Just Like the Movies - Chapter 1

Many of you will remember the oneshot with the same title (and most of that oneshot is in this chapter). Apparently, people really liked this one and wanted a continuation. So, here we are! The 'Kevin Feige AU.' Ten chapters of White Rose goodness. Enjoy!

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‘Can’t wait to meet her!’

Yang ended the message with an impressive array of emojis, each signifying more excitement than the last.  Ruby, meanwhile, stared at the bright yellow smiley faces, red exclamation marks, and various balloons and fireworks with a mixture of apprehension and looming dread.  She lost track of how long she sat at her desk, typing and erasing responses before settling on, ‘Yeah, can’t believe it’s tonight!’

Before Yang came back with questions, Ruby set her phone aside and busied herself with work.  Prior to the message’s arrival, she had been diligently doodling various caricatures and jotting down catchphrases.  ‘The hero we need’ was scrawled beneath a half-lizard man wielding a sledgehammer.  ‘Divine justice’ paraded over a winged woman brandishing her halo like a blade.  

None of the characters distracted her from the silent timer counting down.  Doubly disappointing, none of the characters sparked any inspiration.

Reaching an impasse, she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.  The short brown strands stuck up whenever she did that, but she haphazardly flattened them before leaning back and looking around her office.

Framed movie posters, each featuring beautiful actors and actresses in colorful masks and armor, adorned the walls.  A tall bookshelf held more paraphernalia: boxed action figures, photographs of her with various contributors, and a shimmering silver sword that was, unfortunately, nothing more than realistic plastic.  On her desk, the computer monitor served as a posting board for various notes and doodles.  Sketchbooks and spider-like timelines covered almost every inch of available flat space.  Heroes and villains of all shapes and sizes stared back at her, each waiting for their story to be told.

“The hero we need…” she muttered, sifting through several designs before glancing at the time.  A spark of anxiety gripped her heart as the countdown reached zero.  Lacking an escape, she grabbed her phone and left her office.

There was a brief moment, no longer than a breath, when everything in the wide, open room on the other side of her door stopped.  The Hero Hub, she called it - a room large enough for six separate desks and six different assistants to occupy them.  Phone conversations paused, typing fingers stilled, and all eyes flashed to her - reading her posture, expression, or maybe just critiquing her outfit.  The instant ended before she could ever point it out, and everyone returned to their work with sometimes unrealistic zeal.  

“Good evening, heroes!” she called out, drawing everyone’s attention back to her.  “I know it’s almost the end of the day, but does anyone have any emergencies for me?”  She glanced at the young man at the desk closest to her office, but he hastily shook his head.  “Any problems that need my attention?” she tried again, directing the request to the young woman beside him.  

Silence.  Absolute crickets.

“Even just a little campfire you need me to put out?” she asked.  Finally, the girl in the back of the room slowly raised her hand.

“Neptune had a schedule conflict with the cast interview tomorrow morning.”

“Perfect!”  Grinning now, Ruby walked over to the young woman’s desk and leaned against the railing.  “Knew I could count on him, the loafer.  What do you need me to do?  Track him down and make sure he gets to bed so he can make the interview on time?”

The girl glanced to the side, suddenly looking as if she wished she hadn’t spoken at all.

“I, uh, already rescheduled the interview for tomorrow evening.  Everyone’s free then.”

Ruby blew a puff of air through her lips but, upon noticing the girl’s remorse, brightened.

“Good job,” Ruby told her before turning to the room.  “You’re all doing such a great job that I think you should take off early.”  As they exchanged surprised glances, she shooed them towards the elevator at the end of the room.  “Seriously!  Get out of here.  Go home, go get some drinks, go have some fun - anything!”

She smiled as they slowly collected their belongings and shuffled out, offering a ‘thanks’ or ‘see you tomorrow’ on their way.  Before the desks had cleared, another young woman stepped off the elevator.  With black hair cut in an asymmetrical bob, a no-nonsense walk, and a blue beret matching her pleated blue skirt, she quieted the room like a moment of silence.

“Ciel!”  Ruby beamed at the young woman, who studied the parting employees before walking over.  “Just the person I wanted to see.  You have a last-minute emergency for me, right?”

“No…”  Ciel’s brow furrowed as she glanced at the clipboard resting on one arm.  “I’m here for your end-of-day update.”

Ruby sighed at the business-like response but still waved as the elevator ferried the suddenly-mute workers downstairs.  She then glanced out the nearest window, where downtown Vale glittered in the fading light, before motioning Ciel after her.

“Let’s do it on the way to the Forge then.”

Without complaint, Ciel fell into step beside Ruby as they waited for the next elevator.  “I have the Phoenix script,” she said first, plucking a thick booklet from her clipboard and handing it to Ruby.

“Already?  They worked fast.”  Ruby leafed through the script and brightened.  “They probably need this back really quick, right?  Maybe I should read the whole thing tonight?”

“Velvet said no rush.  She’s still interviewing for Director of Photography and Casting Director.”

The soft ‘ding’ of the arriving elevator understated the needle Ciel just took to Ruby’s small balloon of hope.  Blowing a breath through her lips, she tucked the script under one arm and stepped onto the elevator.

“Velvet’s such a professional.  Why didn’t I hire her earlier?”

“Because you found Coco’s recommendation supremely biased,” Ciel stated matter-of-factly while pressing the button for the fifth floor. 

“Well, yeah, it was.”  Ruby chuckled as she remembered Coco’s flowery, superfluous endorsement.  “But she’s kicking butt.  Beating every deadline we’ve set.”

“We’ll see what happens once they start filming.”  Ruby hummed at the remark while Ciel handed over another set of pages from her clipboard.  “Speaking of Coco, she finally finished the Starforce budget.”  

Ruby flipped to the end of the document and her eyes widened.  “This is her budget??”  Ruby pointed at the massive number on the page.  “You’re joking, right?”

