Flashing Lights - Chapter 2 (Patreon)

Weiss hummed to herself - the stupid theme song from the movie Whitley forced her to watch last night that played so many times it tattooed itself onto her brain - while making her way through the business wing of the mansion.  Sometimes, her mind caved and thought of it as the ‘bad’ wing of the house even though there wasn’t much inherently ‘bad’ about it.  Expensive paintings adorned the walls.  The rooms featured plush furniture, decorated bookshelves, and a billiards table or two.  The people hanging around though…

Only the well-dressed, important ones were allowed inside, but they were still strangers with shadowy purposes.  The bigger, bulkier men and women seemed to play obvious roles.  The scrawnier ones, and the heavyset ones, served more opaque purposes.  They all respected Weiss’ presence though, usually with downward tilts of their chins or by simply getting the hell out of her way.  They rarely spoke to her though.  Only the ones she knew by name, who had been assigned to more menial support for her and her family, offered a rare, “Hello,” or “Need something?”

She typically avoided them and the entire area when possible, but this was the fastest path to her destination.  Of course, she regretted taking the shortcut when a commotion and some shouting reached her ears.  The shouts were the type that accompanied a struggle, making her heart race as her feet hurried her to the source.

It came from one of the many living rooms, complete with high ceilings, open doorways, chandeliers, and multiple seating areas.  This one even had a piano, though it probably hadn’t been tuned or played in years.  This one also had her father, standing off to the side while several men towered over another man curled up on the floor with his hands covering his stomach.

“Dad?”  Everyone stopped and turned toward her as she took one hesitant step into the room.  “Everything ok?”

“Of course.  We’re just finishing up.”

The man on the floor looked up at Weiss, one of his eyes swollen shut and the other begging for help.  Her father appeared disinterested in the scene, however, and Weiss knew better than to ask questions.

“Ok.”  She glanced at the man one last time before backing away.  “Sorry to interrupt.”

She bowed slightly and left the room as if she had more important places to be.  She didn’t, but she certainly didn’t want to linger.  Besides, what did that man expect her to do - save him?  Obviously, he crossed her father, meaning he also crossed the family.  Or he just seriously screwed up.  In either case, she had no more power to help him than he did to help himself.

He should protect his head though.  Broken ribs healed; brain damage could be permanent.

While Weiss imagined what she would do in his situation - lie there and take it or try to fight back - Winter turned the next corner, spotted her, and hurried over.

“Weiss.”  Winter glanced toward the living room before setting a hand on Weiss’ shoulder and steering her away.  “You shouldn’t be down here.”

“If you’re trying to protect my innocence, that ship sailed years ago.”

“It might’ve left the harbor, but it hasn’t sailed away yet.”  Weiss’ brow rose at the analogy, but Winter shook her head and kept walking.  “What’re you doing over here anyway?”

“I’m heading out to the range.”

Winter sighed but altered her path that way, muttering, “You and Whitley with those guns…” under her breath.

“It’s fun.  Besides, it could come in handy.  You know -”  As they walked outside, Weiss motioned to the house and whatever was happening there.  “Just in case.”

“There’s nothing I want more than for you and Whitley to never have to use a gun for anything.”

Winter’s pinched brow and frown matched the conviction in her tone, so Weiss didn’t point out how hopeless that goal might be.  She noted her sister’s pristine posture instead - head held high, shoulders straight, hands clasped behind her back - and tried to emulate it as they took the paved pathway leading to a large building set a safe distance away from their home.

“How’s planning going?” she asked before the silence became permanent.

“There are a lot of moving parts.”  If Weiss thought Winter might provide details, Winter shook her head and paused outside of the building.  Her blue eyes glanced through the glass double doors, but she made no motion to enter.  “Be careful,” she beseeched instead.

“Aren’t I always?”

Weiss flashed a confident smile, but Winter frowned and let her head move to one side as if she might shake it ‘no.’  Winter stopped short of saying it aloud though.  She just glanced at the doors one more time and said, “We’ll catch up later.”

