Chapter Fourteen: Beauty and a Beat

"Mrs. Adel, your twelve o'clock is here," Ciel said through the intercom.

Confused, Weiss looked up from the document she was reading and pulled up her schedule. She was positive her lunch hour was free. But when the program loaded up, Weiss learned she was wrong.

"Knock-knock," Ruby said, poking her head into Weiss' office. "I brought lunch," she quickly added, dangling a brown takeout bag over a tray of drinks.

"Ruby," Weiss said, relaxing into her chair, "what a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting to see you until later tonight."

"Well," Ruby said as she sauntered in and closed the door behind her, "the big boss here gave me unfettered access to her office, so I thought I'd take her up on the offer… through the proper channels of course. Look, I even got my visitor's badge!"

Ruby flashed Weiss the badge she proudly wore on her chest beneath her jacket.

"So I see," Weiss chuckled. She got up to meet Ruby halfway with her arms wide open for the bone crushing hug she was sure Ruby would give her. "How exactly did you manage to squeeze yourself into my busy schedule?"

"I called Neptune and asked if you were free anytime this afternoon."

"When did you get this number?" Weiss asked.

Ruby wrapped her arms around Weiss' waist, smiling as she stared into her eyes. "He texted me," she answered with a blush, kissing Weiss' forehead. "You also left his and Ciel's number on that list you gave me last week."

"Oh," Weiss muttered, mortified she'd forgotten something so simple. She wasn't that old yet, was she? No. Definitely not. Ruby had probably saved the rest of those numbers too and kept the actual slip of paper on her person for safe keeping.

"Hope you don't mind, but I saved the other ones too," Ruby added, confirming Weiss' suspicions. "Oh and I got Gerty's number too. I love her, she's the best."

"You're taking this really seriously, aren't you?" Weiss said, resting her hands flat on Ruby's chest.

"Of course I am!" Ruby shouted. "You letting me watch over Chrys while she was sick is some serious trust!"

"It is…"

"Plus, it tells me you're just as serious about me as I am about you," Ruby added shyly.

Touched by her thoughtfulness, Weiss kissed Ruby's cheek and led her to the couch. They sat with enough space to look at each other but close enough so their knees were touching. Ruby pulled out the contents of the bag and handed Weiss a neatly wrapped sandwich and a small salad with the dressing on the side.

"What did you get me?" Weiss asked, carefully undoing one end of the wrapper. She peeked inside and hummed, seeing a healthy amount of romaine lettuce.

"A BLT on toasted whole-wheat with melted cheddar, one of Yang's specialities," Ruby answered, tearing her wrapper unceremoniously. "Oh, your drink, m'lady!" Ruby popped Weiss' cup out of the tray and handed it to her like a knight offering their sword. "Don't worry," she whispered with a wink, "it's just water with no ice."

"How did you know I don't like ice?"

"You don't?" Ruby asked, innocently biting into her sandwich. Weiss nodded. "Huh, lucky guess?"

Weiss didn't believe her for a second.

Weiss ate her salad first, saving her sandwich for last. She shared most of it with Ruby though, since the girl looked hungry enough to eat a horse. It was cute, and Weiss thoroughly enjoyed teasing Ruby as she fed her.

After the salad was finished, Weiss took her first bite of the sandwich Ruby lovingly ordered for her. It was amazing. Weiss could taste the freshness immediately, and she absolutely loved how reserved Yang was with her mayo application, just enough to taste but not overpower. Her second bite, however, made Weiss nearly retch. She quickly swallowed and washed it down with Ruby's soda then shuddered in disgust when the combined aftertaste hit.

"Something up?" Ruby asked, her head tilted curiously.

Nodding, Weiss took one of the tissues Ruby had lying on the table and carefully picked through her sandwich. She found the culprit immediately and pulled it out, expecting a small, easy discardable round slice, but Weiss wasn't that lucky. The brownish green food of nightmares kept getting longer and longer, rubbing it's sour juices through Weiss' sandwich until it popped out.