“She didn’t express any indication of it being a joke.”

“Coco…” Ruby groaned before returning the budget to Ciel.  “Tell her she needs to cut this number in half or she’s never getting a green light.”  

Ciel dutifully slid the document back into place but glanced between it and Ruby once.

“I don’t think Coco Adel will cut half of her budget.”

“But she’ll meet me halfway, and that’s what I actually want.”  With the elevator stopping at the fifth floor, Ruby shifted the heavy script under her arm and stepped out.  Colorful artwork depicting scenes from movies, new and old, greeted them on both sides of the long hallway.  “I know Starforce can be a hit with her at the helm,” Ruby added as they strode by conference rooms and exhibit halls.  “But we don’t need to dress actors in designer labels.”

“Understood.”  Ciel walked a little faster to keep up with Ruby and referenced her clipboard again.  “The Executive Board postponed this quarter’s meeting to next Friday at six.”

“Great.  I love Friday night meetings with stuffy, old businessmen.  And one stuffy, old businesswoman.”

Ciel tilted her head at the sarcasm, so Ruby shook hers and motioned for Ciel to continue.

“Quantum Knights 2 marketing is running full tilt.  Billboards, TV spots, and print covering all of our target demographics.  Social media mentions are tracking fifteen percent higher than Quantum Knights.”

“Did we get a spot during the Celicas?”

“Yes.  Thirty seconds.  We’ll have the final version for your review soon.”

“Perfect.”  

Ruby paused outside of a large conference room door, above which hung a custom-made sign reading ‘The Story Forge.’  The glass walls were covered from floor to ceiling in custom artwork depicting a gorgeous young woman in red-and-gold armor swinging a giant, horned mallet at a beast made of shadows.  

“Is there anything else?  Something just a tiny bit pressing?”  Ciel scanned her clipboard again before shaking her head, so Ruby sighed.  “Thanks, Ciel.  Keep up the good work.”

The hardworking young lady subtly preened as Ruby ducked into the conference room.  The airy room was large enough for a conference table as well as a small kitchenette, sofa, and television tucked into one corner.  The most prominent feature, however, was two full walls converted into whiteboards, which themselves were covered in all manner of notes, diagrams, and drawings.

“ - no way that would happen,” a tall, blonde-haired boy said while a younger boy with short brown hair and plenty of freckles resolutely nodded.  The third occupant, a young woman with long orange hair, observed the interaction with a befuddled smile.

“Just think about it,” the other boy argued.  “If we put Spark and Archer in a room, who do you think talks first?”

“Good question,” Ruby said while sitting down.  

“Hey, Ruby,” the blonde boy greeted her.  “I’m trying to explain Archer’s inner restraint to Oscar, but he’s just not getting it.”

“I get it perfectly.”  Oscar smiled at Ruby, his freckles seeming to light up with the action.  “I’m trying to explain to Jaune how Spark gets under everyone’s skin, but he doesn’t get it.  Penny agrees with me though.  Right, Penny?”

Penny smiled patiently at the two boys before turning to Ruby.

“I don’t understand why they’re arguing when they’re both incorrect.”

Both boys physically deflated while Ruby chuckled.

“I’m going with Penny on this one, guys.  Let me know when you’ve sorted it out.”  Oscar and Jaune exchanged glances and shrugged while Ruby placed the script on the table.  “Look what I got.”

“Is that for Phoenix?”

“Sure is.”  Ruby thumbed through the thick package before looking around the group.  “This is our next big heroine.  We need to get her right.”

“If Quant-Knights is a hit, everyone will be climbing over themselves for Phoenix,” Jaune pointed out.

“We need to keep thinking about Phoenix’s future,” Penny mused.  “Did we get a writer for Thunderclash yet?”

“Still working with a few people.”  Ruby paused, her mind flipping through the resumes buried in her email, before smiling.  “I can’t wait to see The Sovereign’s Voidspawn against Team Thunderclash.”

“That could be better than the Knights against Aether Shades.”

“It has to be,” Ruby stressed.  “Everything needs to be bigger.  Better.  We want the audience on the edge of their seats waiting for The Sovereign to show up.  And he needs to be the biggest, baddest villain we’ve ever seen.”

As her coworkers murmured agreement, she went to the nearest whiteboard and stared at the long, spiraling timeline.  Names, events, and locations branched in every direction, some squeezed into such a small space that she had to squint to read them.  

“It feels like we’re missing something though…”  Her attention drifted to the furthest end of the timeline, where white space overwhelmed their colorful writing. “We’re missing something,” she concluded.

“We could add in The Ether?” Oscar suggested.

“No, that’s not it.  It’s…”  Scrunching up her face, Ruby tried to stitch together the various story threads and pinpoint the meddlesome niggle that their epic adventure lacked something vital.  “It’s something,” she repeated.  “I can’t put my finger on it yet, but I’ll figure it out.”

“You always do,” Jaune replied.  

Despite Jaune’s vote of confidence, Ruby slunk back to her seat, causing Penny to gently pat her hand.

“Try not to stress about it too much, Ruby.  You’ve been working nonstop - the ideas will come to you when you least expect them.”

“Thanks, Penny.”  Ruby smiled at Penny before two quick knocks drew her gaze to the door.  “Ciel?” she called out, so Ciel opened the door just wide enough to poke her head inside.

“Your sister called to remind you about dinner.”  Ruby grimaced as Ciel frowned at her clipboard.  “It’s not on your schedule.”

“Oh…right.  I must’ve…forgotten to put it on there.”  Ruby’s light laugh must have sounded weird because Penny tilted her head.  “Good thing she called to remind me!” Ruby added, slowly pushing herself to her feet.  “Did you, uh, tell her I was busy?”

“No, I told her you’re free because there’s nothing on your schedule.”

When Ciel tapped the clipboard, Ruby grimaced.  She knew that she should have made something up for the calendar, but she didn’t want to explain what it was - and what if something actually came up?

