Weiss sighed and turned another page, her eyes racing across the words and her mind only half-processing them. She had picked the book out of passing interest only to discover that she had zero interest in the events transpiring throughout the chapters. The author had tried their hardest to weave a compelling story, but some of the most important moments played out too easily - for the police, at least. Of course, to the victor went the spoils, and with the main character currently rotting in prison, the police had emerged victorious.
Another sigh slipped through her lips as another page joined the growing stack of finished words. The story lost her interest entirely when footsteps reached her ears, her finger lightly marking her place as she watched the doorway for their owner. She dropped her gaze to the book the instant her father appeared, and he almost strode past without a word. He spotted her at the last possible second, however, and stopped.
"What're you doing?"
He probably didn't intend to sound so condescending, but she sat up and showed him the book's cover. "Catching up on historical events," she explained as he walked over. After squinting at the title, he scoffed and straightened the sleeves of his crisply ironed jacket.
"He got careless. Arrogant. His schemes grew grander and grander until they were more than he could handle." He let Weiss ruminate over that for a moment before adding, "This is why you start small, like a papercut. Just enough to let the infection in. Let it spread on its own, with some gentle prodding, and it'll find its way into every nook and cranny. That's when you have control."
When Weiss nodded, brow furrowed as she imagined the scenario taking place in a battleground of platelets and cells, he set a heavy hand on her shoulder.
"Keep learning what you can," he told her, tapping the book in her hands, "And I'll show you how to succeed where they failed."
"When?" she couldn't help but ask, looking up at him as he stepped away.
"When you're ready."
He never gave specifics, not even when she asked. She had no age to look forward to with either excitement or apprehension. She had no metric to reach or miss. Not even a task that she could accomplish or fail.
"Think they'll write a book about you someday?" she asked instead.
"Of course. And then they'll write a book about you."
A shiver raced down her spine when he looked down at her with cold calculation in his eyes.
"And Winter and Whitley?" she added, but his mustache curled up.
"We'll see." Weiss frowned at the vote of non-confidence, but he squared his shoulders and added, "Have you gone out with Henry yet?"
"Not yet. I've been…busy."
"Remember -"
"I know, I know." She waved off another reminder about the family and smiled when a thought popped into her head. "Don't worry, Dad. Playing hard to get is how things go these days. Besides, he's a Marigold. He should have to work for it."
Her father's mustache twitched again, pleased by the thought of people working for him, and a small weight lifted from her shoulders.
"I trust you to do what's best." He left off 'for the family' this time, but the phrase still hung in the air like an ax ready to fall. "I'm heading out for the evening," he added. "Please check on your sister. I'm worried that the…content…of the Flint deal is causing her issues."
"I will."
Satisfied, he tilted his chin down and left her with a solemn, vaguely foreboding, "Have a good night." Silence returned to the library soon after, but her heart pounded in her chest as if she just sprinted several miles. Rather than dwell on the conversation, however, she set her book aside and went to do as instructed.
She passed several housekeepers on the way to Winter's study, which was still located in the 'good' part of the house, nestled between an unused family room and an office that Whitley used for studying. Weiss expected to find her sister hard at work at the mahogany desk styled after their father's. Instead, Winter was hurrying out of the room.
"You're leaving?" Weiss asked while Winter shrugged a jacket over her shoulders and dropped her keys into one of the pockets.
"I was supposed to meet Robyn an hour ago. Then I got stuck on the phone -" Winter motioned behind her and headed toward the front door, drawing Weiss with her. "I promised I wouldn't be late," she added before a disappointed sigh.
"I'm sure she'll understand." Weiss let several steps pass before adding, "Dad asked me to check on you. The Flint deal. He's…concerned." When Winter sighed again, this time a heavy, burdened sigh, Weiss turned her shoulders so that she could look at her sister and talk at the same time. "Just let me help you."
"Do you have any idea what this deal is about, Weiss?"