Weiss watched Winter walk back up the path, poised and confident as ever.  She wished that she could read her sister’s thoughts if only to figure out how Winter truly felt about the roles they played.  Absent that ability, Winter remained something of an enigma.  All Weiss knew, as deeply and truthfully as she knew her name, was that Winter always had her and Whitley’s best interests at heart.

With a soft, appreciative warmth lingering in her chest, Weiss entered the state-of-the-art building.  Inside, she took a deep breath of clean, well-ventilated air and smiled at the cavernous, predominantly empty space.  When her father announced that he would be constructing a shooting range behind their house, she had, privately, rolled her eyes.  Once it was completed, however, she fell in love with it.

To her right, a collection of high-end firearms sat behind thick metal bars that very few had the code to access.  She started there first, choosing one of her favorite pistols that was also popular amongst her father’s men.  The weapon and a box of ammunition accompanied her to the firing lanes, beyond which electronic targeting systems stood at varying distances away from the bench.

She set the targets first - about fifty feet away from her - then loaded a magazine and slid it into the pistol.  And, since she was careful, she donned a pair of safety glasses and earmuffs before setting her stance, holding the weapon in front of her, and pulling the trigger.

The gun kicked in her hands, but she’d grown accustomed to the force of it by now.  She held it steady and continued firing, her gaze never wavering until all of the rounds were spent.  Only then did she glance at the scoreboard and huff at the shot distribution, all centered around or very close to the bullseye set in some vague man’s chest.

She cleared the target and started again, making little adjustments to her posture or cadence to see what felt better and achieved a higher score.  Coming out here for target practice was one of the few things her father approved of, though she tried not to think very hard about the reasons why.  Guns were dangerous, sure, and Winter detested them for good reason, but wielding one offered a sense of authority and strength.

Plus, Weiss felt some measure of accomplishment at excelling at something so…unexpected.  Her perfect grades had been expected, therefore uncelebrated.  Her perfect appearance was also expected, and sometimes demanded, therefore uncelebrated.  She was born and raised to be intelligent, poised, and unflappable, and anything less was admonished.  She was not, however, expected to learn how to handle any type of weapon, so mastering them had become a point of pride.  And, as an additional bonus, it had become one of her and Whitley’s brother-sister bonding activities.

When the doors slid open sometime later, Weiss thought that Whitley had shown up.  After setting the safety and glancing behind her, however, she scowled and yanked the earmuffs from her ears.

“What’re you doing here?” she demanded while Henry sauntered over.

“Just seeing what you’re up to.  What’s a pretty thing like you doing somewhere like this?”  If Weiss rolled her eyes any harder, they would fall right out of her head.  Of course, Henry remained painfully oblivious.  “If it were up to me,” he added with that stupid grin.  “You’d never have to lift a finger again.”

“Good thing it’s not up to you.”

“Not yet, anyway.”  

Either too stupid to hear how that sounded or too misogynistic to care, he leaned against the counter and smiled in the face of her growing scowl.

“I think we got off to a bad start.  Why don’t we grab dinner?  Someplace you can get all dolled up for.”

“I’d rather shoot myself in the foot.”

Emphasizing that point, she cocked the gun and glared at him.

“Come on, Weiss.  You have to give me a chance.”

His petulant whine returned, which Weiss hated nearly as much as she hated that the statement held some truth.  She’d rather break his nose than make this easy for him though, so she glanced at the targets and put on a brilliant smile when an idea popped into her head.

“Alright, you can take me on a date.  If you can score higher than me.”

She gestured to the targets and, as expected, he puffed out his chest and accepted the pistol when she offered it.  He eyed the earmuffs and safety glasses hanging nearby, probably considering how ‘cool’ he would look to forego them, before grabbing them, putting them on, and aiming down the range.  Weiss put on her own safety gear and watched him set his stance before unloading the magazine.

He was a decent shot, but he had no reason to smirk the way he did after seeing the results.

“So what’re you in the mood for?” he asked, pushing one of the earcups off of one ear while she reloaded the weapon.  “Sushi?  Pasta?  You don’t seem like a pizza girl.  Oh!  I know this new place with the best chicken wings -”

She aimed and fired in quick succession, making him scramble to get his earmuffs back into place while also drowning out his idiocy.  She emptied the magazine in half the time he took, glanced at her results, then savored his reaction: wide eyes, brow raised, and mouth parted in disbelief.

