A/N: And here we part 3! Thank you so much for all the favs and follows! They totally make me smile.

Enjoy.

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The Odd Couple - WR Special Edition

Part 3

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"Well," Nora said after clearing her throat. "That wasn't nearly as bad as you made it out to be."

I groaned aloud, pointing the remote control to my television and switching the thing off. "Yes it was. It really was." I muttered morosely.

"No, it really wasn't." Nora insisted, leaning back on my couch and propping her legs up on my coffee table. I eyed the girl's bare legs and feet, right down to her bright pink toenails for a moment, then scoffed – she always did treat my apartment as her own most of the time. Well, to be fair, I did the same to hers. So, I guess we could call it even.

The woman continued, "I mean, from what you were telling me about the shooting process all week, I was sort of expecting something horrible. That wasn't bad at all. I thought it was pretty damn funny." She grinned. "Especially how adorably awkward you were. That was cute."

I grunted, "That wasn't part of the scene. That was just me being cute and adorably awkward."

Nora giggled. "Well, regardless, it worked."

I sighed heavily and stood up, making my way to my kitchen. It was actually kind of funny how alike my real apartment was to the set for the "Odd Couple" television series, which had just finished airing the pilot episode. It wasn't the exact same, of course, but my apartment also had a large living room with attached kitchen very much like on the show. After my first day of shooting, and after the horrible embarrassment I suffered being caught up in my co-star's trap with her penchant for not following the script, I went home and laughed hysterically at the similarities between the set and my own apartment.

I promptly ate dinner, took a hot shower and went to bed, hoping the next day of shooting would turn out better than the first.

Optimism had never really worked out in my favor.

The following day was just as difficult as the first. It had taken the entire first day to shoot the one scene with Ruby and myself in our apartment, with her being hungover and me trying to deal with her. After the disastrous first take with my unintentionally asking Olivia to 'fuck me' on camera –that take wouldn't be used, of course— I attempted to use the scripted lines again in hopes Ruby would follow my lead.

I was gravely mistaken.

The second take began and, instead of grunting at me and flipping me the bird, she giggled drunkenly and stumbled from the table, waving her arms around as if she was still drunk. I was so shocked at the shift in her behavior I had absolutely no comeback, and I stood there while Ruby sang a foreign drinking song. I couldn't quite follow the words being spoken, but I understood enough to get the gist. And the rhyming gave it away.

The following takes could only be summarized as Ruby approaching the scene differently each time, choosing a different persona and dialogue at her whim, and myself desperately trying to keep up while keeping the script in mind.

It didn't work. It was painfully obvious how easily she strung me along the scene. I was a mouse to her cat, and she knew it. She ran circles around me as an actress, grinning smugly the whole time. It was embarrassing and humbling to be in that position. Under most circumstances I would have been put out, even angry, at such a slight. But as I knew that just how Ruby was as an actress, and a damn good one at that, I couldn't find it in me to be mad. Instead I felt challenged; like I needed to step up and meet her as an equal. The problem was that I simply did not have the experience or ability she did.

The remaining scenes of the episode were all very similar to the first. Ruby would lead the other actors and actresses, myself included, on a wild chase, as if hoping at least one of us would be able to catch her. Not one person did. The difference between us and her was almost painfully apparent, and by the end of shooting the episode at the end of the week, I was in the foulest mood I had ever been in since graduating university.

I wasn't angry at Ruby, of course. That was simply how she was. I was upset at myself. I wasn't good enough, not nearly, to match my idol the way I wanted. She was on a pedestal high above me, and I could barely reach her toes from where I was. Her fucking perfect toes.

"Damn it." I hissed in pain. The steam of my water boiler scalded my hand and I immediately shoved the offending appendage in the sink, turning on the cold water.

"You alright over there?" Nora called from the couch.

"Yea. Just me being an idiot."

"What else is new?" She shot back, giggling.

"Go to hell, you cunt!" I snapped, but lacked any real aggression in my words. Nora roared with laughter, clutching her sides on the couch. I smiled at her and dried off my hand. That was simply how Nora and I interacted with each other, and it made me comfortable. With her, I could be myself, and the words – or insults as the case may be – just came to me naturally. With Ruby… nothing came to me naturally and I just froze up.

Why couldn't I be like I was Nora… with Ruby?

Only without calling her a bitch or a cunt or a slut.

