First time at a Second Chance: Risks Worth Taking

by The Great Weiss Shark

Ruby and Weiss weathered through the worst life could toss at them and found love along the way. But the road to their happily ever after isn't all sunshine and rainbows. It's more like a poorly paved road on a steep incline bogged down by heavy rain and goofball-sized hail. Luckily, they're both prepared because what else could possibly go wrong?

4. I'm Up to My Neck in the Noises

Chapter Four: I'm Up to My Neck in the Noises

---

Classical music played softly in the background, but all Chrys could hear as the chaos brewed around her was the chorus of a popular A-pop song.

Just one day, Chrys thought as she pictured a strong breeze that dramatically blew through everyone's hair. I just want one day where Mama isn't the main character.

The weekend getaway to Forever Fall Resort was everything Chrys had dreamed it would be… for about five minutes.

Right off the bat, Weiss had made it clear that she was not in a good mood. She was cordial but irritable. Every other word Chrys said set her off and it only got worse as the days progressed culminating into something Chrys could only call life imitating art.

On the first night, an old man tried his luck and made Weiss puke from the stress. Then she puked again because she ate too much. Chrys felt a little guilty. She knew her mother only pushed her limits because she didn't want Chrys to feel bad for eating. The conversation that followed was awkward as hell… but a good one.

Chrys never thought much about how she looked until she entered junior high. It was like a whole new world opened up. Everyone acted like they were above the sixth-grade peons even though all that separated them was a year and a few months. One girl in Chrys' gym class was even boasting about how much sex she'd been having with her boyfriend—she was thirteen! Chrys didn't want to hear these things. All she wanted to do was run as fast as she could, for as long as she could, in a neat little oval then get all the praise. She didn't want to know what this girl's favourite position was.

The disparity between the "popular" kids and the lame "losers" was even clearer. The two groups tolerated each other in elementary, but in junior high, they might as well be two completely different species. Chrys didn't know where she fit. She never really knew how to fit in and that rift was only growing wider by the day. There was no one she could call a true friend aside from her core three, but even they were beginning to change. Chrys was falling behind, and without them, all she saw were the same jealous faces she left back in Atlas.

Everyone wanted something from someone. Chrys kept a fairly low profile so no one knew how wealthy she was, but there were times she'd slip and suddenly people who wouldn't look twice at her were her best friends. It was hard to tell who was genuine and who just wanted a taste of the limelight.

Then there was all the weight stuff. Oh boy, that one was a kick to the cooch.

Talking about it felt like they were pulling their teeth out. Chrys was a little hurt Ruby had narced to the big boss, but she understood that this was something they couldn't keep secret forever.

Ruby wasn't like Heizell's step-monster. She loved Chrys and it showed. She could have kept quiet and pretended like everything was fine, but she chose to risk all the trust she'd gained to try and help. And it was worth it. Ruby was right. Chrys could see how hard her mother was trying to connect with her and it felt damn good to see her so angry for her sake. Weiss was never the parent Chrys went to for these talks, but maybe that could change.

After their talk, they turned in for the night feeling a little lighter. Weiss ended up sleeping through the morning and well into the afternoon leaving Chrys to her machinations for most of the day. A terrible, terrible decision when you have a ten-year-old with ADHD and access to your credit card information.

First, Chrys explored their cabin and enjoyed the private pool, swimming laps until she could barely feel her arms and legs. Then she snuck into the dining hall for breakfast and came back with a legendary feast for Weiss. It was just two plain bagels and a single packet of salted butter, but Chrys doubted her mother could even get through half of one.

When Weiss finally returned to the land of the living, she found Chrys in the living room watching TV upside-down and texting her friends, surrounded by the decimated remains of the meals she'd ordered through room service.

At a glance, Weiss could see a half-eaten chocolate cake, a plate of what was probably once spaghetti, a T-bone steak without the steak, some oysterless oysters in a half shell, and a steaming bowl of untouched mussels.

It was a lot to take in first thing in the afternoon. Chrys could see Weiss valiantly holding back whatever it was she wanted to say to avoid a repeat of yesterday's shouting match. But to Chrys' surprise, instead of the verbal beatdown she was famous for, Weiss cracked the lamest mom joke ever before joining Chrys on the couch to confirm their itinerary. Vacation Weiss was awesome Weiss.

And Chrys was wrong, Weiss did manage to eat both the bagels and the mussels. Who knew she had it in her? Ruby would be proud.

The rest of their Saturday was spent enjoying a few spa treatments together. The mani-pedi and facials were fun. It had been a while since they'd last gotten one together, so it was nice to unwind with some cucumbers on their eyes. The massage that followed after was weird though. It was the first time Chrys had gotten one so she didn't know what to expect. Thankfully, Weiss was there to keep her mind occupied with the latest spicy office gossip.

The next thing on their itinerary was a mud bath. This was the thing Chrys looked forward to the most. She had always enjoyed them, but she was always too hyper to sit still and just… soak. She had to play with the mud and slap it around. She was a kid. She had to move. But following an hour-long massage, a mud bath really did feel like magic. Shame it only lasted for fifteen minutes.

Dinner, in a word, was a disaster.

The day had been going great and Weiss was in a fantastic mood. She was smiling and laughing like she'd left all her problems at the door. Then the same old man from last night interrupted their meal. He moved in close and reintroduced himself like he was someone worth remembering. Weiss was polite but curt when she asked him to leave. And when he didn't budge, Chrys did what any ten-year-old with poor impulse control would do: she kicked him in the shin and told him to take a hike. That got him to go, but it also put an end to their pleasant evening and sent Weiss running to the nearest bathroom… which led them to today.

Weiss came out of her bedroom looking like she'd been through hell and back. She tried to act like everything was fine, but she had spent all night getting to know their toilet. Chrys didn't want to say it in case it tipped Weiss over the edge, but her beautiful mama did not look like herself. She looked like death had risen from the depths with her sallow cheeks and ghoulish pallor. She was also shaking like a leaf, her legs barely able to keep her standing. It was so bad a stiff breeze nearly knocked her over. Chrys tried dragging Weiss back to bed—practically begged her to—but she dug her heels in and insisted they enjoy the last of their vacation to its fullest.

And they did enjoy it.

After a light brunch, they toured the resort and spent some time in the games room. It was a little barebones compared to the gym and other activities, but you didn't go to a spa to play table hockey… which is exactly what they did.

Weiss' competitive nature had reared its ugly head and the fun match turned into one of life and death. And as the old anecdotes go: like mother, like daughter. Chrys fearlessly met her mother head-on, her desire to win just as great as Weiss' desire to reign supreme. The battle raged until they were both sweaty and heaving with exertion, but Weiss ultimately fired the deciding shot that ended their game.

The next stage for their little competition was the pool. Chrys had challenged her mother to a race believing the couple of inches she had on her would secure her victory… oh how foolish she was. Weiss cut through the water like a fish, leaving Chrys in her wake. By the time Chrys got halfway through her lane, Weiss was casually doubling back with a smug grin. Then she did the unthinkable.

If Weiss was a knife, then Chrys was a rock. The splash that hit Chrys in the face was nothing compared to the tidal wave she sent hurdling towards her tiny four-foot-nine mother. The battle ended and Chrys was crowned the victor after a long fit of giggles.

That was the titillating conclusion to the latest entry in the ongoing Adel family civil war. It was a bloody battle and many lives were lost, but both nations had agreed to a cease-fire. They were both exhausted with their resources wearing thin, so they signed a peace treaty and sealed it with the promise of burgers and ice cream with their captive satellite colony Ruby Rose on Monday. Peace had returned to the realm… at least for now.

Rachel was working the front desk today. When Weiss walked up to check out, Rachel's face lit up as she excitedly brandished four new pens with fun, funky colours… and with the resort's name spelt wrong! Chrys snatched them up and stared at their grandeur, grinning from ear to ear. Forget the awesome outdoor pool, cozy cabin, and the kind of bland buffet. This was the best thing the hotel had to offer and the perfect way to end the hotel filler arc of My Life as a Pre-Teen Socialite.

But Chrys wasn't the main character. She never was. She was the supporting female lead to the true main character: Weiss Adel.

"You bitch!"

Heads whipped around to find the source of the vile shriek that ripped through the tranquil lobby.

Weiss' grip on her handbag tightened as she hastily finished checking out of the hotel. Rachel looked just as frazzled.

"Give me the pens, Chrys," Weiss sharply instructed.

Not wanting to argue, Chrys handed them over. Her Chryssie senses tingled. Drama was approaching at terminal velocity. Shit was going down—batten down the hatches! Secure the booty! Oh hey, they have business cards. Chrys snagged a couple and stuffed them into Weiss' handbag when she wasn't looking.

"You nasty little whore!"

Ah, there it was. The trumpet heralding the cataclysm.

"Darling, wait!" It was the gross old man and he looked like he'd been through the ringer. "Don't do this, please!"

Up on the second-floor lobby, a heavyset woman in her mid-fifties leaned over the bannister with a finger pointed accusingly at Weiss. When Weiss looked up at her, the soft music playing in the background hit its crescendo and Chrys swore she heard A-pop music.

You are my everything…

Time slowed to a crawl as the woman rushed down the steps, her shiny pearl necklace bouncing on her ample bosom like beats to a drum; it was hypnotic. Boom, boom, boom! The woman screeched again, hurling baseless insults like a war cry.

Mama can stop this, Chrys smugly thought. She's fast and kind of pointy. Just a quick jab to the nose'll do.

But Weiss was frozen in place like a pretty marble statue. Oh, she has eyebrows today. Right, right, she put on makeup to impress Ruby. Gross.

"Darling, don't do this!" the old man desperately repeated.

