Diva - Chapter 13

Ruby stared at the trees, with their soft brush strokes and gentle hints of green and purple, while slowly setting her paintbrush aside.  The paint added so much texture to their knots and craggily bark that she almost wanted to touch them.  

She didn’t.  She searched for any sliver of opportunity to add the dash of blue in her hand before the brush returned to the desk.  It was a slow countdown, of sorts.  A silent bargain with the canvas.  Several dwindling seconds to show her where the paint should go before she put it away for good.  Or until she found the perfect spot and begrudgingly returned to the color later.

The countdown reached zero when her eyes glanced upon the clock.  Abruptly, the brush returned to its tray and she wiped her hands off on a paint-streaked rag.  She then tossed the rag aside, grabbed her phone, and hurried across the hall.  A comfortable red polo and pair of non-paint-stained jeans waited in her room.  She quickly changed into the outfit before running her hands through her hair and stuffing her phone into her pocket.

Her mind lingered on the trees as if she were actually walking that tree-lined path at night, marveling at every little detail.  Still wrapped up in the scene, she shut her door and nearly walked face-first into Yang.

“Woah there,” Yang said, chuckling as she stepped out of the way.  “Where’re you going, turbo?”

“Sorry, just thinking.”  Ruby shook herself away from the canvas and returned to the present with a smile.  “And I’m off to work.”

“Really?”  Yang’s brow furrowed as she looked Ruby over.  “You’ve been excited about work the past few days.”

The calm, inquisitive statement returned Ruby’s thoughts to the evolving enigma that was Weiss.  Rather than try to explain that situation to Yang, however, she shrugged and said, “We’re getting into some cool scenes now.  It’s like watching a movie really slow and out of order.”

“I see…”  Yang studied Ruby for a while longer before smiling.  “Well, I’m glad you aren’t miserable anymore.”

“For now,” Ruby replied.  Almost on cue, her phone buzzed from her pocket.  As soon as she read the new message, however, her brow furrowed and a soft, “huh,” escaped her lips.  After reading Velvet’s message a second time, she shrugged and put her phone away.  “Guess today’s starting off weird,” she told Yang.

“Good weird?”

“To be determined,” she said before following Yang to the living room.  “Oh!” she added when she saw the pile of papers she had left out the night before.  “I started looking at apartments!”

When Ruby held up some of the ads, Yang sighed.  

“Want to look at some places with me?” Ruby asked anyway.  

Yang blew a breath through her lips before muttering, “Yeah, of course, if you want to.”

After dropping the pages back onto the counter, Ruby walked over and nudged Yang’s elbow.  “You should want to, too,” she reminded her sister.  “Just think about all the privacy you and Blake will have.  The entire apartment will be fair game.  For you and your wife to enjoy.”

Despite a valiant effort to hold her sullen expression, it disappeared the instant Yang heard the word ‘wife.’  She smiled instead - begrudgingly so, but a smile nonetheless.

“Alright, I guess that might be a little fun.  And you’ll still be over here all the time, right?”

“Where else will I steal food from?”

Finally, Yang laughed, her lilac eyes regaining their sparkle.  Buoyed by that cheerfulness, Ruby grinned and backed toward the door.  “I’m off to get other people their food and coffee though,” she added.  “See you tonight!”

With a smile and wave, she headed out for the day.  The thought of moving out made her sad too, and scared her a bit, but plenty of excitement rattled around her thoughts.  With her own place, she could leave her art supplies wherever.  She could paint in the kitchen if she wanted.  She could make a mess and decide not to clean it up until later.  Most importantly, she could walk into any room without risking an eyeful of an image that would burn into her brain.

She would miss Yang and Blake though.  And she wasn’t joking about coming back to steal their food, or at least arriving for dinner to enjoy a home-cooked meal.  Maybe she should learn how to cook…then she could invite them over, too.

