The first thing Ruby noticed the next morning was how nice the sheets felt, wrapping around her like the softest, smoothest fabric on the planet. The second thing she noticed was that she was feeling an awful lot of the heavenly fabric...because she wasn't wearing any clothes.
As soon as she opened her eyes and saw a familiar-yet-unfamiliar ceiling up above, she smiled. It was the ceiling of Weiss' bedroom. She knew that because she'd done quite a bit of staring up at it last night.
Cheeks warming at the memories, she rolled onto her side and felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight beside her. Still sound asleep, with her long, beautiful white hair splayed out across the pillow, was Weiss. Even while sleeping she looked smart, if that was possible, but there was also this...softness...to her that made Ruby's heart hum joyfully.
This was the real Weiss. Last night was the real Weiss. Everything else? Just a mask. A very convincing mask, but a mask all the same.
Now, Ruby wanted to know even more about the incredible, incredibly complex woman laying beside her. What made Weiss happy? What made her upset? And what made her giggle like she had at one point last night?
Ruby didn't have the answers, but she was addicted to the puzzle. At the same time, she was content to just lay here and watch Weiss sleep.
A buzzing sound ended the peaceful moment too soon. Spinning around in search of the noise, Ruby quickly realized it was her phone, which she'd abandoned on the chair by the door last night. The illuminated, golden screen marked an incoming call from her sister, who she silently cursed while slipping out of bed as quietly as possible.
The buzzing continued while she pulled her shirt over her head and nearly tripped getting her pants back on. As soon as she was semi-clothed, she grabbed her phone, made sure Weiss was still asleep, and slipped into the hall to answer the call.
"Hello?" she whispered while pulling the door mostly closed and moving away from the room.
"Why are you whispering?"
"What? Oh, uh, because it's...really early."
Glancing at the time, Ruby cringed and hoped Yang didn't call her out how little sense that made. Thankfully, Yang chuckled and let it slide with an amused, "You and your weird sleep schedule…"
"Yeah, yeah," Ruby replied in a slightly louder voice, though she didn't want to be too loud and wake Weiss up. "What's going on?"
"I had an idea about...the thing I showed you yesterday…and wanted to run it by you real quick."
Much of what Ruby remembered from yesterday revolved around Weiss, so it took an extra second to understand what Yang was referring to - the engagement ring.
"Oh, right!" Grimacing at how loud that came out, Ruby lowered her voice and added, "Right. The ring. Did you come up with a way to propose?"
"I think so, but that's what I need you for. What do you think about this - I take her back to where we met, playfully ask her to re-enact it with me, then end by proposing?"
"That sounds really, really cute."
Realistically, Yang could propose while they were doing dishes and Blake would say yes, but it was sweet that she wanted to make it something special after all.
"I thought so too," Yang agreed before sighing. "Sorry, this is all I can think about right now, so I'll probably be talking your ear off about it."
"That's fine. It's exciting!"
And it had Yang's full attention, making her less likely to notice changes in Ruby's behavior and ask questions. Like, for instance, where Ruby was spending her nights...
"Shoot," Yang suddenly whispered into the phone. "I gotta go. See you at work?"
"Yeah, see you in a bit."
Right before the call ended, Ruby heard Yang start talking to someone else - most likely Blake as they got ready for work. In the silence that followed, Ruby smiled at her phone and embraced another wave of happiness for her sister. For her sister and Blake, who were about to embark upon the next chapter of their already amazing story.
Ruby couldn't wait for Yang to ask, but she would be as patient as possible. Fortunately, her life had a new distraction...who she wanted to get back to right now.
Trying to slip back into the room without disturbing Weiss, Ruby opened the door as little as possible and kept her hand on the handle the entire time. After sliding through sideways, she slowly pushed the door shut and sighed in relief when it latched with hardly any noise. As soon as she turned around, however, she found Weiss propped up on one arm watching her with an amused smile.
"Sorry," Ruby said before returning her voice to a whisper. "Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up…"
"It's fine. I'm usually awake by now anyway."
Accepting the subtle reassurance, Ruby walked over and sat on the bed beside Weiss. She did her best not to stare at Weiss' bare shoulders and definitely didn't look any lower than that.
Did Weiss have to be so attractive so early in the morning? It was impossible to look at her without wanting her.
"Was it important?"
The question snapped Ruby out of her wandering thoughts as Weiss nodded towards the phone in her hand.
"Oh, it was Yang. She's excited about proposing and wanted to discuss an idea."
