Chapter One: Under All the Stars
Wooooo boiiiiiii! Sequel time, let's go! I'm really excited for this project to take off. I'm going to do things differently and try to explore the other characters. I want to have more Neptune and Ciel hijinks. More Winter. And maybe resolve whatever's going on with Bumblebee.
Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through SC.
Oh, heads up, we're starting this sequel off with a bang. \o/
All good days start by setting the right foot forward. But what do you do for an extraordinary day? You hit the ground running!
Ruby was up before the sun and even earlier than her alarm. She'd been counting down the seconds since her head hit her pillow and barely had a wink of sleep because of it, but she didn't feel it all. She was so energized she broke her running record on the treadmill. It wasn't a crazy number, but for an hour-long run at an incline, it was fantastic! Everything about today was fantastic! Nothing could go wrong. Absolutely nothing.
"How goes the grub, Chef?" Ruby asked with an obvious bounce in her step as she rooted through the fridge for some juice. She was craving something to match the tartness of the sour green apple she was snacking on and nothing could be better some cranberry juice.
"It's looking good," Chrys said in a far less chipper tune followed shortly by a wide-mouthed yawn.
The morning hadn't been so gracious to Chrys. Over the two weeks, Ruby had found increasingly new and creative ways to wake her up. It started gradually at first with incessant poking and weird siren noises, but now it involved full-on musical numbers to go with Chrys' morning hot chocolate. Today's show was the My Little Budgie theme song expertly belted out like a rock song; Spectrum Bolt would be proud.
"You want a little extra salt on yours, right?" Chrys asked as she cracked an egg on the counter and carefully poured it out into a pan with three others already sizzling inside.
"You know it!" Ruby said with a smile that quickly faded once she realized they weren't just out of cranberry juice, they were also out of orange and peach as well. All that was left were a couple of water bottles, Weiss' sparkling grape juice, and two cans of Nuka Cola that Ruby wasn't about to give to Chrys for breakfast. "Well, we're officially out of juice, bud."
"We had juice left?"
Ruby closed the fridge and bit her apple. "Yeah, I could've sworn we had some left."
"Are you sure you didn't finish it off during one of your 'sad hours'? Waaaaah, Weeeeiissss, come hooomeee!"
"Don't you dare mention that to your mother," Ruby warned, her face bright red. "And don't call her by her first name! That's rude."
"Mama don't care. Seriously. And even if she did, she'll forget it once I tell her the story," Chrys said with feigned indifference as she lazily poked at the underside of the sizzling eggs with her spatula. "Oh, Mama," she suddenly said in the most saccharine voice she could manage, "you should've seen it! Ruby was so sad and lonely with you! She cried for hours and hours."
"Don't act like you were dealing any better," Ruby pouted, unable to deny a word Chrys said. "You got all upsetty-spaghetti if I didn't get your toast right or pack your lunch the way mommy does it."
"Excuse me, evil step monster, I am a grieving child!" Chrys said, pointing an accusatory finger at Ruby. "Mama's all that I have left in the world!"
The statement hung in the air like an ugly lamp that teetered precariously between art and satire. Ruby didn't know if she should laugh or cry, so she did the next best thing and stated the truth.
"Weiss was right," Ruby snorted, "you do suck at acting."
"What? How dare—!" Chrys shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Ugh, you know what? I take it back. I don't like you."
"Okay, Princess, whatever you say," Ruby said as she ruffled Chrys' hair. "Can I trust you not to burn the building down?"
"Maybe. Why?"
"Gunna head down to the convenience store and pick us up a few things," Ruby said, gesturing to the door with her apple. "I'll only be gone for a few minutes. Can you handle the fort?"
"I'll be careful," Chrys answered. "Can you get me some chocolate for lunch since you're heading down there?"
"The usual?"
"The usual."
Ruby quickly threw on a jacket and slipped on her shoes after grabbing her wallet and keys. The trip to the convenience store took fifteen minutes at most, and by the time Ruby returned, breakfast was ready and waiting.
"Heads up, buttercup!" Ruby said as she tossed a chocolate bar at Chrys. She easily caught it and waved it around happily. "Nice catch."
"Thanks!" Chrys beamed as she went to put it in her backpack. "What kind of juice did you pick up?"
"Just some OJ, fruit punch, and an energy drink for later."
"Did you get me one?" Chrys asked, padding over to root through the bag of goodies next. She pulled out the juice cartons and two more chocolate bars. "Why's there more?"
"One for Heizell, and one for Briar," Ruby said, cracking her energy drink open. "You were planning on splitting it with them, right?"
Chrys set the chocolate down and threw her arms around Ruby, nearly knocking her over. "Thanks, Ruby."
"No problem, Chryssie," Ruby said as she returned the embrace, happy to have made Chrys' day. "Man, you are getting so tall!" she quickly added when she realised Chrys' head was an inch or two before her chin. "You were so itty-bitty when we met."
"Yeah, it's great! But I wish I was skinner," Chrys grumbled, pulling back to pat her chubby cheeks. She scrunched her face in displeasure and clicked her tongue. "I'm so fat. You're going to have to roll me to school at this rate."
Ruby set her drink down on the table and shook her head, angry at what she'd just heard.
"You're not fat, Chrys. You're at a healthy weight for your height and age. From one athlete to another, you can trust me on this," she said, brushing the hair out of Chrys' eyes. "You could do with a bit more weight actually."
