Chapter 1; The Curious Case of Ruby Rose

"You know Ruby," Yang said through her mouthful of salad, "I don't get why you aren't more popular."

"Hm?" Ruby hummed, looking up from the pizza she was gorging herself with.

Yang twirled her fork in the air. "I mean… We're all doing pretty well for ourselves, right? Weiss is the same old snooty ice queen, though she's gone ahead and outdid us all by becoming the president of one of the richest companies in the world while taking care of poverty one continent at a time. Blake's become a renown, well-loved leader for faunus rights and protection, and you and me," she said, pointing her fork at her sister and then herself, "You and me are the best damn huntress duo the world's seen." The blonde paused to reconsider the statement, before cheekily correcting herself, "... Well, after me and Blake, but since she's busy and all..."

"Uh huh," Ruby muttered through a mouthful of her meal, not once glancing at her sister, her slouched posture practically screaming disinterest. "Your point?"

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Why aren't you getting laid?"

Ruby seemed to screech to a halt at the blithe statement, and it took a few beats before her head slowly shifted to let her gape openly at her sister. "... Huh?" she blurted.

"Look, just…" Yang sighed, dropping her fork back down onto her plate. "You're twenty-one, Ruby," the blonde started, solemnly staring at her sister. "We've been out of Beacon for two whole years – you're legal to drink and drive and handle your own taxes now!"

"Not… really…" Ruby hesitantly replied, staring dubiously at Yang. While it was all technically true, the fact of the matter was that the sisters didn't do their own taxes – too much number crunching. They weren't incapable, by any means. They just preferred leaving it to the professionals, or in their case, their accountant father, who'd they bribe with posh meals every other week he visited Vale. And Ruby didn't drink or drive. Let alone do both. That was just irresponsible.

Yang flippantly waved her off. "Details," she breezily stated. "My point is: it's been six years since we started this. Six. Years." She punctuated those words by rapping her knuckle on the table, pinning Ruby with a pointed look. "And you, my dear sister, are still as single as the day you were born. Not one date! Even Jaune got some before he completely imploded with Pyrrha!"

Ruby gasped, horrified. "You know how sensitive Jaune is about the thing with Pyrrha!" she indignantly exclaimed, loyally defending her friend. "And I'm not interested, Yang!"

The blonde smirked. "Bullshit, I see what you keep under your bed. You really need to find a new, less predictable hiding spot for all your porn."

Ruby flushed a vibrant red. "Yang!" she shrieked before shrinking back down as all eyes in the restaurant turned to them.

"It's totally normal to have hormones, Rubes!" Yang insisted, her voice only growing louder and stronger in spite of the newly attained attention.

A strangled noise emanated from Ruby's throat. "Yang, I don't want to talk about this here!" she hissed, leaning over the table in an attempt to silence her sister while withdrawing from the stares.

"Then where are we going to talk about it, huh Ruby?" Yang asked, reclining into her seat as she folded her arms. "Whenever I try at home, you lock your door!"

The blonde huffed. "I bet you're doing all those things in your room anyway," she accused, "so why not find someone else to help a little?"

"Yang I don't need 'help'," she stressed, her face burning from mortification.

"No, but it's okay to want and have help," Yang compassionately asserted. "The more the merrier!"

Ruby made another guttural sound – one comparable to that of a dying whale, in Yang's opinion, and burrowed her face into her hands in embarrassment.

The blonde exhaled slowly through her nose, gazing at Ruby with a sort of exasperated affection only a sibling could own. "Just think about it okay?" Yang asked kindly. "I don't want my baby sis to die a spinster. It could be anyone, so long I'm cool with them." The blonde studied the light overhead, offhandedly thinking its rustic stained-glass design was pretty as she created a list of desirable things about Ruby in her head. Ticking off her fingers, the blonde told her, "You're funny, and strong, and kinda smart-ish–"

"Hey!" an affronted Ruby interjected, though it was mostly muffled by her palms.

"–and really sweet," Yang finished without batting an eye. "You just have to open yourself up and try new things, Ruby."

Ruby's eyebrows knitted. Experimenting was not her strong suit – she was familiar with and in her comfort zone, and rarely did she ever stray. In fact, the last time she had been forced into a foreign situation was their first year in Beacon, when she had been assigned team leader. Granted, that worked out spectacularly in the long run, and bolstered a sort of confidence in Ruby that she never thought she would have, yet… The thought of putting herself out there – of willingly allowing herself to be vulnerable to another person's fluctuating mood and control – was a terrifying prospect. Especially after seeing what it had done to poor Jaune. "I…"

"Mom and Dad are really worried about you; they told me that if I couldn't get through you, they'd set you up on blind dates until you find someone," Yang bluntly stated, figuring that if she couldn't ease her sister into making the decision, she would – at her wits end – inform Ruby of the ultimatum.

Never let it be said that Yang was a subtle person.

Ruby's eyes bugged out. "Seriously?"

"You can't," Ruby protested hastily. "They can't! There's no–"

Yang arched a brow in silent challenge.

The younger sister imitated a goldfish for a few beats, her brain debating as to whether or not her family would actually do such a thing.

Lilac eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

'They would,' Ruby thought in burgeoning horror.

"Alright, alright!" Ruby conceded helplessly, defensively crossing her arms. "Geez, do you guys not understand privacy?"

Yang feigned dismay. "Of course we do! Why else do you think you don't hear me–"

"Too much Yang, please stop," Ruby gritted, squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to purge the unwanted mental images that threatened to form in her mind.

The blonde cackled mischievously. "Okay, okay," she pacified, motioning for her sister to ease down, "You just have to give it a go. If it doesn't work out, I'll tell the 'rents you were just always meant to be the lone wolf. They know that if I can't find you someone, no one can."

Ruby pursed her lips, knowing that this was the best she could really ask for in her situation. "Thank you," she grudgingly acknowledged, finally understanding what people meant when they said they were stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"Soooo," Yang drawled, rummaging around her purse for something. When she found it, she slid the innocuous piece of paper over the table to her sister. "I've taken the liberty of–"

"Oh my god why–"

Yang rolled her eyes. "Just call the number, you big baby."

Ruby's face scrunched in defeat as she pocketed the slip; she felt dirty, and despite it being light as a feather, Ruby thought she felt as if it were crushing and burning her leg all at once, its presence outrageously weighty.

"Remember, at the end of the date, be polite!" the blonde sagely advised, her eyes glimmering with clear excitement at being able to finally teach her sister the ropes. "If they walk you home, ask them if they want to go upstairs for some hot coffee."

"... 'Hot coffee'?" Ruby inquired, looking sceptical. "Wouldn't it be too late for caffeine–"

"Don't question your sister, Ruby," Yang said flatly.

Ruby exhaled noisily, holding her hands up in surrender. "Anything else?"

Yang seemed to deliberate on it for a few moments, before she cheekily uttered, "Nah." The blonde grinned. "It'll be more fun when you and your date navigate through it. Trust me."