"Your feisty today. Rawr!" Nora said after her laughed finally died down, her grin still wide. "To what do I owe the honor of your Highness being particularly catty?"

I sighed, "Yea… sorry. I'm just so irritated at myself about this whole thing." I waved my hand towards the television, meaning the show we just had watched. "I was so excited to meet Ruby, and she was great and everything, but…" I trailed off, my energy leaking out of me like a deflating balloon. "I just don't know. I'm not good enough to be her partner." I blinked. "On stage. Er— set, I mean."

Nora snorted. "Yea-huh. I knew what you meant." She kicked her legs out and stood up, walking around the couch to approach me in the kitchen. "So what's the problem, then? That you think you aren't as good of an actress as Ruby?"

I chewed on my lip, considering that. Truthfully I didn't believe that was the case. I mean sure, Ruby had more natural talent than you could shake a stick at, and enough professional experience to fill any respectable resume, but then again, I wasn't a slouch either. I had my own talents with acting, and so did she. We were just… different. And it was that difference that I couldn't really measure up to. It just wasn't ingrained into me to be so impulsive, to run without a track, and to not have the foundation laid out for me to follow. To basically not have a script to work from.

Ruby was the opposite. She thrived on having a beginning and an ending, and nothing in between. She could take an idea, a mood, and run with it and make a scene that was one of a kind, unique, no matter the material. Just the fact that tonight's pilot turned out as well as it had – which was good, to my chagrin – was tantamount to her natural ability and charisma as an actress. I envied that talent. It was something I wish I could do, to be able to work like that, taking something as vague as an idea and carry on from there, taking command of a scene like that and bringing everyone along for the ride.

But I didn't.

"I'm not." I finally said softly. "I'm not as good as her."

Nora studied me for a few moments, her eyes peering into mine. Then, suddenly, she shrugged. "So?"

I blinked. "Huh?"

"So? So what if you aren't as good of an actress as her? That doesn't mean anything." At my incredulous look, she sighed heavily. "Look, how did you first start to learn how to act?"

I thought for a moment, recalling my upperclassmen in middle school and high school. They were all terrific actors and actresses, and I wanted to emulate them in every way I could. "I copied my upperclassmen and learned from them."

"Right." Nora nodded. "So just do that. Watch Ruby, copy her and try and do what she does."

I scoffed. She made it sound so easy. "It's not that simple, Nora. I need a script to work from to—"

"You have a script." Nora cut me off. "Just as she does. Like you told me, you also have a point 'A' and a point 'B'. You just need to get from start to finish, working with Ruby along the way."

I bit my lip, unsure. "It impossible." That may as well have been true, as I hadn't really heard of anyone being able to match the Girl with One-Thousand Faces on her best days. Everyone simply was swept up in her presence. She was a force of nature on stage.

"You only say it's impossible because it's never been done."

I looked up to see my best friend's face, her trademark shit-eating grin on her lips, as if she already knew she was right.

"You know something Nora? I hate you sometimes." I said, shaking my head softly.

"Oh, shut up Bitch. You know you love me."

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The start of the week meant the start of a new episode. I arrived bright and early at the studio, rested from a relaxing weekend spent with Nora. She had taken me out shopping for a new outfit to 'make myself feel better', and while I never cared for shopping therapy as much as she did, I did appreciate the friend therapy.

After putting my things away in my dressing room, as I always did, I dressed in my Florence outfit – this week was a peach-colored sweater and dark blue jeans with black flats. Casual. Stagehands assisted me with my makeup and earrings, even though I insisted I could manage myself.

As I left my dressing room, the door to the adjacent room opened, revealing my co-star, in all her bedraggled 'Olivia' glory. She wore khaki board shorts, and old pair of socks – no shoes –, and a loose tank top. Her black sports bra was clearly visible, and I inwardly squeed. Why did her character have to wear clothing that made me want to nom on her so much!?

"Hey Weiss!" The woman chirped as she shut her dressing room door.

"Good morning, Ruby." I smiled. I was happy to see her, even if the very sight of her sent little fluttering feelings in my stomach. What was it about her smile that made me feel as though I was a teenager again?

"Back to the old grind?" She snickered, her face scrunching cutely. I rolled my eyes, grunting. She laughed at that and gestured towards the set. "C'mon lets hit it."

