Diva - Chapter 24

“Back again?” the cashier asked as Ruby dropped a handful of paint tubes onto the counter.

“I’ve been on a roll.  And this place is close to my apartment.”  

When Ruby gestured in the general direction of her apartment, the cashier nodded, scanned another paint tube, and slid it aside.

“Do you paint a lot of seascapes?”  Ruby tilted her head, so the cashier aligned the selections so that she could read the labels.  “Sky blue, baby blue, midnight blue, ocean blue, navy, azure, and - my favorite - sapphire.”

The cashier arched her brow as the last tube of paint was swept into a paper bag, and Ruby rubbed the back of her neck.

“That’s a lot of blue,” she admitted, chuckling as she swiped her card to pay.  “I don’t do seascapes…so I guess I’ve got a bit of a fixation.”

“Hey, no judgment here.”  The girl pushed the bag across the counter and smiled when Ruby grabbed it.  “If that’s your muse, you should chase it.”

“Right.  Yeah, absolutely.”  Still, Ruby paused for a moment before waving and heading out of the store before they dove further into her ‘muse,’ which could also be described as an obsession with the color blue.

She was…how had Weiss put it…an ‘equal opportunity colorist.’  But over the past few months, one color had captured her focus and refused to let go.  But the friendly cashier didn’t need to hear about how the color offered a semblance of connection to someone who meant more to her than she had admitted to herself or anyone else.  

So maybe she’d been flying through blue paint as if no other color existed.  And maybe she’d been paying more attention to tabloids and entertainment news than ever before.  And quite possibly she had an entire journal filled with sketches of Weiss.

Their time working together felt like a lifetime ago but, at the same time, felt close enough to reach out and touch.  Even now, as she made her way home at a brisk walk, breathing in the unique combination of exhaust, wet pavement, and the nearby pizzeria, she remembered exactly what Weiss looked like.  She remembered exactly how Weiss made her feel - that heart-jumping, butterfly fluttering, sweaty palms nervousness and excitement rolled into a giant ball of confusing emotions.

The last time they saw each other replayed in her head as she reached the small brick apartment building that she called home.  An iron fence enclosed the building, yet the gate remained propped open for all to enter.  She liked to think it represented herself, in a way.  She had barriers, but she often left the door open for anyone to come in.  Weiss, on the other hand…

A sigh slipped through her lips as she trudged up to the second floor.  Someone had drawn dollar signs in permanent marker in the stairwell, but other than that, the building was clean and well-maintained.  It also didn’t smell weird like some of the other places she visited.  After fishing her keys from her pocket, she stuck one into the door midway down the hall and let herself into her apartment.

“Honey, I’m homeee,” she called out while turning on the lights and dropping her keys into the sole surviving remnant of her ill-advised pottery days.  The rest of the apartment remained exactly how she left it hours earlier: cereal bowl sitting on the kitchen counter, remote control resting precariously on the back of a two-seater sofa - she refused to call it a loveseat, no matter what Yang said - and an almost-completed canvas resting on an easel near the window.  From there, the canvas got the best sunlight during the day and also had a clear view of the television.

She swiped the remote off of the sofa and turned on the TV while making her way over to the easel.  A news reporter started talking about some new tax the city had proposed, but his voice merely served as background noise while she surveyed the painting.

“That’s a lot of blue,” she concluded.  The painting was so strewn with blue that she might as well start writing Weiss’ name all over it, but then it would be less of a painting and more of a…well, she didn’t even know what she would call that.  

She claimed that she didn’t like the ‘single color’ style of art, yet here she was cramming as much blue as possible into a towering mountain range.  It wasn’t her typical style, but she liked it, so she would paint it.  Hopefully, other people would enjoy it, but she wouldn't bend over backward catering to them.

“There’s only one person you’d do that for…” she muttered to herself while storing her new paints away.  She wished that she could stop thinking about Weiss every other second, but Weiss had wormed into her brain like some sort of DNA-altering virus or mind-snatching parasite.  

If a genie suddenly appeared in her living room and offered her one wish, she would want to know if Weiss was thinking about her, too, or if Weiss had moved on just as easily as she could choose which emotions to show.

