Ten different outfits came and went before Weiss settled on the one: a flowy, light-blue blouse paired with a snug white skirt and heels that would still leave her an inch short of Ruby's height. Dangling diamond earrings, silver bracelets, and a matching necklace rounded out the ensemble, which she deemed stylish yet casual enough for most locations.

She had no idea whether it would be appropriate for wherever Ruby planned on taking her, but she grabbed one of her favorite purses and swept downstairs with wings on her feet. She couldn't remember ever being this excited for a date. She didn't even know if Ruby meant it as a date date or was just playing along with her propensity to call everything a date, but she would assume that this was a real date.

A date with a cop…there was something wrong with her. That became even more apparent when her first stop was to the kitchen, where she grabbed the sole-remaining chocolate chip cookie from the island, wrapped it in a napkin, and stowed it away. Cookie crumbs might get all over the inside of her ten thousand dollar bag, but that was an acceptable risk when the potential reward was one of those delicious moans - she would fill her bag with melted chocolate to hear that sound again.

A smile crept onto her lips, imagining that scenario as she headed to the foyer to await Ruby's arrival. Would Ruby be early? Right on time? Weiss usually didn't tolerate tardiness, but she couldn't say for certain that she would cancel their plans if Ruby showed up late. While deliberating on why Ruby got such preferential treatment, she reached the foyer and immediately sighed.

"Do you live here now?" she snapped at Henry, who grinned as soon as he saw her.

"That'd be crazy, right?"

"You mean appalling," she corrected. "And I don't have time for whatever moronic things you have to say. I have plans."

"'Plans?'" he repeated, following her to the door. "As in, plans outside of the house?"

"No, I'm attending a tea party with Whitley's action figures. Of course outside the house, dipshit."

He stepped in front of her, blocking her path and forcing her scowl.

"Should you really be leaving after what happened?"

"Some assholes tried to kidnap me and are now sitting in prison with holes in their knees and shoulders. I don't see the problem."

"What if they weren't working alone? You could be in danger." She rolled her eyes, but he puffed out his chest and added, "I'll come with you."

"I'll bury myself in the backyard first. Now, get out of the way."

Henry might be taller than her, but she had every reason to believe that she could reduce him to tears before he could cry 'uncle.' He deserved it for being a persistent gnat, and she was deciding between going for his face or groin when her father chose to join them.

"Good. Mr. Schnee." Henry motioned Weiss' father over, so she aborted her plan. "I'd like to drive Weiss to her plans this afternoon, but she insists that she doesn't need security."

When a steely blue gaze landed on her, Weiss smiled sweetly at Henry.

"Thank you, Henry, for getting that utterly incorrect. I don't need your company, or anyone's company, because I'll be accompanied by a literal cop." Henry's eyes widened at the disclosure, so she smirked at him before turning to her father. "Chief Fowler assigned me an undercover officer for the day," she lied. "They'll be with me the entire time. I don't need more protection than that."

"It's still not a good idea," Henry protested.

"You wouldn't know a good idea if it bit your goddamn nose off," she shot at him before smiling at her dad. "I'd prefer to be accompanied by the police this time. Bringing bodyguards everywhere only sends the message that we're worried, and I'm not worried. Are you worried?"

Worried fell too close to 'scared,' and her father would never admit that he was scared of anything. Still, he studied her for several moments before his mustache twitched with a smile.

"Of course not." He squared his shoulders, clasped his hands behind his back, and nodded. "That's a fine plan, but I expect you home before dark."

"Absolutely."

Weiss nodded to her dad then scowled at Henry and jerked her head to the side. He reluctantly moved out of her way, and she was crossing the courtyard in no time. In poor time, actually, since now she was running late.

By the time she made it to the top of the drive, Ruby was already there, leaning against the hood of her car in an entirely too sexy way. Jeans and sneakers looked effortlessly casual yet put-together when clinging to her lean frame. Her red, collared t-shirt, however, revealed plenty of muscle to leer over.

Ruby straightened up when she saw Weiss, their eyes locked, and then a smile crept onto Ruby's lips.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself," Weiss replied, her gaze roaming over Ruby before she inevitably smiled. "How's your knee?"

"Oh. It's good. Thanks for -" Ruby glanced down at her leg and then tilted her head. "I'm surprised you remembered?"

"Of course I remembered," Weiss scoffed but moved on before Ruby asked why she remembered. "I brought you something."

