Chapter Five- Connections
Ruby let out a soft groan as she turned towards the clock that went off on the bedside table. 9:00 AM was light along the screen of the clock. Letting out a deep breath Ruby looked up at the ceiling. Thoughts are invading her mind. It had been a month since Ruby's classes at Beacon Academy started. Ruby's life seemed to calm down from the unexpected wave of moving to her father and sister's place. From home, Ruby seemed to have relaxed into the place she was forced to stay. She would be willing to eat dinners with both Yang and Tia. But she would keep quiet most of the time, being distant from herself. She would find herself in the living room more often than before. Yet she would keep to herself, most of the time when the company got too overwhelming. Ruby's friendship with Pyrrha had moved slowly with each day. They started to bring either coffee, food, or different little items for each other in the morning. Where they would study and prepare themselves for class together in silence. It was comforting as she enjoyed the company, but not the small talk that came with it.
Letting out another breath she slowly sits up at the sound of clattering of dishes and chatting from the kitchen. Ruby rubbed her face, ridding herself of sleepiness as she moved to stand on her legs. Moving her arms above her head, she pushed upwards, hearing pops escape from her arms. A groan left Ruby's throat as she felt the muscles in her arms stretch. Moving to stretch out in her legs she grabbed her phone from the side of the bed looking at her notifications. There were some notifications from apps she had, and two text messages. One from Flame and the other from Pyrrha. Sighing she tapped the one on Pyrrha to see what she had to say.
"Hey sorry, I won't be able to learn how to play Hunter with you ! I forgot I had got invited to a party with someone, but I have tomorrow off from work, and willing to sit down and play all day!"Ruby sighed as she started to type something out.
" That's okay, thank you for letting me know."She hit send before moving to Flames chat.
"Like I said last night. I will trade the scythe to you for the fire launcher."Ruby chuckled at the message, her eyes rolling after reading the text.
"Hm, I feel like I deserve more."She typed before sending the text and slipping her phone back onto the bed. Her mouth opened as she took a deep breath in, a soft sound escaping her throat as she did. She blinked after the yawn and started to get dressed.
"Careful! Don't spill that!" A yell came from downstairs making Ruby turn her head towards her door. A breath left from Ruby as she grabbed her phone and opened her door to peek down the stairs. Yang was standing there holding what looked like to be many cases of different drinks, a bowl resting next to her.
'Great what is she getting into this time.'Ruby thought as she slowly exited her room and down the stairs. Greeting her were three people. Yang, Blake, and a white-haired lady. They all turned to look at her as she made her way to the last stair.
"Oh hey, Ruby!" Her smile was bright as always making Ruby turn her eyes to the other two. Blake just sent a small smile and a wave. The white-haired lady moved closer to Ruby.
"Names Weiss Schnee. We have yet to formally meet." She had more of a sharp smile while she had her hand in front of her. Ruby looked down at the hand before back into the big blue eyes of Weiss.
"Ruby. What are you guys doing down here." Ruby turned her face back to Yang as Weiss looked offended by the unshooked hand.
"Oh, we are setting up for our start of college party!" Yang started to put things in the fridge as she spoke.
"Isn't that supposed to be...at the start of college? Not a month after?" Blake snickered as Weiss moved to stand next to Blake against the counter. Yang rolled her eyes as she turned to glare at Blake and then back at Ruby.
"This was the only time Dad was gone on his trip! Plus, it's better luck after everyone has gotten adjusted to classes. And we seem to get more people to show up for the party!" Ruby sighed as she felt her eyes move into a roll.
"I'm not getting dragged into this," Ruby muttered as she moved down one step walking to the fruit bowl and grabbing something.
"Oh come on Ruby! It should be fun! Maybe you find some new friends!" Ruby's nose twitched at the idea as her hands wrapped around an apple.
"No," Ruby muttered as she started to walk towards the door where her shoes rested.
"Whatever you say, you're going to miss out." Yang moved closer to the other two who stood there watching the conversation go down. Ruby just rolled her eyes as she slipped her shoes on, and a jacket from the hook above the shoes.
"Sure, Yang." Ruby opened the front door before closing it behind her. Ruby took a deep breath before starting to walk from the door to the sidewalk that tangled around the different houses, leading to town. With that Ruby started to walk down the sidewalk, slipping earbuds into her ear.
Yang sighed as she turned away from the door to back to what she was doing.