"Sure. We have weapons and the Flints want to buy them."
"Military-grade weapons," Winter corrected. "Which we're selling to a criminal organization with very little care for others."
"We're selling some fucking guns to some other fuckers." Weiss waved a hand when Winter rolled her eyes. "I couldn't care less, but it bothers you, so let me do it."
"It should bother you, Weiss." When Weiss frowned, Winter stopped in the entryway and glanced around the massive, empty space before lowering her voice. "Look, thank you for offering, but I have it under control. I'll see you later, ok?"
Winter waited for Weiss' halting nod before finally nodding herself. She then squeezed Weiss' shoulder before racing outside, leaving Weiss alone in the foyer with plenty of thoughts and too few answers.
"They're just guns," she said to no one before shaking her head and staring at the marble floor beneath her feet. If the Flints didn't buy them, someone else would, and that someone else would be just as bad or worse. So what did it really matter? It wasn't as if they had much choice. And, as much as her father made it sound like she would eventually be in charge, she didn't want to do everything alone. Winter needed to succeed so that their father didn't label her a lost cause.
"Hey, Weiss!"
Weiss looked up as Whitley jogged down the staircase, already sporting a big smile.
"Just who I was looking for," she said. "Want to go out to the range and practice?"
"Sorry, can't. I have class."
"I thought you graduated already," she teased while he grabbed a pair of lime-green sneakers from the hall closet and shoved his feet into them. "That reminds me…what do you want for your birthday?"
"Your car."
"Fuck you," she said, laughing at his gall. "What about another pair of those stupidly expensive sneakers?" She nodded to his feet, so he glanced down and grinned.
"They're coming out with limited editions soon - blue ones."
"Consider them yours."
"You're the best." He hugged her before leaving with a big grin and a wave. The door shut behind him with a heavy thud, but she smiled at his sweet, endless enthusiasm…for anything except 'the family.'
With Winter out with Robyn and Whitley heading to class, the gargantuan property felt that much emptier. Weiss wished that she still had school to break up the monotony of her day and give her an ironclad excuse to escape the house. She could always go back for an advanced degree, but then she would have to deal with moronic classmates and even more moronic professors. Plus, her father might not even agree with that decision. He seemed to want her close by, where he might or might not loop her into his plans.
"Ah, Weiss. There you are."
Weiss' mother swept down the staircase in a stunning silver gown and held up two pairs of diamond earrings. Weiss squinted at the options, which probably cost more than regular people made in multiple years, before pointing to the pair in her mom's left hand. "Those ones." Her mom gave them a glance before handing Weiss the unselected pair and fixing the dangling diamonds to her ears.
"I'm having dinner at Mayor Baldwin's," she explained, checking her reflection in the hall mirror. "I'm sure they're angling for another campaign donation already. Only god knows how they blow through it so fast - they certainly don't spend it on these dinners. Last time, they served shrimp cocktail. You know how I feel about shrimp appetizers."
"The poor man's tuna," Weiss quipped.
"Exactly." After checking her purse, she snapped it closed and smiled. "Don't worry. You won't have to deal with Mrs. Baldwin and her 'purebred' cats or outdated decor. Your father has bigger plans for you."
"Everyone keeps saying that…" Weiss grumbled. "But no one will say what those 'plans' are."
"You'll learn in time. He just wants you to make connections first. Gain experience."
"I doubt I'll gain much experience by fucking Henry Marigold. Unless Dad wants me to know what being unsatisfied feels like."
Weiss glowered at the thought, but her mom clicked her tongue.
"I understand your brother thinks it's funny, but must you be so vulgar?" When Weiss shrugged, her mother sighed and patted her hair. "I'll be home later. Be good."
She always said 'be good' as if she didn't know how effective her husband's means of persuasion were. Weiss and her siblings learned quickly, and early, that disobeying one of their father's orders would involve consequences, and those consequences would cause either extreme discomfort, shame, humiliation, or a combination of all three.