"Maman wasn't like this when she was my age," Chrys pouted, shying away from Ruby's gaze. "She was so tall and skinny, and Mémère said she ate twice as much as me!"
"You may be her blue-eyed replica, but you and Coco are still different people, plain and simple," Ruby said. "It's just like me and Yang. She builds muscle and gains weight super easy, but I can eat twice as much as her and gain nothing. I've only started gaining weight because your mom keeps refilling the fridge."
"I guess." Chrys pursed her lips and stared off to the side, her arms crossed self-consciously over her chest. "Hm, I don't know, Ruby… I just keep getting bigger and bigger… my clothes don't feel right and the boys tease me all the time."
"Boys are dumb."
"They are, but that doesn't make what they say hurt any less," Chrys said, her shoulders falling in dismay. "I hate it. People always call me fat or chubby or 'big boned'—ick. I try to eat healthy and exercise, but nothing's helping! I just keep getting bigger and bigger!"
"These are just growing pains, Chryssie. Everyone goes through it at some point," Ruby said, carefully wrapping her arms around Chrys for a hug she sorely needed. "Whatever you're feeling right now will pass. Your entire family's drop-dead gorgeous, so I know you're gunna be an easy ten—no, a twenty! Just like your mom—gods, your moms are hot. Seriously. You won the genetic lottery with those two."
Chrys stifled a laugh and eased her shoulders. She looked at Ruby with hopeful eyes and asked, "You think so?"
"Uh, yeah!" Ruby said with the utmost confidence. "Hey, no offence to your classmates, but you're easily the prettiest one there! No competition."
"I think your opinion's biased, Ruby," Chrys said with a faint blush dusting her freckled cheeks.
"What? No way!" Ruby shouted incredulously.
"You're contractually obligated to say nice things about me. If you don't, Mama will toss you out."
"Well, it's a damn good thing I love you to the shattered moon and back," Ruby said, punctuating her statement by kissing Chrys on the forehead. "You're beautiful, Chryssie. No matter what anyone says or thinks, just remember your mom and I think the world of you."
"Thanks, Ruby," Chrys said with a shy smile.
After putting everything away and pouring themselves some juice, they sat down for breakfast and soon enough left for school. Chrys spent the duration of their meal and their drive talking about the spa trip Weiss planned for when she got back. It was a bit surreal listening to a ten-year-old talk about getting a facial and enjoying a mud bath, but this was par for the course for her nowadays. And once they got to the student drop-off, Chrys gave Ruby a long, lingering hug before saying goodbye and running off to find her friends.
"Man, what a day," Ruby proudly said to herself.
Weiss' plane was expected to land an hour or so after lunch so Ruby went home and did some last-minute cleaning. The apartment was already up to Weiss' lofty standards, maybe even beyond them, but still Ruby felt it could be cleaner. So she diligently mopped the floors, scrubbed the bathrooms until they sparkled, and reorganized the supply closet. It was a lot of work cleaning such a large space alone, but Ruby felt deeply satisfied once all was said and done. She hadn't officially moved in yet, but she knew the day was fast approaching. Any day now really. Most of her stuff was already here and Chrys was alright with the shift in living arrangements, so it all depended on Weiss.
Wait.
Most of her stuff was here. All of her good clothes, her little desk tucked away in the corner of Weiss' office, her books, her collection of succulents—they were all here! Ruby had a vague idea that her life had been shifting, but she never realized it was to this extent. Ruby fell into the couch like a sack of potatoes, her lips pulled into a barely contained smile. Coco looked down at her with her easy-going grin from the mantle almost as if she was daring her to try and take the next step with Weiss.
"I need to ask her," Ruby announced to Coco. "It's not too soon right? I mean, our whole relationship's always been kind of pedal to the metal—but moving in?! Coco, what should I do?"
Ruby had read Coco's journal front to back several times, so she had a decent idea of what the coolest cat in Atlas would have to say. She still heavily disagreed with some of the things she said, but Weiss' input always found ways to shed some light on Coco's questionable choices. Honestly, who thinks SpectrumClub's a better ship than CharyBolt. Did Coco even really watch the show? Fake. Fan.
"If she's fine with it, why not?" Ruby said, lowering her tone to try and match Coco's sultry playfulness. She flicked her imaginary aviators down to stare at the no-where-near-as-cool imaginary Ruby begging at her feet. "Weiss likes to go fast, and who's faster than you? She'd probably be impressed if you took the initiative. I know I would."
"But, Coco, what if she says no?!"
"Then she says no," Coco-Ruby shrugged. "No big deal; ask again in a few months."
Ruby hung her head and sighed. The only thing Weiss had ever said no to was butt stuff, but that line's been blurred a few times… it was mostly on Ruby's end, pun intended, but Weiss let Ruby do stuff to her sometimes too!
"Who am I kidding? This is way too soon," Ruby said, head cradled in her hands. "Moving in with Yang after high school was easy. She already felt like home. But this? This is a serious commitment… and it isn't like I'm scared about the future, I'm more sure of that than anything. She's it for me, Coco… I-I guess I'm worried about me. Am I too young for this?"
