Diva - Chapter 15

Ozpin motioned with both hands and then made a sweeping gesture toward Weiss.  Pyrrha and Weiss intently followed his gestures, absorbing his instructions with the professionalism that they were both widely known for.  Cardin, on the other hand, let his gaze drift from Ozpin to the tables and chairs in what looked like a military cafeteria.

Weiss glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and scowled, but Cinder was the one who snapped her fingers for his attention.  His eyes instantly shot to the surly director’s assistant, who jerked her head toward Ozpin in a clear order to pay attention.  Surprisingly, he obeyed rather than put up a fight.  Ruby, meanwhile, shifted between her feet and glanced at the clock.

They started this scene hours ago, but Ozpin was still unsatisfied with the results.  Ruby had no idea why - everything seemed perfect to her.  The actors delivered their lines perfectly, moved through their actions perfectly, and expressed themselves perfectly.  She wasn’t a director though.  The only thing she knew was that Weiss’ frustration slowly built every time Ozpin watched the takes and ultimately shook his head.

Before the next attempt started, a flash of orange hair drew her attention to the studio entrance.  Finding Penny outside, smiling and waving, Ruby ran out and hugged her.

“Penny!” she exclaimed in a hushed voice.  “What’re you doing here?”

“I was working nearby and thought I’d say hello.”  

“Well, hello!” Ruby replied before glancing inside.  “Want to watch?”

“Is that allowed?”

“Sure!  At least, I’m pretty sure.  You work here, too.”  Penny seemed mollified by the response, so Ruby swiped her badge across the keypad and tugged Penny through the doorway.  “Just be really quiet,” she whispered while Penny’s gaze swept around the studio.

“Fascinating,” Penny concluded softly.  “So this is what happens on the other side of the camera.”

“Cool, right?”  Spotting Ozpin returning to his chair, Ruby pulled Penny close.  “They’re about to start.  Watch.”

The scene began the same way it had the past dozen times, with Weiss sitting at one end of a long table while Pyrrha and Cardin stood nearby.  Cameras, lights, and microphones surrounded them, looking uncomfortably close, yet they ignored the intrusions.  Pyrrha offered a few last words to Cardin - encouragement, perhaps - while Weiss’ gaze briefly landed on Ruby, then Penny.  Her brow furrowed, but she tilted her chin up and tapped her fingernails on the table.

“Ready the set,” Cinder said, and all superfluous conversations ceased.  “And…action.”

The building stilled as the cameras started recording and the actors launched into the same scene they had repeated all afternoon.  Pyrrha and Cardin held their hushed conversation about what to do next, debating options ranging from disobeying orders or trekking back out into the jungle.  Weiss listened in, rolling her eyes at some of their remarks, and continued the steady tap of her fingers against the table.

After paying Pyrrha several kind, genuine compliments, Cardin was called away by an older gentleman who couldn't have expected his single line as an extra to come with a full day of work.  Once Cardin left, the real fun began: a witty, caustic back-and-forth between Pyrrha and Weiss that Ruby enjoyed every single time.  The scene ended after Cardin returned and they escorted Weiss out of the room.  

Again, everything looked perfect, but the crew waited on pins and needles for Ozpin to rewatch and give the final verdict.

“That was fascinating,” Penny commented as the lead actors returned to the stage, lingering as if they would have to try again.

“Isn’t it?”  Ruby watched Weiss, who shared several words with Pyrrha before glancing at Ozpin.  “They’re so talented, too…” she mused, but she sprang into motion when Weiss caught her gaze and subtly motioned her over.  

“Be right back,” she told Penny before grabbing a bottle of water, hurrying onto the stage, and offering it to Weiss - sans cap, of course.  Weiss accepted the bottle but didn’t immediately drink any.  Instead, she held it in one hand and let her gaze flit over Ruby’s shoulder.

“What did you think?”  When Ruby’s brow furrowed, Weiss gestured to the set.  “About the scene.  It doesn’t ‘feel right’ to Oz, but there are only so many ways I can say the same set of lines.”

“O-oh, uh -”  Ruby grasped for an intelligent response but settled for the first thing that stumbled across her tongue.  “I mean, I thought it was perfect.  It’s so much fun watching you and Pyrrha banter.”

“Right, but it’s missing something,” Weiss pressed.  “And I’m asking for your opinion - what do you think it is?  Because I’d like to go home before the new year arrives.”

