Here is the fourth installment to Steele Magnolia, I know its been a while but I've been busy and I've had writers block so yeah ;P anyways this one-shot is pure SB/RG fluff. I am a hardcore Ruby/Skull Boy shipper I support that couple so much!!! R&R my lovelies and most importantly ENJOY
~Sweet Nightmares
~Mick, AKA Hollywood Grimm
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot. 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' belongs to The Beatles
Nine Red Roses
Ruby Gloom sat on her high backed crimson chair by the fireplace, she wasn't reading, she wasn't writing and she most certainly was not being the happiest girl in the world, for at the moment Miss Ruby was pouting. Today was February the fourteenth, and she had no Valentine. She cast her warm red brown gaze at the box of mint filled chocolate hearts she'd baughten him, mint chocolate was his favorite. But alas Ruby hadn't been able to give her favorite person in the whole world his gift because he was nowhere to be seen. It was like he had just forgotten her and that made Ruby sad. She sighed and was looking into the crackling fireplace when suddenly Boo Boo materialized in the room. He dropped a red rose at her feet. "Is this for me?" Ruby smiled saccharinely, her flaming hair shining in the firelight.
"Yeah but" the ghost exclaimed "It isn't from me"
"Who's it from then?" chuckled Ruby, playing with the hem of her short black dress. Boo Boo shrugged and disappeared. A few moments after the little ghost's departure in came Scaredy bat, placing another scarlet rose by her feet. Ruby's eyes widened "Is this from you Scaredy?"
"Oh no Ruby" Scaredy said loudly, shaking his head "It is most definitely not from me"
"Then from w-"she didn't get to finish what she was about to say because Scaredy ran out of the room as fast as his tiny legs could carry him. "Hmph" Ruby giggled and picked up the two roses, delicately placing them on her lap. 'I wonder who these are from' she thought, her thought went unanswered because just then Poe stepped into the room, he left yet another rose, dropping it in her lap. "Are you my secret admirer Poe?" she asked with a laugh, her eyes shining.
"Most certainly not Miss Gloom" said the raven in his stately manner. "And I have taken an oath not to utter your suitors name" he gave a gentlemanly bow and then he was gone in a flurry of ebony feathers and purplish red silken cloak.
Ruby was pondering who out of her friends would give her the beautiful flowers when she had yet another rose carrying visitor; this time it was Iris. "Hey Ruby!" exclaimed the black haired Cyclops girl in her happy go lucky way, her violet eye sparkled with adventure "Here's a present from" she puckered her lips and said in a dramatic voice "Your secret admirer"
Ruby blushed and pushed back her red hair with one pale hand, taking the fourth rose in the other. "They're so lovely, who's giving me these?"
Iris grinned giddily and exclaimed "I can't tell you" then she pranced out of the room giggling like mad.
Ruby wasn't surprised when Frank and Len came in, both holding red roses. "Here Ruby" Frank smiled sweetly and handed Ruby her fifth rose, Len handed her the sixth.
"I hope you like the presents from-" Frank slapped his hand over Len's mouth to block out the name he had been about to say. "What?" Len said, his voice muffled my Frank's hand.
"Shut up Len" he said loudly "You know who doesn't want Ruby to know who the gifts are from"
"But-" Len had been about to say the name again
"SHUT UP LEN" Frank yelled beginning to walk away "See you Ruby" he said, turning back quickly and giving a wave.
"Bye" said Ruby quietly, her mind wandering off.
After a few minutes a loud crashing and banging was heard along with the unmistakable sound of lightening zapping someone; a charred Misery walked through the door "Ow" she said in her monotone, not bothered at all by the pain. She threw a blackened petal-less rose stem onto Ruby's dress clad lap, the red head couldn't help but keep the vixen smile off her face; of course the flower from Misery was ruined.
"You're not my Valentine either I take it?" sighed Ruby, her garnet colored irises shining in the light emitted from the cozy fireplace.
"No" Misery explained flatly, pushing her floor length purple and black hair away from her burn blackened tear streaked face. She shambled out the door, Ruby heard another bolt of lightening strike and a far off; "Ow"
'Well that's everyone' Ruby thought, she pondered looking at the seven red roses piled up on her lap. Suddenly Mr. Buns landed softly on the floor; the red headed girl smiled and picked the stuffed sock up, pinned to his little body was another rose. Someone had to have thrown Mr. Buns in here; but who? 'It must be my admirer' Ruby realized, she shot up as fast as she could, holding the eight roses and the sock toy in her arms. "Show yourself" She said, sticking out one hand and pointing around the whole room. "Please" she sighed loudly and sat again on her high backed chair with a pouty huff. She closed her eyes tightly and took in deep breaths, at that moment she heard the sound of someone sitting in the chair beside her own, her eyes popped open in alarm. "Skull Boy??!" she exclaimed
"Hey Ruby" Skull Boy's green eyes were downcast; he pulled at the neckline of his shirt, stood up and stayed standing right in front of her. He handed her a rose "Nine red roses" he smiled shyly, his cheeks reddening
"These are from you?" Ruby looked up at her longtime affection of the house and smiled, he smiled back in the sweet way he had that made her feel like a million dollars.