“I already have dinner plans.  Better luck next time.”

After blessing him with a fake, sweet smile, she returned the pistol to the locked cabinet - she would properly put it away later - and left.  Returning to the house, she glowered at having another one of her few enjoyments tainted by a self-centered asshole.

She hadn’t been lying when she said that she had dinner plans, and Henry had reminded her of why she should be ecstatic to leave the dreadful house for the evening.  First, she returned to her bedroom and showered to remove any lingering smell of gunpowder.  Then she changed into the outfit that she mentally selected last night: a tight skirt and moderately revealing blouse with a diamond necklace meant to draw attention to her cleavage.

Officer Rose - Weiss would just call her Ruby - was probably still pissed about what happened yesterday.  That knowledge was, somehow, invigorating, and Weiss hoped to get an even bigger rise out of the girl through her outfit.  She wanted anger, indignation, interest - all of the above and then some.  Ruby could just consider it a…personal Schnee welcome to the police force.

Weiss smirked at the thought while heading to the front door, dressed and ready to put one of Vale’s ‘finest’ through another test.  She considered driving herself - what fun it would be to show up in her should-have-been-impounded car after breaking another few speed limits - but had one of the drivers take her instead.  She used the ride to prepare herself for the battle of wills to come.

Not once did she think that Ruby wouldn't show.  And, as the restaurant came into view, she smirked at the slender, solitary figure waiting outside the front door.  

Of course Ruby showed up.  She had no obligation besides a moral one, but that was probably as compelling as a blood pact to her psyche.

Excitement tingled through Weiss’ veins, especially when Ruby noticed the black car stopping in front of the restaurant, but Weiss made herself wait for the driver to open her door.  Once he did, she stepped out of the vehicle and locked eyes with Ruby for one glorious, electrifying second.  

Ruby quickly looked away and shuffled her feet, but Weiss strode over as if drawn by an invisible force.

“Oh, Officer…”  she began, circling Ruby and biting her bottom lip at what she found.  

Dark jeans showed off Ruby’s ass in a way that begged to be squeezed, and a red polo clung to her chest in an even more inviting way.  Her short, disheveled brown hair looked how Weiss would envision it after a thrilling romp in bed.  Weiss could almost imagine running her fingers through it…tugging and pulling and drawing more than a few breathy complaints.

“You clean up nicely,” she concluded.

“Yeah, well, you said there was a dress code, so.”  Ruby ran a hand through her hair and shrugged while Weiss watched the soft brown strands fall perfectly back into place.  “Are we doing this or what?” Ruby eventually asked, prompting Weiss’ grin.

“Oh, we’re definitely doing this,” she repeated, motioning to the front door.  Her grin widened when Ruby rolled her eyes and stalked over to it.  The polished handles gleamed under the streetlights, but Ruby seemed uninterested in the posh exterior.  She was so uninterested, in fact, that she unwittingly held the door so that Weiss could enter the restaurant first.

Weiss savored the pleasant hum of conversation and elegant decor inside.  But, more than that, she relished the host catching sight of her and scurrying over to greet her.

“Good evening, Miss Schnee.”  He bowed before straightening up and extending an arm toward the dining room.  “If you’ll follow me, your table is ready.”

“Thank you.”  Weiss made sure to catch Ruby’s reaction - a raised brow and wide eyes - before following the man past the other guests waiting.  Delicious aromas wafted throughout the busy dining room, where waitstaff maneuvered through the tables carrying trays of food and drinks and diners perused menus, sipped cocktails, or conversed with companions.

The host led them to the corner of the restaurant, where an ample-sized booth with a window looking out to the street awaited them.  He left a menu on top of each place setting and waited for them to choose their seats before clasping his hands, saying, “Enjoy your dinner, Miss Schnee,” and returning to the front of the restaurant.

“So he can call you ‘Miss Schnee’ without getting his head bit off?” Ruby commented, picking up the menu only to set it aside.

“He can spit in my food.”

