First Time at a Second Chance

by The Great Weiss Shark

Working at a café had many perks like free food and coffee, and Ruby honestly loved her job, but it felt lacking. There were days she wanted to give up and stay in bed but something in her gut told her to get up and go. And so she did and now she knows why: a chance meeting with a beautiful stranger and her little patch of spring. GP!Ruby

36. We're About to Boil Over

Chapter Thirty-four: We're About to Boil Over

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Ruby reminded herself that this wasn't goodbye forever. Weiss promised her it wasn't. She was just asking for some space to think and organize her feelings. They hugged and kissed like normal, and Weiss told her she loved her. But the moment Ruby let her go, the brave face she'd put on to wish Weiss well started to crumble.

"Ruby!" Qrow shouted as he threw the doors open and ran out to her. He followed Ruby's gaze and pointed to Weiss' car off in the distance. "Do you want me to go after her? I can go after her!" Ruby shook her head and wiped her tears off on her sleeves. "Ruby, I—"

"It's okay, Uncle Qrow," Ruby said.

"What do you mean 'it's okay'?!" Qrow asked. "Ruby, I just fucked things up royally for you! I didn't know, I swear!"

"I know, and that's why it's okay… this was my fault," Ruby said as she turned to her uncle, silently asking for a hug. "I-I should've told her sooner."

Qrow threw his arms around Ruby and held her tight against his chest. "I don't get it, Ruby. Most people would be thrilled to know their partner was going to serve the community."

"Weiss isn't like most people," Ruby replied, her voice shaking as a fresh wave of tears stung her eyes.

"I get she's special, kid, there was never any doubt in my mind about that," Qrow said gently as he stroked Ruby's hair and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry, Ruby. I don't know what else to say."

"I hurt her, Uncle Qrow," Ruby sobbed. "I hurt her when promised I never would!"

"People make mistakes and they hurt each other whether they want to or not," Qrow said, holding Ruby tighter. "There has to be a reason why this happened, but I can't wrap my head around it. Weiss is way too reasonable to suddenly want to cause drama like this."

"Coco was a cop…" Ruby murmured, her voice cracking.

"Is that someone I should know?"

"Her wife, Uncle Qrow."

"Oh. Oh… well, fuck." Qrow's arms went slack as the gravity of the situation finally hit him. "Shit, Ruby, what the fuck?"

"Yeah…"

"well, shit," Qrow muttered.

Ruby nodded and sighed, "What do I do, Uncle Qrow? I'm scared…"

"When shit hits the fan, a drink and some good listening ears usually helps." Qrow gently wiped away Ruby's tears and hugged her again. "Let's head back upstairs and finish eating dinner. No use letting all that food Yang made go to waste."

"Okay," Ruby replied.

Qrow rubbed Ruby's back and guided her to the door. "I'd offer to carry you like I used to, but you're a little too big… when'd you grow up, kid?"

"You haven't carried me in years, old man," Ruby laughed.

"I know," he sadly replied. "It's still sinking in that my little girl's all grown up."

"What about Yang?"

"Eh… Yang was always an independent little shit," Qrow said. "She didn't need me for anything. You, however, needed me to tie your wittle shoes and cut the cwust of your sammies. I also had to pwug in youw wittle night wight and check undew youw bed for scawy monstews."

"Uncle Qrow, stop! You're embarrassing me!" Ruby screamed in embarrassment, but Qrow laughed it off and ruffled her hair. "Cut it out! Cut it out!"

"Fine, fiiine," Qrow huffed. "But I hope you know how proud I am of you."

Ruby lowered her hackles and shyly smiled at the man who raised her. "Yeah, I do."

They continued the final climb to Ruby's apartment in silence, but once they neared her floor, Qrow stopped them.

"You might not need me anymore, but you've still got a lot to learn," Qrow murmured. He gently grabbed Ruby's shoulder and looked her in the eye. "I mean it, Ruby. I didn't want to say it before in front of everyone, but now that I have you alone… can I give you a word of advice?"

"Huh?" Ruby blinked.

"Weiss. I know you love her, kid, and I'd bet my whole career she loves you just as much. But as close as you guys are, when I talked to her earlier, I sensed a gap," Qrow said. "And it wasn't a small one… she's a mom, Ruby. Like, an actual mom. You're never going to be the centre of her world. And as much as it sucks, her wife's gone, but she's still married to her."

Ruby fought the urge to slap her uncle's hand away and yell at him for stating the obvious. She knew she'd never have Weiss' full attention or monopolize her love, but Ruby had come to terms with it. She was okay.

"I see you glaring at me, Ruby, and I'm sure you know everything I said already, but just hear me out, okay?" Qrow pleaded.