"Ugh," Weiss muttered, scrunching her nose in disgust. Her hand trembled as the juice soaked through the napkin making the pickle wriggle in the air.

"You don't like pickles?" Ruby asked with one of the dreadful things hanging from her lips like a lolling tongue. Weiss shot her sour look and handed the vile thing to Ruby, not caring that she'd taken a bite out of it. "Ooh, thank you!"

"No"—Weiss watched Ruby slurp her pickle up in horror—"problem."

Sighing in satisfaction, Ruby licks her lips and wiped them off on her sleeve. "You should check for another one," she told Weiss. "Yang likes to put two or three so every bite has some."

"Oh…" Weiss clicked her tongue, already seeing the second offender. She handed it to Ruby like she was handling a snake or a wriggling worm fresh from the earth—with complete and utter disgust. "How can you eat these awful things?! They're so… green and slimy."

Ruby shrugged as she dangled Weiss' unwanted pickle high above her mouth. "They're good," she said, dropping it in. "Mm, sho'good."

"Ew," Weiss muttered, scooting away.

"Oh c'mon, Wild Thing, they're great!" Ruby said, taking a big bite into her sandwich.

Weiss watched Ruby chew like an overstuffed animal, cringing every time she saw the wad in Ruby's mouth move. It took Ruby several long seconds to finally get it all down, but there was a moment where Weiss was worried Ruby would choke.

After sipping on her soda and taking a much smaller bite, Ruby asked, "So why all the pickle hate? They're sweet, tangy, and depending on the type, they're super crunchy—like soggy potato chips!"

"A 'soggy potato chip' is not what I'd call 'crunchy,' " Weiss said as she wiped the crumbs off Ruby's face with a napkin. "And while I understand their appeal, I can't stand them. The smell alone makes me want to throw up."

"Aw."

"Well, there was one time in my life they didn't make me want to immediately flee in the opposite direction," Weiss said when Ruby pouted.

"Oh?"

"And that was when I was pregnant with Chrys," Weiss explained. "It was awful. I had terrible morning sickness all throughout my pregnancy, but it was the worst during my first trimester. Keeping food down was almost impossible, and any time I did, it would come back up half an hour later. But then one day, I caught Nicole eating a sandwich for lunch… it smelled looked and horrible, but I never needed anything more in my life than that sandwich."

"What was it?"

Smiling, Weiss tore a small piece of her sandwich off and offered it to Ruby. When she went for it, Weiss pulled the morsel just out of Ruby's reach.

"Aw…" Ruby pouted, her eyes watering.

Weiss giggled and fed Ruby the bite, this time without any tricks. "It was tuna mayo with pickles and onions, by the way," she said, scratching Ruby's chin. "And, I swear, it tasted like heaven. I couldn't care less about my breath smelling like death for the rest of the day—it just felt so damn good to have some actual food in my stomach."

"Woof, that's rough," Ruby said with a grimace. "Oh, this is so good," she quickly added, melting on the spot. "Yang's sammies are the best."

"'Sammies'?"

"Sammiches."

Weiss quirked an eyebrow. "'Sammiches'?"

"Sandwiches," Ruby rolled her eyes. "Get with the program, babe!"

"'Babe'?" Weiss repeated with a teasing smirk.

"Oh, uh, no good?" Ruby nervously scratched the back of her head and sank into her shoulders, shooting Weiss a shaky grin. "Wanted to try something and I guess it flopped. Sorry, it won't happen again."

"No, no," Weiss said, tilting Ruby's chin up, "I like it, babe."

An ear-splitting screech of joy ripped through Ruby's giddy, tight-lipped smile. "You called me 'babe'!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air, thankfully keeping a firm grip on her sandwich. "Oh man that feels good!"

"It… does?" Weiss hesitantly asked with her brows furrowed together.