Actually, if Ruby only had one wish, she wished that she could redo their last day in the studio - the conversation they had that avoided the conversation they should have had.  The hug that was as much a goodbye as it was a desperate plea for more.  She should have been more determined.  She should have made Weiss sit down and talk until they figured something out.  Or at least until they promised to see each other again.  Of course, no one made Weiss do anything and lived to tell the tale.

Ruby’s phone saved her from being sucked into another rabbit hole of trying to figure Weiss out.  At least, she thought so until she saw the contact name on the screen and suffered another mini heartbreak.  This was one call she couldn't ignore, however, so she muted the television and raised the phone to her ear.

“Hey, Winter!  What’s up?”

“Hello, Ruby.  I was wondering how you’re doing on the new piece we talked about?”

“Almost done!”  Ruby peered at the canvas in front of her, which closely resembled what she had pictured in her mind.  “It just needs a couple touch-ups, then it’s ready.  I can bring it by next weekend?

“Perfect.  Do you think you can come Saturday around noon?  There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

“Sure, noon’s fine.”

“I’ll see you then.  Have a wonderful evening.”

“You, too!”  Just when Ruby considered lowering the phone, her heart had other ideas.  “Uh, Winter?” she spit out.  “I was just wondering…have you heard from Weiss recently?”

A long pause extended on the other end of the line before Winter said, “I spoke to her several weeks ago.”

“And she’s doing good?”  

“She seemed…like her typical self, so I suppose yes.”

Ruby had expected nothing less, yet the answer still stole the breath from her lungs.  “Right,” she squeezed out with what little air remained.  “Great.  Glad to hear that.”  Before the ensuing silence became awkward, she cleared her throat and added a forcefully chipper, “I’ll see you next Saturday then!”

This time, Winter hung up after a polite, “See you then,” and Ruby looked at the phone before sighing and sinking onto the arm of the sofa.  Before she did something stupid, she pocketed her phone and squinted at the television instead.  The evening news had just ended, giving way to an entertainment news program that she had been fairly obsessed with as of late.  Weiss appeared on the screen moments later - nothing more than a two-second clip from a later segment but more than enough to capture Ruby’s undivided attention. 

Mindlessly tapping her thigh, Ruby watched the hosts give their introductions and launch right into the latest celebrity news.  She didn’t care about most of it, but she would gladly listen to all the filler for the chance to see Weiss, even if that meant seeing Weiss on a television screen.

She was glad that Weiss was doing well.  She would never want Weiss to be anything but well.  But when it felt like someone had sandblasted her heart, leaving the surface raw and burning whenever certain events or certain people came to mind, she had held a flicker of hope that maybe Weiss felt something, too.

Her answer arrived as the next section of the program began with video taken from The Thief’s premiere.  There Weiss was again, standing on a red carpet in front of a background covered in the movie’s name.  Bright lights flashed constantly - rightfully so when she looked absolutely stunning in a long silver gown with shimmering silver heels.  

She didn’t smile - she humored the attention - and Ruby could read in her tense shoulders and stiff posture how little she wanted to be there.  She only relaxed, but only slightly so, when Pyrrha joined her.  The two of them exchanged cheek kisses before Weiss retreated into the theater and Pyrrha took her turn being photographed, looking radiant in a deep red gown.

Cardin showed up last in a sharp black tuxedo - all smiles and winks and grins for the cameras.  Ruby rolled her eyes at his bravado, but the subtle ache in her chest returned when the screen cut back to the hosts.  They delivered a few last lines about the movie, then the show moved on to video from some famous singer’s wedding.

Ruby absentmindedly watched the next few bits of news while her thoughts remained on the trio of stars.  Cardin, Pyrrha, and Weiss were celebrities.  They walked on red carpets, rode in limousines, had legions of adoring fans, and commanded enormous paychecks.  They lived in another world - a world more glamorous than the one Ruby knew.  

They were larger than life in some respects.  In others…well, Cardin was mostly just an oversized idiot who loved a good joke and thought everyone wanted to sleep with him.  Pyrrha was quite possibly the sweetest person alive.  And Weiss would give up her fame in a heartbeat to help someone she cared for.