"If you know that I know these things, then why repeat it?" Ruby growled in annoyance. "I already have Penny and the others on my back about this… I don't need you to dogpile on me too."

Qrow shook his head and sighed. "We're just worried. No one's telling you to not be with her. Weiss is a lovely woman—"

"Then why can't you guys just trust me? I can handle this." Ruby shrugged Qrow's hand off and crossed her arms. "I know my girlfriend, Uncle Qrow. I know she still loves her wife, and I know Chrys will always take priority. I also know we'll never have that perfect picket fence life!"

"Ruby…"

"But that's okay!" Ruby shouted angrily. "I didn't fall in love with bits and pieces of her. I fell in love with her as a whole!"

"Ruby, that's not what I'm trying to say here—there's no need to be this defensive."

Ruby was furious. She was sick and tired of people weighing in on her relationship like they knew every detail. She didn't need this. And Qrow didn't know a thing about Weiss. He didn't have a say—Ruby blinked. Why was she so angry? This was her father. He loved her. He just wanted the best for her.

Ruby unclenched her fists and took a deep breath.

"Ruby, I support you," Qrow said as he gently cupped Ruby's face with both hands. "I'm not here to attack what you have with Weiss. On the surface, yeah, things look rough. But what you guys have is a beautiful thing… and it makes me wish everyone was as lucky as you. I've seen some shit, Ruby. Shit that stays with you for the rest of your life. Women bloodied and broken, scared children—hell, it's reversed sometimes and all the guy wants is to keep his kids safe."

"Weiss would never hurt me like that…" Ruby grumbled.

"I know. Which is why I was so relieved it was her that walked in with you," Qrow smiled.

"Then what's the issue?" Ruby asked.

"There really isn't one," Qrow answered. "You guys get each other, and I'm sure it wasn't easy getting to that point. But, Ruby, you guys skipped a lot of steps—how did she just learn you wanted to be a cop?"

Ruby sighed and hung her head in shame. "School stuff never really comes up for us. Like, she'll ask how my studies are and I'd say they're fine, but that's about it."

"Hm…"

"And it isn't like she totally ignored it, we just always had something more important to talk about."

"I'm guessing things about her kid and boundaries?" Qrow said. Ruby nodded, confirming his guess. "I figured she'd be the sort to lay those out first. Smart woman."

"She is smart, Uncle Qrow," Ruby chuckled. "She's amazing…"

"Mm, I bet."

"Y'know, my university friends all joke about me being a 'lame' stepmom, but I don't mind it. I actually kind of like it," Ruby explained with a slight blush. "Chrys is a great kid, and I enjoy spending time with her, and it's not like I actually do anything to parent her; Weiss has that pretty locked down…"

"Sounds like the jokes aren't really jokes," Qrow grumbled when he noticed the subtle anger in Ruby's voice. "Are you sure these guys are really your friends?"

Ruby shrugged. "I'm really considering just cutting them out."

"Why?"

"Talk about it over some food and drinks? I'm starting to get kinda hungry," Ruby said with tired smile.

Qrow nodded with a tired smile of his own. He followed Ruby to her door and opened it for her. They found Tai and Yang sitting on the couch, both looking worried and tense.

"Weiss really booked it, huh?" Yang said as she got up and hugged Ruby. "You holding up okay?"

"Yeah," Ruby lied, hugging her sister back.

"Things between you and Weiss okay too?"

"Mm, we're okay. She just needs a little space."

"Okay," Yang said, letting the issue drop.

"Dinner's still warm," Tai hesitantly piped up. He stood off to the side, hands stuffed into his pockets, trying to make himself as small as possible.

Ruby pulled away from Yang and hugged Tai. Despite all his faults and the many mistakes he'd made, Tai had never once doubted Weiss and welcomed her without question. Ruby needed some of that unwavering faith to help pull her through.

"Ruby…" Tai carefully returned the embrace and let go of the breath he'd been holding. "It's going to be okay. I'm not entirely sure what's going on though."

"I'll explain over dinner," Ruby said, hugging her dad even tighter.

Tai led Ruby to her seat while Qrow helped Yang bring the food back to the table. And despite promising to explain the situation over dinner, Ruby was relatively silent. She'd pipe up every now and then, asking for some side dishes out of her reach, but that was it. Midway through their most awkward dinner ever, Ruby swapped her water out for a cola and vodka. Qrow joined in on the drinking, and after seeing the mood lighten a bit, Yang and Tai decided to join in as well. The alcohol worked it's magic, and after a little prodding, Ruby opened up and explained everything.

"Okay, so, let me get this straight," Yang said after she took a shot of rum. "Coco was a cop?"

"Yup," Ruby replied.

"But you wanna be a cop?"

"Not anymore."

"Okay, okay… um… so why didn't Weiss know this?" Yang asked, visibly confused.

