Diva - Chapter 22

Despite the bags under her eyes and general ache in her tired limbs, Ruby’s skin buzzed as if she had just stuck a fork into an outlet.  As much as a small part of her wanted to stay in bed all day, grasping at some form of recuperation from work, a much larger part had fueled her out of the apartment in record time.

The red shirt hadn’t made the cut today - her cheeks still hadn’t recovered from the blushing she did last time she wore it - but she had settled on a nice white polo with a pair of black jeans.  Nothing too fancy, but something fancy enough that she wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb somewhere as refined as The Diamond Gallery.

The bus refused to move faster through Vale’s busy weekend streets, but her knee had no problem finding another gear as it incessantly jittered.  Her anticipation only grew as traffic lights turned green, then red, and intersections gradually passed.  The buildings outside changed block by block, from apartments to strip malls and shopping centers to trendy boutiques.

Spotting a section of high-end stores, she pulled the cord running along the window and went to the door before the bus had even stopped.  She hopped off as soon as the door opened and, as the gargantuan vehicle pulled away with a puff of exhaust, made her way to the all-glass windows framing The Diamond Gallery.

Everything looked just how she remembered it - almost.  She immediately spotted the difference and paused on the sidewalk while excitement bubbled in her chest like a mountain of soap spilling out of a dishwasher.  

On the back wall, visible from the street, hung her paintings.  Three of them in a row, all with blank white space between them so that each could draw its own audience.  They weren’t tucked in some back hallway near the restroom.  They weren’t stacked on top of each other like postcards in the value bin.  They were right there - on display - and if she could see them from outside, then anyone else could, too.

She looked over as a man talking on his phone hurried past.  He didn’t so much as glance at the gallery, being too busy with his call, but other people might look inside or glimpse her work out of the corner of their eye.  The miniscule chance made her want to flail around in a new kind of interpretive dance, but she saved that dance for later and entered the gallery instead.

A sophisticated silence settled over her as soon as the door closed.  There were no buses here.  No public transportation of any kind, actually.  Just classy, elegant art surrounded by polished tile floors and tasteful silver accents.

“Welcome to The Diamond Gallery,” the young woman at the front desk greeted her.  “How can I help you?”

“Oh.  I’m just here to -”  Ruby pointed at her art on the other side of the room, but the girl’s brow creased.  “You just put up my pieces,” she explained.  “I just wanted to see them.”

“Oh.  You must be Ruby.”

Ruby tilted her head this time, unsure of what the emphasis meant or why the young woman’s smile morphed from polite and welcoming to knowing and friendly.  She considered asking if they knew each other until a glimpse of white hair seized her heart.  She quickly recognized Winter, but there was a moment when she stopped breathing and her cheeks preemptively warmed.

Winter possessed the same heart-stopping beauty and discerning gaze that didn’t quite invite intimate conversation, but Ruby found a weird sort of comfort in being scrutinized like a science fair entry.  Her outfit, her hair, her shoes - everything cataloged in the short time it took for Winter to cross the room.

“Ruby,” Winter greeted her with a flicker of a smile - Ruby had gotten so used to reading flickers of smiles that she knew Winter was actually vaguely pleased to see her.  “Let me show you what we’ve done.”

Without waiting for acknowledgment, Winter motioned for Ruby to follow her.  She crossed the gallery with poise and confidence that Ruby knew well.  Not even the sculptures she passed, fit for palatial estates, or the artwork destined for homes of the rich and famous earned her fleeting glance.  It might all be old news for her, but Ruby’s eyes swept from side to side as her disbelief grew.

“Here they are.”  

Winter stood beside Ruby’s paintings and clasped her hands behind her back, yet her blue eyes watched every second of Ruby’s reaction.  Even under that intense observation, Ruby couldn't contain her utter amazement at her dream coming true.

“Wow,” she said while stepping closer, taking in finer details that she hadn’t noticed from outside.  The lighting perfectly illuminated the canvas without casting any glares or shadows.  The unobtrusive but informative placard mounted to the wall beneath each one listed the piece’s title and her name.  The generous white borders allowed her to stand in front of one without distraction from the others.

“They look so good,” she concluded before glancing at Winter.  “Really, I can’t thank you enough.”

“There’s no need to thank me.”  Despite Ruby shaking her head in disbelief, Winter turned toward the paintings and added, “I have several clients who love this style.  I’ve already told them that they should stop by.”

Ruby’s mind boggled at the revelation that her work might fit someone’s preferences and that Winter had already contacted those people.

“I’m about to thank you again,” she admitted but, when Winter moved her head to one side in a half-headshake, rubbed her cheeks and said, “This is really awesome,” instead.  

It felt…official.  Like she might have finally made it, despite using too many brushstrokes that were too quick or soft or lacked a defined style.  Despite trying to do what everyone else wanted from her, she somehow discovered what she liked.  Her own voice.

“I hope you don’t mind that I invited a few people?” she asked, but Winter waved off the concern.

“Of course not.  Everyone’s welcome to stop by.”  As Ruby breathed a sigh of relief, Winter’s gaze flitted to the entrance.  An older gentleman wearing a black bowler hat, slightly stooped and slow in his age, was speaking to the young woman at the front desk.  “If you’ll excuse me,” Winter said, offering a polite smile before going to greet him.

While Winter fulfilled more pressing responsibilities, Ruby basked in the presence of the artworks that she had spent considerable hours on.  At the time, she hadn’t expected to be creating anything worthy of going on a wall, let alone a wall in a prestigious art gallery.  If Winter wouldn't accept Ruby’s gratitude, then it all went to Weiss.  

