Diva - Chapter 25

What was worse than riding the bus on the weekend?  Riding the bus on the weekend while lugging around a canvas-sized cardboard box.  Her most recent painting hid inside, nestled in much less protective cover than she would like.  Every time the bus lurched over a pothole - or a curb in one instance - she struggled to keep her balance while preventing the painting from banging around too much.

When a limousine cruised past the bus at one of the stops, she forgot all about the painting and craned her neck as if she could see through the tinted glass.  She didn’t get a good look at the driver, unfortunately, but her heart still did a crazy little jig as she silently scolded it for being so jumpy.

If she had known that taking a side job at Crescent Productions would leave her with a massive, unrequited crush that would put her on constant cardiac alert for the rest of her life, she might not have taken it.  

Except that she would have still taken it, and she didn’t regret anything.

Fortunately, her stop arrived and saved her from another mental journey testing the depths of missing someone.  The bus was so crowded that she couldn't reach the cable to signal that she needed to get off, but she motioned to one of the few people sitting near the window who wasn’t sleeping or tuning out the world with thick headphones and loud music.  The young woman pulled the thin cable, so Ruby gratefully smiled before maneuvering her way to the door with plenty of “excuse me”s and “sorry, coming through”s.

Two steps and a small hop later, she hurried into the apartment building that she knew like the back of her hand.  She waited for the lumbering elevator since taking the stairs while carrying an incredibly bulky object sounded as enjoyable as strolling barefoot through a field of thistles.  Thankfully, the elevator wasn’t as busy as the buses, depositing her on her floor in no time at all.

She reached for the door handle before stopping herself and knocking instead.  Footsteps approached, a metal lock slid out of place, and Yang pulled the door open a second later.

“Why’re you knocking?” she asked while stepping aside and motioning Ruby in.  “You still have a key.”

“Just because I have a key doesn’t mean I should use it.”  Ruby leaned the box against the back of the sofa and started opening it to make sure everything was still intact.  “I’m sure you and Blake are already used to doing whatever you want whenever and wherever you want.  I don’t want to barge in and burn the rest of my corneas.”

“Worrying about getting caught is part of the fun, though!”

Ruby stopped what she was doing and stared at Yang but rolled her eyes when Yang just waggled her brow.

“I’ll use my key for emergencies only.  Spicing up your and Blake’s sex life isn’t an emergency.”

Blake walked into the living room right as Ruby made that proclamation, pausing before tilting her head and turning to Yang for an explanation.

“I was just telling Ruby that worrying about someone walking in is part of the fun.  She disagrees.”

“It’s not that I disagree -”  Yang’s brow instantly shot up, so Ruby waved her hands and hurriedly added, “I wouldn't know.  And that’s not why I’m here.  I told Winter I’d get this to her by noon, but I can’t have it banging around on the bus for another half hour or it’ll be a blue smear.”  

Ruby pulled out the canvas and breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn’t already a blue smear.  It was still very much a blue mountain, which Yang and Blake leaned forward to inspect more closely.

“Woah.”  Yang glanced at Ruby before turning back to the painting.  “This is awesome, Ruby.  And really…different.  Reminds me of the stuff Mom used to do.”

“It’s gorgeous,” Blake added softly.  “I love all the blue.”

“Thanks.  Blue’s kind of been my thing recently.”  Ruby shrugged off any further explanation, but Yang glanced between her and the painting several times before beaming.

“Look at you, you official artist!”  Yang tried to rustle Ruby’s hair but settled on shaking Ruby by the shoulder when Ruby dodged like a master ninja.  “But what could you possibly need from plebeians like us?”

“Bubble wrap.”  When Yang’s grin morphed into a purely befuddled expression, Ruby motioned to her naked painting.  “You know what Mom said about carrying these around unprotected!  Might as well be begging for a copy on the inside of the box.”

Yang was laughing before Ruby finished the explanation.  “You’re too young to be making baby paintings,” she joked before nudging Blake’s side.  Once Blake rolled her eyes, Yang added, “But I don’t think we’ve got any bubble wrap around here.”

“You do.  I left a roll under your bed.”

“Under our bed?”  Yang swiveled around when Blake nodded and walked down the hall.  “Wh - Why is it under our bed?”

“Because I couldn't find a good spot for it and Blake suggested putting it under your bed.”  Thinking about the location now, Ruby narrowed her eyes at Yang.  “It better not be all popped.”

“That’d be kind of cool though…”

“Awkward,” Ruby corrected.  “You mean awkward.”

“Eh.”  Yang shrugged as Blake returned with the large roll of bubble wrap.  “Looks fine,” Yang mused, but Blake handed the roll to Ruby and shot Yang a smug look.

“What?  You thought we’d pop it?”

“I mean…you know how you get sometimes...”

“I’ve missed this so much,” Ruby interrupted while carefully returning the canvas to the cardboard cover she’d made and then covering the entire thing in bubble wrap.

“You know you’ve missed it a little,” Yang teased, but Ruby rolled her eyes and finished wrapping up her artwork rather than admit that Yang spoke with an element of truth.

“No unplanned paintings today,” she concluded once the painting was wrapped.  She slid it back into the box and then brushed off her hands.  “Can I get this later?” she asked, gesturing to the remaining bubble wrap.