I fell into step beside her, smiling at her openness. Regardless of her intimidating presence in front of the camera, she was truly a friendly person.

"Did you have a nice weekend, Ruby?" I asked, curious as to what she did in her free time.

"Hmm? Oh yea!" She said happily. "I went shopping with my sister. That's always fun."

I blinked, caught off guard by this new information. "You have a sister?"

Ruby faltered in her steps, grinning like she was suddenly caught doing something bad. "Well, yea. She's actually my half-sister. Different moms. Yang and I have been really tight for years, since before I even got famous. We try and hang out together whenever I am in town."

I hummed in understanding, filing that information away. I hadn't known that Ruby had anyone like that in her life, but in retrospect, it shouldn't have surprised me. Even someone as famous as Ruby was most certainly had to have some close friends and family, even with how often she traveled.

Inexplicably, I felt a small stirring of jealously at the thought of Ruby having such a person that she was that close to. I knew it was immature of me, and that exceptions could be made for family, but ever since Ruby herself told me I was her friend the very first day of shooting, I had taken her words to heart. And this woman, Yang? Just how close was she to Ruby?

Ruby was silent for a few moments, as if reading my suddenly dark mood. Then she coughed. "Yea, but, ever since she got married her long-term girlfriend, we just haven't had the time to hang out as often as we used to. When we were younger and I was in town, it was always "Yaaaaaaaang! Come on, let's go hang out!" She shrugged. "But after she got married, we just haven't had the time."

I arched an eyebrow at the woman next to me, curious as to why she felt the need to explain such a thing to me. Surely she didn't need to explain her relationship with her sister to me, who she had only known for little more than a week. Was I really that transparent? Was my mood so easy to gauge that she could pick up on it right away? Or was she just as good at reading people as everyone always said?

But, upon hearing that her sister was married, and her platonic relationship with Ruby just that, I felt a little better.

"And…" I coughed into my fist, looking away from Ruby to scan the set as we entered the shooting floor. "What about you? You… married? Dating any guys?"

Ruby's eyebrows lifted, a surprised expression flickering across her face. It disappeared almost at once, making way for a sly grin.

"Nah. The guys around here haven't really caught my eye. Or anywhere really." She shrugged nonchalantly, looking at me from out of the corner of her eye. "Never have, to be honest. Men are more trouble than they're worth. I'm more of a 'girl's girl'... you know what I mean?"

I did. I really did. But I could scarcely believe it. It all seemed to be too fantastical to actually be true. But I had to play it cool. And if there was one thing I knew how to do, it was play things cool.

If playing-it-cool Weiss worked with Ruby… well, that remained to be seen.

"Yea, I can understand that." I said, nodding my head slowly. "I don't know what my friend, Nora, sees in them. Never have. I guess that means more for her, huh?"

There was something that appeared in Ruby's expression then, something that I couldn't quite pick up on. Something I hadn't seen in her face before; not once in the years I had studied her, her face, her expressions and her pictures. This was… this was something new.

Something that caught my attention.

"Yea. I guess that's just another thing we have in common, then." She said, reaching out to my face. I blinked, shocked at the sudden move, but didn't budge. Her lips quirked up into a smile as she lightly touched my hair, brushing my bangs out of my eyes. I shivered as her index finger made the barest of contact with my forehead, and I fought to keep my knees from buckling. It was a damn close call.

Suddenly Ruby cleared her throat, jarring me from whatever lala-land I was in. "Well, I think Stephen is going to pop a blood vessel if we don't hurry up." she said, pulling her hand back. My face almost followed it before I reeled in my suddenly haywire emotions and stood erect, my breath coming out in heavy pants through my nose.

"Uh… y-yea…" I rasped out.

Ruby's grin returned with a vengeance and she turned towards the set. "Break a leg today, Weiss!" She lilted from over her shoulder, walking away from me with a slight sway in her step.

I swallowed, watching as she hopped up onto the platform, turned back towards me, stuck out her tongue and winked, causing my heart to drop straight down to my uterus.

Oh yea. My gaydar was pinging pretty loudly right then.

I was in trouble.

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End of Part 3

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A/N: Flirty Ruby is flirty and thirsty Weiss is thirsty. XD

We are officially at the half-way point. Though, the final three chapters are longer than the first three. So there's that. See you in a few days!

***Will work for glomps***