Weiss preferred to avoid those outcomes, so she was 'good' despite her mother's passing attempt at parenting. She even waited for the front door to close, and the sound of her mother's heels to fade away, before rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
Unfortunately, no one was around to witness the reaction. No one was around at all.
With the entire house to herself, she could do anything she wanted without interruption. She could go swimming. She could use the gym. She could watch a movie in the theater. She could swelter in the sauna. She could go for a walk along any of the lighted paths. She could even venture into the 'bad' wing and see what sort of 'trouble' she could find. She could go for a drive in the car that Whitley coveted so much. The only thing she couldn't do, apparently, was have someone to talk to. Unless…
As soon as the idea popped into her head, she pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed the three numbers everyone knew by heart.
"9-1-1, what's your emergency?"
"Hi. This is Weiss Schnee and, um,I think there's an intruder in my house."
Weiss rolled her eyes at the lame story, but the dispatcher quickly asked, "Are you in immediate danger?"
"I don't think so, but can you send an officer to make sure it's safe?"
"Of course, Miss Schnee -"
"And I want Officer Rose if she's on duty."
A brief silence followed the unorthodox request, but the dispatcher eventually said, "Of course, Miss Schnee. She'll be right there. Please stay somewhere safe until she arrives."
Before the dispatcher offered to remain on the phone, Weiss ended the call and hurried to her bedroom. Her outfit looked fine, but she didn't want to look 'fine' with Ruby on the way. She wanted to look jaw-dropping, drool-worthy fine. So she changed into the shortest white skirt she owned - it would show her panties if she bent over too far - and a skimpy blue top that clung to her chest. She finished the look with white stilettos and the diamond earrings that her mother had just handed her.
Satisfied with her updated look, she hurried back downstairs and out into the courtyard. The chilly evening air hardly bothered her as she made her way to the top of the drive, and she forgot about the weather entirely when she spotted a pair of headlights at the front gates.
Her night might have started slowly, but her anticipation grew as the headlights neared. Soon, she could make out the vehicle's black-and-white paint job, the sturdy metal grill, and the lights fixed to the roof. A smirk slipped onto her lips when the patrol car stopped in front of her, but her heart fluttered when Ruby hopped out and jogged over.
As much as Weiss had visually and mentally enjoyed Ruby's outfit at the restaurant, the police uniform suited her exceptionally well. Tightly fit, utilitarian, authoritative…
"I literally just passed a set of guards to get here," were the first words out of Ruby's mouth. "How can you possibly be in danger?"
"Well, hello to you too, Officer. Nice to see you again - at my home, of all places." Weiss flashed a winning smile, but Ruby sighed and set her hands on her hips.
"Where'd you see them?"
"Hm?" Weiss asked before remembering the flimsy excuse she made up to get Ruby here. "Oh. Inside. Follow me."
She motioned Ruby after her and headed back to the door, glancing to the side to watch Ruby's reaction to the impressive courtyard with its columns, arches, and supremely annoying fountain. Ruby's gaze snapped in every direction though, scanning for nonexistent threats and not at all enjoying the view.
When Weiss reached for the front door, Ruby's hand shot in front of hers. "Me first," Ruby ordered before stepping in front of Weiss. She set one hand on the handle, took a deep breath, then opened it and moved through in one fluid motion.
The action presented the perfect opportunity for Weiss to ogle Ruby's ass in those tight pants, which she took full advantage of, biting her bottom lip and following Ruby into the foyer. Ruby had paused on the other side of the door, looking around the massive room with wide eyes and a slightly dropped jaw.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Weiss asked, smirking as she rejoined Ruby.
"That's one way to put it."
"What's another way? Extraordinary? Awe-inspiring?"
"Gaudy."
Weiss mouthed the word to herself before exhaling.
"Fuck. You have to stop using words like that. You'll get me all worked up." Weiss ran her tongue across her lips but dropped the humor entirely when Ruby unclipped the strap on her holster. "Nuh uh," Weiss said, shaking her head. "You walk around here with a gun drawn and you'll get shot."