“Hate to break it to you, but you’ve probably eaten your fair share of spit by now.”

Weiss’ nose wrinkled at the thought, and at Ruby’s slight smirk, but Weiss quickly brushed past it.

“This means you took the check.”  Weiss unfolded the silk napkin and smoothed it over her lap before sending Ruby a smug smile.  “Did you keep it?”

“Of course not.”

Weiss hummed at the expected response and motioned for the waiter to bring over glasses of water.

“Do you even care where it went?” Ruby asked, her eyes darting to the smartly dressed waiter before returning to Weiss.

“I’m sure you’re about to tell me.”

Weiss hid a smile behind the glass as she lifted it to her lips.  That smile grew when Ruby’s brow creased.

“I - you - donated it to the community kitchen downtown.”

“How generous of me.”

“Yeah, it actually was.  Or really stupid.  Who spends ten thousand dollars just to make me have dinner with them?”

“What can I say?  You made such an impression.  What with trying to arrest me and all.”  Weiss waved a hand as if wiping away that memory, but Ruby frowned.

“So you just want to make fun of me.”

“Why would I do that?” Weiss asked, but Ruby shrugged.

“I don’t know.  So far you’ve done nothing a rational human being would do.”

“There’s no such thing as a rational human being,” Weiss replied.  “Surely, you know that.”

“Then why am I here?”

“Why are you here?” Weiss repeated.  When she winked, and Ruby scoffed, she changed tactics.  “Look - why don’t you just order some food?  At least get a free meal out of it.  But I will judge you on what you order.”

Weiss smirked, only half serious about the judgment thing, but Ruby picked up the menu and focused on reading rather than responding.  Weiss took that opportunity to study the off-duty officer more closely.  

With the rush of excitement from Ruby putting her in handcuffs and making her ride in the police car’s disgusting backseat, Weiss hadn’t found time to truly appreciate Ruby’s finer features.  Like the way her brow creased in concentration while those remarkable silver eyes flitted across the page, or the cute little point of her nose and her long, lithe fingers gently clutching the menu.  Then there was the little fact that she had the gall to try to arrest Weiss, got reprimanded for it, yet was still holding her ground.  As far as police officers went, Ruby was a bit of an anomaly.  Still a cop.  Still squarely under Weiss’ thumb.  But also an anomaly.  A very pretty anomaly.

Before Weiss could ask when the next swimsuit calendar came out, a waiter appeared beside the table.

“Good evening, Miss Schnee,” he greeted her directly.  “Are you ready to order or do you need a few minutes?”

“I’m ready,” Weiss replied before looking at Ruby, who nodded.  “I’ll have the truffle risotto.”

“Excellent choice.”  He jotted the order on his pad of paper before turning to Ruby.  Weiss grinned when Ruby’s gaze flitted to her, then down to the menu.

“I’ll have what she’s having,” Ruby said while handing over her menu.  And Weiss laughed like she couldn't remember laughing in a long time.  

“A badge with a brain,” she added, sipping her water as their waiter hurried away.  “You, dear officer, are an oxymoron.”

“You don’t have a good impression of the police.”

“Why would I?  You’re mindless idiots with guns.”

“And I’m sure you know plenty of other mindless idiots with guns.”

The pointed response earned a short pause, but then Weiss smiled and said, “I know plenty of people in general.  Kind of comes with the territory.”

Ruby rolled her eyes but let silence settle over them rather than continue the conversation.  Instead, she sipped her water, softly drummed her fingers on the table, and stared out the window as if the dark street was more compelling than Weiss.

“Don’t you have anything to ask me?” Weiss eventually snapped, dragging Ruby’s gaze back to her.

“Like what?”

“Whatever you want.  Most people would kill for the opportunity to take me to dinner, you know.  You shouldn’t waste it.”

Weiss scowled when Henry popped into her thoughts, but Ruby responded with a firm silver gaze.

“Sorry, I don’t have much to say to the daughter of the man running Vale’s largest crime syndicate.”

“Those allegations were proven false.  You know that.”

“I know that money can buy a lot of things these days, including innocence.”

Ruby’s silver eyes bored into Weiss with the accusation, but Weiss smiled.