"Because I was dumb," Ruby answered without hesitation. "I'm in the process of changing majors. To what exactly, I honestly don't know. All I do know is that I never want Weiss or Chrys to go through what they did with Coco."

"Does Weiss know this?" Tai asked.

"She does now," Ruby said. "I told her before she left… I hope it makes her feel better."

"I dunno about that, kid," Qrow said. He was on his seventh glass of whisky and his third helping of mashed potatoes and beans. "Weiss is the self-sacrificing sort. If anything, telling her you're changing the course of your life for her is gunna make her double down and insist you keep doing what you were doing."

"What makes you think that?" Ruby asked.

"Call it a hunch," Qrow replied, rubbing his chin.

"I wanna knoooowwwwwwww!" Ruby whined.

"Okay, okay, just lower your voice, god damn it!" Qrow growled in annoyance. "Look, all I'm tryin' to say is that she, uh, kind of reminds me of Summer."

"I kind of got that sense too," Tai added, raising his glass up to Qrow. They clinked their glasses together and downed their shots in one gulp. Tai winced but powered through the burn and poured himself and Qrow another shot of whisky. "She's a good woman. I like her a lot."

"Hey, Ruby, aren't you worried?" Yang teased as she slung an arm around Ruby's shoulders.

"About what?" Ruby asked.

"Dad's textin' your girl," Yang said with a sly grin and a cheeky laughed. "Who knows what they talk about."

"Parenting tips, recipes, the weather out in Patch, and news about school stuff," Ruby plainly answered before taking a sip of her drink. "Weiss doesn't keep these sort of things secret from me."

"Whoa, really?" Yang said with a shocked expression. Ruby quirked an eyebrow at Yang and nodded. "Like, she shows you the messages?"

"Uh, yeah?" Ruby took another much larger sip to prepare herself for another onslaught of invasive questions. "I don't ask her to show them to me if that's what you're wondering. She kind of just does because she thinks Dad's funny. I think it might be a parent thing, I dunno. They laugh at the weirdest things."

"So, like, you're totally not bothered by the fact your girlfriend's texting our dad?" Yang asked again.

"The only time I was worried was when we first introduced them to each other, but Weiss made it pretty clear she wasn't interested in guys," Ruby answered with a slight blush, thinking back to that particular night and the days that followed after.

"Then what about me?" Yang teased.

"Ah, yeah, still not worried," Ruby laughed.

"Damn," Yang pouted. "Seriously, why can't Blake be more like Weiss?"

"I dunno, Yang… Weiss is pretty great all around, but she's got some serious quirks that can drive a person up the wall," Ruby said.

"Like what?" Yang snorted in disbelief.

"Well, she gets really cranky if you don't put particular things back where you found them," Ruby said, recalling the time she used Weiss' hairdryer and didn't put it back exactly where she found it. "She's also an extremely picky eater, but she'll still give most things a try at least once. Hm, what else…"

"Nobody gives a shit about that, Ruby," Qrow drunkenly slurred. "Tell us the juicy bits!"

"What 'juicy' bits?" Ruby asked, eyeing her uncle suspiciously.

"What's she like in bed?" Qrow asked without a hint of shame.

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby shrieked as she shot out of her chair and slammed her hands down on the table.

"Wooo baby, now it's a party!" Yang cheered. She uncapped a fresh bottle of gin and held the bottom out to Qrow who instinctively clinked it with his bottle of rum. "Hell yeah, Uncle Qrow with the real questions!"

"Yang!" Ruby cried out, her face as red as her namesake.

"C'mon, Ruby, spill the beans!" Qrow laughed. "Woman like that has got to like things spicy in the bedroom."

"Inappropriate!" Ruby screamed.

"She totally pegs you, huh?" Qrow smirked.

"I am going to kill you!"

"That's not a 'no,' kid," Qrow cackled. Ruby slapped the table in frustration before letting out an anguished scream. "How thick's the strap?"

"Oh my god, Uncle Qrow!" Yang wheezed with tears in her eyes.

"Dad," Ruby cried, turning to the one adult she still trusted, "they're bullying me."

Tai quietly sipped his drink, his cheeks flushed from the alcohol and the conversation. He didn't say a word and immediately looked away when Ruby caught his gaze.

"The betrayal… I won't forget this!" Ruby wept.

"I don't want any of the details. I just want to know that she's treating you well," Tai murmured shyly.

"You guys all suuuuuuck!" Ruby cried as she retreated into the safety of her arms and hid her face.

"Speaking of sucking, she probably gives great head," Qrow snorted. "Lips like hers would look great wrapped around a c—"

"Fuck. Off!"

"C'mon, Ruby, spill it! How freaky does the Ice Queen get?" Yang teased. "She kind of gives me that 'boss on the streets, pillow princess in the sheets' sorta vibe."

