First of all, what was she thinking?
Second of all, what was she thinking?
Ruby Rose? Ruby Rose? Of all the people in the world, she kissed Ruby Rose? The police department's Ruby Rose? The head of technology who she stood across from in court and did her best to discredit? The genius who'd destroyed or nearly destroyed more than a few of her cases?
If anyone found out, she would be fired. There would be no questions as to how or why it happened or if she ever planned to do it again - she would be immediately let go. If Ruby told someone...
Realizing the precariousness of the situation, Weiss grabbed her phone with the intention of messaging Ruby. But she stopped herself, just like she'd stopped herself the previous hundred times today.
Sending a message felt like confirmation of what happened, and she didn't dare put that into text. So, even though she wanted reassurance that Ruby wouldn't go straight to the chief of police and tell him what happened, she waited on pins and needles instead.
Waited for what, she had no idea. She wanted to see Ruby again, but she seriously questioned whether she should see Ruby ever again. After what happened, their already ill-advised friendship had become even more ill-advised. It was probably best to cut ties now before either of them got hurt or worse - fired.
Who would've thought that Weiss would ever care about Ruby's job status…
Not long ago, she would have celebrated the news, as it removed an ever-present obstacle from her path. Now, she would feel horrible if her actions - i.e. her sheer lack of control - got Ruby fired.
Making matters worse, their near-constant string of messages had stopped. Just like that. As if they suddenly didn't know what to say to each other. As if this was a big deal.
It wasn't a big deal. It was just a kiss. A kiss that made Weiss' heart flutter whenever she thought about it, which was constantly, but it was still just a kiss.
She wished that she'd been more prepared for Ruby to kiss her. If she had been, she would have...
That wasn't a helpful thought. Her thoughts needed to revolve around work, not Ruby's soft lips and soft skin and soft touch and all-around softness that made her want to -
God, that wasn't a helpful thought either.
Thankfully, someone chose that moment to knock on the door. Grateful for the distraction, she willingly beckoned one of the newer paralegals into her office. At least, she thought the girl was new, but it was hard to tell sometimes.
"What is it?"
"I'm supposed to give you this." Rather than hand the file directly to Weiss, the girl set it on the desk and pushed it closer. "More information for the Dunn case."
"Perfect. Thank you."
The girl was already headed for the exit by the time another thought popped into Weiss' head.
"Wait a second," she called out, making the girl turn around with a hesitant expression. "What's your name?"
"Excuse me?"
"Your name," Weiss repeated, trying hard not to lose her patience so quickly.
"It's...Candace?"
Biting her tongue to keep from asking if she was positive that was her name, Weiss committed it to memory and flashed a smile.
"How long have you been working here, Candace?"
"Almost a year now."
"Do you want to be an attorney?"
The questions made Candace nervous, as if she thought Weiss was leading her into a trap. Still, she nodded.
"Yes...I do."
Of course she did. All of the paralegals dreamed of becoming attorneys.
"Then I have two pieces of advice," Weiss said even though she owed this girl nothing. "First, if you want experience, ask to take lead on tier-three drug cases. We all hate them and would be more than willing to let you build the argument. Second, that -" she pointed at Candace's skirt. "Needs to be two inches longer. Only Jeff's taking you seriously in something that short, and Jeff's not worth your time."
When Candace responded by staring like a deer in headlights, Weiss' patience evaporated and she waved the girl out of her office. Fortunately, Candace quickly snapped out of her daze and hurried away.
Either she was smart enough to accept advice from someone who'd already been there and done that, or she ignored the help and proved she was a lost cause. The end result didn't matter to Weiss; she had her own cases to get back to.
Or her own cases to stare at while thinking about Ruby instead...
When another set of knocks hit her door, she turned a sigh into a smile when she saw that Damon had stopped to pay a visit.
"Damon," she greeted him while he let himself into the office and sat across from her. "To what do I owe the honor?"
"I have a client for you. A friend who got caught up in a mess. Very high-profile case, very high payout. If you have time, I want you to take it."
"I have a full caseload right now," she pointed out, and he nodded.
"Just meet him and see what you think. If you think you can get him out of the charges, I'll find someone to take some work off your plate."
Considering none of the other attorneys could argue like she could, that sounded like a horrible solution. Regardless, she would humor the request. If this was a high-profile case, it could be worth her time to dump some of her lesser ones on her less-skilled colleagues.
"Alright, I'll meet him. Do you have a time?"
"He's at the station now." Damon knew the impromptu meeting would throw her off guard, but he didn't let on as much while sliding a memory file across the desk. "The information's all here. Let me know what you think after meeting him."
