"How am I not hitting anything?" Melanie complained as she tried to shoot down the hordes of digital zombies with a blue light-gun. Thursday had come around, and the arcade was packed. That didn't stop Ruby and the twins from trying to have some fun. Though Melanie was currently having a problem with the zombie game she and Ruby were playing. "I can shoot real guns, in real life!"
"Real guns don't have malfunctioning sensors," Ruby told her, busy annihilating the virtual enemies, "That gun has always shot little to the right."
"Then why did you give it to me?" Melanie asked her.
"I didn't. You insisted when I said, 'I'll take blue'," Ruby reminded.
"I thought you were going to give yourself the better gun," Melanie admitted, "As friends, or even if things… y'know, go well, I don't want you going easy on me."
"Oh, I would have destroyed you either way," Ruby teased, "I just wouldn't have felt as bad about it."
"Oh, little arrogant Ruby?" Melanie smirked.
"Hey, there's not much I'm good at," Ruby shot back, "But in this arcade, I am the Queen."
The game finished right about then, the scoreboard flashing on the screen. "As in 'Red Queen', I take it?" Melanie pointed out the top slots all taken by RDQN with an amused grin.
"I… spend a lot of time here," Ruby confessed, knowing she just got caught being a dork. She turned to Miltiades, who was sitting back and watching the two play. "You want a turn?"
"No, I'm fine here," Miltia assured.
"She doesn't like competitions," Melanie informed Ruby.
"I just want to make sure you're having fun. There's gotta be something all three of us can play," Ruby looked around.
"I'm fine," Miltiades insisted, "I prefer watching people play anyways. I can go get sodas?"
"Are you sure?" Ruby was genuinely concerned.
"I'm sure," Miltiades smiled, before moving in the direction of the food and drink stand.
"It's nice to see you trying to include her," Melanie told Ruby.
"I'm here with both of you, right?" Ruby shrugged, "Well, maybe not with with, but… oh I sound like Nora now…"
"Who's Nora?" Melanie asked.
"A friend. From another team at Beacon," Ruby answered, "Always insisting her and Ren aren't together together."
"But I bet they're perfect for each other, right?" Melanie giggled a little. "Let's switch guns. I'll beat you this time, Red Queen."
"Yeah right," Ruby smirked.
They played another round of the game, with the Red Queen again triumphant. Rather than continue to brag, Ruby instead looked around for Miltiades. It shouldn't be taking this long to return with a couple drinks. She shared a look with Melanie, both of them realizing the same thing. They immediately left the game and headed for the drink counter.
When Miltiades went to order drinks, the concession stand was incredibly busy. It was apparently lunch break for all the families and friend groups there that day. By the time she actually got to order, she was sure Melanie had already noticed she was missing. It wouldn't be too long before Ruby realized as well. Worse still, Miltiades saw a group of three teenaged boys approaching her from the corner of her eye. She knew their type from her time at the club. Guys who thought they already got what they hadn't earned, just because they wanted it.
"You look lonely. Need a little company?" One of the boys leaned onto the counter next to her.
"I'm fine," The timid twin spoke quickly, hoping they would just go away. At the very least, she didn't get any creepy vibe from them. Just a pushy one.
"Come on, a cute girl all alone in a place like this?" One of the other boys set themselves on her other side. "We just want to make sure you're safe."
"I can handle myself," Miltiades tried to sound confident, "I'm also here with people."
"Then where are they?" The first boy asked.
"Right here," Melanie called out from behind them.
The boys turned around in surprise, locking eyes with the more vocal twin. The third boy smiled, "Certainly you girls could use a little company?"
"We have company," Melanie shot, gesturing to Ruby.
"Just the two of you isn't company," The boy argued, seemingly blind to the red reaper.
"Just go away," Melanie exhaled, her head in her hand.
"Don't be like that, baby," The boys continued unimpeded.
Melanie only sighed. She had the patience to handle jerks like this without causing an incident. After enough rejections, the boys would storm off, angry at the twins for not immediately doing everything they asked. Then they could all forget about this incident and move on with their lives. Miltiades knew if she stayed quiet long enough, her more confident sister would handle the situation. Ruby, however, found she didn't possess such tolerance.
The redhead would later blame a cocktail of thoughts and emotions for what she did next, depending on who asked her and when. Whether it was Yang's teasing affecting her decision making or her actual budding feelings, the fact remains that what she did next wasn't thought out. Ruby knew these jerks were harassing the twins because they thought they had a chance. The obvious solution? Prove they didn't.
"There you are, Miltia!" Ruby assuredly strode past Melanie and the three boys. Somehow, using a grace and confidence she could never have accessed intentionally, Ruby took Miltiades face in her hand and kissed her right on the lips as if it was a normal, not-at-all-their-first-kiss kind of thing. It was short and sweet and left Miltiades completely speechless. Ruby turned to face the boys, straining to keep her face straight. "M-Miltia, who are your new friends?"
Miltiades still couldn't muster words. Luckily, Melanie was much quicker dispelling her initial shock and stood on Ruby's other side from her sister with a smile. "They're no one, Ruby. Just some boys who don't know the word 'no'." They 'boys' looked as though they had forgotten every word at that moment. "Shoo."