A poignant silence hung in the air as Ruby's final words sunk in. She digested them slowly, thinking things carefully. People younger than her moved in with their partners all the time, and if the situation was different, Ruby wouldn't hesitate. She loved Weiss with her all her heart and couldn't see herself with anyone else, but the truth of the matter is Weiss was incredibly wealthy; she deserved to be. She worked harder and sacrificed more than anyone else in her position. But Ruby? Ruby was a twenty-two-year-old university student with no assets other than her winning personality and youthful vigour. What if Weiss got tired of Ruby not pulling her weight financially? Or worse—what if she started feeling like Ruby was a gold digger? They already joked about Weiss being her sugar daddy, so where was the line between a joke and insult?
Terrified of the thought that just crossed her mind, Ruby pulled her legs onto the couch and hugged them to her chest, cheek resting on her knees.
"I should learn how to invest in stocks," Ruby idly murmured as she wallowed in her pool of self-doubt.
"Y'know, Zoomies, you overthink things way too much," a gentle voice said somewhere in the far recesses of Ruby's mind. "I know life's scary and unpredictable, and you can try to control as much of it as you can, but sometimes you just gotta go for it. Jump into the unknown and forget the consequences; you can deal with those later. But missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity just because you're scared? Well, you might spend your whole life wishing you'd done something else."
Ruby took a good, long look at herself and scrunched her nose in disappointment. If all it took to take her down was a hypothetical question, then this sorry sack of flesh and bones wasn't worthy of Weiss' time. She needed to stand tall and firm with a stiff upper lip. She didn't have time to wallow in self-loathing. She needed to—oh no, she needed to get going right this second! The jet was due to land in an hour. And after checking the flight schedule, Ruby confirmed it was going to be on time. Leave it to Weiss to have something as unpredictable as the weather bend to her will.
Luck was on Ruby's side though so the trip went smoothly. Well, about as smooth as you could get while trying to wrangle the monster SUV Weiss liked to call her "mom mobile." This was the first time Ruby got to drive the black leather seated beast and she learned it was far more temperamental than her pretty little sedan. It liked to pull to the left and applying just a little too much pressure on the gas pedal made it shoot forward. The beast was definitely out to kill anyone unfortunate enough to be in their path, but it still got Ruby to the airport on time and in one piece. Somehow.
Ruby parked the beast a little further out in the parking lot just as Weiss requested. Why she didn't want the perfectly good spot closer to the entrance, Ruby will never know. She chalked it up to another one of Weiss' rich lady eccentricities and left it at that.
The jet was due to land in thirty minutes so Ruby spent that time exploring the flower shop. There were some great choices, but she ultimately went with her usual and picked up a lovely bouquet of red roses with some baby's breath. Ruby considered picking up some coffee and a doughnut while she waited, but by the time she found the café, Weiss sent her a message saying she'd landed safely. All thought left Ruby's head that second and her feet took over. They brought her back to the baggage carousel where Weiss was headed to. She was still up on the escalator, but their eyes met by chance and that was all it took for Ruby to forget the bouquet and make a beeline toward home. Weiss felt the same urge and began rushing down the escalator, two steps at a time, just to meet Ruby one second sooner. They met halfway where Ruby lifted Weiss up and spun her around before bringing her down for a kiss that left them both breathless and needy for more.
"You're home!" Ruby cheered as she broke the kiss for some air. But the second that sentence ended, Ruby went back to kissing Weiss. "I missed you," Ruby said, peppering Weiss' face with a barrage of kisses. "Never leave me again. Never ever!"
"I was gone for two weeks!" Weiss exclaimed, relishing the attention she received. "What's going to happen if I'm needed back for a month or more?"
Ruby looked Weiss dead in the eye and said, "I'll be sad."
"Oh no, we don't want that now do we?" Weiss said, furrowing her eyebrows as she pulled Ruby down for another kiss. "I'll just take the whole family with me next time."
"Please and thank you!"
"I love you, I love you, I love you," Weiss murmured between kisses, her accent slipping with each repetition. "How did I get so lucky?"
"Dunno, but hey, I got you something!" Ruby said.
"Oh?"
"It's—I dropped it!" Ruby gasped in horror when she realized all she had in her hands was the love of her life. She looked around for the bouquet and found it on the floor a few feet away, safe and sound. She asked Weiss for a moment and ran to get it. After dusting the wrapping off and double-checking the flowers inside were still as beautiful as Weiss, she ran back and gave them to their rightful owner. "Pour vous," Ruby said with a terrible Eastern Atlesian accent and a cute little bow.
"Merci, mon amour," Weiss said, holding them up to her nose to smell the fragrant roses Ruby handpicked for her. "You always know how to make me smile."
"All part of the job!" Ruby exclaimed proudly before kissing Weiss on the temple and again over her scar.
Weiss stole another kiss before Ruby's lips could get too far and said, "Let's go get my bags before we start drawing a crowd."
"Let 'em stare," Ruby confidently said as she gently caressed Weiss' face, her eyes full of love and longing. "I love you so much," she said before drawing Weiss closer. "Two weeks is way too much time to be away from you."
They kissed again and it was soft, innocent, and far from being a spectacle of affection, but it did do exactly what Weiss warned they'd do if they stayed any longer.
"Harold. Harold! Why don't you ever kiss me like?" asked a woman who sounded well into her years.
"If you looked like one of 'em, maybe," Harold callously replied. "They should hurry up and get a room if they're going to be like that—ow! What was that for, woman?!"
"For being rude! They're young and in love. Let them be."