Ruby didn't dignify her with a response, choosing only to rest her forehead against the cool wooden surface, her normally voracious appetite effectively destroyed.

The blonde sighed good-naturedly, reaching over to ruffling her sister's locks. "Call them when you're ready, Rubes. But don't take too long – women hate it when you make them wait."

Ruby wasn't quite sure how long constituted as 'too long', but she was certain that delaying the life-changing call for three entire days was not what her sister had in mind. Knowing Yang as well as she did, the optimal moment would have been immediately after they got back to their shared apartment from dinner.

In her own defence, Ruby had found herself drowning in her workload over the past few days. If her time hadn't been spent on huntress assignments, of which there were many, then it was occupied by the mountain of paperwork she slogged her way through.

By the time Ren helped with relieving half of Ruby's slowly dwindling pile – Ruby blessed him yet again because he was a saint of a co-worker – it had been well into the afternoon. It was only by sheer force of will that Ruby found herself able to finish all her reports and documentations, and finally leave their headquarters by nightfall.

Surely that was a valid reason – one any decent date should understand.

Nevertheless, Ruby mulled as she scrolled through the list of unanswered calls and text messages on her phone, it didn't stop her sister from relentlessly trying to contact her.

Yang had conveniently been transferred to Atlas for a week to help participate in training some fresh blood; something she had somehow managed to convinced their higher-ups to keep Ruby from at the last minute.

Ruby glowered darkly at the name displayed on the illuminated screen. She still wasn't quite over that.

Her phone vibrated in her hand as a new message appeared.

'I know you haven't called her.'

Ruby groaned, carelessly tossing the device onto the table beside her. Reading the ominous message made a heavy weight – composed of sheer dread – settle uncomfortable in her chest, and she would rather not have that incessant buzzing and pressure in her head and torso at this time in the night.

Her phone buzzed once, and then twice, and then three times. Lolling her head, Ruby covered her eyes with an arm, wanting this nightmare to end.

At the fourth hum, she reluctantly picked up her phone, swiping the screen and tapping in her passcode with practiced ease. Yang was just as stubborn as her – more so when it came to romantic endeavours. If Ruby didn't reply, her phone would just go off all night long.

And while Ruby could just switch off her phone, that would be rude; she wasn't pushed to such extremes yet.

Also, emergency huntress calls were always a factor.

Bringing the phone in front of her face, Ruby raised her arm just enough that grey eyes could scan through the most recent replies.

Ruby promptly blanched.

'Face the music, Rubes.'

'I won't stop texting you until you do.'

'I will call mom and dad if you don't go through with this baby sis.'

'YOU NEED TO CLICKITY CLACK FOR THE FRICKITY FRACK RUBY ROSE'

Before Ruby could fire back a retort, her phone shook as another chunk of text popped on the screen.

'YOU WANT THE FRICKITY FRACKLE'

And another.

'THE HORIZONTAL TANGO'

And yet another.

'THE UNDULATING OF HOT SWEATY BODS'

With each new message, Ruby's expression grew more and more horrified, until it was stuck in a shocked, open-mouthed stare. More text flooded their conversation, each fired in rapid succession, getting raunchier by the second.

'STOP' Ruby hastily texted, her fingers clumsily tapping out a butchered form of the word that was immediately rectified by her autocorrect in hopes the concise message would get through her sister's thick skull and have her realise that she now had an incredibly uncomfortable Ruby's full attention, and would cease her onslaught of lewd remarks.

Ruby held an intense staring match against her phone for the next few beats, anticipating her sister to purposefully defy her demand; it was Yang. But when no new message came, Ruby slumped into her seat, heaving a sigh of relief. And replaced the foreboding dread in the pit of her chest with anxiety.

And perhaps a bit more dread.

Minutes later, her sister finally responded.

Ruby checked it.

Ruby checked out.

There, in all its graphic, mobile-formatted glory, was a short excerpt of a story that even Literotica would be proud to have in its collection. But it wasn't just any written piece.

It was hers.

Ruby's wide eyes scanned through the unforgettable extract, before vapidly staring at the last sentence.

'I know your secrets, baby sis.'

It was all too much for her already overworked mind.

"ALRIGHT I'LL CALL!" she screamed into the empty, dimly lit living space, her grey eyes glinting with hysteria. She hurriedly texted her sister and scrambled back into her room, rifling through her messy table in search of the neatly folded sheet.

Nerves drumming with adrenaline, she hadn't even registered fumbling with the paper and clumsily keying in the number until the dial tone rang in her ear.

Ruby began to panic. Her mind was racing a mile a minute, and her heart slammed against her ribcage, threatening to burst free from its confines. Nausea struck next, and Ruby collapsed onto her bed, willing herself to stay calm.

Everything she ever learnt about remaining collected and assessing the situation flew out the window the instant the call connected.

Ruby unconsciously made a gurgling sound, born from utter terror.

The line crackled, and a calming melodious voice asked, tone tinged with concern, "Hello? Ruby? Are you alright?"

Ruby froze. "Wait," she breathed in a rush, forehead wrinkling as she tried to pin a face to the ridiculously familiar voice. "… Pyrrha?"

"Yes! I'm glad you finally called. I was worried you had backed out, but I suppose my worries were unfounded. It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

Her eyebrows shot up at the affirmation; she supposed that in her haste, she failed to notice the number had already been saved in her contacts. "Y-yeah," she faltered, surprised that it was Pyrrha. Straight-laced, dated-a-boy Pyrrha Nikos. "Four months, give or take."

She could practically see the gorgeous smile on Pyrrha's face as she inquired, "And how have you been this time, Ruby?"

"Ah, uh. Y'know, kicking ass, taking names," Ruby answered with a short, shaky laugh. "The usual stuff, I guess?"

"As brazen and intrepid as ever, I see," Pyrrha responded in good humour, ending with a genuine laugh. Ruby wasn't quite sure why, but her stomach fluttered.

Despite her surprise 'date' being Pyrrha – someone she should be wholly comfortable with and no doubt grateful for – Ruby still felt a nagging sensation at the back of her head, urging her to ask the question niggling in her mind.

She acted on the impulse.

"Uh, look, Pyrrha, not to seem rude but… why are you my number?" Ruby slapped herself inwardly upon realising that the sentence made absolutely no grammatical sense. "I mean," she hastily started to correct herself.

Her old schoolmate cut her off with a chuckle. "I understand what you mean, Ruby," she placated. "I owe Yang a favour."

"Oh." Ruby wasn't sure what the twinge in her chest meant – was it relief, that this was only a favour to her sister? Or was it something more unsettling, because it was only a favour?

Pyrrha seemed to pick up on the dejected tone of Ruby's voice, and she hurriedly continued, "But honestly, after she explained the situation to me, I would have probably offered my help regardless."

Ruby cleared her throat. "Ah, thank you?" she unsurely responded.

"You're welcome. Anything to help someone as cute as you."

Ruby found herself fumbling for words, flustered by the complement, and could only manage a disjointed "Wh–".