When Weiss handed over the chocolate chip cookie, Ruby's expression brightened as if the singular baked good was made of solid gold. It seemed like a silly and outlandish response, but then Ruby took a big bite and groaned in a way that sent a tingle down Weiss' spine. The sound was less sensual than the last time, but damn if it didn't affect her the same way.

"God, these are so good…" Ruby added, another bite disappearing in the blink of an eye. "Please find out where I can get them."

"Begging already? Our date hasn't even started yet."

"I like to be early. Unlike someone."

Weiss' brow rose at Ruby's pointed look, and she opened her mouth to argue only to scoff instead. She wanted to smile, but why did she want to smile when Ruby just needled her for being late? She should be needling right back, only using a sword instead of a needle. Instead, she said nothing and watched Ruby polish off the cookie in seconds.

"Ready?" Ruby asked, brushing off her hands and grinning once Weiss nodded. Ruby headed to the driver's seat though, leaving Weiss to cross her arms over her chest.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Weiss nodded to the passenger door, but Ruby grinned at her over the hood and said, "Nope!" Weiss scoffed, but Ruby started the car, rolled down the passenger window, and said, "You coming or what?"

"Unbelievable," Weiss grumbled, yanking the door open for herself and sitting down with a huff. She buckled her seatbelt and recrossed her arms, chewing over responses ranging from irate to…well, just irate.

"So you can open doors," Ruby teased, grinning at Weiss before driving to the front gates. "Your manicure must be a few days old."

"Four," Weiss shot back. "And I have another appointment next week."

"I'd say that's excessive, but your hands are pretty so…"

The sentence dangled until Ruby concluded it with a shrug that diffused the bomb of annoyance in Weiss' chest. Something pleasant and warm crept through her veins instead, helping her relax into the unfamiliar seat.

"You think my hands are pretty?"

Ruby hummed, too busy watching traffic to glance over. "Your nails are a bit long though," she added at the next light, throwing in a wink that sent Weiss' thoughts careening in a different direction. A response failed to materialize. Weiss stared at her fingernails, with their pearlescent white-pink hue, and eventually cleared her throat.

"That can be fixed."

This time, Ruby laughed, and Weiss' heart fluttered in that frustratingly common way it did in Ruby's presence. The air cleared though, and the next few moments passed in comfortable silence disturbed only by the soft music from the radio and sounds of the city. The longer Weiss watched the flow of traffic, however, the more amused she grew.

"You drive like a grandma," she quipped before side-eyeing Ruby. "A hot grandma, but still - a minivan just passed us."

Weiss gestured to the offending vehicle, which looked one speed bump away from the junkyard, while Ruby chuckled and shook her head.

"Not everyone drives like a demon straight out of hell."

"The world would be a better place if they did," Weiss huffed. "Don't cops get immunity from tickets?"

"Nope. We have to follow the rules like everyone else. Well, everyone but you, apparently."

"So the pay is shit, the hours are shit, the cars smell like shit, and you don't get to break any laws?"

"Yup. People seem to like the uniforms though."

Weiss' gaze slid over Ruby as she remembered the tight, dark-blue uniform wrapped around Ruby's toned figure, then she bit her bottom lip imagining what she would look like wrapped around Ruby's toned figure.

"You're right," she concluded. "Those are worth it."

When Ruby laughed, the comment was worth it, too. Teasing someone without any bite or anger felt…weird…but not as weird as being teased back in a way that didn't make her want to issue threats of extraordinary bodily harm. Dare she say that riding in the car with Ruby was almost comfortable?

The thought hardly crossed her mind before Ruby found a parking spot and turned off the engine.

"Know where we are?"

Weiss peered outside, where drab buildings somehow remained standing and iron bars covered windows so dirty that they might as well be opaque.

"A third-world country?" she guessed before following Ruby outside, inhaling, and wrinkling her nose.

"Close." Ruby joined Weiss on the sidewalk and motioned her down the street. "You don't come downtown much, I'm guessing."

"Why would I when it looks like this?" Weiss frowned at a bus stop covered in graffiti before glancing at Ruby. "You're armed, right?"

"Of course." If Weiss had even started to worry, Ruby's confident smile would have washed it all away. "I have backup, too."

Ruby gestured to a police cruiser parked nearby, which Weiss took one look at before sighing.

"Really? A chaperone? What are we - sixteen?"

"You've obviously forgotten that someone tried to kidnap you -"

"And they're in prison."

"They are, and they said they were working alone, but -"

"Are you saying I should be worried?" Weiss interrupted.