Weiss pulled back and stifled a laugh. "Let's get going, mon amour."
"Y-Yeah," Ruby stuttered, her burning confidence now nothing more than a few stubborn embers hidden beneath the ash.
"Wait by the carousel," Weiss instructed. "I need to get a cart."
"Why?" Ruby asked. "You left with one bag, babe. I can handle it."
"I left with one bag, true," Weiss replied, "but I came back with five."
"Five?"
"Five."
Ruby pinched the bridge of her nose. "So this is why you asked me to bring the Beast."
"The beast?"
"Your SUV."
"Oh, yes and no," Weiss said with a hint of mystery to her tone. Ruby rolled her eyes and kissed Weiss' forehead, leaving the conversation at that. "Wait for me, okay?"
"Feet are firmly planted, ma'am. Not even security can get me to move!" Ruby said, saluting Weiss.
Ruby hated seeing Weiss go, but she loved seeing her walk away. She was wearing a black knee-length double-breasted wool coat and matching wedge boots. It was a simple outfit, but Weiss made it stand out like the first star of the night. She drew eyes wherever she went, and one poor clown stumbled over himself trying to get a better look. Weiss returned shortly after with a cart and a smile, completely oblivious to the hearts she'd stolen and broken during her little trip.
"I can't wait to see Chrys again," she said, leaving the cart to Ruby. She found one of her bags right away and pulled it off the belt with little effort. "You know, most of these bags are for her."
"How many presents did you buy her?" Ruby asked, fetching the largest bag under Weiss' name.
"One, just the one," Weiss sighed. "She's got so many fans at head office, it's insane! And don't even get me started with all the gifts Amélia wanted me to bring back; she's having them shipped to us."
"Anything from Winter?" Ruby asked, chuckling at Amélia's silliness. Wordlessly, Weiss pointed to a large white bag making its way around. "That one bag is all from Winter?!"
"My sister is many things. She's a nympho, a workaholic, and an alcoholic, but she's still the best aunt you could ever hope for," Weiss said as she got the heavy white bag off the belt with Ruby's help. "Winter can barely bring herself to hug me, but when Chrys was a toddler, if she said 'horsey,' Winter would be on her knees in an instant… or she'd try to buy her horse; both things happened."
"Wow, well, I'd like to get to know her better," Ruby said, leaning against the white leather monolith Winter sent. "But, uh, probably without my sister around." Weiss visibly blanched at the mention of Yang and Winter in the same room together. "You okay?"
"I had a few drinks with Amélia and Winter the other day and heard things I wish I didn't."
"Hey, you think they ever—"
"If you ever want to have sex again, don't you dare finish that sentence, Ruby Rose," Weiss snapped with a finger pointed at Ruby in warning. "I mean it. Some things are best left unsaid."
"Shutting up!" Ruby yelped in surprise, silently vowing to banish the heinous thought from her mind forever.
"Good," Weiss cheerily smiled. "Now, I believe these are all my bags."
"You want to triple check?" Ruby asked without missing a beat. Weiss initially said no, but her eyes slowly shifted to the baggage carousel. "One more check," Ruby insisted, rubbing Weiss' back comfortingly. "Don't want to go home and find something missing."
"I love you," Weiss said appreciatively before checking every bag that could possibly be hers.
But while Weiss was busy, Ruby got a little curious about the mountain of gifts the suitcases carried. Weiss was a giver. She gave gifts whenever she could and Ruby was no exception to this rule.
"Hey, is there anything for me in one of these bags?" Ruby shyly asked, her nervous gaze flitting between Weiss and her bags.
"No, your gift's under this coat," Weiss replied with a devilish smirk as she coyly tugged on her lapel.
Ruby's brain ground to a screeching halt when a flash of ivory skin caught her eye.
"You're wearing undies under there right?" she asked in a harsh, hushed tone, the red on her cheeks growing darker every second Weiss left her without an answer.
"Of course I am!" Weiss nearly shrieked, appalled Ruby would even ask her something so ridiculous. "Just because I like to spoil you doesn't mean I give things to you just like that." She punctuated her statement with a sharp snap that sent chills running up Ruby's spine. "You need to work for your present, darling."
"Will it be worth my while, Mrs. Adel?"
"When have my gifts ever fallen flat?" Weiss confidently asked. When Ruby didn't respond, Weiss held her nose high and said, "That's what I thought."
Ruby shook her head and chuckled to herself. This was such an absurd conversation, but it was still so decidedly them. They'd been together for a year. A year! A whole ding-dong year together and they still managed to keep things light but passionate. Yang even warned her that things might fizzle out as time went on, but Ruby could only see themselves getting closer and closer until they were one soul in two bodies.
Once Weiss was sure she had all her bags, they loaded up the cart with the heaviest bags. And instead of praying for the gods of gravity to be merciful, they decided to carry the lighter ones together. Ruby tried to steal the bags Weiss carried, but all she got was an earful. They bickered until they got to the Beast where the harsh, snowy weather whittled them down until they were huddled together for warmth. More specifically Ruby huddled against Weiss for warmth whereas she looked about as comfortable as ever.
"H-How are your t-teeth not ch-cha-chattering?" Ruby asked as she siphoned off what little heat Weiss' body gave off.