Ruby froze, one hand already on her weapon, and gave Weiss a pointed look.
"If someone's here who would shoot me, shouldn't I be prepared to shoot them first?"
"You would think." Ruby's brow furrowed, so Weiss waved both hands in front of her. "Just…keep it holstered, ok?" Ruby slowly lowered her hand, so Weiss nodded and said, "Good girl."
Ruby's brow rose at the term, which slipped out but Weiss didn't regret it in the slightest. Now that Ruby was here, the possible entertainment seemed never-ending. Of course, Weiss couldn't resist starting with the most provocative option.
"Follow me," she said, leading Ruby upstairs. A smile snuck onto her lips at the way Ruby jogged to catch up and position herself slightly in front. Even though Ruby had no idea where she was going, she obviously wanted to lead in some misguided attempt to keep Weiss safe. It was sweet, in a way, but Weiss had other plans.
After leading Ruby down the upstairs hallway, Weiss pointed at a set of ornate double doors.
"That's where I saw them," she lied. "And now you can draw your weapon."
Ruby's pistol practically flew into her hand as she held out her other arm for Weiss to stay put. Of course, Weiss didn't stay put - she suppressed a smile as she matched Ruby's cautious, measured pace to the door. She only stopped when Ruby gave her a pointed look convincing her to raise her hands and wait. She watched with avid interest as Ruby set a hand on the handle and took another deep breath. The next second, Ruby opened the door and flew through with her gun in front of her.
"Are you kidding me…" she muttered on the other side, her weapon already lowered by the time Weiss strolled into the room sporting a triumphant grin.
"Well, well, well. Fancy finding you in my bedroom, Officer."
Ruby's eyes swept from the well-appointed seating area to the dark mahogany dressing table to the luxurious four-poster bed before landing on Weiss.
"I'm going to ask once - did you call 9-1-1 and pretend you saw an intruder?"
"Of course not," Weiss replied, scoffing for good measure. "I thought I saw someone, but it must've been my imagination. My mom always said I had an overactive one."
Weiss smiled innocently, but Ruby holstered her weapon, put her head in her hands, and groaned. Then she ran her hands up through her hair, leaving several tufts sticking straight up in a way that shouldn't look as cute as it did.
"You realize that the police department isn't your personal security force?"
"But they're public servants. Am I not a member of the public?"
Weiss batted her eyes, but Ruby held back whatever she wanted to say. Her gaze flitted around the room again, and Weiss beamed.
"Don't tell me you're getting ideas, Officer," she teased, moving aside so that Ruby couldn't miss the bed with its plush mattress, high-quality linens, and decorative throw pillows.
"I'm on the clock," Ruby replied through gritted teeth.
"And whose clock is that? Can I buy it from them?"
Weiss smiled at the joke, but Ruby's silver eyes bored through her without an ounce of humor.
"What do you think I'm going to do…throw you on your bed and have my way with you?"
Weiss hadn't been thinking exactly that, but damn if the image didn't send a spike of heat straight between her legs. "I mean -" was all she got out before Ruby shook her head and stormed out of the room.
"Ruby, wait," she called out, hurrying after her.
Fortunately, Ruby stopped in the hall. Weiss wanted to press harder on the previous topic if only to see where Ruby's boundaries actually were, but she also worried that Ruby might leave. And Ruby just got there - she couldn't leave yet.
"Can I show you something?" Weiss asked instead. "I think you'll like it."
Ruby worked her jaw back and forth but eventually motioned, with no small amount of irritation, for Weiss to lead the way. Weiss tried not to smile as she headed back downstairs, her thoughts lingering in her bedroom on the hypothetical scenario that she hadn't realized she wanted quite so badly.
She already knew that she held a certain degree of power over Ruby, but now she wondered if it extended to things like that. She saw no reason why it wouldn't. She could convince Ruby to kiss her if she tried to. Should she try was the larger question.