Weiss crossed her arms over her chest, but her blue eyes held no hint of anger or frustration.  Faced with that shocking display of patience, Ruby blew a breath through her lips and racked her brain for something useful.  Something that would enhance an already incredible scene centered around ‘Grace’ and ‘Parker.’

“Oh,” she said as an idea popped into her head.  “Ok, well, maybe you could act a little, like, hurt?”

“‘Hurt?’”

“Yeah!  I mean, Cardin just flirted with Pyrrha right in front of you.  If what you said about the sequel is true, shouldn’t Parker be hurt?  Or jealous?”

Pursing her lips at the suggestion, Weiss eventually started nodding and said, “You’re right.”  The words alone were nearly enough to knock Ruby over, but the genuine smile that followed struck her heart like an arrow.  “I’ll try that.  Thank you.”

“Sure.  No problem.  Happy to help.”

When Weiss returned the bottle of water along with a thin smile, Ruby took it and quickly returned to her spot beside Penny.

“Is that what you’ve been doing?” Penny asked, but Ruby glanced at the bottle in her hand before catching one last glance from Weiss.

“Uh, kind of?” 

Given enough time and some privacy, Ruby would have explained that taking Weiss water - and Weiss not bothering to touch it - was nothing new.  Offering her opinion, on the other hand, definitely was.  But Ozpin signaled the start of the next attempt before Ruby explained any of that.  Instead, she watched in rapt attention as the scene got underway.

The changes in Weiss’ demeanor were so slight that Ruby would have missed them if she hadn’t known what to search for.  Weiss stiffened, her fingers momentarily pausing their steady tapping, when Cardin flattered Pyrrha before leaving.  During the conversation that followed, a hint of frustration, betrayal, and resentment tinged Weiss’ words.  Pyrrha, having no idea what Weiss was doing, reacted with the slightest bit of confusion.  Befuddlement, even.

Ozpin said, “Cut,” once the scene ended, and Cinder immediately motioned for one of the videographers to hand over the recording for review.  The actors settled into chairs or on the tables, waiting.  And Ruby stared at Weiss in a mixture of disbelief and admiration.

Weiss had translated that kernel of advice into lifelike emotions at the drop of a hat.  No practice, no test runs - she assimilated it into her persona as easily as Ruby mixed a new color of paint.  Ruby had never seen anything like it, nor did she believe that level of talent and control was common amongst actresses.

Ozpin must have agreed because he nodded while watching the replay.  “Perfect,” he concluded before handing the tablet to Cinder, who promptly shoved it back into the videographer’s hands.  “That’s a wrap,” he added, grabbing his coffee cup and cane and leisurely strolling to Glynda’s office for their usual debrief.

The crew burst into motion at once, eager to break down the set so they could call it a day.  Weiss, meanwhile, found Ruby’s gaze and let a small smile slip onto her lips before leaving the stage.  Pyrrha caught the look and studied Ruby for a brief moment before following.

“That was incredibly illuminating,” Penny remarked while the two bombshell actresses retreated to their rooms.  “I especially loved how the cameras move during the scene.”

“Yeah, our cameramen are great, too.”  Ruby raised her voice loud enough so that Jaune overhead while rolling one of the cameras away.  He blushed rather than respond, leaving her chuckling as she turned back to Penny.  “And now I help clean up,” she added, motioning at the frenzied set breakdown underway.

“Fascinating,” Penny repeated, watching every movement as if it were the most interesting thing she had ever seen.  Before long, she smiled.  “I’ll go so you can return to work, but would you like to get dinner this weekend?”

“Add a movie and I’m there,” Ruby agreed, waiting for Penny’s nod before hugging her.  “Thanks for stopping by.  You’re the best.”

“‘Best’ is a relative term, but I’m glad you think so.  And I’m glad you’re doing so well here.”

“Yeah.  I guess I am.”  Ruby looked around the studio that had become like a second home and added, “Maybe I can have two careers.  Stick with this and be a painter.”

“I’m sure you could if you wanted to…but you’ll be busy all the time.”  After ruminating on that for several seconds, Penny smiled brightly and waved goodbye.  “See you this weekend!” she added before heading outside.  

Ruby’s gaze followed Penny through the doors.  Noticing how dark the sky was, Ruby glanced at the clock before hurrying to the stage to carry tables and chairs to the back of the building.

