Ruby Rose

"-So she said that she'd be back with the contract in a week right? But... what if i fail? What if the second i sign it... I stop being able to make progress? I just..." She let out a sigh that was consumed by a passing breeze. "Things were so much simpler back when I was just doing this on my own..." Ruby looked up with a hopeful expression, though it could be barely seen from under her hood.

"Was... was that good...?" The bird continued to stare blankly at her, as it had been for the last hour. She let out a louder sigh this time, and looked around the small park she found herself in. "I should really hurry up..." The blue sky had long since given way to the oranges of sunset, and every second she waited was a second longer she gambled with the prospect of being robbed. "I really should have left this at the workshop..." The bag of Lien wasn't getting any lighter.

She set off down the road once more, this park wasn't that far from her destination, and she had used it more then a few times to prepare to talk with her sister. The dirt road had become brick once more, the property sitting just two buildings over the line that separated the poorer neighbourhood from the more noble like houses.

Ruby gulped as she reached the iron gate. She could climb over it if need be, but the weight of the property behind it was enough to make it feel too heavy for her to open without preparation. The building was riding the line between when people would start argueing about if it was a house or a mansion, though each owner of the estate would call it different. Blake always simply called it there home, while Yang bragged about living in a mansion. Looking around, it was the biggest property till much closer to the castle, at least on this street. The bricks were a sunny yellow that faded into purple the closer they grew to the roof, which was a midnight black that covered the top of the property, a singular tower like structure pierced through the left side of the roof, big enough that it housed its own magic workshop and spare bedroom that was bigger then any room Ruby had ever slept in. The tower had red brick and a silver roofing, everytime Ruby looked at it she felt sick.

Once more she gathered her strength and breathed deeply.

"She's your sister... she's your sister... this isn't a big deal..." Her words were less convincing to herself then anyone else who might have heard her.

She pushed on the gate again, and with a creak, she nearly wished she had lacked the strength to get it open.

Knock. Knock.

There was a bell, and a knocker. But that was rude right? After all, it was dark now. Surely just knocking with her hand was enough? She didn't want to wake them if they were asleep after all...

The purple wood of the door was soaked in magic. Anyone that tried to use the knocker or bell would trigger the houses defenses, just to alert them of course, its not like any guest that tried to approach would be attacked. Though that also meant that the door itself was guarded too, but in a much more simple way.

Simply, the wood of the door was indestructible to any non-magical attacks.

Her knocking had been completely consumed by the door and no sound had carried into the house. Of course Ruby knew this however... she just knew that here other two options were worse.

After Yang had realised Ruby wasn't comfortable coming over, she had keyed the house to notify her specifically when Ruby used either the knocker or the bell.

"W-welp... guess no one's home..." She turned to leave.

"Ruby." But just too late.

Ruby jumped in suprise and turned back to look at the now open door. The woman that stood there was only a little taller then herself, and of course if you counted the cat ears, she was a fair bit taller.

"H-hi Blake...!" Ruby tried her best to look happy, in truth she wanted to cry. Blake simply approached the girl and pulled her into a hug.

"It's been a while... how have you been?" Blake's words were a whisper only meant for Ruby, they calmed the redheads nerves a little.

"I've been... g-good... I guess... h-how have you been?" Ruby sulked a little at how poorly she was doing.

"I'm doing fine Ruby. Yang is making dinner at the moment, join us." It wasn't a request or question, the ebony haired girl was getting Ruby to that table one way or another.

Ruby just gave a small nod, to which Blake finally let her go. She gave the younger girl a rare smile and stepped out of the way to let her in... she wasn't about to turn her back and give Ruby the chance to escape. As Ruby stepped through into the confines of the house... she paused.

"...How did you know I was here...?" She mumbled, knowing that Blake was one of the few people that she could mumble to and still be heard.

"Yang may have keyed you into the knocker and bell, but i was smart enough to key you into the door itself." Blake continued smiling at her and Ruby looked away.

Blake really was a good sister in law.

The manor was much more fancy on the outside then the inside. On the outside the argument could be made that it was a mansion, but on the inside?

House.

No. Home.

The furniture all felt like it had been used and wasn't just there for decoration. The pictures and art dripped with emotion and meaning, and of course the lack of servants helped show that this was a home.

Ruby had once asked the purpose of getting such a big house for just two people... When Yang had remarked about wanting a 'litter' Ruby had permanently shelfed that topic.

The fanciest part of the house by far was the entryway. The large space that held a double staircase up to the second floor, and a chandelier on the ceiling oozed with pompous wealth. If it didn't immediately connect to rooms clearly meant for lazing about or watching TV on either side, it might even have tricked Ruby into thinking her sister had grown up a bit.