“Alright, if you don’t have any questions, then I do.  Why’d you join the department?”

“To put people like your dad in prison.”

“He’ll be flattered to have had such an impact on you,” Weiss teased.  “But fine,” she added, hardly glancing over as their waiter delivered their meals in record time - and he knew better than to interrupt her.  “You don’t have to tell me.  I’ll just assume you’re one of those ‘hero complex’ types who just has to help others.”

Ruby’s eyes narrowed at the label, which probably hit close to the bullseye, but Weiss started eating and ignored Ruby.  The expanding silence, broken only by the soft clinking of silverware, worked to Weiss’ advantage this time, and she hid a smile the instant Ruby heaved a big sigh.

“My parents were cops.  Uncle’s a cop.  Sister’s a cop.  So…guess it just runs in the family.”  Weiss stilled at the response, but Ruby shot her a firm look.  “Which means if you’re trying to buy me, it won’t work.  I’m only here because you made that donation.”

“You could’ve dropped off the check and not shown up.”  Weiss searched Ruby’s eyes and confirmed that Ruby had considered that option.  Weiss nodded at the unspoken admission and carried on.  “Did you feel like you had to become a cop because of them?”

“I never considered anything else.  This is what I was born to do, so I do it.”

“Have you ever thought that it’s the same for other people - they’re born to do it, so they do?  Or they aren’t even given another option?”

Ruby’s brow furrowed, and her silver eyes studied Weiss with an intensity that Weiss turned away from.  The conversation felt too personal now, so she cleared her throat and gestured her fork to Ruby’s plate.

“How is it?”

“Decent.”  

The lie would be more convincing if Ruby wasn’t making her way through the dish at an impressive pace, but Weiss hummed and let it slide.  She could make Ruby admit that it was the best meal she’d probably ever eaten, but that was almost too simple to be worth the effort.  

“What happened to your eye?”

Weiss’ attention snapped back to Ruby, and Ruby motioned to her eye, symbolizing the thin scar that ran across Weiss’.

“Childhood injury.”

“Looks like it was a knife.”

“We played rough.”

“Was it your brother or sister then?”  When Weiss frowned, Ruby motioned with her hands and said, “I’m a cop, remember?”

“You did your homework.”

“No cop walks into a situation unprepared if they can help it.”

Weiss hummed and took another bite, but she squinted at Ruby while a strange warmth crept along her skin.  “What else did you learn?”

“Plenty.  Your family is very visible.  Blatantly so.”

Ruby squinted with the unspoken allegation, but Weiss found renewed interest in her dinner.  If only Ruby knew what it was like to have her privacy ripped away.  To have every little accomplishment broadcast for the masses.  Look at us.  Look at how good and normal we are.  Look at how much we care about Vale and about being upstanding, law-abiding citizens.

“It comes with the territory,” she repeated, though this time with a little less gusto.  Feeling her control over the conversation fading, she cleared her throat and added, “You said your parents ‘were’ cops.  What do they do now?”  When Ruby’s eyes narrowed, Weiss sighed.  “You can tell me or I can find out later on my own.”

Ruby chewed on that for a moment before frowning.

“My mom died, so my dad retired and moved to the country.  Lives a nice, quiet life on a farm now.”

Ruby delivered the blow as if talking about someone else’s life, detached and distant, yet still put Weiss back on the defensive.

“Oh.  I’m…sorry to hear that.”

“Sure you are,” Ruby huffed, rolling her eyes.

It probably sounded disingenuous, but Weiss did feel sympathy, as odd and unexpected as it was.  Her parents might not be the most loving or nurturing in the world, but she would miss them if they were gone.  Prison would be fine though - she could visit or write them in prison.  She would actually prefer if her dad was in prison rather than free to roam around keeping everyone in his ironclad grasp.

Weiss nearly asked how Ruby’s mom died but shut her mouth.  That would be insensitive.  She usually had no problem with being insensitive, but she didn’t want to sever the thin thread keeping Ruby at the table.  Instead, she laid her silverware across her half-finished plate and set her napkin beside it while Ruby polished off the entire meal.  She considered brushing the topic aside and moving on, but that also felt insensitive.