"No, I -" Ruby sighed and stepped closer, her eyes pleading for a shred of patience. "I'm saying…it's not a bad idea to be cautious for a little while. Let things blow over, make sure you're safe." When Weiss didn't immediately tear apart the idea, a small smile eased onto Ruby's lips. "Besides, I don't want Jaune crashing our date. He'll wait outside, just in case."

'Our date,' Ruby said, and Weiss caved like a house of cards in a hurricane. Still, she found it somewhere in her to sigh before saying, "Fine. As long as he doesn't bother us."

"He won't." Ruby waved to the officer and led Weiss further along the sidewalk before gesturing to a sign hanging above a set of relatively clean glass doors. "Know where we are now?"

Weiss read the sign, then the peeling letters stuck to the glass doors, and felt something she hadn't in a long time: horror.

"No…"

"Yes."

"Please tell me you're joking."

"Serious as a heart attack."

Ruby opened the door and motioned Weiss through, beaming all the while. Weiss, on the other hand, stared at the faded letters before sighing and entering the mundanely named Vale Community Kitchen.

Stepping through the doorway was like stepping into another world. In this world, buzzing fluorescent lights made everything look faintly off-color while cheap round tables were crowded by plastic chairs with ugly brown cushions. The large, open space looked like a high school cafeteria, complete with a kitchen and hair-netted employees on the far side of the room. The…'customers' might be too generous of a term…were a collection of clearly underprivileged souls who could fill out a zoo on an alien planet, especially now that Weiss had arrived to occupy the 'wealthy, well-dressed, and showered that morning' exhibit.

Well, Ruby had also showered that morning. Weiss could smell the faint scent of roses in her hair when she waved to a mousy woman with even mousier brown hair. The woman smiled and hurried over to greet them while Ruby put an arm behind Weiss' back - not on Weiss' back, but close enough to prevent Weiss from fleeing.

"Ruby!" The woman hugged Ruby like an old friend before clasping her hands on Ruby's arms and beaming up at her. "Back already?"

"You know you can't keep me away for long." Beaming now, Ruby turned to Weiss and motioned to the mousy woman. "This is Rebecca. She's the program director, which basically means she's in charge of everything."

Rebecca chuckled at the introduction but didn't correct any exaggerations.

"And this -" Ruby added, prodding Weiss a step forward. "Is Weiss Schnee. Call her Weiss though - she doesn't like being called 'Miss.'"

Rebecca's eyes briefly widened, but she quickly smiled and extended her hand.

"It's so nice to meet you," she said while shaking Weiss' hand. "You have no idea how grateful we are for your donation. It was a godsend, really. We've had more mouths to feed than usual, what with the cold nights we've been having."

The sincere, overwhelming gratitude stuck to Weiss' pores like oil, but she mustered a cordial smile. "The thanks should go to you for your hard work," she added, but Rebecca waved off the platitude.

"Do you two want to help out for a bit?"

"Absolutely," Ruby answered right as Weiss began shaking her head.

"Excellent." Rebecca clasped her hands together, both she and Ruby either ignoring or not noticing Weiss' reluctance. "Let me get you some gloves and nets and you'll be set."

While she dashed off to procure those items, Weiss gave Ruby an incredulous look.

"You consider this a date?"

"Uh, yeah?"

Weiss pursed her lips and blessed the community kitchen with a second look. The clientele, upon closer inspection, were miserable and dirty. Their clothing came from secondhand stores or had been worn for a decade too long. One man, sitting at a table alone and eating with his hands, wore a pair of matted, wool socks with open-toed sandals. An older woman near him wore a necklace made of safety pins.

There was nothing sexy or flirtatious or exciting to be found. Honestly, Ruby couldn't have chosen a worse location. Weiss was about to point that out when Rebecca returned.

"Here we go." Rebecca passed several items to Ruby before handing Weiss a pair of latex gloves and a bundle of mesh. "You'll show Weiss the ropes?" she asked Ruby, who beamed and nodded. "Perfect. Let me know if you have questions."

Rebecca smiled one last time before heading into the dining area, where she fearlessly engaged in conversation with the safety pin lady. Weiss, meanwhile, wrinkled her nose when she realized that the bundle of mesh was actually a hair net.

"You've lost your mind if you think I'm wearing this."

"Guess I'm crazy then," Ruby replied with an effortless grin that caught Weiss off guard. That grin was unlike anything Ruby had shown so far, being part teasing, part challenge, and part humor.

That was when Weiss realized, as Ruby displayed the patience of a saint, that this was a test. Ruby knew that Weiss didn't belong here. She knew that Weiss wouldn't enjoy it - maybe she even suspected that Weiss would detest it - and she expected Weiss to put up a fight.

