ruby in the rough

Sitting at Breadstix was a rare occurrence for Joey since he had been banned in junior year, but since it was a celebratory dinner after the musical, Joey had been allowed to actually be there, which made him happy. He was sitting across from Ruby, playing with his food with a fork, thinking about everything that had gone down during that night and how truly dramatic it was. The thing was that he had only heard Rory’s version of what had happened, since Joey hadn’t talked to either Ivy or Julien about it. When he felt Ruby nudging his leg, Joey snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her, shrugging his shoulders at the other’s question. “I mean, I think that’s what really happened, right? I talked with Rory and that’s what she told me and I haven’t really talked to Ivy or Julien yet… Honestly, I don’t know if I should talk to them. I kind of felt bad for Rory, you know? I mean, I guess she can be annoying most of the times and when she’s not looking I put twigs in her hair. But she didn’t deserve that.” Joey said, keeping his voice down just like Ruby, shaking his head slowly. “I just don’t get it why Julien and Ivy would do it again… They told me that it was just that time, but I guess it wasn’t. I don’t know why they would lie like that. Have you talked to Ivy at all?” Joey asked, resting his shoulders on the table.

Ruby spun her pasta on to her fork and brought it to her mouth while she waited for Joey to speak. She chewed her food slowly while he spoke, shrugging her shoulders at his question. “I have literally no idea if that’s what really happened,” she told him again, chuckling softly, “that’s why I’m asking you.” As he continued to explain what he knew though, Ruby put her fork down and pushed her plate forward slightly to indicate that she was done before she crossed her arms over the table. “I definitely feel bad for Rory. There’s a special place in hell for people who cheat so I really hope Julien gets his ass handed to him,” she mused as she shook her head disapprovingly. Ruby had her own opinion about the fact that Julien had cheated with Ivy, but she wasn’t about to start mouthing off about the St. James girl to her best friend. Plus, Ruby was friends with Ivy too, even if she found her taste in men questionable. On some level, she also felt bad for Joey in the moment. It was kind of widely understood that him, Julien and Ivy were all childhood friends and she had no doubt that this recurring affair between Julien and Ivy made him feel like a third wheel, especially given his own history with the youngest Schuester. “I mean...I’m sure they didn’t tell you because it was like a fucked up situation that they both felt guilty about. People don’t usually share it when they’re like...having an affair,” Ruby explained, hoping that would give Joey some peace of mind. “I don’t think it’s personal Jojo, like I don’t think they were purposefully keeping it from you specifically. I’m sure they didn’t tell anyone.” Ruby reached for her water and took a big sip through her straw as she shook her head at his question. “No, I haven’t talked to her. She booked it pretty quickly and hasn’t really been like...talking to anyone from what I could tell.” 

WHO: @joeyhqs​ & @rubyzizes​ WHEN: friday, aug 7; post-mamma mia! WHERE: breadstix

Per tradition, after the Friday night show of any McKinley High production, the cast congregated at breadstix for a big celebratory dinner. Ruby had heard about these dinners from her friends before, but this was her first time experiencing it first hand. As she sat at across from Joey at a booth eating her pasta, she couldn’t help but wonder if things were always this dramatic. How often was it that three members of the lead cast didn’t show up for this outing that was allegedly a big deal? If she hadn’t grown to like Rory so much and if she hadn’t already been friends with Ivy, she probably would’ve found the whole situation amusing. Because they were her friends though—she felt kind of bad. “Jojo,” Ruby started, nudging him with her foot under the table, “do you know what the fuck happened?” Her question was vague but it wasn’t like everyone hadn’t already been talking about it. Rory this, Julien that, Ivy this, in the choir room. The tension backstage for the past two days could be cut with a knife and Ruby was sick of not being in the know. “I mean, obviously Rory found out about...you know,” she made a kissy face to signify ‘Julien and Ivy kissing’ and spoke in hushed tones so no nosey theater kids could overhear their conversation, “but did she really catch them in the act?” The raven haired girl wasn’t sure that Joey would be the keeper of this information, but he was Ivy’s best friend. She figured if anyone knew, it’d be him. 

LJ: how is anybody that fuckin stupid but twice

LJ: should we do something nice for her like idk??

LJ: get her drugs? alcohol?

LJ: like she rly liked that mf clown from what i could tell

RUBY: we should prob do something nice but like...let me try to get confirmation first that this is the situation

RUBY: she likes mint juul pods I know that!!!! prob needs something a little stronger tho

RUBY: yeah :/ fuck this sucks soooo bad

LJ: smh that's fuckin crazy tho????

LJ: i hope rory dumped his ass she doesn't need that shit ltrly no one does

LJ: like??