"It's sweet that you two are so close."
"Yeah, she's..."
The rest of that sentence faded away when Weiss ran a hand through her hair, the motion causing the covers to slip and inevitably taking Ruby's gaze with them. Noticing the look, Weiss glanced down and blushed.
"I'm suddenly very aware that I'm the only one without clothes on…"
"I'm very aware of that too..." Ruby admitted, her gaze drifting downward only to snap up when Weiss slapped her arm.
"Can you grab me something to wear?"
When Weiss gestured towards the closet, or to the discarded clothing on the floor in front of it, Ruby glanced that way and considered her options.
"Ordinarily...yes. Under these circumstances...I think you'll have to get up and do it yourself."
"Ruby!" Weiss gasped before laughing and playfully smacking Ruby's arm again. "You understand this is one step away from holding someone hostage."
"You're totally free to leave. I'm not stopping you."
Ruby held up her hands to prove that she wasn't forcing Weiss to stay in bed, but Weiss shook her head and stayed put. Her eyes, however, sparkled with so much humor and delight that impossible-to-contain happiness flowed through Ruby's veins.
This was the real Weiss, and she was incredible.
"This is completely inequitable," Weiss finally argued. "Either grab me some clothes or start removing yours."
Brow lifting, Ruby grabbed the bottom of her shirt and started pulling it off. She only had it to her elbows, however, before Weiss lunged forward to stop her.
"Wait." Another heavy blush appeared on Weiss' cheeks, but her gaze didn't stray from Ruby. "I have a meeting this morning, and if you do that...I'm going to be late."
"Is it an important meeting?" Ruby asked while letting her shirt fall back into place.
"Please," Weiss scoffed. "All of my meetings are important."
"But some are more important than others, right?"
Sensing another debate on the horizon, Ruby leaned closer and watched the arguments flash through Weiss' eyes. Once the best line of reasoning had been selected, light-blue eyes met Ruby's and…
"You're right. I'll reschedule."
"You'll - what?"
Everything about that response threw Ruby for a loop, and she'd hardly collected her scattered thoughts before Weiss reached out, slid a hand behind her neck, and tugged her closer.
"I'll reschedule," Weiss repeated matter-of-factly before giving Ruby one of the sexiest smirks imaginable. "Unless you want to leave now?"
Ruby wasn't going anywhere right now. Instead, she leaned forward and captured Weiss' lips in a kiss that picked up where they left off last night. Or had it been early this morning?
Lips never separating, Weiss laid back in bed and pulled Ruby on top of her, sending a spike of desire through Ruby's veins. That pesky sheet was still between them, but Ruby easily pulled that away and ran her hand up Weiss' side.
"God…" she breathed out between kisses, savoring Weiss' soft skin underneath her fingertips before reaching up and running her hand through Weiss' hair. She loved running her fingers through Weiss' hair, mostly for the hum of happiness Weiss made when she did so.
All the while, Weiss kissed Ruby like she might never stop, her hands roving wherever they pleased. First, under Ruby's shirt, then ruffling through her hair, before finally wrapping around her back and pulling the two of them flesh together.
It was all so much. But, at the same time, Ruby felt more comfortable than she could have imagined. This felt right. And she wasn't only saying that because it also felt so damn good.
"You have such a dirty mouth, by the way," she mumbled before moving to kiss Weiss' neck. Weiss' laughter reverberated under her lips, making her smile while she pressed another kiss closer to Weiss' jaw.
"Do you remember what you did with your mouth?"
"I remember exactly what I did with my mouth." Finally pulling away, Ruby sat up and smiled down at Weiss. "I remember you egging me on quite a bit, too."
"Oh shush." While Ruby grinned, Weiss playfully swatted her arm. "It's not my fault I know what I want."
"Definitely not. And I thoroughly enjoyed it."
Pausing at the response, Weiss gave Ruby a more thoughtful look.
"Did you really?"
The fact that Weiss even had to ask made Ruby laugh and shake her head.
"I don't know how good of an actress you think I am, but…I'm not a great actress."
"Well, I knew that," Weiss replied with a huff. "You probably couldn't lie to save your life."
"I think you'd be surprised!"
When Ruby smiled, Weiss looked up at her with an almost-smile on her lips.
"You're right. I bet I would be."
"Was I right twice in one morning?" Ruby gasped. "Is this what I have to do to be right?"
"It certainly helps…"
Setting one hand on Ruby's cheek, Weiss finally relented and smiled. But it was no ordinary smile - it was one of the most beautiful, relaxed, happy smiles Ruby had ever seen.