Just thinking about Weiss, Ruby’s heart sped up until her pulse vibrated through her veins like one of those carnival games that shocked unfortunate players.  Weiss was even less likely to accept any gratitude for literally changing Ruby’s life, but Ruby wished that she would.  

If Ruby was wishing for things, she also wished that she could bundle Weiss up in her arms and pepper Weiss’ cheeks with kisses.  She wished that she could tell Weiss how perfect and generous and good she was.  She wished that Weiss would believe it, too.  Absent a genie or fairy godmother prepared to dish out those requests, she loitered in front of her paintings until a familiar face drew her attention.

Penny paused at the front desk but, after finding Ruby, beamed and headed over.

“I thought you couldn't make it!” Ruby said before they hugged.

“I told my boss that I would only be gone for thirty minutes.”  After releasing Ruby, Penny turned toward the wall and smiled.  “Oh, these look incredible!”  Penny raised both hands high in the air and rolled onto her tiptoes as if the mere word would lift her off her feet.  “And official,” she added upon noticing the small placards containing details.

“Way more official than I imagined,” Ruby admitted.  She then glanced in both directions before lowering her voice, pointing to the placard, and saying, “People can buy these, too!”

“And if they do, you can afford your own apartment!”

“I can more than afford my own place.”  Ruby chuckled at that hypothetical future, which still felt far away, before lightly tapping Penny’s elbow.  “And you helped this happen.”  When Penny’s brow furrowed, Ruby nodded.  “You did!  By getting me the PA job, you introduced me to Weiss, and Weiss introduced me to Winter, and Winter decided to take a chance on me.”

“In that case…” Penny mused.  “It was actually my father who helped you since he got me the editing position.”  It was Ruby’s turn to shake her head, but Penny continued.  “Or we should be thanking whoever started Crescent Productions, who created the jobs that all of us have.  Or maybe the person who inspired the head of Crescent Productions…or perhaps, the person who invented film?”

“Ok, ok.”  Ruby waved her hands in front of her.  “Let’s just say…you helped, and I’m grateful.”

“I’m glad that I could help.”  Penny smiled and set a hand on Ruby’s shoulder while turning back to the wall of art.  They stood in comfortable silence for several moments, with Ruby letting Penny soak in the atmosphere, before Penny glanced at her watch.  “Sorry, I can’t stay long.  We only have a few days of editing left.”

“Totally understand.”  Ruby nodded before giving Penny another hug.  “Thanks so much for coming.”

“I wouldn't have missed it.”  Once the hug ended, Penny beamed at Ruby and added, “Maybe we can get lunch next week after our deadline’s passed?  Then we can catch up on how filming is going.”

Ruby’s thoughts instantly returned to Weiss, but she smiled and said, “Absolutely.  Just text me when you’re free.”

Penny nodded and waved before hurrying out the way she’d come, racing back to the editing rooms to finish her own movie.  She also wouldn't accept responsibility for changing Ruby’s life, but she had an impact whether she accepted it or not.  

If life had taught Ruby anything, it was that she was blessed with the most amazing friends and family someone could hope for.  Penny was included in that, yet Penny had hardly rushed back to work before one of Ruby’s newest friends approached the front door with an air of hesitancy.  Only after confirming the business name did Velvet open the door, and her expression relaxed when Ruby waved her over.

“I’ve never been here before,” were the first words out of Velvet’s mouth.  Her eyes were wide as she looked around the gallery, landing on painting after painting before coming to a rest on Ruby’s.  “These look like yours.”

“How can you tell?” 

“They’re similar to the ones you made for the museum scene,” Velvet explained before stepping closer and adding, “They’re beautiful.”

“Have I ever told you how much better compliments sound in your accent?”  When Velvet smiled and shook her head, Ruby grinned.  “But thanks,” she added.  “I feel like the ones I made for the museum kind of…helped me find my style.”

“At least being a PA hasn’t been completely insufferable then.”

“Are you kidding?  It’s been so much fun.  Learning new things, meeting new people, running around fetching things so that Cinder doesn’t disintegrate me with her laser beam eyes, cutting out sleep because I have to work instead…what other job gives you all of that at once?”

“Does that mean you’re exhausted?” 

“Almost fell asleep on the table last night,” Ruby admitted.  “Ate dinner and put my head down for a second -”

“Never put your head down,” Velvet replied with a small laugh.  “And especially don’t close your eyes.”

“Made both of those mistakes.”  Thinking about last night, when her persistent exhaustion finally got the better of her, Ruby chuckled.  “My sister woke me up so I could sleep in an actual bed.  Otherwise, I’d probably have a permanent hunch in my back.”

While Ruby bent forward and pressed a hand to her back, Velvet said, “It’s almost over though.”

The remark was meant to be reassuring, but Ruby’s heart clenched at the thought.  Even though she had never worked such exhausting, long hours, she didn’t want it to end.  She didn’t love the whole ‘fire-breathing dragon’ schtick Cinder had going on these days, nor Ozpin’s propensity to forget that normal people had to eat several times a day, but she also knew that running out of scenes might also mean running out of reasons to see Weiss.

“Ruby.”  Velvet caught Ruby off guard by nudging her elbow and nodded toward the other side of the gallery.  “Doesn’t she look exactly like Weiss?”

Ruby glanced at Winter, who spoke to the young woman at the front desk, and said, “She does.  Having similar genetics probably helps.”

“Sisters?” Velvet guessed and, once Ruby nodded, studied Winter for another second.  “I didn’t realize Weiss had siblings.”

“Pretty sure there’s a lot we don’t know about Weiss.”  While Ruby chuckled at that truth, however, Velvet hummed and finally turned away from Winter.