“You have plans that aren’t work?” Jaune teased as Ruby grabbed the Phoenix script.

“Hard to believe, right?  But Yang will kill me if I reschedule on her again, so…”  Ruby planted her hands on her hips in a heroic pose.  “I’m off to save my familial relationship.  And we’ll pick this up tomorrow.”

They all chuckled while Ruby slipped out of the room and softly closed the door behind her.

“Should I call you a car?” Ciel asked as Ruby headed to the elevator.

“No, thanks.  I’ll drive.”  

“Are you sure?  It’ll be faster if a driver drops you off.”

“Exactly, Ciel.”  Ciel frowned while Ruby stepped into the elevator without her.  “I’m trying not to get there fast,” she explained, confusing the always-timely girl even more.

Thankfully, Ruby was soon alone in the elevator, then alone in her car.  She glanced in the rearview mirror at the illuminated ‘Crescent Productions’ sign on the sleek office building, vaguely disappointed that no last-minute emergency needed her immediate attention.  Of all days for things to run smoothly…

Despite her best efforts to concentrate on Voidspawns, Aether Shades, and the as-yet-unintroduced Phoenix and Team Thunderclash, she eventually gave up and gave in to her burgeoning nerves.  Remarkably, rush hour cleared a solid path of green lights to her destination, and a parking spot opened up right as she pulled into the parking lot of one of Vale’s nicest restaurants. 

“It’s no big deal…” she muttered, willing herself out of the vehicle and across the too-small parking lot.  “You’ll definitely figure something out just like you always do.”

The last time she ‘figured something out’ led her to this moment, so she couldn't exactly boast about her track record.  Unfortunately, procrastination also hadn’t been the answer, but she did some of her best work under tight deadlines, and tonight was the slimmest of deadlines one could imagine: her guests were already waiting outside of the restaurant.

Ruby smiled and waved at the two girls standing near the restaurant’s teal awning.  The shorter of the two, with shoulder-length black hair, nudged her companion - a tall blonde with long, wavy hair and, as soon as she saw Ruby, a smile made of sunshine.

“There she is!  The infamous Rose Red - gracing us mortals with her presence.”

“Hey -” Ruby hardly got out before the blonde crushed her in a hug.  “Yang -” she wheezed, her feet dangling off the ground and her ribs caving in on themselves.  “Can’t - breathe -”

“I’m just happy to see you,” Yang said softly before setting Ruby down.  

Ruby’s feet might have returned to the sidewalk, but Yang held onto her shoulders and looked into her eyes.  Despite the stereotypes tied to Yang’s blonde hair, her lilac eyes held wisdom beyond her years.  And, no matter how long since they saw each other last, Ruby couldn't escape the feeling that Yang could read her mind even better now than when they were kids.  

“You’re distracted,” Yang concluded.  “Still thinking about Skyfall?”

“When am I not distracted by Skyfall?” 

“Tonight you’re not distracted by Skyfall.”  Yang lightly shook Ruby’s shoulders before grandly gesturing to the restaurant.  “Because tonight’s about you and the special someone in your life who I can’t wait to meet.”

“Who we can’t wait to meet,” Blake corrected, but Yang waved away the addition.  Blake, however, rolled her eyes and sent Ruby a sincere, if not a little apologetic, smile.

If anyone should be apologetic, it was Ruby.  Because there was no special someone.  There never had been.   And, since work hadn’t come through with a reason to cancel dinner, she had to come up with an excuse on the fly.  Or come clean.

“Honestly, I’m so excited.”  

“Honestly couldn't tell,” Ruby quipped, eyeing Yang as she laughed and rubbed her hands together.  Her right arm was a combination of black and yellow metal that she no longer hid with gloves or in her pocket.  Up until this moment, Ruby had held onto hope that her sister wouldn't be practically levitating off the ground in anticipation.  “Why do you care about it so much?” she asked instead.

“Because you’re my sister.  It’s my job to care.”  When Ruby rolled her eyes, Yang gently tapped Ruby’s elbow.  “Come on…I know you’re busy saving the world and all -”

“I don’t save the world.  I create stories about people who do.”

“- but there’s more to life than work!”  Yang’s big, bright smile could convince a criminal back to the law, but that smile faded as her gaze drifted to the side and she ran her fingers through her blonde waves.  “Besides…you’ve been so busy that we don’t see you much anymore, so I guess it’s just…nice to know that you’re still getting out and having fun.”

Ruby’s heart couldn't have panged any harder, especially when Blake set a hand on Yang’s shoulder and they shared a commiserating look.  What would Yang think if she knew that Ruby wasn’t ‘getting out and having fun?’  Not with her, or Blake, or with anyone.  Ruby spent the last few months living and breathing work and, in the process, neglecting her family.

“You’re right,” Ruby said.  “I haven’t been hanging out with you enough.  How about I clear my schedule and we go shopping next weekend?”

Ruby pulled out her phone to add a note to her calendar, but Yang waved her hands in front of her.

“You’re bribing me with shopping, but I don’t want to take time away from your special lady.”

“You aren’t -”  Ruby paused and briefly clenched her hands.  She already knew this was a mess, but she didn’t want it to unravel before they even made it inside the restaurant.  “You aren’t, ok?” she insisted.  “I’ll make more time for everyone.”

“Just like the Time-Weavers in Nova Dimension,” Blake pointed out.

“Exactly.  See?  All I need to do is find some celestial thread and I’m good.”

Finally, Yang cracked a smile.

“Then you’re on for shopping.  I’m dragging you to every store - not that you need it.”  Yang tugged at Ruby’s sleeve.  “This looks nice.”

“Thanks.  You picked it out.”  When Yang’s brow rose, Ruby nodded.  “I buy everything you send me links for, so I always have Yang-approved outfits ready.  Really takes the pain out of shopping.”