"She sure has an attitude," Weiss muttered; her arms crossed against her chest. Yang just let out a small chuckle.
"Said the Queen of Attitudes. Do I have to remind you of your ice queen faze?" Weiss huffed as Blake and Yang laughed at the display of Weiss.
"N-No. We don't talk about it." Weiss's cheeks puffed out softly as Blake gently tapped her shoulder.
"You were bad during that time," Blake commented as Yang turned to look at her girlfriend.
"Do I have to remind you of your emo faze Blake? Oh, I'm so emo." Yang flipped her hair to be in Infront of her left eye. Blake glared at Yang while Weiss snickered from the teasing.
"Oh? Why don't I remind you of your relentless fighting? Oh, you looked at me wrong now I'm going to punch you!" They all started to laugh at each other while Yang leaned against the counter.
"We sure all have changed a lot from high school haven't we." Yang smiles fondly at the other two who did the same thing. Yang watched as Blake walked next to Yang, gently wrapping her around Yang's back.
"Yeah, and to think we all had some hatred towards each other," Weiss spoke as she gently held onto the counter.
"Well, it didn't help you were a bitch to us," Yang added making Weiss roll her eyes.
"You know exactly why, plus Yang you're pushy. It was annoying." Weiss added as Yang rolled her eyes with a laugh.
"Whatever you say, ice queen." Weiss gave her a serious look at Yang, who tilted her head stopping her laughing.
"Yang, I'm being serious. You were very pushy; you have gotten better now. But I see my old self in your sister. I may have come around to you, but you did make me hate you when we first met." Yang listened to Weiss before letting out a breath, her eyes closing a bit.
"Pff, you guys are still friends with me, I couldn't be that bad," Yang confessed as Blake gently moved her hand up and down Yang's back.
"Love, you're a very caring individual, but sometimes It can be suffocating for other people. People who are not used to it. You have gotten better at it, but you're still… pushy sometimes. It's okay to show people love when they want it." Blake said softly as Yang looked down at her. Golden stared at soft lilac as a soft breath left Yang's lips.
"I don't know what you guys are talking about. I have you guys as friends because of it." Yang muttered as she turned her head towards Weiss.
"Take Ruby for example, I know you don't have a great relationship with her. But you're trying to work on that right, how is that going?" Blake asked softly making Yang roll her eyes at her words.
"It's…fine?" Weiss and Blake looked at each other before back at Yang.
"You're lying to us." Weiss spewed out making Yang groan a bit.
"I don't know, we had a good talk about our mother a month ago. Then she shut down after I had asked her how mom had died, and we haven't spoken since. But she does hang around more, like sitting on the sofa or joining us for dinner."
"You should have let her come to you about that. She reminds me of myself when I was younger, and pushing yourself onto her isn't going to help. She had no trust in you, she doesn't know you. You should get to know her, and her get to know you before you even think about wanting to press more into her life like that." Weiss said softly as she moved closer to Yang and Blake.
"Well, then how do I do that? How do I move at her own pace?" Yang looked almost desperate as she asked the question that swirled in her mind.
"was there something that stuck out when you both talked a month ago?" Blake asked softly making Yang nod quickly.
"Then, why don't you get something special to her? Even if it is a letter or a stuffed animal. And don't push it with her, let her make the steps. Not you." Yang stared at Weiss as she spoke before taking a deep breath. Her mind racing with ideas as she suddenly let out a smile, her eyes soft against Blake who held her, and Weiss who stood across her.
"I'm grateful to have you guys. Thank you"
Ruby let out a long breath as she moved her body to sit down on a bench. Around her were many different trees with many differentiating colors between them. Some bloomed into pretty flowers, some with vibrant green leaves, and others started to turn orange and red. Ruby looked around; the sidewalk she had walked led her to a park of some sort. The park was long with many people walking by, either on their own or with another person. Ruby observed the area, taking in deep breaths of fresh air. She watched as a gust of wind flew past her shoulders. Leaves in the air, twirling with the gust that passed by. How the fresh air invaded her senses as she sat there enjoying the view.
"Ruby?" A woman asked from the side of her. Ruby quickly turned to look over to see Pyrrha, she had a small smile and a wave. A man with blonde hair was standing next to her, a dorky smile on his face.
"Pyrrha," Ruby spoke out softly while she examined the blonde-haired man. He had ocean-blue eyes that sparked with joy.