“Of course.”  Blake side-eyed Yang before adding, “I’ll put it somewhere else.”

“Thanks, Blake.  Wouldn't want someone to get any big ideas.”

They both shot Yang dubious looks, so Yang innocently raised her hands.  “It’s not my fault I’m filled with big ideas!”  She laughed when they shook their heads and then tapped Ruby’s shoulder for her attention.  “Blake’s obviously not going to admit it, but she dragged me to see your movie again last night.  She loves it.”

Blake clicked her tongue and elbowed Yang’s side before brushing a hand through her hair and shaking her head.  “It’s a thief falling in love with the cop who’s supposed to arrest her - what’s not to love?”

“You keep saying that, but I still don’t see it.  They’re frenemies, at best.”

“That’s what the sequel’s for.  Right?”

The question was directed to Ruby, who mimed zipping her mouth shut and tossing away the key.  Yang scrunched up her nose at the reaction, but Blake nodded with vindication.

“Weiss is a great actress, too,” Blake added.  “It feels like she’s not acting most of the time.”

Ruby’s heart lurched at Weiss’ name, but she bobbed her head and struggled to smile when Blake and Yang waited for her response.  “Yeah,” she croaked out before clearing her throat and trying again.  “Yeah, she’s really good at…handling her emotions.”

“It sounded like she only had one emotion when you started working with her,” Yang pointed out with a light laugh.  

Ruby frowned, remembering that period of her life.  Weiss had put her through the wringer, but she understood now that Weiss was just really good at pushing people away.  Ruby couldn't blame Weiss for protecting herself any more than Weiss could blame Ruby for protecting herself in return.

“Yeah…”  Ruby scratched at the corner of the box before shoving past the deeply rooted pining she still held for Weiss.  “She just takes a while to warm up to people,” she said in Weiss’ defense.

Yang’s eyes narrowed slightly, but Blake nudged Yang’s arm and motioned to Ruby.  When Yang didn’t immediately catch on, Blake said, “Don’t you have something for Ruby?”

“Do I?  Oh!  I do!”  Ruby’s brow scrunched up while Yang fished her phone from her pocket and leaned against the back of the sofa.  “I was going through old photos and realized I never sent you these.”  While Ruby stood up to look, her own phone started pinging with messages.  “I figured -”  Yang paused when Blake cleared her throat.  “Blake figured you’d want them.”

Curious, Ruby pulled out her phone and tapped on Yang’s first message.  As soon as the picture took up her screen, however, her heart returned to the achy, limp mode she’d struggled with ever since the last day on set.

The first few photos were of her paintings on the day they were hung in The Diamond Gallery.  She slowly scrolled through each one, silently marveling at how much had changed since then.  The original set of paintings, of which Yang had apparently separately photographed, none remained.  Winter had been serious about having clients who enjoyed Ruby’s style, and she had invited all of them to see Ruby’s work…then Ruby had to replace that work.

A fond smile found its way onto Ruby’s lips as she remembered that day, but every fiber in her being seized when she reached a photo of her and Weiss.  Just seeing Weiss was always enough to release butterflies in Ruby’s chest, but a steady line of sadness joined the soft flutter of wings.

Yang took the photo before Ruby was ready - she was too busy beaming at Weiss as if Weiss just told the world’s greatest joke.  Weiss was looking at Ruby, staring right into Ruby’s eyes, with one of those ‘not-really-there’ smiles that Ruby had learned to spot from across the studio.

In the next few photos, she and Weiss both smiled for the camera.  Weiss’ smile was practiced and perfect.  Ruby’s was closer to a kid-like beam.  She hadn’t noticed at the time, but she had wrapped an arm around Weiss’ waist to gently hold her closer, and Weiss leaned into the touch in return.

“You look cute together,” Blake commented, pulling the emergency brake on Ruby’s roller coaster of emotions.  Ruby glanced up, noticed the way they were studying her, and shoved her phone into her pocket.

“She’d look cute with anyone.” 

“Sure…” Yang replied.  “But there’s a difference between looking cute with someone and looking cute with someone, you know what I mean?”

Yang gestured with her hands as if that statement made complete sense, but Ruby scrunched up her nose and shook her head.  

“She’s an actress.  It’s her job to look good for photos.”

While Yang and Blake exchanged glances, Ruby checked the time and sprang into motion.  “Shoot.  I need to go or I’ll be late.  And I really doubt Winter appreciates people being late.”

“Want a ride?” Yang offered.

Ruby looked at the box, mentally calculated how long the bus would take, and grimaced.

“If you don’t mind?”

“Not even a little bit.”  Yang grabbed her keys off the table and kissed Blake on the cheek.  “Be right back, gorgeous.  Then maybe we’ll try out that bubblewrap.”

“You’re the worst,” Ruby whined when Yang winked at her.

“Need help with that?” 

Yang pointed at the box, but Ruby shook her head and picked it up.  “Got it over here, didn’t I?” she replied before smiling at Blake - she would have waved if she had a free hand - and following Yang into the hall.  

There, she focused on carrying her painting to the elevator rather than coming up with a conversation.  Her feet only liked to work properly if she devoted her mental capacity to them.  Otherwise, she would trip, fall, and somehow damage her bubble-wrapped painting.  How she could damage it after packaging it so securely, she didn’t know.  All she knew was that she had a secret talent for finding those answers.  She only breathed a small sigh of relief after making it downstairs and safely storing the box in the trunk of Yang and Blake’s car.