My destiny comes like shooting stars…

He locked eyes with Weiss, his jaw growing slack—wait, was that a blush? He looked away and ran a hand through his hair like a bashful teenage boy in love. Weiss looked at him with disgust. And not the kind of disgust where she still thought you were cute like when Ruby ate like a piggy. It was the kind of disgust you showed someone you caught picking their nose… and eating it.

"How dare you look at my husband!"

"Darling, ple—"

The woman whipped around and slapped her philandering husband's cheek so hard it sent him to the ground.

Three…

Two…

On—aw, he got up.

The man scrambled to his feet and clung to his wife's leg, begging for her to stop and calm down. She tried to shake him off, but he just clung harder.

This was life imitating art. All it needed now was a Sooabway in the background. There had to at least be someone eating a sandwich somewhere in the resort. A splash of neon green and yellow would do too.

"I love you, sugar plum, please believe me," he pleaded. "She was the one who approached me, I swear it!"

"Excuse me, what?" Weiss looked done with their shit. Chrys had only seen this face a few times and the most memorable incident was years ago when Coco brought Ily home from the shelter.

The woman caught her husband still staring at Weiss like she'd stolen his heart—and probably his wallet too. This reignited her fury making it burn even brighter. She yelled at her husband again and kicked him off, shedding him like a weight that suppressed her power.

"Stay away from my husband!" the woman shrieked, her jowls shaking furiously as she entered phase two of her boss fight. "It's desperate whores like you that ruin marriages!" The woman raised her palm high and brought it crashing down towards Weiss' face.

Weiss shut her eyes and shrunk back, bracing for impact.

Just one day, Chrys thought as she pictured a strong breeze that dramatically blew through everyone's hair. I just want one day where Mama isn't the main character.

Chrys caught the woman's wrist and stepped into her space, glaring. She tightened her grip and smirked when the woman couldn't free herself. And now that Chrys could see her up close, the woman was a whole head taller than her meaning she absolutely dwarfed Weiss without her murder heels on. Weiss was strong, but this lady could probably body her without any effort… meaning Chrys was a hero!

"Hey! Don't touch my mama!" Chrys shouted before shooting Weiss a big grin. "Mama, did you see that? I protected you." But Weiss didn't react. "Mama?" Chrys called again. "Mama! Did you see that? Hey, Mama? Mama, can we go to Big Mack's?"

The joke snapped Weiss out of her stupor. "Chryssie!"

"Let go of me! Let go of me this instant!" the woman screamed as she tried to pull Chrys' fingers off of her. Even with both hands tugging, Chrys didn't budge. It was kind of funny actually. But then she started howling again. "SECURITY! SECURITY HELP! I'm being assaulted!"

This woman had a serious set of pipes! She could probably give Weiss a run for her money if she could hit a higher note.

"Security!" The woman redoubled her efforts to escape and put her weight into it. The first hit she landed against Chrys' shoulder bounced off like it was nothing. But the second claw-like jab soared past Chrys' head and flew straight towards Weiss.

Thinking fast, Chrys pushed the woman back—no one touched her mama!

"You little… braaaaaaaaaaaaat!"

Time slowed again and Chrys watched in stunned silence as the consequence of her actions bore fruit. Her "little" shove sent the robust woman tumbling back. And since Chrys was still holding on to her, she was tugged along.

Ah, there it was again. The A-pop song.

Letting me meet someone like you…

The woman turned to catch herself, twirling like a ballerina (what a graceful pirouette), though her arms flailed like one of those funny inflatable tube guys in front of car dealerships. She hit a higher note just before impact—piercing, like a siren (or a fog horn)—but it still wasn't anywhere near the impressive whistle notes Weiss could effortlessly hit. Man, why was her mama so cool?

Snap.

Chrys blinked. When did she hit the ground? She blinked again and the fat lady was groaning in pain as she struggled to get on all fours. Her husband came rushing to her aid but Weiss beat him to the punch. She dropped to her knees and shoved the woman off of Chrys, giving her a good pointy elbow to the ribs when she tried to retaliate.

"Chryssie!" Weiss shouted as she helped Chrys up. She frantically ran her hands over Chrys' face to feel for any bumps or scrapes and breathed a sigh of relief when she found nothing. "Thank god you're okay," she said just before she ruthlessly tore into her. "Chrys D'Artagnan Adel, what were you thinking?! You could have gotten hurt!"

"I protected you!" Chrys exclaimed proudly, moving to hold her frantic mother's hand, but something felt odd. Kind of floppy, but stiff. And hot. Really, really hot. Touching a stove after boiling water hot.

"C-Chrys…" Weiss looked green. That was never a good sign. "Y-Your arm, mon coeur… um…."

"Security! Where is the security?! I've been assaulted!" the banshee wailed as she clutched her ribs in pain. "My blood pressure! My blood pressure! You better have a damn good attorney, you ugly whore, because I am going to sue you into the ground! I'm going to sue you! I'm going to sue that little criminal! And I'm going to sue this ridiculous hotel! Where is security?!"

Chrys blinked again and looked at her sagging left arm. All the noise disappeared like it was sucked up by a vacuum. Her arm was hot. Red hot. No, like, literally red. Why was it so red? Weiss was saying something, but Chrys couldn't hear it.

Two large men dressed in black from head to toe ran into the lobby with a manager hot on their heels. The old man ran up to one and pointed at Chrys, his face red with rage and the bitch slap he received from his wife. The security guard looked between them. Chrys went to wave and—crack.

Oh. Oh no.

A few years ago, when Chrys was around four or five, Weiss went through an opera phase. Coco had taken her to a show for date night and it sparked something in Weiss. The "too much gene" activated, and for a solid year, Weiss proved why she never would have lasted as an A-pop idol. She got good. Really good. And Chrys might be the only kid in the world who could say she'd been sent to her room to the tune of the Queen of the Night Aria by an amateur opera singer.

That being said, Chrys had inherited the gene from Weiss and strived to get just as good just to be equally annoying. If Weiss could do it, then why couldn't she? Weiss had taught her to the best of her abilities, but ADHD and a new video game halted Chrys' progress prematurely. At least she could hold a note almost as long as Weiss could. She couldn't get as high, but she could still make some cats and dogs turn their heads.

Chrys' bottom lip trembled as the first tear rolled down her cheek. If the fat lady could sing, then Chrys was going to bring the house down. Don't fuck with an opera singer's daughter.

"My aaaaarrrmmmm!" Chrys wailed. She tried to hold her arm, but the pain had finally sunk in and now it was all she could think of.

If stubbed pinky toes and ripped hangnails had a baby it still couldn't compare to the abomination gestating in Chrys' mutilated forearm. It was like lava took residence under her skin. It radiated heat and glowed just as bright. Her skin had no right being this red and—oh god, it was getting darker. IT WAS GETTING DARKER! Why was it getting darker?!

"Oh wow," Weiss murmured, so amazed by Chrys' powerful voice that she momentarily forgot to be worried. "That's impressive."

The fat lady scoffed in annoyance and glared at Weiss. "Shut her up this instant! There's nothing wrong with her, she's clearly faking it to get out of trouble."

"Look a-at what you diiiiid!" Chrys managed to scream between jerky breaths. She lifted her arm as high as she could and felt it sag and crunch. Oh god, she was going to be sick. This was wrong on so many levels. "Mama!" she gagged, bile threatening to rise in mutiny. "Mamaaaaaaaa, my aaarrrrmm!"

"Stop crying, you aren't a baby!" the old man shouted, trying to get a word in.

"I am a baby, you boomer!"

"Shut up! Shut up already!" the man continued to shout. "What is wrong with this generation?! Your parents should be ashamed of you."

Something snapped in Weiss. All expression disappeared from her face without a trace and all that was left was an eerie calmness. Chrys knew that look and it usually involved lawyers. Kevin, specifically. He was the meanest, most bloodthirsty asshole of the bunch Weiss kept on retainer so he was her favourite. He was also Chrys' favourite because each time he showed up, he came with a big smile and a bunch of presents. Last time, it was a really squishy puppy plush and some fancy chocolate from Belgim.

"What is going on here?!" the manager demanded. The innocent bystanders in the lobby looked at each other, unsure of what to say. "Someone tell me what's going on right now!"

"Do you have an onsite doctor?" Weiss asked as she wiped away the tears spilling freely from Chrys' eyes.

"A d-doctor—of course! Rachel, get Zhang on the line right now." The manager snapped his fingers at another employee and demanded they bring the wheelchair down.

"Good, yes, I need a doctor!" the woman said, leaning against a pillar. She was fanning herself and breathing like she'd run a marathon, but all she did was stand up. "One of you needs to detain that delinquent over there! She assaulted me out of nowhere—I have a heart condition! What if I had a heart attack? Who'd be liable then?!"

One of the security guards knelt next to Weiss and Chrys, his brown eyes warm and sympathetic.

"Hey there, kid, can I ask what happened?" The name on his vest said Vasquez.

"Breathe, Chryssie," Weiss cooed, placing a kiss on her temple.

"Sh-She… was yelling at my mama," Chrys said with a sniffle, her eyes darting to glare at the lady who crushed her.

Confused, Vasquez pointed to Weiss, no doubt trying to do the math in his head.

"The old man's been chasing her around all weekend," Chrys continued, her tongue feeling odd and puffy in her mouth. "W-We were about to leave when that lady started screaming. A-And then she tried to hit my mama…"

"Um"—Vasquez scratched his cheek—"is she really your daughter?"

"Seriously? That's what you're most concerned about right now?" Weiss glowered at him before rolling her eyes. "Yes," she practically spat, "she is my daughter. And no, she's not adopted, kidnapped, fostered, or even my stepchild—this is getting absurd; she has my eyes!"

"Yeeehhh, she's also got the stretch marks to prove it," Chrys giggled, enjoying the brief distraction.