"Y--yeah" his voice was gentle, but it usually always was. Ruby took the rose from Skull Boy but in the process grabbed his outstretched hand.
"I thought you forgot" Ruby said sadly, her eyes boring into his.
"Of course not, I just wanted everything to be special" he smiled again, for the first time Ruby noticed that Skull Boy's attire was different, he was wearing a black tuxedo along with a top hat. "Change into this" he handed Ruby a box, she went into the dark part of the room that wasn't illuminated by the fireplace and quickly stripped out of her black dress and red and yellow striped tights. She stepped into the light; Skull Boy took a sharp intake of breath "You look stunning"
Ruby blushed "Stunning?" she looked down at the strapless dress that ended halfway down her thighs and bit her lip. "Thanks" she breathed, touching the corset style front. By now Skull Boy had seated himself in one of the chairs, Ruby coyly sat on the arm of the chair, and stretched out her legs one at a time, she gave him a sideways glance and took out the heart shaped box of mint chocolates. "Mint chocolate" she whispered, giving Skull Boy the box.
"Aww Ruby you shouldn't have" the skeleton boy blushed a deeper shade of crimson as he popped one of the chocolates into his mouth and handed one to Ruby.
"Of course I should have. Skull Boy you're my favorite person in the world, the least I can do is give you a box of chocolates on Valentines Day" she laughed lightly, placing one of her tiny ivory hands on her friend's shoulder.
"Ruby you're my favorite person in the entire universe" Skull Boy said quietly, Ruby grinned from ear to ear, her pale cutely freckled face burning red, she leaned into the chair and wrapped her arms around Skull Boy, he returned the gesture by holding her tightly and dragging her onto his lap so they could embrace more easily. Ruby buried her face in his tuxedo clad chest, her arms still wound about his neck. "There's more"
"More?" Ruby questioned highly, her brows furrowing, Skull Boy nodded, he took her hand and they both stood. He led her to one darkened corner of the room and began lighting candles that had been coyly placed there earlier. Skull Boy, still holding her hand, stepped into between the widely spaced rows of candles and sat bringing Ruby with him. He took out his acoustic guitar and began strumming to a tune she recognized; The Beatles 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'
'Picture yourself in a boat on a river,
With tangerine trees and marmalade skies
Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly,
A girl with kaleidoscope eyes.
Cellophane flowers of yellow and green,
Towering over your head.
Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes,
And she's gone.
Ruby in the sky with diamonds.
Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain
Where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies,
Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers,
That grow so incredibly high.
Newspaper taxis appear on the shore,
Waiting to take you away.
Climb in the back with your head in the clouds,
And you're gone.
Ruby in the sky with diamonds,
Picture yourself on a train in a station,
With plasticine porters with looking glass ties,
Suddenly someone is there at the turnstyle,
The girl with the kaleidoscope eyes'
"I know it's not as good as the original and I know I added your name to the song and---" Skull Boy was cut off by Ruby tackling him to the floor with a hug. She showered him with quick happy kisses, by the time Skull Boy sat up his face was covered in red lip prints and Ruby's hair was a mess.
"I loved it" she grinned, her auburn eyes sparkling like stars, kaleidoscope eyes. Skull Boy placed his hand on Ruby's face and she leaned into his touch, flickering her eyes closed, so her long black lashes brushed the underside of her eyes.
"You're the girl with the sun in her eyes" he murmured, they leaned forehead to forehead, Ruby grabbed Skull Boy's hands and they stayed like that. "You know what Ruby?" said Skull Boy lightly
"What?" she breathed, not daring to let this moment end
"I think I love you"
"I think I love you too" They smiled at eachother and then leaned in for a chaste saccharine kiss on the lips.
"I hope I'm not interrupting any-" Poe stopped dead and stared at the two lip locked. They pulled away, both of their faces red as tomatoes.
"Not at all" Skull Boy said in a high voice, running out of the room. Ruby shook her head and tried to hide her face as she left Poe to his after dinner reading time that she'd completely forgotten about.
Misery, Iris and Frank and Len sat outside of the room Ruby and her 'secret admirer' had been in. Misery laughed when Skull Boy hightailed it out of the room muttering, he was absolutely covered in red kiss marks, messy haired Ruby soon followed and a bewildered Poe just stood in the doorway shaking his head. They both stopped running when they seen everyone staring at them "What?" asked Ruby and Skull Boy in sync.
"I take it you guys had ermm fun" Misery chuckled in that ever present monotone.
The two looked at eachother "Ruby your hair"
"Skull Boy your face" they said at the same time, their already paper white faces paled if it was possible as they turned to look back at the others.
The next day Ruby sat in her room picking the petals off of the last of her nine fading roses. "He loves me not" she looked at the one last shining crimson petal and grinned "He loves me"