"Of course it does!" Ruby said. "Pet names are like… top tier dating goals! I was kinda worried you'd never give me one. Well, I guess 'dolt' kinda counts, but you get what I mean, right?"

"Oh…" Weiss set her sandwich down on the table and folded hands over her lap, wringing her fingers together as she thought.

"Something wrong, Weiss?" Ruby asked, her voice much quieter. "Did I say something I shouldn't have? Because if I did, I'm sorry."

"No, Ruby, you're fine, it's me that has the problem…"

Ruby set her sandwich aside and went to rub her hands on her jeans, but a pointed look from Weiss stopped her in her tracks. After wiping her hands on some clean napkins, Ruby laid her hands on Weiss' and looked her deep in the eyes, smiling supportively.

Weiss didn't have to say anything, Ruby wasn't making her, but those big silver eyes made her weak. Sighing, Weiss reluctantly gave in.

"I never had any pet names of Nicole," she confessed. "She had a bunch for me, but I could never come up with anything that sounded original or catchy…"

"Isn't 'Nicole' a nickname?"

"It is," Weiss said, "but I told you it was because I thought her actual name sounded stupid."

"But it caught on."

"I suppose…"

"Then that's a nickname," Ruby said, nodding. "What were some of the things she called you?"

"Well, she called me a lot of things actually," Weiss smiled, "but the one I hold closest to my heart is 'Blue.' "

"Any reason why?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know if it's a story I should be telling my potential new lover," Weiss said teasingly.

"P-Potential…?" Ruby blushed.

Weiss smiled and took her hands back from Ruby. "Yes, is that a problem?"

"N-No! I like it, so… would it be cool to say we're dating officially?" Ruby asked. "Because I'd really like to say we're dating."

"I don't see why not."

"Cool, cool, cool… um, so," Ruby nervously ran a hand through her hair, "y-you can tell me—the story of your nickname."

"It really isn't as bad as I make it sound," Weiss said as she fixed Ruby's hair. She smoothed out the ends and fixed the clip holding everything together. "I am serious though, if you want a hair cut, Neptune is right there. He's a licensed hairstylist."

"Right, right… maybe…" Ruby blushed. "So the story?"

"Oh, um," Weiss picked up her sandwich and tore a small piece off. "She called me her 'blue bird of happiness.' "

"Oh, that's cute," Ruby said.

Weiss nodded and quietly chewed her food, thinking back to the night she got her name. She remembered she was dosing off while Coco passed the time by playing with her hair. She was talking about a book she read that afternoon. Weiss wanted to tell her to shut up so she could sleep, but Coco's voice suddenly grew quiet and the fingers she had buried in Weiss' hair stilled.

"Are you happy?" she asked, pulling Weiss deeper into her arms. Weiss shrugged, she supposed she was happy; sex had that effect on her, serotonin and all that jazz. "With me, I mean?"

Weiss didn't know how to answer then. But looking back on things, she should've thrown her pride away and told Coco the truth. She also should've turned to face her just to see the face Coco made when she sleepily confessed that Weiss made her happy.

This was one of Weiss' fonder memories of Coco and one of the few that made their early relationship worth staying in.

"So why was it so hard to say that?" Ruby asked, gently pulling Weiss back from her thoughts.

"It must be awkward for you, isn't it?" Weiss replied, offering some more of her sandwich to Ruby. When Ruby took a bite, Weiss bit into the same spot after.

"Why would it be awkward?"

"Because we're together and she was my…"

"Your wife, yeah," Ruby said without skipping a beat. "I'm not… this isn't some sort of competition with you as the prize. She was a part of your life—you guys have a kid together! That's a pretty big deal in my book. I just… I want to get to know you and Chrys better and to do that I need to learn about her too."

"Ruby…"

"I like the you that was in love with her," Ruby continued, laying a warm hand on Weiss' knee. "So don't be afraid to say something if she's involved. Plus, you miss her, don't you?"

