Some more
Chapter 57:
Leaving the door to the media room open, Cinder just took a deep breath as she looked at the door opening to show the blonde woman she knew well enough to see her simply taking a helmet off. It was something that did just cause her to take some relaxation at.
Walking out of the home, Cinder just smiled as she could see Yang suddenly freezing a little as if she wasn't expecting Cinder to be there that quickly. It was almost as funny to her at the sight of the car starting to park.
Seeing the man starting to climb out, Yang just seemed to relax as she spoke up. "Hi Ms Fall... this is my Dad... Taiyang." Yang said softly as Cinder just smiled at the family.
"Pleasure to meet you. You can call me Cinder though." Cinder said as she started to walk down the steps holding a hand out for the tall man to take. "Yang, Ruby requested you in the media room down stairs. You know the way don't you?" Cinder said as Yang just took a deep breath and nodded her head. "I'm sure it is just so she can talk about some weird phobia she has about this dinner. Ruby will lead you to a place where you can leave your helmet." Cinder said with a smile as Yang just looked towards her dad who simply nodded his head.
"You can call me Tai." Tai said as he looked into the car as Yang started to walk into the house. "Summer. You need to get out." Tai said as Cinder just chuckled a little.
"She probably knows me. Because despite how little your daughter thinks of me, I do know she would have already told you I'm the leader of a very very well known gang. And I just so happen to know about drug addicts and they tend to at least know about me." Cinder spoke in a soft tone as she could see the blonde man just gulped a little. "Don't worry. I don't intend to harm you or your daughter. But inform your wife that I won't think twice about harming her if she tries to pocket anything. I meant what I told you over the phone. This is solely for us all to have a chat. And so you know, if you try anything to my daughter... you will regret it for the rest of your short life. Because as one parent to another... I shouldn't have to tell you how she is my world. My adopted brothers have killed people who have tried things on her. Including something as petty as someone once convincing her to cut her hair herself." Cinder spoke as Summer gently nodded her head.
"I don't intend to do anything to harm your daughter. But I hope you can understand if I say something similar."
"That was just my brothers though... and you would best hope they got to you before I do or worse, Ruby's grandmother. Because we won't be as kind as to just kill." Cinder spoke as she looked towards the woman. "Regardless. I don't intend to harm your daughter." Cinder continued as she gestured towards the door. "We should probably get in. It is looking like it is going to rain and we can't have either of you getting sick. I'm nothing if not fair and honest. Despite what some people assume if they listen to the media portrayal. Because I haven't been a monster for a long long time."
"Summer come on. Just... don't steal anything." Tai scolded as he just took a deep breath knowing what was the real reason. "Summer... this Ruby and our Ruby are different. It isn't you being punished."
"Are... are you sure?" Summer's voice cracked as Tai just sighed gently as he stared into her worried eyes.
"Summer... I'm sure."
Smiling as she walked down the stairs, Yang had just begun to hope that her dad and Ruby's mom weren't going to lock horns. Just because she had real fears that Cinder wasn't going to hold back against him for any sort of reason.
Walking in she just began to laugh softly as she could see Ruby's head lulling to the side to look at her. "Hey Yang... sorry about the glasses and not being able to talk to you yesterday. Photophobia... it is a sucky thing. And only had to have one awkward conversation with Mom as she handed me these glasses because she told me what they were meant for." Ruby said as Yang just took a deep breath. "Relax Yang... Mom is just going to give her normal shpeel of how I'm important to her and my uncles and grandmother, and your parents best hope my uncles catch them first." Ruby continued as she could see Yang breathing a sigh of relief.
"Sorry... it is just... my dad means a lot to me. And after some personal shit going down... I'm just worried my Step Mother is going to be causing shit." Yang said in a calm tone as she could see Ruby just nodding her head. "And can you take those stupid blue sunglasses off?"
"They aren't sunglasses but syphilis glasses. And I really can't short of me just closing my eyes and leaving them closed. Light still is super painful to me right now. I can't stress how much eye sunburns suck. And I do genuinely feel like they are a design flaw by evolution and I wouldn't want to imagine what it would be like if I was a Faunus and my trait was eyes." Ruby said as she could see Yang shivering as the realisation set in. "Yeah told you... awkward conversation. Had to even remind Mom that I do use dental dams and was paying attention in sex ed. But apparently these were a thing back before they found a cure because photophobia is a thing for that. Plus they actually do kind of work."