"I'd prefer if you wore just the hairnet," Weiss quipped, pulling the mesh over her hair and shooting Ruby a triumphant look.

"There she is," Ruby replied with a delighted laugh that set Weiss' heart aflutter. There was something so genuine and carefree about it, as if something as stupid as Weiss wearing a hairnet made Ruby truly happy. It was dumb, but it was different, and Weiss' reticence faded as she followed Ruby to the cafeteria-style buffet.

"What're we supposed to do?"

"Whatever these fine ladies ask us to do."

Ruby extended an arm toward the three ladies in the kitchen, all of them wearing their own hair nets as they tended to a variety of pots and pans on the stove.

"Why don't you two take over scooping so Marlene can help us catch up?" one of them suggested.

"You got it!"

While the woman who must be Marlene vacated the buffet, carrying with her several large metal trays, Ruby motioned Weiss over to take her place. "It's easy," Ruby explained while Weiss looked over the selection of food - everything from green beans to macaroni to slices of chicken. "When someone comes in, we get them what they want. Usually just a scoop unless they're extra hungry."

"You want me to…serve…these people?"

"I like to think of it as 'helping,' but yeah!" While Weiss was too taken aback to form words, Ruby nudged her elbow and nodded to a little old man shuffling towards them. His slouched posture made him look even shorter than he already was while his overly large green jacket swallowed him like a whale might swallow a minnow.

"Hey, Bob!" Ruby greeted him in a loud voice. "How're you?"

"Busy, busy, busy," he mumbled under his breath, his eyes flitting across the trays of food like a man just rescued from being marooned. "Beans again?"

"Beans again."

"The fucking beans in this place…" he muttered so vehemently that Weiss stifled a surprised laugh.

"No beans for you then, Bob," Ruby said, pointing to the macaroni so that Weiss would put a scoop onto a paper plate. Ruby did everything else, filling the plate with food and smiling as she set it on his red plastic tray. "Here you go, Bob!"

"Thank you, Ruby," he muttered while taking his tray to an empty table and sitting down to eat. Weiss watched him with something close to amusement before turning to Ruby.

"He doesn't like beans, I take it?"

"Hates 'em. Almost as much as you hate most things."

"A kindred spirit," Weiss hummed. When Ruby laughed again, Weiss had half a mind to ask her to stop. The joyful sound had an outsized effect on her heartbeat that would probably cause some type of long-term damage if not kept in check.

She didn't ask Ruby to stop, just like she didn't quit the demeaning task of serving food to people who should be serving her instead. But it was simple work, and Ruby praised her every time she finished an order. She should probably be insulted by such low-tier recognition, but it was actually kind of nice. And, once they settled into a rhythm, with each of them taking charge of the trays in front of them, she began noticing a peculiar theme.

No one made eye contact with her. They looked at the food, which they would point at before offering quiet 'thank you's and leaving, but they never looked at her.

"Am I dressed wrong or something?" she mused after it happened again. When Ruby glanced over, Weiss motioned to the food. "They hardly look at me."

"There's nothing wrong with how you're dressed…"

"Then what is it?"

Ruby opened her mouth and, when Weiss waited for an answer, offered a sad smile.

"When everyone looks down on you, you might start looking down, too."

Weiss hadn't even processed the answer before Ruby found a megawatt grin for the young woman approaching them. "Good morning!" Ruby greeted her before smiling even more brightly for the little boy clutching his mother's pant leg. "And hello, little sir! Are you hungry? We've got some delicious green beans that'll help you grow big and strong! Do those sound good?"

His nose wrinkled, but he looked up at his mom before whispering, "Thank you, please."

Smiling at the response, Ruby started a plate for him - with only a few green beans rather than a full spoonful - and passed it to Weiss. "Bet you love mac 'n cheese though, don't you?" Ruby said, chuckling when his eyes lit up. He then briefly looked at Weiss, the keeper of the macaroni and cheese, and she faltered. He obviously liked macaroni and cheese, but he hadn't asked for extra. Of course, he probably didn't know that he could ask for extra, just like he hadn't learned to stare at his shoes rather than look up at her.

She piled two full scoops onto his plate and felt a strange sense of accomplishment when he stared at it with childlike wonder. It was just some shitty macaroni that probably cost pennies, yet he beamed at her as if she had worked some type of miracle. And he kept grinning, even as his mom accepted her plate without ever meeting Weiss' gaze, and even as she ushered him to a table near the doors.