“Did you invite her?”

“Oh.”  Ruby glanced at Winter before shaking her head.  “No.  But I mean, she works here so…”

“No, I meant - did you invite Weiss?”

“Oh.  Yeah, I did.  She said she’d come, but who knows.”  Ruby blew out a puff of air and waved it away.  “She wanted to see the gallery, so maybe she’ll show.”

“I’m sure she will,” Velvet replied before letting her gaze flit to the entrance.  “I half expected Oscar to be here.”

“Ah.  I kind of…didn’t tell him.”  When Velvet’s brow rose, Ruby waved her hands in front of her.  “I didn’t want there to be too many people here, you know?  Besides, I can always meet him here later if he wants to see.  A gallery doesn’t seem like his cup of tea anyway.”

“That’s true,” Velvet agreed, so Ruby stopped coming up with excuses.  Admittedly, she hadn’t wanted Oscar to be here if Weiss showed up.  Like a squirrel hoarding acorns for winter, she wanted all of Weiss’ attention to herself - and Oscar had a way of getting under Weiss’ skin without trying.

Thankfully, a message arrived on Velvet’s phone and distracted her from pursuing the topic further.  Whatever she read on the screen made her beam as she tapped out a quick response, then she blinded Ruby with some of the residual smile after putting her phone away.

“I should get going.  I promised I’d meet Coco for lunch.”

“Now you’re inseparable on and off set?  You’re going to beat Pyrrha and Jaune for cutest couple.”

“I don’t know about that…” Velvet mused before sneaking Ruby a look.  “And there’s still time for another couple to steal that title.”

“Who?  Do you know someone??”

Smiling patiently, Velvet patted Ruby’s shoulder and said, “We’ll just have to wait and see,” before stepping away with a friendly, “I’ll see you Monday.”

Ruby waved as Velvet left the gallery, off to be wooed by a doting should-be supermodel, before sticking her hands in her pockets and glancing around.  Her attention briefly returned to her paintings before she walked around looking at the various sculptures.  

Sculpting had always fascinated her.  Creating a three-dimensional image versus layering one onto a canvas seemed like a magician’s job.  Especially working with metal, which wasn’t exactly easy to manipulate, or marble, which…she didn’t even want to think about the effort that went into forming marble.  

The metal sculpture, in particular, held her attention.  It looked like the outline of a cube from one angle, yet an oval from another.  She circled it multiple times, puzzling out how the creator accomplished such a feat, but the bends in the metal were so subtle that she couldn't make any determinations by sight alone.  Before she caved and asked Winter for an explanation, however, Yang and Blake walked by the front of the gallery.

Yang beamed and waved to Ruby through the windows.  Her pace sped up, meaning Blake’s pace also sped up since they were holding hands, and they reached Ruby in no time.

“You look nice!” was the first thing out of Yang’s mouth, followed by squeezing Ruby in a hug and lifting her feet off the floor.  “And look at this place.”  Yang set Ruby down, looked around the gallery, and gasped when she spotted Ruby’s art.  “These are yours!” she said, almost dragging Blake over in her rush to stand in front of them.  She pointed at them, then at Ruby, and beamed as if she just ate a slice of the sun.  “Look at this.  My sister’s a bonafide, hanging-on-the-wall artist.”

“Instead of a hiding-in-the-closet artist,” Ruby replied.  Yang snorted with laughter.

“Please.  Like you’ve ever been hiding in the closet.”  While Ruby rolled her eyes, Yang nudged Blake’s arm.  “Is this awesome or what?  That’s Ruby’s art!  Like, right there!  We saw her working on these.”  Yang leaned forward to read the placard beneath one of the paintings and laughed.  “Now we can’t even afford them!”

“Congratulations, Ruby,” Blake added.  “This is amazing.”

Blake and Yang’s reactions were as different as could be, but both of them made Ruby grin and bounce on her toes.

“Thanks, guys.  It’s definitely a start.”

Yang scoffed at the remark but, rather than argue how this was more than just a start, glanced around and lowered her voice.

“This place is classy, too.  Are we even allowed to be here?”

“Of course!  Winter said it was fine.” 

Ruby motioned in Winter’s direction but froze when someone new entered the gallery.  Even though they had their hair pulled up and hidden under a hat and dark sunglasses covering their eyes, she would recognize that porcelain skin, petite figure, and impeccable style anywhere.  Her heart dropped into a deeper, harder drumbeat that had become so frequent that she should probably speak to a cardiologist.  She beamed instead and motioned to Yang and Blake that she would be right back.

Weiss’ attention snapped to her, sending a jolt of electricity through her skin.  The sunglasses hid an unwavering blue gaze, yet Ruby knew it was there, cataloging every second of her approach.  The corner of Weiss’ mouth snuck up just enough for Ruby to notice, but the miniscule display of happiness could easily be played off as a figment of imagination.

“Excuse me, Miss,” Ruby began in a cordial tone as she stopped in front of Weiss.  “Can I help you find something?”

“Thank you, but I’ve already found what I’m looking for.”  Weiss’ playful, perfect smile woke up every butterfly in Ruby’s chest and sent them scattering in a flutter of wings.  “But I’d like to know who made those,” she added, waving a slender hand at the wall holding Ruby’s art before delicately resting her hand against her chin, displaying her recently manicured nails.  “I like their style.”

“Oh, no problem.  I’ll get them for you.”  Ruby was a horrible actress - she could hardly contain a smile - but she still spun in a circle and bowed once she faced Weiss once more.  “Hey.  Some girl said you wanted to meet me?”