“Sorry,” she told Velvet while helping lift one end of a long table.  “That was my friend, Penny.  She’s the one who helped me get this job.”

“Does she work here?”

“Yeah!  She’s an editor, so she’s not very familiar with how the behind-the-scenes stuff works.”

Ruby and Velvet hardly maneuvered off the stage before Oscar rushed over.

“Let me help with that,” he said, reaching out as if to take Ruby’s place.

“It’s fine, Oscar.  I got it.”

His brow furrowed, but Ruby focused on holding the table aloft and walking backward to the props department.  “Notice how he didn’t offer to help me,” Velvet teased, but Ruby just chuckled and shook her head.  Thankfully, with everyone working together, the stage emptied in a fraction of the time it took to set up.

“How do you feel about grabbing a drink tonight?” Velvet asked as she and Ruby headed back to the front of the building for their belongings.  “We can invite Oscar.”

“Sounds fun.  I wonder if he even drinks…”

As they passed the stage, a new sound caught Ruby’s attention.  It started as light taps on the roof.  Those taps soon became quicker, harder, and the wind joined in with a faint howl.  She only needed to look through the front doors to confirm that the sky had just opened up to drench the city in an evening shower.  Thunder rumbling in the distance suggested a bigger storm approaching.

“Wow, it’s really coming down.” 

After grabbing her bag, Ruby went to the doors and peeked outside.  A packed tram drove by, its headlights illuminating fast and furious raindrops soaking the pavement as it passed a sleek, black limousine.  The limousine’s lights were off, but a figure in the driver’s seat was patiently waiting.  She bit her lip and looked at the dark clouds covering the city, then glanced back into the building.  

“Actually, is it cool if I skip tonight?” she asked, offering an apologetic smile.  

“Probably best to get home with this weather anyway,” Velvet replied while reaching for the door.  “Be safe.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, you too.”

Ruby waved to Velvet, who pulled out an umbrella and made her way to the tram stop, before hurrying further into the building.

“Hey, Ruby!” Oscar called out, shrugging a jacket over his shoulders.  “Pretty big storm, isn’t it?”

“Definitely big.”  

Before he pulled her into conversation, she waved and carried on to Weiss’ room.  She was nearly there when Pyrrha emerged from her own room and strode over.

“Is Weiss still here?” Ruby asked before Pyrrha said anything.

“She is.”  Pyrrha glanced at Weiss’ door before giving Ruby a worried look.  “I have another engagement tonight…”

“Don’t worry.  I got it.”

“Really?”  Pyrrha sighed in relief when Ruby nodded.  “Thank you, Ruby.  You’re an angel.”  

Pyrrha squeezed Ruby’s shoulder before walking away, glancing over her shoulder once before leaving the studio.  Ruby, meanwhile, took a deep breath before going to Weiss’ door.  She stood in front of it for a good few seconds before summoning the courage to knock.  She held her breath but, perhaps unsurprisingly, there was no response.

“Hey, Weiss?  It’s me.  Ruby.”  Ruby shook her head at the clarification but waited.  Again, no response, so she asked, “Can I come in?” 

The door opened a moment later, but Weiss left Ruby at the door and returned to the armchair without a word.

“Guess you’re staying here?” Ruby asked, letting herself in and quietly shutting the door.

“For now.”

“What if it rains all night?”

“That’s what the sofa’s for.”  

Weiss nodded at the sofa as if that answer should have been obvious.  The luxurious sofa would be more than adequate for someone like Ruby to spend the night on, but she bit her lip imagining Weiss sleeping there.

“Mind if I hang out with you?”  When Weiss’ eyes snapped to her, Ruby rubbed the back of her neck and mustered a shy smile.  “I didn’t bring an umbrella, and I don’t want to catch a cold.”

Weiss stared long enough that Ruby shuffled her feet and wondered if she would be called out for the flimsy excuse.  Called out and potentially chided, more like it.

“Fine.”

Ruby’s brow rose at the blunt acceptance, but Weiss started reading something on her phone.  Her posture and expression suggested that she wasn’t in a conversational mood, so Ruby swung her arms and looked around the spacious, well-decorated room.

“You can sit,” Weiss added, so Ruby quickly sat in the second armchair and folded her hands in her lap.  Her knee wanted to jitter so badly, but she held it still and concentrated on the room instead.  The flowers - white lilies, no dead leaves, but slightly murky water after a full day of work.  Two water glasses - one with a lipstick mark on the edge and the unmelted ice cubes resting on the bottom, the other unused. 

