Chapter Six: So Baby Pull Me Closer
"What?" Ruby balked, her eyes as wide as dinner plates.
"You heard me, she's mine. As in, back the fuck off before I kick your ass for even looking at my girl. You get it yet?" Coco nonchalantly twirled her long strawberry blonde lock of hair slowly, licking her glossy bottom lip before biting it and grinning. The message was clear even if she hadn't said it outright, but Coco was telling Ruby she had Weiss wrapped around her finger. "Because I don't think you do, kid. Weiss is so out of your league you aren't even close to being the gum on her shoe."
Ruby quickly recovered from her surprise and glared at the bespectacled stranger. "Weiss doesn't belong to anyone," she stated unafraid of the domineering brunette. "I don't know who you are or what you mean to her, but you should apologize to Weiss for talking about her like some thing you can own."
Coco smirked, blinking away the hostile aura surrounding her in an instant. "Good answer!"
"What?!" Ruby shouted getting whiplash from Coco's rapid-fire change. She was about two seconds away from tackling Coco to the ground and beating her like a piñata if she didn't get an explanation soon.
"Weiss said you aren't like the others and I should have believed her," Coco chuckled happily not noticing the aggravated look on Ruby's face. "I'm sorry if I deflated your soufflé just now. You don't have to worry about me stepping in between you two, I really am just her friend."
"Then why would you talk about her like that?" Ruby asked still apprehensive and ready to pummel Coco with the murderous crazy straw.
"Because Weiss means the world to me; she's my best friend!" Coco explained sincerely. "And since the only things I knew about you were things I learned second-hand from her, I was a little more than just worried."
"She talks about me?"
Coco rolled her eyes. "Like you wouldn't believe. So I hope you can understand why I was so hostile earlier. Weiss has a tendency to try and overcompensate for her frosting by being a little too generous, if you know what I mean?"
"I would never do that!"
"And how exactly would I know that without talking to you myself?" Coco crossed her arms, the frown on her face speaking volumes of the concern she felt for Weiss. "Money doesn't mean shit to her and people like to think they can get away with being nice to her for a little extra cash."
Ruby pursed her lips together and sat in silence. Weiss didn't have that inherently wealthy vibe all rich people reeked of even though she passed on the large amount of prize money like it was nothing. Weiss herself even said it was chump change to her, so she was most likely well off, perhaps even more so but it wasn't like she was Schnee Dust Company rich… oh.
"I can tell by that adorable dopey look on your face that you've finally put two-and-two together." Coco ran her hand through her bangs and sighed like she had age twenty years in the ten seconds Ruby took to figure it out. "I'm not going to tell you to be careful because I really don't care about you. But Weiss does, so I'll say it for her: be careful, Ruby Rose."
"… I really had no idea she was that Schnee," Ruby said just above a murmur. "I figured the name was common in Atlas like 'Smith' or 'John' or something like that, so I didn't think much of it.
"It really isn't; Schnees are kind of like royalty where we're from. Well, in any case, you needa relax because Weiss is way too uptight to ever bend over," Coco continued on in a friendlier tone. "You have to be the one to roll with her punches or else she'll just walk all over you in those cute designer heels that make her butt look amazing."
"That doesn't exactly make me feel any better," Ruby confessed as she wiped her drying tears on her sleeves. "Why are you even talking to me still? You got your point across loud and clear."
"Hey! It's my restaurant, I can talk to whomever I want," Coco answered cockily with that infuriatingly sexy grin that Ruby swore shined brighter than the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. "And since it's my restaurant, it's my face that gets dunked in the shitter when a guest—that means you, red—goes home crying."
"I-I'll just leave then…" Ruby mumbled, shrinking in on herself to avoid Coco's scrutinizing gaze.