"Oh! Look at you, cracking jokes at my expense," Weiss grinned, shifting her attention back to Chrys. "Maybe you are faking it—let me poke your arm and check. Sit still."

"No, Mama, it hurts!" Chrys yelped when a finger neared the ominous swell on her arm. Just thinking of it getting poked made the pain double.

"If you can joke, you must be fine, right?" Weiss teased, playfully pinching Chrys' cheek instead. "You're so squishy, I love it! How did I make something so squishy?"

"You feed me too much," Chrys pouted.

"I should feed you more."

The manager brought the wheelchair around but hesitated on who to give it to. The old man went to take it from him, but Vasquez motioned to bring it over to Chrys instead. Happy not to choose, the manager brought it over despite the lady's protests.

"Can you stand up?" Vasquez asked.

"I think I can… a little help, Mama?"

Weiss looped Chrys' good arm around her shoulders and helped her to her feet with Vasquez carefully stabilizing her broken arm. He led them to the chair and eased Chrys into it. He was a really big guy, but he was gentle. Smelled nice too.

"I got a daughter," he said to Weiss. "She turned twelve a couple of months ago. Man, when she broke her leg playing volleyball, I thought I was going to lose it. You're holding up pretty well."

"I'm not," Weiss answered with a smile. "I am… so fucking angry right now. That disgusting pig has been harassing me since the night we got here. And now his wife is making me regret not bringing my security detail."

"Yatsu would make her shit her pants," Chrys snickered. "Are you going to call Kevin?"

"Probably—and that's 1000 lien to the jar."

"Damn it—wait, no!" Chrys groaned, suddenly detesting the swear jar Ruby set up in their kitchen for fun.

"2000."

"Wha—no fair! That's barely a bad word, Mama!" Chrys pouted. "You said the F word!"

"I'm an adult."

"I'm an adult," Chrys sarcastically mimicked. "You still owe the swear jar."

"Fine."

"So, uh, how bad was the harassment?" Vasquez asked, suppressing a laugh.

"We only saw him at night, but he'd keep hitting on Mama," Chrys answered when she saw Weiss' jaw tense. "He's literally old enough to be her papa. That's kind of gross."

"And the woman he's with—his wife?" Vasquez looked over his shoulder and grimaced when he saw the lady pointing and shouting, demanding a wheelchair of her own. "What did she say when all this started?"

"She called Mama a bad word. I'd say it, but the stupid swear jar." Chrys bit back a groan and willed herself not to cry anymore, but a few stubborn tears still slipped through. "I didn't mean to hurt her. I just grabbed her arm before she could hurt Mama."

"So it was self-defence?"

Weiss nodded. "If Chryssie hadn't stepped in, I'd be the one in this wheelchair. I'm in five-inch heels, I'd be lucky if I walked away with just a bruise on my face."

"I protected you!" Chrys beamed.

"You did."

"Teenagers do come in handy after all," Vasquez chuckled. "Man, I can't wait for my kid to get older."

"Teenager?" Weiss snorted incredulously. "Chrys is ten. That cow crushed my baby!"

"T-Ten?!"

"I am baby… hehe, baboo. Yooo, Mama," Chrys slurred, her consciousness slipping into delirium. "Am I gunna get a cast?"

"Unfortunately."

"Donovaughn'll probably draw a dick on it… what a funny word. Dick. Diiiiick. Mama, why is Valese so weird?"

Weiss groaned out loud. "Please ignore her. She's delirious."

Vasquez promised to take them to the doctor after he had a word with his equally large and imposing partner. The poor guy looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here, so when Vasquez motioned for him, he happily left the harpy.

After a few words, both guards turned to the old man and his wife. Watching them be told they're being detained made everything so much better. Weiss' face still said she was getting her beloved bull shark involved. She probably should because if she didn't, Amélia would get involved… and that would probably be a much better show. Wait, Ruby didn't watch the latest episode of Gloouey without her, right? They hadn't talked since Friday morning. If Ruby watched without her, Chrys was going to blow her lid.

The other guard marched the couple away, shouting over the lady each time she tried to talk and demand things. Vasquez came back and patted Chrys' head, his goofy smile reminding her of Taiyang's.

"You're being really brave," he said as he took the wheelchair's handlebars from Weiss.

Leaving the lobby behind, Vasquez made small talk, something both Weiss and Chrys dreaded. Weiss was a little better at navigating the conversation, but Chrys completely tuned it out. Her mind had drifted to all the neat paintings lining the resort's walls. There were a couple that featured Atlas' impressive mountain range and a few that captured a picturesque scene straight from a romance novel. They looked a lot like the areas around Taiyang's house now that she thought about it. It'd be nice to go back again.

"And here we are," Vasquez said as he punched a button on the wall to activate the double doors leading to the medical room.

The lights inside were blinding, making both Weiss and Chrys grimace. They were going to get a headache after this. Well, at least they weren't blinking so it could always be worse.

A nurse walked up to them and took the handles from Vasquez. He quickly explained the situation and gestured for Weiss to follow him out.

"Chrys, I need to talk to him. Will you be alright on your own?" Weiss asked.

Chrys was hesitant to be alone, but the nurse promised she'd be in good hands and that they could turn on the TV.

"You got Gloouey?" Chrys asked.

"We do."

Weiss quirked an eyebrow and crossed her arms. She knew what was coming and Chrys fully intended to deliver.

"I bid thee a fond farewell, Mother dearest," Chrys said with faux sadness tainting her grief-stricken heart. "I shall miss you terribly."

"Yup, we need to get you acting classes," Weiss deadpanned.

After a quick kiss on the cheek, Weiss followed Vasquez into the hall leaving Chrys' fate to the pretty nurse lady who smelled like flowers.

"The doctor will be with you in a moment," she said as she wheeled Chrys closer to the TV in the waiting room. She put on Gloouey, but it was an older episode that didn't tickle Chrys' brain the way newer ones did.

Halfway through the second episode, the doctor came into the room with a friendly smile on his face and a green lollipop in his hand.

"Sorry for the wait. My name is Dr. Zhang," he said, offering the candy to Chrys. "Here's a treat for being so brave."

"Mister, I'm ten—"

"So you don't want the sucker?"

"No!" Chrys greedily grabbed the candy from his hand before he could put it away. "Merci, Dr. Zhang—wait, how do I open it?"

"Let me help," the nurse chimed in. She took the wrapper off and handed it back to Chrys. "You've been through a lot today, huh?"

"You don't know the half of it, lady!" Chrys huffed, doing her best impression of Winter after a bad day. She had to commit to the bit, so she said a few choice words in grumpy Western Atlesian that left the doctor and nurse speechless. Huh, maybe she did need those acting classes after all.

"Er, how about you tell me more inside?" the doctor said with an awkward laugh. "Wait, where's your guardian?"

"She's with Vasquez," the nurse said, pointing to the two silhouettes talking behind the opaque glass windows.

"Send her in when she's done."

Dr. Zhang took Chrys into a separate room that smelled a little too clean. Chrys was used to her mother's obsessive cleaning habits, but she at least used products that smelled nice. This place just smelled… unnatural.

And of course the lights were even brighter here.

Fantastic.

"Are you alright?" the doctor asked when he noticed Chrys squinting.

"It's bright."

"I'm sorry, I'll try to make this quick. Can you stand up?"

"I can." Chrys followed Dr. Zhang to a raised bed with paper on it. He pulled a chair out and told her to rest her arm on the bed. She did as instructed and immediately regretted it. "Ow…" she muttered under her breath, but she powered through and put her football-shaped forearm on the bed. "Fuuu…"

"Oh, careful there," he said, gently taking Chrys' hand to inspect her arm. "Hm, yep, that looks broken. How did you get this?"

"A fat lady fell on me," Chrys grumbled after sucking in a breath. Whatever she did just now made the pain so much worse. Where was Weiss when you needed her?

"A… A what?"

"I said a fat lady fell on me in the lobby." Chrys pulled the lollipop out of her mouth to talk a little clearer. "My mama is really pretty—like, really, really pretty," she explained, bouncing her foot anxiously.

Chrys couldn't feel her arm anymore. It was just a log that radiated pain and a hot tingling sensation. Dr. Zhang's prodding wasn't doing her any favours either. It made her want to throw up actually.

"You work at a fancy resort so you must've seen a celebrity at least once right?"

"I've seen a few over the years," Dr. Zhang bragged.

"Cool, cool, cool," Chrys nodded along, pretending like he said something impressive. "Well, Mama hasn't been in any movies, but she's super famous in Atlas. I'm used to people trying to get her attention, but this is the first time I've ever gotten caught up in it."

Dr. Zhang blinked. "You said you were ten, yes?"

"Yeah," Chrys said, popping the lollipop back into her mouth. "Everyone keeps thinking I'm older though because I'm taller than my mama—but that's without her murder heels on. I don't know how she walks in them… if she wants to be tall, she should just drink more milk."

"Hm…" Dr. Zhang gently checked the rest of Chrys' arm. It had almost doubled in size by now and it kind of looked like a potato was growing under her skin. "Yup, this is going to need more than just a splint."

"But am I gunna make it, doc?" Chrys joked when she noticed the crease between his brows deepen. "Will I ever dance again?"

"You'll be dazzling the stage in no time, my dear," Dr. Zhang chuckled, taking the joke in good stride. "I'd like to give you something for the pain, but I'll need to ask your mother if you're allergic to anything."

"Nothing I think," Chrys said. "Mama's pretty thorough when it comes to my health stuff. I'm microchipped, y'know? Like a puppy."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, so I don't get lost—wait, that might've been a joke." Chrys gnawed on her candy. "It's kind of hard to tell with Mama. Oh, hey! I think I hear her."