"Really, are you alright? You sound–"

"Fine, fine! Completely fine, don't worry about me," she babbled with a nervous laugh. "So about the uh… reason why I'm calling you."

"How does Greek sound?"

"Huh?" Ruby asked dumbly, her tongue leaden. She was fairly sure Greek sounded foreign, but was Pyrrha asking her to speak in the language?

"Greek food," Pyrrha elucidated. "I know an amazing restaurant that serves the best moussaka. Does that sound good?"

"Y-yeah," Ruby stammered. Greek wasn't her favourite cuisine, but she had no better suggestions – it was a struggle to think of coherent answers as is. Besides, she wanted to make… whatever this was as pleasant as possible for Pyrrha, if only to ease her own frayed nerves.

"Great!" Pyrrha chirped. "Are you free this Friday night? Say, six?"

"I…" Ruby gulped. "I should be," she softly croaked, finding no excuse to or point in delaying the inevitable. Any and all work could be easily pushed back, seeing as there haven't been any dire cases in years, and her bosses would have dictated that she needed the break anyway.

"I'll pick you up, then. You still live in the same place, right?" Pyrrha asked, ever the gracious young woman.

Ruby nodded, belatedly realising Pyrrha couldn't see her. "Yeah, do you need directions?" Ruby wasn't sure if she could rattle off her address, seeing as her mind was currently in disarray, but it would only be polite.

"No, I should be fine." Hearing that made Ruby exhale in relief; she hadn't even noticed she had been holding her breath. "I'll see you Friday then, Ruby. Dress nice, and I can't wait to meet you again."

"Same here, Pyrrha."

The redhead bid her a fond good night, and then Ruby was left to listen to the shrill beep that came with terminated calls.

Her arm slackened, and it only hazily hit her that she had dropped her phone on the floor. She wasn't worried about it though, and wouldn't have bothered worrying even if her floor hadn't been carpeted. No, she had more pressing concerns.

Ruby collapsed onto her bed and adopted the fetal position as everything sank in.

She had a date.

With Pyrrha Nikos.

Ruby buried her head into her pillow and prayed that she could get a proper night's rest in spite of the frenetic activity in her brain.

The next couple of days were going to be hell.

'Dress nice' was a vague term, Ruby Rose mused, staring blankly at the dense fabric jungle laid in front of her.

For the past few days, the young huntress had been restless. Sleep did not come easy, and every waking moment was spent subconsciously stressing out over the quickly approaching night. Coffee – with the appropriate amount of milk and sugar – had essentially become her ambrosia and life blood, fuelling her until the doomsday.

And now Ruby found herself having to rummage through her admittedly more fashion conscious sister's wardrobe, inwardly berating herself for putting everything off until then as she tried to find a suitable outfit for her date that was to happen in–

Ruby checked the clock on Yang's desk.

–two hours.

Grey eyes dilated in panic, and Ruby dove back into the fray, wrestling away anything too lacy, bright, or revealing, in search of something that would be appropriate for the undoubtedly fancy restaurant Pyrrha was taking her to.

As she pushed aside a dangerously low-cut dress – one she hadn't even known Yang owned – Ruby spotted a beautifully wrapped box sitting on the bottom of the wardrobe, with a letter placed on top; one that had her name written in the blonde's signature scrawl.

Ruby's innards were in turmoil, churning uneasily at the sight. She wasn't quite sure if she was excited that her sister got her something – because no matter the age Ruby Rose still adored getting presents – or petrified that her sister got her something.

She wasn't even sure if she was supposed to be looking at the gift; had it been for a surprise? Or her birthday? Ruby immediately axed the latter possibility, since her birthday was still months away.

Her eyebrows furrowed, and for once, the ever-present thought of her date had been pushed from the forefront of her mind in favour of this new mystery.

So confused and immersed in her thoughts was she, that Ruby almost missed her message tone going off; she had switched off vibrate since Thursday, in fear that she would fail to notice any important texts until far too late.

The young huntress wrenched her upper body out of the closet, clambering for her phone which she placed on the nearby desk. In her haste, Ruby stubbed her toe against the edge, letting loose a strangled expletive as her hand slammed onto the thin device; aura was surprisingly falliable at inopportune moments.

She crumpled onto her sister's chair, checking her foot. Satisfied that the injury was superficial, and her toenail was still intact, Ruby swiftly turned her attention back to her phone. A message from Yang.

'Check the closet! It's for you!'

Her gaze slowly trailed back to land on the single, seemingly innocent black box.

Coming to the conclusion that there shouldn't be much harm in obeying those orders, Ruby tentatively padded back to the wardrobe and extracted the package.

Whirling around and placing it on Yang's bed, Ruby examined the box more thoroughly.

It was expensive-looking, without a doubt. The material was sturdy and nice to the touch, in addition to having a polished sheen. However, as impressive as it was, what once again caught her eye was the letter addressed to her.

Unfolding it, she was yet again faced with Yang's handwriting.

'For your date! Sorry I can't be there to help you, but I'm sure you'll be fine. Be sure to blow her away, Rubes!'

'I should've expected that,' Ruby thought sourly, tossing the letter aside in favour of unwrapping her gift.

As soon as she removed the lid, the young huntress reeled back in astonishment.

There laid a stunning strapless red dress, coupled with a pair of white heels, both of which appearing like they could have costed a small fortune.

Gingerly removing the dress from its box, she allowed it to unfurl freely as she raised it into the air, inspecting the garb in its entirety.

It was longer than what she was typically comfortable with, reaching mid-thigh, but the silky material and resplendent shade of deep scarlet more than made up for it; Ruby just created a mental note to try and adjust her posture, so as to avoid tripping over her own two feet.

Setting the dress down as gently as possible on the bed, Ruby saw that there had been more hidden underneath the piece. Fishing it from the box, she flushed in chagrin, adopting the same maroon hue as the lacy set of underwear she just hauled out. She could already imagine her sister teasing her relentlessly, feel a phantom finger poke her redden cheek.

Out of her periphery, Ruby caught a glimpse of the clock, noting that almost thirty minutes had passed since she first began her search. With time quickly ticking down, the young huntress haphazardly tossed the provocative wear onto the bed, and then retreated into the bathroom.

Shower done in under twenty minutes, Ruby burst out of the washroom, steam escaping behind her as she hurriedly towelled her hair, tousling short tresses.

Immediately upon reaching Yang's bedside, the young huntress ripped the towel covering her torso off, prepared to undertake the duty that was getting dressed for a date. She became rigid for a moment, before whirling around, checking if any of the curtains had been drawn.

They hadn't been.

Reassured that she hadn't accidentally bared her naked self to the world – or at least the people who peek into her sister's room – Ruby redirected her attention back to the task at hand.

The underwear hadn't been much of an issue. Barring their sensual appearance – something Ruby never envisioned herself wearing in all her years – they functioned and acted much like any other pair she owned. Slipping them on was almost effortless, if one excluded the mild trouble she had hooking her bra together, something Ruby never really excelled in; she was always better at taking them off.

