Ozpin sipped at his hot chocolate while he held the ladder steady. "Thanks again for your help, Professor," Glynda said from the top, books stacked on her arm as she put them away.

"Not at all. We really need to replace the wheels on some of these," he said. He tapped the wheel on the bottom of the ladder back onto the track with his foot.

"Speaking of replacements, I heard that you dismissed Steve a little while ago. Why?"

"He violated his parole."

"Oh dear." She wobbled a little while handling a particularly heavy book, and grabbed the shelf for support. "I hope nothing happened?"

"Oh no. Nipped it in the bud."

"That's good. And that reminds me." She kicked the side of the ladder, and he pulled it further down the bookcase. "I don't know if you've heard any of the rumors that have been going around lately?"

"No?" He went to take another sip of his drink.

"There's been a rumor that Ruby Rose has some secret gangster boyfriend." He choked, spitting out his hot chocolate. He doubled over to avoid it dribbling onto his clothes, his fingers stinging where it overflowed and touched them. "I know, I was shocked when I first heard it too."

"What, where did you hear these rumors?" he asked once he pulled himself together.

"Apparently some students overheard Ruby's teammates talking about it, and it's just blown up all over the school." She climbed down a few rungs. "Most seem to say that her boyfriend's a criminal, an old man." She leaned towards him, whispering, "Professor, you don't suppose her boyfriend's Roman Torchwick, do you?"

"I highly doubt that." He retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket and began to clean himself up.

"Either way, it's troubling to think that she's involving herself with someone like that, if the rumors are true."

"I don't think it does well for us to participate in idle gossip, Glynda."

"If you ask me, she's too young to be dating at all." She gave a haughty sniff. She placed the last few books on the shelves, then climbed down. "Professor, I think you should have a talk with her."

"I should...a, a talk with her?" He fumbled with putting his handkerchief away.

"She trusts you, she listens to what you have to say." She began to pace in front of him. "You need to sit her down, and have a talk with her about the dangers of dating older men. Even if the rumors are false, she's getting to be that age where she should start worrying about these things."

"Actually Glynda, I think you should be the one to speak with her about all this."

She paused and looked at him. "Do you really think so?"

He nodded. "You clearly know more about all this than me. Don't forget, Ruby values your input as well as mine."

"Hm." She looked away, seeming to consider it. "Perhaps I should."

"Wonderful." He patted her on the shoulder as he walked by. "Now if you'll excuse me, there is something in my office that needs my attention."

"Of course, Professor. See you later."

He waited until he was out of sight of her before pulling out his scroll and texting Ruby: If possible, I'd like for you to meet with me this afternoon for drinks. There is something we need to discuss.

After class, Ruby made her way through the school to Ozpin's office. Entering, she found Ozpin standing in front of the large window, looking out upon the school and the world below. He turned at the sound. "Ah, there you are."

"Kept you waiting, huh?" She brushed her bangs back.

"Not at all. Follow me, if you please." He walked over to a side door, and opened it. She followed him inside. She looked with wide eyes as they climbed a spiral staircase, the middle of the room filled with massive cogs and pulleys and moving parts. She leaned over a little to look down, and saw that the machinery reached all the way down to the ground floor. At the top of the staircase was a small landing with another door. Ozpin opened this door as well, and stood aside to allow her through.

"Wow," she breathed, turning as she stepped in. It was a spacious room, simple in décor, with some potted plants and muted abstract paintings. She could see a couch and a chair arranged around a coffee table, and a large tv hanging from the wall in front of the couch. The entire den area was sunk on a lower level than the rest of the wood floor. Behind the den was the kitchen, an island separating it from the rest of the apartment, bar stools lined up alongside the counter. All the way across from the entrance, large sliding glass doors lead out onto a balcony. To the left, a door, and some more stairs.

"I hope you like hot chocolate." He walked past her to the kitchen, and retrieved the kettle from where it sat patiently simmering. He poured the hot water into a waiting mug with powder in it, and stirred the mixture with a cinnamon stick.

He handed her her drink. "Do you ever shake things up a bit by drinking tea?" She held the large mug in both hands, warming her fingers.

"If I'm feeling wild and crazy," he replied. He walked out to the glass doors, and stepped onto the balcony. There more potted plants placed near the railing. A couple of wicker chairs sat on either side of a small glass stand. He sat in one, and she sat in the other.

"Wow, what a view." It was as if all the world lay before them, the people mere insignificant specks across a patchwork canvas of buildings and nature, bordered by blue sea and blue sky, clouds drifting. Arctic winds buffeted them, wondering what they were doing so high up, and Ruby took an appreciative sip of the cocoa.