"I love this type of weather," Weiss said, holding her hand out to catch some snowflakes. "Chrys was born on a snowy day like this," she added with a smile. "You'd think she'd be nothing but shrieks and wails after getting evicted from my womb, but no. After her first official cry and a round of agitated hot potato between me and the nurse, Chrys fell fast asleep in Nicole's arms almost immediately… it was a magical moment."
"I bet it was," Ruby said with a smile of her own, though she was silently rolling around laughing at the idea of Chrys being evicted as a baby.
"How has she been?" Weiss asked as Ruby opened the back of the Beast.
"The usual," Ruby said with a huff as she got the first of Weiss' bags inside. "The boys in her class are making fun of her weight."
"Those little shits don't know who they're dealing with," Weiss grumbled.
"Oh no," Ruby sighed, thinking back to the last time Weiss insisted on dealing with an issue. "What are you going to do?"
"I am going to discuss things with her homeroom teacher," Weiss said. "And if she doesn't do something about it, I'll write a strongly worded letter to the principal and the superintendent! Then—"
"Oh boy, here were go!" Ruby said just before she lifted Winter's monolith into the back of the beast.
"—I will bring it up in the next PTA meeting and really stir the pot!" Weiss proudly stated. "I am not paying all that tuition for my daughter to get bullied."
"Sounds great, babe," Ruby said, her voice strained by the effort she was exerting. "You're a strong, independent woman who don't need no man telling her what to do—but I'm secure enough to admit I need help."
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Weiss exclaimed, immediately jumping to Ruby's aid. "What the hell did you put in this thing, Winter?!"
"Did she mail herself?!"
"I wouldn't put it past her," Weiss huffed.
The leather monolith eventually gave in to gravity and fell forward, landing in the Beast's trunk with a heavy thud that rocked the entire vehicle. Weiss and Ruby nearly fell in with it but caught each other on the bumper.
"I'm restricting Winter to one gift next time!" Weiss said as she pulled herself together and straightened herself up. Ruby, however, chose to lie in the back to catch her breath.
"Yeah," Ruby groaned. "That's everything right?"
Weiss dropped the last bag into the back and laid the bouquet on Ruby's chest.
"Take a break," she said. "I'll bring the cart back."
"Okay…." Ruby said with a flimsy wave before dropping her arm over her eyes. "That gift better be amazing."
"It'll be worth the wait," Weiss replied, winking at Ruby before turning on her heel and walkway with the cart.
Wondering what Weiss had in store for her, Ruby eagerly got out of the beast and put the bouquet in the front seat. She then proceeded to wait by the front passenger door where she bounced some ideas ranging from luxury wristwatches to something as simple as a gift card at the local game store. But Weiss' gifts were always catered to the receiver, so maybe some candy? Ruby liked candy. She especially liked the sour ones with the sweet centre; they reminded her of Weiss. Oh! Maybe Weiss got her some of that really, really, really expensive chocolate Amélia let her try back in Atlas. It was imported from Vacuo and made only with the finest ingredients. It was luscious, ludicrously decadent, and it melted in your mouth like a warm blanket.
Ruby thought about the chocolate until she saw Weiss in the distance.
"Welcome back!" Ruby shouted with a big beaming smile. Weiss hurried her steps and pulled Ruby into her arms the moment she could. "Oh! Someone missed me," Ruby chuckled, returning the embrace. "You've barely been gone and you're already this clingy? How are you going to survive the weekend?"
"Easy," Weiss replied, kissing Ruby's neck, "by clinging to Chrys just as fiercely."
"She's going to hate that."
"I know!" Weiss snorted. "I have three more years before she becomes a teenager when she'll quite possibly follow in Nicole's footsteps."
"You make that sound awful," Ruby said, dusting the snow off Weiss' head.
"Hello? Have you heard a single word about what my wife did as a teenager?"
"Yeah, she did you," Ruby chuckled.
Weiss furrowed her brows together and frowned. "Yes, me. And half the school. And a teacher from a different school. Do you want me to continue? Because I can. This is a long list, Ruby. A loooonnngggg list."
"Anywaaaaay," Ruby said, pulling away to open the front door for Weiss, "your chariot awaits, m'lady."
"Oh no, not yet," Weiss said, pulling Ruby aside and shutting the door. She opened the passenger side door instead and inched Ruby towards it.
"Um… what's in the back, Weiss?" Ruby asked.
"You and me," Weiss replied, stepping into Ruby's space. "I told you I've got something special under this coat for you, but I can't wait for us to get home to show you." Ruby rapidly blinked and stared down at Weiss' coat trying to guess the surprise it contained. "Do you want to see it?"
"Yes, ma'am," Ruby said a little too quickly.
"Good." Weiss pushed Ruby into the back seat and quickly followed after her, shutting the door behind them. Ruby scooted further into the car, her eyes wider than saucers. "Do you want to take a guess at what I have under here?" Weiss asked as she crawled on top of Ruby and took her toque off.
Ruby gulped. "Is it that fancy chocolate Amélia said she'd hook me up with?"
"Wait—how'd you know?" Weiss pouted, her shoulders sinking in dismay. She pulled a chocolate bar from her pocket and waved it in front of Ruby. "She insisted on getting you more, so you actually have a box being shipped to you."
"Whoa seriously?!" Ruby gasped. She reached for the chocolate, but Weiss pulled it away and held her down. "Wha–?"
"This isn't my gift to you though," Weiss said, dropping the chocolate over the front passenger seat like it was rubbish.