Next on the agenda was her dress. It became instantly apparent that it had been designed with the wearer's ease in mind – the zip ran down the side rather than the back, making it much easier to slip into.

Ruby swiftly stepped into the dress and tugged up, not allowing it to pool on Yang's floor for long. She pulled the zip up in one smooth action, mildly surprised when she hadn't caught her own flesh in-between its metal teeth in the process.

Finally, she was left with the heels. Standing was a little clumsy, because even at twenty-one, she still wasn't anywhere close to being graceful in stilettos. But she managed.

Staggering her way to her sister's full-length mirror, Ruby studied her reflection. She meticulously smoothed out the minute crinkles in her dress, marvelling at how it seemed to fit her like a glove.

Fluffing her locks, Ruby pursed her lips together. She contemplated styling her hair, but decided otherwise, knowing that she wouldn't have enough time to do that and her make-up; the latter alone was a nightmare in itself.

Ruby strode to her sister's cluttered vanity, the vast array of make-up throwing her off-balance. The young huntress wasn't even sure if half of those colours were real, let alone what they could have looked like.

She picked the safe options, grabbing what looked like lip gloss of an indeterminable flavour, mascara and foundation. Ruby vaguely recalled her sister telling her long ago that she didn't need blush – something about rosy cheeks? – and the mere concept of eye-liner horrified her. Who in their right mind would think sticking a pencil anywhere near their eye was a good idea? Certainly not Ruby.

At any rate, she began applying her make-up, trying to keep everything as basic and natural as possible – mostly because any time she attempted to do otherwise, she would look like she was the poster child for a gory horror movie.

She was in the zone, achieving some sort of zen in terms of make-up application. So much so, that the chime of her doorbell made her jump, nearly poking out her own eye with the mascara wand. Her ankle twisted awkwardly as she tried to regain her balance, and she hastily capped and tossed aside the mascara stick while willing her erratically palpitating heart to calm down.

'Is she early?!' Ruby frantically thought, pivoting unsteadily to check the clock.

Exactly six.

Ruby's stomach sunk. She hadn't realised she wasted so much time on her make-up.

Hastily checking her appearance in the mirror, Ruby deemed it acceptable, and darted for the front door, her semblance activating along the way.

Skidding to a halt mere inches from the entrance, Ruby spent a few seconds to recompose herself, ironing down her hair and clothes. She wasn't quite sure why she was so distressed, because this was Pyrrha, one of her good friends, and it shouldn't be such a big deal.

Yet there she was, standing before her door, an absolute jittering mess.

Exhaling slowly, she unlocked and swung open the door.

The moment she saw Pyrrha, Ruby's breath hitched.

Dressed in an immaculate sequin cheongsam-esque dress that complimented her equally viridescent eyes and showed a tantalising glimpse of well-toned calves, and with her silky red hair pulled into a high ponytail that displayed her neck, Pyrrha Nikos looked every bit the part of People magazine's Sexiest Huntress Alive.

Pyrrha tilted her head, a small smile gracing her lips. "Are you alright Ruby?" she asked.

Ruby nodded wildly, finding that words had become stuck in her throat.

The redhead's eyes twinkled with evident humour. "Ready to go then?"

"Y-yeah," Ruby finally managed to stammer. "Just, uh, let me get my purse."

"I'll wait here," Pyrrha replied patiently.

Ruby walked back to her room, making it a point to portray the collected, graceful individual she wanted to be. As she turned the corner, she missed a step and stumbled over nothing, barely saving herself from face-planting onto the floor. Heat scaled up her neck, and as she scrambled into her room, she hoped her date hadn't seen the blunder.

Unfortunately, judging the sound of Pyrrha's faint chuckling, her prayers had not been answered.

Unable to conceal her embarrassment, Ruby sheepishly tottered back to her date, who flashed her a breathtaking smile.

"Shall we?" Pyrrha inquired, gallantly offering Ruby her elbow after the latter was finished locking her door.

Pyrrha's casual attitude made Ruby feel slightly more at ease with the situation, and the young huntress's lips quirked. "We shall," she courteously replied, looping her arm through Pyrrha's.

With Pyrrha's status as a celebrity huntress, they were expeditiously escorted to one of the private rooms in Mavromatis, the most upscale Greek restaurant in downtown Vale.

As an impeccably dressed waiter seated them, and another bustled around to pour them a glass of water, Ruby took the opportunity to glance around.

The décor was exquisite, and all too fitting for such an establishment; chandeliers, gold-plated furbishing and pristine cream walls, lined with elaborate oil paintings that, from what Ruby could tell, were depictions of old Greek gods. Moreover, the young huntress could faintly hear classical music in the background – to help enhance the overall atmosphere, no doubt.

A part of wondered if her fifteen-year-old self would have appreciated any of this.

She stifled a grin at the thought. 'No way.'

Ruby graciously accepted the menu their waiter handed them and peeked inside.

She tried to hide the panic that hit her.

'Where are the gyros?!'

"Would you ladies happen to be ready to order now?" their waiter inquired, extracting a pen and notepad from his suit jacket.

"Ruby?" Pyrrha prompted, peering over her menu with concerned eyes.

"Ah, uhh…" the young huntress trailed off, feverishly scanning through the list of food she's never tasted, though not a single word was processing in her mind. "I'll have what she's having!" she blurted, staring at the waiter.

He raised a brow but nodded deferentially. "And you, Miss Nikos?"

Pyrrha chortled. "Let's go with the usual, then. And a…" she glanced down at her menu, "bottle of Moscato d'Asti as well."

He jotted down the order dutifully, and then tipped his head, gathering their menus. "Your dinner shall be served shortly."

When he departed, Ruby addressed her date, "Usual? How often do you come to this place?"

"I make it a point to dine here at least once every time I return to Vale," Pyrrha answered with a smile.

Ruby bobbed her head. Ever since graduation, they've all gone their separate ways. Pyrrha had returned to her home country and swiftly rose to become one of their most prominent faces within the short timespan. "So how's Mistral been?" Ruby curiously asked.

"Alright, though I do miss you all from time to time," Pyrrha replied, pausing to take a sip of water. "It's incredible to think of how far we've come."

"Crazy stuff, yeah…" Ruby mumbled, gaze affixed to the pronounced lipstick mark Pyrrha left around her glass's rim.

At that moment, their waiter returned with two wine glasses and a bottle of wine sunk into a bucket filled with ice. He placed everything on the stand next to their table, then pulled the bottle out for Pyrrha to evaluate. With her approval, he expertly de-corked the bottle, pouring them both a glass.

Ruby cautiously eyed her white effervescent drink. She looked uncertainly at her companion. "Uh, I'm not really fond of the–"

"The taste, I know." Pyrrha smiled kindly. "Try this one, at the very least?" she implored. "It's sweet, and I have a feeling you'll like it."