Ruby’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest when Weiss laughed.  If there was a more magical sound in the world, Ruby had yet to experience it.  It was like the clouds parted and the angels sang while round-faced cherubs played harps and unicorns pranced on rainbows.  She would have stood there and bantered with Weiss until her legs went numb, but a glimpse of Yang and Blake reminded her that she had company.  Blake and Yang were watching, too - Blake far more subtly than Yang - and probably wondering who had captured such steadfast attention.

“My, uh, sister and her fiancée are here,” Ruby added, rubbing the back of her neck and slightly nodding their way.  “Want to meet them?”

“Do you want me to?”

“Yeah, of course!”

Before Weiss thought otherwise, Ruby smiled and politely extended an arm in that direction.  Weiss lightly bit her lip before nodding and falling into step by Ruby’s side.  Her pace or posture showed no hint of nerves, making Ruby wonder if she even got nervous about meeting new people.  Maybe she was so used to everyone catering to her that new or old acquaintances alike hardly mattered.

Another mystery Ruby might never solve, but that became less pressing when they reached Yang and Blake.  Whatever light conversation Yang and Blake had been having stopped as they turned toward Ruby and Weiss with a fair amount of curiosity.  Yang, in particular, squinted at Weiss as if trying to figure out who she was and how she had earned Ruby’s rapt attention.  

“This is my sister, Yang,” Ruby told Weiss while extending an arm to Yang, who smiled and gave a small wave.  “And this is her fiancée, Blake.”  Blake nodded and let her gaze sweep over Weiss just once.  “Yang, Blake, this is - uh -”  After glancing around to make sure no one was listening, which would be difficult when they were practically the only people there, she still lowered her voice and said, “This is Weiss.”

Yang and Blake’s brows rose in unison, but their shocked reactions quickly morphed to polite friendliness.

“Nice to meet you,” Blake said, dipping her chin while Yang beamed and bounced on her toes.

“Yeah, ditto.  We’ve heard lots of great things about you.”

Ruby grimaced at how that sounded but, thankfully, Weiss seemed unbothered.  “It’s nice to meet you, too,” she replied, lightly clasping her hands in front of her.  “And congratulations.”  When Weiss motioned to Blake’s hand, Blake looked down at the ring on her finger before sharing a surprised glance with Yang.  “Do you have a date picked yet?”

“Next March.”

“A spring wedding,” Weiss replied with an amiable nod.  “That’ll be beautiful, I’m sure.”

“Oh, yeah, we can’t wait.”  Yang beamed at Blake before grinning at Ruby.  “Especially since Ruby agreed to wear whatever I pick for her.”

“Is that so?”  Weiss arched a brow at Ruby, who sighed and shook her head at one of her most ill-advised promises, before smiling at Yang.  “What do you have in mind?”

“Not sure yet…”  Yang scrunched up her nose as if the answer would come to her but then relaxed and shook her head.  “On one hand, I don’t want to be shown up at my own wedding.  On the other hand…the chance to put Ruby in a dress.  Not one of those cute little things either - I’m talking a stunner.”

“Sleeveless?” Weiss suggested.

“How about strapless?” Yang countered.  

Weiss briefly froze before letting her gaze wander over Ruby in a deliberate way that lit Ruby’s skin like walking through a wildfire.  Their kiss surged to the front of her mind - the memory not as all-encompassing as it used to be but still more than enough to elicit a blush.  That blush only grew hotter when Weiss slowly nodded and said, “Yes…yes, that would work quite well.”

While Ruby’s entire mind became preoccupied with other thoughts, Yang glanced at her, then at Weiss, before chuckling to herself.

“Strapless it is,” she concluded.  “Might as well throw in a plunging neckline and a slit all the way to your hip while we’re at it.”

Weiss’ eyes sharpened, boring through Ruby like drills, before she sucked in a small breath.  “She’ll look incredible,” she mumbled somewhere toward the corner of the room before clearing her throat and regaining a cordial aura.  “If you’ll excuse me,” she said before nodding to Winter across the room.  “I should say hello.”

“Tell her I say thank you again,” Ruby said.  “Like, a million times thank you.”

“Oh, I doubt she’ll accept a million times,” Weiss replied without missing a beat.  “But I’ll see what I can do.”

When Ruby laughed, Weiss nearly smiled before nodding to Yang and Blake and heading across the room.  As soon as she was out of earshot, Yang grabbed Ruby’s elbow and pulled her close.

“Uh, holy crap, Ruby.”

“What?”

“‘What?’” Yang repeated before laughing.  “I know you’re used to brushing elbows with celebrities now, but that’s still Weiss freaking Schnee.  Household name?  Gorgeous international celebrity?  Here.  For you.”

Ruby scrunched up her nose at Yang’s description.  Rationally, everything Yang said was true, but it clashed with Ruby’s view of Weiss.  Weiss was just…Weiss.  Prickly, easily frustrated, but also astoundingly sweet.

“She’s just being nice.”  Noticing the look Yang and Blake shared, however, Ruby sighed and asked, “What?”

“Nothing.”  Yang’s shrug suggested something - as did the smirk that crept onto her lips as she said, “I’m just glad she’s being nice to you now.  Completely different from how it started, huh?”

Comparing the version of Weiss that Ruby adored to the one she’d worked with over those first few weeks was like comparing an antelope and an avocado.  Both started with the letter ‘A,’ but her feelings for them couldn't be more different.  Even now, as she watched Weiss and Winter exchange polite conversation, her heart danced and jumped and jittered in ever-changing rhythm.  She might need to find that cardiologist after all, since there was nothing healthy about the way this Weiss made her feel with a simple glance, a lingering look, or one of those rare smiles.