“Think you’ll get a car now that you’re a famous artist?” Yang asked while slipping into the driver’s seat. 

“I like taking the bus!”  Ruby settled into the passenger seat and quickly snapped her seatbelt in place.  “It can be a pain sometimes, but at least I don’t have to worry about parking or repairs.”

“You just have to worry about being late.”

“You worry about being late, too,” Ruby pointed out, but Yang chuckled and brushed off the comment before navigating them out of the parking lot.  “Besides,” Ruby added.  “Selling a few paintings doesn’t mean I’m swimming in money.”

“Not yet.”

Ruby grunted and leaned her elbow against the door to watch the streets slide by at a faster pace than the bus could ever reach.  She never expected to become rich as an artist - realistically, she never would be.  That didn’t stop her from wanting to create the images in her mind and share them with the world.  Seeing and hearing people’s reactions was more than enough for her, like when Weiss found out that Ruby had made the artworks for the scene in the museum.

“You doing ok?” Yang eventually asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“I don’t know…you’re living on your own now, so I don’t get to check in on you as much.”

“I’m not a baby,” Ruby grumbled while they stopped at a traffic light.

“Yeah, I know.”  Yang tapped the steering wheel before glancing over.  “Have you talked to Weiss recently?”

Ruby’s heart squeezed at the mere mention of Weiss’ name, but she avoided eye contact at all costs and tried to remain nonchalant as she said, “No.  Why would I do that?”

“Because it feels like you’ve got a huge crush on her.”

Ruby’s brow shot up but, thankfully, Yang had to focus on driving rather than cataloging the response.

“What?  Why do you think that?”

“Just a hunch.  You went from saying that she could make the devil cry out of jealousy to inviting her to see your paintings and blushing whenever her name comes up.  I might be blonde, but I’m not dumb.”

Ruby hadn’t realized that she blushed whenever she heard Weiss’ name, though she didn’t doubt that it was true.  As for the rest…of course she stopped comparing Weiss to the devil once she learned who Weiss really was.  She just…hadn’t expected anyone else to notice.

“I don’t want to bother her…” she admitted, deflating into the seat as the admission slipped out.  Yang, however, chuckled.

“When I started dating Blake, I blew up her phone like I sold dynamite for a living.  And she became my number one customer.”

“She liked you too though,” Ruby pointed out.  “What if you weren’t sure that she did?”

“I probably would’ve been just as annoying.”  After stopping at the next light, Yang turned to Ruby and shrugged a shoulder.  “Silence never did anyone any good.  We think too much.”

Ruby pursed her lips at the advice before eventually nodding and turning her attention back outside.  She could reach out first.  She could do that.  She just didn’t know if she could do that right now.  Breaking the silence would only prove that she was far more invested than Weiss, and…she didn’t want to face that fact yet.

As the streets grew more familiar, she spotted the gallery up ahead.  After checking the time, she relaxed.  From possibly being late to arriving early - Yang had saved the day this time.

“Here we go.”  Stopping in front of the art gallery, Yang turned to Ruby.  “You still take pictures of everything, right?”

“Yeah.  Why?”

“So we have something to remember them by when they go on someone else’s wall.”  

Yang’s small smile halted Ruby’s planned response about how she would always remember them.  She held her tongue and nodded instead.  “I have a folder of pictures on my phone,” she added.  “So, you know, if I ever get eaten by sharks, you’ll always have those.”

“You’ll make sure to toss your phone out of the water before the sharks get you?”

“Of course.  That’s the first thing I’ll do, obviously.”

“You’ve always had your priorities straight,” Yang replied, chuckling as Ruby undid her seat belt and hopped out of the car.  She retrieved her painting from the trunk and, once she had it safely on the sidewalk, waved.  Yang returned the wave before heading home, taking her patient but always good advice with her.  Ruby, meanwhile, lugged the ornery box into the gallery.

“Hey, Fiona!” she called out to the receptionist, who half-stood as if she would rush to Ruby’s aid.  Ruby reached the desk first and leaned the box around it.  “Made it in one piece,” she added with an exaggerated sigh of relief.  

“It always seems to be a small miracle.”

“You have no idea.”  

Ruby grinned at Fiona before her gaze was drawn to the far side of the gallery, where Winter stood with an elderly gentleman in front of one of her paintings.  Seeing Winter always sent a sharp tingle down her spine - not altogether painful or enjoyable but definitely not normal.  Winter looked so similar to Weiss that they could be mistaken for twins if someone glanced at them from a distance.  Ruby tried not to do that since seeing Weiss, even briefly, would open the floodgates of thoughts and emotions that she had so far kept contained.

Thankfully, another aspect that Winter and Weiss shared was a commendable level of professionalism.  So, despite Ruby’s overwhelming desire to inundate Winter with questions on how Weiss was doing and a burning need to know if Weiss ever mentioned her, Winter acted as if their relationship began and ended at the gallery doors.

“Does she ever take a day off?” Ruby asked once Winter motioned that she would be over in a minute.

