Ruby hesitated, her thumb hovering over the link on her phone. She gave herself a moment to consider whether or not she actually wanted to do this.

She lifted her head and her silver gaze flittered about her tiny, dingy apartment. Paint peeling from the walls in some places. The kitchen and living room together barely the size of the average bedroom. The plumbing that barely worked even on a good day. The air conditioning that didn't work period. The occasional roach, or worse, rat, she found skittering across her kitchen floor.

She thought of her current job at a local dine-in restaurant, where she worked as a waitress. How her paycheck, even with tips, was barely enough to cover groceries and rent. How she often outright skipped meals to make sure her food lasted.

She was pretty sure she had lost almost fifteen pounds over the past few months.

Doing this would be good for her, she told herself. What she wanted to do wasn't uncommon, there were plenty of people who did it and ended up okay. Would it be weird? Sure, but weird had never stopped her before.

Ruby hated to admit it to herself, but she didn't have many options. As she was, she was stuck.

It wasn't like she had any family to ask for money.

Ruby steeled herself, let out a breath, and tapped the link.

It led to a sugar dating website.

MAKE A PROFILE AND GET STARTED! a link at the top of the page exclaimed.

The page looked legit, Ruby thought. High quality, like some time had been put into it. It didn't seem sketchy. At the bottom of the page was a list of reviews the site had received, and they all seemed positive.

She proceeded to create a profile. She chose the best picture of herself she could find on her phone to use and started filling out the more personal details.

Preference? Girls.

Looking for? Just some company and financial help.

What do you like to do for fun?

Ruby actually paused. What did she do for fun? There wasn't much she could afford to do. Her downtime away from work mostly consisted of trying to manage her budget or watching movies. But if she was going to be with someone who would help her with money and spend time with her, she needed to think of something. She racked her brain for a few moments, scrunching her face up as she thought it over.

She quickly typed something out. Watching movies, reading books, and just spending time with people. That would work.

CREATE YOUR PROFILE

She tapped it. And now she would wait. From what she had read from some question-and-answer forums, it was better to wait for a sugar daddy/mama to come to you as opposed to the other way around.

Ruby sighed as she leaned back in her bed and shut her eyes. She could only hope for the best. She was in dire straits and she needed help.

She needed this to work out.

Blake reclined on the leather couch as she swiped at her phone, sipping from a glass of wine. Across from her, Weiss and Pyrrha were giggling about something the raven-haired woman didn't bother to listen to. Right now, she had a different job.

Finding a sugar baby.

Blake hated to flaunt it, but she, Weiss, and Pyrrha were unquestionably wealthy individuals. They all occupied some high-profile seat in some company. Pyrrha was a successful real-estate CEO, Weiss the founder of her own mining company, and Blake herself was a partner at a lucrative law firm. However, while it bought them a life of luxury and comfort, there was one thing that money couldn't buy.

Real companionship.

They had looked at all of the dating websites they could and tried to find people at company dinners and the like, but they always came up short. People were either intimidated by their status or were only interested because of it. So, the three of them figured, why not take advantage of it? Actually pay people to spend time with them.

The new venture had been mildly successful, but they had grown disillusioned by all of the sugar babies they had been with before now. It was like the people they found didn't actually enjoy their company if they even wanted it. They had merely asked for money and gave them the cold shoulder.

As Blake continued to idly swipe, she was beginning to think she would have no luck tonight. However, just as she was about to put the phone down, a just added profile caught her eye.

A girl by the name of Ruby Rose.

Blake couldn't tear her eyes away from the profile picture. A young girl, younger than her if she guessed, with short, dark hair dyed red at the tips. Silver eyes gazed back at her through the screen. A shy smile graced her features. Blake immediately clicked on her profile.

