Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ruby hates Vacuo. She's decided this just now, while storming through the whipping sand alone without her aura up. Normally she’d know better than that– or, at least she thought she normally knew better.. these days, she's not sure she knows much of anything.

Today had just been another of the many, many, many, many efforts by every huntsman and huntress in Vacuo to handle the extreme uptick in Grimm activity that comes with having the population of two kingdoms within the borders of one, with most of the relocated atlesians being justifiably (but infuriatingly! can't we all just calm down?? this could be so much easier! though i guess im one to talk..) distressed and upset.

Team RWBY has had a lot on their plate, to say the least. After making that public broadcast, people recognize Ruby constantly, eyes always on her wherever she goes. People talk, whisper, some shout even. The huntress girl who let Atlas fall and dumped the pieces in Vacuo’s lap to handle. All her fault. Obviously.

Weiss gets a piece of it, too, especially from the citizens of mantle who will seemingly never look at a schnee with anything other than contempt. She's always been tough about that sort of thing, though. Really it's her sister that she's been worried about these days, who doesn't seem to be taking things well. And next to that, does her partner even really matter?

And then, despite everything, Blake and Yang managed to find the time to sort their feelings for each other out! After all this time! But no time to spare for Ruby! Not at all! There's never time, never space for Ruby, for Ruby's feelings, for what Ruby—

(Come on, deep breaths.. ugh..)

The looming sensations of regret and shame try yet again to push their way to the front of her mind– she can still see the looks of shock and hurt on her teammates faces vividly. She knows they're all doing their best, and that they deserve their own happiness– but she swallows the feelings and keeps walking. If she lingers on that for too long, she's going to have a breakdown right here in the sand, and probably die. Though that might not be the worst thing in the world at this point…

She blinks. Shakes her head. Bad Ruby. She tries again to take a deep breath, but when sand hits her tongue she gags and kicks at the ground in frustration.. which, just puts more sand in the air. Most of which gets picked up by the wind and thrown all over her. She nearly screams.

Yet she presses on.

The city isn't far now. She covers her eyes as the wind picks up, grumbling under her breath. Her aura still hasn't regenerated, and probably won't in these conditions. The hunt hadn't gone.. wrong, exactly, but it was certainly rough. She was off her game, and that’s costly when she's the leader. Her aura had already been low at the end of that encounter, and then she just had to rush off with her semblance, apparently going fast enough long enough for it to burn out her aura.

That's never happened to her before! Certainly not like that! Tumbling out of her semblance at top speed into the rough sand without any aura was not fun. She's covered in scrapes and scratches that won't heal and sting from the sand in the air and now deep in the tiny cuts and there's sand all over clothes and inside her clothes and in her boots and in her hair and–

She has to bite her tongue this time, to stop from screaming. She really is going to die out here, thinking like this. Any second now a stray grimm is gonna reveal itself from the sandstorm and kill her. She keeps walking, but slower now, resigned. hopeful

The grimm never comes.

Apparently, by the time she makes it to the city, she's far enough away from her right self to go to the one place she was certain she never ever would– certainly never for these reasons, and certainly never alone. She tells herself it's just because it's the last place anyone on her team would look for her, and yet..

She falls into a lonely seat at the bar, and eyes the menu above.

The barkeep gives her a curious look, understandably. She's still covered in scrapes and cuts that are slowly starting to heal with the flickering scraps of aura she's managed to regenerate, tracked sand all over the floor on her way in, and is probably visibly underaged, but she's really counting on this guy not giving a damn about that. Worse crimes happen in Vacuo all the time, right?

As her eyes narrow at what she's convinced is a series of inside jokes devised just to mess with people who've never drank (sex on the beach???), someone takes a seat directly beside her. She wasn't going to look, but when they silently order two drinks and slide one to her, she kind of feels like she has to. So she looks.

What a horrible idea that was.

Long red hair. Bright green eyes. Carefree smile. Adorable freckles.

It's not her– there's enough different that once she blinks away her shock, it's obvious. But this stranger looks way too much like her for her to feel comfortable. She swallows hard, then clears her throat.

”U-uhm.. thank you?”

The girl's eyes dart towards her lips as she speaks, which gives Ruby butterflies despite herself. Her smile turns apologetic, and she draws an imaginary X over her ear.

”Oh.” (She's deaf? Or, hard of hearing?)

Ruby shakes off her initial nerves and reaches deep into her memory, before giving the kind woman the best smile she can manage (which really isn't much of one) and raising her hands to sign a ‘thank you.’

She looks genuinely taken aback at the gesture, before smiling lopsidedly and tilting her head. She signs back.

”You’re very welcome. Not every day I meet someone who knows sign.”

Ruby’s tiny smile turns sad at that, her gaze lowering to her mystery drink.

”That’s a shame. I took VSL as an extracurricular in middle school. I thought that, a real hero, a real huntress, should know how to communicate with whoever she might work to save, no matter what. It must be awful to be deaf when things get scary, and none of the hunstmen or huntresses can speak to or understand you. If it were me, I think I'd be terrified. I never want to put someone through that.”

The woman stares hard, and Ruby holds her eye contact despite how much it makes her want to shrink down into a bug and fly away forever– she needs to be paying attention to read her reply, after all.

...buuuut, as the moment drags on and on and on, she eventually yields with an uneasy chuckle and focuses on her drink, taking an awkward hasty sip that makes her gag immediately. It’s fruity, but with a loud undertone of what she can only describe as liquid death.

Ruby glances back at the woman to see her giggling silently under her hand, and finds herself staring. Their eyes meet again, only this time it's not Ruby who breaks away shyly. And after taking a much bigger (and apparently less painful) swig from her glass, the woman signs back.

”I think that's very honorable of you.”