Those musings disappeared when she boarded the next bus headed to Crescent Productions.  Thoughts of today occupied her mind instead, as she wondered what could be in store for her.  Weiss had already thrown a curveball courtesy of a request passed through Velvet, which had been passed along by Pyrrha.

The longer Ruby dwelled on it, the more outlandish the possible explanations became.  So, rather than try to figure out what Weiss was thinking - this generation’s equivalent of making a scientific discovery - she hopped off the bus at her stop and rushed to her now-favorite coffee shop.  

The typical weekday crowd greeted her inside, but she shifted from foot to foot while the line plodded forward.  The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans filled the air, courtesy of the noisy grinders punctuating conversations every few minutes.  The employees worked quickly and efficiently behind the counter, passing cups between each other before filling them with caffeine-infused beverages.    

All of the baristas were familiar to her by now - a nice side effect of her daily visits.  Most of them recognized her, too, as the girl behind the register flashed a warm smile when Ruby reached the front of the line.

“The regular?”

She was already reaching for a cup when Ruby held up two fingers and said, “Two of them today, actually.”  

The girl’s hand froze, and she sent Ruby a curious look before pulling two cups off of the stack.  

“Apparently, a large won’t cut it,” Ruby joked.  “Also, a couple of those scones.”  When she pointed at the neatly arranged scones in the bakery case, the girl’s brow rose further.  

“Scones?” she repeated, ringing up the order even though she clearly didn’t believe it.  “Did you get a new job?”

“Seems that way, doesn’t it?”  Ruby chuckled and paid while the girl nodded.  “But nope.  That’s the order today - two coffees and scones.  I guess everyone needs a break from devouring the souls of small children.” 

The girl finally laughed, saying, “I believe it,” while Ruby moved off to the side.  Thankfully, the uncomplicated order didn’t take long to fill.  A few minutes later, another barista set two cups of black coffee on the counter and slid a pastry bag alongside them.  His brow creased when Ruby picked up the cups, fit them into a drink holder, and tossed the bag of scones alongside them.

“It’s bizarro day,” she explained before heading to work.

The order change would have served as a bad omen in the past, but today she was cautiously optimistic.  Weiss didn’t do anything without a reason, even if that reason was simply to prove a point.  Maybe she wanted a second cup for later in the day?  Ruby hadn’t looked at the schedule, but Ozpin would probably push them to make up time if Pyrrha was back.  

Or maybe it was a test of how well Ruby followed directions.  In that case, she should pass with flying colors.  It hadn’t taken her long to learn that anything related to Weiss had to be followed to the letter or else.

That ‘or else’ reverberated differently through Ruby’s mind as she joined the early morning crew on the next tram headed for Studio 18.  ‘Or else’ used to mean condescending glares, sarcastic remarks, or just the dismissive attitude that Weiss handed out like candy.  Over the last couple of days though, Weiss had actually seemed…nice?  

Walking into the studio, Ruby ruminated on the word and how it possibly applied to Weiss Schnee.  Lacking explanations other than cosmic forces, a change in medication, or possibly an alien abduction, she left the two coffees and scones on the PA table before fitting the microphone in her ear and clipping a battery onto her belt.  She had gotten so used to wearing the radio that she hardly noticed its presence until someone started speaking in her ear.

The moment she considered herself ready for another day, a flash of luminous red hair caught her attention.

Despite having been sick for several days, no one would know it from Pyrrha’s current health and radiance.  She smiled and thanked one of the props managers for holding the door for her - he practically tripped over himself for the opportunity - before heading further into the building, greeting everyone whose path she crossed.

“Good morning, Ruby,” she said as she neared the PA table.

“Hey, Pyrrha.  Feeling better?”

“I am, thank you.  How were things here?”

“You mean did Weiss and Cardin kill each other?” Ruby clarified with a light laugh.  “They both survived, surprisingly.  Cardin got pretty close to meeting an untimely demise though.”