Weiss didn't know what to say so she didn't say a word. She just looked at Ruby like she'd been pierced through the heart because it was true—she missed Coco more than words could ever express. Every day without her made Weiss feel like she was walking on thin ice.

"Have you talked to someone?" Ruby hesitantly asked.

"You mean a therapist?"

"Y-Yeah… when Pyrrha died and Yang lost her arm, Uncle Qrow sent us to one," Ruby explained. "It helped—talking to someone. I just… seeing you and Chrys power through the way you guys do is so inspiring. My life practically stopped when I thought I lost Yang…"

"Ruby," Weiss said, tilting Ruby's chin up so they could meet eye to eye, "sending Chrys to therapy was the first thing I did."

"Oh."

"And I've been seeing a therapist since I was fifteen," Weiss added with a grateful smile. "Thank you for worrying, Ruby. I appreciate it."

"Aw, man," Ruby groaned, pulling away. She ground the heel of her palm between her eyes, seething in frustration. "I feel like an absolute butt now."

"Why?"

"I don't know," Ruby said, "emotional things aren't what I'm good at, but here I am trying to—"

"Get to know me better?" Weiss politely cut in. She smiled at Ruby and caressed her cheek, loving how warm Ruby's skin was to the touch. "Losing a spouse is hard. It's probably the hardest thing I've ever experienced… but I'm doing okay."

"Okay," Ruby said, returning Weiss' smile.

"But," Weiss paused, "I should probably be more open to talking about her." When Ruby perked up, Weiss got more comfortable on the couch. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything," Ruby grinned.

Talking about Coco to someone who didn't know her was therapeutic. Weiss got to relieve some of her best memories like the time Coco gave Chrys her first haircut, or when they went to an amusement park and got lost in the crowd. Weiss could name several thousand more fun and goofy instances, but her weak-willed mind always found a way to burst that bubble. The fights and disagreements, the hate fueled sex that kept her coming back for more, and the lonely nights spent sleeping apart because they were both too stubborn to apologize—why pick one when Weiss can fume about them all? But deep down Weiss knew that being angry was just an excuse to avoid acknowledging the truth because the alternative hurt worse than the bullet that ended Coco's life.

Partway through the story of the time Coco capsized their boat during a fishing trip, Weiss noticed Ruby wasn't laughing or offering her usual quips. Instead, she was looking at Weiss with this dorky but lovable grin.

"Did I say too much?" Weiss asked nervously.

"No," Ruby said, snapping back to reality. Blinking, she scratched her cheek and pointed to Weiss', "It's just you got a little something—here, let me."

"Hm?"

Ruby carefully reached over and brushed a sneaky little crumb off Weiss' cheek. Ruby popped it into her mouth and shrugged, nervously laughing. "Don't wanna waste any food," she said, scooting back to give Weiss some space.

Weiss blushed and quietly thanked her, playing with her braid to keep her idle hands busy. Ruby was far too cute for her own good, she was quickly becoming a hazard to Weiss' health.

Take it slow, Weiss, she reminded herself when Ruby flashed her a grin.

They fell back into a comfortable silence, both seemingly content to just look at each other. Weiss had lost interest in her sandwich and offered it to Ruby who reluctantly accepted it; it was gone in three bites.

"So what are your plans after this?" Weiss asked, propping an arm up on the couch to rest her head in.

"Well, since Shit Braun decided to give my shift to this new girl he hired, I think I'm going to hit the music store to pick up some new strings for my guitar. And after that, it's the fair with you and Chrys at five."

Weiss quirked an eyebrow as she pulled her legs up onto the seat. "There's a lot to unpack in that sentence," she said. "Putting your employer's horrible practice aside, you play guitar?"

"I do," Ruby grinned. "I also play a mean xylophone."

Giggling, Weiss smiled at Ruby. "Cute. Are you going to serenade me someday?"