Chapter Text

Neopolitan loves Vacuo. Really, she feels right at home! At least in its current condition. It's so overcrowded and disorganized that she has no trouble at all blending right in, and it's even easier than normal to get away with her usual mischief. Her pockets have never been so happy and full.

That wasn't even the best part about it, though. No, the best part was none other than Little Red.

This might be the easiest mark she's ever had. It was almost disappointing, but the need to get at that girl's throat trumped that tenfold. Getting her isolated and vulnerable would have been so much harder anywhere else, but here, now? Neo’s stalking had turned up delicious intel.

Ruby Rose is lonely. Terribly lonely. Pietro's little puppet sacrificing itself to get everyone through the portal to Vacuo had completely wrecked her spirit, and for whatever reason that she couldn't be fucked to care about all her little friends didn't seem altogether concerned. Which left her isolated even without interference.

She could have sworn that she and that Schnee girl had something going on between them, and yet… There Ruby Rose is. Trudging into town from the wasteland, beat up and alone, heading into a bar, of all places. It was almost pitiful.

Almost.

A lonely, heartbroken girl, looking to drink away her sorrows. This really would be too easy. The decision to get to Red through her heart had been an impromptu one, but now she's regretting that she hadn't thought of it sooner. Before, she figured that it would entail masquerading as a scared child or injured civilian and luring her into some kind of trap– methods that didn't quite speak to her. It was too obvious to be any fun, and too impersonal. Just about any old huntress could fall prey to something so juvenile, the bleeding hearts.

But this? This is perfect. With this, she can show Red just how she's been feeling all this time, and then rub her nose in it too. Taunt her with a precious piece of hope, with the promise of relief, and rip it away all over again. Ideas are already swimming around in her head.

All she needed to do now was set the bait.

Red knowing sign language is something she really wasn't expecting– least of all for such an allegedly noble reason. She knew that the heroic types like her had some lofty, selfless ideas, but never had she been on the receiving end of that kindness. Was this.. normal? She doubted it, though it ought to be. If these people want to parade about helping people, prattling on about justice and such, it'd behoove them to learn a little about the people they're helping, not just the things they're killing. But hey, what does she know.

She supposes Red has always been special like that, the little pretend paragon. She tries way too hard for a murderer. Maybe if she owned it Neo could respect her, but the goody two-shoes act is just grating. Neo considers killing her right there on the spot– it'd be easy, with her aura as low as it is– but she doesn't. That wouldn't be any fun. No, she has to keep playing along.

That's what she tells herself anyways, when those infuriatingly earnest silver eyes bore into her like they can see straight through to her soul, and her heart jumps to her throat despite herself.

They keep chatting, and Red loosens up over the next couple hours– no thanks to the alcohol she's barely touched. The glass is only half empty, which is a damn shame. Getting the girl drunk would have practically secured this as foolproof, but Neo supposes there is value in her being perfectly lucid for what she has planned.

At least… theoretically lucid. She's not nearly as attentive or energetic as Neo is used to seeing her, even with her getting a touch happier (maybe?) over the course of their time together. It's a misery she recognizes, the kind that clouds your sight, your judgement, your thoughts, and darkens the very world. And she hadn't even done anything yet! How about that, half her job done for her already~

.....

She gets closer to Red as the night presses on, moving her chair near, leaning into her space, a hand on her thigh, blatantly wandering eyes. She's laying it on thick, because she knows Red is easy prey in this state. She's lonely, she's wanting, she misses her precious machine thing and is falling out with her best friends.

Just as Neopolitan expects, the girl is caught, hook line and sinker.

Red holds her eye contact, pays close attention to every word she signs, shudders at every touch, leans towards Neo in turn until the line between whose space is whose becomes fuzzy. It's becoming obvious enough for others in the bar to avoid their orbit, and the barkeep stands at the far end from them.

Red talks about her dreams with a faraway look in her eyes, and eventually– though notably sooner than expected, for someone she'd pegged as being pretty guarded– discusses her team, their fights, her jealousy, her loneliness. Neo goads her on.

”That doesn't sound fair to you, that they're too busy to notice you're struggling.” Neo signs with as serious an expression as she can school her face into while looking right into Reds shiny mirrors. She seems.. hesitant? guilty? Once Neo finishes, her eyes dart away, unsure.

”I'm not sure. I could have talked to them about it, without… snapping.” Her fingers fidget nervously between words, flicking and curling with anxiety. It's cute how afraid she is to take up any space at all, how easily she shifts blame onto herself. How obvious the words she wants to hear are.

Neo fixes her with a practiced stare and raised brow, shaking her head. ”Even so, it hurts to not feel seen, to need to call for help from the people who are by your side day in and day out. If even I can see how rough of shape you're in as a total stranger, your best friends and teammates should be more than aware.”

Red doesn't reply for a long moment, giving her that unsettling steely look again, like she's trying to probe into her heart through her eyes. She barely suppresses a shiver, but doesn't back down from the staring contest. It's Red who breaks away, instead drawing meaningless shapes into the precipitation on her glass, before taking another tiny sip. Then a much larger sip. Something like determination flares in those sullen eyes, a familiar fire that Neo had rather missed.

She's very much looking forward to snuffing it back out.

”Yeah,” she finally starts, with the start of a more lasting smile on her face, but one still laced with an odd sadness that Neo can't quite place, “yeah. okay. Maybe you're right, Kat. Thank you. I think I needed that. Needed… this.”

Neo nods and smiles at her, laying a hand over hers. And if she's timed this right…

The barkeep catches the attention of them both, tapping his wrist before scooping up Neo's empty glass. Last call. Time to see if her hard work paid off. She turns to Red, ready to lure her to her apartment–

But those eyes stop her. Not the steely stare of someone who's trying to peer deep into her heart. Not the determined, fiery glare of someone renewed with hope. Nothing of the sort.