"I wasn't expecting to see you today! I'm so sorry I am not able to game with you today! I wanted to but we have this party tonight, which I had forgotten about " Ruby cleared her throat to stop the rambling of words coming out of Pyrrha's throat.
"Pyrrha, it is fine. Things happen." Ruby watched as Pyrrha let out a breath she seemed to be holding.
"Oh sorry, Ruby this is Jaune. Jaune this is Ruby." Ruby just sent a quick nod as Jaune gave an awkward wave. Ruby watched as Pyrrha seemed to smile and have a red hint on her face when she looked over at Jaune. Turning back to Jaune she examined him closer.
'He doesn't look like much. Wonder what she sees in him'Ruby thought to herself before clearing her throat again.
"Hello." Ruby watched as his eyes darted from Pyrrha to her.
"H-Hi. I heard you beat Cinder." Rubys left eye twitched at the name of Cinder. She turned away as she sighed.
"Yeah. She also beat me as well." Ruby muttered as she started to mess with the hem of her hoodie. Thinking back, Cinder and Ruby had gotten a bit closer than they were before. They didn't talk, nor spend time with each other out of track. But they both challenged each other to do better than before. Both worked more as a pair when it came to drills to learn from the other skills. Shaking her head out of her thoughts she turned back to Pyrrha.
"Are you going to that party tonight? I don't know if you know who this person is, but her name is Yang." Ruby rolled her eyes at the sound of her sister's name.
"Yeah, she's, my sibling," Ruby confessed as Pyrrha's eyes widened.
"Wait really? I don't see it." Pyrrha said as she scanned Rubys' appearance. Ruby let out a small chuckle while looking towards Pyrrha.
"Yeah, she takes after my dad a lot. I take after my mother." Pyrrha nodded while humming.
"Huh, that's crazy. Well, we should go. It was nice seeing you, Ruby! I guess I'll see you tonight." She smiles as she starts to walk away with Jaune in tow. Ruby nodded as she gave a small wave to Pyrrha.
"Bye Pyrrha." Ruby let out a soft sigh before starting to look back up at the trees, watching the trees follow the wind. A scream pulled Ruby out of her mind as she watched two kids laughing and playing while they ran along the sidewalk. One had black hair, and the other with blonde hair. Both seemed to have been around ten years old. They both had bright smiles, laughing at the game they seemed to be having. Ruby stared at the two kids, her mind going back to her and Yang as kids.
'What would it be like if we didn't get separated? Would be as close? Like true siblings?'Ruby could feel a hand wrap around her heart, making her breath harder to move through her lungs. Her hands curled into fists on her lap, and looking down she could feel her head spin. The what-ifs thoughts started to fill her mind, before being pulled out of them by another scream. Looking around she saw them head towards her dogging through the people walking through the sidewalks. She watched as they both ran on by, pure joy on their faces. A tug was felt on Ruby's lips as she watched the kids. Looking down at the time it had been a few hours, of sitting there watching nature take its course on the environment.
When she had returned home, it was midafternoon. She stood outside the front door, as she examined what she could see. She just sighed not being able to notice anything, so she twisted the door nob and pushed the door open. Inside was quiet, no one seemed to be home. A sigh left Ruby's throat as she closed the door behind her, gently taking her shoes off. Looking around, bottles of alcohol lined across the counters. Examining the rest of the place, it looked like different decorations were in bags, some balloons already blown up. They floated on the floor and some on the couch.
She could already feel her stomach twisting as she started to feel uneasy. Taking a deep breath Ruby turned and started to climb the stairs with each leg transitioning. Once she had made it to her room she closed it and locked it behind her. She reached for her phone seeing another notification from Flame.
'Fine, I'll give you the hood that goes with it. The red speed one."Ruby smiled a bit before opening her chat with Flame.
"Hm, deal. Are you getting on tonight?"Ruby sent the message as her body landed on her bed. A yawn escaped her throat as she watched type bubbles appear from Flame.
"Not tonight sorry. I have a stupid party to attend, she is very persistent that I show up to them."Ruby could feel her lips fall before sighing. Now she had no excuse to avoid the people that were to invade Yang's party.
"Dang, I could use a distraction. Well, please just text me when you get home. I care about you"She hit sent before letting out a long dragged-out breath. Cursing under her breath, she laid her head on her bed before looking up at the ceiling. Her phone buzzed again but she didn't move to grab her phone, she just lay there.