Two slips of paper caught Ruby’s attention, as she would recognize them anywhere.  The sketches that she drew for Weiss, the happy-go-lucky puppy and wide-eyed kitten, were propped up on the nearby counter.  Her heart warmed at the sight.  Having assumed that Weiss threw them away, she couldn't believe that they were sitting where anyone could see them.  Well, anyone who dared set foot in the dragon’s lair could see them.

“Who was that girl you were talking to today?”  When Ruby turned back to Weiss, Weiss motioned with one hand and didn’t look up from her phone.  “The redhead.”

Ruby’s brow furrowed when Pyrrha jumped into her mind, but she brightened when she realized who Weiss meant.

“Oh!  That’s my friend, Penny.  She got me this job.  She’s a video editor.”

“I see…”  Weiss tapped the edge of her phone before adding, “You two seem…close.”

“We’ve been friends since high school,” Ruby explained.  She tilted her head when Weiss nodded but didn’t respond.  “Are you still friends with anyone from high school?”

“I didn’t go to high school.  Not in the traditional sense, at least.  My father hired private tutors for me while I was on set.”

“Oh.”  At first, that sounded novel or even fun, but Ruby’s brow furrowed.  “You didn’t spend much time at home, did you,” she said, watching Weiss scoff and shake her head.

“No.  Not that I wanted to anyway.”  After a short pause, however, Weiss frowned.  “I missed my brother and sister though.”

“Do you see them often?”

Weiss leaned back and set her phone on her knee but avoided Ruby’s gaze.  

“We’ve…lost touch.”

“I’m sure you could get back in touch if you wanted.”  When Weiss finally looked up, Ruby offered an encouraging smile.  “If I didn’t see or hear from Yang for a while, I wouldn't love her any less.  That’s just how family works.”

“That’s how your family works.”  Weiss’ tone lacked pointed accusation, but then she sighed and added, “Maybe I’ll get in touch with them someday…see how they’re doing…”

“I bet they’d love to hear from you.”

Weiss hummed at the response, and Ruby didn’t dare press further than that.  The last thing she wanted to do was ruin the comfortable atmosphere by trying to learn more about a sensitive subject.  She opted for silence instead, waiting patiently as Weiss drew circles on her knee while lost in thought.

“Speaking of family…”  Weiss let the fragment dangle before saying, “My butler is ill.”

“...oh.”

Ruby scrambled for a better response - condolences or reassurance or something - but Weiss sighed and stared at her hands in her lap.

“He’s very ill,” she whispered.  “He didn’t want me to know, but his wife called me.  That’s why I was crying the other day.”  At a loss for words, Ruby nearly reached out but froze when Weiss looked up, her blue eyes shimmering.  “He raised us - my brother, sister, and me.  Before I left home…he raised us as if we were his own.  He was more of a father figure than my actual father ever was.”

With that confession out in the open, Weiss looked down, sniffed once, and added, “I’d prefer the tabloids didn’t know.”

“I would never -”  Ruby shook her head before leaving her seat and kneeling on the floor in front of Weiss.  “It’s none of their business,” she said before resting her hand on Weiss’ knee.  Weiss didn’t move away, so Ruby didn’t either.  Instead, they sat there for several seconds in silence, with Ruby watching Weiss while Weiss frowned at her lap.

Ruby’s heart clenched at the sight of long, pretty eyelashes framing mournful eyes.  Eventually, she reached up and gently touched Weiss’ hand.  Weiss didn't pull away, so she lightly squeezed it, hoping to offer some measure of comfort.

“He can fight it, right?” she asked softly.

“There’s a chance, yes.”

“Then…we can cheer him on.  Send him all our good thoughts so he gets better.”

Weiss finally looked up, so Ruby tentatively smiled and silently prayed that the gentleman who meant so much to Weiss found a way to get better.  If he was important enough for Weiss to cry over, and still hold such a solemn, forlorn aura for, then Ruby couldn't imagine what would happen if he passed away.  What happened when someone who seemed to care for very few people lost one of the few they actually cared about?

A low, distant rumble interrupted that train of thought.  Ruby looked at the ceiling while the thunder grumbled throughout the building, but Weiss pulled her hand away and wrapped her arms around herself.  A single glance confirmed that the prior conversation was over, possibly never to be mentioned again.  Ruby’s heart tightened at the thought of Weiss shouldering all of that alone, but a much closer, much less resounding grumble provided a timely subject change.

