Okay back to writing. After a nice long nap, and only had five cups of coffee, I'm ready to get back to writing.
Chapter 6:
"You guys are crazy. Ruby doesn't have feelings like love. It has always been lust." Emerald practically yelled being brought down by the threat of Blake being next to her. She had seen how terrifying Blake could be if anyone was overly loud near her.
"Em... did you not see her face when Neo laughed? It lit up." Milt stated as she cracked open the bottle her sister handed her.
Neo was still confused why she was brought if they were going to just discuss Ruby's reaction from her laugh. That had always been Ruby's reaction. But here she sat with what they assured her would be the drink with the least amount of alcohol in it. But all she could feel was the burning sensation.
"And it would also explain what she told Neo. It would also explain why she just has been going through the motions, or at least what it seems like." Pyrrha stated as she took a drink of her own drink. She had never gotten put off of drinking like everyone said she would working in a bar.
"I actually somewhat agree with Em. She just always does that. The only time she has ever been cross in any way was when she comes home from one of your places and I ask her why she was home that early." Neo defended not only her friend but the woman who was so gracious enough to open her home to her.
"And that doesn't seem odd to you?" Blake asked, speaking what Neo realised was probably the most she had ever said to the multi colour themed girl.
"No, it really doesn't. Granted is she pretty? Yes. Would I ever want to be in a relationship with her? Maybe, but that would cause a rift between us all and I would never want that. You all are good friends. Even Blake despite the fact this is the longest we've talked."
"Why wouldn't you want to date her? Given the choice between a date with her and saving you all from a crashing bus all I can say is make sure you can get someone to cushion the crash." Mel stated as the rest just nodded in agreement.
"I would be the one cutting the bus' brake lines." Blake just deadpanned. Not even Neo had a doubt in her mind that Blake actually would. But all the talk about crashing buses was starting to make her not want to ever take public transport again.
"The point still rings true Neo. We have always known that this was coming. That Ruby would actually fall for someone. But if I have to lose her for someone I don't mind losing her to you Neo." Emerald stated hugging Neo in a one arm hug.
All except Blake nodded. They quickly turned to her, to see if she would voice her reason behind not agreeing. "If you hurt her, I will gladly go to jail for killing you. I would even confess." The tone Blake had decided to use terrified them all.
"Are you guys trying to force me into a relationship I'm not even sure that I want to be in?" Neo asked, she wanted to at least hope that they were just joking.
"You have similar feelings as well. We all have recognised the signs. The only people unaware of it are you and Ruby." Pyrrha answered, causing Neo to question exactly what she meant. She had no idea.
'She is cute yes, but I don't have any feelings like that towards her... and yes she has showed me some things I've missed in my childhood. And the few times we've brushed off each other at work, or at her apartment, I do feel my heart skip a beat... oh my god they may be right.'
"Oh my god she is blushing and everything. Do you think she is piecing it together?" Emerald asked the group causing Neo's face to grow to a darker shade.
"Even if I did have feelings... which I'm not saying I do. But how could I ever look at her the same way knowing each of you have had sex with her?" Neo asked. That had been the main issue. She was good friends with them.
"So. It is just sex. It means nothing." Blake deadpanned again. Startling the group. They had all come to terms with that small fact, but they had never outright told any new person that. It was something that they had to realise. It was an almost unspoken rule.
"Besides, at least this way you know most of her previous partners. So it isn't all that bad. Plus if it is a matter about us seeing her naked, I have some bad news because she is a stripper. A lot of people have seen her near naked." Milt joked as Neo continued to look between them all.
"Right despite how fun it is to get railroaded, I should get going. Ruby promised she would stay up waiting for me because I don't have a key." Neo stood up as Emerald spoke up.
"She probably has already fallen asleep. You can use my key. Just don't ask how I have one." Emerald fished her keys out of her front pocket and began to unhook a lone key and tossed it into Neo's waiting hands.
"Wait... why did you say your key. How many of you have a key to her place? Where did you get these? Does she know about these copies?" Was amongst the barrage of questions Neo asked.
"We all have one, we can't tell you how we got them and of course she doesn't know about them. So please keep quiet about it." Milt spoke as she rested her head on her sister's shoulder. She was starting to feel tired.
"If she asks I'm going to tell her." with that Neo walked out the door. She pulled the hoodie Ruby had given her on. The chill in the air not affecting her. She just wanted to get into her bed, and sleep.
The dim lighting from the street lamps illuminating her walk. She was left alone to with her thoughts. She had figured that was probably why she had left. Just so she could think. 'Well she is very nice. And she has done nothing but show me everything I missed out as a child just because of who my dad was.'
Neo thought as she rounded the corner. She could see Ruby's apartment with a faint blue light from the inside. 'She must have still be up watching the tv. Maybe I can get away with not having to lie to her about their keys. But wait what if she asks about what I planned to do if she was asleep... I can't lie to her... but at the same time I can't betray their trust. Maybe that is why they didn't tell me who got them their keys.'