"He probably thinks you're an angel," Ruby commented, smiling at his starstruck response.

"It's just noodles and gross cheese sauce."

"No, it's a beautiful lady giving you extra noodles and gross cheese sauce even though you didn't ask for it. Because she knew that's what you wanted, and she made you feel special by paying that much attention to you."

"That's stupid," Weiss muttered, though her cheeks warmed from Ruby calling her beautiful, and a smile forced its way onto her lips when she glanced at the little boy shoveling macaroni and cheese into his mouth like he hadn't eaten all day. Which…perhaps he hadn't.

After that, Weiss paid a little more attention to each person who joined the line. They still hardly acknowledged her existence outside of a glance or two, but their lingering gazes gave away more than met the eye. Some wanted more than a few slices of chicken. Some didn't care if all of their food was smashed together in one large pile; others wanted every separate item in a separate space. The one universal truth was that the green beans were everyone's least favorite, but most still reluctantly accepted them.

The other universal truth? Everyone knew Ruby, and everyone loved her. She greeted them by name and smiled as if they were her best friends. If she didn't know someone, she asked for their name and provided hers - and Weiss', much to Weiss' chagrin. They responded to Ruby's energy and overt kindness. They at least looked her in the eyes and sometimes smiled after taking their plates.

Ruby's connection to the diners became even clearer when a tall, skinny man in a blue puffy jacket and pants that stopped at his ankles approached. He paused a good distance away and narrowed his eyes at Weiss, then looked at Ruby, then looked at Weiss again.

"Hey, Randy!" Ruby called out with a wave. She motioned him over, and he reluctantly slunk to the front of the buffet, though his eyes again flashed to Weiss.

"Where's Yang?"

"She's working today. But this is Weiss!" Ruby wrapped an arm around Weiss' shoulders, warming Weiss' cheeks to an uncommon degree. "She can help just like Yang. Probably better than Yang since she won't talk your ear off."

Even with that reassurance, the man regarded Weiss as if she might attack him with a ladle at any second.

"Would you like some macaroni and cheese?" Weiss asked. He glanced at the aluminum tray filled with cheesy noodles before nodding once. Weiss grabbed a plate, just like she'd done too many times by now, and set it in front of her so that she could pile on the macaroni.

"Not too much," he told - more like warned - her as she dug the oversized spoon into the tray. She felt Ruby watching her, and she saw the man watching her, which added a strange amount of pressure to what should be a simple task.

The back of her neck prickled as she put an exact spoonful onto the plate, and he judged her work like he had been hired by the mayor to do so. This strange man, with no fashion sense and rude manners, judged her, and she was proud when he nodded once.

"Beans, too," he ordered, because of course this fucker liked the beans. Weiss followed the same process - an exact spoonful - and earned another pleased nod before gratefully passing the plate to Ruby.

"What'd I tell you, Randy?" Ruby said while carefully aligning several slices of chicken on the plate. "She's an all-star, right?"

"She's better than Yang," he concluded before picking up his tray and finding a table to eat at. Ruby laughed at the no-nonsense response.

"Sucks for Yang." Ruby chuckled for another moment before drawing Weiss into her happy glow. "Yang's my sister, by the way."

"Ah. The busty blonde. How could I forget." With no one remaining in line, Weiss looked out over the room. It had filled since they arrived, yet seemed to be emptying now as people finished their meals and carried on with their days. "Maybe I'll meet her someday," she commented absentmindedly.

"Maybe you will!" For a split second, Ruby looked excited by the prospect. Then her smile fell. "She won't like you."

"People generally don't."

"That's sad," Ruby said, but Weiss shrugged.

"I can waste my time being sad about it or I can live my life."

"Or you could…you know…try to change?"

Weiss almost instinctively pointed out that changing implied someone possessed faults worth remedying, but she held her tongue. If today had taught her anything, it was that she might lack a certain level of self-reflection. She had no issue with people hating her - she typically preferred it - but maybe she didn't have to make people hate her.

"Are you hungry?" Ruby asked when Weiss didn't respond.

"You're taking me out for lunch?"

"Kind of? I mean, we're already here."

When Ruby pulled off her gloves and motioned to the buffet trays, Weiss scoffed.

"You think I'm eating this?"

"Why not? If it's good enough for them, shouldn't it be good enough for us?" Weiss made a face at the idea, but Ruby leaned close and nudged her elbow. "At least give it a shot. If you hate it, I'll take you somewhere else."

Faced with the compromise, Weiss sighed.

"If it's bad, you can take me back to your place and make it up to me."