“Rarely,” Fiona sighed.  “I’ve been trying to set her up with one of my friends for months, but she always says she’s too busy.”

“Sounds like you need to bring your friend to her.”  When Fiona’s brow creased, Ruby motioned around them.  “They could meet here, then Winter can show off how much she knows.  It’s always impressive to meet someone great at their job, right?”

“You might be onto something…” Fiona mused before ducking behind her desk when Winter walked over, along with the gentleman.

“Ruby, this is Mr. Gerald.”  While Ruby politely smiled and shook his hand, Winter added, “He’s purchased two of your pieces so far and insisted on being here when you delivered the next one.”

“I said I’d camp here all day if I had to,” he added while briefly clasping his hand over Ruby’s.  “I was a fan of your mother, as well.  Such talented work, both of you.  You can feel the soul in every canvas.”

“You…know my mom’s work?” 

“Oh, yes.  I have several of her pieces in my collection.  Imagine my joy when Winter invited me to come see a new artist whose style felt similar yet…new and refreshed.  It took a while to wrangle the connection out of Ms. Schnee though.”  Ruby shot a grateful glance at Winter, but he chuckled to himself and gestured to the box.  “May I see it?”

“Uh, sure!  Of course.”

Having never met a fan of her mom’s before, Ruby had a thousand questions she could unleash like water from a fire hose if now was the time or place.  She unpacked her painting instead and leaned it against the reception desk before standing aside so that he and Winter could see it.

“Oh…this is lovely,” he mused.  Winter studied it with a much keener eye, but even she eventually nodded.  “You can feel the yearning in it,” he added.  “Almost as if you’re longing to be there, surrounded by all this wonderful blue.”

Ruby’s brow shot up at the astute remark, but she rubbed the back of her neck and hoped that no one could read her mind.  

“Is it acceptable then?” Winter asked.  

As Ruby tilted her head in confusion, he nodded and said, “More than acceptable.  I know just where we’ll put it.”  

Ruby glanced at Winter, but Winter let only a partial smile show while lightly clasping her hands in front of her.  “Excellent,” she said as she did a rich man’s impersonation of Weiss.  “Would you like us to have it delivered to you?”

“I would, yes.”  As soon as Winter nodded to Fiona, who took the painting for more professional packaging, Mr. Gerald smiled warmly at Ruby and reached out to shake her hand again.  “It was wonderful to meet you.  I hope to see more from you soon.”

“Thank you!  You definitely will.”

Satisfied with that response, he dipped his chin to Winter before heading out of the gallery.  Ruby watched him go, still stunned into silence at the unexpected encounter, before turning to Winter.  She opened her mouth, ready to let one of her many questions fly, but stopped herself when she remembered that Winter wasn’t actually the same as Weiss, and they didn’t yet have the type of rapport to withstand firing questions as if they were loaded into a machine gun.

“He seems nice,” she commented instead.  Winter nodded.

“He’s a lovely man.”  Winter slowly turned and stepped toward her office, silently prompting Ruby to follow.  “It’s good to have benefactors like Mr. Gerald,” Winter commented on the way.  “Once he and his wife find an artist they love, they buy new works for years to come.”

“Is that what they did with my mom?”

Winter paused for a second before looking down at Ruby.

“Yes, they did.”

“That’s…that’s pretty cool.”

It was more than cool.  It was one of the most unexpected yet awesome things that Ruby had ever heard.  And, in a weird way, she felt more connected to her mom than she ever had before.  Through a random art collector who happened to love both of their paintings…who knew?

She was so caught up in that remarkable news that when Winter opened the door to her office and motioned inside, she stepped through without a second thought.  Then she froze.  Then her brain stopped working entirely.

Weiss, meanwhile, stood from one of the chairs and clasped her hands in front of her.  From outward appearances, she looked exactly how Ruby remembered - flawless porcelain skin, soft white hair, stunning blue eyes, impeccable style.  Yet she had never looked so hesitant and unsure, as if her typical confidence had evaporated and left her with nothing but uncertainty.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Winter murmured before shutting the door, leaving Ruby facing the person who had occupied all of her free thoughts and dreams over the past few months.  Before Ruby came up with anything to say, however, Weiss softly cleared her throat.

“I know what you’re probably thinking…how lame am I, using my sister to get you here when I could have called you myself -”

Weiss’ voice snapped Ruby out of her trance, drawing her across the space between them so that she could pull Weiss into a hug.  Her heart felt so warm and fuzzy that she might as well have just downed an entire bottle of alcohol, and that feeling doubled when Weiss sighed and melted into the embrace as if she’d turned into butter on a hot day.

“I wasn’t thinking that,” Ruby mumbled into Weiss’ hair, taking a deep breath of flowers that set her senses ablaze.  “I was thinking that I didn’t bring your coffee,” she added, smiling when a soft laugh slipped through Weiss’ lips.

“I’ll forgive you this time…I got it myself this morning.”

“Did the baristas survive?”

“Some of them,” Weiss mumbled into Ruby’s shirt, burrowing into Ruby’s shoulder and squeezing Ruby tighter.  Ruby tried not to let her heart escape from her chest, but a higher level of happiness couldn't possibly exist.  Someone might as well have strapped her to a rocket and blasted her into space where she could orbit around Weiss’ existence forever.

