Chapter Text
Ruby hummed along happily to a song on the radio as she waited for her coffee to finish heating up. It was going to be a good day for her today. Especially with the flier left on her counter to remind her of her plans for later.
Charity Auction at Beacon Arboretum!
The auction was to fund the overloaded police budget and make people think they were serving the city. Ruby smiled to herself at the future prospect, cause while the who's who of supercriminals were already talking about the potential of a hostage situation or robbery, she'd be the only one making a proper payday.
Cause unknown to almost everyone, Ruby Rose was secretly a supervillain.
And Crescent Rose had plans taking root for the Vale Federal Reserve.
Pouring herself some coffee, Ruby could already feel her powers waking up, the plants throughout the city speaking to her. From the trees reaching for the sky in the central park to the weeds growing between the cracks of the sidewalks. She could control them all, and only one hero had made it their specific mission to stop her.
The ice-wielding armored avenger, Myrtenaster.
Ruby knew that the hero would try to stop her again, if they knew where she was going to be.
For months, Ruby had been using the roots to tunnel under the city to the reserve, enough gold bullion to set her up for life. She'd be out of sight from the flying hero's patrol routes, along with any other do-gooder not patrolling around the arboretum to protect the auction.
Putting cream and five sugars into her coffee, Ruby hummed happily as she made her way to the bedroom, her costume laid out to breath. This was a big score, the last one she'd need, and it would still keep her from breaking her promise with Yang.
Her sister was a hero, Ember Celica. And she made Ruby promise to only commit robberies and avoid causing any casualties in the process.
So technically robbing the government of gold reserves would work in her favor.
She even had a fence lined up through a fellow criminal, Gambol Shroud, to help start moving the gold. The thief had never given her a reason not to trust her, honor amongst thieves was very important in their line of work.
Ruby even had plans to use the first payment to take her amazing girlfriend on vacation.
Her girlfriend… Ruby's smile faltered for the first time that morning as she remembered how their last date ended.
Weiss seemed… hesitant to accept that Ruby was Crescent Rose, but Ruby wanted to let her into all of her life, not just the parts she would use to hide the others.
She hoped that they could talk again soon, but she needed to focus more on the present.
Walking to the bedroom, Ruby looked over her costume, it had changed since she first started out, but the red and black bodysuit remained pretty similar. She added a cloak and hood to go over the mask, covering her face but allowing her hair to stick out from the top while she could see through goggle lenses in the mask.
Ruby began to pull out her combat boots to make sure they were still in working order when a knock came from the door. Tensing her jaw, Ruby closed the door to her bedroom behind her as she walked to the door. She wasn't expecting anyone and anyone who would stop by knew to text first.
Looking through the peephole, Ruby felt her blood run cold as she recognized the blue helmet and visor of Myrtenaster on the other side of the door. They weren't here for Crescent Rose if they were outside of Ruby's apartment. How…
“Ruby Rose.” The filtered voice of Myrtenaster came through the door, her own name filling her with fear. “I know you're in there. You can let me in or I'll let myself in.”
Ruby knew firsthand that Myrtenaster could go through solid steel with that suit of their's, no way that her apartment door would handle it. Opening it cautiously, Ruby stepped to the side to let them in, Myrtenaster giving a nod as they walked in and let Ruby close the door behind them.
“Can I get you some coffee?” Ruby asked, trying to seem innocent still, even if she could see the hero's shoulders were tense, even through the armored suit. Ruby's eyes widened as Myrtenaster moved their hand, place something down on the counter.
A spare key to her apartment, with a familiar corgi keychain to it.
“I didn't want to have to use this.” Myrtenaster said, keeping their back to Ruby.
Ruby's anger surged and vines wrapped around her arm in preparation to fight.
“I swear if you hurt her-”
“Do you really think I'd do that?” Myrtenaster asked, pain evident through the filter as they finally turned around. “I wouldn't- I don't want to fight you, Ruby, but I can't ignore the things you've done, the people that could get hurt.”
“I haven't hurt anyone… Where's Weiss?!” Ruby asked, tears starting to pick at her eyes. “I- How do you know-”
Myrtenaster reached up and disengaged their helmet, steam releasing as they put hands on both sides. They didn't even need to lift it up all the way before white hair began to fall out, and Ruby felt numb as she realized what was happening.
Standing there in the same armor she had attacked so many times before, Ruby came face to face with her girlfriend, Weiss Schnee.