"Mom! Look!" Ruby yelled as she looked up to where her mother was. She had a bright smile as her tiny fingers wrapped around a paper. There stood a woman in her late 20's, she had long black hair with red tips. Her silver eyes were full of light as she was bent down next to a 10-year-old Yang. Her eyes were darker purple than lilac, her hair was long as curls took over the more her hair grew. Ruby watched as her mother turned to look over at Ruby, a smile on her face.
"What did you make dear?" She asked in a soft tone as Ruby looked down at her paper. Half-eaten macaroni's littered the page. Glue was splattered along the page with the half-eaten macaroni's sticking to the Glue. Some barely handed on as Ruby turned the page towards Summer. Summer had a smile her lips tucked into her mouth to stop the laughter building her stomach.
"Darling, that looks…beautiful." She said as she cleared her throat before beautiful to stop the laughter.
"Really?" Ruby looked up with a bright smile as she put her creation down on the table. Yang had looked over her eyes looking over before a snicker left her throat.
"Ruby, what were you trying to make?" Yang said with a giggle making Ruby pout.
"I um… bird?" Ruby tilted her head at the picture a few times, her eyebrows furred down to her eyes. Summer laughed softly, putting her hand on top of Ruby's head.
"It looks amazing Ruby." Ruby's smile beamed with joy as she reached forward to try and pick at the glued macaroni.
"Ruby stop eating them." Summer quickly pulled Rubys extended hand. Ruby huffed as Summer grabbed a macaroni without glue before putting it in her hand. Ruby seemed to beam again as she started to suck and chew on it. She looked over to see Yang's art, which had a big circle with holes in them.
"And what did you make love?" Summer patted Yang's head as Yang looked up at her mother with a bright smile.
"I made a maze! See, you go in from here," Yang's small finger pointed at the entrance of the maze, as she moved down starting to guide Summer through the maze before stopping at a dead end. The end being on the other side, Yang stared at the maze, her brain turning. Summer just smiled sweetly as she watched Yang. "And you're supposed to come out here but..."
"I think it's amazing Yang. So, what if you messed up, it's still amazing and very creative of you." Summer gently kissed Yang's forehead before kissing Ruby as well. Ruby peered over watching as Yang had a frown on her lips.
"I can eat them off for you." Ruby offered with a smile that made Yang turn towards Ruby. A tug on Yang's lips turned into a smile as she giggled.
"No silly! They just must hop the wall to make it through is all!" Yang explained as Ruby peered over. She went to grab one making Summer chuckle.
"Ruby stop eating them." Ruby quickly drew back after summer words. "That is a good viewpoint, Yang. You must remain positive to make something negative work in your favor." Summer smiled as Yang looked up at Summer her purple eyes beaming.
"Ruby! Let's go hang them up in our room!" Yang turned to Ruby who smiled.
"Yeah!" She squirmed out of her seat as she grabbed onto her paper. Yang jumped off the seat before rushing upstairs with her paper in her hands. Ruby laughed as she followed Yang up to their room. Once in their room, they hung the two pictures next to each other. Yang's smile softened before turning to her sister, Ruby was looking at their pages.
"You're the best sister ever Rubes" Yang wrapped her arms around Ruby's shoulder. Ruby giggled and moved her arms around Yang's back.
Summer later that night, could hear talking from their room. When she went to investigate, Ruby and Yang were sitting on the beanbag that separated their bed. Ruby in Yang's lap, with a book in front of them. A smile on both of their faces, yang reading the words on the page in a low tone. Rubys' eyelids were half open, looking at the silly pictures in the book. Ruby looked over at her mom who peeked through the doorway, a soft smile on her face. One of love, happiness, and fulfillment. That was the last time she had that smile.
Ruby blinked as she felt tears falling down the side of her head. Sitting up quickly she whipped her eyes before looking over at the clock on her side table.5:00 had been an hour since she lay there, lost in her memory. Pulling out her phone she swiped on some notifications, nothing too important. She scanned her room, before laying eyes on a book, it had a leather cover. Slowly moving over to her desk, it had her name etched into the leather cover. Running her fingers over the cover she slowly wrapped her fingers on the edge. Before applying pressure the other half of the book was on the desk. Pages fly out with the force of the spine before landing on the last page that had been written on. The handwriting started pretty, with long strokes and straight lines. Turning into lines half done, some parts scribbled out, and some unreadable.