She was twenty-one years old, so definitely younger. Blake, Weiss, and Pyrrha were all twenty-five. She had just graduated from college but had been having trouble finding a job with her degree, so was stuck as a waitress. She was saddled with a lot of college debt she didn't know how to pay off, and paying rent was always a struggle every month. Ruby was just looking for someone to spend time with along with some help on the money side of things. She enjoyed watching movies, spending time with people, and reading books.

Blake smiled at the last one. Finding someone to read books with would be nice.

She looked up from her phone at Pyrrha and Weiss, who were still engaged in light conversation. Blake cleared her throat and the two of them looked up.

"Is something the matter, Blake?" Weiss asked, the blue-eyed woman's voice making clear she was just a bit annoyed at her talk having been interrupted.

"Well, nothing's the matter, but I think I might have found someone of interest to us."

Pyrrha's emerald gaze lit up. "Really? Do you mind if I see?"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Oh, joy. Yet another scammer trying to rob of us of our money."

Pyrrha lightly shoved her shoulder.

"Now, Weiss, we shouldn't judge someone unless we've gotten to know them first." She scolded.

At that, Pyrrha rose from her seat and crossed the room to where Blake was sitting, sliding up next to her on the couch. She peered at the phone and scanned this Ruby's profile.

"Well, I see no reason why we shouldn't see her. She seems different from the other people we've met with."

Weiss regally raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"She seems to be actual struggling, unlike others who are just looking for extra money on the side. And she hasn't specified how much she's looking for." Pyrrha's eyes continued looking over the screen. "She has just gotten out of college. This Ruby seems open that she needs help."

Blake looked up at Weiss. "I don't know about you, Weiss, but I don't see the harm in giving her a shot."

Weiss looked suspiciously at the two of them, and neither of them were surprised. She had been reluctant to be part of this whole…thing they had from the start. The idea of paying random people to spend time with them had rubbed her the wrong way, but she went along with it anyway because she trusted her friend's judgement. But after the last few…disappointing encounters, her distaste for this sugar dating idea had only grown.

But looking at the earnest gazes of her friends, she sighed.

"Alright. Message her and see where she wants to meet."

Blake smiled and tapped the message button on Ruby's profile.

Ruby had just begun to drift off to sleep when she heard her phone ding. Her eyes fluttered back open and saw that the device had lit up on her nightstand. She reached out and grabbed it, flinching a bit at the brightness. Ruby blinked it away and squinted at her notifications.

SOMEONE'S INTERESTED!

Her eyes widened and she shot up in her bed. Someone's reached out already. But she had only made her profile just tonight. A few taps and she was looking at the profile of the person…

People?

The profile picture had three women on it, not merely one. They were all looking at the viewer. Ruby took in all three of them. They were all dressed to impress as they had their arms around each other.

One was a tall redheaded woman, her hair tied up in a high ponytail. Warm, friendly green eyes looked ahead, crinkles at the corners as she gave a full-toothed, beautiful grin. Ruby blushed a bit as she took in her body. She was toned, very toned, defined muscles obvious in her bare arms.

Ruby's eyes moved to the one in the center of the group. She had black hair that stretched far down her back. Ruby found herself hypnotized by amber orbs that exuded mystery, and maybe even a little mischief. Her smile was friendly, but it seemed oddly…ambiguous.

And finally, there was the shortest of the three. Snow white hair was tied in an off-center ponytail and adorned with what looked like a tiara of some sort. Her entire aura radiated something that Ruby could only describe as royal-like. A grin and overall expression that seemed almost condescending in nature.

Ruby looked through the profile description.

If you want us, you have to get used to all three of us. Looking for some company to pamper and spoil.

Swallowing a little as her hands shook, Ruby finally clicked on the notification in the corner and gazed at the message this group had apparently sent to her.

Hello, Ruby. My name is Blake. If you've looked at our profile, I'm the woman with the dark hair in the center. The tall woman is Pyrrha, and the white-haired woman is Weiss.

I'm awfully sorry reading about your circumstances. The three of us know well how hard it can be to get by after college, especially someone your age, and we certainly know how intimidating the debt can be.