Those eyes look through her. Lost, and tired. Dull. Surrendered.

Neo is taken aback, but as soon as she can process it it's gone. Red is smiling again, and has pulled her hand away from Neo's to sign,

”Would it be okay if I stayed with you tonight? I'm not ready to see my teammates again, and, well..” Her cheeks tinge the slightest pink, bashful, and she scratches at the color like it'll go away. ”I'm enjoying our time together. So, if it's okay with you..”

Neo didn't even need to prompt her. Didn't need to ask, to invite, nothing. Red was ready for this all on her own. She really hadn't pegged her as the type to hook up with a stranger like this without some convincing, and yet..

And yet.

Neo finds her composure again and nods quickly, too quickly, returning her smile. ”I would love to have you over, Ruby. I don't want our time to end yet either.”

Neo guides Red by the hand towards her quiet apartment building on the edge of the city, a short and silent trek where Red dragged just a bit behind the whole time. Which is just fine by her. She'd already managed to pickpocket the girl's scroll, which Red herself had muted earlier in the night to ignore the messages from her so-called friends, so even without eyes on her she knows that no location data is gonna be shared behind her back. Nobody will be coming to help her tonight.

She brings her through the door and locks it behind them, and it feels like victory.

Little Red is all hers.

Her eyes lazily drift about the undecorated apartment, lingering on the somewhat messy kitchen– the only part at a glance that looks even slightly lived in. If it sets off any red flags for her, she doesn't show it, doesn't comment. She just stands, back to Neo, looking.

Neo strides past her, and takes her hand again, leading her deeper inside, to the bedroom. Red lets her.

The bed inside is nice– on that much, Neo refused to compromise. It's not pretty, but it's plenty comfortable. She guides Red to sit on it, and she does so obediently, staring up at her blankly, expectantly.

”Comfiest seat in the house. Can I get you anything?” She asks diligently, still in character, still stringing her along. If she plays her cards right, she can build a moment that will hurt like no other. She can taunt her with fleeting glimpses of her precious doll, gaslight her, play with her, claw deep inside her head–

But Ruby is not nearly so diligent. Ruby is not nearly so easy. She takes Neo's hands in hers, holding them gently, a feather-light grip, not trapping or forcing, and looks up at her with grey, empty eyes.

She speaks so softly that Neo nearly misses it.

”You can do whatever you want, Neo.”

Chapter Text

The hidden blade of Hush is pressing into her neck within a second of the name leaving her lips, illusion and pretenses dropped. A red bead forms where the tip is beginning to break skin. She's not even bothering to bring her aura up.

How the Hell had she known?? How long had she known?? What gave it away?? Red seems to read the questions in her eyes and- without flinching, without fighting- smiles.

”I just.. had a feeling. It's pretty rare for a civilian to approach an armed huntress like you did, let alone me. And the timing of it. I wasn't sure what to think, but then I noticed that you don't make any sound when you laugh. Someone who was deaf but not mute would make at least a little noise, even if they were trying to be quiet.”

Neo stares, wide-eyed, dumbfounded. She'd noticed that? Most people don't care to think about the difference. Nobody has ever cared to think about the difference, when she's pulled this trick before. Had she underestimated her after all?

“At that point I started noticing little things, like your mannerisms, the way you cross your legs, the way you smile. It was all familiar. So.. yeah.” She grins lopsidedly, but her heart isn't in it, and her voice is hollow, quiet. Broken. “And then I said it out loud. And now we're here. If you were really deaf, you wouldn't have even heard me, so.. even if i was wrong, i could have played it off.”

Despite herself, Neo feels herself smile. Shit. She really fucked up. She thought she had her fooled, and got careless. So much for the easiest mark of her life. But if Red knew the whole time, and is calling her out now, then–

Her smile drops, and her brow furrows. She fixes Red with a questioning stare, eyes glancing quickly to the blade against her neck.

Then Red's smile drops, too, and her eyes empty of that familiar silvery shine yet again.

”yeah. i know. i meant i what i said. i figured, like.. maybe? you were actually being genuine? i mean it seemed super unlikely, but, if it was possible that you were i didn't wanna turn you away. and if not, then.. that'd be fine too. so here we are.”

Neo shoves her to her back, pressing the side of Hush hard against her throat to hold her down, reaching around to pry her weapon from its place on her belt and toss it away– an action which yields the first flicker of resistance Red has bothered to show.

Her eyes go wide and she grabs at Hush to relieve enough tension to speak. “H-hey, please be careful with that..!” Neo raises an eyebrow at her, looking between her and the discarded scythe. Red gasps out an exasperated sigh.

”Yeah, I know, but–!! Just, that's like, the only thing I have to be proud of!”

Well. That's the first time Red has sounded like herself all night. Over the scythe. Not her life, not over being tricked, lied to, lured, taken advantage of. And- it bears repeating, Neo thinks- Not her life. This wasn't going how she'd wanted it to go at all.

Neo pulls away, taking a few steps back and just… staring. After a moment of hesitation, Red sits up, rubbing her neck and looking down at the tiny bit of blood she finds there with a faraway look. Then she turns her eyes back up to Neo, and tilts her head, questioningly.

”..what are you doing?”

Oh, If only she were capable, she thinks she would get very loud right about now. She returns Hush to her side to sign at her would-be victim rapidly.

”I should be asking you that! What are you doing?? This- you– you weren't— This wasn't supposed to go like this!”

”i– what? isn't this what you wanted? to kill me, for salem? cause of my eyes?” The genuine confusion on Red's face certainly makes her want to kill her. Is she serious? She doesn't know? Is Neo the one being fucked with now? Is Red Taunting her?