Weiss broke the silence.  She made the first move.  And Ruby couldn't even comprehend what that meant or how to digest the information.

“What’re you doing here?” she asked instead, keeping her voice soft so as not to disturb the warm hum of reconnection.  Weiss pulled away then, but only far enough so that she could search Ruby’s eyes.  

“I’m here to see you…was that not obvious?”

Ruby laughed - she couldn't help it - but shook her head and gently squeezed Weiss’ sides.  “Weiss, nothing you do is obvious,” she replied.  Weiss pursed her lips and let her gaze fall to the floor, where it remained for several moments until she looked back up.

“Well, I’m here to see you,” she stated so plainly that Ruby’s heart trembled.  “Because I’ve…I’ve missed you, I guess.”

Weiss clearly lost resolve at the last second, and frowned at herself for it, but that was everything Ruby needed to hear.  With that inkling of opportunity, she could finally admit her feelings to the person who had held onto her heart for some time now.

“I missed you, too.”  When Weiss’ gaze snapped to hers, Ruby nodded and stepped closer, keeping her hands on Weiss’ sides all the while.  “I’ve been thinking about you all the time.  That’s basically the only thing I do other than fly through blue paint.”

“Only blue?  I thought you were an equal opportunity colorist.”

Despite what sounded like an utterly serious comment, Ruby laughed again.  Not only was she overjoyed that they were back in each other’s company, but she couldn't believe that Weiss remembered that remark, too.

“I was, but I couldn't get you out of my head, and blue makes me think of you.”  Ruby motioned to Weiss’ eyes, which were just as blue and mesmerizing as she remembered.

“I’ve gone through your sketchbook at least a thousand times.”  The reply felt almost as competitive as it was an admission.  “I should probably just become an artist myself now.”

“I’m sure you’d be incredible.  It seems like you’re amazing at everything you put your mind to.”

“Of course I am.”  The instinctive response elicited Ruby’s smile, but Weiss’ brow furrowed as she stared at the crook of Ruby’s elbow.  “Except for one thing,” she whispered so softly that Ruby almost didn’t hear her.  Ruby heard the sigh and recognized the apology in Weiss’ eyes when Weiss finally met her gaze.  

“I’m…not good at talking about my feelings.  But with you, it’s…different - and I tried, but I just didn’t know if you - or even how to -”

Weiss stopped and shook her head, looking so frustrated at herself or with the situation that Ruby’s urge to help kicked in.

“So you asked Winter to get me here?” Ruby prodded.

“I did.”

“Why?  Did you lose my number?” 

“No, I just lost the courage to use it.”

When Ruby tilted her head, Weiss sighed and let her shoulders slouch further than Ruby had ever seen them.

“When we were working together, I knew that you had to respond, and I took advantage of that.  But once filming ended, I worried that you might…not.”

Ruby shook her head but, now that the dam had been broken, Weiss continued.

“Then I convinced myself that I should leave you alone since you probably didn’t actually like talking to me.  Or that you only humored me to get your art in Winter’s gallery, but I realized how stupid that would be when Winter and I weren’t even talking at the time.  Then I thought it was just a film thing, like people getting together at summer camp but never planning on it lasting longer than that.  Or that you were just pitying me like some poor, unlikeable celebrity.”

“Wow.”  Ruby shook her head and struggled for words.  “I…didn’t realize you’d think about it so much.”

“I did,” Weiss admitted, finally inching out of Ruby’s embrace.  Ruby recognized the distance as self-defense, so she let Weiss have it - for now, at least - while she sorted out her thoughts.  

“It feels like that’s all I’ve been doing.  Thinking.  Overthinking.  Wondering if I was just crazy, or stupid, or reading into things more than I should have.”

“You weren’t.”  

Ruby shook her head and edged closer.  Weiss didn’t back away.  She studied Ruby’s eyes in that intent way she had, searching for answers to questions only she knew.  Ruby wished that she could hear them but, in the resulting silence, remained as motionless and patient as someone hoping to win a skittish lion’s trust.  She had laid the groundwork through the time they worked together.  Now, she just needed to stretch her hand out and hope that Weiss trusted her enough to take the last little step.

Weiss opened her mouth and discarded her first response.  Then she did the improbable: stepped closer.

“I thought I knew how you felt but…then I got some mixed signals and started worrying you’d agree to something you didn’t actually want.  So I couldn't bring myself to ask.  Not when you had other reasons to say yes, like wanting to keep your job.”

Weiss circled the point like someone searching for parking on Christmas Eve, but Ruby thought she knew what Weiss wanted to say.  So she decided to take a big, giant leap of faith.

“I convinced myself that you only kissed me for practice.  That it meant nothing.”

“That’s what I wanted you to think,” Weiss sighed.  “Because otherwise I kissed you because I wanted to kiss you, and that would make me just as bad as Cardin.  I don’t want to be anything like Cardin, trying to get with every pretty PA who walks through the doors…”

“But -” Ruby began before a more important thought crowded out that response.  “Wait - you think I’m pretty?”

Weiss froze for a split second and then sighed.

“You are, and you don’t even realize it, which only makes you more attractive.”

Ruby could take that compliment to the bank and deposit it for a million dollars.  She might even meet a talking unicorn and dance under a few rainbows on the way there.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Weiss eventually asked.