The three boys finally walked away, still staring until they had rounded the corner. Once they were out of sight, Ruby slightly stepped away from the two twins. Her face burned bright red as she realized what she had done. "I'm… um… I'm… sorry… I'm sorry…" She stammered.
"It's okay," Miltiades quietly assured, equally as embarrassed as Ruby. "Thank you… for helping!"
"Yeah…" Ruby nervously chuckled, "Anytime…"
"Is that a promise?" Melanie teased with a huge grin. Ruby's face brightened further. "We should probably get out of here before anyone else interrupts us."
"A-Are you sure?" Ruby asked. They hadn't been at the arcade that long. There was still plenty of day, and despite that awkward scene, the redhead still wanted to spend more time with the twins.
"Those boys will come looking for us again once they've mustered some courage," Miltiades informed Ruby, "We've seen their type plenty."
"Well… I suppose we could think of the arcade as kind of a me thing…" Ruby theorized, "And we could do a you two thing next. What do you like to do?"
"We don't really leave our place much," Melanie admitted.
The girls quickly decided on a standard movie outing. A dumb action flick could allow them to shut their brains off, watch the pretty explosions, and let the events of the last hour fade from their minds for a while. Ruby wasn't sure how she ended up between the twins, but as the lights faded she found herself caring less. It wasn't until the second act lull after a big action scene that anything happened.
Ruby didn't notice the armrest to her right raise and disappear, but she certainly noticed when Melanie decided to lean up against her. Ruby's blush returned, not knowing how to react. Silver eyes cautiously panned over her companion. Visually, Melanie was identical to Miltiades. But there was a difference of energy that Ruby was starting to pick up on.
Two people who thought and acted and dressed exactly alike might as well be one person. Melanie and Miltiades were similar enough that no one would think they weren't twins, but different enough that they were distinctly different people. And as strange as it may sound, that was exactly what made Ruby begin to believe she could make this work. She had no idea how to love two people, but them actually being two people she could tell apart would be at least a little easier.
"You're smiling," Melanie whispered in Ruby's ear, alerting the girl that she had been caught staring.
"Sorry…" Ruby quickly looked away. "You're just… being really familiar when we aren't actually dating yet…"
Yet? Melanie smiled, "Do you want me to move?"
"No," Ruby answered a little too quickly.
It also helped that after little outing, Ruby could definitely feel herself starting to fall for Melanie that same way she had already fallen for Miltiades.
After the movie they had gotten something to eat, and by the end of their day together Ruby found it easier and easier to fall for both girls. Being with them may not be so easy in practice, but she was getting more comfortable with the idea. It was something Melanie noticed, seeing Ruby become more active in their conversations and steering every discussion and activity to include both twins. She was feeling very confident in their future with the redhead.
Their day together ended with Ruby walking the twins back to the club. As well as being where they lived, they also had work in just a few hours. Miltiades did invite Ruby into the actual club in a few hours, to see that side of the twin's life. Ruby, however, decided to save that for another day. She wanted to spend time with her girls, but she didn't want to overwhelm anyone in the process, including herself.
"I guess this is us," Miltiades spoke calmly.
"Yep," Ruby nodded.
"See you later?" The timid twin asked.
"I have some weekend assignments I need to finish tomorrow," Ruby informed them, "And I'm sure you girls have work and stuff. Well text later, figure out our next day on the town. Promise!"
"I have to say," Melanie piped up, "I'm a little jealous…"
"What?" Ruby panicked internally, "Why?"
"There is something Miltia got that I didn't…" The bolder twin continued, a sly smile growing on her face.
Ruby thought back over the last few hours. She had tried to hard to make them feel equal, what did she forget? The answer would become clear when Ruby noticed Melanie had closed the distance between the two. "Oh."
"Yup," Melanie popped the p and stole a kiss form Ruby before the redhead could react. It was quick and sweet and right on the lips, just as Ruby had done, more or less on accident, to Miltiades in the arcade. Except this time, Ruby was the one left speechless.
"Mel!" Miltiades called out.
"What? It's only fair," Melanie defended. She walked back to her sister's side before looking back at Ruby, "Talk soon, girlfriend?"
Miltiades nerves skyrocketed as both twins anxiously awaited Ruby's answer. Luckily for them, the redhead had already decided. Once she found her tongue again, she smiled. "Yeah, I'll message you both later. Girlfriends."
Melanie's composure fell as she actually hopped a little with victorious excitement, quickly saving face after she realized what she had done and stepped inside the club. Miltiades was visibly relieved and relaxed, waving Ruby off as she followed her sister.
Ruby herself stood there in front of the club for a minute longer, taking in everything that had happened that day. Even the inexperienced redhead could tell that anymore time together would only strengthen what was already there after today. There was no use delaying what was inevitable.
"Girlfriends," Ruby repeated to herself with giddy excitement, finally ungluing herself from the club's sidewalk. This was a whole new world for her. Not just a world of love, but the a of love with a dual commitment, and she was excited to dive in headfirst.
Now if only I could figure out how to tell my team…