“That doesn’t surprise me…” Pyrrha mused, her attention drifting when a tall, blonde cameraman arrived.

Jaune spotted Pyrrha instantly, as if his gaze was drawn to her by some magnetic force, and he lit up like a dog whose best friend just came home from work.

“You’re back!”  He hurried over and hugged Pyrrha, who let out a soft, “Oh!” as the gesture caught her off guard.  She couldn't even reciprocate before he let go, blushing furiously yet beaming all the same.  “It’s so great to have you back,” he added while Pyrrha clasped her arms in front of her and struggled to hold his gaze.

“It’s great to be back.”  She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before finally looking at him.  “Thank you for sending me soup yesterday.  That was very thoughtful of you.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re welcome.”  Jaune ran a hand through his hair while Ruby shot him an amused look.  “It was Ruby’s idea, actually.”

Ruby’s eyes widened at the too-honest disclosure, but she quickly smiled when Pyrrha glanced her way.  

“It wasn’t all my idea,” she clarified.  “Jaune’s the one who already knew your favorite soup.  I just agreed that it’d be a good idea.”

Thankfully, Pyrrha accepted the response with an understanding nod while Ruby shook her head at Jaune.  Jaune didn’t catch the look - he was too busy staring-but-not-staring at Pyrrha to notice much else.  Before the ensuing silence became unbearably awkward, the newest member of their crew showed up.

“Who’s that?” Pyrrha asked while Ruby beamed at the simple fact that Oscar unlocked the door all on his own.

“Our new PA.”  Ruby motioned Oscar over.  Oscar grinned at the invitation, faltered upon noticing who Ruby was standing with, but eventually made it over to them.  “Hey, Oscar,” she greeted him once he stopped in front of her, his feet shuffling in Pyrrha’s presence.  “You know Pyrrha, right?”

“Uh, y-yeah - I mean, we’ve never met, but I’ve seen your movies…”

“It’s nice to meet you, Oscar,” Pyrrha replied with a friendly smile.  “Are you helping Cardin?”

“Yeah, that’s me…”

“Wonderful.  I’m sure he’s happy for the help.”  Even though Oscar shuffled his feet and furiously blushed under Pyrrha’s emerald gaze, Pyrrha carried on as if they were equals.  “You’re in great hands with Ruby and Velvet - they can teach you anything you need to know.”

When Pyrrha turned toward Ruby, Oscar beamed.

“Yeah, I think so, too.”

When Oscar kept smiling at her, Ruby = chuckled and scratched the back of her neck.  He reminded her of a puppy when he looked at her like that - all big green eyes with freckles strewn across his cheeks like stars in the sky.  Jaune squinted at Oscar after several seconds passed, and Pyrrha softly cleared her throat but said nothing.  Left on her own to redirect the conversation, Ruby opened her mouth to say the first thing that popped into her mind only to freeze when she caught a glimpse of unforgettable white hair.

As the stunning antithesis to Pyrrha’s arrival, everyone scurried out of Weiss’ way.  No greetings or “good mornings” - just a wide berth and respectful, if not a little fearful, silence.  Sharp blue eyes swept the studio before landing upon Ruby, whose heart awakened with just that glance.  Weiss’ gaze then landed on Oscar, a scoff slipped through her lips, and she strode past without a pause.

“Hold that thought,” Ruby said before hurriedly collecting the coffees and scones and rushing to meet Weiss on her way to her room.  “Coffee delivery,” she said and, once Weiss acknowledged her, offered everything over.  

Discerning eyes studied the two cups and the pastry bag before a petite, graceful hand plucked one of the cups from the coffee holder.  “Those are for you,” Weiss added before walking away, leaving Ruby standing there with a cup of coffee and some scones in her hands.  Weiss disappeared into her room shortly after, so Ruby glanced at the items before looking around to see if anyone else had witnessed what just happened.  Her gaze landed on Pyrrha, who smiled and bid goodbye to Jaune and Oscar before walking over.