Accepting her latest challenge, which really should have gone to the firm's newest partner, she picked up the file while Damon left her office. She wasn't far behind him since she had to get to the police station now if this new client had already been processed. Going to the station meant possibly seeing Ruby, but there was no way around it. She had a job to do, and part of her job encompassed sharing workspace with the bubbly, sweet-as-sugar genius.
Fortunately, preparation took precedence over Ruby for the car ride to the station. Under ordinary circumstances, Weiss wanted as much time as possible to read the arrest information and decide what questions she needed a potential client to answer. In this case, she was coming in almost blind.
"Are you kidding me…" she muttered as soon as she opened the file Damon gave her.
Shaking her head, she stared out the window for several seconds before sighing and reading the charges. Unlawful possession, unlawful distribution, unlawful distribution to minors, extortion, bribery, misappropriation of public funds, impeding a criminal case, and - the cherry on top - first-degree murder.
Damon wanted her to represent his friend, the accused murderer.
Well, Damon was right about one thing - it was a high-profile case. Unfortunately, public perception was already against the man. When the news broke weeks ago, Weiss saw the victim's photo and knew the person accused would face an uphill battle clearing their name. With an angelic face and welcoming smile, the poor girl looked like everyone's favorite sweetheart or best friend - the jury would be out for justice on her behalf.
Weiss didn't know if she wanted to be the one fighting that battle, but she would at least meet him. If he seemed even remotely innocent, the challenge was enticing. She would have to convince the public to see what she wanted them to see. A humble family man wrongly accused. A philanthropic at heart who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A rags-to-riches success who fell victim to the wealthy elite.
The drug-related charges could be an issue, or they could hold no water at all. The police loved adding charges hoping one of them stuck.
Feeling the vehicle come to a stop, she collected her belongings and stepped outside. As her car drove off to the parking lot, she looked up at the Justice Center and took a deep breath before heading inside.
The lobby was a collection of chaos as patrol officers rushed through paperwork and civilians waited to report their less urgent crimes. After nodding to the officer manning the reception desk, she passed her identification card in front of the scanner and continued to the detention center alone.
Fortunately, there was a route that avoided Ruby's lab. They could still run into each other in the halls but, doubly fortunately, that didn't happen.
After passing through another security checkpoint, briefly wondering if Ruby flagged her credentials and received alerts whenever she swiped her ID, Weiss walked over to the officer sitting at the detention center's main desk.
"I'm here for Peter Barren," she told the man, who nodded and checked something on the computer before waving another officer over.
"Room three."
While they sorted out their side of the process, Weiss walked to the appropriately numbered room and let herself inside. The other officer would retrieve Mr. Barren and escort him here, giving her time to pick her preferred side of the table and set up a device to record the conversation.
Honestly, she hoped this went well. She could use the bonus points with Damon, especially since she still hadn't told him that recruiting Ruby was a nonstarter.
Before thoughts of Ruby took over her mind, the door opened and a well-groomed gentleman stepped inside. Instantly switching to her most professional mode, she stood and extended her hand.
"Mr. Barren."
He had to use both of his hands to shake hers - the result of the holocuffs shackling his wrists together. Due to the nature of his charges, he couldn't be left in the room without them. Surprisingly, this was one protocol she'd never found fault with, as she didn't enjoy the idea of being alone with a potentially violent criminal.
"Miss Schnee," he greeted her in a smooth baritone voice. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Damon had nothing but good things to say about you and your work."
"The pleasure's all mine."
"It's unfortunate we had to meet under such circumstances," he continued, motioning at the drab gray walls and furniture while taking his seat. "Normally, I make a better first impression, I assure you."
Feeling a prickle of discomfort, Weiss studied him for a second before realizing his posture - leaning forward with one hand curled into a fist on the table - bothered her. Whether intentional or not, it was vaguely threatening.
After flashing a smile, she decided not to waste time on pleasantries. Only a few seconds in, she wanted to get this over with sooner rather than later.
"First things first - if you're claiming to be innocent, never tell me otherwise." When she sent him a look asking for confirmation, he nodded. "Maintaining a lie takes more mental ability than telling the truth," she explained. "As long as I believe you're innocent, I can represent you to the best of my ability. If I know you're lying, it puts this case in jeopardy."
In actuality, she couldn't stomach the thought of defending a murderer. A client did that to her once - confessed to a gruesome, horrible murder as if she was supposed to be his confidante. She told him to find another attorney, and he ended up in prison where he belonged.
"Now," she said once Mr. Barren understood that basic ground rule. "Can you explain your relationship with the victim?"