Her anger must be showing on her face, because Red actually shrinks into herself a little bit. She grabs the brim of her dum-dums hat and pulls it down, glaring daggers into Red.

Confusion flashes in her eyes, then recognition, then resignation. “You.. want revenge. For Torchwick.” She speaks softly, looking down with a conflicted expression.

Neo raises Hush back up and points the tip at Red, the most she's willing to manage for communication at this point. Red doesn't even acknowledge the motion, doesn't move an inch. It's infuriating how quiet she is. It's infuriating that Neo can't bring herself to just skewer her and be done with all this. It's infuriating to wait for her to speak again.

“I'm sorry, for what happened to him. I'm sorry I couldn't save him.” Red speaks gravely, earnestly, finally looking up to meet her eyes. Neo falters. “I wasn't the one who killed him, it was a Griffon. I didn't react fast enough to stop it. I didn't agree with him, or the things he did, but he didn't deserve to die. He.. must have meant a lot to you. I'm sorry I let that happen. I'm sorry that you weren't there, because of me.”

The surge of emotion that hits her is.. too much. Hush’s tip lowers to the floor. Red is looking at her with those stupid eyes again, except this time it's actually her, not just an illusion she's fronting. She sees guilt there. She sees grief. Understanding. Care.

”I’m, uhm, glad that you're okay, at least. I didn't know what happened to you after you fell.”

She can't even bring herself to doubt her words. Sincerity spills from Red like she's overflowing. People like this aren't supposed to be real– they're the stuff of fairytales, picture books, TV shows. She wasn't supposed to care. She wasn't supposed to apologize, at least not like.. that. Not like she means it.

Neo was supposed to break her. Ruin her. Flaunt hope in her face and then rip it to shreds before her eyes. She wasn't supposed to already be broken. She wasn't supposed to give a shit about her feelings. She wasn't even supposed to notice them until it was too late.

Neo takes a half step back, a quiet, shaky breath falling past her lips.

Ruby is no murderer. Never was. This.. this is pointless. This isn't what she wanted. This doesn't help. Doesn't make her feel better. It hardly did even when she thought she had her. A cold, unwelcome emptiness settles over her at the realization. Without that.. without her vengeance to take… what does she have?

The silence between them is heavy, and long. Neither of them move. They just stare. Silver eyes meet pink and brown, and hold. She's not sure how much time passes before her heart settles enough for her to think again. She looks down, eyeing hush in her hands, the gleaming tip dirtied by speckles of Ruby's blood.

This isn't worth it.

With a silent sigh, Neo turns and steps towards the nightstand beside the bed, and sets Hush down leaning against it. Then… after a moment of hesitation, she hefts Ruby's unreasonably heavy weapon up too, and leans it next to Hush, neat and proper.

And then she sits beside her on the bed. Ruby stares openly, with an expression Neo doesn't bother reading into. “thank you,” she whispers. Neo doesn't dignify that with a response.

Instead, she turns, and signs,

”Your friends must be even worse than I thought if they let you walk in here expecting to die.”

Ruby flinches, tears pricking at her eyes immediately as she ducks her head in shame. She must have been trying very hard not to think about that. She takes a deep, shuddering breath and wipes her eyes before shakily speaking.

”I… it's not.. it's not them. I'm, frustrated with them, sure, but it's not.. their fault. I ran, and I'm faster than all of them with my semblance. It's… everything. Beacon, Pyrrha, Salem, Atlas, P-penny.. I– I'm not, I..” Ruby chokes down a sob, and pity claws unwelcome into Neo’s heart. But she waits. She listens.

”It's too much. I don't.. I don't know what to do. I'm scared, and my team– everyone– thinks that I should know what to do because I'm the leader, because I'm the optimist, because I have silver eyes, because I'm always supposed to have a plan, I— I'm supposed to have enough hope for everyone, and I don't. I just.. I don't. I'm not enough. Not me. Not as I am.”

She laughs wryly, and gestures to Neo. “Obviously, if I'm here talking to you about it, of all people. No offense, but.. you know.”

Neo shrugs. ”None taken. You could hardly find a worse confidant.”

That gets a laugh out of Ruby– just a little one, fleeting and quiet, but it's there. A true laugh. It dawns on Neo that she hadn't heard one of those all night until now.

“So you're.. not gonna kill me.” Neo makes a show of putting her finger to her chin to think about it, then shakes her head. “yeah. which means i just have to.. actually process all this. i really.. didn't want to do that.”

Silence settles again. Neo slowly pulls off her dum-dum’s hat, running her thumb over the brim. Wonders what he'd say seeing her sitting with Red like this, just.. chatting. She feels Ruby's eyes on her, watching, thinking. With a sigh, Neo sets the hat on the nightstand.

”me neither. you kind of ruined my whole revenge thing.”

”that.. makes sense. you must have had a lot planned, huh? you even went out of your way to pick a disguise that would make me think of.. her. If I hadn't caught on, that would have really messed me up. Well.. more than I'm already messed up, i guess..” Neo bristles at that, puffing out her chest.

”Of course it would have. I'm the best in the business. I would have chewed you up and spit you out, then killed you good and slow.” That's another real laugh, which is a little concerning because it's the sort of thing people like her and her dum-dum laugh about– not.. normal people, like Ruby. And yet.

”Yeah, I'll take your word for it. I'm, uh, glad that didn't happen. I like you better when you're not plotting against me.” Neo gives her a playful side eye, raising an eyebrow.

”Who says I'm not?” Ruby laughs yet again, louder now, giving Neo a good-hearted slug to the arm.

”Hey! I didn't know you were funny! Wow. Oh, wow. This.. this is so stupid.” She giggles, and despite herself, despite everything, Neo finds that she's giggling too. Because it is stupid. This is the dumbest thing that's ever happened to her, and yet..

