Could pull myself away from Tales of Berseria long enough to write for this.

Chapter 7:

Contorting her face, Ruby slammed the glass down on the counter. She was at least thankful that Cinder had at least seemed open to the idea of Ruby just being alone tonight. Even if it made Neo pout in the corner talking to Pyrrha most of the night.

There was an almost simplistic factor to it. That she just didn't really care about. "Another." Ruby demanded as Cinder just just bent down a little to stare into Ruby's eyes. As if she was trying to find some sort of major reason to pour her what had to be the tenth glass of some pretty strong vodka in two hours. "I swear to fucking god Cinder, if you claim you don't want me to be alone tonight... I just want to get drunk and forget this day ever happened."

"Is this really hitting you that hard Ruby? I mean it has been a decade... they didn't even know where you lived and now they certainly don't know that now. So is drinking your liver into extinction really necessary. And I'm not saying this as one of your mistresses nor even from a business perspective because you do give me a lot. This is just from genuine concern. I do know the path first hand..." Cinder began as she raised her scared left hand to brush her bangs up out of her face a little bit. "Or do you forget that acid attacks don't just happen out of nowhere ending my Olympian career with two golds."

Raising her glass once more to try and get what dregs there remained in the glass Ruby just frowned as she slammed it down. "There is a difference Cinder. A huge difference. You at least got the satisfaction of knowing the crazy fuck that did that killed herself. And even then you could if you trained your right eye still compete. But not only that you actually made it..." Ruby sulked as she reached over for the bottle, just glad that Cinder didn't smack her hand away from the bottle as though she was just letting Ruby drink more. "Instead all I got was a bunch of memories tinged with the fact four women decided to practice tap dancing on my spine preventing me from even feeling the annoying things that happen below the waist. Even if it was something like period cramps... would make my need to check my sheets every morning a lot less mandatory."

As Ruby continued to sulk she was just glad that she could see the liquid start to fill up the tumbler as she contemplated if she should even call Blake. It would be something that she knew would put the minds of everyone of her family and even Blake's family to rest depending how far they were because she knew word would have travelled to them through her dad. If just because she knew how he had a penchant for wanting to make sure Ruby was protected in her bubble ever since she was nearly killed by some crazy people.

"I know Ruby. But are you sure the answer to how you are feeling going to be at the bottom of a bottle? Because I know at the end of that will be nothing, and you'll want to check another one just in case." Cinder spoke calmly as Ruby rolled her eyes and placed the bottle back down on the counter. A slight frown being ever present on her face.

"I've got to check, and if I pass out before I get to the final one that will be even better... just toss me into a booth and leave my chair nearby." Ruby spoke as she grabbed the glass and just took a large drink. She was actually feeling a little happy that the burning sensation had all but vanished. She wasn't sure if it was a good thing that the only restraint on why she wouldn't drink that much was gone, but she knew that in this circumstance it was a good thing.

"Okay, if this is what you want. Consider that bottle on the house... but I suggest the cheaper vodka next. They may burn more, but you'll find the answer a lot easier with those." Cinder said standing up a bit lightly tapping the lower counter as she could see Ruby roll her eyes.

"I don't care Cinder. As long as I can get drunk. This day went from great to shitty in the span of my sister getting off work." Ruby continued to sulk as she could see Cinder walking away from the counter and towards Pyrrha. Not that it really mattered to Ruby. All it would mean is that she would need to do a lot more work to get with Pyrrha.

Walking towards the red haired woman Cinder just smiled at the woman standing there with a smile on her face. "Have you calmed down enough to actually order yourself?" Cinder asked with a smile as the red haired woman just shook her head.

"Sorry, I know how that feels first hand. It is just I was a huge fan of yours and oddly enough had been wondering where you ended up a few years ago." Pyrrha said as Cinder just shook her head gently.

"It's fine, I'm well used to it. However what isn't fine is not ordering. I'm running a business here and would like to keep the doors open." Cinder said colder than what she had been using to deal with the woman with.

Wincing a little as she could see the small girl that had been practically sitting on her lap the entire time quickly stepping between Pyrrha and the bar counter. As she got comfortable, the multi coloured girl quickly just smiled at Cinder. "I want a red headed slut and Pyrrha clearly needs to lighten up a bit so give her a cock sucking cowboy." Neo said with a smile as she could see Cinder smiling as she walked a few steps towards the back wall to grab to metal glasses.