Instantly recognizing the significance of that smile, Ruby's heart thumped loudly in her chest. And she couldn't help herself - she leaned down and pressed a long, adoring kiss to Weiss' lips before pulling away with a big smile of her own.
Weiss looked confused about the gesture but said nothing. She just smiled up at Ruby, while Ruby smiled down at her, before eventually glancing to the side.
"About those clothes…"
Playfully sighing, Ruby rolled out of bed and watched Weiss tug the covers back over her. "I guess you've earned it…" Ruby added while walking over to the closet and opening the door. When the lights automatically turned on, however, her jaw dropped.
"Holy - jesus! This is your closet?"
"Yes...why?"
Walking inside, Ruby spun in a circle and laughed. This was Weiss Schnee's closet...and it was as filled with skirts as she'd imagined.
"This is awesome," she muttered before spotting one of the blouses she liked. The light pink made Weiss look softer, but a black blazer and black skirt would add a nice contrast. Since the blazers and skirts looked almost the same to her though, she picked the two closest to her before taking her selections over to the bed.
"What do you think?" she asked while laying them out for Weiss to see.
"I think...you're trying to send me to work."
"What? Wait, no - of course not!"
Understanding the grave error, Ruby tried to undo her mistake. When she thought of an outfit for Weiss, she automatically thought power skirts and blouses, but that didn't mean she wanted Weiss to go to work if staying here was an option.
Unfortunately, Weiss was faster, grabbing the hangers first and drawing them close to her chest. When Ruby pouted, Weiss smiled and shook her head.
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
Noting Weiss' pointed look, Ruby frowned and tried to figure out the answer. She'd picked a full outfit - did Weiss want a pair of shoes too?
"Uh…" she began, only for Weiss to playfully roll her eyes.
"I guess I'm not wearing anything underneath these then?"
When Weiss lifted the hangers, Ruby's eyes widened.
Now Ruby was imagining Weiss sans undergarments in court. Would she ever do that? Should she? She wore skirts all the time...what if it was a windy day? What if she had to bend down to pick something up? What if she sat on the desk in Ruby's lab and crossed her legs?
"Ruby," Weiss interrupted with a laugh. "Why don't you think about it in there?"
Weiss motioned back to the closet, and Ruby smiled sheepishly before doing as instructed. Opening the dresser's top drawer, she sucked in a breath and prayed she didn't get an immediate nosebleed. She felt woefully unprepared for the selection of intimate apparel in front of her. Reds and whites and blacks in silk or cotton or lace. Everything looked like something she wanted to see Weiss in right now...then immediately see her out of it.
"Do you need help?"
Hearing the amusement in Weiss' tone, Ruby cleared her throat but found no words to respond. This must be a dream - that was the only explanation she could come up with while giving in and grabbing the set made of sheer black lace. Taking those back to Weiss, she set them on top of the rest of the outfit and watched Weiss' reaction.
"Interesting," Weiss said before giving Ruby a thoughtful look. "I thought the red would catch your eye."
"Definitely next time."
Hearing the implication out loud, Ruby blushed and tried to find another subject. This one was making her warmer the longer it dragged on.
"I, uh, I like the thought of you - you know - wearing something I picked out."
That felt like a big admission to Ruby, but Weiss didn't act like it was. Instead, she smiled and gathered the outfit in her hands.
"I do too," she replied before kissing Ruby's cheek and slipping out of bed. Unfortunately, she took the covers with her, preventing Ruby from catching any sort of view.
"You realize I remember last night, don't you?" Ruby pointed out.
"And those are the memories you'll have to cling to," Weiss teased before shutting the bathroom door behind her. Groaning at the injustice of that response, Ruby flopped backward onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
While listening to the sound of Weiss getting ready for the day, Ruby couldn't stop smiling. It felt like someone had stuck a hanger in her mouth, but she didn't want to remove it. After the whirlwind of emotions from yesterday, she couldn't believe this was how everything turned out. At one point, she worried that Weiss would say they could never see each other again. Then the trial happened…
Weiss was an amazing attorney. The way she argued, the way she reacted so quickly to new information, the way she kept her composure and level-head regardless of how the case went...all of those things and more made her worthy of the fear and respect she'd earned within the police department.
Weiss worried that their relationship would hamper her ability to represent her clients...then took Ruby to task in front of everyone in that courtroom. Ruby would have been impressed had she not been desperately scrambling for a way out of the cleverly placed trap she'd stumbled into.