Her gaze slipped to Ruby as they returned to the foyer. Ruby's uniform, laden as it was with so many items, added a ruckus to otherwise quiet halls. Ordinarily, the incessant jingles and jangles would annoy her to no end, but the sound was oddly comforting as Ruby blindly followed her to the back of the mansion.
They would have to go the long way to the range, but Weiss used the detour as a brief tour, of sorts. Based on the way Ruby's gaze swept from left to right and back again, Ruby capitalized on the opportunity. The family room, living rooms, studies, and closed doors leading to offices all earned her discerning gaze. Then they entered the kitchen, with its polished white marble gleaming under crystal chandeliers, and her eyes widened.
Weiss savored Ruby's stunned reaction to one of the most impressive rooms in the house. Even though the kitchen was well-used - everyone had to eat, after all - it sparkled as if just cleaned minutes ago. State-of-the-art appliances gleamed. At the far side, an ornate fireplace and elegant dining table waited for the next family gathering. A marble island large enough to seat ten served as the kitchen's focal point. It came complete with a second sink, its own chandelier, plush blue barstools, and an untouched silver tray overflowing with fresh baked goods.
"Wow," Ruby said so softly that Weiss almost didn't hear. Noticing Weiss' glance, however, Ruby cleared her throat and added, "This is impressive."
"We're finally seeing eye to eye," Weiss teased, catching Ruby's gaze slip to the tray of baked goods a second time. "Want something?" she asked, but Ruby shook her head and backed away.
"No, thanks."
"You should take something," Weiss pressed, inching closer to the island. "Only Whitley eats them, but even he can't eat all this."
"Then why are they here?"
"Beats me." Weiss shrugged and held back a smile when Ruby crept closer. "Someone brings them every morning."
"But…if you don't want them, why don't you figure out who's bringing them and tell them to stop?"
"Why would I do that?"
"Because then you won't waste them?" Ruby motioned with her hands as if trying to convey a complicated thought, but Weiss plucked a piece of lint from her shirt.
"I'm sure one of the housekeepers takes the leftovers. Besides, deciding what we eat isn't up to me." Ruby squinted at the remark, but Weiss grabbed the edge of the tray and pushed it toward her. "Come on, just take one. They aren't poisoned, promise."
Ruby glanced at the pile of cookies, muffins, and scones and nearly shook her head. But she stopped herself and, after so much hesitation that Weiss nearly said something, reached for the platter.
"Except that one," Weiss added when Ruby was just about to touch one, then laughed when Ruby jerked away. "I'm sorry, I'm kidding. Take it."
"You have the worst sense of humor…" Ruby grumbled while grabbing a chocolate chip cookie.
"I thought it was pretty funny."
"Of course you did." Ruby shook her head before taking a bite and, in a single moment that instantly burned itself into Weiss' memory, moaned. "God…" she added while Weiss' entire body suddenly felt covered in flames. "This is the best cookie I've ever had. It's like…a cake and brownie and cookie rolled into one." Ruby took another bite and hummed in delight. "I wish you knew where they came from."
Weiss wished that she knew a lot of things right now, like if that moan at all approximated the sound Ruby would make in bed, but she gently cleared her throat and said, "You'll just have to come back for more." When Ruby snorted and rolled her eyes, Weiss added, "But I'll try to find out for you."
Whether or not Ruby believed that, she still hummed and polished off the rest of the cookie in an impressive three bites, then brushed the crumbs off her hands. "'K," she said once done. "Was that what you wanted to show me?"
"Of course not," Weiss huffed. "You were just drooling over them like a hungry dog. Should've figured a cop would be distracted by a tray of sweets."
"You have such a bad view of the police, yet you call us out here to check on you."
"I called you here to check on me," Weiss corrected before stepping closer to Ruby. "So, how do I look?"