“I'm sorry, Ruby… But I have to bring you in.” Weiss said, tears in the corners of her eyes. “So please… don't make this harder than it has to be.”
The entire world was ringing as Ruby realized her entire life was falling apart around her, there wasn't any way out of this… she… she's already lost everything…
Seven Years Later…
Ruby groaned as she woke up, the mattress was never comfortable. She finally got used to the beds in prison before making parole, and now she struggled in the cheap mattress to her new apartment.
It was a struggle to get this place, a struggle to even get parole without convincing the board that she had lost her powers in prison, but she had a start now.
It was a shitty start in a studio apartment above a barely functional flower shop she was lucky enough to own, even if it was a bad day away from being condemned. She's only been living here for three months, after spending a year and a half on her sister's couch.
Looking to her nightstand, Ruby saw it was two in the morning, and she wasn't going to go back to sleep anytime soon.
Sitting up in bed, Ruby tiredly rubbed her eyes before standing up to check if she needed to dump the bucket she had for her leaky roof. She was thankful that the leak seemed to have stopped, even if the rain outside still wasn't letting up.
“Just… Just gotta get the day moving, I guess.” Ruby said to herself before moving to the kitchen area.
Checking her scarcely stocked fridge, Ruby was a bit happy to see that she still had some sausage left to cook and the milk hadn't gone bad yet, so she at least had something for breakfa-
The sound of a crash downstairs had Ruby shoot up and stare at the door leading down to her shop.
Of course she'd have a break-in.
Unlocking her door, Ruby grabbed the bat that rested next to it and made her way down the stairs. Sure, she could use her powers, but then that would violate her parole and she'd be on the first bus back to prison.
Best case scenario, she'd deal with a burglar who would be thoroughly disappointed in what little cash was in the register, worst case… one of her fans found her. Ruby hoped the burglar had a gun.
Entering the shop, Ruby took note of a couple of things that were very out of place.
One was that the back door's lock had been frozen until it broke.
The other was the blood that had dripped across her floor.
Following the trail, Ruby saw the source of the crash, a toppled over and broken planter, and just past that was a sight she had hoped never to see.
Wei- no, Myrtenaster, slumped against the back of her counter, breathing slowly while putting pressure on a wound to her side.
Dropping the bat with a clatter, Ruby rushed over to the hero's side, remembering how the helmet disengaged from all those years ago in order to take it off.
Weiss looked worse than Ruby had ever seen her, her eyes tired and dark, sweat beading along her brow as she tried to deal with the pain, and a scar by her left eye that was fresh. Ruby hadn't even seen the cut through her helmet because she was more focused on the would to her side.
“Weiss… what happened?” Ruby asked, grabbing a towel from under the counter and using it to help apply pressure. “Who- why are you here?”
“I… I wanted to see you… even just one last time…” Weiss said, weakly.
“I… I'm going to move you.” Ruby said, refusing to accept what she was saying. “Do you think you can make it upstairs?”
Weiss was silent for a moment, one that stretched and frightened Ruby more than anything, but she still was able to nod before letting Ruby help lift her up, slotting under her shoulder to support her. The stairs up to her apartment weren't a long hike, but it still felt too long as Ruby could feel Weiss faltering every few steps.
After what felt like an agonizing eternity, Ruby was finally able to lay Weiss down on the couch, looking for a way to get her armor off to get a better look at the wound. It was slimmer, less bulky like her older armor, an upgrade that reminded her of just how many years it had been. Weiss slowly moved her hand to her belt, twisting the buckle and causing the armor to fold in on itself and collapse into the belt. Ruby's heart broke at the casual clothes Weiss wore, including one of her old shirts that Weiss had apparently kept. Another memory of their old love, torn through and stained with blood.
“I… I've never tried this before on someone else, but I should be able to help.” Ruby said, holding a palm over Weiss’ wound. In less than a moment, thin vines, like plant stems, came from her palm and began to work their way into the wound. Ruby had to put an arm against Weiss’ chest to keep her from thrashing.
“I'm using plant fibers to stitch you up, they'll help you heal, they- fuck it went all the way through.” Ruby could feel the fibers reach against the couch as she began to try and ment her. “I'll get your eye next, it doesn't look as bad.”
“I didn't… I didn't know you could do this…” Weiss said, weakly leaning her head back. “I guess it's good you still have powers.”