Dr. Zhang looked up and just like in the lobby—You are my everything…

Chrys squinted her eyes and sighed. Weiss walked into the room with the nurse leading the way. Time slowed down again as a mysterious breeze blew through her hair. No, wait, it was just the door whoosh. Man, it's still so weird to see her with short hair.

"Hi, Mama, did'ja say hi to Kevin for me?"

Weiss quirked an eyebrow, her eyes narrowed in annoyance. "He says hi."

"Poggers."

"No." Weiss shifted her attention to the doctor, her scowl depending. Dr. Zhang stiffened under her gaze. "Tell me straight, Doctor," she said in a dire tone making him yelp and jump in his seat, "will she ever dance again?"

"I already told that joke," Chrys snorted.

"God damn it, Chrys!" Weiss clicked her tongue. "I have been waiting years to make that joke—years!"

Dr. Zhang's stiff shoulders relaxed as he joined Chrys in her giggles. He introduced himself to Weiss with a smile, grateful he was dealing with a calm parent, and asked her a few standard questions. Chrys mostly tuned it out in favour of her lollipop and the gnarly red swell on her left arm. It still hurt a lot, but having Weiss beside her again made it a little easier to ignore. By the time she tuned back in, Weiss' easy smile had turned into a thin line.

"So there's nothing stronger you can give her?" she asked, looking at the pill bottle Dr. Zhang handed her.

Dr. Zhang shook his head. "Unfortunately, she's a little too young for me to prescribe something stronger, but an acetaminophen should still do the trick."

"How often can I give it to her?"

"Every four to six hours with some food," Dr. Zhang said. "We unfortunately don't have the equipment here, so I can't confirm how bad the fracture is."

"So what can you do for her right now?"

"I'm going to apply a splint, but you should get her checked at a hospital as soon as possible." Dr. Zhang pulled a wheelie tray he had prepared closer and began to work on Chrys' arm. "This might be a bit uncomfortable, but please try to bear with it; I'll work as fast as I can."

"I can take it, Doc," Chrys said.

True to his word, Dr. Zhang worked his magic and outfitted Chrys with a nifty split that held her arm high and still but comfortable.

"Can you feel this?" Dr. Zhang asked as he poked Chrys' fingers and tapped the top of her hand. She nodded. "Can you wiggle your fingers?"

"Yup!" Chrys wiggled her fingers in time with Dr. Zhang's and gave him a thumbs up. "It still hurts a lot, but I feel better."

"Alleviating the pressure does that," he chuckled. "Nothing feels uncomfortable, right?"

"Other than the strap around my neck, not really."

"Itchy?"

"A bit."

"You're gonna have to bear with it for a bit," Dr. Zhang said as he pulled his gloves off. He turned to Weiss and smiled. "I've done all I can here. Get her something light to eat so she can take that medicine."

"Can I get another lollipop?" Chrys asked, brandishing the moist paper stick like a bent sword.

"Of course, my dear!" Dr. Zhang pointed to a jar filled with different flavours and said, "You can pick a few out while I have a word with your mother."

"How many is a few?"

"Grab three and another for the road."

"Hell yeah!"

"Swear jar!" Weiss smirked.

"God damn it, Mama, this is extortion!" Chrys grumbled. "You're going to end up making me pay for Ruby's vet bills at this rate."

"Hey, you wanted to keep her, so you have to help pay for her."

"Yeah, yeah…"

While Chrys picked through the candy jar, Dr. Zhang spoke to Weiss in a quiet voice. Weiss did not look happy. Her arms were crossed and she was tapping her foot; never a good sign. Wait, what's that about Spectrum Bolt?

Chrys got four lollipops and not another more. She grabbed two purple lollipops for herself, a green one for Weiss, and an orange one for Ruby. Not bad for a souvenir.

"I'm done," Chrys announced as she made her way back to Weiss' side and into the wheelchair. There was no way in heck she'd miss the chance to go for a ride again. Plus, her legs felt kind of like jelly. "Thank you for the candy, Dr. Zhang."

"No problem at all my dear," Dr. Zhang smiled. "Let me see you off."

Vasquez was waiting outside, keeping the pretty nurse lady company. He waved and rose to his feet, cutting an impressive shadow across the floor. The dude was big. Chrys wanted to be that big. He probably drank a lot of milk and ate his veggies—even his carrots.

"Ey, nice split you got there, kiddo," Vasquez said.

"Thanks!"

"Ah, before I forget," he said, turning to Weiss, "the manager wants to have a word with you guys before you leave."

Weiss nodded, her smile turning into a grimace.

"Hey, Vasquez, for you!" Chrys said, offering him the second purple lollipop.

"Oh, wow!" Vasquez happily accepted the gift and ripped the wrapper off. "How'd you know grape was my favourite?"

"Because grape's are pretty poggin'."

"No. Bad," Weiss growled, flicking Chrys' temple. "Don't make me get the spray bottle out."

"Do that and I'll hiss."

"Bet."

After a quick round of chuckles and a final goodbye to Dr. Zhang and his nurse, Vasquez led Weiss and Chrys back to the lobby where the manager was nervously pacing back and forth. Rachel was trying to calm him down, but that only caused him to pace faster. And when he noticed Weiss approaching, his face lost all colour.

Looking over, Chrys couldn't help but snicker at the impressive death glare Weiss was sporting. Good thing she had eyebrows on today because this could've been really funny instead of scary.

"Mrs. Adel!" the manager yelped as he clasped his sweaty hands together to greet her. "How was everything with the doctor?"

"My daughter has a broken arm," Weiss said, crossing her arms. "I hope you know, I will be billing the resort for any medical expenses we incur."

"Of course, of course!" the manager forced out, the sweat on his brow doubling. "First of all, I'd like to extend to you and your daughter our sincerest apologies. This should never have happened. We go to great lengths to ensure our guests' safety, so we've permanently banned Mr. and Mrs. Keaston from ever entering the resort again. I also have their information ready for you."

Pleased, Weiss uncrossed her arms and allowed herself to breathe. "Thank you for taking such swift action, and I'm sorry for all the ruckus this has caused."

"No problem at all, I just wish we'd gotten here sooner."

"It was a pretty long run from the security room," Vasquez chuckled.

Nodding, the manager smiled and said, "I'd like to offer you an extra night at the resort, all expense-free."

"Thank you for the kind offer, but if it's alright with you, could we stop by the buffet instead?" Weiss asked. "My daughter needs to eat something before she can take her medicine."

"Of course!" the manager replied a little too eagerly. "Please, allow me to escort you there. Can I get you anything else?"

"This is good enough, thank you."

"Can we take a bit home?" Chrys asked. "I don't think I can eat much right now…"

"Of course, of course, my dear. Choose whatever you want, I'll make sure it's packed away for you."

The lunch buffet was a little less fancy than the dinner buffet, but it had a lot more food Chrys was interested in; still bland though. The manager stuck to his word and packed away whatever Chrys wanted to take home including a few complimentary sodas and breadsticks.

It was a pretty good ending to a fairly mediocre vacation. Weiss finally got to finish a meal without throwing up and Chrys got to take her painkillers. Then, after two long hours on the road, and another half hour in a hospital waiting room, Chrys got an x-ray that confirmed that she did in fact have a broken arm. Fan-flipping-tastic.

The x-ray showed two broken bones at a stomach-churning forty-five-degree angle. Dr. Bakshi said it was a radi-ulna-something-or-other shaft fracture. He asked how it happened and Chrys answered without missing a beat, cackling at the absurdity despite the throbbing pain. Who knew boobies could do so much damage? Doctor Bakshi found it hard to believe and he'd seen some messed up things—his words, not Chrys'.

But that only brought on the question of what exactly did he see?

Chrys' mind immediately went to the most outrageous idea: a light bulb up the ass. Why a lightbulb exactly, Chrys didn't know. But it was funny. But. Butt. Buttbulb. Ruby would find it funny.

Right. The doctor was talking and Weiss still looked like she was about to sue someone into oblivion. Poor Dr. Bakshi could hardly look her in the eye without stuttering. Man, oh, man, if looks could kill, then Dr. Bakshi would've been dead the moment he mentioned "realignment."

Wait… realignment? That was a big girl word, but Chrys knew what that meant. She wished she didn't know, but she did. Oh no.

Chrys looked down at her arm, her lip quivering as the truth of her situation dawned on her.

Weiss was green again. Dr. Bakshi looked uncomfortable. And Chrys wanted to cry. Kevin was probably living the best day of his life, cheering about his massive payday.

This was a terrible spinoff. Where was the showrunner? Chrys had some words she needed to say and they weren't swear jar safe.

"She thankfully won't need any surgery," Dr. Bakshi said in hopes it would quell Weiss' simmering anger.

"That," Weiss growled, pointing to the x-ray, "does not look like something you can just slap a bandage on and pray it heals."

"What about holy water?"

"Not now, Chrys," Weiss snapped.

"Sorry…" Chrys whimpered, shrinking back.

"With a fracture like this, it could honestly be much, much worse," Dr. Bakshi replied optimistically. "From what we can see here, it's a clean break. And with her young age, it should heal beautifully if treated properly."

"So do we just, y'know, pop it back in like Wego?" Chrys asked, still hurt that Weiss shut her down so swiftly.

Weiss sent her another disapproving look before sighing and shaking her head.

"It's something like that."

"Will it hurt?"

Dr. Bakshi offered Chrys a reassuring smile that made Weiss' face contort into an uncomfortable grimace.

"We'll be giving you something to make you sleepy so you won't feel a thing," he said. "It'll be scary for a little bit, but I promise you'll feel so much better afterwards."

"That"—Chrys gulped—"sounds like a needle's going to be involved."

