Two people decide to prank everyone at work/school/wherever by pretending to date. But, it's been a few weeks of "Operation Lovebird" and the hugging and kissing and hand holding starts to take place even when no one else is around to be tricked…


It was simple at first; holding hands here, a peck on the cheek there. Soon they had everybody fooled, from Yang to even Miss Goodwitch. Everybody believed that they were going out. Then why did Pyrrha feel like this prank had gone off the rails?

It had been a rousing success, better than all the pranks before it and beyond even the scope of Ren and Nora's capabilities. Even now, as Pyrrha sat at the table with Ruby held in her arms, she could hear the topic of conversation shift to their relationship. This was all just a farce, something to surprise their friends with once they revealed their true purpose. So why did Pyrrha not want it to end?

Why did she linger when hugging Ruby so she didn't have to let go so soon? How come even when they were alone, Pyrrha didn't want to do anything else but hold her and smile? Why was it that every night, Pyrrha wished Ruby was there with her?

She and Ruby had always been friends, since the moment they'd met they had gotten along amazingly. They had even been mistaken several times by strangers to have been already dating, Sun and Neptune among those who had been confused. Thus, as the prank war had gradually been getting out of hand, it was a simple progression that they would try to up the scale of their relationship to trick the others. It hadn't been hard to escalate their relationship enough to convince their friends of the illusion that they were dating. Spending more time together, touching more, a few half-truths, and the occasional kiss, it had almost felt natural.

Pyrrha's arms closed around Ruby even tighter as she stared off at the far-off wall and reminisced, breathing in Ruby's hair with a half-concealed smile resting against soft black hair. Pyrrha remembered the first time they kissed. Ruby had been so nervous, wringing her hands with glowing red cheeks. Pyrrha had thought that it was because it was her first kiss or because they had an audience to perform for, but now she wasn't so sure. Ruby had always been confident when the prank called for acting, and the way she fumbled her words adorably afterwards drew out the biggest smirk from Pyrrha, soon leaning in for another kiss. She hadn't known then why she had gone for the second kiss, but now she was starting to guess.

Pyrrha was brought back to the real world when Ruby turned around in her lap to place two arms on either side of her neck, drawing her in close to place their foreheads together. "You've been quiet," Ruby whispered, silver eyes staring straight into Pyrrha and trapping her there in that moment.

With a smile, Pyrrha pushed forward and brushed their noses together, amusement glinting in her eyes as Ruby let out a small giggle. "What need do I have for words when I have you?" Pyrrha asked, kissing Ruby gently on the lips before pulling away to look into her eyes.

Ruby let out a small laugh before responding, "Stop that! You'll make my mouth hurt from smiling too much!"

So Pyrrha leaned in to kiss it better. As she pulled away, she could vaguely sense that all their friends had left them to their own devices, the table empty and clear. But perhaps they had already been gone for a while. It didn't really matter to her. All that mattered was her and Ruby, at this table, on this day, together.

With one more kiss, Pyrrha held Ruby close against her chest and breathed her warm words into Ruby's ear. "I love you, Ruby."

Pyrrha delighted at how her girlfriend shuddered, feeling Ruby swallow as she tried to remain in Pyrrha's embrace. She barely caught the whisper against her neck as she held Ruby close. "I love you too, Pyrrha."

Pyrrha had been with Ruby before so many times, but she felt so wonderful sitting there with Ruby, intertwined and smiling, like this was the first time in her life that a veil was lifted from her mind and she could finally think clearly. Sometimes Pyrrha wished that moments of time could stretch on forever. That she could capture a fragment of the world to always be how it was in that one perfect instant. That they could just keep sitting there, so happy and so in love, forever.

But it was okay that she couldn't. It was fine. Because if she did, then she would never get to experience the next moment with Ruby she wished she could freeze in time. Or the next. Or all the ones following it.

Maybe one day their time together would run its course. Maybe one day all they'll have of each other is memories. But she had better make them good ones. Because she would never forget them.

Not one moment.