RUBY: i know?! like!!

RUBY: ugh i rly do feel rory's pain it's the worst feeling

RUBY: ivy is like perpetually julien's other woman ig?!

LJ: no fuckin way

LJ: why are u JUST telling me this when i had a feeling this whole time???

LJ: fuck dude do u think rory knows now is that what's going on here???

RUBY: fuck I wanted to tell you sooner bitch!!! but I felt bad joey was like so stressed about telling me in the first place smh

LJ: ok what the fuck is going on lmaoo

LJ: i feel like everywhere i look SOMEBODY'S about to fuckin snap dude!!!

RUBY: okay tbh?

RUBY: i might have tea...

RUBY: jojo might've told me that julien and ivy like made out at some point after her and leo broke up?

Joey smiled at Ruby as she spoke, shaking his head slowly as the other spoke. “Well, good thing you’re not shaming me for sleeping around because honestly I might have to get laid this night… I might have to call Archer.” Joey said with a small chuckle, even though he was being serious – drinking too much would usually make Joey horny and he would usually just end up kissing someone by the end of the night. He let out another laugh when Ruby mentioned that Joey was a power bottom, shrugging his shoulders. “Of course I am, did you really think I was a top? Do I look like a top to you?” He asked, leaning back on the bad as he heard Ruby talk. “Well, not anyone special, just a couple of Cheerios and it usually just happens because they really didn’t know I’m gay… Which is weird because I’m pretty sure everyone at that school knows and also the way I dress.” He said with a shrug, frowning when Ruby grabbed his shirt and dragged him to the bathroom. Joey felt like he had betrayed Ivy by telling Ruby, even if it was an accident, so when Ruby dragged him to the bathroom, Joey didn’t know what to say, so he just started walking around the bathroom as he heard Ruby talk. “Yes, they made out! And I don’t know why they broke up, I guess that had something to do with it, I really don’t know! I just shouldn’t have told you that, this is why people don’t trust me anymore, I can’t keep a secret! I feel really bad Ruby, like I might throw up right now.”

Ruby quirked a brow as Joey detailed his master plan for the rest of the night. “Bravo, Jojo,” she teased playfully, giving him a friendly tap on the arm, “I respect your commitment to getting dicked down. I support your ass!” In this way, they were similar. She appreciated a drunk hook-up just as much as the next person. It was even better when the object of affection was unexpected. She cackled loudly at his admission, even though it was definitely obvious. “Listen,” she started, trying to contain her laughter, “I have met so many femme tops this year that I really don’t know what to believe anymore. So I always ask just to be sure.” All talk about tops and bottoms ceased when the conversation took an abrupt turn to actual high stakes drama. Once Ruby had dragged Joey into the bathroom and locked the door, she was determined to get more out of him. If Ruby had been sober, she’d probably be a little more mindful of any crossed boundaries, but drunk? She simply gave no fucks. “Okay, Joey,” she started, clasping her hands together in front of her, “calm down, alright? I’m not going to blab to anyone that you told me. So you can relax and please don’t throw up.” She was happy to give him peace of mind because truly, she wasn’t interested in spreading the gossip. She just wanted to know it for her own benefit. “When did they make-out though? Do you remember?” Ruby chuckled as more things started clicking into place, “damn you guys really do have the same taste, huh?” 

I really wish ugh @joeyhqs let’s kiss

omg fine bitch this is me admitting it! @ljhollidays i love you what the fuck!

ugh the way this is sad but true :/ 

For a long time, Joey actually thought that Ruby didn’t like him – maybe she didn’t at first, but Joey now knew that they were actually friends even if there was a lot of teasing between the two of them, but Joey actually saw that as a good thing, meaning that they were comfortable with each other to joke like that. Chuckling when Ruby agreed on rebranding LA, Joey looked over at Ruby kept talking. “Hey, I’m not a slut! It just happened, and it was a great time, if you must know.” He said with a smile, thinking about that night, because it was truly fun. “What do you think? But I’m obviously not going to tell you, what I do in bed is none of your business, Miss Zizes. And I would totally make out with you, I think I just need to have a couple more drinks first and we’re on a roll. I’ve made out with girls first.” He said with a small chuckle, but his smile quickly faded away when Ruby brought up what he had just said Ivy. Joey felt terrible for saying something like that about Ivy, his best friend in the world. He couldn’t believe that he had just said it like that, but he could always blame it on the alcohol, but even if Ivy found out that he had told Ruby, Joey wasn’t sure if his best friend would ever forgive him. “Listen, I can’t tell you here, I shouldn’t have told you at all. You can’t tell anyone that I told you that, especially not Ivy or Julien, because they’ll kill me.” Joey said, lowering his voice as he looked around, not wanting anyone else to listen. “I’m just drunk, I really don’t know what I’m saying.” He said, running a hand through his hair before letting out a sigh.