“Well, guess Blake and I will head out now,” Yang commented.  “Unless you want us to stay?”

Ruby glanced at Yang, then at Weiss, before shaking her head and saying, “Nah, you don’t have to.  I’ll catch up with you at home?”

“Sure thing.”  Yang nodded once before looking at Ruby’s artwork one last time.  “But this is awesome, Ruby, really.  I’m so proud of you.”  Those words alone were enough to make Ruby’s day, but then Yang hugged her and added, “Mom would be, too.”  

Ruby’s heart clenched, especially when Yang met her gaze and patted her shoulder, but she still found a smile as Yang let go and retook Blake’s hand.

“I hope so,” Ruby replied, but Yang shook her head and said, “I know so.”

Having only caught Yang’s response, Weiss slowed down and maintained a respectful distance rather than barging back into the conversation.  Ruby motioned her over though, and both Blake and Yang’s gazes followed her before Yang suddenly snapped her fingers.

“Oh!  Almost forgot - I’m not leaving until I get a photo of you standing with your paintings.”

“Yangggg…” Ruby whined while Yang fished her phone from her pocket.

“Don’t ‘Yanggg’ me.  Get over there.”

Ruby turned to Blake for help but, when Blake smiled and shrugged, blew a breath through her lips and slouched over to the wall.  “You’re so embarrassing,” she grumbled, though a smile broke through when she noticed Weiss’ eyes sparkling with amusement.

“You’ll thank me when we’re all old and you want to remember the first time your art went up in a gallery.”  Ruby rolled her eyes but obediently smiled so that Yang could snap a few pictures.  Yang did just that, but then she turned to Weiss and said, “Weiss?  Want to get in on this?”

“Oh, I don’t want to impose.”

“Come on, Ruby’s been inhaling paint fumes since she was a baby - she’ll definitely need visual aids when she’s older.”

After making a face at Yang, Ruby looked at Weiss.  Weiss’ posture suggested that she was on the verge of stepping backward but, once Ruby beckoned her over, she moved closer instead.  “I suppose it can’t hurt,” she added while joining Ruby beside the paintings.  Ruby couldn't tell if Weiss was going along with it because she wanted to or because she wanted to make a good impression on Yang, but that didn’t matter - Ruby still beamed at her before smiling for Yang’s photo.

Ruby could feel Weiss’ warmth seeping into her side, but she focused on Yang taking a picture and then studying the screen.  Satisfied with what she found, she grinned and stuck her phone back into her pocket with a succinct, “Perfect.”

“Now we should really leave,” Blake gently pressed her.

“You got it.”  Yang’s hand found Blake’s like a laser-guided missile with only one target, and she waved with her other.  “See you at home!” she added while Blake tugged her away.  

Ruby watched them go and, only after they’d disappeared down the sidewalk, blew an exaggerated breath through her lips.

“She’s so embarrassing.”

“She’s sweet,” Weiss replied before her brow slightly furrowed.  “You look nothing alike but are clearly related.”

“Because we have the same incredible sense of humor?” Ruby asked.  Weiss huffed.

“Sure.  Something like that.”

Ruby waited for Weiss’ dismissive hand wave before laughing, and Weiss waited for Ruby’s laughter before smiling.  It was a virtuous circle, of sorts, and it worked a helluva lot better now that Ruby could tell when Weiss was joking.

“Sorry if she was too chatty.  She’s a fan of your movies.”

“Oh, it’s fine.”  Weiss brushed a hand through the air before sneaking a look at Ruby out of the corner of her eye.  “What about you though?”

“What about me?”

“Are you not?  A fan?”

“I used to be,” Ruby admitted.

“...I see.”

Weiss’ gaze found the floor so fast that Ruby touched her elbow to draw it back to her.

“But now I’d say that, I don’t know…maybe I’m a friend?”

“‘Friend,’” Weiss repeated.  Something about the term caused a brief conflict in her eyes, but she soon nodded and said, “Right.  You could say that, if you wanted to.  Which I’m sure you do because who wouldn't.”

“Exactly.  Who wouldn't?”  Ruby studied Weiss for a second, searching for an explanation behind the reaction, before motioning toward the gallery.  “Want to look around?”

“Only if you share your insights.”

“Art is subjective,” Ruby replied while leading Weiss to the nearest painting.  “Your opinion is all that matters.”

“So it’s just like real life.”

“This place really suits you,” Ruby teased, grinning at Weiss before gesturing to the painting on the wall.  “Alright, what do you think?”

“It’s too green.”

“There is a lot of green…” Ruby mused.  “But it’s a jungle,” she added as if that needed to be pointed out.  Weiss playfully rolled her eyes, so Ruby studied the painting more thoroughly.  “Ugh,” she concluded.  “You’re right - it’s too green.”

“I understand why you’d want to agree with me, but why are you agreeing with me?”

“Because they did that thing!”  Ruby motioned both hands at the painting but elaborated when Weiss merely arched one brow.  “That thing where you choose a base color and use it in everything.  See the panther?”  She pointed at the sleek creature tucked amidst the trees and vines.  “It’s not black.  It’s black and green mixed together.”

Weiss leaned closer to see what Ruby was referencing before pulling away and nodding.

“I see.  I take it you don’t like that method.”

“I’m a fan of all colors, not just one.  Besides, figuring out how to pair colors together is part of the challenge.  Making everything the same hue just seems…”

“Lazy?  Pointless?  Uninspired?”

“It’s not my preferred style,” Ruby concluded.

“So you’re an equal opportunity colorist,” Weiss commented, holding back a smile as they ambled to the next painting.

“I guess you could say that.”

“I will.”