"She was the president of her class, so of course I interacted with her. The class presidents bring proposals to the administration. We discuss the ideas and see if changes can be made."
"How many times did you meet with her? And how many of those were just the two of you?"
"Well…" He shifted in his seat, which Weiss made a mental note of. "I'd say a handful of times. Ten, at most. She was pushing this big initiative - she wanted to clean up the drugs on campus. Maybe that got her in some trouble."
When he shrugged at the suggestion, Weiss kept her expression impassive.
"The police think you're distributing drugs on campus. Wouldn't that mean she got in trouble with you?"
His mouth twitched at the blunt question and, for the first time, she caught a glimpse of what hid behind his polished exterior - anger.
"Every school in Vale has a drug problem. Every president of every school is suspected of being in charge - because we are in charge. Of the school, of the students - it's our responsibility to keep things clean. I'll admit we could do a better job, but our failure doesn't make us criminal masterminds. It only makes the students more determined than us."
By the end of the response, his mask had fallen back into place. Weiss, however, noticed how he sought shelter with other school presidents rather than leave himself out on an island. The psychology was simple - if he was bad, they were all bad. And they couldn't all be bad, could they?
"Do you have an alibi for that night?" she asked, feeling this meeting rapidly coming to a close.
"I don't."
"What were you doing?" she pressed, but he shook his head.
"I can't say."
The lack of answers added to Weiss' unease. Either he couldn't say because he'd been strangling an innocent college student, or he couldn't say because he'd been engaged in another illegal activity.
"You realize you've been accused of murder."
"I can't say," he repeated, almost stubbornly this time. "But I didn't kill her."
Studying him closely, she tried to figure out what to do next. If she took this case, she needed something suggesting he was a decent guy. If he wasn't, what would...certain people...think of her?
"Can you excuse me for a second?" she asked, but stood and stepped into the hall without waiting for his nod.
He was lying. Even though she'd essentially told him to, that didn't mean she enjoyed it. Especially in cases like this, where the difference between the truth and a lie was the difference between an innocent man and a murderer. Unfortunately, this was a personal request from Damon - she had to be positive before saying no.
Thinking quickly, she pulled out her phone and wished for Ruby's technical know-how. But she would make due with the information readily available online.
Fortunately, his salary was public record, as was the number of years he'd held his position. On top of that, she found several articles alluding to the lavish lifestyle he lived on that salary. After doing some rough calculations in her head, she determined that he didn't make enough to afford her fee. He didn't even make enough to afford his lifestyle.
Something else funded his endeavors. Something like running a drug ring on a university campus, perhaps?
After finding as much as she could with such little time, she tapped the side of her phone and came to a decision. Sometimes, she put her name on the line representing some questionable characters, but she drew the line at murder. He was guilty of one or all of the charges. She had no idea how the detectives figured that out, but she didn't care.
He might have powerful friends in powerful places, including her boss, but she wouldn't attach her name to his lost cause. Damon had an entire office of bloodthirsty attorneys ready and willing to handle something like this. He wouldn't like that she declined, but he also couldn't force her to give up her current cases.
Returning to the room, she took her seat and placed her hands on the table in front of her.
"I'd love to represent you, Mr. Barren," she lied. "But based on the information you've given me, this case will take up more time than I currently have on my schedule. I pride myself on giving my all to every client I have, and I can't in good conscience take your case knowing that I can't represent you to the best of my ability. I can, however, recommend several colleagues with the credentials to help."
His mask slipped again - he wasn't used to being told 'no.'
"Can't someone take your other cases?"
"That's not how this works," she replied firmly. "Accepting a case is a responsibility, and I take that responsibility seriously. I hope you understand, as someone who's also responsible for the wellbeing of so many people."
She had him there, and his forged persona gave him no choice but to nod. Taking that as agreement, no matter how begrudging, she quickly gathered her things and stood up.
"Damon will get someone else in touch with you as soon as possible," she added before quickly leaving the room.
"We're done," she told the officer outside, who nodded and walked in to collect Mr. Barren and take him back to a holding cell. Determined never to be in the same room or hallway with that man again, she quickly left the detention facility behind.
Now, more than ever, she wanted to see Ruby. But thinking about Ruby reminded her of what happened, and remembering what happened made her feel...so many things.
But she just sat across from a man who would probably be a convicted killer in a few months' time - she deserved a reminder that there were good, compassionate people in the world. So, rather than take the long way out of the department, she went the usual way - the way leading past Ruby's lab.
Before making it to that hallway, she took a deep breath and convinced herself that Ruby wouldn't even be there. Then she turned the corner, and her heart skipped a beat.