"'fraid so, kiddo."

Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Chrys had a bad habit of being right. She got it from Weiss who was right all the time. Now she wished she was more like Coco and got things wrong more often.

"We can get started right away if you're ready."

"What if I'm not?" Chrys asked, her lip trembling. She'd been doing so well not to cry so far, but now it felt impossible not to.

"I can give you a moment to prepare, but the sooner we get this done, the sooner you'll feel better."

"Can I stay with her?" Weiss asked, her strong voice cracking under the pressure. "I promise I won't be a distraction."

"Of course! I know how scary this must be for the both of you," Dr. Bakshi said empathetically. "Now, do you need a moment?"

There were a few times in Chrys' short life when she wondered if her mother truly loved her and this was one of them. Weiss said she loved her all the time, but she was always a little distant compared to Coco. She didn't hug her as much or pet her the way Coco or Ruby did. She was just there, awkward and quiet like she didn't know what to do to get closer. Even now, as Dr. Bakshi explained what was going to happen, Weiss felt like she was miles away. Untouchable like a statue, and just as cold.

"Mama…" Chrys whimpered. She glanced down at Weiss' tightly clasped hands and silently wished she was holding her instead. Even if it was to dig her nails into Chrys' skin for all the poorly timed jokes, anything was better than this. "I-I'm scared."

"It's going to be okay, mon coeur," Weiss said, hesitantly.

She tried to sound convincing, but she was shaking as she went to brush the tears out of Chrys' eyes. It was only for a brief moment, but Weiss' hand was warm and soft, and so gentle it felt like a feather had touched Chrys' cheek.

"Dr. Bakshi is going to take care of you," she insisted.

"You promise you won't leave me?"

Weiss' smile faltered and Chrys could see her eyes mist over. She looked like she was about to cry. The smile snapped back into place and Weiss was back to normal.

"Of course," she said, brushing the hair out of Chrys' eyes. "I'll be right beside you the entire time."

After sealing the promise with a kiss on the forehead, Weiss agreed to everything Dr. Bakshi said and signed off on the procedure. Everything that happened after was a bit of a blur. Chrys was wheeled off into another room where three nurses were waiting. Dr. Bakshi came in wearing a funny paper gown not long after.

"Hanging in there, Chryssie?" Dr. Bakshi asked as a nurse stuck a tube that blew air under Chrys' nose.

"I'm scared," Chrys answered. She glanced around the room and found Weiss standing close by, her hand covering her mouth. Chrys wanted her closer, but the nurses were taking up all the space.

"You're being really brave right now," one of the nurses cooed as she rubbed a wet cotton ball in the crook of Chrys' elbow. "You're going to feel a slight pinch and a bit of pressure. Are you ready?"

Nodding, Chrys watched the large needle draw closer and slip under her skin. It hurt and Chrys didn't care if anyone made fun of her or told her to be a big girl and stay quiet. She cried and called for Weiss, but she just stood there watching. Then she looked away and shut her eyes.

"Mama? Mama, I'm scared…"

"I'm right here," Weiss said. "I'm as close as I can get, mon coeur."

"We're sorry, dear, I promise this'll be over soon," the nurse said.

Dr. Bakshi took her place and talked about the new puppy he had at home to help calm Chrys down. "You're going to get really sleepy soon," he said between anecdotes. "Mom's going be close by making sure you're safe and sound."

"It's not going to hurt right?" Chrys asked, her eyelids suddenly growing heavy.

"You—"

Chrys blinked and fought against whatever Dr. Bakshi had done. Weiss was beside her now, brushing her hair and humming Chrys' favourite My Little Budgie song. Her eyes were red and she sounded a little stuffy, but her mascara was still perfect. And her eyeliner—how did she get that whatchamacallit so symmet… symetr… straight-opposite?

"You were so brave, mon coeur," Weiss cooed, placing a couple of kisses on Chrys' forehead.

Chrys blinked, unsure of what she meant. Also, when did Weiss learn to teleport? She was across the room a moment ago.

"Whatever you want, I'll get it for you. Except for a new pony—you know what, no," Weiss said, shaking her head. "If you want another one, I'll get it for you. You wanted a black one, right? I'm sure there's a stable we can contact…"

"Wha… huh?" Chrys looked to her left and saw Dr. Bakshi wrapping her broken arm in some gauze while a nurse dangled it in the air with her fingers. She couldn't feel any of it. "What happened?"

"You're all done," Dr. Bakshi cheered. "Popped it back in like a Wego brick."

"Am I getting a cast?"

"Not yet, silly girl," Weiss chuckled in exasperation.

"You'll get your cast in a couple of weeks," Dr. Bakshi explained. "We need to wait for the swelling to go down first then you'll be back here for another x-ray."

Chrys nodded, unsure what to say next. A fresh wave of exhaustion had hit her so it was hard to focus on anything other than Weiss' warm hand and her rose-scented cologne. It made her miss Ruby a little. Chrys wished she was with them, but it was nice having Weiss all to herself.

"Make sure it doesn't get wet," Dr. Bakshi instructed Weiss as he put the finishing touches to the splint.

They spoke a bit longer and Chrys drifted off. When she woke up next, the sun was gone and they were in a Big Belly Burger parking lot.

"Mm… Mama?" Chrys called.

"Hey there, sleepy head," Weiss said with a smile as she leaned over to check on Chrys in the backseat. She had half a fry sticking out of her mouth that she quickly finished before speaking again. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore," Chrys muttered, wiping the sleep from her eyes. "Are we almost home?"

"We are, but I stopped to pick you up a snack." Weiss handed Chrys a paper bag and a couple of napkins. "Don't force yourself to eat if you can't, okay?"

"Thank you, Mama."

Chrys ate what she could, but she didn't have much of an appetite. Her body felt like it was encased in cement and it was hard to keep her eyes open.

"Let's get you home and into bed," Weiss said, starting the Beast's engine. It roared to life and started to purr as Weiss carefully guided it out of the parking lot and onto the road. "Ruby's waiting for us."

"I can't wait to tell her what happened."

"She's excited to see you again."

Ten minutes passed slowly and the blur of buildings became more familiar. They passed by Coco's newly opened restaurant, and from a glance alone, Chrys could see that it was busy. The soft opening had been extremely successful and two months later, that success didn't seem to be slowing down.

"We're almost home," Weiss said.

Chrys didn't answer.

The Beast rolled to a gentle stop and the sound of a door closing and another opening jolted Chrys awake. Weiss was out of view, but Ruby was there with her big goofy grin and a plaid blanket in hand.

"Sorry for waking you," she said, reaching over to brush the hair from Chrys' eyes. "Think you can walk or would you like me to carry you?"

"I can walk," Chrys answered with a yawn. She scooted out of the car and into the blanket Ruby held out for her. It was warm and smelled like it was fresh from the dryer. Chrys snuggled into it and leaned against Ruby. "You're the best"

"I try to be," Ruby beamed.

"Ruby, honey, can you help me?" Weiss called.

"You going to be okay on your own?" Ruby asked Chrys.

"Yeah, I'm… I'm just going to sit down for a sec…"

"Okay, hold still." Ruby quickly adjusted the blanket to sit more comfortably around Chrys' shoulders before running off to help Weiss. "Want me to grab yours or Chrys'?"

"Could you grab mine and the food?"

"Sure thing."

Chrys quickly got her bearings and walked over to her parents. She watched them curiously and noticed that Ruby was acting a little weird. Normally, she'd be bouncing around with her tail wagging when she was near Weiss, but right now she was calm and—Ruby leaned over and nuzzled her cheek against Weiss', earning her a quiet giggle and a kiss on the nose.

Never mind, things were normal.

Wait, food.

Chrys went back into the Beast and grabbed her Big Belly Burger bag; she was not about to get her food in the car privilege taken away. Again.

"You alright there, Chryssie?" Ruby asked.

"I'm fine, just grabbing my fries."

"Fries?" Ruby blinked before turning to glower at Weiss. "Where's mine?"

"I… got hungry on the drive back," Weiss blushed. "Sorry, I'll make it up to you."

"Can we go back to Giuseppe's?"

"Giuseppe's?" Chrys asked, wedging herself between Ruby and Weiss. She liked Ruby, but she still wanted to assert her position as Weiss' number one.

"Only the best pizza ever," Ruby grinned.

"When can we go?" Chrys asked Weiss. She was promised anything she wanted and pizza sounded like a good starting point.

"If you're feeling up for it, we can go right now," Weiss said like she'd read Chrys' mind.

Chrys looked down at her blankie-covered broken arm and wiggled her fingies. She still wasn't that hungry, but she could eat. And she really didn't want to waste one of Weiss' rare "spoil Chryssie" moods. Ruby looked like she wanted pizza too.

"Okay," Chrys said. "But can I take a quick nap before we go through? I'm… feeling a little woozy."

"It's open until midnight, so I think we have time. What do you think, Weiss?" Ruby asked. Weiss nodded, looking like she needed to lie down more than Chrys did. "Alright! Quick thirty-minute nap-nap then off to get pizza. Babe, you better prepare your wallet because I am crazy hungry. You had me running all over town today."

"Thanks for doing all that—wait, I might be out of my lactase tablets…"

A devilish smirk spread across Ruby's face as she set the food down and excitedly whipped out a pill bottle from her pocket.

"There is no escaping," she cackled, shaking the bottle in Weiss' face. "I grabbed a fresh bottle on the way home."

"You planned this," Weiss grumbled, her brows furrowed together.

"No escape!"

"Wow," Chrys said, impressed. She nudged Weiss' side and whispered, "Maman, usually forgets."

Weiss let out a sigh and a breathy chuckle. "Ruby's good like that."