"How are you, Ruby?"

"Fine, thanks. You?"

"I'm well. How's school? Have you been keeping up with your homework?"

"Of course. School's fine."

"That's good to hear. I know the teachers sometimes complain that you don't pay attention in class."

She scoffed. "I do better when I teach myself. It's not like I cause any trouble in class."

"Still, it would be polite of you to at least pretend that you're paying attention." She rolled her eyes. He decided to probe further. "How are your classmates?"

"They're...fine? I guess?" She shrugged. "I mean, I don't know what you want me to say. It's not like I asked any of them recently how they've been, how their parents are doing, whether or not Mr Mittens got his fleas treated or whatever-"

"I mean," he interrupted, "have they at all been acting...strange? Around you?"

She quirked an eyebrow. "Strange?" He nodded, and took a sip. She sat back, resting one elbow on the armrest, arm splaying out so that her hand lay on the glass stand. "Strange... I guess, lately, they have been acting a little weird. I never noticed it before, but it seems like everybody's whispering these days. But they always stop whenever I show up. And sometimes people look at me funny. But I don't really know why." She peered sideways up at him. "You know something about all this, don't you?"

He nodded, his face somber. "I'm very sorry." She gave him a questioning look. "It would seem that some rumors have begun to spread about you. Apparently many of the students believe you are secretly dating an older man, a gangster."

"What?" She looked down, her eyes searching. "But, how-" She looked up again, eyebrows drawn down. "Yang. Weiss. Blake. They're the only ones I ever told anything to. I can't believe they blabbed!" Her hand started to curl into a fist, when Clark slipped his fingers in, and held her hand. She squeezed his hand, bones flexing under the skin. He moved his thumb in little circles on the back of her hand, and watched as some of the tension left her shoulders. She settled back into her chair, frowning. "Well that explains a lot."

"I hope you haven't been seriously mistreated by any of the students?"

She shook her head. "No, everyone's still been pretty nice, to my face at least. Except Cardin and his gang, but they're dumb and bully everyone, so he doesn't count." She took a swig of her drink.

"What did he do?"

She shrugged. "They're just dumb. They make weird noises at me, and act like monkeys sometimes. Cardin once even tried to ask me out as a joke."

"I see." He sipped his coffee, looking out ahead. This is all my fault. "Do the teachers correct them?"

"When they catch them doing it."

He nodded. "I'm sorry that you've been having to go through all that."

"It's not such a big deal." She took a bite out of her cinnamon stick. "I'm just glad that now I know why everybody's been acting that why. It really bugged me before, when I couldn't figure it out."

He gave her hand a little squeeze before resuming his thumb's circular motions. "Ms Glynda intends to speak with you about the rumors."

"Oh yeah?"

"She will have a talk with you, to warn you about the dangers of dating older men." Ruby gave a loud, drawn-out groan, slumping over in her seat without spilling her drink. "I would like for you to listen carefully to the things she has to say."

"Uuugghhh, as if I don't get lectured enough by my teammates."

"Glynda is much more knowledgeable and experienced than your teammates." He leaned forward, trying to peer into her face. "Please, maybe she can even convince you to put an end to all this." And then the rumors could stop, and she wouldn't be bullied anymore, and she could be happy.

She sat bolt upright, fury in her eyes. "Are you kidding me?!" Clark leaned away from her a little, startled. "You're still on about that? I thought we were done with you trying to convince me to break up with you. In fact," she sat up a little straighter, narrowing her eyes at him, "if this all bothers you so much, why don't you break up with me?"

His eyes widened a fraction, and he looked away. But she felt his hand grow tight around her own. She looked down at it, then back up to his face as he sipped his cocoa, then back down to their hands. She set her drink down. Gently, she took a hold of his sleeve and pushed the fabric up. He looked over at the movement, his eyes flicking between her and what she was doing. She turned his arm over so she could see his tattoo, her name glittering and sparkling in the sunlight.

Something clicked in her mind, and she held his hand close, her fingers caressing his tattoo. She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Do you... believe in true love too? That we have a chance?"

A faint pink crept into his cheeks, and he looked away again, but he couldn't fool her.

Ruby beamed, and sprang forward, hugging him. "You big softie!" She giggled, nuzzling her face under his chin, smelling peppermint. It seemed that the river was merely a stream after all, the two of them within arm's reach of each other. At first, he sat very still, his glasses disheveled. Then, slowly, she felt his arm move, and rest very carefully across her back. A feather-light hug in return, and her heart soared.