"No way! You fucking kidding me, Yang?" Qrow snorted out. "She's clearly a top."

"Hah, you're delusional!" Yang laughed.

"Weiss is clearly more experienced," Qrow argued, slamming his drink down hard enough to slosh it around. "Plus, Ruby's way too timid compared to that she-wolf."

"Experience doesn't mean jack shit, old man! Plus, you don't know Weiss," Yang argued in Ruby's defence. "C'mon, Ruby, tell him how you make that 'she-wolf' howl."

Ruby peeked up from her arms and glared at her sister. She was tired of being the butt of the joke. And if anyone deserved to be teased about being with someone older and more experienced, it was Yang.

Yang was extremely tight-lipped about her relationships. Her whining about her one-sided affections for Blake was a drop in the bucket compared to everything Yang hid from her family. In fact, Ruby was almost certain Yang hadn't spoken a single word about her latest affair to anyone else but Weiss and maybe Neptune.

A sly grin spread across Ruby's face as she sat up and got comfortable. "Instead of picking on me," she said in a casual tone, "why don't you 'spill the beans' on Winter."

"Who's Winter?" Qrow asked.

"Weiss' older sister," Tai said. "I've seen a picture of her, she's really pretty."

"She's also the best dick I've ever fucking had, hands down," Yang answered enthusiastically. "She can raw dog me any day."

Ruby felt her stomach turn at the thought of Winter doing things with Yang.

"I didn't think I was into older chicks, but god damn was she good!" Yang continued without pause. "Seriously, if Weiss' mouth is anywhere near as talented as Winter's, I say wife that bitch ASAP."

"Oh my god, Yang!" Ruby whined, instantly regretting her genius plan.

"Hot damn, girl!" Qrow exclaimed, high-fiving Yang.

"No joke, the first time we fucked, I couldn't walk straight for like an hour," Yang said as she took a sip of gin and fanned herself with a hand. "And the best part of it all?"

"What? What?" Qrow asked like a cheeky schoolgirl getting the latest gossip.

"She bought me dinner!" Yang squealed. "It wasn't a cheap place either."

"What kind of place we talkin' here? Steak? Seafood? Fancy froufrou bullshit?"

"Steak and seafood!" Yang answered with a smug grin. "She bought me the thickest fucking steak and lobster tail there—and dessert!"

"God damn!"

"I totally sucked her dick on the drive back to her place."

"Why haven't you introduced us to her yet?" Qrow asked before taking a swig from his bottle.

"We're just friends," Yang said, taking a swig from her own bottle of booze. "And as great as the sex is, we're just not right for each other. Plus, she doesn't even live here. She only comes down to visit Weiss and Chrys for a couple of days then she's back to Atlas being a badass."

"What she do?"

"She's a JAG attorney," Yang answered with a sad smile that lingered. "I think if she was here on a more permanent basis, we'd actually try for something because I actually really like her. She's got this dry sense of humour that just cracks me up and I don't even know why because half the things she says go right over my head!"

"I bet," Qrow snorted.

"Also, y'know how I'm a hugger? Well, she's the exact opposite so we clash hard in that department, but she makes up for it by being really sweet and considerate. Like, I can't hold her hand when we go out, which sucks, but she'll text me at some ridiculous hour her time just to ask how my day's going."

"She sounds great," Tai said.

"Mm… she is," Yang agreed. "Oh! She sent me flowers once. Like, random ass flowers. When I asked her what they were for, she just said they made her think of me. Like, what the fuck? Who does that?"

Ruby quietly listened to Yang talk about Winter and felt a pang of guilt. Ruby didn't know any of this. She knew they met up here and there whenever Winter's schedule allowed it, but Ruby assumed it was all physical. And as awful as it sounded, it wasn't a stretch to believe. Yang had a tendency to play fast and loose, or at least that's what she always claimed. But maybe there was more to each fleeting romance and Yang just played it cool to hide the hurt she felt. Ruby scratched her head and sighed. This was not a topic drunk Ruby could tackle.

"Someone looks sleepy," Yang teased.

"Not sleepy," Ruby pouted. "Just a lot on my mind…"

"Like what?" Tai asked.

"Just stuff."

"Well, 'just stuff' sounds like a great conversation!" Qrow exclaimed.

"Yeah, c'mon, Ruby, let it out!" Yang drunkenly cheered. "No need to worry about secrets tonight because we're too drunk to remember them!"

"A little restraint wouldn't hurt," Tai said as he tried and failed to take Yang's half-empty bottle away. "Yang, seriously, slow down on the alcohol."

"Don't be lame, Dad!" Yang barked with her bottle held tight against her chest.

Ruby rubbed the back of her neck and contemplated her next words carefully. While she was getting better at expressing her feelings, Ruby wasn't sure she could at this moment.