“Of course you will,” Ruby replied, chuckling at the response before stopping in front of the next painting.  “Now this one is -”  She paused, leaned closer, and squinted at the signature.  “No way,” she said as her eyes darted to the printed placard on the wall.  “Seriously?” she added after reading the artist’s name.  “She got in here before me?”

“You know this person?” Weiss asked, moving closer so that she could also read the name.

“You could say that.  We went to school together and, well, we had our differences.”

“It sounds like you have dirt.”  

“It’s just dumb college stuff.”

“Come on, Ruby.  Who am I going to tell?”  While Ruby glanced at the painting again, Weiss’ eyes sparkled as she crossed her arms and said, “Spill.”

Caught between her desire to leave the past in the past and her unquenchable urge to do anything to make Weiss happy, Ruby caved like a puppy left alone in a room filled with peanut butter.

“Alright, fine.  We used to be friends, then she accused me of ‘stealing’ her idea for a painting and stopped talking to me.  Which I totally didn’t, by the way!  My idea was different and I started working on it before she even brought it up.  Don’t know how I could’ve stolen something I already had...”

Ruby glared at the artwork, still vaguely annoyed by the situation.  Weiss, on the other hand, glanced between Ruby and the painting before laughing.

“That’s your version of drama?  Here I thought it’d be something scandalous.  An ex-lover, perhaps.”

“‘Ex-lover?’” Ruby repeated before giggling.  “Who talks like that?”

“I talk like that.”

“Any ‘ex-lovers’ you want to gossip about, hm?” Ruby teased, nudging Weiss’ side while Weiss walked to the next painting.

“They aren’t worth mentioning.”

“But there are some!” Ruby gasped, only for Weiss to maintain an impressively neutral expression and point at the painting.

“What about this one?”

“Cubist and boring,” Ruby quipped before tickling Weiss’ side.  “Tell me more about these ‘ex-lovers’ of yours.  Who are they?  Are they famous?  Extra famous?  Extra extra famous?”

Weiss squirmed away from Ruby’s fingers but smiled at the incessant questions.  “They aren’t worth mentioning,” she repeated.  “Just a few dates, that’s all.  There was no ‘love’ anything.”

“They’re dead, aren’t they,” Ruby replied solemnly.  A startled laugh slipped through Weiss’ lips before she forced a stoic expression.

“That’s between me and James.”

“I knew he wasn’t just a chauffeur!”

Weiss playfully shushed Ruby before glancing around to make sure no one overheard.  Despite their relative privacy, she still bit her lip before adding, “Romance hasn’t been very high on my list.”

“You’re too busy?” 

“That, and it’s always…complicated.”

Ruby could only imagine the complications that went into dating someone like Weiss - and that was before considering her status as an ‘international celebrity.’  It would probably be fun though.  At the very least, it would be an experience unlike any other.  

Weiss’ pinched brow, however, suggested that she concentrated more on the negatives than the many positives she possessed.  Before Ruby said something silly to break the mood, however, Weiss glanced back at the painting they left behind.

“So, just a classmate,” she stated.

“Yup.  Sorry to disappoint you.”

“Oh, I’m not disappointed.  Quite the opposite.”

“You’re ‘appointed?’” 

“Why are you like this…” Weiss sighed while Ruby giggled and nudged her shoulder.  A smile found its way back onto Weiss’ lips as they strolled further through the gallery, the artwork holding Ruby’s attention for fleeting seconds compared to the near-complete focus Weiss granted.

“Can I ask something?” Weiss eventually asked, turning away from a gaudy, bright modern artwork and ensnaring Ruby in a calm blue gaze.  “What made you want to be an artist?  Not that there’s anything wrong with it.  I’m just…curious.”

Ruby’s heart tightened at the question.  She never would have answered for Weiss before - some topics hurt too much to be subjected to callous responses - but now…her heart thudded in her ears as she softly cleared her throat and said, “My mom was a painter.”

“That makes sense.  What does she do now?”

“She actually…she, uh, died.  About fifteen years ago.”

Ruby offered a fleeting smile - she always felt like she needed to soften the blow of that revelation somehow - but compassion filled Weiss’ eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” she even said, the entire response so genuine that Ruby’s heart clenched harder.

“It’s ok.  It’s just something that is, you know.”  Ruby stuck her hands in her pockets and shrugged, but Weiss touched her elbow.

“It makes you feel connected to her.”

“Yeah,” Ruby admitted.  “Yeah, it does.”

Weiss nodded but left her hand on Ruby’s arm, seeming loath to remove it anytime soon.  And Ruby didn’t want her to.

“You’re the first one who’s gotten that without me explaining it to them,” Ruby said, but Weiss huffed.

“I understand the basics of human emotion, after all.”

“You understand more than that.”  When Weiss shook her head and tried turning away, Ruby nodded and stepped back in front of her.  “You do - I know you do.  You just pretend not to.”

“Why would I do that?” 

“So you don’t get hurt.”

The sentence left Ruby’s lips like some fundamental truth that she hadn’t realized she knew, yet Weiss scoffed.

“I’m the one who hurts people, Ruby.  Not the other way around.”

Ruby opened her mouth to deny that claim but couldn't get past the eye-opening, earth-shattering realization: Weiss pretended to be awful so that she didn’t get hurt.  She lashed out so that she wouldn't get hurt.  The effort she made to keep people away from her…was all because she was terrified of what they might do, how they might take advantage of her, if she let them close.

“Well…you haven’t hurt me.”  

Weiss’ reaction treaded the line between surprise and muted joy, but she swiftly cleared her throat and clasped her hands in front of her.

“Do you have any of your mom’s paintings?  Or maybe photos?”