"I can if you want," Ruby said, eager to please Weiss. "I really only know rock songs, but I can find something. Any requests?"

"Surprise me," Weiss said.

"Oh," Ruby blinked, "well, if I start singing a song about overthrowing the government, just remember it was your fault."

"Oh, please do," Weiss chuckled. "I have relatives who need to be impeached."

"Wait, really?"

"Yes, really," Weiss confirmed. "Have you… have never searched me up?"

"Er, no?" Ruby murmured. "Should I? Like, I won't because that's super creepy and invasive, but, like, seriously—are you famous?"

"Seriously," Weiss laughed. "I was the cover girl for Nobility Inc.'s premier makeup line. Why do you think I needed a stylist?"

"Because you're super important?" Ruby answered. "Though, I guess it does make sense now… I wondered why someone in PR would be in commercials."

Weiss continued to laugh as Ruby pieced her life's story together, loving how innocently star struck she was.

"Will you ever show me the commercials you were in?" Ruby asked.

"I can, but surely you can find them yourself."

Ruby shrugged. "I could, but I don't want the things online to come between us. Like, I'm sure there are things you don't want me to see."

"That's…" Weiss regarded Ruby thoughtfully, "that's really sweet of you, Ruby. But, as usual, you are completely correct on that matter. There are some things online I would rather you never see and some things I'd like to tell you personally someday."

"Then that's that!" Ruby said, clapping her hands together. "No more talks about internet stalking you."

"Say, since we're finished eating and my next meeting isn't until two this afternoon, how would you like it if I accompanied you to the music store?"

Ruby pounced on Weiss and got right up in her face, eyes shining bright as she grinned from ear to ear. "Really?!"

Looking at their position, Weiss dumbly nodded, blushing liked a fool. "Y-Yes," she said, fighting the urge to point out the fact that Ruby had pinned her to the couch.

"Oh this is gunna be so cool!" Ruby cheered, kissing Weiss' nose before hopping off the couch. "I was so worried you'd call me a band geek for liking guitars—wait, why would you?" she said, smacking herself when the realization hit. "You were supposed to go pro. Of course you like music. Ugh, I'm such a dolt. Weiss, I… why are you blushing?"

"Um," Weiss carefully sat up and smoothed out the wrinkles on her dress, "n-no reason."

"You sure?" Ruby asked, tilting her head.

"I'm sure."

"Oh! Oh! Can I ask you something else?"

"I'm afraid of what it'll be, but you may."

Ruby knelt down in front of Weiss. "Can I sit in your chair?" she asked, batting her eyelashes. "Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"Go ahead," Weiss nodded. Her brain had been turned to mush the second Ruby climbed on top of her, she doubted she'd be able to deny anything Ruby asked for in that moment.

"Yes! Best girlfriend ever, thank you, Weiss!" Ruby said, quickly kissing Weiss' cheek before she raced off to sit in the fancy executive's chair.

Weiss touched her cheek and blinked. What the hell just happened?

After Ruby had her fun in Weiss' chair, even trying on the glasses she left on her desk for extra effect (bad idea, but so cute), they packed up their garbage and left the office. Weiss told Ciel to hold her calls and that she'd be back within the hour, give or take a few minutes. Neptune had a bit of fun teasing them, but Weiss rolled with the punches, vowing to get back at him later.

"Sooo… can I drive?" Ruby asked when she saw a familiar red sedan in Weiss' parking space.

"You're the one that knows the way," Weiss said, opening the passenger side door.

Ruby giddily got into the driver's seat and buckled herself in. But after a moment of thought, she quickly unbuckled herself and kissed Weiss on the cheek.

"What was that for?" Weiss asked.

"Just for being you," Ruby said, redoing her seatbelt now that she'd gotten her kiss.

"Am I going to be getting a kiss on the lips any time soon?"

"Well, I don't mind, but I kinda taste like pickles and soda," Ruby answered, checking her breath on her palm. "Yep, pickles and soda."