"I'm not being 'lame,' I'm being a dad that's concerned about his daughter's wellbeing," Tai argued.

"That's being laaaaaaame with a capital 'L'!" Yang argued back.

"Shut up, you're both being 'lame'!" Qrow bellowed. "The only correct thing to do here is to drink more!"

The voices were too loud. Ruby couldn't think. She missed the quiet that surrounded Weiss and the relaxing atmosphere in their home. Tears began welling in Ruby's eyes. She tried to blink them back and hold herself together, but the weight in her heart was just too much to bear. Everything was too much.

"Is that all you can—huh? Hey, Ruby, you okay?" Yang asked when she noticed Ruby's quiet sniffling.

"No," Ruby replied, unable to lift her head from her arms. "I want to go home…"

She waited for the inevitable "but you are home" to remind her of her place in life, but it never came. Instead, Yang scooted her chair closer and gently wrapped an arm around Ruby's trembling shoulders.

"What if she changes her mind?" Ruby whimpered through her tears, the fear now fully taking hold. She had avoided it for so long, but now it was too large for her to brush aside and ignore.

"Weiss isn't like that," Yang said as she gently rubbed Ruby's back. "If she says she just needs space, she just needs space."

"Yang…"

"What?" Yang snorted. "Ruby, you're the one that's always telling me how amazing and trustworthy Weiss is, why don't you believe yourself now?"

"Because I'm not like you or Uncle Qrow," Ruby cried. "I can't just act like this is something that'll blow over with a little 'space'!"

"Me?" Yang blinked. "What did I do?"

Ruby swiped her sleeve across her runny nose and sniffled. "You're so strong, Yang… I don't think I'd ever be able to do what you do. If I had the kind of relationship you have with Winter, I think I would've begged Weiss to reconsider… and that thing with Blake, how do you manage it?"

Yang was momentarily stunned by the messy stream of words spilling out of Ruby's mouth. And when Yang didn't answer, Ruby hung her head in shame and reached for her cola, but Tai swooped in and handed her a bottle of water instead.

"I think you've had enough for tonight, Zoomies," he said with a concerned look on his face. "I think we've all hand enough for tonight."

Taking his word for law, Ruby opened the bottle and took a sip. It was lukewarm and far from refreshing compared to her crisp, bubbly soda, but Ruby couldn't say no when her dad was actively trying to care for her. She liked this new version of Tai. He was sweet, thoughtful, and sober, nothing at all like the man she remembered him to be.

"Thanks, Dad," Ruby said with a small, timid smile.

Yang pulled her arm back and ran a hand through her hair. Ruby apologized, but her words fell on deaf ears. Yang was lost in thought and it was clear to everyone on the table that the things going through her head wasn't for the faint of heart.

"Ruby, Yang, you've both had a long night, why don't you guys turn in early?" Tai suggested. "Don't worry about the dishes, Qrow and I will handle them."

"What?" Qrow was about to argue, but Tai elbowed him and smiled. "God damn it, fine. Yeah. I'll help clear the table."

Ruby left the table first and barricaded herself in her room. Well, she called it "her room," and she paid for it monthly, but she couldn't remember the last time she'd spent the night here. Ruby looked around to refamiliarize herself with her belongings but found herself cringing at the horrendous clutter. Was she always this messy? The floor was barely visible underneath her piles of discarded clothes and dumbbells. Though, the thing that really made Ruby wonder was the stack of unorganized books, magazines, and comics right next to a near-empty bookshelf.

Groaning quietly, Ruby rolled up her sleeves and began cleaning up the mess starting with her books. She didn't care about the order they were in because she was probably going to donate them anyway since they were mostly all law enforcement books. The comics would stay though, as would the magazines, and the novels. There were a few parenting books mixed into the bunch that made Ruby laugh. She picked them up hoping they'd help her with Chrys, but all the advice was useless. Ruby didn't need to be stern or set boundaries to keep Chrys in line. They had a mutual respect for each other that coincided with their love for the person that brought them together.

A quiet knock on the door pulled Ruby out of her thoughts.

"Come in," Ruby said, putting the books in her hand away.

Yang cracked opened the door and poked her head in. "Hey, um, I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No, just tidying up a bit," Ruby said, dusting off her hands. "It's messier than I'm used to."

"Oh." Yang stepped in and closed the door behind her. She was dressed comfortably in her nightclothes, her long hair tied up in a loose ponytail. "I guess you're used to Weiss' super clean everything."

"I think so…" Ruby awkwardly laughed.

"Cool if I sit down?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

Yang sat on the edge of the bed facing Ruby, her back ramrod straight. Ruby noticed Yang's pensive expression right away and offered her a comforting smile before moving to sit down next to her.