Ruby hesitantly sniffed the glass, imitating the people she had watched on that one Food Network show, albeit more inelegantly. It was indeed an enticing aroma – mellow and sweet, comparable to perhaps a mango or pineapple or strange love-child of the two, and a touch of something indiscernible that made her wrinkle her nose.

Determining – or perhaps hoping desperately – that the beverage should be palatable, Ruby took a tiny sip and instantly scrunched her face.

Her nostril flared from the hint of burn that accompanied any alcoholic drink, and her throat closed up at the mildly acrid taste which lingered in the back of her tongue. She did, however, detect the faint flavour of something distinctly fruity underneath the bitter notes – something she had believed was a myth made by wine snobs to sell their overrated grape juice. What a pleasant surprise.

Pyrrha's lips quirked apologetically. "Not to your fancy?"

Instead of responding, Ruby drank another mouthful. This time, having anticipated the kick, it went down a little smoother, the sweeter undertones more pronounced. She puckered her lips. "No, no… It's not bad, actually."

The redhead's body seemed to relax, and her countenance softened. "I'm glad."

Just as she said that, their waiter arrived with a rustic-looking wooden board. "Your appetizer."

Pyrrha gestured to the food; pita bread with a generous side of tzatziki. "Let's dig in, shall we?"

For the rest of their dinner, food, wine and conversation flowed freely between the pair, and the camaraderie they shared back in Beacon Academy reappeared with twice the energy.

By the end of it all, Ruby felt much more at ease – and warm, though she supposed she could chalk that up to the alcohol. Aura may have helped her metabolism, but hers certainly wasn't used to having to efficiently purge more than half a bottle of wine from her system, even if it had only been 5.5%.

Pyrrha giggled, resting her chin on interlaced fingers as she observed a widely grinning Ruby. "Did you have fun tonight?" She waved the accommodating waiter away with a quick motion, wordlessly signalling for him to put it on her tab. She could settle the bill on the next trip.

"It was great! Everything was awesome! Especially you, Pyrrha," Ruby complimented, her cheeks tinged pink, though if it was from the alcohol or sheepishness, neither could say. "Thank you. Seriously. This is the best first date a girl could ask for."

The redhead smirked, and for some inexplicable reason, Ruby felt a wave of heat rush through her body because of the almost predatory expression. "What makes you think it's over yet? I still haven't properly sent you home. What terrible date would I be if I made you travel back yourself, particularly in your condition?"

Ruby puffed up her cheek in feigned indignation. "Hey, I'm totally fine! More than fine! I'm peachy-keen!" As if to prove a point, the young huntress abruptly got to her feet, throwing her hands into the air. She wobbled slightly from the drastic change in posture, but swiftly regained balance. "See!"

Pyrrha laughed, her tone filled with glee. "Alright, I see your point! Now sit down before you actually hurt yourself!"

Ruby pouted, collapsing back into her seat. "I'm not a child, Pyrrha!"

As if that had triggered something, Pyrrha gazed at her with an intensity that shocked Ruby into temporary sobriety – akin to being doused in cold water. The young huntress shivered, sensing that the mood had changed.

"I know you aren't, Ruby," Pyrrha said lowly.

She unconsciously sucked in a breath, and struggled to come up with a retort; the young huntress found herself grasping at straws. "W-well… good," she finally spluttered, looking like a deer in headlights. "Uh…"

Without warning, Pyrrha got to her feet, her purse already slung over her shoulder. She stalked around the table to stop at Ruby's side, and offered a hand to her stunned companion. "Perhaps it's time to take this elsewhere?"

Ruby goggled at the proffered appendage for a few beats, before slowly placing her hand in Pyrrha's, allowing the latter to tug her to her feet. Ruby staggered from the force, and her companion swiftly caught her in her arms.

The heat radiating from Pyrrha's body seemed to seep through Ruby's clothes and light her skin aflame, and it was then she became fully aware of how intimately close they were; one of Pyrrha's strong yet supple arms was wrapped around her back, while the other steadied her shoulder, the redhead's cool hand burning its imprint into her bare flesh. Ruby's stomach churned uncomfortably as she felt the other woman's chest graze against her own.

Craning her head, Ruby found herself staring into murky greens, and was instantly captivated. She barely blinked as Pyrrha leaned down towards her, filling her nose with the intoxicating scent of sweet wine, petrichor and olive branches. Ruby shuddered almost imperceptibly when plump lips brushed lightly against her neck.

"Let me escort you back," Pyrrha murmured into her ear, her warm breath igniting a smouldering flame within Ruby's chest as the hairs on her nape stood erect.

Ruby squeaked.

The cab ride back to Ruby's apartment was quiet, and only amplified the sound of their breathing and the spasmodic drumming of her heart, in the young huntress's opinion.

She found herself side-eyeing her companion more than a couple of times throughout the journey, her gaze drifting down to stare unabashedly at the gap in Pyrrha's dress which flaunted her ample cleavage.

Blood rushed to her ears and drowned everything out into a muffled buzz when she glanced up at Pyrrha and met her twinkling eyes and knowing smile.

Pyrrha momentarily broke eye contact to look out of the window, having realised that their car had stopped. She flashed her date an indulgent smile. "We're here."

Ruby jolted in her seat, the leather upholstery squeaking loudly from her awkward movement. She cleared her throat, trying to calm her nerves. "Uh… Thanks again for tonight."

"It was my pleasure."

"N-no seriously, you were the greatest," Ruby praised insistently.

"As were you, Ruby," Pyrrha smoothly complimented.

Ruby scrambled to remember the date etiquette her sister had taught her, her eyes widening in panic. Something about coffee? "Do you… uh… coffee?"

The redhead canted her head. "Beg pardon?"

"Hot coffee," Ruby blurted. "Would you like to come upstairs and have some?" she asked, voice growing smaller with every word.

Pyrrha seemed taken aback for a second – the first time she had been caught unaware throughout the entire evening – but she recovered almost instantaneously. "I would love to."

Ruby released a relieved sigh. "Great!"

Before she could open her purse, Pyrrha was already passing some bills to the driver, telling him to "Keep the change."

Ruby tried to object, but her companion was already nudging her out of the taxi.

"But–"

"We can argue about this once we're upstairs," Pyrrha quipped good-naturedly, closing the door behind her.

Arriving in the flat, they shucked off their heels and dumped their purses onto the living room's low table. Ruby made for the light switch, but a slender hand rested atop hers just as she was about to flick the button. When her head whipped around, her eyes' unspoken question was answered by a brief shake of the head.

The pair remained like that for awhile, simply staring at each other, their hands lightly touching. Soon enough, Ruby bit her lower lip and began toeing the floor out of nervous habit, while Pyrrha remained as enigmatic as ever, the same sly smile playing across her lips.

"So… make yourself comfortable," Ruby awkwardly fumbled, pulling her hand away to motion vaguely at the room as she slowly backpedalled away from her date. "I'll go brew you a cup."