Taking a deep breath, she moved to some of the pages that were flipped behind the last page.
Dear mom,
I'm writing to you again. I know I keep bothering you up there, but I find it nice to write to you up there. It's easier than just writing out like a journal or some sappy thing. Something new in my life, well Qrow is taking me to live at Tai's house with him and Yang. I don't want to go, away from you. It's not fair that I must go. I have enough saved up for an apartment for a year! But here I am being thrown around like some doll. I just want to be able to continue going to a place where I feel comfortable. Is that so hard to ask for? Why must I keep going through these things that rupture what I had set in my life? I just want things to go back to normal. With you, Raven, and Qrow. The game nights, the movie nights, and just the laughter. Is it sad I haven't been able to laugh since you left? It is hard to even smile at times as well. I always wonder if you would be disappointed in me, for how I've been turning out. It's just hard, to accept that you're never coming back.
I don't want to make new friends, nor do I want to have to meet new people. I hate how many people already pity me. The face they make when someone finds out, makes me want to punch it out of them. And the way everyone asks how you passed, or how they pick and prude at me. It frustrates me because I just want to be left alone.
Anyway, that was all I had to update you on. I will visit tomorrow one last time, I hope you read this up there.
From
Ruby
Ruby sighed as she ran her fingers across the page. It had been two months since she had last written a letter to her mother. She had so much gone on that she just, lost track of time. Sitting down, Rubys' fingers wrapped around a pen and started to move to the next page over. Her wrist started to move in a flow of words made its way onto the page.
Dear Mom,
It's been a while…
Ruby sighed as she scanned the long page she had just written out. She detailed a lot that had been going on in her life and it was a lot. Looking up from the page there was a loud booming of music starting to pound the walls of her room. A frustrated sigh left her throat as she looked over at the time.9:00 pm. Yang's party must have started full force from the music and loud noise coming from downstairs. The burn in her throat made her stand up, and start walking to her bedroom door. Curiosity and the need to feel something other than this burning in her. As she opened the door, no one was in the hallway to the stairs and the bedroom which surprised Ruby. Till she looked down, she saw a gate closing off the area to upstairs from the kitchen.
Ruby could feel her heart squeeze a bit from the simple action someone had taken. Thanking them in her head, she moved down the stairs to see a buzz of people flooding the kitchen, living room, and yards. All laughing, dancing, and smiles on their face. Most had cups in their hands as Ruby examined the crowd of people. Everyone was conversing when she noticed Yang, she was laughing with Blake in her arms. Taking a deep breath Ruby slid over the gate before sliding past people who bumped and crowded her. She scanned the kitchen before her eyes found the punch that people poured into the cups. She walked over to it, her fingers wrapping around a cup as she poured some into her cup. She went to go back upstairs but stopped at the bottle of vodka sitting next to the punch. Her fingers twitched before she reached and grabbed it, before making her way to her bedroom. Hopping over the gate she made her way up to the bedroom.
She took a deep breath once she had entered her room, before turning towards her window that beamed the moonlight. Moving closer to her window, her eyes examined the stars before the will to see them better filled her. She opened the window, moving her legs out and then her top half out onto the roof that rested outside her window. Grabbing the drinks, she took; she climbed up the other half of the house that was closer to the sky. There she found a spot to lay. She sighed in contentment, her eyes scanning the stars that beamed from the pitch-black sky. Taking sips from her drink, the buzz from the alcohol made her body relax into a state of nothingness. Staring up at the sky she breathed out softly, her mind resting in the thoughts of nothingness.
"Ruby?" Ruby quickly sat up at the sound of her name, turning her head she was met with a pair of eyes of fire. Cinder was kneeling on the edge of the roof where she had just climbed up to get to where she was.
"What are you doing?" Ruby spilled out while she watched Cinder stand up, walking her way over to where Ruby was lying,
"To escape the horde of people," Cinder confessed as she sat next to Ruby, enough to keep an arm's length. Ruby hummed, as she sipped on her drink that had just been vodka after the third cup. Making a sound she put the cup to the side, she laid back down, her body in a constant state of relaxation.
"There are too many." She spoke making Cinder chuckle.