“Be right back.” 

Before Weiss responded, Ruby hopped up and hurried out of the room.  The dark, lifeless studio felt surreal, especially with raindrops pelting the thin roof and falling in sheets outside.  The stage and equipment cast long, creepy shadows as she made her way over to the food table and silently rejoiced that the crew hadn’t wiped out the leftovers.  The storm was a blessing in disguise since no one wanted to walk to the bus stop or their car carrying their bags plus a pizza box. 

Whatever the reason, two boxes sat on the table.  She opened both lids, confirmed that they were her least favorites - plain cheese or vegetarian - before grabbing the one with at least some toppings and carrying it back to Weiss’ room.

“If we’re going to be here a while…”  She set the box on the table and flipped open the lid.  “At least we have food!” she concluded before grabbing a slice.  “Want some?”

She offered the piece of pizza to Weiss, but Weiss looked at it as if it were covered in mold.

“In what universe do you think I’m eating that?”

“This one?” Ruby ventured before chuckling when Weiss’ nose wrinkled.  “Alright, suit yourself.”

Plopping down cross-legged in front of the table, Ruby took a big bite and munched happily by herself.  Weiss watched her as if observing a strange creature at the zoo before sighing and practically melting off the chair to sit on the floor beside her.

“Give me one.”  She held out a hand, but Ruby’s brow arched.  “Please,” she added.

“That’s more like it,” Ruby replied while peeling a slice off the bottom of the box and handing it to Weiss.  Rather than take a bite, Weiss held it up to her nose and sniffed.  “It’s not even that old,” Ruby pointed out.

“You make it sound like you’ve eaten worse.”

“I definitely have.”  When Weiss wrinkled her nose again, an oddly adorable expression, Ruby laughed and said, “Welcome to how the other half lives.  Eating cold pizza, sitting on the floor, stuck at work while it pours.”

Weiss watched Ruby take another bite, her blue eyes trained on Ruby’s while an unreadable expression settled into place.  Eventually, a small smile threatened to appear.  She instantly squashed it, of course, but she shrugged and said, “It could be worse.”

“Yeah, Cardin could be here.”

Weiss actually snorted at the response, and Ruby beamed at the unexpected, pure sound of joy.

“You’re right,” Weiss mused, a smile finally settling on her lips as she considered the pizza delicately resting on her fingertips.  After coming to an unspoken decision, she took a small bite, quickly chewed, and swallowed.

“So?” Ruby asked.  “Should I call an ambulance?”

“The cheese tastes like rubber.”

“I can’t believe you’ve never had cold pizza but you’ve tried rubber.”  Ruby waited for Weiss’ eye roll before laughing and taking another bite.  It might not be the best pizza, but any pizza was good pizza after a long day of work.  Weiss’ slightly aghast expression suggested that logic wasn’t entirely true, but she still nibbled at the slice as if she wasn’t entirely opposed to its existence.  That alone kept Ruby’s smile in place as she finished her slice and grabbed another.

She could probably eat an entire pizza in the time it took Weiss to eat one piece, but she stopped after two and quietly waited for Weiss to either finish the slice or cast it aside.

The crust displeased Weiss.  She made that obvious by scowling at it after trying to take a bite but finding it tough and unyielding.  She dropped it into the box and wiped off her hands instead, clearly done with that mini adventure.  Ruby, on the other hand, couldn't stop beaming.  No one would ever believe that Weiss Schnee ate a slice of old pizza without complaint, yet Ruby just witnessed it firsthand.  

When blue eyes met hers and a flawless brow creased, she immediately stopped staring.  “I have an idea,” she said while brushing off her hands, standing up, and offering a hand to Weiss.  Weiss hesitated before taking it and letting Ruby pull her to her feet.  

Weiss’ hands were as soft and delicate as Ruby had imagined.  Her hand fit so perfectly into Ruby’s, in fact, that Ruby kept hold of it and tugged Weiss out of the room.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

They didn’t have far to go - just two doors down.

“Please be as dumb as I think you are…” Ruby muttered while trying Cardin’s door.  She grinned when the handle turned and then pushed the door open with a flourish.  Weiss, meanwhile, gave her a dubious look.