Ruby had always subscribed to the ‘they’re people just like us’ mindset, but her time at Crescent Protections had shown her just how human - and fallible - they actually were.  Sure, they had quirks - some of those quirks being wildly expensive - but they were also surprisingly relatable.  That newfound perspective was yet another thing she was grateful for.

Once the show ended - not another glimpse or word about Weiss to be found - she turned off the television and hopped off the sofa.  A glance at her phone confirmed that it was time to go already, so she grabbed her keys and hurried out of the apartment.

The temperature had dropped as the sun faded from the sky, but Vale came alive as the weekend arrived.  That meant more cars on the roads, snarling traffic with brake lights and sporadic horns, but also more passengers on the buses.  She considered herself lucky to squeeze onto the next bus and find a small corner to stand in, holding onto the strap above her head, as the hulking vehicle lumbered down the streets.

The bus was quiet, save for a group of teenagers sitting in the back laughing at some video on one of their phones.  Several passengers had their eyes closed and headphones on, blocking out the rest of the world.  Others clutched their bags in their laps and stared out the wide windows, watching the streetlights turn green, then orange, then red as traffic flowed.  Yet they all leaned forward when the bus slowed its massive weight for each stop, and they leaned back when the vehicle rejoined the rest of the city after picking up or dropping off more passengers.

Fortunately, her destination appeared before long.  Bright lights lit the sprawling outdoor shopping center surrounded by dull parking garages currently swarmed with brake lights of cars just trying to enter.  Rather than join that logjam, the bus stopped a stone’s throw away from one of the wide, paver-covered entrances.

Nearly half of the passengers stirred to life and departed with her, everyone heading further into the mall before fanning out in all directions.  The teenagers ended up in front of her, talking and laughing amongst themselves as they passed clothing stores, gift shops, and restaurants before reaching the spacious open space in front of the movie theater.  

The glass front entrance with multiple sets of double doors admitted a steady stream of movie-goers while an equal number seemed to leave.  On either side of the entrance, oversized posters prominently advertised the movies currently playing or coming soon.

Only one of those posters held Ruby’s interest, but she delayed her approach since the teenagers reached it first.  One of them pointed to it and then clapped her hands, and the rest of their voices grew more excited, smiles abounding, as they hurried to the ticket counter.

Ruby watched them go before letting the poster draw her in like a magnet passing over metal shavings.  ‘The Thief’ it read in bold letters across the top, but the title held her interest for a fleeting second before her gaze fixated on the image’s main draw: Weiss.  

Crystal-clear blue eyes stared back at her.  A smug smile tugged at flawless lips.  Instantly recognizable white hair flowed to the side as if caught by the perfect gust of wind.

Weiss’ prominence on the poster made it clear that she was the star.  She was the one people saw the movie for.  She drew audiences and fans.  Cardin and Pyrrha, appearing on either side of her with their shoulders and postures slightly turned outward, were just an added bonus.  

It was only a picture printed on some high-quality paper, but it reminded Ruby of those last few weeks they shared.  She had learned how to read Weiss’ smirks, frowns, and fleeting smiles.  She could interpret slight variations in emotions better than anyone else on set.  Yet…she never figured out how to read Weiss’ mind.

“Hey, Ruby!”

Startled by her name, she tore her gaze away from Weiss and smiled as Oscar hurried over to her.  They hugged once he reached her, then he held up two slips of paper and said, “I got your ticket.”

“You didn’t have to do that…”

“I wanted to,” he replied with a shrug.  

“Ok, but I’m paying next time,” she said before adding, “You’d think we’d get free tickets or something.”

“No kidding.”  After chuckling to himself, he finally looked at the poster.  “Woah.  This looks awesome.”

“Doesn’t it?”  Ruby looked over every inch of the poster again, her gaze lingering on Weiss’ eyes before spotting a familiar bob of orange hair out of the corner of her eye.  “Penny!” she called out as Penny joined them. 

“Hello, Ruby and friend.”

Penny hugged Ruby before smiling at Oscar.

“This is Oscar,” Ruby explained, and Oscar dipped his chin.  “He was a PA with me.  Oscar, Penny works in editing.  She’s the one who got me the job.”

“Technically, I only coordinated an interview.  You got the job.”