“Because you think I’m pretty.”  The comment, and Weiss’ startled reaction to it, buzzed through Ruby’s veins.  “And you’re nothing like Cardin,” she added.  “You asked first, for one thing.  I could have said no, and I didn’t because…well, I wanted to kiss you, too.”

“But…why?”

“I don’t know if you’ve seen yourself, Weiss, but a lot of people would cut off a limb to kiss you.”  

As soon as Weiss’ brow furrowed, Ruby realized that the attempt at humor masked what Weiss needed to hear.  So she moved closer and set one hand on Weiss’ side, savoring the soft fabric under her fingertips as her skin tingled.  After spending the past few months fearing that they had lost everything they built, she was overjoyed to discover that it was still there, buzzing between them like electricity, tugging them closer like two magnets.

“Why wouldn't I want to kiss you?” she asked softly.  “You’re funny, generous, passionate about…a lot of things, especially if they aren’t going your way.”  A small smile tugged at the corner of Weiss’ mouth, so Ruby stepped closer and stopped when the space between them dwindled to near zero.  Her mouth dried out, especially at the way Weiss was looking at her, but she grasped onto her resolve like a lifeline.

“I want to kiss you again,” she admitted.  “With your permission, of course.”

Weiss’ smile tried even harder to appear, yet her eyes broadcast what her mouth wouldn't - joy and relief.  Confidence returned to her posture as she squared her shoulders and tilted her chin up.

“Cute,” she quipped before pulling Ruby into a kiss.

Ruby’s mind briefly blanked when Weiss’ mouth met hers, but her senses flared like the sun digesting another star.  Weiss’ soft lips moved against hers hesitantly at first but quickly gained a quiet certainty that threatened to steal her breath away.  Weiss’ arms wrapped around her neck, dragging her down and keeping them locked together.  Weiss’ fingers brushed through the short hairs at the back of her neck, sending tingles of thrill down her spine.

Sliding her hands around to rest on the small of Weiss’ back, Ruby used her fingertips to pull Weiss’ body against hers.  A soft gasp slipped through Weiss’ lips, shocking Ruby’s brain back into action.

This was real.  This was actually happening.  Weiss was kissing her.  She was kissing Weiss.  And it felt…right.

But all good things come to an end, and that kiss did when Weiss pulled away moments later.  Her blue eyes fluttered open and locked onto Ruby, who felt like someone just shoved a hanger into her mouth.

“That was awesome,” she breathed out, struggling to contain her heart while Weiss’ fingers still trailed through her hair.  “I’m sure you already know this, but you’re a great kisser.”

Ruby beamed, giddy at what had just transpired, and Weiss did something that she had never seen before but already wanted to see again: blushed.  

“Of course,” Weiss still said, though her gaze lingered on the floor before she collected herself and added, “I’m glad you think so.” 

The adorable, unexpected modesty deserved a good tease, but Ruby was too busy buzzing with other emotions to focus on one particular thought.  They just kissed.  The two of them.  She thought that Weiss didn’t even like her - that Weiss didn’t even want to see her again - but she was completely wrong.

“So, uh, in the interest of clarity…” she began regardless.  “Does this mean that you - and me -?”

Now she was so flustered that she couldn't finish her sentences.  Weiss, fortunately, seemed to have regained some of that impeccable poise that made her an incredible actress.  

“I really like you,” she stated without shying away from Ruby’s gaze.  “You’re sweet, kind, patient…but stubborn and hard-headed enough not to let me get my way.”

“You can’t win all the time.”

“Clearly, you don’t know me,” Weiss replied, though her haughty expression melted when Ruby laughed.  “Like that…” she sighed, relaxing in Ruby’s arms.  Ruby resisted the urge to bundle her up and pepper her with kisses because just holding her like this was more than enough for the moment.  Besides, when the lion finally licks your hand, you don’t immediately glomp onto them without risking imminent demise.

“Can you say you like me again?” she asked instead.

“I like you,” Weiss mumbled into Ruby’s shirt.  If she paid enough attention, she would hear Ruby’s heart beat a rhythm as steady as an elementary school percussion class.  In case she didn’t, Ruby hugged her closer and said, “I like you, too.”

That garnered Weiss’ focus in a hurry, as she looked up with disbelief in her eyes.  She held back her questions or argument though - she smiled and accepted the response.  As her hand found its way back into Ruby’s hair, her fingernails lightly scratching Ruby’s skin in the most pleasant way, something closer to worry seeped into her expression.

“I should warn you…it’s not easy to be with me, or even around me.  The studio is a bubble, but in the real world there’s paparazzi, tabloids, fans, very little privacy, too much expectation…”

“I’m sure that’ll take some getting used to,” Ruby admitted before grinning at the girl in her arms.  “But it kind of sounds like a piece of cake compared to getting to know you.”  Testing her boundaries, she reached out and squeezed Weiss’ hand, then laughed when Weiss stared down in shock.

“Better get used to it,” Ruby teased her.  “When we get back to set, everyone’s going to wonder what happened to the ‘real’ Weiss Schnee.”

One simple comment and hope lit up Weiss’ eyes.

“Does that mean you’re coming back?”