"That is an understatement. Yang sure knows how to invite everyone." Ruby perked up a bit before turning over to Cinder at the sound of her sister's name. "Even you, which this doesn't seem to be your normal scene to be anyways." Ruby sighed a bit as she looked back at the sky, taking another sip of her drink.
"I live here and currently this is the only place that has some semblance of quietness." Cinder's eyebrow moved upwards.
"You're Yang's sibling she's been talking about. How I didn't piece it together surprises me." She just chuckled before taking a drink from her cup.
"Yeah yeah" Ruby just rolled her eyes at the mention of her sibling as she just sighed. Cinder hummed as she took a deep breath of the cool air that rested around them.
"It's nice up here, away from the constant chatter," Cinder spoke out softly as Ruby hummed in agreement.
"How do you know my sister?" Ruby asked as she took a big swig of her drink making her couch a bit. Cinder chuckled at the question that Ruby spoke out.
"She and I have known each other since middle school. I used to… not be a nice person, taking my anger out on the people around me. I used to pick on her then we would fight in middle school and then leading up to high school. Then my father passed away, and it was like my whole world was flipped upside down. He was a very famous photographer before he had passed. My mother passed away a few years ago in a tragic house fire. After that, he got into drugs, my grandma got him to rehab but… he passed out of an overdose the night before. Yang was the only one who was there for me after everything had happened. I don't hang out with her much, but she is a good friend to me." Ruby stared over at Cinder her eyes widening a bit from the story she was telling. Ruby took another swing of her drink. Cinder was now looking up at the stars, she had a sorrowful expression. Ruby looked away taking a deep breath.
"Why would you tell me that?" Cinder hummed at Rubys' question before shrugging.
"I'm drunk, and don't care if people care anymore or not. It still hurts thinking about it don't get me wrong, but time heals." Ruby looked at the sky her hands tightly wrapped around the cup in her hand. The alcohol made her heart rate beat up as she looked over at Cinder and then back at the sky.
"My mom passed away in a car accident. A semi-carrying steam beam broke too hard. I was distracting my mom with the song that had just come on, and she didn't stop in time. I blinked and she had a metal beam sticking out of her stomach. Her last words ring so clearly in my ears when I talk about it." Ruby confessed her hands clutching tightly while she did her best to stop the swirling emotions from rising. Cinder laid next to Ruby quietly before she spoke in a soft tone, that only the wind and Ruby would hear.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that. I know everyone says that though. I understand the pain of what you went through in a way and hated when people said I'm sorry to me after it happened. But I'm glad you're still here. If not, I bet you would have people who would have missed you dearly. And hey I wouldn't have a running buddy." Cinder chuckled as Ruby rolled her eyes but a small smile crossed her lips at Cinder's words.
"I hadn't told anyone other than my one friend what had happened. Tch, you're lucky I'm drunk otherwise I'd have walked away when I saw your face. But it. it's comforting to finally get it off my chest in some way. To have someone who understands a bit of the pain, and not pushing me to talk about it." Ruby confessed as she could feel Cinder move a bit closer to her, their arms both touching just a smidge. Ruby looked over at Cinder who was looking towards her.
"I'm glad you told me. I'll take it to the grave with me before I let anyone else know." Cinder spoke before turning to look back at the moon that had shifted ever so slightly. Ruby could feel her heart start to pound against her chest, her eyes examining the face of Cinder. Her molten fire eyes are soft against the moonlight, her face smooth, with some wrinkles around her lip and eyes. She had a small scar next to her ear.
"How did you get that?" Ruby blurted out, not much thought going into her brain.
"Hm? Oh, that? Just a scuffle with Yang. She had kicked a rock hard that cut the side of my head. It's been a scar ever since." Ruby stared at it before she chuckled, a light soft chuckle that filled Cinder's ear.
"That's lame, you should make a better story." Cinder moved her head to look at Ruby, she let out a soft laugh from the sound of Ruby's laugh. Her heart racing against her ribcage, like she had downed 4 energy drinks before this.
"Hey, I think that is a very cool story thank you very much. I just gave you the simplified version." Ruby had a smile on her lips, something that Cinder hadn't seen before. Cinder's eyes stared at Ruby's, examining how Ruby's eyes glycine in the moonlight. How her smile was like the moonlight itself, not as bright as the sun that would bring brightness to anyone around. Her smile was like a soft moonlight, that would shine onto the people that trusted the moon at night.