“I really am,” she insisted.  “That must’ve been hard.”

Ruby studied Weiss in a way that made Weiss want to squirm, but she kept her butt firmly planted to the seat and refused to turn away.

“Yeah,” Ruby eventually replied.  “It was.”

Ruby set down her own silverware, mirroring Weiss either unintentionally or through shrewd observation.  The bubble of tension had popped though, leaving the air much clearer.  Unfortunately, that unexpected respite coincided with the end of their meal if Ruby returning her napkin to the table was any indication.  

Weiss had never considered this until now, but a downside of her status was that fast, excellent service shortened the dinner, and therefore shortened their time together.  That became readily apparent when their waiter reappeared.

“Anything else?” he asked, glancing at Ruby before focusing on Weiss.

“Want dessert?” Weiss offered, but Ruby shook her head.

“No, thanks.  I’m sure you’d judge me for that, too.”

Weiss frowned but shook her head at their waiter so that he would disappear.  “You’ve been judging me, too,” she pointed out once he left, earning another one of Ruby’s astute gazes.

“You’re right.  I have been.”

The admission stung a bit, but Weiss hardly clenched her jaw before their waiter returned with a receipt.  “Thank you again, Miss Schnee.  We hope to see you again soon.”  He flitted away without waiting for a response, probably grateful to have escaped his duties.

“Did you even pay?” Ruby asked, already sliding out of the booth while Weiss slipped the receipt into her purse. 

“My family has a tab.”

“Ah.  Should’ve known.”

Ruby chuckled to herself and headed to the front of the restaurant, leaving Weiss to either follow or be left behind.  The sudden flip in circumstances had Weiss striding to catch up and, when Ruby again held the door, flashing a smug smile while walking outside.  It had gotten considerably darker in the short time they were inside, but the warm streetlights and passing headlights provided an ample sense of life.

“So, bye, I guess,” Ruby said, adding a flippant wave that made Weiss put her hands on her hips.

“What do you mean ‘bye?’  You’re driving me home.”

Weiss knew that remark would earn a scoff, and it did.

“Don’t you have chauffeurs for that?” Ruby asked, motioning her hands as if one might appear out of thin air.

“Of course.  But do you see a chauffeur around here?”

Ruby actually looked around as if she might spot a limousine or SUV in hiding, then gave up and waved her hands in front of her.  “Why don’t you just call one?”

“Because who knows how long that’ll take, and you’re already here.”

Weiss innocently smiled and watched Ruby’s jaw clench in a way very reminiscent of last night.  Weiss couldn't force Ruby to take her home.  She couldn't even use Chief Fowler’s presence to coerce acceptance.  She could, however, play on Ruby’s innate sense of chivalry and unwillingness to abandon someone on the sidewalk late at night.

“Fine,” Ruby muttered through clenched teeth.  “Let’s go.”

Ruby headed to the nearby parking lot without another word, her long strides forcing Weiss into a near jog - in heels, no less - to keep up.  But Weiss was plenty capable of running in heels if she needed to, and there was far too much pep in her step to be annoyed by the pace.  While passing a variety of darkened vehicles awaiting their owners’ return, Ruby fished a set of keys from her pocket and clicked a button.  The taillights on a small red sedan flashed in return.

“What happened to the police-mobile?” Weiss asked, curiously looking over the mellow vehicle.

“I’m off duty.”

“No wonder the police are always clamoring for raises…”

Ruby sighed at the comment but, without prompting, opened the passenger door before getting into the driver’s seat.  Even though Ruby probably just wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, Weiss beamed as she slipped into the passenger seat.  The cabin smelled faintly floral and was relatively tidy but felt like being stuck in a half-sized soda can.

“Is it really fast or something?” Weiss asked while Ruby started the engine and navigated out of the parking lot.

“Nope.  Just a boring, old, slow car.”

“You should’ve used the ten grand on an upgrade.”

Ruby glanced at Weiss out of the corner of her eye but turned on the radio rather than respond.  The latest pop track started to play, adding a strange sense of gusto to what was otherwise tense silence.  Ruby tapped the steering wheel to the beat though - a notable difference from her white-knuckled grip the last time they shared a vehicle.