“It seems I need to catch up on things,” Pyrrha remarked, nodding to the unexpected gifts in Ruby’s hands.

“Oh, this?  Yeah, I…have no idea.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”  

Laughing lightly, Pyrrha patted Ruby’s shoulder and then went to Weiss’ room.  Ruby stared after her before taking a sip of the coffee, making a face at the extreme bitterness, and going to find sugar.  Ten packets of sugar only moderately helped.  Still, it was the best cup of coffee that she had ever had.  The scones were even more incredible - sweet, moist, and bursting with flavor.

It might be a demon’s offering, but she enjoyed every bit of it before motioning Oscar over to help unpack breakfast.  Velvet arrived shortly after, and the three of them made quick work of setting up the food and cleaning up once everyone finished eating.  Then they helped the special effects team hook up several dry ice machines next which, when turned on, spewed a layer of wispy fog along the floor of the stage.

As suspected, they were moving fast to make up for Pyrrha’s absence, but Ozpin wasn’t the one cracking the whip - that privilege fell to Cinder.  While Ozpin lounged in his chair, sipping his coffee and making light conversation with Glynda, Cinder barked orders left to right.  Weiss and Pyrrha were already having their hair and makeup done when Cardin raced in late, earning himself an earful on his way to wardrobe.

Ruby wanted to see if Weiss needed anything, or at least thank her for the unexpected morning gift, but all she managed to do was sneak glances before being called away for other, more pressing tasks.  The props and special effects teams had been hard at work creating a life-like jungle in the middle of the studio, complete with fake trees, overgrown ferns, and vines crawling everywhere.  The fog rolling off the dry ice covered the floor and spilled off the soundstage, suggesting a humid atmosphere in the temperature-controlled building. 

A giant ‘stone’ obelisk rose out of the mist, serving as a focal point for the scene.  Complex runes covered each side, but Ruby had never seen them before nor could she begin to guess their purpose.  That was the actors’ job, apparently, which they arrived to do wearing clothing fit for a hot, humid locale.

Pyrrha and Weiss’ shorts revealed so much leg that Ruby stared at the other side of the room when they walked past.  Their tops were almost equally revealing, with Pyrrha’s beige, form-fitting tee cut low and Weiss’ flowing white shirt knotted up to reveal her midriff.  How Weiss’ shirt remained so white in the middle of a jungle was a mystery, especially since Cardin’s loose tee had been so shredded that it offered glimpses of his abs.

Ruby’s work only stopped when the actors began their run-throughs.  At that point, she retreated to the front of the soundstage where she could be helpful but watch the scene in the meantime.

Pyrrha’s return added a strange sense of balance.  Not only did she temper Weiss’ aloofness, but she served as a moderator whenever Cardin’s arrogance got out of hand.  Those traits meshed perfectly with her on-screen persona: the determined cop with a heart-of-gold and soft spot for anyone with a sad story to tell.

Weiss and Cardin’s characters both had sad stories to tell, though Weiss refused to give hers up without it being pried from her like a vein of gold stuck in a mound of rock.  That was another similarity that Weiss and Parker shared, making Ruby wonder what else she had yet to discover about the closed-off starlet.

The only thing Ruby learned by watching the scene was that Weiss was an incredible actress, with control and effortless charisma that she deployed at will, and that Parker still had the upper hand on poor Grace and Chase.  Wherever they went, she was one step ahead.  Even when they had her in their custody, as Pyrrha remarked upon several times, she somehow held all the cards.

Rehearsals went surprisingly smoothly.  Cardin winced and glanced at Cinder anytime he messed up, showing remarkable restraint considering his previous episodes of slacking off.  Pyrrha showed no ill effects from several days out with a cold.  In fact, she seemed rejuvenated and energized after the short break.  Weiss, as usual, was a professional the moment Ozpin said, “Action,” but scowled or rolled her eyes at every delay and miscue not caused by Pyrrha.