"There's more?"
"Of course there's more, darling," Weiss chuckled. "Now, why don't you come and unwrap me."
"O-Okay…" Ruby slowly undid the top buttons of Weiss' coat, her hands shaking with barely contained excitement. The coat gave way to a vast expanse of familiar creamy, rose-scented unmarked skin. "Oh wow…"
"Keep going, Ms. Rose," Weiss said, brushing the hair out of Ruby's eyes so she could appreciate her gift unimpeded.
The second buttons were quickly undone and Ruby couldn't be happier with her gift; she was speechless. Weiss was in a low-cut sleeveless black dress that clung to her body in the most flattering ways but fanned out by her hips to give Ruby ample room to work with.
"Wow!" Ruby managed to say after a minute of pure adoration.
"I thought you'd like it," Weiss said, trailing a finger down the curve of Ruby's jaw, her nail just barely grazing Ruby's skin. "I thought long and hard about what I could give you and this was all I could think of."
"You really are a genius gift giver," Ruby said as she helped Weiss out of her coat to fully admire the goddess before her. "I can't wait to get you home and do naughty things to you."
"You might be able to wait, but I can't," Weiss said with a hungry look in her eyes. "We've been apart for two weeks. And in those two weeks, you've sent me a multitude of pictures…"
"Thought you'd appreciate something to look at while you away," Ruby said with an awkward laugh, still unsure of what possessed her to pose and take those raunchy pictures. She noticed Weiss undoing her jacket and blushed at the connotations. "Um, someone might see."
"No one's going to come this far out."
"Um…" Ruby had nothing. The airport was quiet today, there weren't any cars close by, and the Beast had tinted windows.
"Ruby?"
"Are we actually doing this?"
"Take your jacket off and find out," Weiss smirked.
"Okay. We're this. We're actually doing this. Holy shit. Um..." Ruby quickly took her jacket off and tossed it into the back with the luggage then took Weiss' coat and carefully hung it on the passenger seat. "So, uh, what now?"
"What do you think comes next?" Weiss asked as she palmed the steadily growing bulge in Ruby's tight jeans.
"I'm about to have a good time it seems… a really good time," Ruby chuckled as she undid her belt and pulled down her pants and underwear. "But, uh, before we start… um, what brought this on?"
Weiss lifted her lustful gaze from Ruby's cock to smile at her. "I want to relive my adolescence."
"Neat," was all Ruby could say before Weiss pulled a long, guttural moan out of her.
It started off slow and steady with Weiss pumping Ruby's cock until it was standing tall and mostly straight with a little bead of precum on the tip. Ruby made sure to keep herself in tip-top shape in anticipation of Weiss' return and now she was sincerely glad she did. Weiss' touch felt so new even though her technique remained the same.
"That feels so good," Ruby moaned.
"Mm," Weiss snuggled in close, her warm breath tickling Ruby's ear. "I've missed how hard you get for me. My fingers could never hope to compare."
"Did you touch yourself?" Ruby asked, tilting her head back to fully embrace the pleasure Weiss gave her.
"I did," Weiss confirmed, her voice low and sultry, "to every picture you sent me."
"What did you imagine?"
"I imagined myself on my knees sucking your cock until you came."
Ruby took a shaky breath and, with all the confidence she could muster, asked, "Can you do that for me now?"
"Anything for you," Weiss said, punctuating her sentence with a kiss on Ruby's lips.
Ruby carefully changed their position so she was pressed up against the door to give Weiss the most room. "This good?"
"Perfect," Weiss purred. "I can't tell you how desperate I've been to have you again."
"Well, I'm all yours," Ruby said, beckoning Weiss over.
Weiss positioned herself between Ruby's legs and began slowly kissing and licking Ruby's cock from the base of her balls to the tip where she began slowly taking her in. "Mm…"
"I love you, Weiss," Ruby whispered as she gripped the driver's seat to brace herself for the euphoria to come.
Weiss started to bob her head, taking half of Ruby's cock into her mouth while her left hand stroked and fondled Ruby, giving every inch of her some much needed love and attention. She kept a steady rhythm and made masterful use of her tongue. Ruby nearly lost it when Weiss swivelled her tongue around the tip, but her iron grip and will got her over that particular hump in one piece.
"I-I think I'm good, baby," Ruby panted, brushing the hair out of Weiss' face. "Let me show you how badly I've missed you."
"Take it away," Weiss said, moving back to copy Ruby's position on the other side of the Beast. "Got a little something special for you under there too."
"Poggers."
"Ugh, you're lucky I love you," Weiss grimaced.
"Yeah, I know, but get your sexy little ass back here," Ruby said as she reached over and forcefully grabbed Weiss by the back of her neck and dragged her back on top. "You aren't getting away from me just yet," Ruby added just before crashing their lips together for a kiss that left Weiss weak in the knees.
It had taken a lot of trial and error for them to find a nice medium between the aggression Weiss craved and the gentleness in Ruby's touch and personality. But once they found it, they discovered a new play that satisfied both their needs.
Ruby ravaged Weiss' mouth with a hunger she didn't know she possessed and asserted her dominance over the woman grinding against her by grabbing hair and forcing her onto her back. Gently of course. Ruby was still Ruby and this was still the goddess she prayed to every night. She switched her attention from Weiss' lips to her delectable neck as she helped reposition Weiss' legs into a more comfortable position.