Yang waited for Ruby to say that she was joking but, when she didn’t, laughed.

“Well, I need to start sending you some accessories.”  Yang studied Ruby for a second before tugging the silver bangles off her wrist and slipping them onto Ruby’s.  Once done, she stepped back and smiled.  “There.  Perfect.”  

For a moment, Ruby forgot why they were here or why she’d been nervous.  Then Yang shook her head and waved her hands.

“You’re distracting me!”  Yang looked over Ruby’s shoulder toward the parking lot before meeting Ruby’s gaze.  “Where is she?”

“Oh.”  Ruby glanced at her phone and cleared her throat.  “She’s running a little late, so we can head in.”

“You sure?”

Faced with Yang’s willingness to wait outside all night and Blake’s slightly arched brow, Ruby nodded and ushered both of them into the pretentiously named Elysian Heights.  Marble floors, chandeliers, and a dining room staffed by tuxedoed waiters greeted them.  Classical music filtered through hidden speakers - no live quartet like Vale’s fanciest restaurants, thankfully - and mouth-watering aromas wafted through the air.

Yang let out a soft, low whistle.

“Damn, this place is nice.  You went all out.”

“I wanted everyone to have a good time.”  Ruby mustered a nonchalant shrug and then gestured to the host.  “I’ll let them know we’re here.”

“Most of us are here,” Yang corrected, forcing Ruby’s strained smile before she hurried over to the man at a podium separating them from the bustling dining room.  

“Um...excuse me?”  

Ruby added a small wave so that the man looked up from the seating chart.  He immediately plastered on a smile.

“Good evening.  Do you have a reservation?”

“Yes, for seven o’clock -”

“Name?”

“Ruby Rose.”

“Ruby Rose…” he repeated, scanning a list of names.  “Ah.”  He drew an ‘x’ beside her name and then grabbed a stack of menus.  “Your table’s ready now, Miss Rose.  If you’ll follow me.”  

When he extended one arm toward the dining room, Ruby motioned Yang and Blake after her.  He led them to the middle of the large, comfortably warm space, where they sat at a linen-covered table surrounded by four green velvet chairs.  

“Here we are.”  Their host rested a menu on top of each place setting while the three of them sat, then stepped back and clasped his hands.  “Will the fourth member of your party be joining us tonight?”

Sensing Yang and Blake’s gazes, Ruby said, “Yup!  Definitely.  She’ll be here any minute now.”

“Wonderful.  Enjoy your dinner.”

He returned to his post while Ruby unrolled her napkin and silently wondered just how big a hole she wanted to dig for herself.

“I can’t believe it.”  Yang opened her menu only to immediately flip it closed.  “Can you believe it?” she added, nudging Blake’s elbow.  “We finally get to meet her.”

“It does seem surreal…” Blake admitted while laying her napkin across her lap.

“You promised to be nice,” Ruby reminded Yang, who waved off the comment.

“Of course I’ll be nice.  Why wouldn’t I be nice?”

“Because you’re overprotective.”

“‘Overprotective?’”  Yang scoffed at the term and once again turned to Blake for support.  “Am I overprotective?”

“Should I lie to make you feel better?”

Faced with that truth and Ruby’s ‘I told you so’ expression, Yang caved.

“Fine.  Maybe I’m a little protective, but you’re my sister!  Besides, it’s for a good reason - this is a big deal.”

“It’s not a big deal…”

“‘Not a big deal?’  Sorry, since when is my little sister dating someone not a big deal?  Besides, you dropped that bomb without any details -”

“And the mystery makes it a bigger deal,” Blake pointed out.

“The mystery totally makes it a bigger deal!”

“It doesn’t have to be!” Ruby replied, her tone carrying a hint of a whine.  “If you didn’t care so much, it wouldn’t be a big deal!”

“Oh, sure.  Hold on while I care less about your happiness.”  After scrunching up her face for several seconds, Yang relaxed and shook her head.  “Sorry.  No can do.”

As much as that answer meant Yang played an active role in Ruby’s personal life, Ruby wouldn’t change it for the world.  Well...right now, she wished she could change it just a little bit...but she would regret it if that wish ever came true.

“Should we order her something to drink?” Blake asked, changing the subject to one that only increased Ruby’s nerves.

“Uh…”  Ruby checked her phone, which was absent of any messages or lifelines, then turned it over on the table and flashed a smile.  “She’s running a bit longer than expected.  She’s really busy, you know.  I’ll just get her a water.”

Blake bought the response, turning her focus to the menu, but Ruby had no idea what an extra few minutes would accomplish.  Real life meant that she couldn't just invent time-altering fabric or a cosmic entity to keep her rapidly sinking story afloat.

“Should I introduce myself as Ruby’s sister or Ruby’s older sister…?” Yang mused while Ruby internally shuffled through explanations ranging from unbelievable to absurd.

“Why not ‘Blake’s girlfriend?’” Blake teased, gently poking Yang’s forehead so that Yang unfurrowed her brow.

“You’re right - that’s way better.  Then you introduce yourself as Ruby’s sister.”

“But I’m not Ruby’s sister.”

“Not yet.”

While the two of them shared adoring smiles at yet another instance of Yang hinting at their increasingly likely future, Ruby glanced around the busy restaurant before abruptly standing.  

“I’m going to the bathroom.”

“Woah, woah, woah!”  Breaking free of her Blake-induced daze, Yang held out an arm to stop Ruby from leaving.  “What if she gets here while you’re gone?”

“I won’t be gone that long.”  When Yang arched her brow, Ruby sighed.  “It’ll only be a couple minutes.  I’ll be right back.”

“Alright…guess we don’t need you squirming more than you already are.”

Yang dropped her arm and chuckled, but Ruby managed only a nervous smile before hurrying to the restrooms.  The other diners were having a great time talking and laughing at the tables she passed.  She wanted to be one of them; instead, she reached the ladies’ room with a giant pit in her stomach.