“Semantics.”  Ruby waved her hand and chuckled when Penny’s brow furrowed.  “We’re just waiting for a few more people,” she added.  “Then we’ll head in?”

“We still have plenty of time,” Penny pointed out before her gaze shifted to the poster.  She studied it before bobbing her head.  “This looks nice.  I’m excited to see what you helped create.”

“Same.  Really, really excited.”

Ruby bounced on her toes just thinking about the movie, which she’d blocked off on her calendar the moment the release date was announced.  She then messaged practically everyone she knew and coerced - invited - them to see it with her.

Spotting two more invitees amongst the growing number of people roaming around, she grinned and raced over to meet them.

“You made it!” she said as she launched herself at Yang for a hug.  The action forced Yang to release Blake’s hand and step back to keep her balance, but she chuckled and squeezed Ruby tighter than necessary in response.

“Long time no see, stranger.”  Only when a small wheeze escaped Ruby’s lips did Yang release her and pat her shoulders, both of them grinning now.  “How’s it going?”

“Oh, you know, just excited to see my favorite sister!”  

Ruby punctuated that comment by hugging Blake - a much softer hug that she enjoyed just as much as the first.

“It’s good to see you, Ruby,” Blake replied while Yang chuckled and said, “Ouch.”

“Second favorite isn’t too shabby,” Ruby teased Yang before motioning them over to Penny and Oscar.  “We’re just waiting for a couple more people,” she added.

“No problem.  We got here early so you’d stop spazzing out.”

“I wasn’t spazzing out,” Ruby protested, but Yang just smiled and held out her hand to Oscar.

“Yang,” she introduced herself while Oscar hastily shook her hand.  “And this stunner -”  She beamed and wrapped her other hand around Blake’s waist.  “Is my better half and fiancée rolled into one.”

“Also known as Blake,” Ruby piped in while Blake and Oscar exchanged nods.  “Yang’s my sister,” she explained to him.  “That makes Blake my sister, too.”

“Wouldn’t she only be your sister once they’re officially married?” Penny pondered.

“Thank you,” Yang said while Blake laughed.  “That’s what I’ve been saying!  Ruby’s just in a rush to replace me.”

“Not my fault Blake’s an upgrade.”  Ruby waited for Yang’s laugh before nudging Yang’s side and adding, “Love you.”

“Love you, too,” Yang playfully grumbled.  Oscar’s gaze flitted between them, probably searching for some semblance of relation, before landing somewhere above Ruby’s shoulder.

“Is that Velvet?”

He nodded behind Ruby, so Ruby spun around and beamed as Velvet and an impeccably dressed Coco approached them. 

“Hey, everyone,” Velvet greeted them, quickly hugging Ruby and Oscar before returning to Coco’s side.  Despite the late hour, Coco still wore sunglasses.  Ruby, however, felt that intuitive gaze scanning each and every one of them before landing on Yang.

“This is my sister, Yang,” Ruby blurted out before Coco asked.  “And her fiancée, Blake, and my friend Penny - she’s an editor.  And then you know Oscar, obviously.”  Ruby chuckled to herself before adding to Yang and Blake, “This is Velvet and Coco.  Velvet was our PA leader extraordinaire, and Coco’s head of wardrobe.”

“What label do you work for?” Coco asked Yang the instant Ruby finished introductions.

“‘Label?’”

“Fashion label.”

“Oh.”  Yang glanced at Blake then smiled and said, “I don’t work at a label.”

“Why not?”  When Yang tilted her head, Coco looked over her outfit again.  “If you want to, I have someone who needs to talk to you.”

“Oh…really?”

“Absolutely.  Lemon and taupe is a sublime combination.”

“Isn’t it?” Yang agreed, lifting the sleeves of her…well, Ruby would just call it a gray jacket.  “I know lemon’s kind of last season, but I like how it goes with my hair.”

“Nothing’s last season if you wear it right.”  Ruby shared a confused look with Oscar while Coco pulled a card from her jacket and handed it to Yang.  “Call me and I’ll introduce you to some people.”

“Ok…sure.”  Still a little flabbergasted, Yang took the card and said, “I’ll do that.”