"Hey," Ruby said, bumping her shoulder against Yang's.

"Hey," Yang replied, bumping Ruby back. A brief moment of silence settled where neither sister knew what to say. But after taking a deep breath and breathing it out, Yang turned to Ruby and said, "So… about that thing earlier?"

Ruby nodded and rubbed the back of her neck, the guilt from her words still hanging high above her head.

"I'm sorry, that was way out of line," Ruby said.

"What? No! It was fine, Ruby. I ask you about Weiss all the time," Yang argued.

"Yeah, but this was really personal… and I know you're struggling with it," Ruby argued back. "I shouldn't have thrown it in your face like that. I feel awful."

"It's fine, really!" Yang said, throwing her arms around Ruby. "You didn't say anything wrong, Zoomies. I promise."

"Then why'd you go quiet?"

"I… never really gave it any thought," Yang sheepishly replied. "Like, you never really ask me about these things, so I got caught off guard."

"I'm sorry," Ruby murmured. "I got so caught up with Weiss and Chrys, I kind of forgot to check in with you… we used to talk about everything."

"Not everything," Yang winked.

"I am not telling you about that!" Ruby shrieked, her face beet red. "I don't wanna know about the freaky things you get into either!"

"'Freaky things'? Ou la la, Rubyn, what kind of freaky things has the Ice Queen been doing to you?" Yang teased. "You were so sweet and innocent half a year ago, but look at you now!"

"YANG!"

"If you won't spill the beans, I bet Weiss will," Yang snickered. "I gotta hand it to her though, she really surprised me. I thought she'd be a lot more subtle in the bedroom, if you know what I mean."

"Ew, don't waggle your eyebrows like that, it's weird!" Ruby shouted, shoving her sister away.

"Are you this rough with the princess?" Yang snorted. "Weiss looks dainty, but I totally bet she likes it rough."

"I am going kill you!"

"Okay, okay, no more jokes. I promise to be serious from here on out," Yang laughed, pushing Ruby's raised fists down. Ruby eyed her hesitantly but trusted Yang enough to lower her hackles. "I just wanted to break the ice a little."

"Consider it broken," Ruby pouted.

Yang let out a long sigh and said, "Y'know, when you started dating Weiss and your life started changing in big ways, I got really jealous of you."

"What?" Ruby blinked in shock. "Why?"

"Well, if you took your break on time like you were supposed to, I would've been the one to meet Weiss first, and maybe we would've hit it off instead," Yang said with an awkward laugh that trailed off when Ruby didn't laugh along with her. "But that'd be wanting her for all the wrong reasons."

"Yang…"

"I feel totally disgusted with myself for thinking that shit even if it was just for a second." Yang rubbed her hands together, her sad violet eyes averted like she'd just confessed to an indelible sin. "I've been a terrible friend to her and an even worse sister to you, I'm sorry, Ruby."

Ruby wrapped her arms around Yang's shoulders and told her she'd done nothing wrong. Intrusive thoughts were just that—intrusive. They had no bearing on who Yang was as a person, and it most certainly didn't affect the way Ruby saw her sister.

"Thanks for not hating me," Yang replied, hugging Ruby back.

"What's to hate?" Ruby chuckled. "I think it's kind of flattering. You approve of Weiss so much you wanted her for yourself."

"Hah! No, dude, if Weiss is anything like Winter I seriously do not want a part of that."

"What? Why? I thought you liked Winter?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, and you know she's just a friend and nothing more," Yang said.

"Then why act like there's something more there?"

"Because there is something more there, but we're mature enough to know that even if we went against the odds, we'd still break up immediately," Yang laughed. "She's cool to hang with, but only in small doses. Like, she's so OCD and stiff about everything it's like hanging out with a robot sometimes. Seriously, she gets up before the sun's even out. Can you imagine me doing the same every day? I think I'd die."

"She really wakes up that early?" Ruby gasped. "Weiss hates waking up early! Like, if she could, she'd sleep until the afternoon."

"Wow, really?"

Ruby emphatically nodded and said, "She's been using the days I sleepover to get me to make breakfast so she can sleep in more."

"What a princess," Yang snorted.

"I like treating her like a princess!" Ruby shouted.

"Which is a good thing as long as she treats you just as well," Yang winked. "But I'm guessing she does other things to 'repay' you for your gallant treatment."

"She bakes me cookies," Ruby eagerly replied with a big grin. "She makes them with these semi-sweet chunks and not tiny little chips. Oh! She also cuts waaaaaaay back on the sugar, but I don't mind it. I actually kind of like it."

"Wow, that's a statement I never thought I'd hear," Yang replied, flashing Ruby a grin of her own. "Who knew landing an older woman would help you mature so much."

"She's not older, she's sophisticated and well-learned."