“You’ve lost your mind if you think I’m setting foot in there.”

“Have it your way,” Ruby teased, releasing Weiss’ hand and strolling inside.  “I guess that just makes me the pinball champion.”

She patted the top of the pinball machine and beamed when Weiss’ eyes flitted to it.  The wheels turned in Weiss’ head before she scoffed.

“Like I can let you believe such a lie,” she quipped while sauntering over.

“Knew it.”  Ruby grinned at Weiss’ renewed interest but also at Weiss’ willingness to play along.  “How about we each get one turn?” she suggested when Weiss stood beside her.  “Highest score wins.”

“You’re on.  I’ll even let you go first.”

“So generous,” Ruby teased before searching for the button to launch a new game.  As soon as she pressed it, flashing lights and excited chimes poured out of the machine and a silver ball dropped into the chute.

“Alright, prepare to watch the master…” she mused while pulling back the lever and shooting the ball into the main arena.  It bounced every which way, adding lights and a satisfying sound while the score ticked up and up.  She tracked it carefully as it made its way to the bottom of the machine, where she smacked the right paddle button to send it shooting back up.

The process repeated over and over, with the ball catapulting from one side of the machine to the next.  Just as she was getting into the groove, her concentration veered when Weiss moved into her field of vision.  Rather than watch from beside Ruby, Weiss decided to stand near the front of the machine. 

“Uh…what’re you doing?” Ruby asked, glancing to the side for a split second before searching for the silver ball again.

“Observing.”

“How’s that supposed to help?” 

“Can’t hurt, can it?”  

Weiss flashed a smile while Ruby tried to divert her attention back to the game.  She blushed as Weiss’ gaze roved over her but shook her head and tried to ignore Weiss’ incredibly distracting presence.  Easier said than done as Ruby watched several pinballs roll off the ends of her paddles or shoot straight between them.

“It’s warm in here, isn’t it?” Weiss eventually said, then proceeded to slowly take off her jacket.  By itself, the action would have been distracting, but she was wearing a sleeveless top that revealed her toned arms, smooth shoulders, and enticing collarbone.

A sad sound jerked Ruby back to the pinball machine.  Looking down, she discovered that her turn had ended.  Weiss, on the other hand, smirked and casually flipped her jacket over one shoulder.

“My turn,” she said, quietly shooing Ruby aside to take her place.

Jaw dropped, Ruby considered pointing out how dirty that strategy was.  Weiss had already begun her turn though, sending the first silver pinball rocketing into play.  Ruby shook her head in disbelief instead, then stood off to the side where she could watch Weiss and see what was happening in the machine.

Surprisingly, Weiss was actually pretty good at pinball.

Ruby quickly got lost in watching an image of sophisticated beauty do something as simple and normal as play an arcade game.  Ruby was particularly swept up in Weiss’ furrowed brow - not angry, just concentrated - and her tongue lightly stuck in the corner of her mouth.  

Weiss’ lips looked soft and impeccable, just like everything else about her.  For the first time though, Ruby wondered what they felt like.  Would Weiss be forceful and demanding like the persona she had built up in front of the crew?  Or would she be soft…gentle…like she could be in these moments alone?  Possibly some of both…taking control but also letting someone else dictate the terms for once?

A loud, happy ringing jolted Ruby from those fantasies.  Refocusing on the moment, she discovered the machine flashing excitedly while the score screamed upward.

“How are you so good at this??” she asked, her own score obliterated.

“I had one in my room while filming Stardust.”  Weiss hit another incredible shot, adding another chunk of points to her score, before smirking at Ruby.  “Should I keep playing or have I won?”

“You definitely won,” Ruby replied, so Weiss let the ball fall past the paddles with a satisfied hum.

“What did I win?”

“Uh…bragging rights?  The title of Pinball Master?”

Those rewards would have been good enough for Ruby, but Weiss clicked her tongue.

“What’s the point of a competition if you don’t win something real?”

“Alright, what do you want?”

While Weiss considered her options, her gaze moving from Ruby’s eyes to Ruby’s lips in the process, Ruby blushed.

“Your sketch of me,” Weiss eventually said, but Ruby frowned.

“…why?  It’s bad.”

“It most certainly isn’t,” Weiss retorted.  “And that’s what I want.”

“Alright, fine.”  Knowing better than to argue with that huffy tone, Ruby raised her hands in defeat.  “You can have the sketch.  Just let me clean it up a bit first?”