The posh restroom matched the restaurant’s ambiance.  Golden sink fixtures sparkled amidst black-and-white marble countertops, wooden doors blocked off the bathroom stalls, and classical music played softly in the background.  If Ruby could choose any place to freak out, this was a fairly nice option.

“Ok,” she said, pressing her hands on the cold marble and staring down at one of the sinks.  “This isn’t so bad.”  Thinking about the situation as a whole, she scrunched up her nose and shook her head.  “Alright, it’s a big, huge mess, but you’ve dealt with bigger messes!  You just need to come up with a way to fix this.  You will fix this.”

“Fix what?”

Ruby yelped at the question and spun away from the sink, finally noticing the girl eyeing her as one of the stall doors swung shut.  With her snow-white hair pleated in a long braid, gorgeous blue eyes, and an impeccable outfit, the girl somehow made the luxurious bathroom look like it belonged at a fast food joint.  She was, hands down, one of the most effortlessly beautiful people Ruby had ever seen.  

She was also clearly waiting for an answer, so Ruby struggled to provide one.

“Oh, sorry.  I was just...talking to myself.”

“So I heard.”  With a slight smirk on her lips, the girl went to one of the sinks and turned on the water.  “It sounded like you broke one of the faucets,” she added while washing her hands.

“I wish,” Ruby laughed, earning another curious glance.  “I mean, I’d probably have to dig up some buried treasure to pay for one of these, but that doesn’t sound so bad right now.”

“Really?  What’d you do?”

The girl dried her hands before turning to Ruby, obviously willing to hear this out.  Ruby opened her mouth but, realizing how absurd her predicament would sound to a stranger, stopped and shook her head.

“It’s nothing -”  Her response ended as soon as the girl arched one perfect brow.  Before admitting anything out loud, she glanced around to make sure no one else was with them.  Even then, she lowered her voice before explaining. 

“Ok, a few months ago, I might have told my sister that I’m dating someone.  And she might have kept bugging me about meeting them, so I might have brought her here.  To meet my fake girlfriend.  Who’s definitely not going to show up like I said she would.”

As expected, the truth sounded so ridiculous that the girl just stared.  Then a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, humor sparkled in her eyes, and a small laugh slipped through her lips.  Her delight was so pure and beautiful that Ruby actually smiled at the abysmal situation.

“Well,” the girl said, failing to suppress that smile for long.  “I thought this only happened in movies.”

“That’s where everyone’s wrong.  If you try hard enough - or, in my case, fail hard enough - life can be just as entertaining as a movie.”

“You’re oddly proud of this.”

“I wasn’t until it made you smile,” Ruby admitted, then blushed when the girl’s brow rose.  “Besides!  If I can’t laugh about it, I’ll only wallow in self-pity.”

“I see...”  After mulling over the response, the girl gave Ruby a thoughtful look.  “Why did you lie to her?”

“Besides the future TV deal?”  Ruby’s heart fluttered when the girl smiled again, but she shrugged and tried to answer honestly.  “I don’t know...I guess I didn’t want her to worry about me.  I’m not as outgoing as she is, and I work a lot, so I don’t meet people as easily.  She kept offering to set me up, but I just...wanted to buy myself some time?”

“So you invented a girlfriend?”

“In retrospect, not my brightest moment.”  Ruby chuckled at her failure and spotted another hint of a smile on the girl’s lips.  “It was also dumb to let her keep believing it.  I just kept thinking I’d find the perfect moment to say, ‘Oh, by the way, I made that up.’”

“Instead, you set up dinner at a fancy restaurant for her to meet your fake girlfriend for the first time.”

“Not just her - her girlfriend’s here, too.  It’s a double date with only one couple.”

Another smile threatened to appear on the girl’s lips, but she held that one at bay and offered a sympathetic nod.

“You can laugh,” Ruby said, hoping to see that smile again.  “I know it’s a mess, and now I’ve hit the point of no return.  I hate lying, but I don’t want her to be mad or worse - hurt.”

Confronted by that dilemma, Ruby scrunched up her nose and shook her head.  She wished that she could go back in time and never tell that stupid lie.  Unfortunately, that was impossible.  Instead, she was spilling her problems to a beautiful stranger in the ladies’ room.

“Well…” that beautiful stranger replied, lightly tapping her perfectly polished fingernails on the counter.  “She’s your sister; she only wants what’s best for you.  If you explain why you felt like you had to do this, I’m sure she’ll understand.”

“Yeah...you’re right.”  Ruby had reached that conclusion several times but hearing it from an impartial third party gave it more weight.  “I guess I just...feel like a loser,” she admitted.  “She and Blake are practically married.  I don’t want her to think something’s wrong with me.”  

“I doubt that’s the case.  I might’ve only known you for a couple minutes, but you seem like a…fine individual.  She probably just wants you to be happy like she is with Blake.”

“That’s a good point…” Ruby mused.  Maybe Yang wasn’t concerned about Ruby’s personal life because she thought that Ruby would end up alone with a bunch of cats.  Maybe she wanted Ruby to be happy like how she was happy with Blake...and thought that finding someone like Blake would accomplish that. 

“Ok, I’ll tell her.  She’ll probably give me the ‘poor Ruby’ face, but I can deal with that.”  Ruby nodded, at peace with the decision, and then smiled at her unexpected helper.  “Thanks for talking.”

“You’re welcome.  It’s not often I can give relationship advice in the ladies’ room, so...this has been interesting.”

“But you’re great at it!”  Ruby grinned when the girl playfully rolled her eyes.  “Seriously, you should start a business or something.  Set up shop in here and charge by the visit.”

“I can’t tell if you’re serious or if this is another of your brilliant ideas.”

“I’m full of brilliant ideas.”  When the girl chuckled, Ruby beamed.  “Ok, since you helped me, let me help you.  Give me a problem and I’ll help you fix it.”