Gasping turning into a cough, Pyrrha glared at Neo as she turned around in her seat with a smile ever present on her face. "Relax. Cinder has a lot of strange drink names... but I think that tiny thing might have revealed a fair bit about you." Neo spoke with a smile as she patted the stool next to her for Pyrrha to have a seat.

Spinning around once more in the seat Neo just smiled at the sight of Cinder slapping the smaller glass on top. Picking the two glasses up, Neo could feel her smile grow as she could see Pyrrha taking the seat next to her out of the corner of her eye.

"So how is Ruby taking the news?" Neo asked as Cinder shook her head and reached under the counter to pull out a frosted glass and placed it on the counter.

"Not well right now but give her time and the space she requests." Cinder said as she turned around to see Ruby shaking the bottle to get the last few dregs of the vodka from it. Something that Cinder just frowned as she turned back around to the duo before breaking the seal of the device and started to pour out the brown coloured liquid into the frosted glass. "That is one cock sucking cowboy." Cinder said sliding the drink over towards the red head.

"I was meaning to ask about that... you two seem to know a lot about Ruby... what is up with her. She hasn't told me much... and normally in my experience when people start and finish a bottle of vodka themselves something isn't right." Pyrrha asked softly as she just stared at her neighbour. Hoping a little that it would at least answer the reason why Ruby seemed so familiar to her.

Frowning a little as she slapped the new metal glass on top of the other. "It is a long story. Most of which you are best off asking her. But the long and short of it is Ruby was close to running in nearly all the female track events at the olympics until at the qualifier four people, two of which were the crazy type of fans and beat her into the wheelchair which was the best outcome really because it was touch and go if she would live according to the papers. Look it up next time you get a chance. Just search Ruby Rose." Cinder said as she reached down once again before pulling out a separate glass before placing it down before breaking the seal once again as she started to pour the bright red coloured liquid into the glass before slipping it towards Neo.

"Cinder! Can I have another bottle!" the trio heard being yelled as Neo reached into her pocket to pull out a note and handed it to the bartender. As Cinder walked towards the till she quickly bent down to grab a bottle filled with a clear liquid that Pyrrha just knew was going to be some a lot stronger than what Ruby had been drinking. Something she was positive was going to make Ruby become even worse she just hoped that she was going to be able to get Ruby home.

Grasping the stem of the glass Pyrrha raised it to take a small sip as she looked towards Neo who she had to admit was a shock to her just because she hadn't expected someone so small and in a supposedly more restrictive sport drink as much as she had been from the brief run in with her.

"So... how about you? What did you do... or still do?" Neo asked as Pyrrha felt her face contort from the alcohol content of the drink. "Because it clearly isn't competitive drinking." Neo said with a slight laugh as Pyrrha lowered the glass to cough a little.

"I thought it doesn't matter if I did anything sports wise." Pyrrha said as Neo just smiled at her.

"Oh, it doesn't but with a body like yours, you are either a trainer which means you did a sport, or are currently doing a sport." Neo said revealing her reasoning as she took another sip from her own glass. Just enjoying the almost relieved look on Pyrrha's face.

"I do mixed martial arts professionally. Which is why I moved continent... It is a bit too public of a sport which meant that I garnered a lot of fans and couldn't even go for a jog without having a crowd around me asking me a thousand and one questions." Pyrrha said with a smile as she raised the glass again to take a drink just wondering why Ruby seemed familiar. Because Cinder's story didn't answer that question really. Just created more questions really.

Pouring some more of the clear liquid into the glass, Cinder just continued to maintain her stoic mask as she dealt with Ruby. Just the simple fact that she knew from here on out Ruby only had so many option she could take with this entire thing but she also knew that the only good one was if she accepted that there was nothing she could change.

"I just don't even see why they were allowed out. They had all the evidence that it was premeditated in Vernal's case, and in both they had the police photos of the state I was found in and the medical reports of them trying to rebuild just about everything from my lumbar region down... and they still got out early." Ruby sulked as she raised the glass and took a drink just enjoying how the burning feeling had returned at the change of bottle.

Placing the glass back down on the counter, Ruby began to sulk as Cinder extended her hand towards her. "Give me your phone Ruby. I want to make sure someone is at least waiting at home for you so you can get to bed safely." Cinder demanded as Ruby rolled her eyes as she tilted her body enough to reach into her pocket.