“Do you like this kind of music?” Weiss eventually asked.

“Nope.  I just like to annoy myself while driving.”  Ruby flashed a cheeky grin and then added, “But I guess I don’t need the music since you’re here.”

An unexcused laugh slipped through Weiss’ lips, and she immediately launched a counteroffensive.  

“Is this how you treat all of your dates?”

“This isn’t a date.”

“Then why do you keep looking down my shirt?”

Even in the low cabin light, Weiss would swear that the tips of Ruby’s ears turned red.  At the next traffic stop, however, Ruby didn’t shy away from meeting Weiss’ gaze.  

“I already told you you’re pretty,” she said with such simplicity that Weiss’ heart skipped.  “Want me to sign a confession?”

“I want you to elaborate, Officer.  Which of my many stunning features are you most drawn to?”

“Definitely not your humility…” Ruby muttered under her breath as the light turned green.

“I’ve never claimed to be humble.”

“Yeah, good.  That’d be the world’s biggest lie.”

Weiss scoffed and looked out the window for several seconds, watching the streets grow wider and more familiar with each passing second.  “You didn’t answer though,” she added before their time ran out.  “Why do you think I’m pretty?”

“I don’t know.  You just are.”

Ruby motioned her hands with the word, which was extremely undescriptive yet somehow good enough to make Weiss’ heart do a silly little cartwheel.  She would tease Ruby about this all day if she could - preferably in the daytime so that she could confirm if Ruby’s ears were actually red.  Unfortunately, a metal gate and a gaudy crest took up their view through the front windshield shortly afterward.

The guards again stopped them and approached the vehicle.  Ruby again rolled down the window to greet them.  Before they asked for Ruby’s name, however, Weiss leaned across the center console, and fully across Ruby’s lap, so that they could see her through the window.  She waved a hand to them, so they quickly nodded and hurried to open the gate.  Ruby, meanwhile, glanced down, so Weiss lingered in her space.

“Enjoying the view?” Weiss asked, smirking as Ruby’s eyes snapped to hers.  Satisfied with that little dalliance, she took a deep inhale and sighed while leaning away.  “You smell nice.  Like…roses.”

Ruby glanced at Weiss out of the corner of her eye but drove through the gate rather than respond.  The massive house at the end of the long driveway grew larger by the second, and Weiss’ jovial mood dwindled in turn.  At least Henry wouldn't be there anymore - or he better not be.  And her mom should already be out at some party or well on her way to another self-induced early bedtime.  

“Here we are,” Ruby said, stopping in front of the entryway.  “Back at your humble abode.”

“Is this when you kiss me goodnight?”

Weiss batted her eyes, and Ruby’s mouth actually fell open before she shook her head.

“Of course not.”

“Awe…don’t be like that…”  Weiss slid closer and hooked one finger underneath Ruby’s seatbelt.  “Wouldn’t that be a nice way to end our night?”

Weiss’ skin tingled when Ruby’s gaze slipped to her lips for a fraction of a second.  Then Ruby leaned back so far that she practically pressed against the door.

“This isn’t even close to a date.”

Weiss briefly pouted at the curt response before smirking and slipping away.  “Your loss,” she hummed while getting out and shutting the door behind her.  She made sure to give Ruby the flirtiest wave of her fingers before heading home.  

She didn’t turn back, but she didn’t hear the car leave either.  Ruby was watching her, so she put some extra sway in her hips and smirked when an engine finally pulled around the drive and faded away.  Not even the obnoxiously loud fountain spoiled her mood, and her smirk remained firmly in place as she made her way to her room.

She had expected the evening to be entertaining - and it was - but there was something so satisfying about Ruby’s presence.  Exhilarating, even, like breaking in a wild horse or taming a tiger.  Ruby was far from weak-willed or spineless, yet Weiss could get her to do things that she didn’t want to do, and have fun while doing it.

Ruby probably thought, or hoped, that tonight was the last time they would see each other, but Weiss knew it wasn’t.  It was only a matter of deciding when and where she wanted to see Ruby next…