"What are you going to do with me now that you've got me?" Weiss asked with impatience dripping from every sultry word she spoke.
"Whatever I want," Ruby responded as she slipped a hand under Weiss' panties and dipped two fingers inside her. Weiss let out a low moan, her hips rising to get Ruby deeper inside her. "How badly do you want me?"
"I've never wanted anymore more," Weiss groaned when she felt Ruby circling her clit with the same two fingers Ruby just had inside her.
"Call my name," Ruby purred huskily into Weiss' ear.
"Ruby," Weiss moaned. "Ruby!" Her voice was rising in a crescendo as Ruby drew her closer to orgasm, higher and higher until she couldn't take it any longer. "Ruby!" she cried out, hitting her peak soon after. "Ruby," she said again, her voice trembling just before she let out a moan that rang throughout the beast and tickled Ruby's red-tinged ears.
"You good?" Ruby asked.
"You're getting really good at that," Weiss sighed as she lay limp in Ruby's arms. "Really good."
"Does this mean you're done already?" Ruby playfully teased as she brushed Weiss' sweaty bangs back to see her face. "Because I've still got a hard-on waiting for you."
"Let me catch my breath and I'll be right there; keep Crescent Rose ready for me," Weiss chuckled with a satisfied smile gracing her flushed face. "I've missed you so much," she said, caressing Ruby's cheek. "Nothing I did could ease the tension the way you can."
"Well, you've got a magic tongue and I've got neat little some magic fingers," Ruby said, twiddling her hand high enough for Weiss to see how slick they were. "Didn't you pack like two dildos and a vibrator?"
"The nine-inch and the six-inch," Weiss breathlessly confirmed.
Ruby quirked an eyebrow. "The fancy red one with racing stripes?"
"Yeah," Weiss chuckled. "Congratulations, Ruby. You've officially trained my pussy like a circus animal."
"I'll take that as a win," Ruby said, licking her fingers to avoid wasting any of Weiss' precious essence on the Beast's upholstery. "Can we stop for some pizza after this? I'm so fuckin' hungry right now."
"I love how you can read my mind!" Weiss laughed with a hand held out for Ruby. "Now help me up and let's finish this before someone walks by."
"I thought that was part of the fun?" Ruby asked as she pulled Weiss onto her lap and sat properly in her seat.
"I don't think you realize how long we were at it," Weiss said, gripping the grab handle to get into position. She pulled Ruby into a kiss before taking her cock and guiding her inside. A chill ran through Ruby's spine making her hold around Weiss' waist tighten. "You've missed me just as much, haven't you?" Weiss asked intuitively.
"Nothing can compare to this," Ruby groaned as she slowly bucked her hips to keep in time with Weiss' thrusts.
They continued to make love even though the ferocity and intensity they started with had dimmed due to exhaustion. Weiss was significantly more tired than Ruby, having had to do most of the work in their awkward position, but she still managed to keep up with Ruby's near boundless energy and give back everything she took.
"Are you close?" Weiss asked, her voice hoarse and ragged.
"Real close," Ruby replied as she bit down on Weiss' shoulder to stifle her moans. "You?"
"Faster, Ruby."
Ruby quickly upped her speed and the depth of her thrusts at Weiss' command, doing everything she could to bring them over the edge together.
"Faster!" Weiss called again just before her body tensed and her release took over. Ruby followed soon after and they fell into a heap of tangled arms and legs, both too exhausted to move. "I am getting way too old for this shit," Weiss breathlessly panted, her head resting on Ruby's shoulder. "Way too old."
"You're twenty-six, Weiss," Ruby tiredly reminded her.
"Your point?"
"You should stretch more."
"Shut up." Weiss rolled her eyes and got off of Ruby to stretch out and lay down.
"Sooooo… who's driving?" Ruby asked as she absentmindedly fiddled with the hem of Weiss' dress.
"I can barely feel my legs right now," Weiss grumbled, her head face down over her arms.
"Neither can I!" Ruby pouted, nudging Weiss more incessantly. "You literally sucked the life outta me, y'know? Stupid sexy, succubus."
"Do you love me?" Weiss suddenly asked, her tone hard and serious.
"Huh?" Ruby blinked. "Uh, yeah? Of course I do. What kind of question is that?"
"Then you're driving."
"But—"
"You're driving," Weiss said with finality as she sat up and glowered at Ruby. It was no use. When Weiss said no, she meant no. And since Ruby was a smart woman who valued her life and the joys of intimacy, she never dared to test the waters and see the upper limit of Weiss' patience. So with great reluctance, Ruby bumped her head against her headrest and accepted her fate. "Thank you."
"We're still getting pizza, right?"
"Of course."
After tidying herself up and helping Weiss get sorted as well, Ruby clambered into the Beast's driver's seat. They found a pizzeria not too far from the airport practically wedged between two unassuming buildings. It was quaint, clean, and quiet, perfect for a quick afternoon date. And to their delight, it had some of the best pizza they'd ever tasted. Ruby easily ate half while an uncharacteristically ravenous Weiss ate three, leaving a lone slice for the drive back home. Weiss contemplated ordering a small pizza for Chrys but decided against it in lieu of some fresher food for their drive up to the resort.
"Home sweet home!" Ruby announced as she threw open the door and stepped through it with Weiss' bags in tow, hauling them in one by one like goats on a lead.