Ruby briefly froze in the midst of removing her hair net. Then she laughed, and her eyes regained the sparkle that forced butterflies into Weiss' chest.

"You hardly miss a beat, do you?"

"I never miss a beat."

"I don't know…you've missed one or two."

"Unless you have examples, you're lying."

Tossing the gloves and hair net aside, Weiss folded her arms over her chest and waited for those examples. Ruby, however, just smiled and grabbed two paper plates. "I'm guessing you know how this works," she said while piling macaroni and chicken onto one of them.

"It would be pretty pathetic if I didn't."

"You're right. It kind of would be."

Ruby glanced over, and her soft smile convinced Weiss to let the prior topic go. She grabbed the empty plate and chose her own food for a change, so she picked a little of everything to determine what was edible and what was swill. Ruby then led them to an empty table in the far corner of the room and waited for Weiss to sit before sitting beside her.

"I know it's no four-course meal…" Ruby said while Weiss reluctantly cut the chicken into smaller pieces. "But sometimes it's the only hot meal these people will get in a day. The ladies in the kitchen try to make it as tasty as they can."

The chicken seemed like the safest choice, so Weiss tried that first. Shockingly, it wasn't horrible. A little dry. A little bland. But, overall, better than expected. With Ruby watching her every move, however, she lowered her fork before having a second piece.

"I know I'm pretty, but are you going to eat?"

She motioned to Ruby's untouched plate, but Ruby grinned at her before grabbing a fork and digging in. With Ruby's attention elsewhere, Weiss sampled each item one at a time. Most of it was decent - edible, at least - with the macaroni definitely better than the rest. She saved the green beans for last hoping that they would surprise her, but as soon as she bit down on one she resisted the urge to spit it out.

"Ugh," she said after forcing herself to swallow it. "Bob's right. The beans are shit."

"Could you do better?"

Weiss scoffed and set down her fork, but Ruby started giggling, and the adorable sound erased the arrogance in Weiss' comeback like rain washing away loose soil. "I'll have you know," she attempted regardless. "I don't cook. At all. But if I decided to cook, I'm sure I could do better than this." Weiss bit into another green bean and wrinkled her nose. "Why are they squeaking?"

"I know, right? It's like eating a mouse."

Ruby speared entirely too many green beans and shoved them into her mouth, where they squeaked loud enough that even Weiss could hear. It was so stupid and funny that a laugh slipped through Weiss' lips, and Ruby beamed.

"It's not bad though, right?" Ruby asked, motioning to Weiss' plate.

"It's…edible."

"Guess I won't be taking you back to my apartment after all."

When Ruby stuck another forkful of green beans into her mouth and winked, Weiss froze. "Was that really an option?" she asked, but Ruby shrugged.

"Guess we'll never know."

Ruby's eyes sparkled whenever she was teasing, and Weiss hated that part of her loved it. Things weren't supposed to work this way. She was supposed to be in charge. She made the rules, issued the orders, and had her wishes granted. But there was something so enjoyable about Ruby asserting herself, her personality, and her sense of humor into the conversation.

"If you're done, I'll clean this up."

Ruby hopped to her feet and motioned to Weiss' plate, and picked it up when Weiss nodded and leaned back in the uncomfortable chair. Ruby smiled though - why was she always smiling - and took the plates to the trash can near the kitchen. One of the ladies in the kitchen quickly drew Ruby into conversation, which Weiss watched with a mixture of interest and disbelief before her phone started ringing.

An unknown number might be sent straight to voicemail by most people, but she answered it.

"Who is this?"

"Hey, Weiss! It's 'enryyyyyy."

"Congratulations on finding the stupidest way to say your own name," she snapped. "How'd you get my number?"

"I guessed it. That's how destined we are."

"Try again."

"Fine," he huffed. "I asked your dad. Told him I was going to woo you over the phone."

Weiss' jaw and fist clenched at the fact that Henry had crossed that line but also that she couldn't chew out her dad for providing the information.

"Don't call me again," she said and hung up. Massively annoyed now, she jabbed the screen far too hard as she saved the number for future avoidance.

"Everything alright?"

Weiss shook her head but, when she looked up and met Ruby's earnest gaze, let her scowl fade away.

"It's fine. Just a wrong number."

Ruby glanced at Weiss' phone but, ultimately, nodded and asked, "Ready to go?"

"Are we going to your apartment now?"

Chuckling to herself, Ruby pushed in Weiss' chair and led them to the exit. "I actually have to work tonight," she added while waving to the kitchen staff. "So I was going to take you home."