People like Coco made her uncomfortable. They were always so larger than life and a little too… perfect and preppy; the too-cool-for-school types with the gigantic social circle and a penchant for drawing in massive drama llama herds. Ruby knew how silly it was to fall back on old high school tropes, but the bombastic brunette before her was literally everything she hated about the popular kids. Though that might have been because Coco reminded Ruby of a far less modest Pyrrha Nikos before she went and stole her lanky ex-boyfriend; nice and seemingly friendly with a poisoned dagger hidden behind her back. Ruby had learned her lesson back then and searched for all the telling signs now. She couldn't trust that smile on Coco face. She could tell her she was Weiss' best friend over and over again, but it wouldn't matter because Ruby would never trust her. No, never again.
"Naw-naw, I can't let you leave until I see a real smile!" Coco beamed trying to cheer up the redhead. "Because, honey, that'd be cruller than kicking a puppy."
Feeling the underside of her eyelid twitch, Ruby breathed in a long, deep breath and forcefully exhaled through her nose. Coco was officially worse than Yang. And it wasn't just about the puns or the fact Coco was five inches taller than her five-foot-ten sister. It was the way she looker at her that scared her. The hatred Coco brandished so boldly before had disappeared like a puff of smoke near an open window, but the cold, calculating look she had never left her eyes. Even now as Coco smiled and joked like the village idiot, Ruby could feel her dissecting everything little thing she said or did down to the atom. Yang was a force you took at face value but Coco… Coco didn't need Yang's raw physical strength to crush someone's spirit. She was smart and conniving, and that was more than enough reason to be weary of her.
Ruby looked back at Coco, smiling as best and as brightly as she could, and said, "I'd like to leave now, please."
"Nope!" Coco grinned, popping the P loudly. "Earlier hostilities aside, I really am trying to be nice here so sit your ass down and just wait a minute. Okay?"
Seeing that Coco wouldn't let her go without a literal fight, Ruby eased into her chair for the umpteenth time this evening and got comfortable. "If you really are Weiss' friend then why are you trying to keep me around?" she asked finally giving in. "You must've seen how badly I messed up. Weiss is never going to talk to me again."ü
"Don't say that. Look, I've known that oregano-it-all Weiss for over a decade and let me tell ya, she's a royal icing pain in the buttercups." Coco shook her head dramatically like a seasoned soap opera actress. "It's just the way she was brought up. You'd think she was raised in a palace made of ice with how nippy she is.
"I really hate to fucking admit this, but there's something about you that lights her up. And let me tell you right now, you're doing a helluva lot better than I ever did. I mean, I pissed her off once so badly she hit me with her car."
"She what?!"
"She hit me with her car. Accidently. At least that's what she told the newspapers," Coco cackled madly, relishing the horrified look on Ruby's face. "She didn't even apologize when she went to visit me in the ICU! Hell, she gave me a potted plant for good measure."
"No way…" Ruby gasped. "Weiss would never—I mean, she's so nice!"
Coco grabbed the fishbowl and took a big swig from the rim, avoiding the death straw completely. "I heard about how you got hit by a car gawking at her and that she actually went to go helped you." She took another swig and a fishy for good measure. "That right there tells me she genuinely likes ya."
"No, it means she's a nice lady!" Ruby insisted not liking how Weiss' supposed friend spoke about her.
"Her little brother fell out of a tree once and broke his arm. She stood over the little shit sipping on some lemonade then walked away like nothing happened."
"I… you're making all this up aren't you?"
"Only the part where she didn't say sorry to me," Coco said nonchalantly. "Weiss has trouble playing nice. She's ruthlessly harsh and a bit of a bitch, but you can trust her to always tell you the truth and what's on her mind. It's one of the things I love about her."
"Thanks, now I know she absolutely fucking hates me!" Ruby groaned. Coco pushed the fishbowl towards her wordlessly. "I'm driving so no thanks."
"More for me then," the brunette happily cheered.
"Can I just go, please?" Ruby begged. "I don't want to see Weiss look at me like I'm complete piece of shit again… once is enough for a lifetime."