"I don't know how to respond to that. You are seriously weirdly open with your mom about things."
"If I hid it, she would be worried and possibly tear up everywhere to find out. Doesn't it make more sense in those circumstances to just be up front? Besides, there really are no secrets between us. You know besides the ones I don't want to know the answers to because Mom is just as upfront with me as I am with her." Ruby said with a smile as she lulled her head to the side gently. "Mind you... the few times we have kept secrets and it came out to each other... it was only once but I'm still very uneasy around her in many regards. I mean I get that you wouldn't really get the feeling because you are with your biological dad... and you never had a close relationship with your step mom... but I was adopted with no one really knowing my true parents. Not even my Mom or Grandma could find them. And not even being obligated, my Mom was the one to adopt me. She has given me everything I wanted... she didn't even shun me when I came out to her and in fact accepted me with open arms. Not many people get that luxury. I mean how did your Dad take you saying you've been shaking up with Weiss Schnee?"
"I'll let you know when I tell him. But I most likely never will tell him. It is just a stress reliever for the both of us." Yang said as Ruby began to laugh. "You know... last time you laughed like that it actually worried us and then you blinded yourself." Yang said as Ruby just began to shake her head. "Weiss said you only laugh like that when you know something. So do you mind sharing?"
Rubbing the faux tear from her eyes, Ruby just simply smiled as she looked at her blonde roommate. "It seems like the stereotypes are true. First Reese... now you." Ruby said as she just took a deep breath. "Yang. Stress relieving sex with a friend or enemy as Weiss would saywhile it is something I support, nine out of ten times it leads to a full blown relationship. No matter how many rules you set. And the one out of ten times it leads to the destruction of a friendship. And with the way you two had been so heavily flirting... it isn't going to be the friendship ending." Ruby said with a smile as Yang just glared at her. "I'm telling you. I'm willing to bet by this time next year, you'll be dating and already getting into a fight with Weiss about her spending a small fortune on you through gifts."
Grumbling as she crossed her arms. "Says the woman who likes choke sex, gags and if you believe Reese are all for having knives dragged across your body. And I'm meant to take relationship advice from you? Pretty sure one of these days I'm going to walk in on you and Neo where you are calling her 'mistress'." Yang said as Ruby stared aghast at her.
"Okay, going down the list of things wrong with what you just said, the knife thing was once and it was because Reese and I wanted to try it and I swear next time I see her I'm smacking her upside the head. Despite how good I thought it was, Reese wasn't for it so we didn't do it again. Next, while Neo isn't squeamish and totally would be the right type of girl for me... she understands my kinks, is trained in first aid... understands the importance of aftercare... even is for the cuddling. Only downside is she would demand to be the little spoon and that isn't for me. I could never get used to being the big spoon." Ruby said as she began to stand up and dusting herself off as she simply flicked her hood up. "And yeah. That is about it. We should probably get up. You know... give your parents a reprieve from my Mom."
"Not even going to touch the comment about how I'm meant to take relationship advice from you?" Yang asked as she tossed Ruby the helmet as she simply gestured for her to follow her again.
"One relationship is as good as another for advice. Frankly you shouldn't take relationship advice from anyone in a relationship or anyone for that matter. You know unless you genuinely ask them. Largely because they don't understand anything about the ins and outs of your current one. I mean I've gotten some really good advice from Nuns in that regard. Largely it was while they were scolding me for listening to Neo for the thousandth time about doing something reckless, dangerous and massively illegal. Which started me dragging Reese into our antics and well now you have Reese being this woman who has like one of the hottest girls ever as a girlfriend. And after Blake saying that she was fine putting off the date until tomorrow... I'd argue that if we do become a thing I'd have an equally hot girlfriend."
"I've got no idea what it is you want me to say... that is still something that I find weird. And where are you going with my helmet?" Yang asked as Ruby just smiled as shaking her head gently. "Seriously Ruby... I only have the one and I need it. I rode my motorcycle up here." Yang continued her round of questioning as Ruby just took a deep breath.
Yang was simply worried that Ruby was going to try something with it. Especially after how she was minutes away at killing her step mother earlier and that rage was still every present in her very being. She didn't want to imagine what would happen given the chance to slug Summer in the back of the head possibly totalling the car with her and her father in it. There by risking her and her father's lives because Yang had no doubt Summer would live through it all.