The fire renewed when Ruby's gaze slipped down Weiss' outfit, taking in her revealing top, skimpy skirt, and high heels before returning to her eyes.
"Unharmed."
Weiss blew a heavy breath through her lips before pouting. "You're no fun, you know that?"
"So I've been told. Only by you though."
"That must make me special," Weiss concluded before sending a pointed glance to the tray. "Want another one?"
Ruby considered it so seriously that Weiss nearly laughed. Clearly, Ruby wanted another one of the 'best' cookies she had ever had, and Weiss wanted to hear that moan again.
"Oh, just take one, will you." Tired of waiting, Weiss plucked another chocolate chip cookie from the tray and pressed it into Ruby's hand. Their fingers brushed in the process, soft skin on soft skin, before Weiss pulled away and smirked. "Now, come on. I'll show you what I actually wanted to show you."
Weiss flipped her hair over her shoulder and left the kitchen, though she glanced back and smiled when she discovered Ruby already eating the second cookie. A cop eating a cookie was somehow cuter than a cop eating a donut. Or maybe it was just cute that Ruby thought she could decline when they both knew she wanted it.
Either way, Weiss earned another measure of triumph when the second cookie disappeared before they even made it out of the house. That left Ruby's hands free to swing idly by her sides as they followed a lighted pathway away from the house. The night air nipped at Weiss' nose and plentiful exposed skin, but she ignored it while leading them to the spacious building ahead of them.
"Do you need a jacket or something?"
The question, or maybe the concern behind it, caught Weiss by surprise. She quickly shook her head and said, "I'm fine," though, and gestured to the nearby building.
She should have grabbed a jacket, but she was too excited about showing Ruby the shooting range. Taking Ruby to her bedroom had been great, but this was where she could prove that she wasn't just some prissy rich girl wearing expensive clothing. She had graduated at the top of her class - and her grades were real, not coerced. She could have gone on to do anything she wanted were it not for her father and the family. Just because she was trapped here like a pretty doll in a cage didn't mean she offered nothing. She excelled at anything she put her mind to, including things that people would never expect.
Ruby admitted to judging her, and Weiss wanted to prove that she was much more than met the eye or was discussed on TV. So she walked through the sliding glass doors and immediately turned around to see Ruby's reaction.
First, Ruby's brow rose. Then her silver eyes swept across the lanes and targets waiting at various distances before landing on the collection of guns locked up on the right side of the room.
"You have a shooting range," she stated before huffing. "Don't you see how excessive and suspicious that is?"
"My family likes guns," Weiss replied with a shrug. "Well, except my sister. And my mom doesn't care for much besides alcohol."
Ruby looked taken aback by the offhand remark, but Weiss took a short breath and smiled. "But it's interesting, right?" she pressed, leading Ruby over to the weapon rack. "We have basically every weapon you can get a permit for."
The expansive collection had been Weiss and Whitley's doing, but Ruby kept looking around the building rather than appreciating the arsenal on display.
"You just…leave the lights on all day?" she asked, so Weiss frowned and glanced around.
"I guess so."
"Seems pretty wasteful…"
"Or a great way to employ utility workers."
"Ah. You're a 'glass half when it benefits me' person."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Weiss asked, setting her hands on her hips, but Ruby shook her head.
"Nothing," Ruby said before motioning around. "Don't your neighbors complain?"
"One, the nearest neighbor is over a mile away and knows better than to complain. And two, the walls are soundproof - best that money can buy. You could stand outside and probably won't hear a thing."
"So…what? Your dad sends his henchmen here for target practice?"
"Alleged henchmen." Ruby rolled her eyes, so Weiss added, "And no. I come out here for target practice."
If Ruby's brow rose any higher, it would jump right off her head.
"You? As in - with those?"
Finally, Ruby pointed at the guns, so Weiss unlocked the cage and swung it open.
"Yes." Smirking, she picked up her favorite pistol and turned back to Ruby. "How do you feel about a little wager? I win and you take me on another date."