The morning passed without a hitch, and Ruby was just beginning to think the entire day would follow suit until they broke for lunch.  The props team needed help with the next scene while everyone else ate, so she found herself standing near the edge of the stage when Cardin left.  He had, so far, avoided her as if she carried some radioactive disease, so he caught her off guard by walking right over.

“Hey, uh, Ruby?” he asked before motioning off to the side.  “Can we talk for a sec?”

“Cardin.”

Cardin winced as Weiss stalked over, sweeping through the fog like a sorceress prowling her domain.  For someone so small, she had the enviable ability to seem twelve feet tall and exceedingly dangerous when angry, especially with mist curling around her feet and a forceful scowl on her lips.

“What did I say about talking to her?” she snapped while stepping between him and Ruby.  “Leave.  Her.  Alone.”  

She jabbed a finger into his chest with each word, forcing him to shrink away and rub his chest.

“Relax, Weiss.  I just wanted to apologize.”

Weiss narrowed her eyes, clearly not believing him, and only moved aside after Ruby subtly nodded.  Regardless, Weiss crossed her arms and motioned for him to get it over with.  Cardin, meanwhile, cleared his throat and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Ok, so, I’m sorry about what happened the other day.  I always think that every girl wants me – because, I mean, who wouldn’t - but some people’ve pointed out, kind of meanly, that maybe that’s not true.  So, I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable, and I’ll leave you alone forever if you want me to.  But I promise I’ll work on, you know, being more…considerate.”

The disjointed yet somehow genuine apology exceeded Ruby’s expectations, especially since she hadn’t expected an apology at all.  He still seemed baffled by the idea that someone wouldn't want to be with him, but he also appeared sincerely sorry for making her uncomfortable.

“Apology accepted.”

“Really?”  When Ruby nodded, Cardin beamed.  “Phew.  Thanks.  And, just so you know, if you ever change your mind -”

“Finish that sentence and it’ll be the last thing you ever do,” Weiss interrupted.  Cardin wisely flinched away from the warning tone.  

“Right.  Just let me know!”

He winked and aimed a pair of finger guns at Ruby before rushing away, leaving Weiss shaking her head in his wake.  Eventually, she glanced at Ruby out of the corner of her eye.

“There’s easy, and then there’s Cardin Winchester,” she quipped with a flippant wave in his direction.  “I hope you hold yourself to higher standards.”

“I think so, but I also really liked that cheap diner we went to, so…”

A soft scoff slipped through Weiss’ lips as Ruby trailed off, but Ruby didn’t miss the way Weiss’ eyes flickered at the memory.  Before Weiss could respond, however, her gaze drifted to the side.  Ruby followed those blue eyes and noticed Oscar shyly creeping over to them.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he apologized to Weiss before looking at Ruby and pointing over his shoulder.  “They want us to move all that stuff?”

“Oh, yeah.”  Ruby glanced at the fake crates that needed transporting into the jungle before turning back to Weiss.  Contrary to the first few weeks on set, she felt zero desire to exit the conversation as fast as possible.  This was the first opportunity they’d had to talk all day and she was almost disappointed that she had to leave.

“I should help…but are you good?”

Weiss hummed again, this time with her brow furrowed, as Ruby backed away.  

“Actually,” she said just before Ruby reached Oscar.  “You can bring me lunch instead.”

“Oh.”  Ruby glanced at Oscar before focusing on Weiss.  “You want one of those salads?” she asked, but Weiss glanced around the bustling studio before shaking her head.

“Whatever they brought in is fine.”

“The…regular food?”  Ruby failed to mask her surprise, but she quickly shook her head and said, “What would you want?  There’s chicken, pasta, salad…basically, super basic lunch stuff.”

Weiss pursed her lips, considered her options for several seconds, then glanced at Oscar one last time.  He watched them with wide eyes, seeming confused about what was happening, which somehow irritated Weiss more.