Ruby glanced at Coco, who was satisfied with the response, then Yang, before finally Blake, who smiled and shrugged.  Deciding that she could talk Yang’s ear off about that later, she clapped her hands and bounced on the balls of her feet.

“Can we go in now?”  She pointed to the front doors and, thankfully, everyone sprang into motion.

“We need tickets first,” Velvet said, and Blake added, “Us, too.”

“Then let’s grab tickets!”

Ruby waved everyone after her and led the way to the ticket counter.  A line had formed since they arrived but, thankfully, multiple employees worked through the requests quickly.

“We’ll get yours,” Yang told Ruby as they neared the front of the line, but Ruby waved her hands in front of her.

“Oscar already got mine.”

Yang’s brow rose, and she glanced back at Oscar before chuckling and saying, “Alright, we’ll get Penny’s then.”

Yang warmly patted Penny’s shoulder, but Ruby chuckled and said, “Good luck with that…” before listening to Yang spend the next few minutes explaining why she would buy Penny’s movie ticket, and eventually accepting Penny’s genuine gratitude.  

Once they had tickets in hand, Ruby bounded into the theater like a child cannonballing off a diving board.  She only tempered her excitement when a tall, slightly imposing presence fell into step beside her.

“Where’s Weiss?” Coco asked as they entered the theater.

“What do you mean?”  Ruby glanced over and noticed that Velvet was also waiting for her answer.  “Why would she be here?”

“Because if you invited her, she would be here.”

“I kind of doubt that…”  Ruby shook her head but rubbed the back of her neck when Coco pursed her lips.  “I didn’t invite her,” she admitted.  “I didn’t want to bother her.”

“But you’ve kept in touch, right?” Velvet asked.

“Uh, a bit.”  When Velvet’s brow furrowed, Ruby motioned to the concession stand and said, “We’ve got a movie to watch though!  Want anything?”

“I’m good,” Coco said while Velvet shook her head, so Ruby headed toward the lines for concessions without them.

“I’ll come with you!” Oscar offered.

“Yang?  Blake?”  Once Ruby had their attention, she pointed at the concession stand.  “Want anything?”

They both shook their heads, so Ruby joined the line with Oscar beside her.  “Why doesn’t anyone like popcorn?” she asked while they waited.  

“Maybe because kernels always get stuck in your teeth.”

“You’re so right.  And that’s always the worst during movies since you can’t do anything about it.”  Ruby chuckled at the universe’s cruel joke on moviegoers before glancing over and catching Yang studying her and Oscar.  When Ruby tilted her head and mouthed, ‘What?’, Yang shook her head and whispered something into Blake’s ear.  Blake’s gaze shifted to Ruby before moving away just as fluidly, but Ruby narrowed her eyes at what was very clearly a conversation about her.

“You only want popcorn?” Oscar asked, bringing her attention back to him.

“Yeah, sure.  And whatever else you want.”

Before he protested, she pulled out her wallet and stepped up to the counter.  “Hey!” she greeted the young man running the register.  “Can I get a large popcorn and whatever this guy asks for?”  

She pointed at Oscar, who scrunched up his nose before pointing at a box of chocolate candies and saying, “One of those.”  The cashier rang up the charges before filling a large bucket with popcorn and grabbing the candy from one of the drawers.  Both items made it to the counter in the time it took Ruby to pay and return her wallet to her pocket.

“Thanks,” she told him before grabbing the popcorn, leaving Oscar to take his candy as they rejoined their friends near the long hallway leading to the theaters.  “Ok, now I’m ready,” she announced, tossing several pieces of popcorn into her mouth before following them to their theater.

Yang fell back a few steps to walk beside her, letting everyone else get further ahead before nudging her side and nodding to Oscar.

“He’s cute…”

“Don’t even think it,” she immediately said, so Yang laughed and innocently raised her hands.

“What?  That he’s cute and clearly into you?”

“He’s like my little brother!”

“You mean he could be my little brother,” Yang teased, earning Ruby’s glare.  She just laughed, of course, and set her hand on Ruby’s shoulder as they reached the theater.  Another poster hung on the wall directly ahead, sending Ruby’s heart into another frenzy of anticipation and nerves alike.