"'Another' date? I've never taken you on any date."
"We dressed up, went to a restaurant, got to know each other - you even drove me home," Weiss listed out. "You wimped out on the kiss, but I suppose not everyone kisses on the first date." Weiss waved her free hand nonchalantly but, when Ruby just stared, sighed. "Fine. If I win, you take me on a date. What do you say?"
Weiss motioned to the targets and put on her most inviting smile, but Ruby narrowed her eyes.
"Why do I feel like you're hustling me?" Weiss shrugged, but her smile widened so far that it almost hurt when Ruby sighed and said, "Sure. Fine. Ladies first."
Weiss never went first, but she was too excited to protest. After grabbing a box of ammunition, she led them over to her favorite lane and set everything up as quickly and perfectly as possible. Ruby watched every move, from Weiss setting the target at the proper distance, to loading the magazine, to putting on the appropriate safety gear, and finally squaring up for her shots.
After taking a deep breath, she squeezed the trigger. The first bullet left the chamber with enough force to kick the gun back in her hands, but she held steady and kept her eyes on the target. She emptied the magazine at a methodical pace, glancing to the side between each round to confirm it hit near the target's center. Once finished, she set the gun down, removed her safety glasses and ear protection, and confirmed that she just set a damn good score.
"Are you free tomorrow night?" she asked while Ruby studied the shot distribution on the screen.
"I'll be working," Ruby mused before turning back to Weiss. "The fact that you did that in heels is impressive."
Weiss absolutely preened at the genuine, no-nonsense praise. Ruby wasn't even seeking favors - the compliment came free of strings or expectations. Ruby didn't even wait for Weiss' reaction to it. She refilled the magazine, loaded it into the handgun, and looked over the weapon.
"We call these cop killers," she commented, denting Weiss' smile as they redonned their safety gear.
Ruby set her posture, lined up her shot, and emptied the magazine so fast that Weiss' gaze flew between Ruby and the red dots lighting up the screen. The entire round lasted mere seconds, and Weiss could hardly believe her eyes when she saw the results. The shots were grouped so close together that it looked like one big circle rather than a collection of separate bullets.
"You thought I was hustling you?" Weiss asked, but Ruby shrugged and set the weapon down.
"I'm training to become a marksman. Rifles, mostly, but any weapon really."
Ruby's response held no ego. Her lips didn't curl with a smirk. She wasn't even boasting, for crying out loud. Just subtle confidence, honesty, and vague amusement at Weiss' disbelief. It was so damn attractive that Weiss found herself scrambling for responses.
"Best of three?" she ventured, only for her heart to flutter when something magical happened: Ruby smiled.
Not a dismayed smile. Not an incredulous smile. A real, sincere expression of joy tinged with delight. Her entire expression brightened. Her eyes sparkled. Her nose wrinkled in the most adorable way Weiss had ever seen.
Then it disappeared, leaving Weiss with a sudden hole in her chest, and Ruby softly chuckled while shaking her head.
"I'm sure you'd love that, but I should get going."
"Why? Have a hot date?"
"Something like that."
The response burned through Weiss' veins and, "I'm sure I'm hotter," slipped out without a second thought. Ruby's brow briefly rose, but then she chuckled again - this time with a slight roll of her eyes.
"I won't tell her you said that. She's pretty competitive about her looks."
While Ruby returned the handgun to the weapon cage, Weiss swiftly followed.
"It is then. A date."
"I don't see how that's something you need to know, Miss Schnee."
Weiss bit back a string of salty responses and clutched her fingers into fists.
"Please stop calling me that. I really don't like it."
Shock registered in Ruby's expression first, followed quickly by guilt. Then she nodded, muttered a soft "sorry," and moved out aside so that Weiss could lock the weapons away.
"So you do go on dates," Weiss pressed, unwilling to drop the subject while trailing Ruby back into the cold.
"Of course I do."
"With who? People at work? Other cops?"