"Oh," Weiss pouted, "of all the times to not stock up on mints."

"We can pick some up on the way?"

"No, no… we can save that for later tonight," Weiss said with a sigh. "Are you sure you don't want to spend the night? Just to sleep, nothing more, I promise."

"Mm, yeah, I'm sure," Ruby said after a thoughtful pause. "I think I'd be too tempted to try things if I do."

"Okay," Weiss said with understanding.

"Cool." But after another brief pause to enjoy the the engine roar, Ruby blushed and said, "I think I'll be ready soon though. If you're still interested that is because I am—just in case that wasn't obvious."

Weiss smiled as she took Ruby's trembling hand and brought it up to her lips. "There's no rush, Ruby," she said calmly. "It'll happen when it happens. And when it does, it'll be because we're both ready."

"Thanks, Weiss."

"No, thank you, Ruby," Weiss said, leaning over to kiss her, "for teaching me that dating doesn't mean we immediately have to fall into bed together."

"You can probably teach me a lot more though," Ruby gulped, chasing after Weiss' lips.

"I can and I will when the right time comes."

"I can't wait," Ruby grinned, stealing one more kiss.

When they walked into the music store, Ruby let go of Weiss' hand to embrace and breathe in the smell of expensive lacquered wood, stacks upon stacks of soundproofing foam, and amplifier plastic.

Weiss scanned the room curiously, taking note of the haphazard use of floor space. To her immediate left next to the dolt and the door was a wall of carefully displayed electric guitars. Some starter kits were piled near the front with amplifiers of all makes and sizes sectioning off the floor. On the wall next to it were some low-end acoustic guitars with a small section dedicated to bass guitars; that hurt Weiss' bassist heart. There were also few drum kits out on display, both classic rock and jazz varieties, with different stands, accessories, and cymbals close by. Pianos took a small corner of the store near the back with some discounted guitars.

"Ahh, that's the good stuff," Ruby sighed, taking Weiss' hand back. "I haven't been back here in months. I'm so excited to show you around."

"It's… quaint," Weiss said politely.

Truthfully, she'd never been in a music store before. All the instruments she and Coco owned were ordered online and delivered to their door. Coco had tried taking her a few times in lieu of their usual dates, but Weiss' schedule, or rather her staunch refusal to be seen in a lowbrow area, always stopped them. Weiss wished she'd been less of an ass back then because, as she was quickly coming to learn, she liked music stores.

Watching Ruby flit between different guitars like an excited little bumblebee had Weiss in stitches. Her girlfriend looked so happy it was hard not to get swept up.

"Ooh, babe, check this one out!" Ruby gushed, dragging Weiss to look at a particularly aggressive black and red electric guitar. She knelt down in front of it for a closer look and squealed, "It looks so cool!"

"And pointy," Weiss said, tapping the edge.

"But it looks so cool!"

"I could chop a tree down with this axe."

Ruby looked up at Weiss with wide eyes and an open mouth. "Music puns," she said under her breath. "Best. Girlfriend. Ever."

Weiss blushed, unsure of how to respond.

"That you, Zoomies?!" shouted a voice from the front of the store.

Ruby popped her head up and scanned the place before jumping and running over to a young woman her age with shocking bright green hair.

"Oh, man, Reese, it's been ages!" Ruby shouted, enveloping the stranger in a tight hug.

"It has, bro," Reese replied, returning the hug with just as much force. She patted Ruby's back hard and said, "Didn't think I'd see you again until your party later this month."

"Yeah, to—oh my god, I knew I forgot something!" Ruby gasped in horror. She let go of Reese to run back to Weiss, but she bumped into her instead because Weiss had followed after her. "Well hello, beautiful. Fancy runnin' in to you, eh?"

"Hello, Ruby," Weiss smiled, crinkling her nose. "Now what's this about a party?"