As they walked, her nerves started blasting, Blake didn't say if she noticed, but she did try and distract the girl.

"The mana pipes are acting up a bit. After dinner could you take a look at them?" Blake wasn't one to ask things like that out of the blue... but it did the job.

"Which ones? If it's the main one I'm suprised the lights are on. If it's one of the secondaries then I can take a look but I'm more worried about dinner then anything."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Well the secondaries focus the mana from the main pipe into set amounts that are safer for smaller uses. The main pipe powers the houses defenses and stuff directly, but you need secondary pipes in order to supply the runes on kitchen appliances and stuff. So if the wrong secondary is messing up then your fridge or stove or something could be acting up! Why are you asking anyway? You already know... all... this..." Ruby sighed and looked down again while Blake smiled once more.

"Sorry. Just wanted to be selfish for a moment." She remarked as they reached the dining room. The room was smaller then one would expect in a house of this size, but the table could still easily fit twelve people comfortably. The ballroom they had was multi-purpose for party's and the such, so if they needed more space they busted out the big tables for in there.

"What do you mean...?" Ruby looked at Blake again, close to the eyes but still avoiding contact. Blake simply put a hand on her shoulder.

"I miss when you were happy to see me." Blake looked pained as she said this and Ruby was forced to meet her gaze. Silver met amber and Ruby shook her head.

"I'm always happy to see you Blake... it's just-" Ruby was cut off as a something came running up to them. A body much smaller then Ruby's grabbed a hold of her in a sudden hug and Ruby felt the wind knocked out of her as a small face buried into her stomach.

"Aunt Ruby!" The voice was mixed with giggles and the grip around her body grew tighter. Ruby winced in pain and Blake quickly grabbed the young boy and pried her off of the girl.

"Sun! You have to be careful." She had knelt down and was scolding the boy face to face. He looked away a bit and Ruby waved her arms.

"B-Blake! I'm ok i swear. It was just a hug." She wasnt okay. Any tighter and the boy would've broken something of hers.

His ears perked up at her words and he smiled triumphantly at his mother.

"See? Aunt Ruby says it's ok!" Sun's ears flicked towards the dining room and he hopped a little. "Dinners ready!" He zipped back around the corner, his blonde hair nearly trailing behind him he moved so fast.

"He's a good kid." Ruby wasn't exaclty sure what to say, but she knew what was coming.

"Are you alright? Seriously?" Blake stared at her with worry while Ruby waved her hands in front of herself defensively once more.

"I'm ok I swear. Just wasn't expecting it is all." Blake's stare focused a bit and Ruby winced. "OK I'll admit it was... a little tight..." Blake sighed and moved closer, putting her hands on Ruby's waist she closed her eyes.

Ruby stood there awkwardly and ducked her head again while Blake worked her magic. The soothing feeling that passed through her body as the faunas healed her was amazing, and Blake only frowned further.

"He bruised you..."

"That's fine. Really. Even Yang did worse when we were kids."

"Internally Ruby..."

"... ok maybe that was a little bad then." Blake sighed and moved her hands away once she was finished.

"I'll talk with him more after dinner."

"Blake... don't ok? I'm fine. Really... it's my fault." Ruby moved past her to walk into the dining room. Blake reached out to grab her arm, but paused before she did, sighing, she followed Ruby in.

"-why didn't you tell me Aunt Ruby was coming over?!" Sun yelled out happily while his sister stood pouting next to him. Yang smiled at them both while putting there meal down on the table. Salmon, go figure.

"Cause I didn't know kiddo." Yang's smile doubled over as she looked up at Ruby. Ruby forced a smile as well and waved a bit instead of saying hello. "Sun, Celic, can you go grab a plate and cutlery for Aunt Ruby?" Yang leaned down to her kids.

"But Muuuum...!" Sun was exasperated.

"I haven't even gotten to say hi yet..." Celica pouted even harder, to which Yang just chuckled.

"Well if no ones going to get silverware for Ruby i guess she might have to go home..." Blake sighed as she walked into the room and Ruby actually smiled at that.

Both kids eyes widened in unison and Ruby didn't even see them leave the room, simply vanish. The silence held for a moment as Ruby awkwardly took off her hood.

"The twins are looking healthy..." She was really bad at this.

Yang was hugging her the next instant. Ruby yelped in suprise at her sisters burst of speed, but she felt no impact or crushing squeeze. Yang had mastered a long time ago how to hug humans, if only for Ruby. Her warmth was comforting and the tightness was at just the right amount to make her feel safe.

