A/N: This is a new project I've been working on. Some friends challenged me to write something using the last show I've seen and the last book I've read, and surprise, surprise, they were RWBY and The Fault In Our Stars. I have now written anything in years and I fear I am more than a little rusty, but please read and I hope you enjoy it. Warning: This does contain heavy angst.

She was dying. She knew it. Her family (or what's left of it anyway) knew it. Anyone who was unlucky enough to see her knew it.

It ended the way it began, really. Suddenly and painfully, with a sharp twist of resignation powerful enough to take her breath away.

Ruby Rose was dying, and there wasn't anything neither she, nor the numerous medical bills could do. A spinal tumor. It had already taken the ability to move her legs freely and it was determined to take the rest of her, too. Confined to a wheelchair most days, the sixteen-year-old surprised her doctors with her chipper demeanor and seemingly endless enthusiasm for life, regardless of the hard days—weeks, months, years, she didn't really know anymore, and the pitying looks everyone was convinced all cancer kids needed. She knew time was running out; "Why spend it hating the crappy hand the cosmic universe dealt me?" she said to whoever questioned her mentality. She made good with a bad situation. She was happy with what little time she had.

Apparently, some others did not share her viewpoint.

"But Yang! I don't need to go! I'm perfectly fine with the life I have."

"Ruby, come on. Even Blake agrees with me. Don't you want to make new friends? You'll be the bees-knees for sure! I can see it now!" Yang punctuated this statement by crouching down and yanking one of Ruby's wheelchair handles, forcing her to look at the direction Yang wanted her to look; the living room wall. Ruby attempted to turn her head and demand to know what the hell Yang was doing, when the suspect in question grabbed her face and forced her to look straight ahead again. Yang lifted her arm, and in a sweeping gesture, attempted to paint a vivid picture.

"You could be the cool chick with the sweet ride. I mean, who else puts hot-rod flames and cool, kick-ass roses on their wheelchair?"

"Uh, I don't really recall having a say in that deci-"

Yang straightened up quickly, hands on her hips as she narrowed her eyes and glared down at her little sister. "Seriously, when was the last time you saw another living, human being? And I don't count!"

That last outburst was directed at the apparent sarcastic reply and Ruby was forced to sigh dramatically.

"But Yang! Support group is for, for, people not like me." She finished lamely; doing everything she could to avoid eye contact. "And before you say it, yes I know I have cancer and I know, in your eyes and they eyes of all other functioning humans, my life apparently sucks. But I just want to live my life, Yang." She took a chance and glanced at Yang's stunned face, settling her gaze into her older sister's eyes. "I know I may not fit into society's, or even your kind of 'normal', but I don't care. To me, I am normal. And I just wanna be a normal girl, as much as my situation will allow me. A normal girl with normal knees."

Ruby watched the warring emotions flicker across Yang's face. She was a little worried she had overstepped some boundaries. Cancer wasn't easy, after all; especially to those who got left behind. She had learned this the hard way. Through a mother she couldn't even remember. And a sister who cried behind locked doors. A sister, her only family, who struggled to support not only herself, but essentially a walking coffin determined to wrack up as many hospital bills possible, all the way to the six-foot deep hole in the ground.

Yang Xiao Long was possibly the strongest person Ruby had ever met. Physically fit with a tall stature and a body most would kill for, Ruby was surprised when Yang ducked her head and slouched her shoulders. She seemed older than she was and her prized golden locks seemed a tad lackluster, if Ruby was being totally honest. Not that she would say it to Yang's face, she really didn't want her handbrakes to mysteriously fail again.

The tight grip on her shoulders snapped her back into focus. Yang kneeled in front of Ruby, still refusing to lift her head. Her thick hair prevented Ruby from seeing Yang's expression, but the slight trembling of her hands and the shaky breaths Yang attempted to hide revealed just how broken she had become.

The embodiment of broken beauty at its finest.

"Ruby," a choked whisper, "Please, I-I don't know-I mean what am I supposed to-How do I-"

What am I supposed to do when you die?

The unspoken question hung in the air. It wasn't a question of if anymore, but when. They had passed that milestone when the cancer came back with a vengeance. Spreading death into her nerves and would eventually invade all major organs until her body shut down.

She was dying. She knew it. Her family (just Yang) knew it. It was only a matter of time, really. Until the clock ticked down to zero. Until she exploded into a destructive shockwave so devastating, it was guaranteed to take anything and anyone with her. Cancer wasn't easy, after all; especially for those left behind to pick up the non-existent pieces.

Reaching up to place her hands on Yang's own shoulders, Ruby took a shaky breath.

"Its gonna be ok, Yang. I bet the other kids will be totally jealous of this awesome paint job."

Yang looked up. A large watery smile on her face.

"They totally will be, Rubes. Its gonna be awesome."

Thank you for reading this little thing and feedback is more than welcome. I have some rough ideas and a couple of chapters already written out, but I will be extremely grateful for any help and/or ideas. I will try to make the characters as close to canon as I can while separating my writing style from John Green's. Hopefully this will make something new and interesting. Until next time!