Neo knocked on the door for what must have been the fifth time in ten minutes with still no redhead answering the door. 'Don't tell me she fell asleep watching the tv.' after another minute passing since her last knock she opened the door with the key Emerald had given her. As she opened the door she could see Ruby curled up into a small ball as the tv continued to play some show about a British chef.
Neo couldn't think of his name, but simply knew him as the one that swore a lot and even needed people to go into an evaluation after they got kicked off his show. Neo reached over to the remote and turned the tv off.
As she was walking towards her room she stopped remembering how Ruby had seemed. 'maybe she has a light blanket in her room' Neo thought as she opened the door to Ruby's room. 'Somehow it seems like she has less stuff in her room. Granted I'm sure if I look at this place with a black light it will be glowing like a Christmas tree.'
'There is a blanket I can use.' Neo grabbed it and pulled. Hearing the distinctive sound of glass shattering. 'Fuck! I hope that it wasn't something important!' Neo quickly moved the part of the blanket she guessed was covering the broken object.
"A picture frame? That would make this the first picture I've seen in her place." she spoke to no one in particular as she turned the frame so she could see what it was of.
As she stared into the picture she smiled. It was of a much younger version of Ruby. If the ice cream themed woman had to guess Ruby couldn't have been older than ten. But there was a blonde girl, slightly older holding onto Ruby in a one arm hug.
They were smiling brightly in front of some playground, "She looks somehow cuter when she was a little kid." Neo continued to speak to no one as she gently placed the picture frame on Ruby's bed as she shook off any stray pieces of glass from the blanket.
'I should give her this and then sweep up the glass. She shouldn't have to risk cutting her feet when she comes in here in the morning. And she certainly shouldn't have to clean up my mess.' She continued as she brought the blanket into the living room and covered Ruby gently with it. As she looked at the sleeping redhead she could see the moonlight illuminating what appeared to be tears spilling from her closed eyes.
'I wonder what she is dreaming about to cause her to cry like that. She is normally so strong that nothing can affect her.' With that thought she went into the kitchen to grab the small brush and dustpan so she could clean up her mess fast.
As she was sweeping up the shards of glass she couldn't help but think about who the girl in the photo was. 'It could be her sister but she has never mentioned one. Could be a close friend... I used to have one of Em after all. But wouldn't she have mentioned something like that?'
She quickly shrugged the thoughts off as she emptied the dustpan into the trash. She was tired and contemplating why this one person was so special that she was in the only picture Ruby had in the apartment. She knew Ruby wasn't the type to keep a picture just because it had her in it. She figured she could continue the thoughts once she has gotten some sleep.
Just as Ruby took her seat next to Neo handing her the cup of coffee, Neo picked up the blanket that had seemed to have fallen off the redhead at some point in the few hours between Neo coming home and Ruby waking up it had fallen off.
She could see Ruby tense slightly at the sight of the blanket. "I'm sorry I went into your room last night for the blanket. But you looked cold. I'm also sorry I broke the picture that you had. I cleaned up the glass that broke."
The fact Neo was begging for forgiveness seemed to have struck Ruby. But she was still angry that Neo had destroyed the only thing she cared about from her past.
"I know I shouldn't ask, but it has been bugging me a little. What was so special about that one girl?" Neo asked already mentally preparing the speech she would give Pyrrha or Emerald to let her stay the night or until Ruby had calmed down. "Forget it I shouldn't have as-"
"No. It was about time someone found her picture." Ruby interrupted as she stood up and walked out of the room. Neo was feeling terrible. She seemed to have broken on of the strongest people she had ever met.
It wasn't long before Ruby re-entered the room holding the picture in her hands so carefully. She was happy it was just the frame damaged. The picture had survived unscathed. "The blonde girl was my older sister. And this was one of our favourite places." Ruby spoke letting a few tears break free from their imprisonment of her conscious mind.
"What happened if you don't mind me asking. You know what just ignore it. I shouldn't have asked."
"No. It's okay. One day there was this massive fight. And I ran. I haven't seen her since then. That is probably why I kept this two room apartment. On the off chance she would find me." Ruby continued. She had never talked about this. She had always wanted to bury it. But she could never bury her protector. Even if it always brought up memories of the man who drove them apart.
Neo didn't realise she was crying herself at Ruby's story until she felt the few stray drop hitting her legs. "That's enough about that. I'm far too sober to bring up those memories so casually. So unless you want to start irishing up these coffees let's change topic." Ruby got out as she wiped her face with the back of her hand. "Only problem is I don't think I have any whiskey. Or at least no drinking whiskey."
"Well, I don't want to start drinking first thing in the morning either. Granted I was drinking just a few hours ago."
"That reminds me. How are you not hungover?
"I just don't get hangovers. Mind you I don't drink much." Neo stated as she drank a large gulp of the coffee. Glad Ruby wasn't mad about the picture. 'Maybe I should find her sister. Granted it means I'll have to find a place sooner, but it hurts to see her cry like that.'
"Lucky."
Author's Note;
So those of you that know my MO can figure out what I plan to do from that. Those of you who don't... well enjoy the ride.