"Hey sis." Yang smiled as she whispered to the younger girl and Ruby slowly returned the hug, squeezing as tight as she could but knowing she could never match Yangs controlled hug.

Dinner was less awkward then she expected. If only for the fact that Yang and Sun each could carry a full conversation on there own. Though there was one awkward moment.

"Where have you been Aunt Ruby??" His face was so excited, he must've just assumed she did something as exciting as there parents did.

"I've been..."

"-Your Aunt is working on something super secret for Ozpin!" Yang spoke with a wide grin and if she had food in her mouth when she had started that sentence, she was smart enough to swallow before Blake noticed, though that may have only been possible thanks to Blake's current distraction.

"Is that still going smooth with Ozpin's new position?" The faunas asked carefully.

"Yeah... my funding is being transferred though... I mean... the person funding is changing..." Thankfully both Blake and Yang could understand Ruby's poorly constructed sentences.

"Who's taking over?" The blonde tilted her head, and her daughter watched and then copied the motion.

"ummm... Weiss Schnee. T-the princess." Blake's expression dipped for a moment but she quickly recovered. Yang watched as her wife clearly shelfed that topic for later.

Eating went smooth after that. Ruby hadn't eaten a meal this well put together since... well since the last time she visited. She had to be forced to not help clean afterwards, and Ruby sighed as she sat alone waiting for them to return.

Celica was the first back.

"Hey kiddo." Ruby smiled as her neice approached, her mother's ebony hair tied into pigtails was way cuter then it had any right to be. Ruby only wished she could see what the young girl could look like with cat ears.

She nervously approached and held out her hands, in it was a single cookie that Ruby had to stop herself from snatching.

"Is this for me?" The younger girl nodded adamantly. Ruby smiled and took the cookie, and patted the girls head while taking a bite, it was the best cookie she had had in a while... it was the only cookie she had had in a while.

"Wow Celica! Did you make this?" The girls eyes lit up and she nodded happily. Ruby felt the temperature raise a little but she ignored it.

Celica looked nervous and reached out her arms, Ruby looked confused for a moment.

"Mum says im not allowed to hug you without her or mumma here... but... if you hug me..." The girl slowly lowered her arms and Ruby quickly wrapped her in a tight hug while smiling. The adorable logic was too much for her.

Celica smiled brightly and Ruby definitely couldn't ignore the sudden jump in temperature. Still, she hugged the girl and appreciated the fact that she listened to Yang and didn't hug back.

Ruby let go once she had started to sweat and smiled down at her, but Celica looked a little puzzled.

"Even mumma's hugs are way tighter then that... do you not know how to hug Aunt Ruby...?" Celica looked genuinely worried and Ruby giggled a little.

"I do kiddo, it's just-"

"-I can show you if you want! Like this!" Celica moved quickly and Ruby's heart sank as the little girl wrapped her arms around her waist.

Mental images of Rubys organs being squeezed from out from her mouth were thankfully just that. Her hyperventilating was all that could be heard as amber eyes stared at her with worry.

Blake was leaning over her daughter and had an iron grip on her arms that were only inches away from Ruby's body. The young girl was thrashing around a little in her mother's grasp and looked up with worry.

"I... I'm sorry mumma! I... I just wanted to show Ruby how to hug...! isn't that why I can't hug her...??" Ruby wouldve comforted the girl, but she had to get away first. She moved quickly and was a good few metres away before backing into something. She turned and Yangs arms were around her before she knew what was going on.

"Breathe... Ruby... Breathe..." Her words were a whisper and the redhead whimpered a little In her sisters arms. The blonde body was a comfortable and controlled temperature, and her grip was more akin to a blanket then a vice. Rubys hyperventilating died down, and she could finally hear Blake scolding both of her children.

She quickly tried to break away and defend them, but she was reminded of Yangs strength as she realised she was trapped. It was a comfortable hug... but she was even stronger then her kids. Yang let her go as soon as she realised Ruby wanted out, and the redhead walked over to the others.

"Blake... it's alright." Ruby put on a smile and Blake shook her head.

"It's not alright."

"Aunt Ruby... why are you crying?" Sun looked at her with such genuine concern that she felt guilty she hadn't even realised she was shedding tears. She quickly wiped them away and then looked at them again.

Celica had her face in her hands while she cried.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." She looked so frail there... both of her parents had to use all of there willpower to keep themselves from giving in and saying it was alright.

"I... I should go..." She made things worse... again...

"No. You came here to talk about something... right Rube's...?" Yang looked at her pleadingly and Ruby slowly put her hood on and nodded.