Slapping the phone into Cinder's hand, Ruby just smiled at her. "Well Blake's on her way back to Menagerie and my sister and sister in law are busy being passed out like an old married couple... so the odds of someone willing to get to my place that actually has a key is going to be slim." Ruby said as she picked up the glass once again to take a swig of it.

Shaking her head, Cinder quickly swiped her finger across the screen. "I wouldn't care if I had to be the one to push you home Ruby, I will." Cinder said softly as she smiled at an option that Ruby hadn't recited off causing her to just smile as she raised the phone and pressed it to her ear. "How about your father? Where is he?" Cinder asked as Ruby just smiled as she placed the empty glass back down on the counter.

"Hopefully back at his house asleep... he is the single most suffocating person I've ever had to deal with." Ruby pouted as Cinder just rolled her eyes once more as reached over to the bottle and poured a small amount into the glass once again, feeling her heart break at the sight of Ruby's face lighting up at the sight of more booze in her glass.

Taking a step back Cinder just smiled at the sound of the phone on the other end being picked up, it meant that she could very easily make sure Ruby was well looked after without needing to ruin her promise of not spending the night with her.

Which if she was being honest it wouldn't really have anything to do with the thought of that but more so because she knew that Ruby and her wouldn't be able to be trusted when it came to a situation they've been in so many times before and every single time it ended up with them in bed together.

Taking a drink Blake began to almost hiss at the sharp taste just hoping that this boat would finally dock which would give Blake the ability to at least make sure she never saw Ilia ever again by namely asking any guard her father would have sent down or officer that she didn't want Ilia near her or her family home ever again. Not to mention she would feel a lot better once she could tell Ruby about it.

"Come on Blake... you have me at your beck and call now." Ilia said with a smile as she stayed on the seat next to Blake. The smile being ever present as she clearly ignored the groan coming from Blake. "I mean what can a human who doesn't even have control of her legs now days do that I can't and more?" Ilia continued as Blake just started to rub her fingers across her eyes before keeping a firm hold of the bridge of her nose.

"Ilia, I suggest backing up far away from me. I was never one to use my father's political influence to get what I want, but I swear you will make me and I'll take great pride in making sure you end up just like Ruby. Maybe then you'll know what she goes through every day." Blake said a little exhausted as she gestured towards her glass hoping that the bartender had seen it and poured some more into it.

"You never answered my question? None of them for that fact..." Ilia said with a smile as she started to run a finger along Blake's arm ignoring the feeling of Blake shoving the offending digit off of her.

"Because Ilia, none of them matter. Frankly you should still be locked up for destroying the woman I'm currently dating mentally. And now you are blatantly trying to latch onto me and blackmail me even though go figure I told Ruby about us. I told her a long time ago. Right before we got serious. So I'll ask kindly once more. Back the fuck off, and just leave me alone." Blake said as she moved the hand away from her face enjoying the sight of the glass sitting there filled up to the traditional amount of liquor in it. Quickly downing that, Blake stood up and just glared at Ilia once more. "Now I'm leaving. If I see you again, don't be surprised that you wind up in prison in Menagerie. Because I wouldn't care what I'd need to do to make sure that would happen." Blake said as she quickly turned around and quickly started to walk away.

She could almost feel a vein develop in her forehead. She was debating if it would be worth it to just shove the woman overboard. She already knew that it would be near fatal to her because of the woman didn't know how to swim. But she also knew at that point that she would be no better than her.

"Come on Blake, I just want to talk. I mean, if not take some time to consider what you just told me... notice how you didn't say 'the woman I love' but instead just said you were dating her... something that I already knew. I mean that seems like red flags to me... flags I'd gladly take control of... I mean it is like capture the flag isn't it? Because you always said I was the woman you loved."

"Ilia I suggest you seriously leave me the fuck alone right now. Because I will seriously take a turn dancing on your spine until I hear no more snaps. Because I'm not crazy I feel the need to warn you. Notice the difference there compared to what you did to Ruby?" Blake hissed as she turned around to address the woman properly. If just for the vain hope that she might get the hint and finally leave her alone. But at the same time she already knew that Ilia wasn't going to be sane now if from her track record alone she proved she was far from that.