“Any problem?”

“Sure!  The bigger, the better.”

The girl lightly scoffed before pursing her lips and squinting at Ruby.  Eventually, she nodded.

“Alright, how about this - it feels like my father lives my life instead of me.  He’s overbearing, manipulative, and tries to make all of my decisions.  It’s...exhausting…but I’m not sure how to best handle it.”

“Sounds like you need to get a new dad.”

The girl blinked at the suggestion - the first one that had popped into Ruby’s mind - then struggled not to laugh.

“‘Get a new dad?’”  

“Yeah!  There could be an alien race out there who’d love the opportunity.  They’ll just beam up your dad and send a replacement - perfect infiltration.”  As the girl’s brow rose further, Ruby blushed and rubbed the back of her head.  “I don’t believe in aliens or anything.  I was just thinking, like…a movie or something about aliens…”

The girl laughed then - and not one of those ‘you’re an idiot’ laughs.  A surprised, delighted laugh that Ruby couldn't help but join.

“You’re right,” the girl added.  “You’re full of brilliant ideas.  Maybe you should start an advice business in the bathroom, too.”

“Only if you’ll be my business partner,” Ruby joked, but the girl gave it several seconds of thought before nodding.

“Deal.”

Ruby’s heart fluttered when a delicate, perfectly manicured hand was extended to her for a facetious handshake.  

A few minutes earlier, she was miserable.  Now, she felt lighter than air.

Unfortunately, any opportunity to continue the ridiculous business plan disappeared when the bathroom door opened and two women walked inside.  The illusion of privacy evaporated - something Ruby felt just as much as saw when the girl’s light-blue eyes flitted away.  Remembering where they were, and that she had dallied longer than expected, Ruby shuffled her feet and motioned to the door.

“I guess I should go…someone has to tell Yang I don’t have a girlfriend, and that someone’s probably me.”

“Right.”  The girl nodded but didn’t move as Ruby backed toward the door.  “I should probably go, too.”

In the brief silence that followed, Ruby felt like she should say something - ask for a name, perhaps.  But, considering this was just a chance encounter in the ladies’ room, she didn’t want to ruin the memory by being weird about it.  Instead, she kept her eyes on the girl while reaching behind her and fumbling for the door handle.

“Thanks for the advice though.  I feel better now.”

“You’re welcome.  I do, too.”

Ruby gave a slightly baffled smile, unsure if that last part was a joke or not, but settled on a wave before leaving the restroom.  Just outside the door, she paused and glanced back once.  Her heart beat faster than normal now, a pleasant feeling that made her smile while returning to the table.

Seeing Yang reminded her of what she had to do, but she wasn’t as worried as before.  She would explain why she lied and, hopefully, Yang would understand.  If not, she would grovel - starting with an expensive dinner at a nice restaurant.  Eventually, things would return to normal because they were sisters and they loved each other.  Ruby had never questioned their bond, so she shouldn’t start now.

“Took you long enough!” were the first words out of Yang’s mouth as Ruby sat down.  Four glasses of water suggested their waiter had already come and gone.

“Sorry, I got caught up chatting with someone.”  

Ruby motioned to the restroom before glancing around the restaurant, hoping to spot the girl with white hair.  She already regretted not asking for a name or number, but that was something Yang would do.  Yang could meet a stranger and ask them out minutes later - exactly how she and Blake started dating - but Ruby wasn’t wired that way.

“Blake and I decided what we’re ordering,” Yang continued, her excitement showing through her quick, upbeat sentences.  “That way when she gets here, she gets our full attention.”

“That’s...great?”

“I thought it was pretty smart,” Yang said, chuckling while Blake playfully shook her head.  “Will she be here soon?”

“Oh, um…”

A lie jumped to the tip of Ruby’s tongue when she glanced at her phone.  All she had to do was pretend that she got a message canceling their plans, then apologize and promise to reschedule.  That was the easy solution, and she nearly took it, but she cleared her throat and met Yang’s gaze instead.

“Actually, I need to tell you something.”

“Sorry, I’m late.”  Ruby glanced to her side and felt her jaw drop when the girl from the restroom pulled out the empty chair and sat down.  “Work kept me longer than expected,” she added, casually flipping her beautiful hair over one shoulder before smiling across the table.  “You must be Yang and Blake.  It’s so nice to meet you - I’m Weiss.”

Weiss extended her hand with the introduction, but everyone - Ruby included - stared at her for several seconds before moving.

“Wow, uh, yeah!  Nice to meet you!”  Yang jumped to her feet to shake Weiss’ hand.  “I’m Ruby’s Blake - I mean Ruby’s sister!  This is Blake.”

Blake remained seated and reached across the table for a far more composed handshake.  Once done, Weiss leaned back and calmly unfolded her napkin.

“I’m glad we could finally schedule something,” she added, completely unaware or - or aware of but ignoring - Ruby staring at her.  “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Really?  Because Ruby’s told us nothing about you.”

Yang’s response knocked Ruby out of her stupor, but she only managed to glance at her sister before turning right back to Weiss.  Weiss was a gorgeous name, fitting a gorgeous girl, but Ruby was even more enthralled by the effortless way that Weiss absorbed Yang’s comment and responded with a soft, regretful shake of her head.  

“I’m sorry...that’s my fault.  I asked her not to say anything.”  When Yang and Blake’s brows rose in unison, Weiss sighed and sent a remorseful glance Ruby’s way.  “You might’ve heard of my father, Jacques Schnee.”

“As in...the CEO of Schnee Industries?” Blake clarified while Ruby’s eyes widened.  

“Yes, that’s him.”  The confirmation added to Ruby’s disbelief, but Weiss continued without hesitation.  “He’s not entirely...supportive...of me pursuing anything beyond work, so I figured that the less he knew, the better.  It wasn’t until recently that Ruby convinced me otherwise.”