"If you insist…" Weiss sighed as she followed Ruby outside. The police cruiser still waited nearby, but the engine turned on once Ruby waved to the officer sitting inside. They reached Ruby's car moments later and, true to form, Ruby left Weiss to open her own door.

"It's not very courteous, you know," Weiss pointed out after begrudgingly slipping into the passenger seat.

"I know."

Ruby beamed at Weiss before starting the car, leaving Weiss to dwell on the comment on the way home. The drive felt more relaxed now, leaving space for Weiss to notice little things that she hadn't before, like the way Ruby tapped the steering wheel to the beat of the radio, and the way Ruby scoffed when someone ran a red light or blew by them on the left.

Ironically, Weiss wished that Ruby would drive even slower. Unfortunately, those sturdy gates bearing the Schnee crest were opening before long, and her home loomed on the horizon like a giant cage waiting for her return.

"This view is always impressive," Ruby commented on the way to the front of the house, but Weiss hummed and didn't point out that 'impressive' and 'imposing' were two sides of the same coin. She waited for Ruby to park before springing her trap.

"You're walking me to the door," Weiss said while getting out, leaving Ruby no choice but to sputter and scramble after her.

"Uh, pretty sure there's an anti-police barrier around this place," Ruby said after catching up, her eyes darting to the left and right as they entered the courtyard.

"No one knows you're a cop dressed like that." Weiss motioned to Ruby's attire and slowed her pace, smirking when Ruby slowed down to match. "Besides, the police are always welcome here."

Ruby grunted at the claim while her gaze swept around the courtyard. "Wow," she eventually said, her eyes lingering on the fountain. "That's…really loud."

Weiss could have kissed Ruby for the observation. Instead, she beamed and led Ruby right up to the front door. She would have taken Ruby inside if she thought that Ruby would agree, but this would have to do for now. At least the alcove offered some privacy from the rooms towering over each side of the courtyard.

Standing beside the front doors, Weiss finally turned around and prepared to say goodbye. Unsurprisingly, she had a version that she wanted to happen, but she put those plans on hold when Ruby shyly rubbed the back of her neck.

"Thanks for coming with me. I know that's not really your…style."

"I suppose it wasn't a horrible experience," Weiss said, sighing dramatically for effect - and for Ruby's smile. "I would've left if you weren't there," she admitted.

"I know. I'm glad you stayed though." Ruby met Weiss' gaze for an impactful second before glancing away and shuffling her feet. "And I was thinking…maybe if you gave me your number, I could text you sometime? Then you won't have to use 9-1-1 to reach me."

Weiss' heart soared at the bashful request, but she couldn't just hand over her phone number. "Can't you just pull my number from the police database?" she asked, but Ruby shook her head.

"That's not how it works. Even if it did, that'd be a violation of your rights."

"What if I want you to violate my rights?"

That sounded filthier than intended, but a fire flared in her stomach when Ruby's eyes flashed with something she had never seen before but needed to see again.

"If you insist…" Ruby mused before stepping closer, forcing Weiss' back against the wall. Weiss stopped breathing and her skin burned when Ruby's hand landed on her side, and her eyes fluttered shut when Ruby leaned in. Then the strap of her purse disappeared from her shoulder.

"What -?" she hardly got out before her phone was in Ruby's hands and Ruby was dialing a number. Ruby's phone rang seconds later, then Ruby dropped Weiss' phone back into the purse and returned it.

"You should really turn off proximity unlock," Ruby remarked while Weiss stared, jaw dropped, unsure if she was more disappointed, impressed, or severely turned on.

"Please tell me you know what I actually meant."

"Not sure. Can you spell it out for me?"

When Ruby grinned, Weiss lightly stomped her foot.

"Goddammit Ruby, I just spent all fucking afternoon being selfless and shit. I want you to -"

Ruby cut her off with a kiss. And her mind went so blank - completely shut down for an instant - that by the time she realized that Ruby's lips were on hers, and everything smelled like roses and felt soft and warm, Ruby was already pulling away. Ruby lingered though, staring into Weiss' eyes and gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind Weiss' ear.

"Thanks for being 'selfless and shit' with me," she said softly. "It was nice seeing this side of you for more than half a second."

"I might give you a full second for another kiss," Weiss replied - more like whispered based on how breathless she sounded - and Ruby smiled.

"You drive a hard bargain, Miss Schnee."