“Surprise me,” she quipped before brushing past.  Ruby watched her return to her room, all saunter and poise in that skimpy jungle outfit.  Once she disappeared behind closed doors, Ruby gave Oscar an apologetic look.

“Sorry.  Duty calls.”

“You have to do what she says?” he asked, looking baffled by the sudden change in circumstances.

“She’s the only one who trumps Cinder,” Ruby explained.  “Trust me - keeping her happy is vital to things running around here.  You don’t want to be around when she’s annoyed.”

Ruby shook her head at the thought before heading over to the lunch line, leaving a bewildered Oscar behind.  The impromptu orders used to throw her off, too.  She always felt like she was abandoning the team to fulfill whatever whim struck Weiss’ fancy.  Now, she understood that ensuring Weiss’ happiness served as much purpose as carrying props onto the set.  Her success wouldn't show up on film, but Weiss’ willingness to work got all of them home sooner and with less mental bruising.

‘Surprise me’ wasn’t a descriptive lunch order, but she had a decent idea of what Weiss liked to eat by now.  Salad was pretty much a necessity, with the dressing on the side, and the grilled chicken would probably only be touched if Weiss was hungry enough.  The plastic fork and knife would earn a fair amount of disdain, but no alternatives leapt into Ruby’s mind despite searching for one.  So, armed with the most lackluster lunch she had ever seen anywhere near Weiss, she hurried to Weiss’ room and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Weiss said almost immediately, so Ruby quickly entered and set the plate of food on the coffee table.  How Weiss sat so casually while so scantily clad evaded Ruby, who tried her hardest not to accidentally look down Weiss’ top or get caught glancing anywhere near her nearly nonexistent shorts.

“Sorry, we don’t have any silverware around here,” Ruby said when Weiss nudged the plastic fork with one finger.  “Unless Oob’s got some in art somewhere, but we’d be done for the day before I ever found my way out of there.”

“I don’t know how he hasn’t gotten lost in there yet…” Weiss mused while pushing some of the salad around her plate.  She flipped several pieces of lettuce over, inspected them, and ultimately ate nothing.

“Sure you don’t want me to run and get something?” Ruby offered, but Weiss shook her head.

“You’ve been running around all day.  You can stay here.”

At first, Ruby thought that she misheard the response, but then Weiss nodded to an oversized chair near her.  Ruby glanced at it, then the door, before ultimately sitting down before Weiss felt compelled to make the instruction clearer.  Her knee wanted to jitter as an awkward silence settled over the room, but she clamped a hand down on it to keep it still.  Weiss’ brow remained furrowed as if upset about the food, the company, or the day in general.

“Uh, thanks, by the way,” Ruby eventually said, drawing Weiss’ gaze.  “For the coffee and scones.  That was really…nice…of you.”

“You’re welcome.”  Rather than explain the thoughtful gesture, Weiss poked at her food for another few seconds before sighing and setting the fork down.

“You don’t eat much,” Ruby commented, nodding to the plate of untouched food.

“I eat plenty.”  Ruby raised her hands and didn’t press, but Weiss eventually added, “Just not before filming.  That’s the unspoken rule - if you want to look skinny, you shouldn’t eat.”

“So you’re just…hungry?”

“You get used to it.”

Weiss waved off a chronic condition that would make Ruby miserable, so Ruby didn’t point out how unhealthy that sounded or how cranky it would make her.  “Are there other rules like that?” she asked instead.

“Of course,” Weiss replied before ticking some off on her fingers.  “There’s no such thing as too skinny, wear low-cut tops to auditions for men but nice blouses for women, never do anything ‘as a favor,’ be good at selling kisses if you want to make sequels -”

“‘Be good at selling kisses?’” Ruby interrupted.  “How do you ‘sell’ a kiss?”

“Easy - close your eyes and imagine you’re kissing someone you want to kiss.”