Hearing her name slip through Weiss’ lips added a tingle of excitement to Ruby’s all-encompassing shock.  She never would have guessed that Weiss was related to someone so widely reviled.  Not when Weiss was sweet, kind, funny, and...well, she had the same white hair as her dad, and that explained the aura of money...

“We won’t tell anyone,” Blake assured Weiss while Ruby wrapped her mind around the new situation.

“Yeah, definitely,” Yang added.  “We won’t say a word.”

“I appreciate that.”

When Weiss cast Ruby an expectant look, Ruby finally convinced her mouth to form words.

“See?” she got out, immediately followed by a chuckle.  “Told you - they’re like clams.  Poke ‘em once and they’ll keep to themselves.”

Weiss smiled and patted Ruby’s hand, silently congratulating her for the appropriately foolish response, and Ruby’s heart warped into overdrive.  If Yang and Blake weren’t sitting there, she would ask a lot of questions.  Like why was Weiss doing this?  Most importantly, was this really happening?  Because it felt like it was happening, but things like this didn’t happen in real life.  

“It’s a complicated situation,” Weiss continued undisturbed.  “But the more I think about it, the more I think his opinion shouldn’t matter so much.  If he has a problem with me being happy, then maybe I should get a new dad.”

Weiss snuck a wink Ruby’s way, prompting a blush, while Yang chuckled.

“‘Get a new dad’…that sounds like something Ruby’d say.”

“She has a way with words, doesn’t she?”  

Blush deepening, Ruby opened her mouth to say something - a joke or witty comment, maybe - but found no words.  If this was what it was like to be rendered speechless, it was as unnerving as it was exhilarating.  Fortunately, Yang and Blake were decent talkers.  Especially now, as their combined level of interest set new records. 

“Now I get why Ruby always says you’re busy.”  Yang fiddled with her silverware as if dying to ask thousands of questions but holding them back for Ruby’s sake.  “Thanks for making time to meet us.”

“You’re welcome, and it was long overdue.  My work-life balance has become a little...unbalanced…so I’m trying to fix that.”

“Gee, sounds like someone else I know.”  

Ruby grimaced at Yang’s observant look, but Blake directed the conversation away.

“Aren’t you opening a new factory across the river?” she asked.  Weiss nodded.

“Among other projects, yes.”

“Sounds like a lot…how do you have time to date at all?”

Ruby’s gaze shot to Blake, whose keenly astute gaze remained on Weiss.  Weiss, meanwhile, gently cleared her throat and admitted, “I don’t, really, but I make time whenever I can.”  After briefly frowning, Weiss glanced at Ruby.  Her expression lightened, so Ruby couldn’t help but smile in return.

“And that’s fine,” Ruby reassured Weiss before turning to Yang and Blake.  “You both know I’m busy, too.  And I’m low maintenance anyway.”

“Yeah, as long as someone’s feeding you, you’re low maintenance,” Yang teased.  “Has Weiss figured out your favorite foods yet?  I’m guessing so - that’s the only way she could’ve survived this long without losing some fingers.”

While Yang chuckled and Blake smiled beside her, Ruby made a face at her sister before her focus returned to Weiss.  Weiss’ gaze remained thoughtful, as if cataloging that new information.  Once done, another smile appeared.

“Not yet,” she answered, her eyes remaining on Ruby.  “But I will eventually.”

Ruby wanted to say that Weiss never had to feed her, or do anything for her, but her heart fluttered instead.  If she’d known who Weiss was, she probably wouldn’t have said half the things that she had in the restroom.  She definitely wouldn’t have admitted the lame lie that she told her sister.  

Surprisingly, she regretted nothing.  That somehow led her here, and she was pretty ecstatic to be here.

“God, they’re so cute.”

Ruby blinked at Yang’s comment, then blushed and turned away at the same time Weiss did.  Of course, what had Ruby expected from Yang, who was as effusive with her affection as she was with her teasing?  Besides, Yang had no idea that Ruby and Weiss literally met minutes ago - she was responding as if Weiss was the elusive girlfriend Ruby made up months ago.

Still, Ruby was thoroughly embarrassed now.  Sneaking a glance Weiss’ way only amplified that feeling, as the soft pink on Weiss’ cheeks suggested the comment struck a nerve through the perfect composure.

“Yang…” Ruby subtly pleaded.  Yang raised her hands, confused about how that was out of line, but Blake patted her arm and offered Weiss an apologetic smile.

“Please excuse her.  She’s been looking forward to meeting you ever since Ruby told us she started dating someone.”

“I understand.”  Weiss’ blush lingered, but her composure returned.  “I’d feel the same if my sister started seeing someone.”

“Oh, that’s right.  You have an older sister, don’t you?”

Considering Ruby hadn’t known that, she turned to Weiss for the answer.

“I do.  And a younger brother.”

“Ah, a middle child,” Yang joked while Ruby committed the information to memory.  “Too bad our parents didn’t have another kid, then Ruby’d be a middle child, too.”

“Being the youngest is clearly the best,” Ruby pointed out.  “Everyone doted on me -”

“They still do,” Yang teased, then laughed when Ruby stuck out her tongue.  The reaction garnered a soft chuckle from Blake and a smile from Weiss.  Before Weiss could respond, however, a buzzing sound interrupted the conversation.

“Of course…” Weiss sighed, reaching into her purse and pulling out her phone.  She read the message quickly, then gave Ruby an apologetic smile.  “I’m so sorry...I have to go back to the office.  My father just scheduled a meeting, and apparently I need to be there.”

“Oh, that’s fine!  Seriously.”  

“We should reschedule though,” Weiss added while gathering her belongings.  “Hopefully, work won’t always get in the way.”

“Yeah, definitely!”  Yang glanced at Blake, who nodded, before smiling at Weiss.  “Thanks for meeting us though, really.”

“The pleasure’s all mine.”  Weiss’ gaze snuck Ruby’s way before a polite smile appeared.  “And dinner’s on me, so order anything you’d like.”