Wow. She's beginning to see why people gravitate around this idiot so much.

Silence envelops them, but it's.. comfortable, for a change. Neo finds it so, anyway. Ruby is a little fidgety beside her. She doesn't comment on that, doesn't move, not yet. She just watches Ruby's body language, and thinks. She looks anxious, like she's not sure what to do, where to put her hands. Which.. is fair.

Neo doesn't know what to do, either. She's always had someone to follow, someone to kill for, someone to live for– even if it was a late someone. But now she doesn't even know what her dum-dum would have her do. She has no orders, or incentives. A thought pops into her head.

”You killed the grimm that got him, right?” Ruby looks surprised, taken out of her distracted thoughts, and nods.

”Y-yeah, I did..”

Neo nods, signs a quick ”good,” then kicks off her boots and sidles up onto the bed proper to relax against a pillow. May as well get comfortable, if this is just what her night’s gonna be now. Ruby stares, quite blatantly, watching her every little movement. It suddenly dawns on her why Little Red is acting so shy.

”so we're, like.. cool?” she tries, a cautious but hopeful lilt to her words. Neo raises an eyebrow at her, smiling bemusedly.

”Are we cool? Or are we something else? You're staring harder than you were in the bar.” The bluntness knocks the wind out of Ruby, who squeaks– like, literally– and whips her head to face the opposite direction.

”I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I- uhm- I should probably just, leave, you alone, and uh, yeah.. sorry, I'm sorr–” Neo snaps her fingers and Ruby jumps, turning back to look at her meekly. Adorably. She smirks. Seems like there might still be fun to be found in Ruby tonight, after all.

”Good girl. I can't speak to you if you don't look at me.” Ruby flushes red like roses, rigid in her place. Neo had nearly forgotten the false pretense that she had brought Ruby here for– the pretense that Ruby would have presumably gone through with, had it not been a ruse. She'd nearly forgotten the loneliness in that heroic heart. She's learning quickly how much it matches the loneliness in her own.

No orders. No incentives. Nobody to tell her what to do, unless she wants to go back to matchstick. (Ew.) It’s just Neopolitan now.

Neopolitan… and Ruby Rose.

”You're free to leave, if that's what you want. I no longer have a reason to force your hand. But you told me you weren't ready to see your teammates yet, right? Where will you go?” She chooses her words carefully, and studies Ruby's reactions. The poor girl shrinks into herself at the mention of her teammates, rubbing her arm and visibly fighting to not look away from Neo, after getting scolded last time. (Adorable.)

Ruby spends a long moment thinking, and eventually sighs. “I.. yeah. I don't want to go back to them tonight. And it'd probably be hard to get a room at this hour. But–” She stops herself, shifting uncomfortably in place, brow knit tight. “I don't want.. th.. that… out of you. Or, anyone, really? I mean, I knew that it was something that might happen tonight, with.. with Kat. But there's a lot less brain fog than there was then, and now that im a little less.. like i was.. i realize that i don't really want that. I never did.

With Kat, I was kind of hoping for a.. a real relationship, you know? Not a one night stand, but something like what Yang and Blake have, something like what i.. what i wanted with…” She trails off, expression pained. After waiting a beat, Neo shifts her image to present that machine Ruby liked so much, to finish her sentence. Ruby's eyes widen, then she smiles sadly. “..her, too, yeah.”

Neo tilts her head, surprised, before it hits her. She shifts into the Schnee, and Ruby ducks her head low. That's all the confirmation she needs, dropping her semblance and looking down thoughtfully.

A real relationship. The sort of equal, 50/50 side-by-side partners stuff that everyone is always so excited for. Or– I guess Ruby was hoping for even thirds? Same difference. Neo hardly bought the hype, either way– she was perfectly happy being the sidekick, the number two to someone bigger and more important than she is, someone who’ll do the thinking for her.

...

She suddenly wonders if her dum-dum felt the kind of pressure Ruby talked about, as a leader. The pressure to always know what to do, find the right path for everyone, protect everyone. Protect.. her.

Her vision blurs before she has the chance to stop it, the pit in her stomach too big, too empty, to ignore. Was that how he ended up so in over his head? How he got stuck with such big, dangerous people? Was he just trying to keep her safe, keep her on the winning side, the surviving side?

Ruby, obedient as ever, still hadn't taken her eyes off Neo, but unfortunately that meant she saw the tears immediately. She jumps, flusters, waving her arms in a placating panic.

“I-im sorry, I didn't mean to say that you– that I wouldn't, with– I mean, look, it'd be really complicated and weird and hard and all that stuff, but you're like, really pretty! and really cool! In a fight! I.. haven't seen you much outside of those, b-but! I'm sure you're cool in general, too! I mean, you've been really nice to me tonight, and didn't kill me even when I would have let you, and– andimramblingandimsorryandillshutup.”

She stops herself when Neo, after getting her laughs out and wiping her eyes, mimes a talking motion with her hand. Groaning, embarrassed, she hugs her knees to her chest and buries her face in them. Neo lets her cool off for all of about five seconds before she snaps her fingers, earning her another adorable squeak as Ruby looks back up at her.

How can someone be so smart and so dumb at the same time? This should not be as cute as it is.

And yet…

Once she has her eyes, Neo.. just stares, for a long moment. Holding the eye contact. Thinking. Considering her next actions carefully. Ruby only blushes deeper the longer the moment draws out, which makes her want to tease and play. It makes her all the less hesitant. She's practically wilting by the time Neo starts signing.

”That’s not why I was crying, Little Red. But you're cute. Thank you. And..” Last chance to decide this is stupid and the worst, going once.