“Oh, uh, one or two.  Mostly just memories though.”  Ruby offered a fleeting smile.  “When you think you have all the time in the world, you don’t really save that stuff, you know?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Naw, don’t be.  It’s not your fault.”  Hoping to steer the conversation to a lighter subject, Ruby beamed as brightly as she could and motioned to a set of double doors separating the main portion of the gallery from an undisclosed, unseen area.  “What do you think’s back there?”

“We won’t know until we look.”

Ruby had expected a guess - something along the lines of ‘storage’ or ‘they can’t move giant sculptures through the front door’ - but her eyes widened when Weiss peeked through the small window in one of the doors.

“Are you secretly a rule-breaker??” Ruby asked in a hushed voice, glancing over to see if Winter was paying attention, but Winter’s attention remained on another wealthy guest.

“If rules applied to me, I might be.”

The response fit Weiss so well that Ruby laughed.  Weiss shot a smile over her shoulder, then glanced at her sister before reaching for the door handle.  Before she opened the door for herself, however, Ruby took two long steps forward and reached out so fast that she accidentally slammed her knuckles against the handle before pulling the door open.

“Now you can say I did it,” Ruby explained, smiling as Weiss looked at her, then the handle, before chuckling and walking through.

“Are you always like this?”

“Yes?”  Ruby let the door fall closed before puffing out her chest and adding, “What can I say?  Chivalry’s not dead.”

Weiss looked at her, smiled at her, then replied with a succinct, “Cute.”  When Weiss turned around and strode further down the empty hallway, Ruby hurried after her.

“You mean…the chivalry thing, right?”

“Of course.”

Maybe Weiss wasn’t being entirely truthful, but she carried along the corridor as if she had intended to be here all along.  While neat and polished, the hallway featured nothing but a few doors - one bearing Winter’s name, another for the restroom, and the third likely leading outside.

“Guess there’s not much back here…” Ruby mused while trailing Weiss all the way to the exit.

“Except we’re here, so there is something back here.”

“Right.  Of course.”  Ruby chuckled at the response and, in the midst of shaking her head, didn’t react in time as Weiss suddenly spun around to head back the way they came.  They ended up nearly nose to nose, suddenly sharing an intimate few feet.  “Sorry,” she mumbled while stepping out of the way, but Weiss deftly followed, maintaining the minimal distance between them.

“What are you always sorry for?” Weiss asked as Ruby’s blush quickly returned.

“Just - uh, you know - being in the way.”

“You’re rarely in the way.  Well, not anymore, at least.”  Weiss chuckled to herself - the sound reminded Ruby’s heart that it wanted to set a world record for speed - before reaching up and tenderly running her fingers through Ruby’s hair.  She smiled as the strands fell back into place, the expression so serene that Ruby was overwhelmed by the urge to kiss her.  She wanted to kiss Weiss so badly that it was the only thing she could think about.  All she had to do was lean in and capture Weiss’ lips with hers. 

In another universe, with another person, she might have.  But they weren’t a couple, and kissing outside of work would be even less acceptable than kissing at work.  Kissing at work was practice.  Rehearsal.  That thing they did once because a piece of paper told them to.  

As soon as Ruby felt herself rock forward onto her toes, she stepped back - right into the wall behind her.  She might have slammed her heel against the hard stone in the process, causing Weiss’ brow to furrow.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yeah!”  Ruby’s voice was too loud, so she lowered it and added, “W-why?  Do things not seem alright?”

“It just…I thought you wanted me to come.”  Weiss vaguely gestured with one hand before realization dawned in her eyes.  “Oh, it was a pity invitation.”

“What?  Of course not!  I wanted you to come.  I want you to be here.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.”  Ruby answered too fast, so Weiss’ eyes narrowed, but she couldn't admit that she was suddenly so overcome by the urge to kiss that she tried to phase into the wall.  They kissed once and it was a one-time deal.  A once-in-a-lifetime deal.  So Ruby searched for an excuse to explain her suddenly strange - and getting stranger - behavior. 

“It’s just, uh, you know, this is the first time we’ve seen each other outside of work?  So it’s just a little…”

“Weird?”

“Different,” Ruby concluded.  “Like, I didn’t bring you coffee, and I don’t have to worry about your lunch - did you eat anything today?”

“A cup of coffee this morning.”

“That doesn’t count as food!”  When Weiss’ brow pinched, Ruby shook her head and got back on track.  “Isn’t it weird that I don’t have to do everything you want?  Except I still would because I know there’d be repercussions on Monday.”

“Oh.”  Even though Ruby chuckled at the joke, Weiss stepped back as if Ruby just shoved her.  “So I have…power…over you even though we aren’t on set.”

“Kind of, yeah.  I mean, don’t you think?”

Weiss stared at Ruby for a long time before crossing her arms over her chest and looking away.  “I guess,” she said softly, directing the words to the floor rather than to Ruby.  

“Sorry, I just -”  Sensing that she somehow just made a mistake, Ruby motioned with her hands as if that could convey her tangled emotions.  “I don’t want to cross any lines?  Because I really don’t want to go back to how things were.  I like how things are now.  We’re - you know.”  

Lacking a word to describe their relationship, she motioned between them.  Weiss frowned but slowly nodded.

“I understand.”  Weiss paused before adding, “Just so we’re clear, you never have to do something you don’t want to.  On set or otherwise.”

“Right.  I know.  Sometimes that’s just - easier said than done, you know?”

“Then you come tell me what it is, and I’ll make it easy.”

“You’ll send James after them?” Ruby teased, hoping to ease the awkward strain settling over them.  

Weiss’ shoulders relaxed, though only slightly, as she said, “I have my ways.”