"Why do you care so much?"
"Because."
Ruby shook her head but kept walking up the path to the house. Weiss scrunched up her face at the lack of an answer but took a deep breath rather than spit out any of the angry words flitting through her head.
"Maybe I know them," she offered when they reached the house.
"I highly doubt you run in the same circles."
"You say that like you know me."
The sour response earned Ruby's sideways glance, but Weiss scowled at the continued silence. Obviously, Ruby was more interested in leaving than having a conversation, but Weiss wasn't done with her yet.
"She can't have anything I don't," Weiss eventually said. "So why waste your time?"
Finally, Ruby stopped. Then she turned around and leaned down to stare into Weiss' eyes. Weiss wanted to look away - it felt like Ruby could read her innermost thoughts when looking at her like that - but forced herself to stare back with an impassive expression.
"You're right," Ruby eventually said. "I don't know you."
Weiss blinked at the unsatisfying response, but Ruby straightened up and set her hand on the door handle.
"Now, stop calling 9-1-1 for no reason. That's for people who actually need help, whose lives might depend on us."
"Right. Sure." Weiss waved away the reprimand and glanced at Ruby's hand on the handle, poised to leave. "Perhaps you should check my room again before you leave," she spit out. "Who knows if someone slipped in while we were away."
"Pretty sure you can take care of yourself."
Ruby gestured in the direction of the gun range before opening the door and stepping outside. Weiss considered following, but the cold and Ruby's pointed look kept her feet nailed to the entryway floor. The door closed between them instead, and she listened to the jingle of Ruby's gear as the officer returned to the patrol car at the top of the drive. Weiss, meanwhile, chewed on her bottom lip and shuffled between annoyance, frustration, and incredulity.
She should have suspected that a police officer would be a better marksman than her. Then again, most officers seemed to have received only the most basic training and some probably couldn't even pass a fitness test. Ruby could certainly pass a fitness test - something Weiss was becoming more and more eager to personally assess - but to be an expert marksman, too?
Weiss hated losing, but she was more turned on than angry about losing to someone who didn't brag about it. Losing hadn't bothered her - the 'date' and her general lack of knowledge about Ruby's personal life did.
The front door burst open then and, for a split second, Weiss thought that Ruby had come back. Whitley flew inside instead, his eyes quickly landing on her.
"Did you know there was a cop here?" he asked, dropping his backpack near the closet and kicking off his shoes.
"Of course I did." Weiss didn't intend to offer more than that, but she sighed when he motioned with both hands. "Don't worry about it."
"'Don't worry about it?'" When Weiss rolled her eyes and headed upstairs, he doggedly followed. "We're supposed to worry about stuff like that."
"And I just told you not to."
"Why were they here then?"
"Because I invited her."
Whitley froze for a second before jogging the last few steps behind her.
"Dad's going to freak."
"Dad won't do anything because he won't be finding out." Weiss glanced over and, upon seeing Whitley's scrunched-up expression, turned toward him. "I was just having a little fun. If you think that's something he needs to know about, maybe he should also know that one of his favorite watches is still lost somewhere between here and Menagerie."
When Whitley's eyes widened, Weiss gently shoved him toward his room. "Now don't you have homework to do?"
"Not really." Grinning now, he opened his door and hung partially out in the hallway as she passed. "Want to watch a movie or something?"
After heaving a big sigh that she hardly felt, she 'relented' and gestured to her room. "Just let me change first." Once he beamed, she returned to her bedroom, shut the door behind her, and smiled.
Ruby had served as ample entertainment tonight, as expected. Even though they separated on a vaguely unpleasant note, Weiss couldn't even look near her bed without her skin tingling. And that smile…
Weiss would spend the rest of the night replaying that moment, figuring out exactly what she did to make it happen and exactly what she needed to do to make it happen again. Because there would be an 'again.' She was more certain of that than she was of Whitley picking a horrendously cheesy movie for them to watch together.