"That's just Weiss' normal face," Coco clarified. "Her whole family was like that, too."
Coco waved her to sit back down, promising to show her something impressive if she stayed. Lured in by curiosity, Ruby complied and rested her chin in the palm of her hand, butt planted firmly in her chair. She gave Coco a withering look who grinned sheepishly back at her before grabbing the near full fishbowl with both hands and chugging the rest down, finishing it with a dainty little burp and a polite "pardonne-moi" following shortly after.
Ruby's jaw dropped in astonishment. "Okay, that really was impressive."
"Y-You're… welcome…" Coco choked out, a little candy fish tail sticking out of her mouth like a lit cigarette.
"Now that I've seen that, I'm really going to go now…" Ruby muttered dryly as she got up and fished for her wallet.
"W-Wait! Just sit with me for another minute will ya?" Coco begged looking fairly seasick now. "Oh God, I think I'm dying—what was in that bowl?"
"Weren't you the one that sent it?"
Coco blanched. "But that but god damn!"
Ruby rolled her eyes and just as she was about to throw down enough money to pay for both her and Weiss' meal with a generous tip for Hamilton, an angel called out her name.
"Ruby, wait!" Weiss shouted looking incredibly flustered. She marched up to Ruby, her heels clicking loudly against the hardwood floors. All of the guests in the restaurant turned to look at her, but Weiss ignored them and grabbed Ruby forcefully by the shirt collar.
"Wei—?!" Ruby was swiftly interrupted by Weiss' soft lips pressed against hers.
"Wuuu," Coco cheered weakly in the background, sounding more like a dying whale than the best finman to ever exist.
The shocked redhead didn't know what to do. Should she place her hands around Weiss or would that be to forward of her? It was only a chaste innocent kiss with their lips pressed together, no intrusive tonguing or excessive saliva to deal with. Was this how kissing a girl felt or was it just how kissing Weiss Schnee, the woman of her dreams, the mayo to her ketchup, the white on her rice, the—Weiss pulled away and grinned. Ruby was staring blankly back at her, slack jawed and totally confused.
"I'm only going to say this once so you better be paying attention, alright?" Ruby nodded numbly. "I didn't hear a 'Yes, Weiss'."
"Y-Yes, Weiss."
"Good." Weiss released Ruby's shirt and smoothed it out, her cheeks glowing red as she mustered up the courage to say what she needed to. "I… I'm… god damn it, I'm sorry! Okay? There, I said it. I'm sorry, alright? I acted hastily in the moment and that was wrong of me."
"Hallelujah, praise the lard!" Coco exclaimed throwing her hands up into the air in rapture. "Now giit out of my restaurant before I call the cops on you crazy kids!"
Weiss glared menacingly at Coco who grinned right back at her. "I suppose I should a thank you for stopping me from making a critical error," Coco beamed in wait, "but I won't."
"You bitch!," Coco hissed flipping her the bird.
"As much as I love listening to you simmer and stew, Ruby and I should make ourselves scarce." Weiss looked at the curious patrons watching them and bowed her head in apology. Some waved her off and cheered, while others glared and demand they take things outside. Taking all the reactions into account, Weiss looped her arm around Ruby's waist and pulled her in close enough to whisper into her ear. "Take Freddy and meet me outside while I take care of some business here. It won't take long, but if you're gone by the time I finish I'll understand
"I… I said somethings I shouldn't have and I want to properly apologize to you. So please, Ruby, wait for me?"
Ruby nodded her head and did as told. She walked mechanically towards the fugly ficus, bumping into the severely nauseated Coco by accident. The taller brunette heaved, the giant fishbowl beverage she chugged now a stormy purple sea in her violently churning stomach, but Ruby didn't care. She was far too busy thinking about the kiss. No, not the milk chocolate or even the ones she shared with Jaune and a few unnamed, blurry faced individuals she met during one of Yang's many, many house parties. It was the kiss. The kiss with Weiss Schnee—that kiss; the amazing, jaw dropping, mind stopping, goldfish reviving, kiss of life.