She would buy a copy of the poster even though she might die of a heart attack if she walked past it too many times in one day.  She survived the most recent pass with only a few skipped heartbeats and one somersault as they entered the long, dark hallway leading into the theater.  Deciding on a place to hang her future possession became an afterthought the moment she turned the corner and saw the rapidly filling seats.

“Good thing we got here early, huh?” Yang commented as they followed Coco and Velvet up the stairs.  Finding seven seats in a row had already become an impossibility, but they managed to grab three seats in one row and four right behind those.  Ruby, Penny, and Oscar took the seats in front while the two couples cozied up behind.  

Yang’s comment made Ruby extra aware of Oscar plopping into the seat beside her, but Penny sitting on her other side offered some reassurance.  Friends sat next to one another at the movies all the time!  That didn’t make it a date or anything romantic.  At least, not from her point of view. 

“Are you excited?” Penny asked while waiting for the movie to begin.

‘Excitement’ barely explained how Ruby felt as the theater filled with people.  Vague worries about the movie being a flop faded with every seat taken - even some of the front rows ended up with more butts in chairs than she had ever seen.  Conversation filled the air - some loud and boisterous, some quiet and personal.  Yang and Coco were talking about the fashion magazines they read on a religious basis.  But everyone quieted when the lights finally dimmed and the previews began.

Ruby usually loved the previews, but her knee bounced through them as if tapping out an urgent message in morse code.  Then the theater darkened further and she suddenly fell very, very still.  She must have held her breath, too, because a soft gasp slipped out when Weiss suddenly appeared.  

Slinking through a crowded street with confidence and determination, Weiss looked even more stunning than Ruby remembered.  Except now Weiss was also larger than life and captivating an entire audience.

Ruby remembered the day.  They had started late because Cardin kept messing up the previous scene, yet Weiss’ frustration was nowhere to be found.  Her mask was in place and working perfectly, controlling her emotions just as easily on screen as off of it.  

Suddenly, there was a loud bang - much louder than Ruby remembered on set - followed by commotion and Weiss slipping away without a shred of suspicion.  Pyrrha’s character was introduced next, then Cardin’s, and then the movie took off.

The scenes made much more sense when viewed in order, though the results still surprised Ruby in some way.  The scene where Cardin accidentally broke Weiss’ fingernail, which they had slaved over for hours on empty stomachs, made the final cut - but it looked like the editors took Weiss’ advice and almost entirely removed Cardin.  Parker and Grace’s excellent banter was all that remained.

The lake scene got Ruby’s pulse racing - mostly from the action taking place but also from seeing Weiss in that white bikini again.  That was the day a torrential downpour turned Weiss into a demon from the depths of hell and Ruby finally snapped at her.  Ruby had no idea rain brought up traumatic memories for Weiss - of course, it was hard to know anything about someone who refused to open up.

The movie carried on to the bank branch which, much to her joy, looked just like the real thing.  The jungle looked equally real once special effects were added.

The instant the museum appeared on the screen, Ruby leaned forward and held her breath.  The next shot cut directly to her paintings and she smiled as Yang reached forward to gently shake her shoulder from behind.  The rest of the theater focused on Parker and Grace’s conversation, but Ruby stared at her art as if peeking through a weird portal into her living room.  Far from just a glimpse, the editors left the artwork in the background of nearly the entire shot, giving her a long scene that she would have to save for eternity.

Once ‘her’ part of the film ended, she leaned back and enjoyed the too-quickly approaching resolution.  Every time Weiss appeared, her heart soared.  Every time Weiss spoke, she hung onto every word.  Then the kiss scene arrived and a trapdoor opened that her stomach dropped right through.

She tried not to move a muscle or let her emotions show when Oscar glanced at her, but it felt like a slimy green monster had just curled up in her heart and started tugging all the strings.  She was vaguely - very vaguely - impressed that Weiss suppressed any indication that she would rather kiss a woodchipper.  But mostly, Ruby wished that it was her instead of dumb ol’ dashing Cardin.

Fortunately, the moment passed quickly, and the slimy green monster noted with no small measure of glee the forceful way that Weiss shoved Cardin away from her as the scene progressed.  From there, everything sailed smoothly to the end - for Ruby, at least.  The characters experienced one pitfall after another until the uncatchable Parker made her final escape, to cheers from the audience.