"Right!" Ruby clapped her hands. "So I already invited Ciel and Neptune, and I planned on telling you personally during lunch, but you and your perfect face made me forget."

"Oh?" Weiss said, flattered Ruby thought her face was perfect.

"Yeah," Ruby grinned. "Anyway, remember how I told you me and my friends always host a party on my birthday? Well, since I went trick-or-treating with you and Chryssie, we decided to put it off. Think you can save the thirtieth off for me?"

"Well, if both of my assistants are going then I probably should attend as well," Weiss said, scratching under Ruby's chin.

"Awesome, I'll text you the details later."

"Sooo… are you two, like, dating?" Reese asked, eyeing them suspiciously.

"Oh, uh," Ruby looked between her and Weiss, "yeah?"

"Crap, for real? I owe Arslan money then." Reese cursed under her breath but offered Weiss her hand shortly after. "Name's Reese, and you, pretty lady, just cost me a lot of money."

Weiss hesitantly shook her hand and introduced herself, "Weiss. And let me guess, you bet on Penny?"

"Yeah," Reese admitted with a defeated sigh. "I was rootin' for my fav ginger, but you—sheesh, no one is going to expect you on Ruby's arm. Did you just step off a runaway?"

"A few times," Weiss said proudly.

"No joke?"

"No joke," Ruby laughed, draping an arm around Weiss' shoulders.

Reese gave Ruby a strange look. "No offense, Zoomies, but how'd you land a lady this hot?"

"Uh," Ruby blinked and shrugged, "I don't know."

"Weiss?"

"Hm," Weiss looked at Ruby and examined her carefully, "I suppose she's cute. For a dolt."

Ruby's eyebrows dropped into a thin line, her eager smile flipped upside down. "Cute? Seriously? That's all? Not charming, sweet, funny—just cute?"

"Yep," Weiss laughed tapping the crinkle forming on the bridge of Ruby's nose. "Adorable."

"Ugh, you two are disgustingly sweet," Reese grumbled as she uncrossed her arms and flipped the hair out of her eyes. "So, Rubyn, shoppin' or just lookin'?"

"Both!" Ruby chirped. "I need some new strings for my guitar."

"And to play with the drums?"

"Haha, busted," Ruby grinned.

"You like drums?" Weiss asked.

"Love 'em!" Ruby exclaimed, hugging Weiss tighter. "I've always wanted to learn but being strapped for cash and living in a small apartment suck."

"I can teach if you'd like," Weiss offered, holding the hand Ruby had on her shoulder.

"Whoa, you lady stilts? Drums? I call buh-buh-bullshit," Reese snickered, raising a hand out to Ruby for a high-five. "Don't leave me hangin', bro."

Ruby clammed up as Weiss narrowed her eyes at Reese. If looks could kill, Reese would be half dead.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Weiss asked.

Reese backed off a little when Ruby shook her head in warning, but Weiss followed after her, stepping into her space.

"Uh, I didn't mean anything by it," Reese said, holding her hands out in front of her.

"You definitely did," Weiss argued.

"Ruby, help me out, man."

"Just apologize, Reese," Ruby said, pulling Weiss back to her side.

"But I—y'know what, yeah, this was my bad. I'm sorry," Reese murmured, rubbing the back of her neck. "We get a lot of posers here trying to look cool, and you really don't look like the type to rock out."

Ruby smacked her forehead, muttering "Reese you dumbass" under her breath.

"I just dug myself into a deeper hole, didn't I?"

"Yup."

"Can we use that drum kit over there?" Weiss asked, pointing to a single bass drum kit. It was smaller than the one Coco owned, but it would have to do. Here's hoping she doesn't embarrass herself trying to prove a point.

"Yeah," Reese nodded, "sticks are on the side."

"Ruby, hold my jacket."

"Sure thing, babe," Ruby said obediently.

"That is one killer dress," Reese whispered to Ruby. "Where did you find this chick again?"