"Ruby? Hey, Ruby! You dolt, are you even listening to me?!"
Ruby shook her head vigorously from side to side, snapping out of her daze. Blinking, Ruby found herself standing next to her car looking directly at an incredibly irate Ms. Schnee.
"What?" she sputtered in confusion trying to retrace her steps.
It started with Weiss kissing her then ordering she pack up and wait outside. The last thing Ruby could clearly remember was being inside the restaurant, grabbing Freddy while Coco lumbered back into the kitchen clutching her stomach. So how exactly did she end up here and for how long? It must have been quite some time since a new couple was seated in their table about to start their main course—not that Ruby believed she and Weiss were couple because of one kiss. But the night was still young so there was still hope!
"Ugh, finally." Weiss crossed her arms and glared at Ruby. "I don't know if I should be feeling jealous or not, but since you seem to be content holding that plant, I think I'll head home for the evening."
"What?!" Ruby blinked.
Weiss smirked. "Did my kiss steal your ability to speak or have you finally lost your mind?"
"What—I mean, you kissed me…" Ruby gasped still unable to wrap her head around what happened. "After you ate me out—god damn it, I meant chew! After you chewed me out. Please forget I ever said that. Please, I'm begging you."
"Lost in the gutter already I see," Weiss chuckled with a faint blush on her cheeks.
"This is all your fault you know," Ruby grumbled, leaning back against her car. "If you weren't so gosh dang beautiful and smart, I wouldn't be so tongue-tied around you."
"You think I'm beautiful?" Weiss asked quietly nearing Ruby.
"And smart. And so incredibly talented like you wouldn't believe," Ruby gushed, hiding sheepishly behind Freddy.
"I think you're pretty swell yourself, Ruby Rose." Weiss carefully pushed the ficus aside, fully revealing Ruby's face flustered face to her. Ruby somehow managed to blush even harder making Weiss smile in delight knowing she was the cause for it. "I think you should drive me home now."
Ruby was crestfallen. Even after everything, Weiss still intended to end their date prematurely. Ruby had hoped they could go on a quick cruise and take a walk in the park or maybe catch a late-night matinée. But if Weiss wanted to go home then she would take her home.
"Oh… alright," Ruby muttered sadly, "where to?"
"Good lord, don't give me that kicked puppy look!" Weiss exclaimed, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Look, this is what's going to happen: you, Ruby Rose, will drive me, Weiss Schnee, to my estate here in Vale like a courteous date during which we, as in both you and I, not just myself, will converse without a certain meddlesome idiot interrupting us."
"Oh!" Ruby significantly perked up.
"Don't interrupt me," Weiss barked making Ruby nod and zip her lips shut. "Good. Now, as I was saying before you're adorable little quip disrupted me: when we arrive at my estate, I will then lead you up to my front door where I will lean in and you will match me. We kiss. Then you'll fumble trying to say goodnight, but before you turn to leave, I'll boldly ask if you'd like to come inside for a cup of coffee so we can continue our chat.
"You may now speak and voice your concerns. The plan is open to debate and flexible should a change be required."
"Weiss," Ruby said with a goofy grin as she wrapped her arm around Weiss' slender waist and pulled her in close, "I think that's a marvellous plan—all in favour say 'Aye'… aye. And I really hope you have decaf because I'm not allowed to drink coffee."
"Why not? If you don't mind me asking."
"Have you ever seen one of those annoying little dogs with the squeaky toy bark run up to their owners yap, yap, yapping away?" Weiss nodded. "Okay, now imagine that but instead of the little fur ball you imagine me, five-foot-six and incredibly athletic, jumping you."
"I'm sorry, but I'm not following." Weiss frowned but leaned in closer to Ruby's radiating warmth when a chilly breeze blew past. "Why wouldn't I want you to jump me?"