"So, what got you into running?" Cinder asked, making Ruby humed thinking of an answer.
"I am unsure. I just have always been good at it. And my mother encouraged it since I was super good in middle school. I sometimes feel like that is the only thing I'm good at." Ruby confessed before Cinder snorted a bit. Ruby snapped her head over to Cinder, her eyebrows furrowed together and her mouth open.
"Sorry, but that's stupid. From what Yang told me you graduated two years early in high school! You're smart! Plus, you're going into one of the hardest programs that Beacon has to offer! That's talent to me." Ruby stared at Cinder; she could feel the heat rise to her cheeks before turning away.
'no one has ever complimented me like that…'Ruby thought to herself as she could feel her heart pound harder against her rib cage.
"Thanks… I guess" Ruby muttered as Cinder just chuckled at the response. "What got you into running?" Ruby asked in return as Cinder smiled.
"I felt powerful and free when I ran. Now it just takes the edge off my competitiveness." Cinder moved her fingers to wrap around a ring that was on her middle finger.
"You know, it's crazy how similar yet… not we are," Ruby said in a hushed whisper making Cinder hum in agreement.
"That is true. Do you know that you remind me of a rose?" Ruby suddenly snorted out in a small laugh a smile on her lips.
"That is the most random thing you had to say, but let me hear this, why do I remind you of a rose Cinder?" Cinder rolled her eyes at Ruby's words as she turned on her side to face Ruby.
"Well, red is somehow always on you. You have thorns like a rose, yet beautiful like one too." Ruby could feel her face burn red as she huffs turning her head.
"Flatter" Ruby muttered making Cinder laugh as she moved back onto her back towards the sky.
"Just being honest" Ruby rolled her eyes, but a smile crept up her lips as she took a deep breath.
"I do like your eyes. They remind me of the comfort of fire." Ruby confessed as she took a swing of the bottle that was 2/3 of the way gone. Cinder turned towards her; her cheeks had dashes of red that were illuminated by the moonlight.
"Oh? That's a new one. Well, thank you, Ruby." Ruby just nodded as she could feel her eyes drifting a bit but blinked to make it go away. A silence fell over them once again, both just staring at the sky. Listening to each other's breathing, the wind gently pressing against them, and the sounds of crickets of the night. Ruby could feel her heart slow more, her body falling into a numb state from relaxation.
Cinder jerked as the feel of something landed on her shoulder making her tilt her head to look over. Ruby's eyes closed; her head lay against Cinder's shoulder. Cinder could feel the heat rise to her cheeks as she stared at Rubys' sleeping form. She had a soft peaceful expression on her face. Her chest slowly raised with her breathing, then down as a breath escaped past her lips. A small smile made it to Cinder's lips as she slowly reached over, gently tucking a strand of hair that covered Ruby's face, behind her ear. She suddenly drew her hand back to rest on her stomach letting Ruby rest her head on her shoulder. Letting a deep breath escape her throat she made sure to decide Ruby was fully asleep by poking her stomach.
Cinder watched closely for a response, but nothing. Taking a deep breath, she moved out of the position of lying down to standing up. Making sure Ruby didn't fall she gently wrapped her arms around Ruby and pulled her up into a princess hold. Making her way down the other side of the roof she gently squeezed her way through the window with Ruby in her arms. Making it through, she examined the bedroom, there wasn't much to it. Cinder adjusted Ruby in her arms before noticing Ruby's bed on the right of her. Moving over to Ruby's bed, she gently put Ruby down. A soft noise came from Ruby as she quickly curled a bit onto her side. Still asleep, Cinder let out a sigh of relief before grabbing Ruby's blanket and gently pulling it up to Ruby's shoulder.
Looking down, Cinder smiled softly before examining the side table, then behind her to the desk. Cinder walked over to her desk, gently picking up the item she was looking for. Moving back to the side of the bed she reached onto the floor and pulled a charger. Her slim fingers wrapped around a phone, with a crimson-red case. Gently pressing her thumb into the side, a click could be heard and a flash of light illuminated from the phone. The background was Ruby holding a trophy, she seemed to be around 16 with a big smile. An older version of her stood next to her with the smile of the sun, arms wrapped around Ruby.
"must be your mother huh," Cinder spoke softly before sliding the phone open. She went to her contacts before her fingers froze, her eyes widening as she examined the phone.
One word made her blood freeze
"Flame"