It could be a lot of fun, and a nice change of pace too. Matchstick will lose her shit. She gets to fuck with all the dumb heroic weirdos without consequences. At least, without the sort of consequences that make her fight for her life.

Going twice.

Even if it's fun, it'll probably be more hassle than it's worth. Shit gets complicated fast with these kinds of people. They're gonna expect her to think about feelings and play nice, and push her into difficult conversations that she couldn't care less about. What a pain. It's definitely stupid and the worst.

Three times, and..

Ruby cocks her head at an angle, attentive, caring, brow furrowed, cheeks still tinged pink from being called cute.

(Shit. Am I easy?)

"After everything you've told me tonight, after everything that's happened— I think you deserve to get what you want for a change, Ruby Rose.”

Chapter Text

Ruby can hardly believe what she’s hearing. Seeing. Reading? Her brain might be a little fried. Or maybe it's melted. She's apparently still not sure of anything, because what she thinks is that Neopolitan– The Neopolitan, criminal, assassin, Salem underling– is hitting on her. And not in the ‘i want to fuck and forget about our feelings’ kind of way, in the— in, the…

She swallows hard, feeling her heart quiver at the implication. She can't be serious, right? This is a joke? The aforementioned plot? What would even- how would–

The snap of Neo's fingers halts her train of thought like a brick wall with a Jaune-boosted aura, and she only realizes that her gaze had drifted to the bed after it returns to the pretty multicolored eyes ahead. Neo raises an expectant brow, and Ruby hugs herself to try and comfort away the nerves. “I-i.. uhm, wow, that's.. you're.. you're serious? Like– like, you and.. and me?”

Neo doesn't even give her a proper reply. She just smiles, gesturing vaguely towards Ruby, and crosses her arms. Waiting. You heard me. Ruby runs a hand through her hair, feeling the sweat (why am i so sweaty?? i can't be this awkward still!) and barely catching herself before her eyes drift away from Neo again.

”Uhm. u-uhm, i mean- isn't– shouldn't— gosh, i, really need to think about this…” Neo tilts her head at that, then shrugs.

”If you must. But really, I think you spend more than enough time thinking as it is.”

”I.. huh? I don't have a choice, Neo, things are.. complicated, and I'm the team leader, so people look up to me, and..” Neo is giving her a look that makes her trail off, suddenly feeling meek.

”I know. But this doesn't have anything to do with all of that. Right now, you do have a choice.”

Oh. That's what she means. Her heart speeds up at the idea that she doesn't have to think so much, not here, not with her. Whether it's excitement or fear, Ruby has no idea. She'd have to think about it.

Is she going to?

Neo giggles silently, standing from the bed and stretching. ”I'll let you think about whether or not you wanna think about it. I'm gonna change into something comfortable, and get something to eat. I'll bring you something, too.” She digs through a bag on the floor, fetching a small bundle of clothes that she sets on the bed beside Ruby, from which she plucks a single oversized T-shirt. ”If you're staying, feel free to wear any of these for the night.”

And just like that, she walks away. And Ruby is alone with her thoughts. In Neo's room. On Neo's bed. Thinking about whether or not she's going to wear Neo's clothes.

.....

(Thinking isn't gonna get me through this night, is it..?)

Weiss is gonna scold her so much for this. Yang will probably kill her, after killing Neo. Blake–

..actually, Blake might get it. She'll be concerned for Ruby's safety, sure, but at least she probably won't yell at her. Or kill her. So, that's settled. She'll tell Blake first, and ask her to help with the rest of them. Good plan. Great plan…

Ruby groans as she plops her head down on the table, right beside her half full bowl of sugary cereal that Neo lovingly and effortfully procured just for her. The criminal in question is tilting her head from her spot beside Ruby, already on her second bowl.

”I must be an idiot. I must be the idiot. Dumbest girl on remnant. Stupid girl with stupid knees.” Neo just raises an eyebrow, setting her “”dinner”” aside to prop her chin on her hand and stare down at Ruby, gesturing for her to go on.

”I’m sitting in the company of– of you!” Neo blows her a kiss and bats her eyelashes, which only makes Ruby groan. “Instead of with my teammates, who I ran away from. Wearing your clothes. Eating cereal, at midnight. actually that one's pretty normal for me but what's Not normal is that I'm actually considering..!”

She stutters over her words, before managing a quiet, pathetic “y. you…” Neo only giggles, and shrugs.

”Considering being my idiot?”

Ooh. That one? That's the one. That's the one that does it. Ruby screams. Cries out towards the ceiling dramatically and throws her arms in the air, slowly sliding down in her chair as her voice dies out.

“what's in this for you anyways, huh? what do you get out of toying with my maiden heart?” Ruby is grumbling emphatically, but true concern is buried under the theatrics. After all.. “It's not like you like me.”

Neo taps her chin in that exaggerated manner she does (cute), looking Ruby up and down much more thoroughly than was necessary. Was it necessary for her to be staring at all? Ruby suddenly feels self conscious about how small these borrowed pajamas are on her.

”I do like you.” She answers simply, which– if Ruby had still been eating her cereal, she surely would have spit it out immediately, all over Neo, who would have no doubt needed to rethink her standards. Neo grins wide, like she knows that that's what would have happened too, and it makes Ruby want to curl into a ball and roll away. Or explode, maybe. Like a firecracker. ”But, I won't tell you why. Plus..”

She pauses, as if considering whether she actually wants to say the next part. ”I think I like me better when I'm attached to someone else.”

Ruby blinks at her. “I'm.. not qualified to unpack that.” Neo just shrugs.

”I'm not asking you to. I'm asking you to think less, remember?”

”Right. And whether or not you're right about me– which, I'm neither confirming nor denying! ..maybe you should be trying to think a little bit more. generally speaking.”