How Joey and Ruby came to be such good friends was a mystery. In terms of intelligence, they were on two ends of the spectrum, which meant that more often than not, Ruby had no patience for his antics. But overtime, through cheerios and running in the same circles, they took a liking to each other. All the teasing and jokes exchanged between them were made in good fun and Ruby actually really enjoyed Joey’s company, which is why she was happy to spend her time with him and Lemon and Ivy’s birthday bash. “I’m not shaming you if you are a slut,” she assured him with a chuckle, shrugging as she pointed to herself, “obviously I’m in no position to shame anyone.” Ruby’s colorful past was no secret and to be frank, she wasn’t ashamed of it in the slightest. Ruby let out a heart laugh at Joey refusing to tell her if he topped or bottomed, causing her to squint her eyes at him in thought, “okay so you’re definitely a power bottom. Noted.” She cackled as he agreed to make-out, pending a few more drinks, of course. “Lucky me,” she joked, rolling her eyes playfully, “and what girls have you made out with? Please, do tell.” Their quippy conversation came to a halt the second Joey spilled a genuinely interesting piece of gossip. As Joey lowered his voice, all Ruby heard was that they needed to go somewhere private. So, naturally, she grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him to the bathroom and quickly locked the door. “Okay, you’re not just drunk, Jojo,” she insisted, crossing her arms as she leaned back against the sink, happy to be away from the commotion of the party so that they could talk for real, “I won’t tell Ivy or Julien anything, but holy shit, they made out? I fucking knew it. I knew there was something going on. Is that why her and Leo broke up?”

Smiling when Ruby hugged him, Joey sat down to his friend and took her red cup, taking a sip. Of course he was drunk, but he wasn’t about to tell Ruby that, it’s not like anyone needed to know that. “This trip is the best thing ever, we should just stay here for the rest of our lives! They call this the city of angels right? Maybe they should start calling it the city of Ruby and Joey because we can simply just stay here.” Joey said, letting out a small laugh before taking another sip from Ruby’s drink and handing her over the cup, before leaning back on the bed and looking at Ruby, laughing again when she asked him about what had happened with Archer. “I did, it really happened. I’m not sure how it even happened, one second we were hanging out and then in the other we were both in a bed. It just happened, you know? Maybe I should call him, I think drinking just makes me want to make out with people.” He said with a nod, and once Ruby asked him about Ivy, Joey really didn’t know where Ivy had been all night. He remembered seeing her at the beginning of the party, but he had no idea where she was right now, which was weird since this was her party after all. “I don’t know, she’s probably just out making out with Julien again.” Joey muttered, not noticing what he had just said. It took him a few seconds to realize what he had done and he instantly felt bad for telling Ruby this. How would she react? What should say? Would she ask Ivy if it was true? “I mean, I really don’t know where she is.” He said, trying to make Ruby forget what he had just said, but knowing Ruby Zizes, she wouldn’t forget it that easily.

Joey’s energy was contagious and Ruby was living for it. It helped that pretty much everyone that had joined them on the famed McKinley LA trip was also cramped into the small hotel room, seemingly having a good time. Ruby thrived in social settings like this one, so her mood was already up and just kept getting better with each passing second. “LA should abso-fucking-lutely rebrand as the City of Ruby and Joey,” she said through her laughter, taking her drink back and taking another sip. At this point, she’d had so many drinks that her vodka cran tasted like only cran, which usually meant she should take a break but she was showing no signs of stopping. C’est la vie or whatever. Getting the confirmation of Joey and Archer made her jaws drop as she playfully smacked Joey’s thigh. “You slut,” she teased, shaking her head deviously as she took yet another sip from her cup, “did you top or bottom?” Joey seemed like a power bottom, but maybe he was vers, and the alcohol in her system was making her bold enough to ask. When Joey said being drunk made him want to make out with people, Ruby playfully made a kissy face at him. “If you want to make out, all you have to do is ask,” she joked as she put down her empty cup. Ruby had just been making casual conversation by asking about Ivy, but when Joey dropped the absolute bomb about her making out with Julien? Again? Her jaws dropped. “You’re fucking with me,” she stated bluntly, mouth still agape as she looked around and surely enough...no sign of Julien or Ivy, “dude, no way. You have to tell me everything. You started pouring out the tea so now you have to spill it.” 

↳ INSTAGRAM: @rubyzizes uploaded a photo and tagged @lemonsterling rubyzizes happy 19th to my favorite girls* ! a true ride or die bitch since our awkward middle school days. ily and can’t wait to celebrate later !