“I see…”  Ruby thought over that list of ‘rules’ before grinning.  “Who do you imagine?” 

She wished that she could grab the question out of the air and stuff it back in her mouth as soon as it left her lips.  Instead, she watched Weiss’ walls come back up.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Sorry, I was just curious.”  Weiss pursed her lips, so Ruby waved her hands in front of her and added, “Mine would be Pyrrha.”

She grinned at the world’s best selection, but Weiss scoffed and said, “Anyone in their right mind should choose Pyrrha.”

“Are you in your right mind?”  When Weiss’ brow rose ever so slightly but no denial appeared, Ruby laughed.  “I wish we could tell Cardin.”

“The ego would leave his body.”

“Exactly.”  While Ruby chuckled at the thought, Weiss actually cracked a smile.  “In front of Jaune though?” Ruby added, but Weiss clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes.

“If Camera Boy wants her, he should stop being an idiot and ask her out.”

“You know about that??”

“Everyone knows about it.  They’ve been hopeless for years now.  I specifically requested him for this crew hoping something would finally give, but no.  He couldn't find a way to a date using neon lights.”

Weiss tsked and flicked one hand as if physically brushing Jaune out of her thoughts.  Ruby, however, focused on the last thing Weiss admitted.

“You specifically asked for him hoping they’d get together?”

“Well, that, and he’s good at keeping the camera out of my face.  Unfortunately, it seems that’s all he’s good for.”

When Weiss flipped her hair over her shoulder before frowning at her fingernails, Ruby got lost staring before shaking herself back to the conversation.

“He was going to take her soup yesterday since she was sick,” Ruby admitted.

“And?  Did he?”

“Uh, well, no.  He chickened out and ordered delivery instead.”

“Figures,” Weiss huffed, though her disappointment lingered along the lines of bemused rather than truly annoyed.  “They’re like…two lost puppies you just want to get home.”

“Puppies?”  Ruby snuck Weiss a small smile.  “You like puppies?”

“Everyone likes puppies.”

“Well, yeah.  But you’re not ‘everyone.’”

For a split second, Weiss frowned.  Then her expression became impassive, bordering on smug.  “You’re just realizing that?” she asked, her lips curling with a fleeting smile when Ruby laughed and nodded.

“What can I say…I’m dense as molasses.”

“Dense as maple syrup might be more appropriate…” Weiss muttered loud enough for Ruby to hear and laugh again.  Triumph flashed through Weiss’ eyes before they flitted to the clock hanging near the door.  “You should probably get back,” she added more seriously.  “Or you’ll miss lunch.”

“You sure?”  Ruby’s stomach grumbled at the thought of food, but she waited for Weiss’ nod before pointing at the plate on the table.  “Going to eat that later?”

“Doubtful.”

Weiss pushed the plate forward, so Ruby grabbed it and carried it to the door.  She paused and turned back to find Weiss watching her leave.  She felt like she should say something, as if those blue eyes demanded some measure of farewell, but words stuck in her throat when she tried finding them.  She dipped her chin instead and closed the door behind her as she stepped into the hall.

The fast-moving studio contrasted so sharply with Weiss’ still, peaceful room that she paused for several seconds before hurrying to the lunch tables.  Velvet and Oscar were already putting away the leftover food; Ruby motioned for them to continue while plopping into the first empty chair and devouring Weiss’ untouched plate.  After finishing in record time, she helped clean up the rest of the lunch area before assisting with the finishing touches for the next scene.  

Weiss returned to the stage before long - her gaze lingered on Ruby before sliding meaningfully to Pyrrha.  A slight smirk eased onto her lips, prompting Ruby to blush, before Ozpin commandeered her and Pyrrha’s attention.  Cardin showed up last, escorted to the stage by an unamused, scowling Cinder.