That gives Neo pause, for a moment.. But only a moment. Then she just shrugs again, and goes back to her cereal. Ruby sighs.

She doesn't feel like she understands Neo very well, but maybe she'll come to with time? If they're gonna be friends now, or– whatever it is, they're gonna be.. Ruby shakes the thought from her head. Then she shakes all the thoughts from her head. Like she's supposed to be doing.

Instead, she just watches Neo eat her marshmallow cereal. She looks so different outside of her full proper outfit, without her weapon and makeup and hairdo. She's so.. normal. Multicolored hair and eyes notwithstanding. She's also more pale than Ruby realized.

What really gets her, though, is how unblemished her skin is. The bodies of her friends were all littered in scars, some large and many small, some from grimm and some from Salem's underlings and some from regular old criminals and bandits. Neo was in that dangerous walk of life herself, and yet she looked like she'd never once seen the sharp end of a knife, or the loud end of a gun.

She does have a very evasive fighting style, Ruby recalls, and a semblance that excels at keeping her out of harm's way. Real handy ability, that. She'd known Neo was incredibly talented in a fight, but never realized just how safe she must play things to have been a criminal for so long without–

”How long have you been a criminal for, Neo?” She turns and cocks her head at Ruby, who quickly continues, “Sorry if that's, like, rude! You don't have to answer. Obviously. You don't have to do anything. I was just curious and–” There's that flapping hand again. “yeah. rambling. sorry.”

Neo grins at her with what looks scarily like affection before answering, ”I was 15 when my dum-dum found me and took me in under his wing four or so years ago, but I'd already been on the streets for years at that point, picking pockets. I've been a criminal for most of my life, sweetheart.”

Ruby nods slowly, attentive. Most of her life. She can hardly even imagine what that's like. “So was he like, a father figure to you?” Neo considers it for a moment, then makes a so-so motion with her hand. “Huh. I kind of assumed you two were dating.”

Now that gets a reaction out of Neo– she visibly winces, her face scrunching up tight. ”Just how old did you think I was, Red?”

”Uhhh.. I, didn't think about it..? Wait, is this a trick question? I'm not supposed to guess a girl's age! or, ask? I don't remember the rule..” Neo laughs, and rolls her eyes fondly. Ruby chooses to believe it's fond, anyways. Maybe she shouldn't be assuming that, though.. (wait, I'm not supposed to think about that! Bad Ruby!)

”Sooo… If you've been a criminal for most of your life, what about.. your parents?” Neo averts narrowed eyes, glaring daggers into her cereal bowl. Shoot. “Right, yeah, sorry. Won't bring it up again.” She only shrugs, and keeps eating as if nothing happened. (man i suck at this..)

She deliberates this next one for some time, playing with the soggy dregs of processed sugar chunks floating in her bowl of milk, before asking, quiet and tentative, “have you ever thought about, like.. stopping?”

When Neo just raises an eyebrow at her, she continues. “Being a criminal, I mean. If you could do anything– anything at all– what would it be?” She stills at the question, searching Ruby's eyes– for ulterior motives, she guesses. Whatever Neo does or doesn't find there, Ruby can't say. Her gaze falls to the table.

”I'm not sure. I never really thought about it. Not being a criminal has hardly ever been an option.” Ruby nods, soaking in the words. She successfully manages to not think her next words through even a little bit, for better or for worse.

”It is now. It will be, at least, if I have anything to say about it.” Neo gives her an incredulous look, which Ruby returns in kind. “What? You don't believe me? If Emerald can change teams, so can you!” Now she just looks confused.

”Emerald? Green hair, red eyes? Illusion semblance?” Neo's eyes flash with recognition, and her image shifts to an exact copy of Emerald. “That's the one, yeah. She's with us now, and while it isn't.. like.. perfect or anything, she seems happier than she ever did with Cinder.”

Neo bristles at the name, shifting into that shape now with an angry look. “Yeah, her. We don't like her either.”

”She threw me under the bus.” Ruby sighs as Neo returns to normal, scratching the back of her head.

”Yeah, that sounds like Cinder.. you and Emerald would probably have a lot to talk about, huh?” She tries a smile, and is glad to see Neo return it, if only briefly. “Just think about it, yeah? While I.. try not to think about,” she gestures wildly at everything around her, ”..this.”

Neo huffs, crossing her arms. She shrugs. Then, begrudgingly, nods. Ruby smiles brighter this time, leaning over to bump shoulders with Neo. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.” And she might be crazy- after this night, she could certainly be convinced of that much- but she swears she catches a blush on those pale cheeks. It makes her feel oddly proud. And a lot excited. Too much excited. (Calm down, heart!!)

“Speaking of your friends, you should probably let them know you're not dead.”

”OH MY GOSH YOU'RE RIGHT” Panic swells in Ruby's chest as she realizes that she's been gone for hours, well into the night, and she frantically checks her pockets for her scroll, (which obviously isn't here, dummy, these are Neo's clothes!)

Just as she jumps from her seat to rush to Neo's room, a sharp whistle makes her stop and look back towards Neo, who’s… “What?? Since when???” …dangling Ruby's scroll from her thumb and index finger. She smiles innocently and shrugs, and Ruby snatches the thing from her with a pout.

”Don't make a habit of stealing my stuff!” Another shrug, and a less innocent grin.

”No promises.” Ruby opens her scroll, cringing at the overflow of missed calls and messages from her teammates, and briefly getting confused by the new contact she spots that's just labelled with an ice cream sandwich emoji? oh– neopolitan ice cream sandwich. that makes sense.

She takes a deep breath, and puts together a message for the Team RWBY group chat while pacing about Neo's apartment. Just a quick one, to assure them that she's safe and alive, apologize for making everyone worry, and let them know she won't be back tonight. She finds a digital clock on Neo's nightstand to take a picture next to as a little piece of proof, takes another deep breath, and sends the message package.