Groaning as she sat up Yang began to feel around to try and locate the offending object that was taking time away from her being with Weiss, and namely sleeping through what seemed like a crappy day weather wise. She actually did just want to sleep through this entire day and hopefully the night as well. Just because she wanted to catch up on some sleep she felt like she was desperately missing.

Frowning as she could see Weiss gliding across the room wrapped in a towel as she quickly picked up the phone and dragged her thumb across the screen before placing it back to her ear. Closing her eyes, Yang was just happy to relinquish the phone to someone who was up longer than she was and would be able to give whoever was calling her enough of a response.

"It's fine Tai... you can bring her here. Yang is just asleep, but she'll probably be up soon." Weiss spoke as she took a seat on the edge of the bed as she reached forward to just brush some of the long blonde hairs out of her wife's face. A little glad as she could see the lilac eyes peering between the eyelids like she was just barely trying to stay awake during this.

Something that Weiss knew that it was nothing more than her just pleading that she could get a few more minutes of sleep. "No, we don't have anything planned. You are welcome to join a relaxing day here. It might do you some good as well. The air out here will do you good as well given you are probably just as wound up as everyone else." Weiss continued as she leaned down and planted a chaste kiss on Yang's lips enjoying the sight of Yang's eyes opening up fully as though she was happy with her wake up call.

"No Tai, I swear it is fine..." Weiss began as she pulled back and lightly pushed Yang back down as though it would stop the woman who clearly wanted to do what Weiss wanted secretly to allow. "Okay, I'll see you in a few hours. Bye Tai." Weiss said hanging up the phone before resting it back down on the nightstand, a smile ever present on her face as she could see Yang reaching up just rubbing her eyes with the back of one hand as the other wrapped around Weiss' waist to just pull her down fully onto the bed.

"What was that about?" Yang asked softly as Weiss just started to twisted in the embrace. "And you should have at least waited for me to be up before a shower... it would have been a lot more satisfactory." Yang complained softly as Weiss just rolled her eyes and planted another kiss on her lips.

"I wanted to actually get clean in a reasonable time." Weiss said just placing her hands on either side of Yang's head to support herself. "But Ruby apparently drank to blackout last night and had her phone taken away from her by the owner of the saloon. Who called your father last night to make sure that she got home and into bed safely, and he stayed the night and just has some errands he needs to run. I wasn't inclined to ask for examples." Weiss spoke as she leaned down so her lips where just ghosting over Yang's. "But maybe I can make up for the shower with the time we have left before Ruby is here?" Weiss spoke as Yang wrapped her arms around her neck and quickly shifted their bodies so she was on top of the white haired woman.

As Weiss started to almost beg to deepen the kiss, she was left frowning as Yang pulled back. "I'd love to, but I'm a little peeved at you right now." Yang said before hopping off the bed and just smiled at the almost panting white haired woman. It was a case that she knew Weiss didn't even need to ask the question that was burning on her mind but she just enjoyed the angry look in her eyes. "You know I don't like people messing with my hair. And yet you did. After you pulled my hair a little."

"Don't be juvenile Yang. If you don't want to just say so... but the least you could do is not get me wound up. At least you aren't tittering right now about it though." Weiss said as she started to crawl off the bed and walked towards the closet. Just opening the door with a frown as she heard a soft chuckle coming from the doorway. "Yang I swear if you are going to laugh at the word titter." Weiss continued as she walked over towards her section as she turned to her side a little to see Yang standing there.

"I wasn't. At first. It was because you know I'm almost always down for it. It is just because you know why I hate it when people mess with my hair. I don't care how childish you think it is. It would be like if I started to place cotton balls around the room and expected you to instantly be in the mood for some and when you aren't I'd try to take the highroad." Yang said as she placed her hands on Weiss' hips. Just smiling as Weiss glared at her.

"Don't even joke about that... there is okay, there is playful teasing and then there is that..." Weiss said as Yang just shook her head at what Weiss felt like was a serious threat even if it would inadvertently be proving her point. Not that she really cared just because she wanted it clear.

"I feel the same way about my hair... just less about it being a phobia and more about my birth mother being freaking crazy and that was her favourite thing to do to calm herself down." Yang said as Weiss just took a breath as she relented the tension she had. "Okay? Now we could go get dirty in the shower or we can continue this hypothetical."

"Fine... we should just hurry up." Weiss said as she planted a kiss on the blonde's lips.

Author's Note:

And here we have another chapter... I do hope you all enjoy it. I certainly do.