Ruby grinned at the fitting reaction and, when the credits started to roll, clapped along with some of the other moviegoers.  The lights came back up and, as the theater slowly emptied, she popped to her feet and turned to her friends and family.

“What’d you think??”

“It was awesome,” Yang answered before nudging Blake’s side.  “Blake even liked it, despite no cheesy romance.”

Blake shrugged off the tease and offered a succinct, “Parker and Grace were cute,” to explain her enjoyment.  Yang chuckled at the response, but Ruby beamed.  Of course, out of everyone, Blake would be the one to pick up on the subtle implications between the two main characters.

“The editors did a great job,” Velvet added while she and Coco stood.  

“They did.”  Penny hopped to her feet and smiled.  “They used several unique transitions that I’m excited to try.”

“Always learning something new,” Ruby replied before turning to Oscar.  “What about you?  What’d you think?”

“It was good!  I missed some of the cool stuff though.”

“You did,” Ruby agreed, lightly chuckling while following Penny out of the theater.  “But you also missed some rough days.  Like when the weather decided to drop buckets of water on us after we spent all morning setting up at the lake.”

“The shots turned out beautiful,” Velvet chimed in.  “The sky was a gorgeous blue.”

Ruby had been a little preoccupied with watching Weiss to pay attention to the sky during that scene, but she nodded along with everyone else who apparently noticed the same thing.  

“So what’s it like to watch a movie you helped make?” Yang asked as they strolled toward the lobby.

“Really cool.”  Ruby skipped forward and nearly tripped when she caught sight of another poster for The Thief hanging near the exit.  Sharp blue eyes and perfect hair stole her attention one last time, but she quickly grinned and turned back to Yang.  “It’s like a weird trip down memory lane.  Like, ‘Oh, I remember stubbing my toe on that sofa’ or ‘That’s the mirror Oscar nearly dropped on my head.’”

“I said sorry!” Oscar whined while the rest of them smiled or, in Ruby’s case, laughed.

“I’m just kidding,” she assured him before pausing near the doors and glancing around the lobby.  Some of the other groups who had also watched the film lingered around, their joyful expressions and lively conversations filling her with pride.  

Again, Weiss was right.  The Thief might not be a painting.  It might not hang on a wall or go into a museum.  But it impacted people.  It made them feel things.  It was, in its own way, a work of art that Ruby had played a role in creating.

“I might be a little biased,” she began.  “But that’s my new favorite movie.”

“A little biased?”  Yang scoffed and nudged Ruby’s elbow.  “Do we even need to ask who your favorite character was?”

“Parker’s obviously the best.”

“But she’s the bad guy,” Oscar pointed out.

“She’s not the bad guy!  She’s more like…the anti-hero.”  When Oscar’s nose scrunched up, Ruby waved her hands in front of her and added, “She’s just misunderstood.  No one bothers asking her what her motives are, except Grace at the very end.”

“Parker was the most interesting,” Velvet agreed.  “But Grace was my favorite.”

“Are we all just picking who we worked with?” Oscar asked.  

“No one will judge you for not picking Chase,” Ruby teased him before following Coco through the doors.  “Cardin might’ve been a pain to work with, but he did a good job playing his role.”

“His role was to be a pain,” Velvet pointed out, smiling at Coco for holding the door for her.  The rest of them filed out of the theater after her, greeted by a dark sky and plentiful lamps casting their orange glows.  Ruby took a deep breath of the chilled night air and released it with a big sigh.  She had so many thoughts now, but she didn’t want to talk everyone’s ears off when it was already late.

“Thanks for coming,” she told them instead, earning varying versions of ‘of course’ or ‘thanks for inviting me’ in return.

“It was fun,” Coco said, her hand seamlessly finding Velvet’s.  Velvet smiled up at Coco and, through some unspoken conversation, came to an agreement that they were ready to begin the rest of their night.

“It was so good to see you again,” Velvet said first, hugging Oscar and then Ruby.  “And nice to meet you all.”

“Call me,” Coco added to Yang, who nodded, before waiting for Velvet to wave and tugging her the other way.  As they left, Penny leaned forward onto the balls of her feet and swung one arm up to look at the time.