While the characters returned to the jungle, Ruby waited with Velvet and Oscar for whatever their next task might be.  As the rehearsal progressed smoothly, however, it became more and more apparent that they wouldn't be pressed into action anytime soon.  So, in the interest of passing time, she started doodling on a piece of scratch paper lying around.  Her gaze drifted to Weiss often, watching Weiss move through the scene and speak her lines with unflinching confidence.  She looked good - great, even - though Ruby couldn't help feeling a little guilty knowing that looking great came at the cost of constant hunger.

“Wow,” Oscar remarked between takes, leaning over Ruby’s shoulder to see her doodles.  “That’s really good.”

Ruby finally pulled her attention away from Weiss and was surprised to find a cute, fluffy puppy staring back at her.  He had slightly shaggy fur, ears that stood straight and tall, and some shaded in areas to give him a bit of contrast.  

“You’re a great artist,” Oscar added, beaming at her while she shyly set a hand over her work.  She only uncovered it when the cameras started rolling again and Oscar’s attention drifted away.

Weiss liked puppies.  Weiss liking anything would have seemed unlikely a few days ago, but now it became another strange, unexpected piece of a puzzle that Ruby had only partially put together.  She might have started at this job missing most of the pieces, but now Weiss seemed to be slipping her hints one at a time.

After glancing at Weiss again, watching her banter with Pyrrha and trade barbs with Cardin, Ruby focused more effort and concentration on the little pup in front of her.  She cleaned up the lines as best she could using a random spare pen, then shaded in his adorable grey patches before considering it finished.

Absentmindedly spinning the completed sketch on the table, she considered her options.  Ordinarily, she would throw it away or take it home and toss it into a box filled with similar dalliances.  Something told her not to this time, but she didn’t know why until she glanced at Weiss speaking to Pyrrha between takes.

It might be stupid, but it felt like she drew the puppy for Weiss, so Weiss should be the one who chose to throw it away.  Which would probably happen since Weiss didn’t seem to possess a sentimental bone in her body, yet Ruby was willing to accept the result regardless.  So, before the cameras resumed rolling, she slipped off to Weiss’ room and stuck the sketch beneath the gold star on Weiss’ door.  She hurried back to the stage before second-guessing herself and sat at the PA’s table until the last scene wrapped up.  

As soon as the actors left the stage, disbanding to change into their regular clothing and leave, Ruby helped the special effects team unplug and wheel the dry ice machines to the back of the studio.  She wanted to look behind her and see if Weiss noticed the drawing, but she told herself not to expect a reaction.  For all she knew, Weiss wouldn't react at all.

That was what Ruby told herself, so she was shocked when she returned to the front of the studio and found Weiss, wearing less revealing clothing now, waiting for her.

“What’s this?”  

When Weiss held up the sketch, seeming perplexed by its existence, Ruby tempered her budding nerves.

“That’s the surprise you keep asking for.”

Weiss’ brow furrowed as she inspected the drawing, making Ruby worry that she had overstepped her bounds.  Then a small laugh slipped through Weiss’ lips.

“He’s cute,” Weiss remarked before walking away, gaze still trained on the small dog grinning back at her.  “Have a good night,” she added over her shoulder before leaving, sending Ruby’s heart to the moon strapped to the world’s fastest rocket.

It was simple praise, yet Ruby finished the day with wings on her feet.  Between that compliment and the unexpected gift that morning, she couldn't decide whether she was just lucky or if she had accidentally stepped through a portal to another world.  Oscar and Velvet kept glancing at her as if she had two heads when she bid them cheery goodbyes before heading out for the night.

On the bus ride home, she dwelled on every interaction she and Weiss shared that day.  They might not have had much time together with the production team moving full steam ahead, but every moment highlighted another side of Weiss that no one else seemed to see.  Understated generosity, unspoken consideration, and muted kindness had all made their appearance, and Ruby felt blessed to have witnessed them.

It felt like ages ago that she considered quitting.  Now, she could hardly get the mystery that was Weiss out of her thoughts.