"So she's old and a giant nerd, got it."

"You know what? Screw you, you're just jealous!" Ruby huffed with a pout.

"You're right about that," Yang casually agreed as she fell back into bed and covered her eyes with an arm. "I was jealous. As your sister, I'm super proud that you found someone who treats you so well. I used to stay up at night worrying about the day you'd finally bring someone home. Like, I was genuinely worried because—no offence—you're kind of a space case sometimes."

"Hey!"

"It's not a bad thing," Yang laughed, peeking out from under her forearm. "Really, it isn't."

"Uh-huh…"

"Look," Yang said as she shifted onto her side to look at Ruby, "there are awful people out there that'll prey on that naivety. They'll use it as a tool to control and manipulate. Which is why I was always a little more careful with Penny. She's a bit out there, and she's so trusting that anyone could take advantage of her no problem. But let's be real for a second, if anyone's getting the short end of the stick here it's Ciel."

Ruby laid down next to Yang and nodded. "So I'm not the only one that noticed that?"

"I think they want different things."

"I think so too…" Ruby murmured.

"But enough about them, this heart-to-heart is about me and you," Yang said, waving her hand to end that topic thread. "That question you asked me at the table…"

"Sorry about that."

"It's fiiine, I'm a big girl. I can handle these sorts of questions." But after a quick laugh, Yang's face turned serious. "Something broke in me when Pyrrha died. She was kind of like my Weiss if you think about it. She was my best friend and my first love. She brought out the best in me, pushed me further than anyone else could. I saw a future with her and everything. We planned on getting a place together and going to the same university… get married. Have kids. Sounds kind of silly now that I've said that out loud, huh?"

"No way," Ruby said. "I think that stuff sounds great!"

"Well, you are kind of living the dream," Yang said with a sombre expression.

"I'm sorry."

Yang shook her head. "Don't ever apologize for being happy, Ruby. You fought for it. When all the odds were against you, you kept gunning for it."

"Yang…"

"You asked me how I could be so strong, but the truth is… I'm not," Yang continued as she raised her right hand up to the ceiling. She narrowed her eyes and spread out her fingers. "I lost myself to depression and let trauma define my life. If I didn't have you to take care of, I think I would've joined Pyrrha… I was prepared to do it. I thought about it so much that I felt like I was drowning in my own thoughts. You know that feeling?"

"Yeah…" Ruby quietly murmured, snuggling closer to Yang.

"I couldn't stop thinking about how it should've been me instead of her," Yang whispered. "I had her in my arms when she died, Ruby… her eyes—she didn't look away from me. And do you wanna know the last thing she ever said?"

"What?"

"'Do you believe in destiny?' " Yang rubbed her eyes with the heel of her left palm and growled with frustration. "What the fuck does that even mean? 'Destiny.' What kind of bullshit is that?!"

Ruby frowned and shook her head.

"She wasn't scared at all either," Yang continued. "She just accepted it like it was… like it was…"

"I-I didn't know any of this, Yang," Ruby said. "Why did you never talk about it?"

"Because this isn't the kind of shit you tell your little sister when she's got her own mountain of problems," Yang answered with a grim smile. "You had enough shit going on because of Cinder and her lackeys. You didn't need me to pile it on."

"I would've liked it if you did," Ruby argued. "You were so caught up in your grief that you forgot I lost Pyrrha too. We all did. She was our friend. We could've worked through it together."

"I know… and that's one of my biggest regrets," Yang confessed. "If I had just trusted you and our friends—if I hadn't treated you like some baby I needed to protect—then maybe I wouldn't have done the things I did." Yang took a breath and slowly exhaled. "I'm not strong, Ruby. I just stopped caring. I wanted to feel something other than that cold, crippling emptiness. And then I found Blake… she was just as scared and broken as me, maybe even more so. She makes me feel like me again, and I think she feels the same too because she never used to smile or laugh. She used to be even jumpier than she is now if you can believe it."

"Any idea why?" Ruby asked.

"Mm." Yang stroked her chin and shrugged. "I never gave it much thought other than maybe abuse. Like, I accidentally dropped a plate at her place once when new righty jammed and she got this terrified look in her eyes. Froze up and everything… it took me an hour to get her to calm down. She's also really iffy about touch."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she used to freeze up at the slightest touch," Yang said with a thoughtful expression. "I'd put a hand on her shoulder and she'd start to shake. She also started crying once when I grabbed her arm to stop her from slipping. I thought I hurt her since I accidentally used new righty, so I apologized, but instead, she started apologizing to me."

"Has she really not said anything?"

"Other than the fact Sun's the nicest guy she's been with, no," Yang sighed.

"So, uh, how are you handling that?" Ruby asked.