"I swear to god, Ruby -"

Ruby cut her off with another kiss, and she would be livid at the interruption if it wasn't so incredible. Her mind kicked into high gear this time, revving up like her suddenly racing heart as she savored Ruby's lips on hers, gently exploring at a slow, languid pace. She set her hand on Ruby's cheek, her fingertips tracing soft skin, while Ruby's hands grasped her hips and subtly pressed her against the wall. That kiss also ended far too soon, leaving her breathless and desperate for more despite Ruby's beguiling smile.

"Do you want to come in for a bit?" Weiss asked. "We can go for a swim before you have to work."

"You have a pool?"

"Three. And the lake if you're feeling adventurous. Or the ocean if you want to climb down a million steps."

Rather than comment on how excessive that was, Ruby chuckled and said, "I don't have my swimsuit."

"You definitely won't need one."

Weiss let her gaze roam over Ruby, imagining the two of them skinny dipping in the lake, but Ruby shook her head and said, "Maybe next time."

"You admit there will be a next time," Weiss quickly pointed out.

"I know you'll find a way to make it happen."

That comment, combined with the sparkle in Ruby's eyes, struck the most delightful note in Weiss' mind. She could make Ruby stay, but she didn't want to. Even if she wanted more, this was a perfect way to leave things for now. So she nodded - she even smiled - and pointed to Ruby's front pocket.

"Don't wait too long to text me."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Ruby winked before heading back to her car, and Weiss watched her go before practically levitating inside. Her heart might literally overflow, yet her mind refused to forget the way Ruby's lips felt against hers. Anything was worth Ruby's kiss. She would climb into a dumpster or trade all of her stilettos for those wretched rubber sandals for another one.

Still floating with those feelings, she spotted her brother and sister in the family room and joined them.

"Hey, you two," she greeted them with a big smile before dropping onto the sofa beside Whitley, who immediately frowned.

"What's wrong with you?"

So much was wrong with her that she didn't know where to start, but she scoffed and said, "Nothing's wrong with me."

"Then why do you look all…happy?"

"Because I had a good day. Is that a crime around here?"

"Basically," Whitley said, chuckling when Weiss sighed and Winter subtly rolled her eyes but kept reading. Just when Weiss thought her brother would return to playing his game, however, his brow rose. "Wait. You saw her again, didn't you."

Winter lowered her book this time, and Weiss glanced at her before scoffing again.

"I don't know who you're talking about."

"The cop."

"What cop?"

"That one you invited over the other night."

Whitley couldn't have phrased that any worse. Now, Winter's book fully closed and settled into her lap.

"You invited a cop over for the night?"

"No." Weiss shook her head but stopped when Whitley arched his brow. "I mean, yes. Kind of. God, fuck you, Whitley. That's not what happened."

While Whitley laughed at the flustered response, Winter looked between them.

"Are you dating a cop?"

"We aren't -" Weiss shook her head but couldn't decide if one date counted as 'dating.' "It's nothing," she insisted instead. "I'm just having a little fun, and she's hot."

"And she's…a cop," Winter reiterated.

"She wears a uniform and has a badge. You can say the same thing about mall security." Weiss waved off the comparison, but Winter didn't bite. Fortunately, Winter didn't grill Weiss about it either. She just pursed her lips before shaking her head and re-opening her book.

"Just be careful."

"I'll be fine," Weiss scoffed, once again drawing Winter's gaze.

"I know you'll be fine, but what about her?"

Weiss frowned at the question, which she honestly hadn't put much thought toward, before shaking her head.

"It's fine. Dad will never find out."

When Winter hummed, ever the doubter, Weiss rolled her eyes and lightly slapped Whitley's leg so that he took his feet off the sofa. He waggled his brow at her, clearly holding back questions that he would badger her with later, and unpaused his game. The reprieve lasted hardly a second before Weiss' phone buzzed with an incoming message.

As soon as Weiss fished it out of her bag and saw that it was from Ruby - Ruby literally started it with, 'This is Ruby' - she suppressed a smile. Then she snuck a glance at Winter and Whitley to make sure they were preoccupied before typing out a dry, sardonic, 'Who else would it be?' She then smiled at her phone like a goddamn idiot waiting for Ruby's response.

On paper, Ruby just took her on the worst date imaginable. Yet, somehow, Weiss enjoyed herself more than she had in a long time. She met new people, experienced new things - it was enlightening, and Ruby's company made all the difference in the world.

That kiss though…

If they didn't make plans to see each other again soon, she was reverting to bad habits and calling 9-1-1. Her emergency? A hot cop with lips of gold had kidnapped her fantasies and left her starving for more.