Pyrrha, electing to give the clearly frazzled woman some space, didn't follow or offer to help. Instead, her eyes took the opportunity to sweep over the apartment. "This place hasn't changed one bit, has it?" she casually remarked, tracing her hands over a few of the small ornaments they kept near the television.

Ruby wracked her brain for any recent additions to their house. "We got some new pictures?" she called out from the kitchen. Bubbling from the coffee machine could be heard, as well as the clinking of silverware.

"Oh?" chimed Pyrrha, as she turned to scan the numerous photo frames they hung, noting the few she couldn't recognise.

"That one's from our most recent assembly," Ruby said, padding out of the kitchen with a mug of steaming coffee in hand. She gestured to the couch, and the both of them sank onto the soft seats. As she handed the mug to Pyrrha, who took an appreciative sip, Ruby continued, "Ren was there too."

Pyrrha hummed, subtly brushing her fingers against Ruby's knee. "He's changed quite a bit, hasn't he?"

"Cut his hair, yeah," Ruby said with a laugh, not thinking much of the wispy touch. "But he's still the same guy deep down. As cool as a cucumber."

After another long, hearty mouthful, Pyrrha set her drink down on the nearby table, her other hand still grazing over Ruby's furthermost leg, though as she straightened, she allowed her hand to skim up Ruby's leg until it rested at her mid-thigh.

Ruby gulped, hyper aware of the fingers dancing across her dress. When she chanced a glance at Pyrrha though, the redhead was the epitome of obliviousness, smiling innocently at her companion. One that Ruby crookedly returned, albeit more uneasily.

"That's Ren in a nutshell, isn't it? Mister Cool," Pyrrha mused, revelling in how Ruby tried to smother the alarm in her eyes as Pyrrha's hand climbed higher and grew bolder, practically massaging Ruby's upper thigh – so very close to the hips. The redhead inwardly cursed Yang's choice of dress that night from preventing her fingers to slip any further and stroke her inner thigh, but that thought process never once manifested on her face; she looked as warm and thoughtful as ever.

"Y-yeah," Ruby breathed, eyes darting between her companion and everywhere else. She felt the scorching body heat radiating from her date grew closer, and a quick glimpse revealed that Pyrrha had managed to inch towards her until there was almost no space between their bodies. "P-Pyrrha?"

The redhead didn't stop her ministrations, rubbing slow circles on Ruby's leg and drifted fingers to linger far too closely at Ruby's most intimate region, provoking a sharp intake of air from the latter. Pyrrha masked her smirk as a wide smile upon feeling the gently trembling limb underneath her hand, delighting in how it seemed to unconsciously part for her wandering fingers. "Hmm?"

"What are you–"

"Do you trust me?" Pyrrha interjected, staring into grey eyes; eyes that reflected fear, uncertainty and the faintest hint of barely contained excitement.

Ruby gulped, feeling heat creep up her neck as Pyrrha's gaze languidly strayed to watch her throat bob. "What–"

Piercing viridescent eyes shot up to meet hers, freezing her in place. "Do you trust me?" she repeated, slowly, softly.

"I… Of course, but–" Anything else she had to say was quickly muffled by the full lips that covered her own. Her body tensed as a moan of surprise slipped from her mouth, deadened by the languidly moving lips over her own.

As she was pushed back into the couch, Ruby's eyes bugged to almost comical levels. She felt one of Pyrrha's hands move to cup her cheek, while the other slid from her thigh to gently caress her waist. Her fingers flitted to brush against Ruby's stomach, and the sensation of her lightly quivering abdomen, coupled with the puff of breath that she reflexively exhaled, elicited a smug smirk from Pyrrha.

Grasping the young huntress's chin, Pyrrha tipped her head back, keeping their lips locked in a slow, sensual dance as she threw a leg over Ruby's, straddling her in one smooth motion. Her hand trailed up Ruby's taut stomach, drawing inane shapes across the landscape of her cloth-covered body with the tip of her fingers. When they finally grazed against the underside of her perky breasts, Ruby pulled away from Pyrrha with a gasp.

A low growl reverberated from her chest as Pyrrha grabbed her by the nape and yanked her into a deep kiss, slipping her tongue between Ruby's parted lips. The redhead seized her by the back of her head as her tongue gently coaxed Ruby's to life, luring hers into a carnal tango.

Ruby wasn't sure how long this went for, as her companion's actions blurred into one heady haze of electrifying touches, but she knew that she was quickly becoming light-headed from the onslaught of debilitating sensations.

Grey eyes snapped open – Ruby wondered when they had closed – and she wrenched her head back, gasping for air.

Pyrrha's eyes were dark with desire, though Ruby spotted the twinkle of amusement in them, having noticed what Ruby had failed to: she had forgotten to breathe.

Ruby let out a shuddering sigh, gaping up at her friend. "U-uh…"

Pyrrha grinned and deftly manoeuvred the younger woman onto her back, hovering above her with an impish smile. "Tell me if it's too much, alright? We'll stop whenever you feel uncomfortable."

The question that was on the tip of Ruby's tongue was immediately swallowed and replaced by a low moan as Pyrrha peppered hot feather-like kisses on Ruby's sensitive neck, right before she nibbled gently on the crook between neck and shoulder.

Pyrrha simpered, pleased with how the younger woman's delicate skin pulsated vigorously beneath her lips; a testament to Pyrrha's success in stimulating her friend. It stroked her ego, and spurred her to bite down harder on flesh just as one of her wandering hands fondled a modest breast.

Ruby yelped at the pinprick sensation, but the sting was immediately soothed by Pyrrha's attentive tongue. When the redhead finally pulled away to sit on her haunches, she admired her handiwork with a satisfied smirk.

However, her hands did not stay idle. They continued to stroke Ruby's stomach, teasing their way up and down the expanse, nails scraping lightly every once in awhile to evoke a weak tremble from the vulnerable form. Pyrrha frowned and sucked her teeth, frustrated by how fabric hindered her action. As nice as it looked and felt, the redhead believed that Ruby's bare skin would prove a more enticing sight.

Ruby whimpered as the Amazonian warrior slowly started to unzip her dress.

Pyrrha's eyebrows raised in concern. "Is this okay?" she whispered, eyes soft with affection.

Breathing deeply to calm her nerves, Ruby gave a jerky nod. She wasn't quite sure if it was the alcohol, or the burgeoning heat in her core, or maybe a mix of both, but she was ready for… whatever this was. With Pyrrha. She trusted Pyrrha implicitly.

Seeing Ruby bat away the hesitation that momentarily clouded her eyes made Pyrrha's heart swell. "Good," she purred, tugging the zip until it could go no further down. Without needing any cue, Ruby arched her back, enabling Pyrrha to pull her dress down until the cloth gathered just below above the hip.

"Cute," Pyrrha playfully remarked, tracing the intricate pattern on her brasserie.

Ruby bit her cheek, her body involuntarily tensing at her touch. "Is it really fair that–" Ruby's breath hitched as Pyrrha's finger began to lazily circle her areola through the fabric.