"Well enough," Yang shrugged. "Sun's a great guy. And I know he's treating her well… I just wish it was me in his place, but ya boy's not a homewrecker so I'm staying in line."

Ruby snorted out a laugh and hugged Yang. "I'm sure you'll find someone who'll love you just as much as you love them."

"Sure, yeah," Yang chuckled, ruffling Ruby's hair. "But until then, I'm gunna keep riding Winter's massive dick!"

"God damn it, Yang!" Ruby screamed as she shot out of bed and glowered at Yang. "We were having a moment, you butthole!"

"Sorry, I had to!" Yang exclaimed with a loud roaring laugh that brought tears to her eyes.

"All you had to do was keep your mouth shut and everything would've been fine," Ruby said, arms crossed.

"I could have," Yang said, sitting up, "but I didn't!"

"Uh-huh, yeah."

Yang stretched her arms up high and cracked her back before she sauntered over to the door, ready to call it a night. But before she left, Yang smiled at Ruby and said, "I wish I was a little more like you, to be honest."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"When it comes to Weiss you don't hold back… you gave her your all from the get-go. I like Blake a lot, but the shit from the past kept making me hesitate." Yang gripped the door, resolve clear in her eyes. "I think Uncle Qrow's right about cutting Blake loose, but I don't think she's leading me on. She needs a good friend more than anything else…"

"Yang…"

"Yeah?" Yang grinned.

"Don't give up," Ruby said.

"Who said anything about giving up?" Yang snorted. "I'm gunna copy you and win her over with kindness!"

Ruby blinked and sighed.

"Aight, g'night, Rubbles!" Yang said, quickly closing the door behind her before Ruby could give chase.

Now that she was alone again, Ruby went back to cleaning. She made short work of the books, tossed all the clothes in her laundry hamper, and put all her dumbbells back on their rack. Everything was tidy now, but as Ruby got ready for bed, she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't home. Ruby couldn't get comfortable no matter what position she took. And after what felt like hours of hopeless tossing and turning, Ruby gave up on sleep entirely and turned on her scroll. Maybe catching some live streams could distract her enough to forget she was alone.

Ruby let out a quiet chuckle when her favourite streamer started vacuuming her office when her collaboration partner suddenly disappeared. The bit went on for about five minutes until the other streamer came back, but that was a short-lived experience. The vacuuming started up again, only this time, the streamer started teasing her audience and laughing at them for watching her vacuum.

"Don't you guys have anything better to do?" the streamer asked, though the sound of her hungry vacuum muffled her adorable voice. "Seriously, chat, you guys are so weird! The stream's over, why are you still here?"

Ruby kept watching until the streamer officially called it a night. It was a little past 1 a.m. now, but Ruby was still wide awake. Ever since she'd started staying over at Weiss', Ruby had gotten into the habit of being in bed by ten and asleep at eleven. It was usually always Weiss who fell asleep first, but after a few minutes of cuddling and listening to her slow, rhythmic breathing, Ruby would shortly follow suit.

The routine did wonders for Ruby's mood in the following morning, though a good portion of that could be attributed to the fact they almost always started the morning off with a "bang." But even when things didn't start with a good morning workout like she did before Weiss, or the sex in general, Ruby always felt better knowing her presence kept Weiss' nightmares away.

Ruby bit her lip and opened her contacts list and hovered her thumb over Weiss' name, contemplating the pros and cons of calling her at such a late hour. The fight wasn't really a "fight," Weiss just needed some space to think and sort out her feelings. But did "space" mean no contact at all? Ruby understood it meant they couldn't see each other and Ruby was fine with—she didn't have to think any further because Weiss called her.

"Ruby?" Weiss hesitantly said.

"Uh, y-yeah? Hey, baby, is everything okay?" Ruby asked apprehensively.

"Yes, I just—I'm sorry for calling so late, I couldn't sleep," Weiss answered. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, I couldn't sleep either…"

"Any idea why?"

"Yeah…" Ruby turned on her right side and touched the empty space next to her. "I miss you."

"I miss you too," Weiss sadly replied. "But thank you for letting me go without a fight."

"Mm… it's just a little space, right? There's no harm in that," Ruby murmured, her eyes slowly growing heavy.

"Mhm, just a little space… we're still fifteen minutes away from each other physically."

Ruby yawned and said, "Seven if I do something illegal."

"Please don't," Weiss snorted.

They talked for another five minutes about nothing in particular. Ruby wasn't even sure what she was saying anymore since she was so tired, but hearing Weiss giggle at her murmurings put her at ease.

"Alright, I think that's my cue to let you go," Weiss chuckled when Ruby's words devolved into mindless babble. "Good night, mon amour."

"Night, night…" Ruby sleepily replied. "Love you."

"I love you too."

After the call ended, Ruby held her scroll tight against her chest and drifted off.