"My door!" Weiss screeched in a panic as she checked the wood once Ruby was clear of the entry.
"The door is fine," Ruby grumbled. "You put that door stopper thingy."
"That doesn't do anything if you brutes keep tossing it around like paper!" Weiss lovingly caressed the lacquered wood and whispered, "It's okay, baby, you're okay."
"Weiss," Ruby said, her face a mix between awe and confusion, "it's just a door."
"But it's my door!" Weiss said as she gently closed the door and gave it a grateful pat. "And when we move, I'm going to take it with us."
Ruby's ears perked up. "When we move?"
"Yes, when we move," Weiss said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Don't get me wrong, I love this penthouse. It's close to work and getting Chrys to school is easy, but I want her to have a yard to run around in. I can't keep her cooped up in a place like this; she'll fall off the balcony trying to do a cartwheel at this rate."
"As long as you're here, I think she'd be okay living in a box." Ruby walked over to Weiss and wrapped her arms around her, kissing her on the top of her head and cheek. "But that's not what's important right now. You specifically say 'we.' "
"In a hypothetical sense," Weiss tried to cover up, but her blush did nothing to hide the truth.
Ruby smiled at her. "Is there something you want to ask me?"
"Perhaps…" Weiss murmured, biting her lip. But before saying anything else, she stepped away from Ruby and guided her over to the couch. "There's still a bit of time before I need to get Chrys."
"You, uh, want to go again already?" Ruby asked, sitting beside her.
"No, I just want you to hold me," Weiss replied, laying against Ruby's warm chest. "These two weeks have been exhausting. I was on my feet for hours on some days… and every night, I kept thinking 'I can't wait to go home.' "
"I think that's what everyone on a business trip would think," Ruby said, gently brushing Weiss' hair.
"It was more than that though. Once I started thinking about you, I started thinking about how empty my bed felt without you… I missed the sound of your breathing, your snoring… even the times you'd wake me up with your sleep talking."
Ruby blushed, thankful that Weiss didn't bring up the other more embarrassing noises she made at night.
"And then I got to thinking about the nights you spent at home—at your apartment with Yang…"
"A-Are you asking me what I think you're asking me?"
Weiss looked up at Ruby, her pale blue eyes shifting from side to side, trying to gauge Ruby's reaction. She gulped and nodded. "If I ask you, will you consider it?"
"Depends." Ruby grinned. "Are you actually going to ask me or keep trying to go around it?"
"Will you move in with me?"
Ruby gave Weiss a thoughtful smile. "You know, I was sitting on this couch earlier having a mild panic attack."
"Oh no, are you okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I am," Ruby chuckled, kissing Weiss' forehead to calm her down. "I had a sudden realization after I finished doing some last-minute cleaning… all my stuff is here. Everything I care about is here."
"Is it?" Weiss quirked an eyebrow. "I could've sworn you had more things."
"Yep, it's all here," Ruby said. "So I sat down and thought about asking you… but that sent me spiralling down a rabbit hole."
"Overthinking?"
"Overthinking," Ruby nodded. "I love you. I love everything about you. And I love Chrys like she was my own. Seriously, I love that kid… but I don't have anything I can offer either of you other than that."
"Oh, Ruby…"
"I don't want to be a leech," Ruby said. "You've given me so much, but what can I give you?"
"Really good dick. I mean really good dick. Probably the best I've ever had—no offence, Nic," Weiss snorted, but her laughter quickly tapered off as a serious expression hardened her features. "Truthfully, I've thought about these things too, Ruby. There's a lot at stake here, not just for me, but for you as well… so hear me out. If you move in with me, I don't expect you to pay rent or help with the bills other than to pay for your own things like your scroll bill. And I promise I won't interfere with your tuition unless you ask me to."
"Wow, um," Ruby shook her head. "If I can't contribute even a little, then what can I do?"
"Simple. Just continue doing what you've been doing," Weiss said. "Love me unconditionally. Help me raise my daughter. Be there for her the way you've been since we met."
"Weiss…" Ruby murmured with her brows furrowed together.
"I promised you the world in exchange for your love, Ruby, and you've held up your end of the bargain so I'm prepared to give you everything," Weiss continued. "So say yes. Move with me and Chrys and really be a part of this family."
"I…" Ruby gulped, her heart hammering hard in her chest. This was it. This was her moment. All she had to do was be brave and say yes.
"I don't want to put too much pressure on you though, so if you need a few days to think it over, just let me know," Weiss said with a hopeful smile. "I want this for us. I want you. So please say yes."
"How could I say no when you ask me like this!" Ruby pulled Weiss into her arms and held her as tight as she could. "Yes. A thousand times yes!"
Words couldn't begin to express how elated Ruby was to know that she and Weiss had been on the same page the whole time. And now that things were cleared up, all they needed to do now was think, plan, and progress. Though, knowing Weiss, she probably had everything planned down to the last detail before she even thought about asking the big question. Ruby had some ideas of her own though so they'd need to sit down and talk.
"God, I am so exhausted!" Weiss shouted as she put her feet up on the couch and used Ruby as a full-body pillow. "Come take a short nap with me?"
"I could do with a nap." Ruby tapped Weiss on the nose and smiled when she giggled. "Let's head to bed though."
"Carry me?"
"Anything for you."