Blake stood and smiled a little, before turning to her kids. "Its bedtime ok...?" They still didn't really understand what they had done wrong.

"Ok..." But they were still good kids.

"Coffee?"

"Or tea?" Yang chuckled as Blake voiced her preference once again.

"Tea is fine." Ruby had a weak smile, choosing to take Blake's side on this matter simply to annoy her sister.

"Alright alright... I'll be right back." Yang headed for the kitchen and the women left in the dining room sat in silence for a moment.

"So when did you get a personal chef...?" Ruby tried her luck at a joke.

It earned a small chuckle as Blake looked towards the kitchen fondly. "She has been cooking a lot lately... been about four months now since I cooked last I think."

"Really? What's up with the sudden cooking obsession?" Ruby tilted her head, and Blake looked down at the table a little.

"She thought maybe her meals were why you were avoiding us..." Ruby gulped at that and looked down at the table as well.

"I guess... it has been a while..."

"Ruby... she's been cooking for four months... you haven't come back once in that time..."

"I know... I know... I just... I'm close to another one... I can tell... I just need a little more time..." Ruby sank into her chair.

"Then... why not use our workshop...? Its better then that place your at now, a-and you'd be able to sleep her too." Blake was pleading... Ruby knew she was. It was the simple way out... Blake and Yang made a lot of money... they'd support Ruby without a second thought and yet...

"I want to do this on my own..." Ruby mumbled.

"What's the difference between our money and that Princess's money?" Blake crossed her arms.

"The difference is that she... its not free... she's drawing up a contract for it and..."

"-Ruby... someone wanting to use your research isn't better then what we want to do for you."

"She won't want my research...! She just... I don't know... I'll know when I get the contract... and... I can always say no..."

"And if you do? What then?"

"Then I'll..." Ruby stopped... she didn't know, and at this point it didn't matter. How many attempts at the next phrase could she have made instead of coming here...?

She hated that she always thought that whenever she went anywhere.

Yang came out of the kitchen with a tray holding three cups. She already knew how they all liked it. Blake drank a good amount of hers in the first "sip" and Yang simply sat at the table cupping hers.

Ruby looked at the drink and titled her head a little. She knew it was just stubbornness keeping her from accepting there help... why couldn't she just move past it?

"Rube's... I know you want to do this on your own... but... what if you stayed here...? You don't have to use yo- our workshop... but... we have a bed for you..." Yang was desperate... Ruby hated seeing it, which was why she wasn't looking at her sister.

"The princess said she might get me a new workshop... if... if things work out it might be closer to here..." Like that would help.

"I don't trust this princess. Schnee's aren't exaclty good people." Blake emphasised her statement with a sip of her tea.

"Weiss seems nice..." Yang had to hold in a laugh at that, but not because she disagreed.

"If she is nice Rube's... that's great. But... please consider us as well. We care about you and I want to see you more." As if that needed to be said. Ruby just nodded in response.

"We should head to bed... all of us." Blake smiled at Ruby.

"R-right... I should get going..." Ruby went to stand and Yang shook her head.

"No way. It's dark out. I'm not letting you walk back to your workshop to sleep. We have more spare bedrooms then we can find storage to put in them, and Blake can lend you some clothes." Ruby knew rhis was coming... but she frankly didn't have the strength to fight it.

"Ok... Where am I sleeping...?"

"Of course..." She sighed as she looked around the room. It already smelled like roses.

The furniture was all a lovely dark wood, the colour theme was red, black, and silver. The moonlight was blanketing the room in a beautiful fashion, and the bed looked so comfy she could almost fall asleep just looking at it.

"Oh. And the workshop is just upstairs if you want to look at it." Blake smiled and ducked out of the room after saying goodnight. Ruby stared at the door... custom made with powerful magic runes on them.

"Yang would have trouble breaking down that door... I suppose that's to keep the kids from coming in unannounced..." Ruby sighed and headed to the large window.

The view from the tower was breathtaking, she could get a clear view of the castle from here. It was perfect... the room was perfect... and she was sure that the workshop would be perfect too.

She flopped on the bed and sighed... no bounce, the mattress and blankets practically wrapped her in a loving embrace that Yang might have trouble matching.

"Beds perfect too..." She rolled over and sighed, staring at the ceiling.

The biggest surprise about the room was that it was spotless... perfectly clean. How often did Yang clean it in hopes that Ruby would move in soon?

"If I just visit more... they'll get off my back about it..." Her eyes fluttered a bit. "Why can't I bring myself to do that...?" A yawn. "How much could once a week possibly do...?" She closed her eyes and started drifting off to sleep.

Maybe tomorrow would be easier.