Just seeing Ruby was enough to bring back memories of last night. That kiss - Ruby's lips pressed against hers, their bodies so close together - lingered on Weiss like a haze. If no one else existed in this moment, she would walk into Ruby's lab and demand an explanation. Or another kiss. Or both, not necessarily in that order.
Unfortunately, they weren't the only ones who existed right now. Ruby wasn't even alone in her lab. She was talking to someone - a beautiful young woman with long, raven hair and amber eyes that sparkled while Ruby gestured with her hands.
As usual, Ruby was excited about something, and her excitement was so infectious that no one could resist a smile. When her guest said something and she dissolved into laughter, however, a less favorable thought popped into Weiss' mind.
Was this who Ruby went on a date with?
Walking slower than usual, Weiss glanced into the room but refused to linger. Ruby caught the look and nearly smiled, but Weiss turned away before that happened. She didn't want Ruby to smile at her - that would be a dead giveaway that they were friendlier than they should be.
But did Ruby smile at her the same way she smiled at whoever that person was? Was there no difference between the two of them, even though Ruby kissed her?
Or had she kissed Ruby?
Forcing those thoughts away, Weiss hurried out of the station and slipped into her car without acknowledging anyone. Once settled into the cabin, which offered some semblance of privacy in this too-public world, she pulled out her phone and considered several possible messages before typing one.
'If you're free, please come over tonight.'
Before overthinking the words or the reason behind them, she pressed send and put her phone away. Only two seconds passed before she pulled her phone back out to check her work emails...but also to wait in case Ruby responded.
In the meantime, she set a route home rather than back to the office. She didn't want to face Damon right now. If she did, she might come right out and tell him that his friend had committed murder. Instead, she sent a polite denial with some legitimate reasons about not wanting to overextend herself. Once that was done, a message popped up on her screen, and her heart started racing once again.
'I'm free. I'll leave in a little bit.'
Rather than respond with a customary 'take your time,' Weiss held her phone in her lap and slowly exhaled. She didn't want to treat this like a big deal - it wasn't a big deal - but, as soon as her car parked in the garage, she hurried inside and made sure everything looked presentable. Fortunately, not much had changed in the past few days, leaving her with time to mentally prepare for Ruby's arrival.
She had a trial tomorrow, which she would typically spend the entire evening preparing for, but her thoughts refused to leave Ruby. Until they talked, she wouldn't be able to concentrate. Talking to Ruby, however, meant she needed to figure out what to say. She needed to know how she felt before she could do that, but...she didn't know how she felt.
Sitting at her desk, pretending she might work, she tapped her fingers on her leg and stared at her phone instead. She knew it was against the rules, but that didn't stop her heart from fluttering whenever she thought about the moment Ruby's lips touched hers. She wanted to say that it wouldn't happen again - it shouldn't happen again - but she also wanted to know if it could.
More than anything, she wanted to know how Ruby felt. What was the motivation behind that kiss? Was it an impulsive, spur-of-the-moment thing? Or were there actually...feelings...behind it? Because it felt like there were feelings. Weiss wanted to believe there were, but she couldn't speak for Ruby.
"And this is why you don't date," she muttered before groaning at what she just said.
She and Ruby weren't dating. They were just...two friends who happened to kiss once. That was probably...somewhat normal. Just as normal as wanting to kiss again.
Dating was a distraction. These feelings were a distraction. She had work to do - important work - and she accomplished next to nothing while pining over Ruby instead.
She wasn't pining. She was...ruminating in a wanting way.
This had to stop.
The idea of never seeing Ruby again hurt like hell, but what else were they supposed to do? They couldn't work like this, which meant they couldn't work. It was unfortunate - really, really unfortunate - but some things just weren't meant to be.
When the doorbell broke through those thoughts, Weiss hurried to the back door.
"James, who is it?"
"It's Ruby Rose, controller of your house."
The title and memory attached to it made her smile. Or maybe knowing that Ruby stood on the other side of the door made her smile. Whatever the cause, it took a great deal of effort to force a neutral expression while opening the door.
The red-haired beauty standing outside was quite a shock, but she quickly collected herself and waved Ruby in.
"Thanks for coming over," she said while closing the door and turning around right as Ruby removed her holomask. Weiss' heart thumped when brunette hair replaced red and bright, silver eyes replaced ocean blue, but she chided herself for the reaction and tried to wrangle her suddenly fluttering emotions under control.
Deciding that some separation might do the trick, she backed towards the living room...only for Ruby to follow.
"How was your day?" Weiss asked with another step in that direction. Her attempt at normal conversation felt forced, but Ruby appeared none the wiser.
"It was alright, but I thought about you a lot."