Now that the trial was over, she wanted to know how Weiss felt about her. And them. And the feelings they seemed to share. Last night felt like a big clue, but she wanted to hear the words from Weiss' mouth.
When the bathroom door opened and Weiss came out looking every bit like the professional the rest of the world knew her as, Ruby stood up and felt her skin tingle with desire as Weiss walked over to her.
"So…?"
That was all the prompting Ruby needed to take a closer look at Weiss' outfit. As usual, Weiss looked impeccable and so, so attractive, but knowing exactly what she wore underneath made Ruby want to start undoing buttons right then.
"Weiss…" she breathed out before meeting Weiss' gorgeous, blue gaze. "You're beautiful."
Smiling, Weiss reached up and gently ran her fingers through Ruby's hair.
"You don't look half bad yourself," she teased. "I could get used to the no-bra look."
After looking down and confirming that she was the underdressed one now, Ruby searched for her underwear. Spotting the small articles of clothing on the other side of the room, she retrieved them and - since Weiss was apparently a huge tease - kept her back to Weiss while pulling off her shirt and putting on her bra. Then she shoved her underwear in her pocket and turned around with a grin.
She recognized the hunger in Weiss' eyes, but understanding and dismay accompanied the overarching greed.
"Payback?" Weiss asked, only to nod when Ruby smiled and returned to her.
"I should let you get to work, huh?"
Playing with the sides of Weiss' blazer, Ruby wished they didn't have to part so soon. She wished they didn't have to part at all, actually.
"Unless I call in sick, but don't you have work to do too?"
Reminded of the cases stacking up on her computer, Ruby sighed.
"I do," she admitted before giving Weiss a searching look. "But...we're good, right?"
"I think so." Weiss thought about the question for several seconds before meeting Ruby's gaze. "Do you think so?"
"I do," Ruby replied with a smile. "I really do."
"Then...can I see you again? Soon?"
"Absolutely."
Ruby nodded to emphasize just how much she wanted to see each other again - and soon - so Weiss finally smiled and reached for Ruby's hand.
"Come on," she said while gently leading Ruby to the door. "I'll walk you out."
Something had changed between them, but it couldn't all be because they slept together. At least, that was Ruby's thinking as she followed Weiss down the staircase and to the back of the house. But she didn't have time to pinpoint the source of the change before Weiss stopped her near the back door.
It looked like there was something on Weiss' mind, but she mulled it over for several seconds before dismissing it with a nearly imperceptible shake of her head.
"I'll see you later?" she asked instead, before somewhat regretfully releasing Ruby's hand.
"Definitely."
After they shared one last smile, Ruby reached for the door handle.
"Ruby -"
When a hand appeared on her arm, she turned back to Weiss.
"Before you go," Weiss added before stepping closer, brushing her hand through Ruby's hair, and pulling her into a kiss.
This kiss was nowhere near as hungry or greedy as some of the others they'd shared but was so filled with emotions that Ruby's heart responded strongly. It felt like Weiss was trying to tell her something...something that her heart implicitly understood, that she felt as a warm glow even after Weiss pulled away.
"Have a good day," Weiss whispered, the genuine happiness in her eyes making Ruby's heart skip a beat.
"You too."
With a parting smile, Ruby finally ducked through the back door and headed to the train station. She wouldn't stop smiling anytime soon, but that was fine with her. Right now, she didn't want to do anything but smile and think about Weiss and smile some more.
So she did exactly that while stopping by her apartment for a change of clothes before hurrying to work. She was late again, but she didn't care in the slightest. She felt like a million credits, especially when she remembered that last kiss.
Hopefully, they could see each other again tonight. And the night after. And this weekend.
"Hey Ruby!"
Turning towards the sound of her name, Ruby grinned when she spotted Jez hurrying over to join her.
"Good morning!"
"Morning. You're a little late today, aren't you?" Jez teased. Ruby tried not to let a blush give her away.
"Uh, yeah. Got caught up working."
"Always working," Jez said, but her smile flitted away as her expression became more hesitant. "But hey, I was wondering if you want to grab lunch today? My treat - I still owe you for helping set up my security stuff."
Ordinarily, Ruby would say yes. Why wouldn't she? It was nice to grab lunch with friends. Remembering Yang's observation, however, she realized that she might have a bit of social maneuvering to do.
"Um, sure! Can Yang come with us?"