"Are you doing this on purpose?" Ruby asked giving Weiss a strange look.
Weiss shrugged. "I don't know, am I?"
"E-Either way, it'll be an unpleasant experience."
"Oh no, then I guess you'll have to settle for a glass of water." Weiss kissed Ruby on the cheek and pulled away, patting Ruby's shoulder to keep her attention. "Don't just stand there, you dolt! I have work in the morning."
"R-Right!" Ruby grabbed her keys and unlocked the doors, fumbling over herself trying to secure the backseat seatbelt across Freddy's trunk and pot. "By the way, what exactly do you? You've mentioned the university a lot so are you a student or something?"
"Or something. I'm actually a professor here at Beacon Academy," Weiss informed her proudly. "Professor Ozpin called for my expertise personally."
"Really—Oww!" Ruby's head collided with the roof of her car. "God damn it… but, uh, wow. A professor, huh? I knew you were totally smart."
"I suppose you could say that."
Weiss laughed amusedly at Ruby's earnest attempts at flattery and climbed into the passenger seat, pleasantly surprised by how clean the vehicle was. Ruby got in shortly after her and started the engine, tapping the on screen of her built-in GPS.
"So where to?" Ruby asked rubbing the growing bump on her head.
"11 Everfall Grove, it's a little out of the way," Weiss said rather demurely. "I'm sorry, I'll compensate you for the trip."
Ruby typed in the address, whistling in surprise when she saw the forty-five minute estimation. "Yeah, forget the decaf. I'll need to take that coffee on the go if I want to make it back home before midnight."
"You could always stay the night," Weiss offered.
"M-Maybe…" Ruby mumbled unsure of how she felt about the connotations Weiss' offer held.
Was she excited Weiss asked to spend more time with her? Yes. A resounding yes one-thousand times over! Though, now that she thought about it, was she really going to actually "sleep" with someone? And more importantly, was she ready to take that step? One look at Weiss' face was enough to light her desires and changed the answer from a tentative "no" to a nervous "yes" with an excited lilt punctuating the S.
Weiss had the window rolled down, it was a conscious choice she made over using the AC when Ruby offered. She said something needlessly poetic about the season and how they should embrace the changes it brings—or something along those lines. Ruby was a little too "Ruby" to fully grasp what Weiss meant, but the poet herself didn't quite mind; Weiss might have just been complimenting Vale's fair weather for all she knew. But before Ruby could bother her with more questions, Weiss was back to the window, looking forward with a brilliant smile, allowing the fragrant harvesttime wind to comb effortlessly through her silky hair. Ruby could have sworn she had the Atlesian Goddess of Snow sitting in her passenger seat with the way Weiss' hair danced over her shoulder.
"So, um, dogs or cats?" Ruby asked throwing a random question out in the open. It wasn't like she hated the quiet lull in her car—oddly enough, Ruby quite liked it—she just preferred listening to the sound of Weiss' melodious voice over the muffled sound of her new tires rolling over smooth pavement. "I'm a dog person—not like a Faunus or a werewolf! I, um, dogs are cute. Heh."
Weiss politely ignored Ruby's rambling and hummed as she shrugged her shoulders in a noncommittal answer. "I had horses growing up. My older sister was allergic to cats and my brother was allergic to dogs."
"What about you though?"
"Me?" Weiss smiled. "I'm allergic to stupidity."
"No really," Ruby frowned, pouting in annoyance.
"Alright, alright. I personally love dogs," Weiss said. "They're strong, loyal, smart, and incredibly affectionate when treated with proper care.
"Coco had this massive wolf hybrid growing up named Klavdiya who was almost as tall as her on her hind legs. They sadly had to put her down after she got hurt fighting a bear."
"A bear?" Ruby could believe the bit about a giant dog, but one big enough to fight a full-grown bear? Even Ruby had her limits.