“I should get home, too,” she concluded.  “I want to make notes about those transitions.”

Ruby chuckled while Penny hugged her, then Yang - who received another round of gratitude for the movie ticket - then Blake, and a rather surprised Oscar.  Once hugs had been dispensed all around, Penny beamed and waved to all of them before setting off. 

Oscar remained, glancing between Ruby and Yang.

“I guess you’re heading home, too?” he eventually asked.

“Yeah, probably should.”  Ruby glanced at the time while he shuffled his feet.  “I’ve got a canvas waiting for some attention.”

“Cool.”  He nodded once before letting his gaze flicker to Yang, who arched a brow at the look.  “Thanks for inviting me.  Maybe we can do this again sometime?”

“Sure!  Just message me whenever.”  

Ruby smiled and gave Oscar a quick hug before he mumbled a shy, “Nice to meet you,” to Yang and Blake and beat it out of there.  Yang watched him go, eyes slightly narrowed, before shaking her head and grinning at Ruby.

“Want a ride home?”

“I live in the opposite direction - it’s way out of your way!” 

“So?”  When Ruby wrinkled her nose, Yang relented and said, “Alright, but you’re coming over for dinner tomorrow, right?”

“Only a meteor could stop me.”

“I’ve heard there’s a one in one gazillionth chance of that happening,” Yang replied with a soft laugh before hugging Ruby.  “We’ll make extra,” she added with a pat on Ruby’s back.  

Blake hugged Ruby next, but when she released Ruby she remained close and asked, “Will there be a sequel?”

“If this one does good enough,” Ruby said, so Blake hummed and reached for Yang’s hand.

“Maybe we should see it again,” Blake suggested.

“Padding the numbers?”  Once Blake shrugged, Yang laughed and waved to Ruby.  “We can do whatever you want,” she said while they headed home.

Ruby didn’t linger much longer.  She glanced at the poster outside the theater one last time and then hurried to the bus stop on her own.  As luck had it, the next bus arrived a few minutes later, and there were plenty of seats now that the evening rush had passed.  She found a seat and let her knee jitter to its heart’s content on the ride home, too overwhelmed by the rest of her thoughts to bother keeping it still.

She loved the movie.  Not only was it fun to watch, but playing a role in its creation felt magical.  Of course, no one played as big of a role as Weiss, who brought the film to life with her exceptional acting skills.  

By the time Ruby got home, she had convinced herself that Weiss was the best actress of their generation.  Again, maybe she was biased.  Her feelings clouded everything these days, after all.  The one thing she knew for certain was that Weiss deserved her fame.  It had nothing to do with her father buying parts for her - she excelled because she was damn good at her job.

In the quiet apartment, Ruby considered turning on the television and making more progress on her painting but went to her bedroom instead.  There, she paced in front of her bed before ultimately pulling out her phone and looking at her chat history with Weiss.

She wanted to inundate Weiss’ phone with messages about how good the movie was, how great of a job Weiss did, and how much fun it was to see the result of their hard work.  She wanted to talk like they used to before things got so…weird.  

Instead, she put her phone away, flopped backward onto her bed, and sighed.  She didn’t feel like she could break the silence now, even though she wanted to.  

Weiss was a lot like Parker, the thief who was constantly two steps ahead yet whose motives were as clear as mud.  Parker broke the law.  She stole whatever she wanted.  She treated many people as inferior unless they possessed intelligence suggesting otherwise.  But strewn throughout the film were glimpses of a kind, compassionate soul.  Someone who cared but didn’t know how to express it.

That made Ruby similar to Grace, in a way.  When she showed up at Crescent Productions, she quickly decided that Weiss was one of the snobbiest, most demanding people she had ever met.  As they got to know each other, however, she learned that there was so much more to Weiss than met the eye.  Weiss might, to many people, seem like a bad person, but she wasn’t.  She was an incredible, beautiful, wonderful person.  

Unfortunately, much like Grace and Parker’s ending, Ruby never figured out how to convince Weiss to stay.  Something clicked between them, but the pieces never fell into place.  Now, the only thing Ruby could do was stare at her ceiling and wonder, ‘What if…?’