"I do not appreciate being called a 'chick,'" Weiss said pointedly. "And we met at her café."

Reese opened her mouth, but Ruby threw her hands over her friend's mouth, warning her not to say another word.

"Let's see if I remember how to do this, it's been awhile…" Weiss sat in the throne, twirled the sticks, and started playing a slow single stroke roll to warm herself up.

"Don't break a nail," Reese joked when Weiss sped up her tempo.

Weiss narrowed her eyes, steadily picking up even more speed. One-twenty, Weiss. That'll shut her up.

"Reese, seriously, stop egging her on," Ruby said. "Weiss is crazy competitive and super talented. You're gunna regret this."

"I'd like to see her try—"

Weiss hit the hi-hat and tossed the stick, catching it in midair just in time to land the next beat. Weiss couldn't for the life of her remember most of the terminology—it was all muscle memory at this point—but Coco had taught her enough to thoroughly impress a crowd. The stick tricks in particular.

"Holy shit," Reese said, her jaw dropping.

Weiss hit the crash cymbal and ended her fill with a double stick trick. "I can't believe that actually worked," she breathily laughed, putting the sticks away.

Ruby ran up to Weiss and threw her arms around her, lifting her up as she hugged her. "That was so amazing!"

"Put me down, you dolt!" Weiss shrieked when her heels left the ground, but Ruby was too busy singing her praises to hear her complaints. "Ruby!"

"I knew you were talented, babe, but this is unreal! You were hitting those drums so fast and the flippy thing you did with the sticks—I could kiss you!"

"You may, but only if you put me down this instant!" Weiss shouted, staring down at the ground longingly.

"Oops!" Ruby carefully put Weiss back on solid ground. She took a step back and bashfully rubbed the back of her neck, slouching. "Sorry, I got a little carried away."

"So did I, literally," Weiss chuckled. She walked up to Ruby and laid her hands on her shoulders, holding her firmly so she couldn't get away. "Thank you for putting me down," she said, kissing Ruby's cheek, but then she sharply turned on her feel to face Reese, "speechless?"

"Consider me mute for life, pretty lady," Reese replied, zipping her lips shut.

Weiss smiled at her, happy to have finally earned Reese's respect.

"Told you she was amazing," Ruby grinned, hugging Weiss from behind.

"And she did it in heels… dude, are you some sorta super woman?" Reese asked.

"No, but if that impressed you, you should see my daughter play," Weiss said. "She's been playing the drums since she was old enough to sit up straight."

"Daughter—you have a kid?" Reese curiously looked at Ruby, her smile growing wider by the second.

"Reese, no!" Ruby shouted. "Don't say it, bro! I'm warning you, she has a sword under her bed."

"But… but… but"—Reese gestured to Weiss with both hands—"you gotta! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!"

"Reese, I'm begging you, save it for later!"

"Fine," Reese pouted, crossing her arms. "But get ready for it, Zoomies."

"Fine."

"Fine!"

"Fine!" Ruby shouted louder than Reese.

"Fi—"

"I have no idea what's going on," Weiss muttered, interrupting the two friends before they could keep going. "Ruby, weren't you here for some strings?"

"My strings!" Ruby shrieked. "How could I forget!"

"We got some new ones in stock," Reese said, pointing to a rack next to the acoustic guitars.

"Sick! C'mon, Weiss!" Ruby grabbed Weiss' hand and dragged her off. "You know anything about guitar strings?"

"A little," Weiss said, pinching her fingers close together. "What gauge do you use?"

"You just keep getting cooler and cooler, you know?" Ruby grinned.

Weiss smiled back at her, silently thanking Coco for this wonderful opportunity.

So me and my best friend just finished binge watching Invader Zim... I won't lie, I've been imagining every moment Ruby screamed in this chapter as Zim.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to start on the next chapter... We're getting close to SC's decent into hell. Pray for Sharky. Leave reviews.