We're interested in meeting you this week if it is convenient.

Ruby's heart raced as she opened up her keyboard. She couldn't believe this was happening, and she couldn't believe her luck that it was happening so soon.

hi, ms. Blake. thank you so much for reaching out. i would totally be interested in meeting you guys! it would have to be later in the afternoon because of my job. does 6:00 on friday sound ok?

Ruby nervously bounced her knee as she hit send. And she waited. Not longer after, she let out a breath as her phone pinged again and lit up with another message.

Excellent to hear from you, Ruby. Friday at six would absolutely work. Where would you like to eat? Entirely your choice.

Reading the last sentence, Ruby felt her heart drop and some embarrassment began to creep into her system.

well…i'm sorry, but i probably can't pick anything that would be good enough for you guys. i don't have a lot of money to spend on a fancy dinner. i'm really really sorry.

The response was almost instantaneous.

That's not a problem at all, Ruby. Of course, we'll be paying for your meal.

Pyrrha giggled a bit. "Oh, she's precious."

Weiss couldn't help but grin as well. "I can almost feel the embarrassment through the phone."

Blake smirked at her friends. "I guess it'll take her a bit to get used to the fact that the whole point of sugar dating is that we spoil her."

Blake looked back at her phone as it dinged again.

Okay…if youre sure. is Vale's okay?

Vale's was a restaurant in the downtown area of Atlas City. A bit higher end, but certainly nothing that the three of them couldn't afford. Blake looked up at Weiss and Pyrrha, who nodded that it was okay with them.

That sounds just fine, Ruby. Vale's at six o'clock on Friday.

We can't wait to meet you!

Ruby was both excited and terrified when Friday finally rolled around. She was meeting not one, but three women who were going to pay her money to just…spend time with them. Part of her didn't really know how to handle it. She wasn't great with people in the first place, but this situation was so foreign to her. But…the idea that she might finally have the chance to get out of the hole she was in was too good to pass up. So she resolved to go through with it.

The only problem was that she really didn't have anything fancy to show up in.

Ruby bit her lip as she gazed into her closet. T-shirts, t-shirts, more t-shirts, some hoodies.

"I have to look nice. I might turn them off if I don't."

The only article that looked even remotely like it could be worn for a nice dinner was a red button up dress shirt. It was the only thing she had.

So, she threw it on, cringing a bit at the number of wrinkles, but it would have to do. She slid into a pair of black jeans and her black work shoes. She ran a brush through her hair a bit.

Ruby looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. The shirt was wrinkled, the jeans were torn a bit at the knees, and her hair refused to be tamed no matter how hard she tried. She definitely didn't look like she was dressed to impress, but it would have to do.

After shoving her wallet and phone into her pocket and locking the door to her apartment, she swiftly jogged down to the bottom floor. It was five-thirty and she really didn't want to be late.

Her future could depend on it.

She stepped out of the apartment complex and took a deep breath in. It was a sunny day, thankfully, with a light breeze rejuvenating her. Her jitters abated a bit as she climbed onto her bicycle and began to ride down the sidewalk towards downtown.

Ruby didn't live in a bad part of town, not really. It clearly wasn't meant for any CEOs, but the houses in and around the apartment building were nice enough. The sidewalks were cracked and uneven, the roads in much the same shape. It made riding her bike a bit precarious, but she had done it enough time to know where the more dangerous bumps and bounces were.

As she moved closer and closer to the restaurant, she found her nerves getting to her again. What if they didn't like her? Thought she wasn't worth her time? She'd be back to square one with her spirits even lower than they were now. This was all so new. She had never seen herself doing something like this.

Then again, she hadn't expected most of the things that had happened during her teenage years either.

She shook the thoughts out of her head as she hopped off the bike in front of Vale's. Delicious smells surrounded her while she parked and locked her bicycle.