"That?" Pyrrha egged her on with a smile, tweaking and stroking her teat until it was fully erect.

Ruby shivered, the attention on her sensitised nipple wreaking havoc on her brain. "T-that…"

Pyrrha giggled, deciding to give Ruby a brief reprieve as her hand slid down to rest chastely on Ruby's warm stomach. The young huntress let out a tiny whine, her body craving more contact.

"You're right," Pyrrha purred, though Ruby wasn't quite sure what exactly she was responding to, her mind too addled by lust. "I think it's only fair if I reciprocate, hm?"

Through half-lidded eyes, Ruby watched, spellbound, as Pyrrha removed her hair tie and shook her head, allowing lustrous hair to spill over her shoulders.

Loosely bunching her hair to the side, Pyrrha made short work of the zipper on her back. Ruby's heart raced as she peeled off her garment, revealing inch upon inch of smooth, tanned skin at a torturous pace.

When Pyrrha's black lace bra finally came into view, Ruby's mouth went dry, and higher cognitive function ceased. The redhead let her dress bunch around the waist as she nimbly unhooked her bra, whipping it off in one smooth motion to bear her round, full breasts, with their nipples already swollen.

The air was stifling, and Ruby was rendered a breathless, tongue-tied mess. Pictures did them no justice, Ruby distantly thought as her fingers twitched, itching to sink themselves into soft pliant flesh and fondle the supple globes; brown areolas contrasted against the creamy white skin, making Pyrrha's teat all the more enticing as it heaved hypnotically with every breath. Her hands wouldn't move though, paralysed in rapture. "H-h-holy–"

"Shh," Pyrrha hushed, pressing a finger to Ruby's swollen lips. "Let me take care of you tonight."

Kissing Ruby with renewed vigour, the redhead deliberately dragged her nails down the younger woman's side, curling inward to graze Ruby's defined abs, where she swiftly found a spot that made Ruby jerk from pleasure.

With a sultry smirk, Pyrrha raked her nails over the region a few times, prompting Ruby's back to arch off the couch. Pyrrha took the opportunity to slip her other hand beneath her back, deftly releasing her partner's bra and chucking it to the side, as her other hand danced up Ruby's feverish abdomen, until it finally came in contact with soft, pliant breasts.

Bending down, Pyrrha flicked the tip of her tongue over the erect nipple, smirking at the sharp inhale Ruby took. She slowly lavished the nub with affection, though her gaze stayed transfixed on the younger woman's face. Viridescent eyes darkened a shade as they watched pearly white teeth sink into plump lower lips, and with a growl, Pyrrha mimicked the action on Ruby's nipple, nibbling gently on the peak.

Ruby's back arched again as she let out a squeal that staggered into a breathy moan, and a surge of blood rushed to her ears; the sensation of Pyrrha's hot mouth on her teat sent her into a frenzy. If that wasn't enough, her other pert breast was being caressed by Pyrrha's warm calloused hand in the same manner, while her left hand scraped its nails down her quivering abdomen and over her dress to reach her bare thigh, exposed by the hiked up dress.

Pyrrha pulled away with a pop, allowing her warm breath to wash over the submissive woman's sensitive tit, which elicited a shiver from Ruby. Sweat began beading on Ruby's body as her body temperature sky-rocketed, and the cool breeze from the nearby air-conditioner did nothing but to over sensitise her skin and stoke the flames. Ruby mewled as Pyrrha's hand continued to tweak her dry nipple and massage the firm breast it perched on, while the other was left to the whims of the cold air as Pyrrha dragged her tongue down to trail languidly over Ruby's stomach, around her navel – which evoked another squeak and tremble – before it finally reached the junction where her dress clumped around her hips. All the while, Pyrrha's other hand had been slowly gliding its way across her thigh, resting comfortably against the humid inner thigh, just inches from Ruby's sex.

Ruby whimpered, feeling nails drag back and forth across the delicate region, and her legs unconsciously spread wider as Pyrrha's hand leisurely crept higher, edging dangerously close towards her nether region – to the point where Ruby thought she felt knuckles brush against her lace underwear. Ruby's heart hammered, and her breaths lapsed into needy, shallow pants. She struggled to say something, but coherent thoughts were impossible to string together, and words got caught in her throat as Pyrrha peppered kisses down the length of her crumpled dress; the fabric was thick, but Ruby could still feel the imprint of her lips burnt into her flesh with each firm kiss.

When Pyrrha's lips finally skimmed against the soft flesh of Ruby's thighs, it took all of Pyrrha's strength to keep them pried apart as Ruby instinctively tried to close her legs together at the foreign sensation. She pecked Ruby's inner thigh before looking up into the wide glassy eyes of Ruby Rose. "Do you want to stop?" Pyrrha breathed huskily, her hand leaving the pert breast to run along Ruby's abdomen.

Ruby gaped, her breath laboured. Pyrrha's warm breath brushed over her clammy thigh while her nails raked oh-so close to her nether, sending tingles across Ruby's over-sensitive sex.

Pyrrha's nostrils flared at the musky scent and she glanced down, riveted by the way Ruby's underwear moistened, clinging and outlining the smooth skin. The redhead leered, and her knowing expression evoked a blush from the shy woman. The hand on Ruby's abdomen slid down to grasp the back of her right knee, gently spreading Ruby's legs with little protest. Pyrrha deftly manoeuvred herself to kneel between Ruby's open legs, her face and hands returning to their original positions. Allowing a finger to trail up Ruby's thigh and run along the slit of her sex, Pyrrha simpered as she extracted yet another strangled gasp from her partner. "I guess that's a no?" she teased, nipping her shuddering inner thigh.

Ruby mewled, unthinkingly bucking her hips in an attempt to grind against Pyrrha's finger. When the digit pulled away, she whimpered, bemoaning the loss of contact. Her body lurched, however, when a hot mouth replaced the idling appendage, caressing her lower lips in a slow, sensual kiss.

She threw her head back with a throaty moan as Pyrrha's tongue peaked out and lazily lapped at her damp folds through the fabric. "P-Pyrrha," Ruby choked.

The redhead hummed, and Ruby's head fell back onto the couch with a thud, the vibrations on her clit driving her to the brink of madness. "Yes, Ruby?"

Ruby shuddered, body tensing with every brush of Pyrrha's lips. "P-please," she breathily begged between tiny, jerky thrusts of her pelvis, her sex aching for more. She whimpered when Pyrrha's hand roamed up her thigh, caught her hip and held it down, halting her search for contact.

"Please what?" Pyrrha cooed, pushing aside Ruby's soaked underwear until her fingers grazed wet, supple flesh, drawing another hitched breath from the quivering woman. "Tell me, Ruby."

Words faltered on Ruby's lips, and the pleasure-stricken woman could only screw her eyes shut and whimper desperately, her hands clawing into the plush fabric of her couch.