Ruby faintly laughed at the noncommittal answer, which was as serious as could be, but didn’t badger Weiss to elaborate on what those ‘ways’ might be.  Like so much else with Weiss, it was funnier to imagine the arsenal of methods at her disposal.  Maybe she would use her bodyguard/chauffeur/assassin.  Maybe she would hire ninjas.  Maybe she had a convent of nuns at her disposal - nuns were probably rabid fans of her movies, after all.

Most of all, Ruby just loved it when Weiss’ protective side came out.  It was rare, but it showed that she actually cared.  She cared about Ruby - a feat worthy of celebration.  Weiss, however, worried her bottom lip before nodding back to the gallery.

“We should get back now.”

“Right.  Since there’s nothing to steal back here.”

“Not that you’d be capable of stealing anything if there were,” Weiss retorted while walking with Ruby to the door.

“Hey!  I stole a pack of gum once!”  As soon as a perfectly sculpted brow arched at her, Ruby relented and waved a hand in front of her while backing through one of the double doors.  “Alright, it was an accident.  And I felt so bad that I stopped shopping there.  Went to the store three blocks further instead.”

Weiss shook her head but said nothing as they returned to the extravagant gallery.  Compared to the average, barren hallway, it felt like walking into an oasis of life and color.  Most of the ‘life’ came from the street outside, of course, but a new customer had stopped in to see the art on display.  Winter stood beside them, likely explaining the finer details of an oversized canvas covered with autumn leaves in such brilliant realism that Ruby could imagine jumping into them.  And there, just three paintings down from such a spectacle, were her paintings.

“I still can’t believe this,” she sighed, spinning in a slow circle to take it all in.

“You’re doubting yourself when you shouldn’t.”

“I wish you saying that made me magically believe in myself.”

When Ruby chuckled at the fallacy, Weiss crossed her arms and leveled Ruby with an intense, genuine blue gaze.

“When I was talking to Winter, she thanked me for sending you to her.  She thanked me.  She said you’re the type of hidden gem every curator dreams of finding.  And my sister takes her job very seriously - she wouldn't say that if she didn’t mean it.”  

Before Ruby pointed out the similarity between Winter and Weiss, Weiss looked around and let a sigh escape.  “You belong here,” she added softly.  “I hope you’ll finish out the film though.”

“What’re you talking about?”  Trapped between wondering what that sigh meant and being surprised that Weiss thought they would suddenly not work together, Ruby shook her head and said, “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

“I don’t want to get rid of you at all.”  The sincere tone reached directly into Ruby’s chest and yanked out her heart, but then Weiss glanced aside and added, “Good PAs are hard to find…”

Again, Ruby got caught between one of the nicest things Weiss had ever said to her and what honestly felt like a subject change.  She didn’t point it out though.  She watched Weiss glance around the gallery - her blue eyes taking in far more than she let on - before straightening her posture and clasping her hands in front of her.

“Will you be here all day?”

“Uh, no.”  Ruby glanced at the time on her phone and then shook her head.  “Probably just a little longer.”

“Do you want me to stay?”

“Oh, that’s ok.  You probably have better things to do.  Really, just - thanks for coming at all.  It means a lot.”

“That’s not what I asked,” Weiss replied softly.  Her eyes searched Ruby’s while Ruby opened her mouth but stumbled over too many words.  Did she want Weiss to stay?  Of course.  But did she have the right to ask for that when they were just a level above coworkers?

“I don’t want to waste your time…” she eventually said, the words squeezing her heart on the way out.  Weiss stared for a long, heavy second before drawing in a breath.

“I understand.”  That was the second time Weiss used that phrase, but Ruby couldn't decide what it was that Weiss understood.  “I’ll just…leave you be then.”  Weiss looked at the wall and then at Ruby one more time.  “They’re incredible though, really.  You should be proud - I know everyone else is.”

Imagining that Weiss was included in that group, Ruby felt her heart warm.  She mustered a smile and small, “Thank you,” earning Weiss’ nod in return.

Then Weiss studied Ruby’s eyes for a little longer, said, “See you Monday,” and walked away.  Ruby’s arm instinctively rose as if to stop her.  Ask her to stay.  Or go grab a bite to eat.  Or do anything other than leave.  

But she just said that she didn’t want to be a bother, so she watched Weiss wave to Winter before stepping outside.  She watched James hop out of the black town car and open the passenger door, then watched Weiss duck inside and disappear behind dark glass.  She watched the car pull away, leaving her with far more questions than she had answers.  

Just when she thought things couldn't get any more complicated - that Weiss couldn't be any more of an enigma - today happened.

Weiss hurt others so that she wouldn't get hurt, and she did so with lethal precision honed through years of experience in a cutthroat industry.  Ruby didn’t want to get hurt.  Well, she didn’t want Weiss to hurt her.  And she liked how things were now, with the two of them working together as seamlessly as if they’d known each other for years.

Despite a chronic case of butterflies and severe heart palpitations whenever they were together, they could stay professional.  Friendly, even.  They could work together.  They could be the best actress-PA combo ever.  That was probably the best for everyone.  

Besides, the final scene would make its way onto film in just a couple of weeks.  Shooting would end.  Working together would end.  And they would…well, they would probably return to their regular lives.  Weiss would eventually sign on to another movie; Ruby would keep working on her art.

She wished that she could read Weiss’ mind.  She wished that she knew how Weiss really felt about her and what was causing this weird tension between them.  But she knew as clearly as she knew what she ate for breakfast that she wouldn't get a straightforward answer.  

That was fine with her.  She was happy with the way things were.  She hoped that Weiss was, too.