“Are you gonna arrest me for that next?” Ruby said, wincing at the bite behind her own words. “Sorry, that… I don't know why I said that.”
“I deserved it… I deserve th-”
“Who did this?” Ruby cut in, not wanting to hear Weiss so defeated.
“It was an ambush… I was on patrol.” Weiss said, wetting her lips for a second as she remembered. “Scorpion was there, so was Quicksilver and Spellbinder… Midnight was the one who got me.”
“Right, Tyrian I can understand, but he mostly fights Ember Celica.” Ruby began, her history as a villain finally proving useful. “Mercury and Emerald were probably offered a lot of money just to support. Cinder is the big one though, you've fought her before.”
“She talked like she was hired by someone.” Weiss said, something clicking. “You know their names?”
“I used to be a villain, remember?” Ruby said with a fake laugh. She was trying to keep calm as she felt the wounds stitching closed. “There were meet-ups, mostly at this little dive off 52nd and Brunswick.”
“Do you… still go to them?” Weiss asked, try to keep the silence from filling in.
“I'm on parole, not supposed to meet other criminals.” Ruby said, brow furrowing for a second. “I'm… I'm surprised you didn't ask if I was in on the ambush.”
Weiss placed a hand over Ruby's, causing the former villain to look her in the eye for the first time since she started healing her.
“I told you… I wanted to see you.”
Ruby wanted to scream.
She wanted to shout about the five years in prison, how Weiss never visited her, or even wrote to her.
But she bit her tongue.
The last thing either of them needed was for old wounds to be reopened while a new one was being closed.
“I'll have to get ready in case any of them tried to follow you.” Ruby said, trying to change the subject.
“They won't.” Weiss said, pulling her hand away. “I flew around for three hours to make sure I lost them.”
“Three-? How-?”
“I lowered my body temperature, slowed the bleeding.” Weiss explained, her tone dry and cold. “I figured it out to avoid my heat signature being picked up, never thought I'd need to use it like this.”
Ruby sighed as she finished closing the wound. “I'll treat your eye, then we need to get you some clean clothes.”
“Sorry about your shirt.” Weiss said, watching Ruby move to the kitchen.
“It was more of your shirt anyways.” Ruby said, pulling a first aid kit from one of the cabinets. “After all, it's part of your-”
Ruby stopped herself, she wanted to say Girlfriend Privilege like she had said so many times before.
“I can leave… if you aren't comfortable.” Weiss said quietly.
“No, I'm not letting you go out there when you're in no shape to fly.” Ruby put her foot down, coming back to Weiss’ side and getting supplies out. “I need to clean the wound first, so it might sting a little.”
Weiss winced as Ruby began to clean her eye, trying her best not to look Ruby in the face, even as she cupped her jaw to keep her head still, bringing up memories of kisses long since past.
“It doesn't look as bad, but it'll still scar.” Ruby said, moving her hand to start healing her.
Weiss gently took hold of Ruby's hand, stopping her for a moment. Ruby watched carefully as Weiss gently kissed her palm.
“I really am sorry, for everything.” Weiss said quietly. “I missed you.”
Ruby was silent for a moment, trying to think around the beating of her heart and the emotions swelling in her throat.
“Y-you’re delirious from blood loss, I’m gonna need you to hold still and be quiet.” Ruby said, more convincing herself that she didn’t hear correctly than anything else.
Ruby already began healing Weiss before she could try and argue, the discomfort keeping Weiss from saying anything else for now. Ruby knew she couldn't let herself hope for anything to be different after everything, even if she wanted to put aside everything else and kiss those lips that haunted her dreams.
“You'll need to keep it easy for a few days.” Ruby said, pulling her hand away once she was done. “The plants will help you heal faster than normal, but that doesn't mean you should go looking for revenge in the morning.”
“I'm not dead yet.” Weiss said, barely even able to pick herself up off the couch.
Ruby had to help her sit up straight on the couch.
“Do you want to try and take a bath?” Ruby asked. “It might help you feel better while I get you something else to wear.”
Weiss nodded once more, and easily fell into Ruby's arms as she helped her stand up. Walking slowly to the bathroom, Ruby tried to think of anything else but the girl in her arms, to think of anything but the past.
What came to mind were two things:
One, she was gonna have to keep the shop closed tomorrow.
Two, she needed to call her sister.