“Pretty sure I can fit it into my schedule.”  If Ruby hadn’t been sure before, she was committed to it now.  “Besides,” she added.  “I’d feel bad if some poor new PA got thrown into the woodchipper because I wasn’t there.”

“I’ve been known to do that…” Weiss mused.  Her expression changed when Ruby brushed a hand across her cheek.  “I don’t think I can change overnight.”

“It’s ok.  I get it.  Sometimes, life’s easier if you pretend.”

“It is.”  Weiss left the conversation dangling for several long moments before adding, “But I’d like to stop pretending.”

“I’d like that, too.”  Ruby beamed at Weiss, who looked very much like the rude, demanding actress she met so long ago, yet the air between them had completely changed.  They were holding hands, for one thing.  Talking, for another.  And, now that some of the air had been cleared, she finally understood where she stood.  Or approximately where she stood.

“Are you the one who bought a bunch of my paintings?” she asked when the thought popped into her mind, but Weiss scoffed.

“Winter convinced me to wait.”  Weiss clicked her tongue and shook her head.  “I knew I should’ve just taken all of them.  Now, some crusty old man probably has them hanging above his toilet.”

“Uh, ew.”

“Sorry,” Weiss sighed.  “I’ll get them back.  I just need to figure out where Winter keeps her client records…” 

“But you swore that your art-stealing days were behind you.”

Weiss paused and cast Ruby a glance.  Once Ruby grinned, a small smile slipped onto Weiss’ lips.

“You saw it?”

“Of course I did.  Opening night.”

Weiss waited for elaboration but, after only a second, gestured with one hand and asked, “What’d you think?”

“Honestly?  I loved it.  Cardin played a great somewhat-lovable asshole, Pyrrha’s easy to root for, and you kind of stole every scene.  Because you’re incredible, obviously, but also because I missed you.”

When Ruby slid her free hand down Weiss’ arm to hold Weiss’ other hand, Weiss stared at their intertwined fingers.  

“At least I have the paintings from the film,” she blurted out.

“They let you keep those?”

“‘Let’ is a fickle word.  But I have them in my possession.”

“You are an art thief!”  When Weiss cracked a smile, Ruby added, “What if they want them back?”

“Then Glynda can ask nicely and I might offer them on loan.  Or I’ll say they fell off the back of a truck somewhere.”  

Ruby laughed at the idea of Weiss lying to Ozpin or Glynda about the whereabouts of those paintings.  Weiss smiled before doing something headline-worthy: squeezing Ruby’s hand.

Weiss Schnee squeezing Ruby’s hand in a tender, affectionate, unsarcastic way?  Either she got a personality swap, or this was a dream, or this was real and Ruby’s very romantic feelings had somehow been returned.

“I didn’t like the idea of anyone else having your work,” Weiss admitted.  When Ruby chuckled, she looked up and asked, “What?”

“How about this - you’ll be the first to see everything I paint and, if you really like something, you can keep it.”

“You make it sound like I won’t get to keep everything.”

“Because eventually you’d need a warehouse for it all.”

“I can buy a warehouse.”

For a split second, Ruby thought Weiss was serious.  Then she spotted the small, almost imperceptible lift in the corner of Weiss’ mouth and started laughing.  Weiss smiled almost immediately.

“I understand,” she added.  “You have a gift and you want to share it.  I suppose I’m just…greedy.”

“Cute.”

Ruby beamed when Weiss’ brow rose at the term.  Then she pressed her luck even further by pecking Weiss on the lips.  Weiss decided to surprise her by pursuing her as she tried to retreat, seamlessly turning a peck on the lips into a full-fledged kiss that picked up right where the last one left off.  Her oxygen rapidly depleted as Weiss pressed against her - any closer and they might meld into one - and her hands moved more confidently to the small of Weiss’ back.  

Her heart surely couldn't take many more of these without suffering a massive heart attack.  And that was before her fingertips slipped underneath Weiss’ blouse, touching the tantalizing skin that she’d been enticed with so many times, and a soft moan slipped through Weiss’ lips.  Weiss quickly pulled away and pressed her hand against Ruby’s collar to hold her at bay.

“Too much?” Ruby asked.

“No,” Weiss answered so fast that Ruby’s brow rose, but then Weiss’ gaze flitted to the door.  Ruby glanced that way and then nodded.

“How have you been?” she asked in an effort to return to safer, less heart-racing subjects.  “What’ve you been up to?”

“Promo stuff, mostly.  And overthinking things.”  Once Ruby bobbed her head, Weiss pursed her gorgeous, very kissable lips for a moment before brightening.  “Oh, I have good news - Klein is in remission and the doctors expect him to make a full recovery.”

“Really?”  When Weiss nodded, Ruby wrapped her in a hug.  “That’s great news!”

“It really is.”  Based on Weiss’ smile, as radiant and true as it could get, it was the best news she’d gotten in a while.  “He’s a little worn out, but he sounded in good spirits when I called him.”

“That’s great.  I’m happy for him.  And for you.  That must be such a relief.”

“It is.  And the whole thing made me realize that…we shouldn’t expect everyone to be around forever.  We should cherish the moments we have.”