"Mhm, Klavdiya was Coco's Father's favourite hunting dog. They went out during early winter looking for game and a grizzly found them instead. Klavdiya won and the bear's mounted in the center of Adel Manor's den."
"You're shitting me," Ruby gasped still unable to fully grasp the story she'd been told.
"It's up to you on whether or not you believe," Weiss smiled sweetly. "Just be careful when treading through my lawn. Klavdiya the Fourth dug tunnels."
They were nearing the end of Vale's modern district when Weiss decided to roll her window up. A quick, curious glance over at Weiss opened her eyes to a side of the silver-haired woman she'd never seen before. They weren't talking anymore and for the first time this evening it wasn't Ruby's fault; it was Weiss'. The older woman was deep in thought evidenced by her tightly knitted brows. Her expression was a mix between a grimace and a frown, but Ruby didn't know why. They had been laughing and joking a minute ago and Ruby was sure she hadn't said anything to ruin the mood they had going on.
"Weiss?"
"Hn…"
Weiss' head was rested against the cabin, her hands folded neatly over the leather-bound briefcase she had sitting on her lap. She stared out into the dark violet horizon, her half lidded pale ocean blue eyes focused on nothing in particular. But from time to time, and only ever during green lights, Ruby could see them drifting shyly towards her. It quickly became a silent game where Ruby would try and catch Weiss' gaze before she looked away. Ruby knew that Weiss took pity on her and let her win a few rounds. Because every so often Ruby would catch Weiss staring at her for more than just a split second. But Weiss eventually got bored and returned to her city watching or was it brooding? Ruby concluded that she was ill equipped for the matter and that she'd need to spend some time with Blake to properly learn the difference like Yang had.
The growing silence between them offered Ruby some time to think. For as long as she could remember, Ruby had never once felt this way before. The strong attraction that drew her to Weiss like the moon revolving around Remnant was nothing like the way it appeared in books and movies; it was almost terrifying how fast her life was changing. And then there was Weiss. Weiss was just so… Ruby didn't know how to explain it. Her humble vocabulary left her up a creek without a paddle. Weiss was just Weiss. Amazing, exceptional, and all the positive adjectives in the known universe, that's who Weiss was to her and it made Ruby's heart beat a little faster thinking that. Because that same Weiss was willing to be her Weiss.
And holy shit, how long has she been talking?! Ruby's mind scrambled to an immediate halt.
"Are you alright?" Weiss asked nervously. "I wasn't boring you was I?"
"No… no! Definitely no," Ruby shouted. She risked a glance over to Weiss and saw her angel's face contorted with worry. A yellow light was coming up and Ruby slowed to a stop at the white line, thankful for the respite to give Weiss her full attention. "I'm sorry, I was lost in thought."
"That seems to be a fairly common issue tonight," Weiss surmised with a hum thinking back to her own moment of self-reflection.
Ruby meekly nodded and shrugged. "What can I say?"
"You can apologize first and foremost," Weiss chuckled. "But honestly, I think I'm getting sick of hearing you say that. So instead of offering me your half-hearted excuses, why don't you tell me what's going on in that cute little red head of yours instead."
"You," Ruby breathed. The light turned green, her time with Weiss coming to an eventful end. Ruby released the brake and gently pressed down on the gas pedal, rolling the vehicle forward. "It's always you. I only ever think about you."
"Really?"
"Yeah… and maybe poptarts, but mostly just you… and sometimes with poptarts."
"Forgive me but what exactly are… 'poptarts'?"
"Only the second best thing ever!" Ruby gasped in complete and absolute horror. She was going to have to rectify this wrong the next possible chance she got.
"And the first?"
"You, always you."
Weiss looked away from Ruby and smirked, whispering beneath her breath, "And here I thought it might have been us."
Kyaaaa! Ruby, that's gay! But is Coco really just a "friend"? Yes. Yes she is. Colour Blind, like all of my WR stories thus far have had no romantic competition.
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