Why did Ruby have to admit that out loud? Even if the same was true for Weiss, the admission should never see the light of day, especially not to each other. And with Ruby's eyes expressing just how sincere she was...
"Right. I…" Not knowing how to respond, Weiss moved on. "My day was alright too," she said even though Ruby hadn't asked. Remembering the meeting with Mr. Barren, she frowned. "Well, a little less than alright, but -"
When Ruby inched closer, Weiss' thoughts scattered.
"But...?" Ruby prompted while taking another miniscule step forward.
Weiss could back away - there was plenty of room behind her - but she didn't. Ruby was in her space, but she didn't want to move. Instead, she held Ruby's gaze and wondered just how much she would have to sacrifice to move closer.
"But people can be difficult," she concluded. Her heart fluttered again when Ruby laughed.
"But some people are pretty great, right?"
Faced with Ruby's hopeful smile, Weiss willingly nodded. Some people were pretty great, beginning with the person standing in front of her.
Abruptly remembering the beautiful brunette in Ruby's office today, Weiss bit her tongue and tried to force the thought away. She shouldn't ask. It was none of her business.
Although...maybe it was a little bit her business. If they were friends, shouldn't Ruby tell her about any potential suitors? Or say that she'd decided to go on a second date? Or another first date? Weiss wouldn't be surprised if Ruby had multiple people after her at any one moment...
"Who was that person you were talking to today?"
Weiss nearly kicked herself upon asking the question, but now she had to finish it.
"In your lab," she clarified. "The -"
'Pretty one,' she nearly said before stopping herself. "The brunette," she said instead. "You two looked...friendly."
God, she was jealous now. What was the matter with her?
"Brunette…" Ruby repeated before her eyes lit up. "Oh! You mean Blake. That's Yang's girlfriend."
"Oh. The dream theorist."
The answer by itself was a relief, but Ruby's nod worked wonders in lifting Weiss' spirits.
"Yeah! She was hanging out with me while waiting for Yang. We were talking about this dream sequence she made that I've been trying to figure out. It's really, really complicated."
Ruby offered more information than necessary, but Weiss appreciated every bit of it. There was no reason to be jealous. At least, not of that particular person. There were still others - she was certain of it.
But she shouldn't care. She and Ruby weren't meant to be. And if she didn't say that now, she might never say it at all.
"Listen, Ruby," she began, only for her confidence to waver when Ruby edged closer and looked down at her with kind, excited eyes.
Ruby was excited to be here with her. Even after what happened. Could that mean...Ruby liked her too?
Liked her - past tense. Because she couldn't like Ruby too, now, at this present moment. Neither of them should like the other.
"Listen," she tried again. "What happened yesterday was..."
Unprofessional? Uncalled for? A serious lapse in judgment?
"Awesome?"
As soon as Ruby offered the word, Weiss forgot everything else she wanted to say. Instead, she looked into Ruby's eyes and confirmed that was how Ruby actually felt.
"You really think so?" Weiss asked anyway, needing to hear Ruby say the words aloud rather than read the emotions in silver eyes.
"Yeah." Suddenly embarrassed, Ruby ran a hand through her hair while a blush reddened her cheeks. "I mean, you're really pretty, and you smell really good, and you're...you're a really great kisser."
Weiss' blush grew hotter with every compliment, but her heart had even more to say about those responses. Why did it make her so inexplicably happy to hear that Ruby thought she was great? She already knew she was great - at arguing, reading people, thinking on her feet, strategizing - but when it came to intimacy...
"You are too," she whispered, watching the positive answer light like a fire in Ruby's eyes. This wasn't going how she'd planned, but she didn't want it to go any other way. Especially when Ruby's gaze briefly dipped to her lips, announcing the second kiss moments before it happened.
This time, she leaned in and met Ruby's lips halfway. This time, she pressed closer and savored every second.
This time, she kissed Ruby. Not a quick one - she wrapped her arms around Ruby's neck and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss yet still wanting more. With their lips moving together, and their breaths growing deeper, it felt like they'd both wanted this for some time now.
Weiss could lose herself to this feeling, with Ruby's warmth and familiarity enveloping her like a cloud. She couldn't even remember what she'd wanted to say anymore. Something about how they shouldn't be together. That they shouldn't see each other anymore, or should see each other less, or just swear never to do it again.
Those thoughts were the furthest thing from her mind now. Now...she knew that she might never fully recover from this moment, as their lips communicated feelings she'd never given to anyone else, but she didn't care.
Ruby was the police department's genius. She was smart, kind, funny, passionate...and Weiss liked her. Weiss wanted her. And, inexplicably, Weiss had somehow gotten her.