Once they were back in their apartment, Chrys kicked off her shoes and made a beeline towards her room. Weiss tried chasing after her, but Chrys slammed the door behind her. She was still a little miffed Weiss didn't do more to comfort her during the whole ordeal. Was it really that hard to hold her hand or maybe hug her?

She didn't even cry, whispered an angry thought.

She looked scared though, said another, sympathetically.

If it was Ruby, the story would be different.

Chrys curled her lip and shook her head, she didn't want to hear any of this. She was angry. She was allowed to be. But her heart had a vastly different opinion.

Guilt settled in immediately after Chrys heard Weiss walk away. She contemplated on following after her, but the bed was calling and apologies could wait. Thirty minutes of alone time, that's all Chrys wanted. Weiss would understand… hopefully.

Chrys slipped under the covers and discovered they'd been through the dryer too. The bed was so warm and cozy, it felt like being swaddled in a cloud.

Sighing in content, Chrys settled in for her nap.

"Hey, Weiss, can we talk?" Ruby asked as she and Weiss made their way to their bedroom.

"Has anything changed between us?" Weiss asked in a clipped tone.

"Huh? Of course not… I just want to talk."

"Then… can we save it for later?"

Their voices drifted away and so did Chrys' consciousness—wait, her pens!

"Damn it."

Wait… where were the lollipops? Did she forget them at the resort? They weren't in any of her pockets and she knew she didn't eat them but forgot—or did she? She was pretty out of it the whole time they were at the hospital.

Oh, did Ruby feed Tuna Casserole when she got back? She said she was running around, maybe she forgot.

Chrys lay awake in bed, her eyes wide open. The voices in her head were loud and dominating, pushing every possible thought forward without pause.

Think that lady's boobs were fake? Imagine if she fell on Mama instead; they could've popped. Yooooo, what if they popped?

Would it be like popping a balloon?

Chipi chipi, chapa chapa—

"I hope the pizza's good," Chrys told herself as she pushed her head deeper into her pillow to drown out the noise, but that only made them louder.

Do you know what would be awesome?

"Speak, voice 626!"

Hear me out, imagine… a haunted pizzeria—

It's been done.

No, wait! Hear me out!

I motion we disregard 626's opinion, another voice chimed in.

The council agrees, echoed the choir.

"Motion passed—wait, what time is it?"

Chrys squinted at the clock on her wall, but it was too dark to see anything. She didn't know where her scroll was either. She did… pack it… right? It wasn't in her po—oh, she found the lollipops. They were in her pocket after all, but where was her scroll?

Damn it.

Giving up, Chrys stared at the ceiling and sighed. If it was gone, it was gone. She could buy a new one and maybe get one for Ruby too. The fossil in her pocket needed to get replaced anyway.

"This is going to be a looooonnnnggg thirty minutes," Chrys said to herself as she started popping her lips to pass the time.

Since we're getting pizza… what do olives taste like? Do we even like olives?

Dubi dubi, daba daba.

What about anchovies? Are those even an actual pizza topping?

Mágico mi dubi dubi bum, bum, bum.

A soft knock drew Chrys' frayed attention to the door. Ruby poked her head in and waved.

"Are we leaving now?" Chrys excitedly asked.

"Cool if I come in?"

"Yeah."

Ruby flicked the lights on and sat on the edge of Chrys' bed. She looked worried with her brows drawn together and the slightest of frowns on her face.

"How are you holding up, buddy?" she asked, checking Chrys' forehead for a fever.

Chrys wasn't feverish, but she did feel kind of hot and sweaty.

"Everything hurts," Chrys whimpered, moving the blanket down to show Ruby her sling. "It's heavy and itchy! I hate it, I want it off, but I can't."

"I'm sorry you're suffering through this." Ruby rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. "If I could take your pain, I would…"

Smiling at the sentiment, Chrys said, "Thanks, Ruby."

"I wish I was there with you… when your mom called and told me what happened, I was ready to drop everything and drive over," Ruby said. "But she told me to stay put and get things ready at home."

"Oh, that's why you weren't there."

"I was actually with your aunt and uncle for most of the day," Ruby said. "We went and bought all your favourite foods and snacks—"

"Chocolate?"

Ruby grinned. "Got you a whole box of 'em! Plus your favourite juice."

"Where is Mama anyway? I thought we were getting pizza?"

"She's out cold," Ruby chuckled. "We probably won't see her again until tomorrow. But she did give me instructions for your medicine and according to that you should be due for another dose soon."

Chrys scrunched her nose, disappointed that Weiss had fallen asleep. As great at the whole mom thing as Ruby was, Chrys wanted her actual mom beside her. If Coco was here, she'd be with Chrys all night making sure she was as comfortable as possible.

"It wouldn't be so bad if Maman was here instead,"whispered a dark, cynical voice in Chrys' ear. "She always took better care of you."

Chrys avoided Ruby's gaze. The voice was echoing her deepest darkest thoughts and it was scary.

"Mama probably hates you," another snickered. "You ruined her life."

"Hey, hey, hey, turn that frown upside-down!" Ruby said, poking the deep crease between Chrys' brows. "What kind of pizza do you want? Don't be shy, I've got your mom's credit card; we can paint the town red."

"From the new place?"

"Yup," Ruby said, giving Chrys a thumbs up. "It's got more than just pizza too! There's cheesy bread, pasta, salad, and dessert!"

"I'd like something with vegetables and a lot of cheese…" Chrys mumbled as she scratched the back of her neck. The sling was digging into her skin and her clothes felt tight and uncomfortable. "Pasta would be nice too."

Ruby didn't speak immediately. Instead, she sat and watched Chrys fidget a bit before asking, "Want some help changing into fresh clothes? I promise I won't look."

"No, I'm—" Chrys lifted her arm to wave Ruby off, but that small movement was enough to make her double over in pain.

"Chrys!" Ruby yelped as she jumped in to help brace Chrys' arm. "Careful, easy now; don't force yourself to move too much."

"I…" Chrys bit her lip. She hated this. She wanted Weiss. "I think I need help, Ruby…"

"I have you, don't worry."

Wordlessly, Ruby helped Chrys sit up and went to the closet where she already had some loose-fitting clothes set aside on a hanger. When Ruby said she was prepared, she really meant it. It was kind of impressive. Coco would've scrambled to find something, and Weiss—what would she do? Probably boss people around and stare at them menacingly with or without her eyebrows on.

Jerk. I hope you lose your eyebrow pen, Chrys huffed.

Their first hurdle was the sling. Ruby took it off after bracing Chrys' arm with a pillow and inspected the area around her neck. The strap had caused a bit of irritation, but like a magician, Ruby made a bottle of baby powder appear out of nowhere. Okay, it was on Chrys' desk next to Tuna, but her room was dark when she came in. How could she know it was there?

Ruby shut her eyes tight and helped Chrys with her shirt. Chrys did most of the work while Ruby kept her arm still. The new shirt was soft and breathable, and it was so large its sleeves went past Chrys' elbows. Ruby folded the sleeves into a more manageable length before she rubbed some baby powder around Chrys' neck. The dust made her cough, but it made a whole world of difference when the sling was strapped back on.

"No more itchy!" Chrys cheered.

"Awesome!" Ruby said. "Let me know if your arm gets itchy, okay? I picked up some anti-itch cream for ya too."

"Thanks for doing all this, Ruby," Chrys said as she rested her head on Ruby's shoulder. "I was… really scared today."

"I know, buddy," Ruby whispered. "I was scared too. I don't know what I would've done if I was there."

"You probably would've made it impossible for people to get close to Mama."

"I… don't think me being there would've changed a thing," Ruby awkwardly chuckled. "Your mom is dangerously pretty, ahaha. She's a hazard to my health, y'know?"

"A hazard to your health? What about me?!" Chrys growled, shooting Ruby a playful glare. "A fat lady fell on me!"

"Is that what happened?"

"Yeah, didn't Mama tell you?"

"No, she said… a bad word fell on you."

"Ah… can you say it? I'll spot you some swear jar money. I already owe it like a couple grand."

A second passed before they both broke down into uncontrollable giggles. Ruby wrapped her arms around Chrys and kissed her on the forehead. Why was everyone kissing her on the forehead lately? Was there a sign saying it was okay stapled onto her or something? It was nice though…

"You can handle the shorts on your own right?" she asked, handing Chrys a pair of loose shorts she'd never seen before.

"I think I can," Chrys said. "Where'd you get these anyway?"

"Oh, your mom had me run a bunch of errands while you guys were on your way to the hospital," Ruby explained. "Man, you are super lucky."

"What do you mean?"

"Weiss was on the ball today!" Ruby gushed. "She had a list of everything we needed to get you before I could even ask what happened."

"She did?" Chrys asked, glancing at the baby powder.

"Mhm," Ruby nodded. "She's also going to be working from home for next week or so to make sure you're okay."

"What?!"

"Yeah, no school for the rest of the week for you!" Ruby loudly cheered.

"But I like school!"

"Well, too bad, nerd! You're going to be stuck at home, resting and relaxing, until your mom says so."

"Ughh… she's just going to ignore me until you come ho—"

"No. Bad, Chryssie, bad," Ruby said, her jovial tone shifting to a serious one. "I'm not going to sit here and tolerate you talking badly about her, she doesn't deserve that."

That struck a nerve.

"Thanks for all you've done, Ruby, but you aren't my mama. You shouldn't be doing this," Chrys argued. "You shouldn't be doing any of this!"

"Where is all this coming from?" Ruby asked.

Chrys was surprised Ruby's tone sounded so sad, almost heartbroken. She should've been pretty angry considering Chrys had just insulted Weiss.

"I…" Chrys looked away, unable to meet the concern Ruby was showing her. "I was scared and Mama… you'd think she'd be more, I don't know, huggy? TV always has mamas crying and stuff when their kid hurts themselves."

