have some more of those eye drops... but it is a pretty time sensitive topic. After half twelve he is gone and then I need to go to each individual professor."
"It's fine Ruby, we can swing by that way after you talk to him. I'll just wait outside the room." Emerald said as Ruby nodded her head before resting her head against Emerald's shoulder. Just enjoying the gesture before she heard Emerald's phone started to ring.
"Whoever it is, tell them they can wait."
"It is your grandmother Ruby." Emerald said as Ruby just sighed.
"Fine... just tell her to leave the shop talk until I'm in the room." Ruby said as Emerald just took a deep breath and swiped her thumb across the screen.
"Salem... Ma'am... I'm with Ruby at this exact second. Can I ask that this wait?"
"How sure are you?" Salem's cold voice carried over as Emerald just took a deep breath knowing that there was no way out of this for her until she answered.
"I can't be one hundred percent sure. But I'm at least ninety five percent sure."
"Good enough for me to start acting on it."
"Okay... But for the rest of the conversation needs to wait until Ruby is in Oz Pine's office." Emerald said as she could hear an aggravated sigh. Like someone had told a man eating lion that it couldn't kill its prey just yet.
"Let me know the exact second she is out." Salem's voice carried over before Emerald could hear the dial tone followed by the world suddenly feeling a lot warmer.
"How is she? She sounded really hurt last night."
"Seemed to be in a slightly angry mood... probably from you convincing your mother to let you come in today."
"Sounds right for her."
Author's Note:
And done. It is a fun chapter.