"The garage. You can walk the bike in there if you want. I imagine that you aren't keen on it being out in the open. Mom does a lot of sketchy business and as such some of the guards while they mean well... they tend to be a bit crazy and I think several that are outside are known for racing them. Once it is in the garage, none of the guards dare go in there in case there is an extra mile on one of Mom's cars because she is only slightly less protective over those than me." Ruby said as Yang nodded her head in understanding. "Or you can leave it out... I'm just not sure what guards are on duty right now and I don't want you to lose your motorcycle, but I could probably convince Mom to get the word out to leave it alone under her normal penalty." Ruby said as Yang just took a deep breath.
"I'd rather not put it in. But the break locks are on." Yang said as Ruby just began to laugh. As they rounded the top of the stairs. Ruby enjoying as she could hear some talking in the living room. She was at least a little glad that Yang had seemed to relax as they started to walk into the garage. "Why do you always laugh like that?"
"Because Yang... even high end ones can easily be picked. And who do you think taught me how to do all that? Because it certainly wasn't Mom." Ruby said as she happily walked over to one of several long work benches where Yang could see a myriad of tools she had never been able to enjoy. Placing the helmet down, Ruby just spun around as she smiled even brighter at Yang. "Your jacket? Or you can continue to wear it. But Mom made this really nice and accurate lasagna. Which is like one of my favourite foods. And it does tend to get messy. Largely because it is all kinds of gooey and delicious and I get all kinds of crazy when it comes to it.
Shaking her head, Yang started to unzip the jacket as she started to walk towards Ruby as she just handed it to her, she had to admit that she was feeling a little happy that Ruby seemed so much easier about everything. "So... where are these welders that you've been talking about? I honestly didn't even know you could get a microwave to do that."
"Mom had them destroyed when I blinded myself. And those things take and spit out a lot of power that is already weak. You rewind one of the coils, you can take the same input which is already high but DC current... and turn it into the much more deadly and much more powerful AC current. Frankly it is a miracle I only got slightly burnt and my eyes have been healing. Doesn't take much AC current to kill you... again it is something that is super deadly and super powerful and it was used to kill people since the start."
"And you intentionally mess with that? It has killed people and you admit that you are lucky that you got just burns and blinded for a few days? And you want to screw around with that?" Yang asked as she could see Ruby just smiling as she nodded her head. "And you say I'm crazy... good to know that a crazy person is the one that says it."
"Ruby! Where are you!?" Cinder yelled as Ruby just smiled as she shook her head gently as Yang froze a little.
"We are in the garage Mom. Just putting Yang's stuff in here because it is a lot safer. Can you tell whoever is outside that is caught messing with Yang's motorcycle that you'll do the thing you do if they mess with the cars in here?" Ruby asked as she started to walk out of the garage after gently placing Yang's jacket next to her helmet.
"I already said something similar to that Ruby. Don't worry. Dinner won't be long." Cinder spoke as Ruby walked out of the room with Yang shortly behind her. "You weren't going to do that thing you were doing with she who shall not be named when she was in a similar situation will you?" Cinder asked as Ruby simply chuckled as she just matched her mother's gaze.
"No Mom. That is all kinds of no. Yang has been hate banging Weiss... you know with all the flirting of a couple. And you know her parents and she doesn't even really know or accept it." Ruby said as she could see Yang just glaring at her. "What? Mom is fine... and she is talking about how Reese and me banged in... nine of the cars? Ten? I don't remember and don't even remember what lie we told Mom..."
"One. You told me one. How do you think I'm not going to take this out on Reese?" Cinder asked as Ruby just started to laugh.
"Because Reese is all kinds of nice and I know she would have told you about my freak out... probably before Emerald would have called you. Plus, I still like being around Reese. Feels great having friends you don't pay for different things." Ruby said as she just stopped and turned around to look towards Cinder. "Plus you also like Reese. Despite what you'd say to me... or in company... but I know you like Reese. So does Grandma. Although Grandma only likes Reese because she doesn't clam up around you or your brothers. And I seriously can't stress how great it is that Reese isn't on your payroll. Largely because I can never be sure if at points Emerald or Mercury are only friends with me because of that. Neo... I don't think you could even pay her to be friendly with me and she would have told me."
"I should smack you... that is the second most hurtful thing you said to me. Go into the small dinning room."
"Whatever Mom. I know the truth."
Author's Note:
And done... pretty fun chapter... at least from my angle. and I know, cliff hanger. but i promise, shit properly hits the fan next chapter. this is just the final build up... also been a few months since I last saw this chapter...