"Oh… uh, Chrys, do I have to remind you about the fact that you hate hugs?" Ruby pointed out. "You hate people touching you in general. You just tolerate it most of the time."

"Huh?" Chrys blinked. "What do you mean?"

"You squirm when people touch you," Ruby said, wiggling her fingers.

"Isn't that normal?"

"No? Well, sort of? Weiss is the same," Ruby awkwardly chuckled. "She probably wanted to hug you a bunch, but she didn't want to make you more uncomfortable than you already were."

She's lying.

"Mama didn't even cry once!"

"Weiss doesn't… really cry though?" Ruby said. "I've only seen her cry a few times, otherwise it's more, uh—she vibrates. It's actually pretty cute."

"Still… it would've been nice to see her worried—I mean, I know she was worried, but…" Chrys sighed in frustration. "I wish she showed it more."

"I don't know if it'll make you feel better, but everything I'm doing is how your mom's showing how worried she is." Ruby rubbed Chrys' back, her hand firm and the motion slow and deep. "If she didn't have me here, she'd be doing this herself… but I won't lie to you, she needs to sleep. You managed to catch a couple hours in the car, but she's been on the go this whole time—and I don't think you understand how scary watching a doctor fix a broken arm is."

"Have you seen it?" Chrys asked.

"Yang broke her hand once and I got to watch the doctor pop it back in. It… it was gnarly," Ruby said with a grossed-out gag. "But that was a baby break compared to what you had to go through. It was bad enough that you needed to be sedated, Chrys. Any worse and you'd have to get surgery."

"Was it really that bad though?"

Ruby continued to pat Chrys' back, her lips drawn into a thin line as she thought of what to say next. "Uh, let's just say," she said hesitantly, "that I got to see what you guys had for lunch today."

"Oh, so… she was worried about me?" Chrys bit her bottom lip. "I can't stop thinking I was annoying her this whole time."

A few tears stung Chrys' eyes, but she was too tired and hurt to care. So much had been weighing on her might that if she didn't cry them out, they'd probably crystallize into resentment. She already had a few digging into her conscience that were probably never going away.

"Ah, okay. I think I know what's going on," Ruby said in an understanding tone as she rested her forehead against Chrys'.

"You do?" Chrys sniffled.

"Mhm," Ruby murmured patiently. "ADHD brain can say some pretty mean things… but I promise they aren't true. Your mom was really worried. And you should know this better than anyone, but she always focuses on what's important before working through what she's feeling."

Chrys pulled her lips to the side. "You… really do pay attention to her."

"That's how I show my love," Ruby said, leaning back to look at Chrys. "And I know I'm not your mom, but I love you just as much so I hope you'll let me help her help you. And if what I'm doing bothers you, I promise I'm just filling in for tonight. After this, I'll be completely hands-off."

"No, I don't want that," Chrys said, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, and you're right… how'd you know it was the stuff in my head making me say all that?"

"I got it too, remember?" Ruby grinned, tapping her temple. "And so did your maman. The three of us have got it pretty rough."

"How do you stop it?"

Ruby tried to give Chrys a hopeful look, but it deflated pretty quickly. "You don't," she said without any of her usual pep. "It sticks with you and all you can do is fight it by reminding yourself of the truth. And the truth is… I was hoping you were awake this whole time."

"What?" Chrys blinked.

"Yeah… after I put your mom to bed, I went to check on you. It hasn't been that long since you guys got back."

"But it feels like we've been home for hours!" Chrys shouted.

"I know—I'm sorry—but we've been sitting here talking for about thirty minutes and I am really, really hungry," Ruby said, patting her stomach. "So I'm going to go get our food because you need your medicine. And when I get back, I hope you'll tell me everything that happened plus whatever's going on in your noggin."

"You might get to meet Kevin!"

"Who's Kevin—no, this can wait. Food first." Ruby kissed Chrys' forehead and said, "You sit tight, I'll be right back."

After Ruby left, Chrys changed into her new shorts and carried the old clothes to the laundry hamper. She couldn't get the lid open so she put it on top and left it for future Chrys to deal with. She went to the bathroom next and that was going to take some getting used to. Washing her hands was also a new trial to overcome, but Chrys didn't have to tackle it alone because there was a printout taped to the mirror showing how.

Following the instructions down to the letter, Chrys walked out of the bathroom feeling refreshed and smelling like cucumbers and melons. She noticed the light in Weiss' room was on so she tiptoed in and knelt beside her, chin resting on the mattress. Weiss was curled on her side with the blankets pulled up to her chin, but she wasn't as sound asleep as Ruby made her seem.

"Did you check on Chrys?" Weiss asked, her words barely louder than a whisper. She pulled her hand out from under the covers and weakly stroked Chrys' head thinking she was Ruby.

Chrys sat still, quietly enjoying the attention. But it was a little weird getting scratched behind the ear. Maybe Chrys should have gotten Ruby a dog tag and collar instead of a video game for her birthday.

"Ruby?"

"Non, Mama, it's me," Chrys said, leaning deeper into Weiss' touch. "Ruby went out for a bit."

Weiss cracked a bleary eye open and stared at Chrys for a moment before giving her a small smile. The gentle touch changed to a firmer one that felt much, much better in comparison.

"Hello, mon coeur, how are you feeling?" she asked, her eyes growing misty. "Are you in any pain?"

"A little," Chrys answered, watching her mother's expression closely.

"Did Ruby give you your medicine yet?" she asked, accidentally slipping into Eastern Atlesian.

Chrys noticed the change and responded in turn. "She went to go get some food—"

"She really wanted that pizza… I'm sorry, my heart, let me heat something up for you."

Weiss sat up with great effort, her weary bones clinging desperately to the warmth of her sheets. She was also still in the clothes she wore this afternoon, but she at least washed off her makeup. Hehe, no eyebrows.

"There has to be something you can stomach in the leftovers we brought home, right? Would you like some chicken soup instead? Maybe some toast…"

Chrys sat up and gently pushed Weiss back into bed.

"My heart, what—"

"It's okay, Mama," Chrys said, pulling the covers back up to Weiss' chin, "Ruby will be back soon."

"But you're in pain."

"I'm okay, it's not that bad." That was a lie, but it beat making Weiss worry more. And now that Chrys could see her, she did appreciate the break Ruby had given Weiss. "I promise, Mama."

A thoughtful expression crossed Weiss' face before she scooted over and held the covers open for Chrys.

Chrys climbed in and wiggled around trying to find a comfortable spot, but the sling made it almost impossible. Noticing her dilemma, Weiss gently turned Chrys on her right side and tucked Ruby's pillow underneath her broken arm.

"How do you feel now?"

"Better," Chrys answered, wiggling her fingers. "Mama?"

"Yes, mon coeur?" Weiss hummed as she leaned against the headboard to cradle Chrys in her arms. She was back to speaking Valese. Bummer.

"Was it scary watching the doctor fix my arm?"

"It was," Weiss answered truthfully, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "It really, really was." Chrys heard the telltale signs of a sniffle and felt Weiss pat her eyes dry. "I-I don't ever want to see that again. I'm sorry this happened to you. This was all my fault…"

A tear hit Chrys' temple, startling her.

"I'm so sorry," Weiss murmured as she tried to contain her emotions. "I'm so, so sorry…"

"Mama?"

Weiss quietly sobbed into her hand and let out a shuddering breath that shook her whole body. "I-I never should have let it escalate like that."

"Mama, it wasn't your fault."

"It was though!" Weiss stubbornly argued. "I could have easily reported it to security that first night. And you never should have had to protect me… I am your mother, Chrys, it is my duty to protect you… a-and I failed that."

Weiss was crying even harder now and Chrys didn't know what to do. She felt paralyzed as the weight of Weiss' emotions fell on her, drop by drop, like a needle pricking her skin. Weiss had been bottling everything up and now that she was too tired to keep the cap on, it was all spilling out.

"Nicole would have never let you get hurt… I-I don't know why I froze like that." Weiss wrapped her arms around Chrys and peppered the top of her head with kisses. "Please, don't ever do anything like that again. I don't care if I get hurt just as long as you're okay… I-I don't know what I'd do if anything were to happen to you."

The guilt nagging at Chrys doubled making everything Ruby said hurt even more. This was the kind of person her mama was.

"If I could go back… I'd do it all over again," Chrys said, leaning back to look at Weiss. "Over and over again as long, as many as it takes, just as long as it means you're okay."

"Chrys…"

"I'd hug you back, but I'm kind of pinned down," Chrys giggled.

Shaking her head, Weiss tightened her hold and snuggled closer to Chrys. "Please," she prayed, "stop following in your maman's footsteps. I don't need another hero swooping in to save the day. I just want you to grow up happy and well-adjusted."

"Happy? I can do that, no problem," Chrys giggled. "But growing up well-adjusted? I think you gotta shelve that hope for your next kid."

"My next what?!"

"Me and Ily swore a pact to raise hell once I'm old enough to drink."

"God damn it, Chrys…"

"Get used to that phrase because you're going to be saying it a lot soon."

"Ugh… you really are her clone," Weiss muttered, her sorrow finally abating.

Chrys flashed her mom a cheeky grin to coax Weiss into continuing her disparaging thought. She was practically taunting her to do it.

"First, you look just like her," she said with a frown. "Then you talk like her… and now you went and broke the same arm the exact same way—"

"Did a fat lady fall on maman too?"

"No, but a fat man did," Weiss said with an amused smirk. "I swear, if you get some poor girl pregnant before you're out of my house, I will disown you."

"How?!" Chrys shrieked, more alarmed at the threat of disownment than a physical impossibility. Her trust fund! Her beautiful, beautiful trust fund! She had plans for all that money. Like buying a jet ski. She didn't know what it was, but she wanted one.