She hesitated a bit before grabbing the doorknob. She took a breath, steeled herself. She let the air out and walked through. She approached the waitress sitting at the podium near the entrance.

"H-Hi…" she stuttered a bit. "Um, I'm here to meet with some…friends. Uh, by the name of Blake?"

The waitress nodded and began looking through a book on the podium in front of her.

"Ah, yup! Right here. Blake Belladonna. Follow me and I'll bring you to your table."

Ruby nodded her thanks and did just that, tailing the waitress as she weaved in between tables towards the back of the restaurant. She breathed in and out one more time as she recognized three people sitting in a corner booth.

The woman she recognized as Blake wore a white button up underneath a black vest, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Black pants and black shoes occupied her lower half. She was leaned forward a bit towards the table, elbows propped up and hands clasped in front of her.

The tall redhead, Pyrrha, was in a red turtleneck and tight blue jeans. She had her hands folded politely on her lap. A gentle smile graced her features.

And finally, there was Weiss, wearing a blue blouse and blue jeans, and high heels on her feet. She was the one speaking to the other two, one hand curled up underneath her chin. Something about her caught Ruby's eye, and she finally realized that Weiss had a faded scar running over her left eye. Ruby caught herself wondering how it got there.

"Ladies, your guest has arrived." The waitress cheerily chirped.

Suddenly, Ruby found herself freezing as emerald, ocean-blue, and amber eyes suddenly looked at her. They were all so beautiful and she felt her brain shutting down in their presence. A thin sheen of sweat began to form on her forehead.

Apparently sensing the girl's anxiety, Pyrrha stood from her seat and approached Ruby. Ruby could finally appreciate just how tall she was, being almost a head taller. She slipped an arm around Ruby's and began leading her to a seat.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you, Ruby. We've all been very excited." Pyrrha said sweetly, giving Ruby a genuine grin, tilting her head a bit.

Ruby's mind suddenly decided to start functioning again.

"O-Oh! Um…yeah, it's…nice to meet you, too." Ruby sputtered.

Pyrrha couldn't help herself and she giggled a bit. The nervousness wafting off of the younger girl was both adorable and excited a protective instinct in the woman. She gently deposited Ruby in her seat before sitting down herself.

After Ruby sat down, Blake stuck out a hand, a smooth smile calming Ruby's nerves a bit.

"It's good to meet you, Ruby."

When Ruby reached out her own hand and gripped Blake's, the raven-haired woman promptly brought Ruby's knuckles to her lips, rattling her nerves once more. Ruby thought she could feel steam squeezing out her ears as her face became as red as her shirt.

Blake smirked when a hand smacked her shoulder.

"Stop that, Blake! You're making the girl nervous." Weiss scolded, making Blake roll her eyes. Weiss huffed before finally looking at Ruby. "I'm Weiss. It's a pleasure, Ruby."

"T-The pleasure's a-all mine." Ruby stuttered.

"Should I give you a moment to look over the menu, ma'am?"

Ruby blinked. "Oh, um…yes please."

The waitress nodded before going to attend to other customers. When Ruby took the menu in her hand and began looking at her options, she cringed a bit at the prices. She had forgotten how expensive Vale's could be sometimes. She once again began to fret. She knew that they were going to pay for her. Would they think she's asking for too much if her food was more expensive? That she was already trying to mooch off of them? Take advantage of their kindness?

With such thoughts bouncing around her brain, she decided to pick the cheapest option, hoping the other women wouldn't notice.

No such luck.

Blake frowned as she looked at the item Ruby picked. "Are you sure, Ruby? That's not a whole lot." Blake was only barely able to hide her eyes roaming over Ruby's thin frame. The girl looked to be all skin and bones.

Ruby forced a smile. "Y-Yeah, it's fine."

"Ruby." A soft voice intruded. Pyrrha was looking at her, eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Are you nervous about the price because we're paying for you?"