Blake responds almost immediately, gentle and reassuring, which makes her smile. [It's okay Ruby, we understand. Thank you for letting us know, and take all the time you need. We'll be here when you're ready.]

Weiss follows shortly, with such a sweet message that Ruby’s heart aches with fondness and buried longing. [I'm glad you're safe, Ruby. We all are. And you're not the one who needs to apologize. We'll talk more when you're home.]

Yang doesn't send a message, at least not yet– but, she kind of expected as much. She doesn't handle it well when people run away from her. But she knows Yang is worried, and that they'll talk when she's home. The many direct messages left by her are extra reassurance.

With a heavy sigh, Ruby drops her scroll on Neo's nightstand and falls back onto her bed. What a night. It's just a moment later that she feels the bed sink next to her, and glances to see Neo sitting prim and proper on the edge, looking down at her.

Ruby quickly sits up. “Sorry! I'm not, like, stealing your bed or anything. I'll sleep on your couch tonight. I was just.. it's just, a lot, you know? bleh.” Neo fixes her with an amused smile and raised eyebrow.

”I don't have a couch.”

Ruby clicks her tongue, bringing a hand to her chin. “Rigghhhtttt… uh, that's fine! floor is fine. You have carpets! I've slept in way worse places–” Neo holds up one finger, and she shuts up.

”I think you deserve a comfy bed to sleep on after today, Petal. Don't you?”

The new nickname makes Ruby's cheeks warm, and she has to clear her throat to find her thoughts again. “I-im not gonna come to your apartment and steal your only bed! that's not fair to you at all!” That same amused grin and raised eyebrow, and Ruby just knows Neo is about to make her feel like an idiot somehow...

”I intended to kill you today. Worse, actually. I think it'd be plenty fair.” Ruby is about to open her mouth to retort, but Neo scoots closer and places a finger straight to her lips, and Ruby gets butterflies even before she says the actually embarrassing thing. ”Besides, who said I would be giving it up? There's room for two.”

Ruby can feel, distinctly, the way her heart picks up. Still very reminiscent of the scary-panicky excitement of fights, but also not quite the same. Neo lays a hand over Ruby's between them, and while the contact does make her flinch, she doesn't flinch away. She just stares.

They both do.

”I-i told you that I didn't want–”

Again, interrupted by a finger, this time to the tip of her nose. She shakes her head. Not what she meant.

Neo is patient, watching Ruby closely, waiting for her to speak, or act. She can't help but fidget under the intense stare, her stomach doing weird flips that she's really not used to getting because of.. of Neo, of all people. This.. has to be all kinds of wrong. Or at the very least, incredibly hasty and poorly thought-out. This is a wanted criminal and likely murder with an undoubtedly long record, and yet—

..and yet. Her stomach is flipping. Her cheeks are warm. She doesn't feel scared– not really, not for her life. And not in the way where she doesn't care if she lives or dies tonight, either. That feeling isn't here anymore, at least not right now. In a way, she has Neo to thank for that reprieve, even if it's temporary. Even if it's stupid.

After all, isn't poorly thought-out kind of the point?

Ruby smiles, slow and small, as she shifts her hand to lace her fingers with Neo's. Quiet as a mouse, she whispers, “okay.”

Neo takes in a sharp, quiet breath at that, her eyes a little wide, shoulders a little tense, posture a little straighter. She must not have expected Ruby to actually go along with this. Which– fair. Ruby wasn't expecting to go along with it either. But despite all the alarms in her brain telling her what she's doing is wrong, it doesn't feel wrong. And whether or not it's a mistake to listen to the feeling over the brain, is a problem for future Ruby.

Current Ruby.. really doesn't want to sleep on the floor, and really really doesn't want to sleep alone. Doesn't want to be alone. And, well, Neo's here. Neo's offering. A part of her worries that her intentions end at playful flirting, with how uncomfortable she seems under Ruby's sincere eyes. Worries that Neo could not, would not, take her seriously.

And yet.

Neo relaxes, after what feels like an eternity. She squeezes Ruby's hand, ever so slightly. She smiles, just a tiny bit, unsure and tentative, a look Ruby seldom sees on her. She's always oozing confidence, knowing exactly who she is, why she's here, what she wants. This is different. This is.. real, Ruby realizes. The real Neopolitan. Ruby smiles a little brighter at the idea that she's probably one of the only people to have ever seen her look like this. And she hopes that more people do, with time.

Ruby isn't entirely certain which of them it was that started it, and finds that she doesn't entirely care, because either way their lips find each other. Ruby's first kiss. She'd read about kissing time and time again in story after story– the electric first kiss, with fireworks going off and the orchestral swell and everything is perfectly awesome and amazing (and overwhelming, by the sound of it!) but this?

This isn't like that. It's soft, cautious, careful. Her stomach soars, but there's no music to soar with it. There's no fireworks, either. The room is quiet, dark. It's not some bombastic celebration, It's.. personal. It doesn't feel like electricity, it feels… it feels safe. Comfortable. A little awkward, but in a way that weirdly kinda makes it perfect? Or at the very least.. it makes it special.

They pull away from each other after what felt like a lot longer than the eight or so seconds it actually was, and meeting Neo's eyes again, she sees a kind of softness and vulnerability that looks really, really beautiful on her. Ruby hopes it felt as special to Neo as it did to her. But she doesn't ask. Doesn't break the quiet moment. She just smiles, and motions towards the pillows with her head.

Hesitantly, slowly, Neo smiles back at her, and nods. They lay down together, wrapped in each other's arms, Ruby's head cradled against Neo's chest— and they both sleep better than they have in a long, long time.