The way Weiss looked at Ruby, adding emphasis to the end of that comment, made Ruby’s skin tingle in the best way.  Then Weiss glanced away, steeling herself for a moment, before finally returning to Ruby’s gaze.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I asked Winter to do something for me.  Of course, now that you’re here, I don’t know if I want to show you…”

“What is it?”

Weiss bit her bottom lip before grabbing Ruby’s hand and leading her to the far side of the office.  The tile floor might as well have turned into clouds based on the way Ruby bounced across it.  The short distance hardly required handholding, but if Weiss initiated, Ruby certainly wouldn't decline.

On the other side of the office, tucked between a bookcase and a comfortable reading chair, was an easel covered by a thin white cloth.  Ruby had noticed it but figured that Winter had an unveiling planned.  Then Weiss picked up the cloth’s edge and, carefully, uncovered the artwork underneath.

As soon as Ruby saw the bright autumn scene, her breath left her lungs in one quick whoosh.

“I asked her to find one for me,” Weiss explained while Ruby stared like a statue.  “She wants to display it by yours for a while but said you can have it afterward.  You should have it.”

“Weiss, I -” Ruby glanced at Weiss before staring at the painting again.  Still holding Weiss’ hand, she stepped closer and held out her other as if she might touch the ridges of paint.  “I remember when she made this…” she said while ghosting her fingers across the canvas.  “She shut herself in her studio for weeks - Yang and I played on the floor behind her.  She let me pick this color -”  Ruby pointed to the red strewn around the canvas.  “And Yang picked this one,” she added with a motion to the yellow.

She hadn’t seen this particular work in years, yet she remembered it as if she looked at it every day.

“See how she did this?”  She pointed at one of the trees.  “She used tiny brushstrokes for the leaves to give them texture, then these long, broad strokes so the branches seem to flow together.”  She paused and admired the result.  “She was so good.”

“Like mother, like daughter.”

Ruby glanced at Weiss, and her heart finally did it - it overflowed.

“Thank you,” she said.  “This is…I can’t even describe it.  Incredible.”

Weiss merely nodded, unwilling as ever to accept gratitude for her generosity.  Ruby would make sure to thank her plenty for it later, but a certain gentleman she met what seemed like a lifetime ago now popped into mind.

“Oh…that makes more sense,” she said as she recalled their conversation.

“What does?”

“Mr. Gerald.”  Ruby motioned to the front of the gallery and, when Weiss’ brow furrowed, explained, “He said he was a fan of my mom’s - I’m guessing he agreed to swap this one for the one I just painted.”

“You brought a new painting?”  Once Ruby nodded, Weiss added, “And Winter already gave it to someone else?”

“I don’t know if she gave it to him,” Ruby replied with a light laugh.  “Traded, probably.”

A disgruntled sound slipped through Weiss’ lips as she frowned at the door.  

“Is it still here?”

“They’re packing it up.”  When Weiss stepped towards the door, Ruby laughed and caught her by the arm.  “But I can paint another.  You don’t want that one anyway.  It’s all…blue.”

“Because you were thinking of me.”

“Well, yeah…”

Weiss rubbed her face with her hands before forcing a smile.  “I’ll talk to her later,” she added in a tone that Ruby knew well enough to chuckle at.  Of course, if anyone could withstand Weiss’ annoyance without a scratch on them, it would be Weiss’ almost equally poised older sister.

“I’ll paint something else,” Ruby promised, regardless.  “Something just for you.”

Just like that, Weiss’ preoccupation with setting Winter’s priorities straight disappeared.  Her soft blue eyes returned to Ruby and - well, she didn’t fully smile, but she was clearly pleased with the outcome.  Excitement raced through Ruby’s veins, causing her to swing her arms back and forth to release some of the energy, and she glanced around before holding Weiss’ gaze.

“So…what do we do now?  Are you busy or…?”

“I thought we could get lunch,” Weiss suggested.  “Somewhere still serving breakfast.”

“You had me at ‘lunch,’” Ruby replied.  “But will you eat?”

“Depends.”  Once Ruby tilted her head, a smile slipped onto Weiss’ lips.  “I might if you order for me.”

“Only if you order for me, too.”  Once Weiss’ smile fully appeared, Ruby beamed and hugged her again.  This time, Ruby squeezed her closer and lifted her feet off the ground before adding, “Hope you’re ready for more freshly squeezed orange juice.”

“I most certainly am not.”

Ruby laughed at the deadpan response and kissed Weiss’ cheek before taking her by the hand and leading her out of Winter’s office.  She felt like she could run a thousand miles or catapult herself into the stratosphere right now, but she kept her bouncing to a minimum while Weiss walked beside her.

On first, second, or third glance - and usually far more - Weiss came off as cold, uncaring, and disinterested in anything besides her job.  But that was only a mirage, and Ruby could never go back to believing that Weiss was evil incarnate.  

Weiss was the furthest thing from evil.  She was, in many ways, the most sophisticated work of modern art that Ruby had ever encountered.  Everyone would have their own interpretations and opinions about who she was, but only a few would see past the veneer and catch a glimpse of what lay underneath.  

The best part was that, in the process of uncovering Weiss’ layers, Ruby had discovered so much about herself as well.  What she liked, what she didn’t like, what she could tolerate…and just how stubborn she could be when adversity sprang up between her and her goals.

Perhaps Weiss wasn’t the only one with a little diva in her, after all…