Pyrrha raspily chortled. "You're lucky you're so adorable," she whispered. Before Ruby could react, she felt a slight pinch on her ass, followed by the sound of fabric ripping. Ruby gasped as cool, and then warm and humid air fanned across her moist folds. The feeling of a wet tongue flicking against her core was what tipped Ruby off the edge; she groaned and arched her back, hands flying to bury themselves in the thick red mane of her smiling companion, who promptly delved back in for another taste.

Ruby's body writhed from Pyrrha's thorough ministrations; Pyrrha's hands had moved to seize her thighs, keeping them apart as Ruby's body clenched and stiffened, leaving her hips to thrust into every lick of her folds. As Pyrrha dragged her tongue up the slit, she fleetingly stroked the little bundle of nerves atop; Ruby's unintelligible garbling crescendoed into a shrill squeal as the tip of Pyrrha's tongue circled the sensitive nub, before she wrapped her lips around it and sucked hard. Wanting to bring Ruby to greater heights, the redhead skimmed her hand up the expanse of Ruby's creamy thighs, before long fingers soon prodded the pliant moist junction between Ruby's slender legs.

Pyrrha marvelled at the way lithe muscles coiled tightly beneath her as her middle digit slowly traced along the contours of Ruby's sex, gathering some of the viscous moisture until it was well-lubricated before dipping between smooth folds. Ruby's cry of pleasure spurred her on, and Pyrrha sank her finger deeper into the warm core, her lips curling upwards around Ruby's swollen clit.

The action served only to trigger another shudder from Ruby, who hoarsely groaned as the finger in her began moving – languidly pulling out at first until just the tip teased her puffy lips, before sinking down to the knuckle. Pyrrha groaned as well at the sensation; the heady warmth encompassing her digit stimulating the redhead's over-active hormones as she soaked through her lacy black panties.

Lapping a few more times, Pyrrha dragged her lips away from Ruby's clit and replaced them with her thumb, travelling back up the shivering woman's body as her finger continued its rhythmic thrusts. She made it a point to scrape her teeth against the sensitive spot on Ruby's abdomen on her journey, moaning with the woman as hot walls clamped down on her finger and forced Pyrrha's own hips to buck in search of friction; the redhead angled one of Ruby's legs so that it was propped up and swiftly straddled the thigh, gripping Ruby's waist with her free hand to stay stable. Grinding in time to her finger's pumps, they moaned in synchrony, bodies arching together to rub naked skin against skin; the heat coiled in their stomachs tightened, so close to exploding.

Pyrrha continued upwards, brushing heaving, sweat-slick breasts with her lips once, then twice, before contenting herself with pressing her fuller pair against Ruby's, the stiff nipples rubbing against each other's sensitive skins provoking their hips to grind harder. Nibbling on Ruby's protruding collarbone, Pyrrha bit down and sucked aggressively, intent on leaving a mark; the primal action elicited another choked moan of approval from Ruby, whose hands had clawed their way down Pyrrha's naked back – undoubtedly leaving scars in the process – and curled inward to find purchase on her shapely hips as they rocked relentlessly against her now damp thigh.

When a bruise finally formed, prominent on pale skin, Pyrrha lavished it with attention as a form of apology. Pulling away, the redhead observed her work with a smug smile. However, she didn't stay idle for long; dropping back down, she kissed up the column of Ruby's throat, ending with a little nip at her partner's earlobe.

All Ruby felt and saw and smelt and heard was Pyrrha. The hot uneven pants in her ear, the fiery curtain that fell around her face and shielded her from anything that wasn't them, the feeling of one, and then two, fingers deep in her core, the wet heat building on her quaking leg, the heady scent of perfume, sweat and sex; it was too much. Pyrrha seemed to sense this, as she propped herself to hover over Ruby, her free hand skimming up Ruby's torso to grope one of her breasts. Her thumb rolled the younger woman's hypersensitive clit faster, and her fingers hammered urgently; the wet, sloppy sound emanating from her own slit being what pushed Ruby over the edge.

With a loud gasp, Ruby arched her back and came, her slick walls squeezing down on the slender fingers inside her like a vicegrip as she coated them with more of the sticky fluid. Sparks seemed to explode behind her eyelids as wave upon wave of insurmountable pleasure washed over her, and her body seized, feeling every nerve-ending set aflame as the coil that had been building in her stomach finally burst.

The sight of Ruby in the throes of orgasm was all Pyrrha needed before she too found release with one final grind against Ruby's thoroughly dampened leg. Satiated, the Amazonian collapsed against Ruby's warm body, basking in the afterglow.

When they came to, their lungs heaving for air and bodies feeling sluggish but relaxed, they noticed rose petals scattered around them.

Pyrrha chuckled, languidly shifting to sit on her haunches. She pulled out her soaked fingers from Ruby's quivering sex, bringing them up to eye level. Past them, she saw Ruby's embarrassed countenance – from the petals or the glossy coating, she wasn't sure – and made it a point to wink at the younger woman before she parted them, watching the viscous substance leave a thin string in its wake. Not allowing Ruby to object, Pyrrha sensually licked up the side of one finger before she slipped both into her mouth. Cleaning them thoroughly, she slid them from her lips with a pop, and then swiftly bent down to press a kiss against Ruby's agape mouth. Her tongue darted out, tangling with Ruby's for a few seconds – introducing her to the tangy taste of her own cum – before pulling away just as quickly, leaving Ruby to whimper from the loss. Still, the brief intimacy was enough to cloud lucid grey eyes with renewed lust.

The mortified – and incredibly aroused – woman glanced to the side, unable to meet Pyrrha's eyes. "Wh–" Ruby cleared her throat, hearing how hoarse her voice was, "Why… uh… Wha…"

Her chin was gently cupped by a callous hand and raised so her gaze was brought back to forest-green eyes. "Speak up dear," Pyrrha cooed. The affectionate nickname sent more blood rushing to already rosy cheeks.

"Why did... What does this…"

"What does this make us?" Pyrrha finished her sentence mirthfully.

Ruby chewed on her bottom lip, nodding sheepishly.

Pyrrha hummed thoughtfully, canting her head. "Well… ever heard of the term 'friends with benefits'?"

Ruby's eyebrows knitted. "Friends who… help get discounts at stores?"

Pyrrha let out a throaty laugh, one that sent a delicious shiver down Ruby's spine and another rush of warm moisture between her thighs.

"Not quite, Ruby. Here, why don't I give you another… demonstration."

AN: I'm so done with myself.

Because Glant (H'te Rarpee) wanted PyrrhaxRuby action, the girls have to be really OOC to even consider a harem like this in the first place, and I'm absolutely shameless. They say less is more, but I'm a word vomit-y person. Enjoy dominant!Pyrrha (even though I may have missed some details in favour of utterly useless faff). No promises as to when the next chapter will be completed, let alone who the next girl will be.

Reviews, favourites and follows feed my ego and fuel my muse.

Cheers to FrostyMcCloud, ShockScar and Glant for their help... kind of. (Did Tiky even do anything?)