“I suppose I can do that.”

“Thank you.”  Ruby glanced at Weiss, who looked extremely satisfied with the result, before shaking her head and patting the pinball machine.  “Want to go again?  For fun this time since apparently you’re a pinball savant.”

Before answering, Weiss tilted an ear toward the ceiling.  Confirming that raindrops still pattered on the roof, she nodded and motioned for Ruby to go first. 

This time, Ruby paid half as much attention to the pinball.  Weiss returned to the front of the machine, presenting the perfect opportunity to glance her way every few seconds while simultaneously trying to track the silver ball zipping back and forth.

“Jaune ate lunch with Pyrrha again today.”  

Ruby glanced over to catch Weiss’ reaction, which was a slightly raised brow and amused, “Did he?”

“Yup.  I didn’t even have to tell him to.”

Weiss hummed at the response while Ruby concentrated on the game for a brief moment.

“You should’ve heard Pyrrha gushing over him,” Weiss eventually said.  “Apparently, he looked ‘so cute.’”  Weiss put the phrase in air quotes before pursing her lips and shaking her head.  “I don’t see it.  He’s just…tall and average with horrible hair.”

“Please don’t tell him that.” 

“Why not?”

“Because he’ll get self-conscious!”

“He should be self-conscious.  He has a bunch of bananas on his head.”

A snort slipped out before Ruby stopped herself and shook her head.  The pinball soared through the paddles at the same time, so she stepped aside for Weiss to take over.  Which Weiss did, but she looked awfully proud of herself while doing it.

“He’s super sweet though,” Ruby said while Weiss played.  “And he’ll help out with anything, unlike some of the other camera guys.”

“Fine…” Weiss sighed while jabbing one of the buttons to send the ball soaring away.  “I won’t tell Camera Boy that he has ridiculous hair.”

“Thank you.  His name is Jaune, by the way.  In case you’ve forgotten.”

“Oh, I’m not calling him by his name.  That’s how you get attached to people.”

“But you call me by my name.”

The machine made a sad sound as the ball fell through the paddles, but Weiss stared at Ruby for a long moment before saying, “I suppose I do.”

Ruby didn’t know why silence followed the statement, so she cleared her throat.  “You call Cardin by his name, too,” she pointed out.  As expected, Weiss scoffed.

“Only because he’s too stupid to learn that when I say ‘numbskull’ I mean him.  ‘Idiot’ didn’t stick either.”

“Does that mean I’m too dumb to go by another name?”

“Of course not,” Weiss huffed.  “I just…like your name.”

This time, Ruby really didn’t know how to interpret the response, let alone the soft blush that it prompted.  She stared at Weiss instead, hoping for an explanation that would never come.  

After clearing her throat, Weiss tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before meeting Ruby’s gaze.  “Thank you,” she said before nodding to the pinball machine.  “For staying.”

The sincere gratitude nearly swept Ruby right off her feet and made her want to do something embarrassing like wrap Weiss in a big hug or burrow into her pristine white hair and gush about how adorable she was.  Knowing that neither of those responses would be warmly received, Ruby merely smiled and dipped her chin.

“You’re welcome.  I’m glad I got to see the Anti-Weiss again.”

“‘Anti-Weiss?’” Weiss repeated, tilting her head.

“Yeah, like the Anti-Christ?  Only…Anti-Weiss.”

It sounded incredibly dumb out loud, but Weiss suppressed a smile and touched a hand to her heart.

“That might be the most flattering thing anyone’s ever said to me,” she said, eyes shimmering as if she were genuinely moved.  The seamless facade caught Ruby off guard for only a second this time, as she quickly chuckled and motioned Weiss out of the way.

“Come on, you’re hogging it,” Ruby teased before taking the next turn.  While the pinball machine resumed its jarring noises, she glanced at Weiss out of the corner of her eye and found Weiss watching her with a hint of a smile.  Her heart fluttered at the sight, and she couldn't keep a smile from slipping out as she halfheartedly focused on playing pinball.

Another long, low rumble of thunder shook the building, but Weiss hardly seemed to notice and Ruby didn’t mind it.  It could rain all night as far as she was concerned.  She would feel bad if Weiss had to sleep on the sofa, but she would undoubtedly enjoy the commentary that came with it.  Weiss was a bit of a contradiction in that way…yet Ruby loved something about unraveling that mystery.