While Yang and Blake’s brows rose, Ruby jumped to her feet and said, “I’ll walk you out!”  Weiss’ amused smile suggested that it was unnecessary, but she waited for Ruby to reach her side before leading them through the dining room.

“I hope that was ok,” Weiss whispered as soon as they were out of earshot.

“Are you kidding me?  That was more than ok.  I can’t believe you just did that!”

“I can’t either.”  Weiss smiled before motioning for Ruby to wait.  “Excuse me,” she directed to the host.

“Yes, Miss Schnee?”

“Please put their dinner on my account,” she instructed him, lightly gesturing Ruby’s way. 

“Absolutely, Miss.”

With that taken care of, Weiss offered Ruby a smaller, more subdued smile.  She looked like she wanted to say something, but her gaze flitted to the dining area first.  Ruby followed the gaze and, upon spotting Yang and Blake pretending that they weren’t avidly watching, rolled her eyes and motioned Weiss to the door.

“After you.”  Ruby playfully bowed Weiss through the doorway before following her outside.  The temperature had cooled, but Ruby’s jitters made her bounce up and down far more than the cold air did.

“Seriously, thank you so much,” she repeated as a sleek black town car waited at the curb beside them.  “You really are good at fixing problems.”

“It’s the least I could do.”

“And perfect, too!  Now, Yang will leave me alone for a bit, and eventually I’ll come up with a reason why we aren’t together anymore.  Which shouldn’t be hard since...you know.”

Ruby gestured between them rather than state the obvious, but Weiss frowned.

“You can do that...or we could reschedule.”  When Ruby blinked in surprise, Weiss gestured to the town car.  “I was actually called back to the office, but I wouldn't mind rescheduling.  I think we can be even more convincing next time.”

“I...what?  Like, seriously?  You want to do this again?”

“Of course.  But we should probably get together first and iron out the details of how we started ‘dating.’”  While Ruby stared, her jaw practically touching the sidewalk, Weiss mulled over the dilemma and eventually met Ruby’s gaze.  “Where did you tell them we met?”

“The, uh, miniature golf course...”

“Why would I ever be at a miniature golf course?” Weiss asked, her incredulous tone defied by a smile sneaking onto her lips.  Before Ruby came up with a feasible response - alien abduction, perhaps - Weiss shook her head and said, “We’ll figure that out later.”  

With Ruby still struggling to catch up, Weiss pulled a pen from her bag and, after searching for something else but not finding it, gently picked up Ruby’s hand.  “Here’s my number,” she explained while writing the digits across Ruby’s palm.  “Text me and we’ll set up a time.”

“Um, yeah!  I know how to text so...I can do that.”

“That’s a relief.  I was a little worried we’d have to resort to skywriting or stone tablets.”

The playful response made Ruby laugh and, just like earlier, wish their conversation wouldn’t end so soon.  It might have been her imagination, but Weiss seemed equally reluctant to leave.  So they both stood there, smiling at each other a bit like fools, before Weiss’ gaze flitted to the waiting vehicle.

“I should go,” she sighed, her posture slouching just as subtly as her tone.  

“Don’t let me make you late.  Besides, I’ll text you.”

Ruby held up her hand, where black digits sat in her palm, so Weiss smiled and stepped away.  Before getting too far, however, she turned right back, leaned forward, and kissed Ruby’s cheek.

“Thanks for the unexpectedly enjoyable evening,” she whispered after pulling away, lingering close enough that Ruby could see every perfectly curled eyelash framing perfectly blue eyes.

“Y-you’re welcome.”

If Weiss felt any of that white-hot bolt of excitement, she hid it better.  Instead, she simply smiled one last time before nodding to the chauffeur dutifully opening her door.  Seconds later, the expensive car pulled away, leaving Ruby frozen to the sidewalk, awkwardly waving even though she couldn’t see through the tinted windows.

Once the car disappeared, Ruby touched her cheek, which burned where Weiss’ lips had touched, then looked at the numbers written across her palm.  Seeing as how her hands were already clammy, she saved the number in her phone before it smudged into nothing.  Then she touched her cheek again, glanced the way Weiss’ car went, and finally returned to the restaurant.  She sat down at the table in a daze, having no idea what to say even as Blake and Yang stared at her, waiting for something.

“Um, wow, Ruby,” Yang eventually said.  “I get why you said she’s busy all the time.”

“I know, right?”  Just thinking about Weiss, Ruby’s heart skipped a beat.  “She works a lot, but she’s just so…cool.”

“And it seems like she really likes you.”

Ruby’s gaze snapped to Blake.

“You think so?”  Ruby’s heart raced faster when Blake smiled and nodded.  “That’s awesome…” she breathed out.  Yang, meanwhile, chuckled.

“Look at you!  You’re so into her.”

Ruby rolled her eyes but didn’t argue.  Her fingers returned to her cheek.

“Of course I am,” she replied, her smile widening.  “That’s why I’m - that’s why she’s my -”

“That’s why you’re dating,” Blake offered on Ruby’s behalf.

Whether or not that was true, Ruby beamed and nodded.  Yang and Blake shared a look before turning their attention to ordering dinner and then making observations about what Weiss was like.  Too distracted to think about food, Ruby half-listened to their conversation while glancing at her palm in her lap.  The lines of ink were already blurring, but her heart jumped whenever she saw the numbers and thought about what they meant.

She had fully planned on coming clean to Yang, but that would have to wait a little longer.  First, they could enjoy a great meal together.  Then she would text Weiss as soon as she got home and see if Weiss was serious about seeing each other again.  After that...she didn’t know what would happen, but she couldn’t wait to find out.  

After spending all day hoping for an emergency, she could hardly fathom that everything somehow worked out.  Weiss might not be a divine being or celestial hero, but she just made Ruby’s life a lot more interesting.