The disappointment in Jez's eyes confirmed that Yang was once again right, but Jez quickly brushed off the reaction and nodded.
"Sure, of course. The more the merrier."
"Great!" Before the conversation went down an uncomfortable path, Ruby backed towards the security doors. "I'll let you know when I'm free!"
When Jez smiled and nodded, Ruby hurried into the station and blew a breath through her lips. How should she deal with that? Even though she and Weiss weren't officially dating, she didn't want to lead Jez on when there was nothing more than friendship there. She didn't want to lose a friend. She also didn't want Weiss to hear about it and get the wrong idea.
Since when was her romantic life so...busy?
Shaking her head, she walked into the lab and decided to get to work rather than dwell on that right now. Or she would get to work while dwelling on those thoughts. Most specifically, thoughts of Weiss.
They slept together, but that didn't mean they were dating. At least, from what Ruby understood about relationships, that didn't mean they were dating. It only meant that they liked each other enough to...do that type of thing. Anything more would be risky and likely result in one or both of them being fired. Still, the lack of a proper term left her a little...unsatisfied. Two quick knocks pulled her away from those thoughts, turning her around as Yang walked into the lab.
"There you are! Thought I'd have to send a search party after you."
"Sorry. Got caught up in things."
"At least you're staying busy," Yang replied with a quick chuckle. "Anyway, Penny gave this to Blake to give to me to give to you." When Ruby's brow furrowed, Yang shook her head and extended a small, wrapped box. "Sure there's nothing there?" she asked while Ruby accepted the present and pulled off the wrapping paper.
"Just friends, Yang." After dropping the paper on her desk and opening the box, she gasped. "Really good friends!" she said while removing the small metal ring from inside.
"Did she just propose to you?" Yang asked, but Ruby gave her an unamused look.
"Don't you know what this is?"
"Looks like a ring."
"It is! It's an EnduRing."
When Yang scoffed at the name, Ruby ignored her and read the card Penny included in the box.
'I asked my father if I could give you one, and he said yes. I hope you like it - let me know if you find out how to do anything new.'
"This is so cool…"
Setting the note down, Ruby studied the device in her hands. The EnduRing was so shiny, new, and full of possibilities that her mind was already gearing up to explore them all. Most importantly, she couldn't wait to show Weiss. Did Weiss know what an EnduRing was and what it could do? Even if she didn't, it wouldn't take her long to get up to speed - she was that smart.
"You're such a geek sometimes," Yang joked while sitting on Ruby's desk. "But you're happy, right?"
Briefly worried Yang somehow read those thoughts, Ruby relaxed when Yang motioned to the ring.
"You like Penny's gift?"
"You mean do I like this limited edition, incredibly advanced piece of technology?" Ruby asked before scoffing. "Of course I do! I can't wait to see what I can do with it…"
"Probably something amazing," Yang said before tapping Ruby's side. "But ok, now that you're in a good mood, I have a huge favor to ask."
"Just how huge are we talking?" Ruby asked while Yang dropped a file onto her computer. As soon as she opened the document, she understood why Yang phrased it like that.
"I know you hate this stuff, but please help?"
What Yang wanted help with was another boring, generic search function, but that didn't bother Ruby today. Very little could bother her today, as she smiled and nodded.
"No problem. I can do this."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, it's fine. Shouldn't take long."
The response surprised Yang, but she seemed unwilling to question her good fortune and risk Ruby changing her mind. As luck had it, Casey tapped on the glass for her attention before she pondered Ruby's sudden change of tune.
"Ok, I gotta run," Yang said while backing to the door. "But you're the best."
As Yang joined Casey to rush off to wherever they needed to go, Ruby chuckled to herself. Generic search functions were still boring and tedious - that hadn't miraculously changed. But they were part of her job, and she loved her job. More importantly, she understood now that those menial tasks weren't the cause of her angst.
What she'd been searching for wasn't a challenge - she'd been searching for someone to challenge her. Someone who pushed her to be better every second of every day, and someone she could push in return.
After last night, she knew what she wanted - she wanted to be with Weiss. Official. Dating. Girlfriends. Whatever they called it these days. She understood the risks. She understood that the two of them, who were probably as attached to their careers as anyone could be, would be putting those careers in jeopardy. But she also understood her feelings, and she knew that Weiss was worth it.
Now, she just needed to think of a way to tell Weiss...and hope Weiss felt the same. Would a hard-as-nails defense attorney who made a career out of bludgeoning prosecutors risk that life to be with her?
God, she hoped so.