Busted. Ruby's face turned red again and she lowered her gaze, nodding shyly, like she was embarrassed.

The other woman found themselves unraveling at the adorable look that came over Ruby's features.

Despite this, Weiss scowled. "Ruby, if we're going to do this, you're going to have to understand something." She began, forcing her voice to take a stern tone. "The whole point of this is for us to spoil you. To make you happy, whatever that may be for you. So, stop being a dolt and order something that you're actually going to enjoy." She gave a Ruby a glare that didn't really reach her eyes.

Ruby flinched at the scolding, however well-intentioned it might have been. She silently nodded once more before picking something a bit more expensive from the menu. Blake, satisfied at the new choice, nodded, and called the waitress over. She took their orders and left them.

Pyrrha clasped her hands in front of her as she smiled at Ruby. "So, Ruby, tell us a bit about your situation. Your profile went into it but we'd like to know a little more so we know what you need."

"R-Right…" Ruby cleared her throat, anxiety beginning to creep into her mind. "Well, u-um…I graduated from college about a year ago. My degree was in business, but…I've been having trouble finding work. The only job that was hiring was a waitress job, but…that's not enough." Ruby fought valiantly to keep her voice from breaking. "Things have been hard. I have to pay rent while trying to get enough groceries to live off of, and there's still my student debt hanging over my shoulder." She fiddled with her hands underneath the table as her knee began to bounce. "My apartment is just…crappy. Crappy everything and it's terrible to live in. I just feel like I'm stuck in a hole that I don't know how to climb out of." She couldn't stop tears beginning to prick the corner of her eyes.

She had never told anyone of her troubles and stresses. And here she was pouring out her soul to strangers.

"But…" She continued. "It's also been lonely. I don't have many friends and my family…isn't really around. So every day I'm by myself and it's hard to live like that, you know? So just…I just want to spend time with someone…"

Blake couldn't stop herself as she reached out to rub the girl's arm. Part of her knew personally what Ruby was going through. She had been stuck in a similar circumstance not too long ago. She knew how soul-crushing and terrifying it can be, not knowing what your future is going to be. If you even had one to look forward to.

Weiss nodded as she stared intently at the girl. "Okay. So, your immediate financial problems at the moment are rent and groceries. That shouldn't be too difficult to cover." Weiss tapped her chin. "If our arrangement becomes more long term, I'm sure we could find ways to address your debt."

"But right now our first priority is making sure you're happy, Ruby. We'll be spending time with you, so you don't have to worry about that anymore. How much is rent normally and what is the average you spend on groceries?"

Ruby told her.

"And how much do you make as a waitress?"

Ruby once again answered.

Pyrrha's eye twitched. That wasn't nearly enough to cover an apartment and groceries. It was a miracle Ruby still had an apartment to live in.

"Right. So…" Pyrrha did some quick math in her head. "How does an allowance of five-thousand a month sound? Plus, whatever we give you for dates?"

Ruby's mind ground to a halt. Five thousand…a month? Plus…dates…?

Blake couldn't help but smile as Ruby's mouth fell open. She reached out and placed her hand on the younger girl's, hoping to stop the growing trembles as Ruby absorbed this information.

Ruby couldn't stop as she began to cry more. Five thousand a month would be more than enough to cover rent and groceries. She would have extra money to buy things to make life more comfortable for herself. She could finally live, not just survive. She wouldn't have to skip meals.

Ruby covered her mouth as she let out a small sob. This was all happening so fast.

Pyrrha leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Ruby's shoulders and pulled her into a close hug.

"T-Thank you s-so much…you h-have no idea how much this m-means to me…" Ruby whispered through her tears, clinging to Pyrrha as she shook something fierce.

Weiss looked on with a satisfied smile on her face. This girl was different from the others, she could tell. She wasn't just looking to take money from them. She needed help and friends, someone to look after her and make her happy.

They could do that.

They could definitely do that.