"I don't know, but you'll find a way somehow!" Weiss shouted back. "We still don't know how you happened."

Chrys had to give that one to Weiss. "I was a determined little sperm."

"I…" Weiss blinked, her mouth slightly agape. "I hate that you know what that is."

"I do too," Chrys said, in the same dead tone Weiss used. "And I blame you."

"Me?! What did I do wrong now?"

"You made me wonder where babies come from and I needed to know!"

Weiss' jaw dropped and for a moment it looked like she was about to take Chrys off of her insurance policy… whatever that meant. It sounded like a threat though, and threats were no bueno. That was when Chrys activated her trap and flashed the splint while hitting Weiss with the ol' sad puppy dog eyes. It was a one-two combo that secured the kill, bringing Chrys' KDA up to—Ruby really needed to hurry home. The pain was starting to do funny things to Chrys' brain.

"You know what, touché, mon coeur, touché," Weiss said, gracefully accepting the blame.

Some time passed and Chrys found herself in the depths of dreamland once more. The last thing she could recall was watching Gloouey on Weiss' scroll and snuggling up against her.

"She snoozin'?" Ruby whispered.

"Two episodes of Gloouey was all it took," Weiss whispered back. "What did you bring me?"

"I'm glad you asked, my princess!" Ruby plopped herself onto the floor and dug through a plastic bag. "For my beautiful lady who lacks toes, I got you a pasta pescatore!"

"Yahoo," Weiss chuckled, mimicking Ruby's terrible accent.

Ruby opened the container and held it up to Chrys' nose, waving it around as she dug through it with a fork.

"You are getting hungy, Chwyssie, so hungy," Ruby teased. "Open up for a choo-choo! Chuga, chuga, chuga, chuga, wooo-wooh!"

"What?" Chrys cracked open her eyes and came face to face with a fork full of pasta.

"One bite and I'll ask your dealer for more of the good shit—"

"Swear jar," Chrys said before chomping down on the fork.

"Wait," Ruby blinked. "I… I can't afford it! Please, Sir, I have a wife and child to feed! I swear I won't do it again!"

"Should've thought of that before you broke the law," Chrys said, leaving her mouth open for another bite. Ruby fed her another and added a mussel to the scoop. "Mm, this is really good, Mama."

"If you're well enough to eat, you can do it in the living room." Weiss carefully helped Chrys sit up and brushed her hair aside. "I don't want any pasta stains on my sheets. Ruby can't afford to replace these."

"R-Replace?" Ruby gulped. "Can't I-I just wash them?"

"But I'm a baby with a booboo," Chrys pouted.

While Weiss was distracted, Chrys pointed to the fat shrimp Ruby had been trying to hide underneath the spaghetti. Ruby was reluctant to give it, but the sling came in clutch yet again.

"Do we have anything to drink?" Chrys asked, her mouth full of perfectly cooked plump shrimp.

"I got you a fresh squeezed lemonade, mate," Ruby said, making a cup filled with ice and sliced lemons appear out of nowhere.

"You're a magician!" Chrys exclaimed, eagerly grabbing the juice.

"No, just good at following orders," Ruby said, shooting Weiss a wink. "C'mon, champ, let's ditch the old lady and dig into some pizza; I got your favourite with extra green capsicum and onions."

"Capsicum!" Chrys exclaimed, delighting in the Gloouey lingo.

"Excuse me?" Weiss grumbled.

"You are excused, mademoiselle," Ruby grinned. She quickly tidied up the takeaway and set Weiss' pasta down on her nightstand with some napkins and a water bottle. "She just needs one pill, right?"

"Yes, only one pill—and don't change the subject," Weiss barked. Ruby playfully ignored her as she helped Chrys to her feet then she leaned over and kissed Weiss' cheek. "Still angry at you."

"And you've been keeping a biiiig secret from me," Ruby said, matching Weiss' energy. They glared at each other for a moment before cracking some smiles. "Eat up and get some rest, baby. I'll make sure Chrys is fed and drugged up."

"Drugs?" Chrys said. "I like drugs."

"I…" Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're going to get CPS called on me eventually."

"Ahaha, alright, that's enough playing. Love you, Weiss." Ruby kissed Weiss' cheek one last time before ushering Chrys out the door and shutting off the lights.

"How am I supposed to eat with the lights off, Ruby?!"

"Figure it out!" Ruby shouted back.

At the dinner table, Ruby had three pizza boxes stacked up next to more take-out containers. Chrys poked through the boxes and found a box of fettuccine with her name on it.

"I got extra cheese on everything for you," Ruby said as she brought a plate over with a fork and knife. "You want your special pizza or would you like a slice of my pepperoni and mushroom?"

"What did you get for mama?" Chrys asked.

"Cheesesteak."

"No veggies on that one?"

"It has the same veggies as your deluxe, but no pepperoni."

"Deluxe please," Chrys said.

"One deluxe with extra onions and capsicum comin' right up!" Ruby prepared Chrys' slice with a little song and dance. She sprinkled some chilli flakes all over the slice and then started cutting it into smaller bite-sized squares. "One deluxe served Chryssie's way!" Ruby announced as she slid the plate over to Chrys. "Bone apple tea, your highness."

Chrys giggled at the lame joke and ate her pizza bites with a fork while Ruby turned her slices into a sandwich. She really was hungry because, by the time Chrys got through half of her one slice, Ruby was on her third and fourth. Chrys commented on it and Ruby said she didn't have time to eat at all today.

"Weiss had me, Neptune, and Ciel running all around town getting stuff ready for you," Ruby explained. "She wanted to make sure you were as comfortable as possible when you got back."

"My room smells really good too…" Chrys added.

"Oh, that was my own personal touch. Hope you don't mind," Ruby grinned. "I wanted you to sleep in a spotless room so I changed your bedsheets, fluffed your pillows, and doused 'em all in fabric freshener."

"Thank you, Ruby… you really went out of your way for me today."

"You're welcome, Chrys," Ruby said. "But don't forget all the effort your aunt and uncle put in too, okay? Ciel was a real taskmaster making sure we only got you the freshest foods and your favourite treats."

Chrys giggled at the thought of Ciel frantically listing all of Chrys' favourites while Ruby struggled to write it all down. Not that she needed to because Ruby knew them all by heart now.

"Check in Tuna's drawer when you get the chance. Ciel smuggled some contraband in for you," Ruby whispered with a wink. "Neptune chose all the clothes and blankets we got for you. He didn't trust me to get you the fabric you like… I, uh, hope Weiss doesn't look at her credit card anytime soon."

"Was it that expensive?"

Ruby nervously nodded. "We could've paid off this year's tuition with the amount we spent today."

"That bad?"

"For my heart, yes," Ruby chuckled. "I'm still getting used to your lifestyle…"

"It's going to be your lifestyle soon," Chrys pointed out. "When are you moving in?"

"Uh…"

"You and Mama have talked about it right?" Chrys took a sip of her lemonade and offered it to Ruby. "If you haven't, you should hurry up."

Ruby took a sippy break and set her pizza sandwich down. "You'll be okay if I move in?"

"You already practically live here," Chrys said. "It's weirder not having you around. Plus, I like seeing Mama smile. And you're fun to hang out with."

"Thanks, Chrys… I-I'll think about it."

"What's there to think about?"

"There's a lot to consider."

"Like?"

"Um, I don't know… but bringing it up now might not be the best thing."

"Why?" Chrys tilted her head in question.

"Just because?"

"But why?" Chrys persisted. "You own three outfits that Mama always steals, and there really isn't anything in your tiny apartment that isn't already here."

"G-Good point…"

"Also, why wouldn't you want to live here?" Chrys tapped her chin, trying to understand Ruby's reasoning. "We have video games here. Lots of food… plus everything is sup comfy. The other penthouse has all the fun stuff like the gym and a library… oh! The sauna—you love the sauna. Um, what else…"

Ruby staggered back and clutched her heart. "Stop, please," she begged. "You're calling me poor in two hundred different ways."

"I can do it in six other languages if you want—I'm trying to add a seventh, but Yatsu's too busy for me to learn."

"What the… how?" Ruby blinked.

"Private school education," Chrys said with a smug grin. "Plus, Mama and Maman had all her friends talk to me in their other languages growing up. She speaks way more though, you know?"

"I… I did not know that," Ruby said. She leaned against the table and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. "Could you tell me more? I know you're still kind of learning Valese, but what else have you got? Oh! I know you speak that language Neptune and Ciel speak… Tag… Tagalong—is that it?"

If Chrys didn't think Ruby was the best before, this certainly sealed the deal. People usually called her weird and teased her for learning so many languages, but Ruby didn't do any of that. She actively listened to Chrys' rambling without getting bored. It felt so good to just talk without interruption that Chrys forgot she needed medicine. The pain was still somewhere in the back of Chrys' mind, but that's where it stayed along with all the nasty voices that told her Ruby was just being nice to get to Weiss—Ruby did give Chrys her medicine before they got too distracted though.

They talked well into the night and a little past Chrys' bedtime where they talked until they both started to yawn. That was when Ruby decided it was time for bed. She carefully tucked Chrys in and made sure to put some pillows under her arm the same way Weiss did.

"Thanks for everything, Ruby."

"Any time, mate."

"Can you stay until I fall asleep?" Chrys asked.

"Of course." Ruby carefully pulled the covers over Chrys' shoulders and slowly patted her back, humming a quiet lullaby.

Chrys wiggled deeper into her pillow and took a deep breath, enjoying the feel of her new sheets and the gentle lilac fragrance that clung to them.

"I hope you feel better soon," Ruby whispered. "If you need anything just…"

Her voice trailed away.

And Chrys fell asleep.